10 Ideas For Spring

I love that the weather is thawing. With the weather now co-operating there are hundreds of things you could do to enjoy your time outdoors. Sometimes you just need inspiration. If your life needs some zing here are 10 ideas to make the most of Spring.

Get a great crew together
Nothing beats being on the road with your mates. Even a short trip away guarantees laughter, fun times and fond memories. Last weekend my girlfriends hired a bus and we went on a day trip down to the McLaren Vale Wine Region. We definitely saw the best and worst of each other and I know I love them more because of it.

Get lost
Turn your phone off. I believe the fun happens in the journey and not in the destination. Take a left turn and see what adventure springs up in your path.

Slow down
Rushing to get more done doesn't automatically mean you feel more fulfilled. There is something in the art of subtraction. Let yourself have an entire day dedicated to nothing. It might just give you time and energy for spontaneous fun.

Finish off a project
Hang a hammock in your backyard. Grow a new herb garden. Paint a mural on your fence. There is something in putting effort into your home that makes you connect and love the space. Do something that will make you love your life. I'm working through a big project converting my yard into a low maintenance succulent garden. It's a big job but it will be worth the effort come summer.

DIY cocktails
I love balmy spring evenings sitting outside listening to the crickets with a simple cocktail in hand. Having a few simple ingredients around (ginger ale, soda, limes) means if the desire to relax and chat with loved ones occurs you have everything you need.

Discover new music
Look you wont always like your friends taste in music but it is a different way (other than Spotify) to stumble into new and amazing sounds. Be brave and step away from your normal music style. Music equals memories for me. Each new season has had a unique soundtrack. I'm instantly transported back in time to those happy memories whenever I hit play.

Find a secret camping spot 
Just pack the car and go. Brave the dark night and the wandering seemingly endless wilderness at an off-the-track camp site. The further away from civilisation you are the brighter the stars become and the wilder your heart grows.

Rooftop cinema
It's the beginning of the outdoor cinema season. As much fun as the local drive-in or park cinema is I absolutely love being up amongst the rooftops. Grab your mates and have a memorable night out with a urban landscape view.

Night time adventures
Some of my favourite adventures involve riding my bike at night.The stars and street lamps shroud familiar streets in mystery. Maybe pack a small picnic before you head out on your ride? It just feels great. Go do it.

Take happy snaps
It is easy to forget all the magical moments you are about to have so don't forget to pack your camera.

So there you have it my 10 ideas for Spring. I hope these inspire you to get out there and enjoy the outdoors. What are you most looking forward to?

A Week In New York

I absolutely loved my time in New York City. I wish I had a few more days there. Lets be fair can there ever be enough time? It's a strange town to visit as you iconically know all the big sights. I am not used to that when I travel. I found myself constantly recognising shots from favourite movies and television shows. Whilst we were in town we stumbled over a few film sets ourselves. I could see how the film industry could test the patience of the average New Yorker just trying to live.

As there was only a short amount of time to get a taste of New York life I realised that I couldn't do everything as much as I truly wanted to do. I've estimated that it would take at least a month to a few years for everything. I knew I would go a little crazy with that knowledge so before I left I set myself a small New York Challenge which I talked about here on the blog. Here is how I went!

• I did walk through a Shoe Department although I never found Barneys. I found myself lost in Macy's instead. 

• I rode a bike around Central Park. It was a glorious day for a ride and I swear all the Outdoor-loving New Yorkers were in the park frolicking in the sunshine.  

• My apartment where I was staying had a fabulous rooftop so we bought a bottle of champagne and watched the sunset over Manhattan from up close. 

• I took a quick stroll along the Highline. Quick meaning short unfortunately I didn't see the entire thing. 

• I did find a secret in the city. But it's not a secret if I share it with you now is it? I will say that I did get to play an 80s arcade game on my birthday and finding the secret was worth the effort.

I loved my time in New York. It was a place that energised my soul and gave me lots of inspiration. I will definitely go back in the near future. New York, you stole my heart along with my head.

