Online shopping from the UK

I love how so many UK websites are now shipping to Australia. Dorothy Perkins ships for a flat shipping rate of £10.50. I also just discovered that Monsoon, one of my fav UK high street retailers, ships to Australia for a flat rate of £7.95. Their website is quite clunky to navigate though - you can't sort by price or newest added items, and not all sale items show up in the sale section.

Anyway, this order from Dorothy Perkins cost a grand total of £53 including shipping, thanks to the current 25% off for students:

Order includes 2 dresses, a top, pajama shorts, a high waisted skirt and some genuine leather boots.

This would be my ideal order from Monsoon, although I didn't go through with it - too exxy:

This order would certainly have been preferable to the DP one, but is way too exxy - more than 3x the price! It includes a funky Missoni-esque cardigan, some leather gloves which remind me of Alannah Hill designs (and are a bargain on sale!), some blingy Christmas boubles, a genuine leather honey coloured tote and some cute corporate heels.

Favourite 4's

4 Jobs I've had in my life

• Retail assistant at Sheridan (at David Jones)
• Nanny
• Lawyer
• Policy Analyst (Government)

4 Places I've lived

• Perth (WA)
• Glasgow, Scotland
• Canberra

4 TV Shows I love to watch

• Weeds
• Arrested Development
• Big Bang Theory
• Outnumbered

4 Favourite Foods

• Hot chips (classy I know…)
• Gourmet salads
• Gourmet burgers
• Healthier Asian options

4 Places I've been on Vacation

• Europe
• South America
• South East Asia
• India

4 Places I would rather be right now

• Bali
• Anywhere else on a beach in Asia
• Perth
• In bed

4 favourite perfumes

• Flower by Kenzo
• Clinique Happy
• Glamourous by Ralph Lauren
• Chloe Perfume

4 favourite possessions

• My dog
• My laptop + internet connection
• My mobile phone

4 favourite musicals

• Fiddler on the Roof
• Joseph’s Technicolour Dreamcoat
• The Lion King
• Mama Mia

4 favourite websites

• Gmail
• Facebook
• Blogger
• Ozbargain

4 Famous people I would like to meet

• Obama
• Angelina Jolie
• Rhianna
• Britney Spears (not because I like her, but because her melt down still intrigues me)

4 Things that make me smile :)

• Children
• My family
• My friends
• My dog

The World's 20 Most Unusual Hotels

This is my list of the world's 20 most unsual hotels. Some of them I'd love to stay in - others, not so much. There is one that I passed up an opportunity to stay in (the jet hostel, Stockholm), and one that I have stayed in myself (salt hotel, Bolivia). Number 21 would probably be the ice hotels of the world, but we've all heard of those (or at least an ice bar...)

1. Magic Mountain Side Hotel, Chile 

 This 4 star hotel looks like a mountain. It comes complete with waterfalls cascading down it, and a wooden bridge swinging above the rainforest. It is located in the middle of a nature reserve, and would make an excellent base for exploring. I would love to stay here!

2. Propellor Island, Berlin

Propeller island is a pseudonym used by the german artist lars stroschen to publish his audio-visual creations. This unusual hotel has 30 rooms, each with its own unique modern art design. There is a room with a levitating bed, and another where you can sleep in coffins. In the Lion Room, you can sleep in a cage. I'd love to stay here, although I'd give the coffin room a miss.

3. dasparkhotel, Linz (Austria)

Apparently, sleeping inside a concrete drainpipe is enough of a novelty to entice some people. As cutely furnished as these might be, I don't think they'd be my thing. A little claustrophic, maybe.

4. Capsule Hotel, Den Haag (Netherlands)

At this quirky hotel you sleep in a survival pod floating in the canals. These orange pod things were originally built in 1972. While not everyone’s luxury choice, each pod provides claustrophobic cosy protection from the elements.

5. Hang Nga Hotel, Da Lat (Vietnam)

Known also at "The Crazy House", this whimsical hotel also has individually decorated rooms. They are a little on the "simple" side though - with basic foam mattresses. This is also open to the public as an art gallery, so there'd be very little privacy for guests.

