Archive for November, 2011
Playboy – Play It Rock Fragrance
Playboy’s Play It Rock fragrance is described as opening “with a juicy blood orange and sugary apple candy top note” and that’s quite apt. There is something very ‘rock’, masculine and dirty (in a good way) about Play It Rock on first spray. As it settles, though, there’s a sweet and succulent undertone that lingers and is quite unique.
I was first attracted to the Playboy perfume because of its bottle. What’s not to love about a bunny wearing a bow tie, right? But I find myself craving this perfume and, even more so, its accompanying body spray.
I haven’t worn body spray since I was a pre-pubescent girl raiding every last bottle of Spice Girls Impulse from Priceline stores, but I’m starting to re-discover it and it’s ability to make a sticky afternoon feel like a fresh Spring morning. It’s one thing to top-up your deodorant in your lunch break, but feeling (and smelling) like you’ve just showered is a whole other thing. At $4.49 for the body spray, you really can’t afford not to have one in your desk draw.
Other notes present in Play It Rock are saffron, crimon, patchouli, black ebony, vanilla and fleur de cuir but if they’re not your style you might like Play It Lovely (citrus, blackberry and pear), Play It Sexy (pink grapefruit, mandarin, licorice) or Play It Spicy (Bellini cocktail, pomegranate, passionfruit) which all retail for a tiny $19.95/50mL. You should be able to pick them up at your local Priceline or for stockists, call 1800 812 663.
Bunny rabbit tick of approval
What’s your style of play?
Darley Street Bistro – Clovelly
This restaurant is in close proximity to my house and, despite being open for around six months, I only tried it for the first time on Saturday night.
With a menu that reads like any fine dining establishment in Sydney, it’s hard not to notice the funny location of Darley Street Bistro; a couple of hundred metres from the beach with an outlook of Clovelly’s best burger shop, Out of the Blue, a backpacker’s hostel and nowhere near anything called ‘Darley Street’. But just because it doesn’t have a view of the Harbour Bridge doesn’t mean it’s not good, so I didn’t hold that against them.
The menu itself is quite short. The specials board, however, is full of lots of things you want to eat. I settled on mushroom and feta bruschetta for entrée and Southern Highland beef fillet with sweet potato and rosemary chips, warm salad of roasted tomato, baby spinach and feta drizzled with pesto and balsamic.
The bruschetta was fine. It wasn’t overly tasty, but it hit the spot and wasn’t completely bland either.
When my main arrived, it was warm/borderline cold and by the time I was halfway through was stone cold. Not good enough — how gross is cold steak?! I was willing to let this slide, however, because the meal was very good. If it had been hot it would have been perfect.
- Lamb Shoulder
I decided to have dessert beacuse I over eat just to round out the meal, but I kind of wish I hadn’t bothered. ‘Double chocolate brownie layered with white chocolate icecream and strawberries’ never sounded like a new experience, but I expected a lot more than something I could have made (better) at home. On further inspection, the dessert offerings were very basic (sticky date pudding, white chocolate mousse) and it made me think that they probably don’t have a pastry chef, instead opting for simple desserts to satisfy the customer’s sweet urge but without hiring someone entirely skilled to make anything. Since the food is of a higher-than-average standard, I would expect more from the dessert menu. On the other hand, my mother is still talking about her Eton Mess (she thinks it was the Moscato jelly that set it apart).
One very noticeable flaw is, well, the floor. Bare concrete in a compact place that’s obviously hugely popular on a weekend night is not a good idea. You can’t even hear the person across from you. It’s not even loud in a buzzing Duke Bistro kind of way, it’s just plain unbearable. I understand that having carpet can cause all sort of issues, particularly when they’re trying to keep the ‘beachy’ theme, but it’s really impractical and a major factor that would keep me from dining again.
Overall, though, the experience was enjoyable. Perfect for families or groups of friends who ‘get’ each other and can lip read or understand what each person is saying without having to actually hear them. Most definitely not the place for a first date or even second or third.
The prices are more than reasonable. The bill was $205 for four people (2 entrees, 4 mains, 3 desserts, coffees and wine for me) which is cheaper than average when you consider the high quality of the food.
I would dine again, but I would choose a week night and perhaps take some head phones.