We were lucky enough to be staying in a fabulous apartment right near the Highline. It meant we were up close and personal to everything. If you are looking to stay somewhere ahh-mazing I cannot rave enough about where we stayed. You can book the apartment here. 

How I survived Rollercon

I'm back from my American holiday and slowly processing all of my experiences. Over the coming weeks I will share more of my photos and fun memories from the States. One of the highlights from my time away was Rollercon.

For aspiring Roller Derby skaters Rollercon is Derby Mecca. Rollercon truly does cater to all parts of the Roller Derby experience with a plethora of opportunities to skate, shop and socialise. At times I found the event overwhelming as there is just so much to do and 5,000 skaters all confidently swaggering their formidable stuff was daunting. Here is how I survived my Rollercon experience.

Look after yourself. 
Sleep. Hydration. Down time. Eat right. It's easy to get caught up in challenge bout after bout after bout. It's easy to go sit by the pool and then accidentally party to the wee hours in the morning. You honestly wont make it through the week if you don't respect your body and give it some rest and recuperation. I found myself craving a giant steak by the end. I took naps whenever I needed them and walked around with a massive water bottle at all times. If all else fails relax and recuperate with a day by the pool with your sole mission to just people watch.

Fear of missing out. 
With stuff happening 24/7 you really have to get over your fear of missing out. You can't do everything and be everywhere. It just is not possible to do everything no matter how hard you may try. If you do you will definitely burn-out and not enjoy yourself. It's your Rollercon experience and no-one else's so just do what you can and don't beat yourself up if you don't fit everything in (there's always next year).

Be spontaneous.
You will be incredibly disappointed if you plan your time at Rollercon out to the minute. You will end up sitting in lots of queues for classes - boring! Be flexible. Don't let golden opportunities slip past you because you had your heart set on a particular Smarty Pants class at a specific time. They usually repeat the good classes over and over again. Go on a group street skate. Attend at least one of the scheduled parties. Derby girls from all over the world are a happy fun-loving bunch and they come with their own fun time guarantee. Don't miss out on meeting these wonderful people and taking a treasured memory home with you. If in doubt, just say yes as often as possible. You never know what crazy adventure will be around the casino corner.

Be brave. 
Do attend classes (as they are great) but honestly the best way to learn is to play against better skaters. It will tie your stomach up in giant knots worrying about it but its the best experience you can get. I got the opportunity to play against Rocky Mountain League as part of Team Australia. My heart jumped up into my throat and only dislodged once I skated my first jam. It was a tough bout but I learnt so much about game play and how I play with different skaters. (Oh yeah and we won!) Cant wait to take back some of my learning's to my home league.

Rollercon was a blast and I hope to be able to go back again in future. Some of my personal highlights included getting to meet and skate with many Australian skaters who my league normally play against like Mad Mel Arena and Cookie Cutter. Skating against a league who I secretly have a crush on. Hanging sporadically with my Derby wives, Val Capone and Amanda Jamitinya. Meeting so many lovely Americans who are super passionate and crazy about Roller Derby. Being distracted by the pretty Las Vegas lights. Being thrown in the pool during the Black and Blue Ball. Making my drinks more fancy by drinking out of a pineapple.

Rollercon made me realise that even though Australian Roller Derby is on the other side of the world we are actually pretty rad athletes too. I also learned that the Roller Derby community around the world is an eclectic and beautiful bunch. If you bring an open mind and a warm smile with you cannot be more better prepared for Rollercon. Happy skating!

If you are keen to check out Rollercon in 2014 I recommend buying tickets here. In the meantime look up some of the fun vicariously through instagram snaps here.

Dreaming of New York

Next week I will be bouncing-off-the-walls excited as I will be boarding a plane and heading off to the US. It is my first trip to the States and I have no true idea what to expect. The city I'm most excited to visit is of course New York.

New York has been hiding in my dreams forever. It has felt like an angry itch that has been exponentially amplified. It was never should I visit but when and the time has finally arrived.