6. Capsule Hotels - popular in Japan, and at some airports

I could not think of anything worse than sleeping in a box at an inner city capsule hotel, especially after reading that a lot of homeless Japanese rent these instead of sleeping on the streets. They are also often used by people who are too drunk to get home at night. At an airport, this is a good idea for a cheap kip and beats lying on the stained carpet in the transit hall, no matter how claustrophobic it might be!

7. Gamisaru Cave Hotel, Turkey

Located in a remote Turkish village, this 25 room hotel is made up of ancient troglodyte cave houses. All rooms are uniquely decorated, many with traditional fireplaces. Some of the rooms were monk cells in a thousand year old Byzantine monastic retreat. As well as being unique and amazing, this place is high class and comfortable too - I'd love to stay!

8. Jumbo Stay, Stockholm (Sweden)

Ever wanted to stay in an airoplane for longer than a long haul flight? I don't find this particularily appealing, but there is somewhere in Sweden where you can do just that. They have fitted out a 747-200 which was built in 1976 to make a budget hostel. Most rooms are dorm style with 3 beds.

 

 

9. Poseidon Undersea Resort, Fiji

At this resort, you litterly sleep in a little submarine under the sea, in the middle of a Fijian reef. This place is super expensive, and I don't think I'd choose to stay 40 feet below sea level, but you would have a fantastic view of marine life. I'd rather stay here than scuba dive actually, water is not my thing!

10. Hotel Fox, Copenhagen

Apart from the fact that I'd LOVE to visit Copenhagen again, this hotel looks fantastic. It is another arty one with uniquely decorated rooms. Most mindblowing is the fact that it was built by Volkswagon (the car company) and is essentially a marketing tool as well as accomodation. Here are some of the rooms:

11. Woodlyn Park, New Zealand

At this place you can stay in a refurbished Waitomo Express rail car, a 1950's Bristol Freighter jet or a "Hobbit hole" in the side of a hill (touted as the world's first Hobbit accomodation). There is also the Waitanic Ship Motel, a WWII Patrol Boat built in 1942 turned motel.

12. Ateliersulmare Art Hotel, Italy

Each room at this luxury hotel is uniquely decorated with sometimes disturbing modern art. This one is particularily strange:

13. ArkaBarka Floating Hostel, Serbia

How cute does this place look?! I'd love to stay here, and it's super cheap too. Anyone up for a trip to Serbia?

14. Hotel de Vrouwe van Stavoren, Netherlands

This place is also pretty cute - you sleep in a refurbished vine vat. It's all in the spirit of recycling, right?!

15. Salt Hotel, Bolivia

I stayed in one of these amazing hotels in the Uyuni Salt Plains of Bolivia!!! They are made entirely of salt, and so is all furniture, including the beds, tables and chairs.  The beds were very comfy because they use a normal mattress.  There are all ranges of these hotels - from the budget basic (where I stayed, during my South American backpacking) and the luxurious 5 star.

16. Harlingen, Netherlands

Stay in a lighthouse,  a life boat or in the machine room of a crane dangling over the harbour.  These experiences are all offered by a company in the town of Harlingen.  The Harlingen Harbour Crane is equipped with two lifts, a swing motor, high-grade insulated glass, sophisticated heating, cooling and ventilation systems, comprehensive audio-visual electronics, unconventional sanitary facilities, a two-person bed with panoramic view through the rear wall and ceiling window, monumental armchairs, minibar, breakfast facilities and a large roof patio.

17. Dog Bark Inn, Idaho (USA)

At this hotel, you sleep in a giant wooden dog. Their motto is “Where sleeping in the dog house is a good thing.”

18. Suan Peung Resort, Thailand

At this Thai hotel which is 2.5 hours drive from Bangkok, you can live inside Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty or Dino, and dine in the BamBam restaurant. Also a tourist attraction, your villa will be photographed by many camera toting Thais by day.

19. Flush Hotel, South Korea

If you fancy staying in a giant toilet, it will set you back no less than 50k a night. The owner of this $1.6 million dollar crap trap apparently built it to raise awareness of clean sanitation around the world. Seems like a pretty crappy marketing ploy to me...

20. Balancing Barn, Suffolk (England)

This architectual wonder houses 8 guests very comfortably. It stands at the edge of a nature reserve and boasts panoramic views. Yes please!