Hello Kitty Cosmetics
If there were any products made for me and the target demographic of my blog it would have to be Hello Kitty Cosmetics; afterall, I did start my blog based on stories about Hello Kitty. The ultimate in cuteness, pink and shimmery adorability – I can barely even talk about it.
What looks like quite a high-end collection – like something you’d see an exxy brand collaborate with – is actually cheap as chips and really accessible. Ranging in price from only $9.95 to $14.95, it is available only at Pricelines stores nationally. The Hello Kitty Cosmetics line is perfect for nights out when you don’t want to put your daggy old compact in your clutch, the young, emerging makeup fanatic in your life, or just your everyday collection.
Here I’ve created a whole look using the range:
Compressed powder – I’m not much of a powder wearer. For full coverage I prefer to wear a liquid foundation so I felt a bit self-conscious wearing only powder as a base. You can see in the photos above that my blemishes and freckles are quite evident, so if you like light coverage or have flawless skin this would be great for you. As far as powders go, though, this went on smoothly and evenly and I was wearing it on that extremely hot Saturday night and it didn’t sweat off, feel sticky or change consistency. It was light and didn’t cause dryness or look like powder on the skin. I used a kabuki brush for more even application. I used the darker of the powders as a bronzer.
Eyeshadow- This didn’t look very strong on the brush, but it loads very well. The baby pink colour is beautiful as a base and an illuminator. The purple was quite strong and probably not to everyone’s taste, but purple does look very nice against green eyes.
Mascara - I LOVE the mascara. It is so fine you can’t even tell you’re wearing it. The photos don’t really prove this, but in real life each lash is coated so evenly and without any clumping whatsoever.
Eyeliner – The liquid eyeliner has a nice sturdy tip but seemed to not apply to finely. I think it needs to be tapered more so you have the choice of doing a very thin line or a thicker flick.
Blush – I really liked the blush although, apart from being a nice colour there’s nothing extraordinarily good or bad about it.
Diamond Gloss and Diamond Stars - This isn’t really something a 24-year old would wear but I would have gone nuts for this as a tween. Since the range is probably aimed at tweens I think it’s really cute.
Lipstick – The plum colour is gorgeous, right?! Staying power was really fantastic, too. I drank something right after the photo was taken and only the tiniest smudge was left on the glass.
Overall, I think this collection is marvellous. Easy on the wallet, no irritations to speak of, expensive-looking packaging and super girly. What more could you want?
Hello Kitty Cosmetics are in stores now!
Gallery pics: Beauty Directory
Free Armani Code Luxury Samples
I like to keep my readers updated on special freebies and offers whenever I hear a good one and this is a good one!
This weekend, 26 and 27 November, Giorgio Armani counters at David Jones Elizabeth Street, Rundle Mall, Hay Street, Queens Plaza, Bourke Street will be handing out free luxury samples of Armani Code for both men and women. There is no qualifier, meaning this is not a Gift With Purchase – just walk up and get your sample until stocks last.
Here are the inclusions:
Female Pack
1.5ml Code Donna sample 1.5 ml Acqua di Gioia sample1.5 ml Acqua di Giò sample
Male Pack
1.5 ml Code Man sample 1.5 ml Code Sport sample 1.5 ml Acqua di Giò sampleNice!
Janet Jackson 1′s Tour – Sydney
It’s been almost two weeks since I went to the Janet Jackson concert at the Opera House, but the memories still remain.
After putting up an (alleged) poor performance on the Saturday night and completely cancelling the Sunday, tensions were high for the Tuesday, and final, performance – particularly since I’d booked in at ARIA for pre-dinner and would have been pretty unimpressed if I’d forked out a couple of hundred dollars on dinner only to be told the show was cancelled.
Luckily it went ahead as planned and I, along with everyone else, was completely blown away. Previously I rated Lady Gaga and P!nk as the greatest shows I’d ever seen, with P!nk and K.D Lang the best live voices I’d heard, but Janet has trumped them all. For a bare stage, a few backup dancers and no costume changes (except for losing the jacket in the last half of the concert) Janet was captivating, did not stop for a second and was, quite plainly, the most incredible performer I’ve ever witnessed.