I find myself drawn to unique and non-touristy experiences usually when I am away. I am curious to see if I can find those though as New York looks to be quite the cliche. Here are some of the places and experiences that I am most looking forward to.


I am a huge art fan so of course, MoMA is high on my must-do list. I might not be able to visit the Rain Room Exhibition as the wait seems to make it not worth the effort but it is still MoMA and there will still be a mountain of work to see.

A walk through Barney's Shoe Department.

To find a secret in the city.

A Skate Party in Central Park. I have packed my roller skates!

A cocktail on a Manhattan Rooftop.

A stroll along the Highline.

I usually set myself a challenge for each new travel adventure and as yet I haven't found an appropriate one for New York. Maybe I will just commit myself to saying yes if a wonderful strange opportunity appears. Have you been? Is there something that a really should 'must do' whilst there?

Dreaming of Coachella

I adore music festivals. It's not just about the day itself but all of the tingly nervous excitement and preparation for it. I will daydream over the line-up and create mixtapes. I organise a plan of attack to the minute & then on the day let spontaneous insouciance take over. My girlfriend is incredibly organised (and me by default) as she laminates sweat and water proof line-up cards for us. I like to add my own quirk to each festival so I begin my day setting myself a quest. I once travelled to a festival called Sunset Sounds in Brisbane. I noticed at that particular festival there was a high incidence of Wayfarer wearing hipsters. I challenged myself to get as many photos possible of me wearing said hipsters wayfarers with the hipster in the shot. That was a fun festival, and challenge.

Over the years as my means have increased my desire to travel further and visit festivals in other countries has grown. So far some of my dream festivals include:

Lollapalooza in Chicago.
Fujirock in Japan.
South by Southwest in Texas.
Primavera in Barcelona.
Burning Man in Nevada.
Reading & Leeds, in Reading & Leeds.
Glastonbury in Somerset, UK.
Coachella in California.

Sadly of the list, I've visited only one so far. I almost tagged Lollapalooza into my latest travels but my desire to be a Roller Derby girl at Rollercon has taken over and I miss out this year. Coachella has just rolled around again this year and seeing photos of this years festival is making my heart ache.









Gah, next time! I'll have to deal with my FOMO by shutting my eyes blissing out to the below mix of Coachella 2013.

I'm just going to have to find a cool downtown bar in New York this July to get my international live music fix this time around. Any suggestions?



images from Billboard

Doppelgängers

When you are finding life a little boring and you only have yourself to keep things interesting I like to amuse myself with a secret game I play inside my head.

As I'm the only person who has me stuck inside my head 24-7, I might as well like hanging out with me so I try to keep myself laughing on the inside.

My favourite personal challenge is finding famous doppelgängers of everyday people I might come across. These people end up in my highly treasured memory library of not-famous people. So far I've found 100's of not-stars. I give myself a mental high five and a smirk on the outside each time I've made a match.

My favourites would definitely be the love child of Michael Buble and Ricky Martin, a very good Vanilla Ice double and the ultimate a doppelgänger who looked like Kramer from Seinfeld.

Its especially good if you have friends and family who remind you of someone. I smile every time I see my mother in law as she reminds me of Yoda.

Its the game that just keeps on giving.

A Personal Challenge

Over the last couple of years my tolerance to running has increased. I cannot say that I particularly enjoy the experience but I tolerate it for its health benefits. The concept of a Fun Run just didn't make any sense to me until now. Who knew that all you needed to make a run truly fun was colour?

Over the Australia Day long weekend I took part in the MS Colour Run. I really gravitated to the event as its focus was about having a good time for a good cause. Completely non competitive there were no time markers and much to my delight no die hard fitness junkies in spandex. The only requirement of you as a participant was to wear white.



We started the run in Darling Harbor among 5,000 other white clad crazies. The crowd was an eclectic bunch. Amongst the families and groups of friends I spotted a man in a wedding dress, coordinated neon accessorised fairies and another fellow who thought he'd brave the course in heels. I really didn't know what to expect when we were finally released at the starting line but everyone was very excited.