Makeup Review: Maybelline Gel Eyeliner

This whole blogging thing is very educational. In addition to sorting out the myriad of thoughts in my own head, I am learning that you can tap into the experiences and recommendations of others via Google Friend Connect.

In my 30 before 30 list, I stated that I want to do a makeup course. This is sorely needed, because on a day to day basis I wear hardly any makeup and when I do wear it, I don't think I get the best out of it. I have improved over the years, and my makeup collection has steadily expanded, but I still feel completely useless at making my face look beautiful.

I have never even used a primer. There, I said it - I have committed a beauty sin. So I am deciding whether to buy:

Benefits Porefessional

or

Clinique instant perfection pore minimizer

They both have pretty good reviews, and cost around the same amount for a little tube. My plan of attack is to check to see whether I can steal a Clinique tube from my Mother, who is the lover of all things Clinique. If not, I'll rethink.

I also really wanted to try Maybelline's new gel eyeliner. Reviews say that it is easy to apply, even for beginners. I have improved at eyeliner over the years, but I am a lot better at doing a smudgy smokey eye than a clean crisp corporate eye. And now that I work in an office, the latter has become a necessity.

Here is a photo of the application on my eye (bottom only):

Verdict: The above was done in a massive rush (it took about a minute to do both eyes, maybe less) and it still looks okay. As a result, I'd have to say I'm quite happy with the brush that comes with this gel and its ease of application. NB: You definitely need to wash or at least wipe off the brush between uses. I found it a lot worse on the second application the next day because it had dried product on it. I haven't worked out what the best way to remove the product between uses is. If you are a beginner, buying an even finer brush that is better quality would be helpful, but I found the one it comes with to be fine as a starting point.

For a waterproof eyeliner, I think it has very good staying power. By the end of the day, the line had hardly dissipated. I didn't remove it properly before bed and I didn't wake up with panda eyes, the line was still intact (albeit faded).  I therefore found it to be smudge proof and waterproof, however if you want to use this on your water line (as a kohl pencil) then you are wasting your time - it comes right off there. Make sure your skin is clean and dry before application. If you have oily skin, you will probably still need to use a primer.

The colour is vivid, I did not need to layer it on more than once. It glided on easily, has great staying power, is very affordable (and excellent quality for the price) and is so much easier to apply than liquid eyeliner (but gives a similar well-defined line).

I would go as far as saying that it is now my favourite eyeliner and supplants the previous entry in that category on my must-have list of makeup basics!

Hooray for peer reviews and affordable, well made makeup products!

UPDATE (5 Feb 2012):
I am very impressed with the staying power of this eyeliner. It needs some time to dry but once it has, it stays. Last night I got home at about 4am and used a makeup wipe to remove my eyeshadow (mild makeup wipes have a very limited effect on this eyeliner). I then went to sleep and this is my eyes on waking up:

Very impressive - no panda eyes. In fact, I went out without even needing to re-apply or tidy it up.

Ear Bling: Gaudy Summer Jewels and Your Face Shape

For maximum effect, hide your hair so that the earrings are in full view. On a bad hair day, tie back your hair and wear some statement danglers, and no one will notice the hair. Big earrings distract from the size of your ears, and also make noses look smaller.

Ear Bling - Summer Jewels by lisss-dc

If you don't have the confidence to rock big earrings, maybe being conscious of enhancing your face shape will help.

Oval shaped:  This shape is very versatile, so works with pretty much anything - lucky you! Your best shapes are narrower at the top and wider at the bottom. Triangular shapes are especially flattering. The goal is to add width to your jawline, to really make it pop. Avoid very long earrings - you don't need to make your face look any longer.

Heart shaped: Try triangular (wider at the bottom) or tear drop earrings to balance out the sharpness of the chin. Even circular and oval earrings will work with your face shape, so long as they don’t taper as they descend.

Round: Like any other shape, I believe you can wear anything. However, if you are conscious and want a slimming effect, try thin and long earrings to lengthen the face. Drops and ovals have the same effect. Avoid hoop earrings and other round styles.

Diamond: Short, wide earrings work really well. Gently curved danglers do too. Avoid long and thin earrings.

Rectangle/Square: Choose soft curves rather than angles. Round buttons, teardrops and ovals work well, to soften the face. Drop earrings, long tear drops, or multi-tiered dangling earrings will give a square shape some length.