Let’s remember that she’s in her forties now and, while that’s not old per se, she has been doing this a long time. You wouldn’t guess her age from seeing her dance, sing and engage the audience for hours. Her body is strong, her face light and her voice impeccable. We were lucky (???) enough to see her on the day that Michael’s ‘killer’ was convicted and I wondered how this would affect her performance. At the end of the show she said: “Justice has been had today”, or something to that effect, and there were a few songs accompanied by photos of her and Michael. I got a bit emotional during ‘Scream’, not because it’s a sad song, but it’s one of her’s and Michael’s and one of my all time favourite songs.
I was so happy to hear her sing some of her newer stuff but very, very disappointed to see that she passed on ‘Got ‘Til It’s Gone’ and ‘I Get So Lonely’ to her backup singers who sang just the chorus each. The Velvet Rope era is probably my favourite of Janet’s and, although it wasn’t a number 1, I would have died if she’d sung ‘Somebody To Call My Lover’.
Something really hilarious worth noting (that will probably not be even slightly funny when I explain it) was after the support act, Justice Crew (LOVE THEM!), had performed there was general music playing throughout the hall. ‘Moves Like Jagger’ came on and this lady started dancing. Everyone turned around to watch her and then the whole place went nuts. I’ve never seen anything like it BEFORE a concert, and particularly in a place like the Opera House. I was right, I can’t explain it, but it was so much fun. I saw my cousins after the concert and we thought it was the most bizarre thing ever.
It was really hard to cut the pictures down because she was doing different things in all of them – that’s how hard she was working it. She also touches her vagina A LOT. Like, more than Chelsea Handler did in her show. I guess that’s part of the performance, right?
Touching on her favourite fru-u-u-it
So did anyone else catch Janet while she was in Australia? What did you think of the concert?
Outfit of the Day
This outfit is from last Sunday – soz.
I went to a high tea at the Victoria Room in Potts Point for the Ladies @ Sydney Swans function, the High Tea Highlights. I had never been to the Victoria Room for high tea before and I thought it was wonderful. $65 got a glass of champagne, non-alcoholic drinks (tea, iced tea, soft drink) and unlimited food for four hours. Much better than a lot of high tea joints that bring out one plate.
After the high tea I went to Cronulla to my friends’ Thanksgiving dinner at their place. I had such a beautiful night and I’d never eaten food like that before – pumpkin pie and sweet potato, pecan and marshmallow casserole were some highlights.
I don’t really know what’s up with these pics, I hope you enjoy the coverage of the pool fence!
Quarter Twenty One Cookery School – Christmas Canapés
Yes, that’s right, another trip to Quarter Twenty One. I really can’t stay away and each season’s program gets more and more exciting.
Last night I attended the Christmas Canapé class with my friend, Lydia. It was a demo class which means we got to sit back, take notes and photos as we pleased, sip on wine and eat the delicious little morsels that Etch‘s head chef, James, prepared in front of us.
Here’s what we learnt to cook and got to eat:
Coffin Bay Oysters with Champagne Dressing
Watermelon, Serrano Ham, Chilli, Mint and White Pepper
Whipped Goat’s Cheese Tart, Black Olive, Candied Lemon
Crispy Pork Belly and Five Spice
Marinated Tuna, Wasabi, Ginger and Lime
Goat’s Cheese Balls, Honey, Lavendar and Vanilla
Crispy Prawns, Basil, Lemon and Aioli
Petuna Ocean Trout Tartare, Horseradish and Beetroot
Seared Wagyu, Sesame and Ginger
Naturally, I’m not passing out any of these recipes; you’ll have to take this, or a similar class, yourself. But I was so impressed by how simple and quick they all are. I will definitely be making most of them again (I don’t eat seafood) and they’re not just for Christmas or canapé form either. Something like the watermelon and ham canapé could be recreated as a salad or share platter, James explained to us.
A sneaky treat arrived from the Becassé kitchen just in time for our dessert: Pink passionfruit mini macarons. Love!
I am now looking for an excuse to create all these in my own home!
The Christmas Canapé class runs for about 3 hours, was $150 p/p and includes all the food prepared, wine and a take-home kit with recipes and tips.
For a full program please head to www.quartertwentyone.com.au
Vaseline Skin Savers Giveaway!