Running around the Harbor into a nearby park we came to the first colour station. Volunteers wearing masks & holding water bottles were squirting hot pink dust at runners as they flew by. At the first station they missed my white top entirely. I rectified this at the second station whilst 3 volunteers completely coated me in coloured dust. By the third station,  I was starting to look and feel like a Pro Hart creation. Running across the finishing line I was elated to have completed the run. The moment didn't last long as I was doused in a giant dust cloud of green and gold. Yes this is me, the dust cloud with feet.





I recommend if you want to take part to wear clothes and shoes you don't mind getting stained. Most of the colour will dust off but I noticed the pink and green dust did stain once it got wet. Explaining my strange coloured tan marks whilst on the beach later that day was a little awkward but to me they felt like a badge of honor.







Fear not Australians who are also obsessed with colour you haven't missed out on the fun. The Colour Run is coming to a capital city near you soon. Details here.

Thank you MS Colour Run for the fabulous day. If you would like to donate some money to MS Australia to help people affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) please do so here.

New Years Resolutions

Last year I decided to start a resolution early to see if I could do it. The goal: to not  buy anything unnecessary from October 31 until January 1st.

I pretty much followed a similar formula as summed up perfectly on Zen Habits Buy Nothing Challenge.

As a retail therapy junkie I found it an incredibly confronting challenge which made me realise my motivations to shop. Thankfully I've never been one to buy things on credit and kept it well within my means. But I did use it as a way to soothe my emotions. To treat myself when I was feeling stressed or blue. As a way to congratulate myself on a job well done. I bought gifts to show people how much I loved them. Because I just plain wanted something impulsively. Often once the rush of the purchase was over, I'd almost immediately feel buyers remorse later.

So to help myself in the challenge I turned off all of my email subscriptions, set myself a savings goal and kept myself distracted with friends and family, my new blog and anything else that didn't involve shopping. My mantra became 'just because you like it doesnt mean you want or need it'. I honestly didn't fully recognise at the time just how hard this whole experience was going to be.

First I realised how impulsive my purchases were. I became aware of the burning desire that crept up underneath my skin when I went shopping. Tempation was the devil and it was lurking deep inside of me. I found on some days I had to drag myself away literally before I was corrupted.

I made it hard for myself to shop. I no longer picked up a basket but held my mobile phone in one hand to make it really difficult to pick up more than one item. I banned myself from shopping websites. I banned myself from sales racks, shopping malls and op-shops. I wrote lists constantly of the things that I wanted as a way to help myself get through the emotions behind the motivation, to acknowledge the impulse and then let it go. I did a lot of breathing and counting down from 10 when I felt the temptations too strongly.

I became more present in the moment of shopping by asking myself a lot of questions.  I was able to reassess what I really needed. Could I just make do with something for a little bit longer? Do I really need this item right now or could it wait until 2013? Do I already have one at home? Do I want it because I like it? Will I actually use it? A lot of the time I realised that I enjoyed the giddy rush of the hunt more so than the actual item itself.

I purchased only two unnecessary items during the entire challenge. I felt terrible and was honest with myself by telling my friends and family what I had done. Each slip up gave me a chance to learn from the mistake, assess my emotions at the time of purchase and be more motivated to not do it again. I found the desire and impulses to buy slowly diminished over time as I formed new habits.

So I did it, I went 2 whole months without shopping! I reached my savings goal and my bank accounts are looking peachy. Today for the first time in a long time I let myself go crazy and shop. I was able to reassess my needs and wants and was able to talk myself down from buying all the things that I'd been cataloging in my mind since the challenge started and instead bought one new dress to celebrate.

It has made me realise what is truly important in life does not include the things that you wear or the objects that fill your house. But simpler things like a relaxed and loving family, laughing with friends, challenging yourself to be a better person and striving to make a difference in the world or your little community. All of these things in the end are worth more to your life in the long run.

(image from the thecalmgallery.com if you are interested!)