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.

How to host a Tiki Party

Summer house parties are a great way to bring friends together. Yet hosting an Aussie BBQ can get a bit dull. Stand out from the crowd and throw a Tiki Party! With minimal effort yet maximum style you can host a gathering that your friends and family will be raving about for years to come. What you will need:



A signature cocktail.  Who wants to be making drinks all night? Keep it simple by making a punch or favourite drink in bulk. My favourite is a Cointreau Blush.

Cointreau Blush Recipe

Start with a tall glass of ice
30ml of Cointreau
10ml of lime juice
60ml of pink grapefruit juice
top up with soda and add a lime wedge

Quirky details make the party. Add a mermaid pendant lamp, amp up your bar with flamingos, cocktail umbrellas, swizzle sticks & anodised cups for instant style.

Set the mood. Borrow your folks vinyl collection or stream a Tiki Lounge digital radio station for the evening. Dont forget to add fairy lights, candles and bamboo flares!

Break the ice with party games! Limbo anyone?

The hostess with the mostess always looks the part. Wear something outrageously stylish. Its not everyday you throw a party.  I highly recommend Hot Couture, they will have you feeling fabulous & effortlessly looking the part.

The Grinch who stole Christmas

Christmas is the time of year where the rest of the world falls in love with snow, egg nog, lavishly large hot family dinners, daggy sweaters, romantic comedies and twinkly lights. It is utterly foreign to me and there is zero appeal.

My earliest memory of this forced institution involved me being trapped sitting on a sticky & sweaty lap of Santa who was wrapped in a red velvet suit. 40C with no air-conditioning makes for one stinky and scary Santa.




Yes, I am a Grinch. I dont put up decorations. I dont subscribe to buying a Christmas CD so I can listen to carols whilst driving my car. I hate wrapping 100's of presents. It does not give me Christmas Cheer. It is a waste of money, a stressful day and no matter how big a smile I plaster over my face I cannot wait for the 25th December to be over fast enough.

So it was with huge amounts of joy  when my eyes saw these lovely images by Alan Sailor, (thank you Expundit) . He has quite literally done what I've only ever dreamed of doing - vaporising Christmas into a billion little pieces.







Check out the full list of images on Flickr.