Triangular: Like the Rectangle/Square, you want to soften your face, so follow the above. Prefer earrings with curves at the bottom and avoid ones that come to a point.

A busy weekend

This weekend I:

• Visited an op shop
• Had a lovely brunch for a friend's birthday (french toast, mmm!)
• Went to a delicious BBQ
• Made playdough (we used a 'no cook' recipe so that Bub could get totally involved. She tired of having sticky hands after about 1 minute and I ended up making it all anyway)
• Cooked enough dinner for the next 2 nights
• Went retail shopping
• Had some drinks at a newish Canberra bar

 Very busy indeed, and much more social than I usually am! Unfortunately I haven't been sleeping well so I am exhausted, work will be a struggle tomorrow...

My thrifted finds were as follows:

 What could these be?

A vintage pleated midi skirt ($4), a tie with a cute penguin print ($3) and a bunny rabbit oven mitt (50c).

I'm linking up with Sophie and Apron Thrift Girl to share my finds :)

My non thrifted buys were:

 Genuine leather outer heels from Target (perfect for work), $35

 Retro bell for my non-existant bike, which I might one day get (or will otherwise gift this) - $2.50 from Sportsgirl

Sparkly brown necklace from Katies, Free! (You get a $10 voucher for joining their club and making a purchase... mine was about to expire, so I had to pick something in store. I didn't like anything that much so I just chose a simple necklace).

I love casual BBQs - good food, company and stories to share. This weekend's was one of those events, and the spread of meats and salads was overwhelming:

Typical Aussie BBQ - an awesome summer feed. Plenty of meat for the boys and delicious salads for the girls.

 

Dessert- homemade chocolate mudcake, tasted as good as it looks.

For my girlfriend's birthday, we checked out 'Honkytonks', a newish bar in Civic. I loved it - casual vibe, plenty of seating including couches, very reasonably priced drinks (plenty of wines and beers for $6 each) and you can even buy a mini "gourmet" hotdog for $5 if you're feeling peckish (I was):

Funky retro decor, love the flamingo!

What did you get up to this weekend?

Brunch review: Toast, East Perth

Toast is a lovely little cafe with a very casual vibe situated right on the river in East Perth.

It has a very extensive menu, I had trouble choosing from the many sweet and savoury options. One thing I found interesting is that they serve some of their meals on Challah. Challah is a Jewish bread eaten every week on the Sabbath and also during festivals. It is commonly braided, and is a very sweet and heavy bread. It might look like this:

For those who haven't tried it, this bread is seriously delicious. I like eating it on its own without any topping or spreads, it's that good!

I had the french toast (made out of Challah) with ricotta and blueberries. It was delish:

 

My friend has the caramelized banana crepes:

The Scoring

Menu variety / creativity: 8.5/10. You are truly spoilt for choice here. The sweet options are varied and creative, but they could improve on the savoury ones which are more traditional. Nonetheless, a high score because of the sheer volume of options.

Taste:  7.5/10. My French toast was very nice, as were my girlfriend's caramelised banana crepes.

Coffee: 6/10. Nothing special. I would rate it about average.

Setting / location: 8/10. A lovely casual setting on the river. Inside is decorated in a vintage/retro style, and outside you sit on the deck and might even score a comfy egg chair. It was boiling hot inside, although they have air conditioning, it is also very open and so it was doing nothing on the humid 34 degrees day we visited.

Service: 8/10. You order and pay at the counter and food is brought out to you. The meals came out slightly before the drinks, but quickly and together. We didn't have to wait long for the drinks so no marks deducted there. Staff were busy but friendly and efficient.

Price: N/A. My French toast cost $18 which is exxy, but we were there between Xmas and New Year and the menu was advertised as being a public holiday menu with a surcharge (although it wasn't strictly a public holiday, I'm not complaining as many other places, including our initial cafe choice, were closed for this period). I'm not sure what their usual prices are like.

Verdict: I'll be back! Their sweet options are fabulous, I'll try the crepes next time which were a generous serving. I saw others' savoury meals and they didn't do too much for me, and I didn't find those options particularily inspiring either. I loved the casual, laid back summer vibe and decor.