You probably would have read about the event in Sydney today where shirtless men braved the cold to hand out full-sized samples of Vaseline Aloe Fresh Lotion with SPF 15 to women at Wynyard Park.
I popped down in my lunch break to check out the hotties and get some sun protection myself. Despite being overcast, there’s still a huge chance of UV rays doing damage to your skin.
Here are some piccies of me with the boys. I love this lotion so much that I just had to smear it all over them!
See how silky smooth their skin is? And no sunburn in sight!
If you weren’t able to pick up your sample in person, I have five Skin Savers packs to give away. All you have to do to win is comment below with an answer to the following question:
Which area of your skin needs the most saving?
For me it’s the sides of my knees. They’re dry and itchy and tend to burn really quickly. 
- Entries close Midday, 5 December 2011
- Winners will be notified by email
- Entry is open only to people living in Australia (sorry!)
Good luck!
Tabatha Coffey For Joico and Bio-Advanced Launch – Sydney
A (blow) wave of fear rushes over you when you open your invitation to a ‘regular’ hair event but when the guest of honour is one of TV’s most feared whip-crackers in the beauty industry you nearly crap yourself.
A check list is essential – roots done, perfect shine and volume in place, frizz under control – and let’s not even talk about cowlicks or split ends – for Tabatha Coffey, star of Arena’s Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, the no-holds-barred fierce bitch is on her way.
Teaming up with Joico for industry-based seminars, Tabatha is back in her home land to give up-and-coming hairdressers, and those already in the industry, pointers and guidance to help them make the most out of their business and, after the success of her show, there’s no better teacher.
On hand at Kings Cross’ Concrete Blonde on Monday night to interview Tabatha about her relationship with Joico (one of my favourite brands) was another of television’s villians, Charlotte Dawson. The pair are actually very lovely (sorry to blow their cover!) and I had the pleasure of meeting them both.
Other guests on the night included the gorgeous Josh Flinn, hair superstars Joh Bailey and Brad Ngata, Montana, Simone and Liz from Australia’s Next Top Model (who are just stunning and sooooo tall) and Adam Williams.
I was happy to see the models eating (but sad because it means they actually eat) the incredible food which included poached and deep fried quail with a blue cheese sauce, mushroom risotto and Soba noodles as well as berry mocktails and citrus cocktails.
For a sweltering hot night, it certainly turned out to be a good one.
Do you love Tabatha’s Salon Takeover?
Pictures: Dominic Loneragan
C Coconut Water
It will make you look like this.
When I was asked if I wanted to try out this new brand of coconut water I was a bit skeptical. I’ve tried many a bottle of coconut water before, thinking how good it must be for me, but I’m not a fan. It’s sweet but with this ‘off’ kind of sour after taste, it doesn’t quench my thirst and I don’t feel that much healthier for it, but as I read more about C Coconut Water I was pretty impressed.
Founded by TheClub owners, Julian Tobias and Adam Abrams, the boys saw a hole in the market for coconut water that was actually drinkable. They tested coconuts from all over the world deciding that those from Thailand were too sweet and Mexican, Indian and Indonesian coconuts are too salty.
I already knew Julian was a man with great taste because he cuts a fine figure himself and, if you’ve seen him around Sydney or in the social pages over the years with many stunning women on his arm, you’ll realise this too.
I must say that after trying out C Coconut Water I’m not personally converted. There was still a tinge of something I didn’t like but it was certainly more refreshing than other brands I’ve tried, like Nudie. I managed to finish the whole thing which, given my history with coconut water, is a big feat in itself.
Since I was at work I thought I’d share the love and get my colleagues to try some as well. They all loved C Coconut Water - even those who had previously been a bit iffy about it. I think it’s clear that the moral of the story is clearly there’s something wrong with me and I should probably just steer clear of coconut water in general.
If, however, you do like coconut water or are borderline, then C Coconut Water is probably the one for you.
C Coconut Water is available at:
-Thomas Dux
-Harris Farm
-Santos Wholefood Stores
-Jed’s Bondi Beach
Its benefits include:
-Being naturally sterile
-Being more isotonic and hydrating than sports drinks
-No added sugar
-More potassium than one banana
What do you think of Coconut Water? www.ccoconutwater.com
