Wheel Deal

Honestly, I know NOTHING about skateboarding, but i DO know that I like black and white very much. Also think that seeing "hello" in a multitude of languages on the underside of a deck when pulling out a sick move, is cooler than saying "Fu*ck Off - I'm a skateboard rock star".

Alternatively, could just be thrown up on the wall as art.

“Hello” Limited Edition skateboard by Antonio Carusone for Buddy Carr Skateboards




Skateboard Specifications

Limited Edition of 100
7 Ply Maple Veneer Deck with Concave and Single Kick (28" x 7.875")
Bennett Vector Trucks 5.0 Model
62mm 78 Durometer Urethane Wheels
Sealed Dual Shield Precision Steel Ball Bearings
Custom Laser Cut Griptape with Logo
Each Hello Skateboard is Hand Assembled in Southern California

Dear Santa...

While on Christmas, here are the things that I want (so far…!) Feel free to help cross any off my list!

Alexander Mcqueen black “Homburg Hat” – perfect to cover up a wild fringe, and useful for keepin’ cool while dancing up a storm.

Yves Saint Laurent “Arty Ovale Ring” – Will definitely add some spice and color into my normally subdued-palated wardrobe. Plus love the chunk.

Aesop Skincare – Organic, beautifully packaged, and smells ohhhh so good!

Olympus Pen DSLR – unobtrusive, beautifully designed, easy to carry and ensures special lifetime memories of those moments that you never want to forget.

2-Finger Name Plate ring (in rose gold) – Love rose gold, and love jewellery, so this seems just perfect.

** AND the limestone “Grenade” sculpture from Palmer Projects… if anyone knows who did it, please email me the details. LOVE that peach! **

Coked Up

Environmentally friendly, clean skinned and totally minimal, loving this can design for Coca Cola (currently unaffiliated with the brand). Designed by Ryan Yoon & Harc Lee (Company: 7760, based in the US), they say...

"A convex logo substitutes colorfully sprayed can. Naked can help to reduce air and water pollution occurred in its coloring process. It also reduces energy and effort to separate toxic color paint from aluminum in recycling process. Huge amount of energy and paint required to manufacture colored cans will be saved. Instead of toxic paint, manufacturers process aluminum with a pressing machine that indicates brand identity on surface."

Love it.

Get a start

Holy! Less than a month til Christmas. If you’re like me, you’ll have your heart set with good intentions to plan and shop early, and somehow you’ll vague out a bit and leave it all til the last minute. Problem is, this year, Christmas Day falls on a Friday so most of us will be working for the man all the way up until the Holidays strike.

Kill two birds with one stone this year by giving gorgeous cards to colleagues, ex boyfriends mums and semi-friends from Rifle Paper Co. Beautifully illustrated by Anna Bond, from sunny Florida US, these amazing paper goods work like presents in their own right. Pretty enough to be on display all year round, not just during the holiday season.

A new excuse

Why. Its not even a question but a statement.

Why - do the best nights out in Sydney fall on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Why - does the weekend only consist of 2 days.
Why - don't bosses understand that a hangover IS a sick excuse (if you had a migraine, you'd still be tucked up in bed...)

A legit reason however is the need to jump around and listening to remixes from two Sydney kids (and good friends) Mark Porta and Tim Brown. Such nice boys, they've helped with the lie factor and work under the name "Calling in Sick". Check out their Myspace page or $$ them up and download a-go-go on BeatPort.

Bang Bang

Spent last week at my home away from home, to hit up the Modern Collective Premiere @ White Revolver in Bondi - a pretty rad film that steers away from the usual surf film suspect and focuses on the location and lifestyle of surfing and its members. Was a pretty sweet little crew and a nice (and generally uncommon) mix of NB and the Easts greatest, which made for a pretty spech party vibe.

Expecting the same for the coming White Revolver epic, when the Seelenmeyer boys from Plasid Apparel showcase a new range at the Bondi party pad. The described design aesthetic? “Functional street fashion with a nice clean silhouette”. Top it off with free drinks, a set from our lovely peach (Mark) Olsen, and you can bet on it being a bang up night.

Juliette - loves to F-ing Bang Oi Nay-than

Pengu

Loving Sunday morning serene - watching the haze of a to-be-hot summer sky, hit the quiet lull of clean blue water, lapping against the cliffs at Dover Heights... The final Sunday morning hurrah...

Adding to the peaceful bliss, are images of 135 gorgeous 5ft penguins, painted up by 135 artists and local school children in Liverpool, England. Many carrying messages about climate change, the penguins are the final installation for the city's celebrations for the "Year of the Environment".

Served up by Wild in Art - an organisation that develops, manages and produces mass appeal educational art events - "Go Penguins" is beautiful, funny and insightful way to engage a community. Check out all of the designs here / a few of my faves below.

ooo Nicole. Looky Here.

Shot by Justin Coit - putting two and two together an assuming his NR's preferred photog - the new look book for Richie's range Winter Kate is pretty pretty.

Drawing inspiration from her favourite animals - peacocks and birds feature heavily in the 37-piece range - beautiful tops, vests, bed jackets and other vintagesque silk, crepe and chiffon numbers litter the shelves.

Mixing in with the House of Harlow range which is internationally stocked and will include shoes in the next season, can't wait to see this in the flesh.

Time will tell.

Sitting watching the clock tick until home time and the weekend jumps up and bite me hard, feeling a bit of a longing to be time telling from this little wonder.

Designed by Andreas Dober for German company, Athologie Quartett, the Catena Wall Clock tells time using copper digits mounted on the outside of a bike chain that rotates around a single motorized gear.

Given that the only numbers on the chain are hours, it makes sense to me that when 4 hits the dial, it's as close to 4:30 and wine o'clock as your gonna get. Buy yours here @ Unica Home

Turnin' Japanese

It not uncommon for me to write up a Todd Selby shoot, and the images of Yoshiko Kajitani and her home definitely caught my eye. Designer of Yoshiko Creation Paris (a sweeet jewellery brand with something for everyone worthy of a statement piece) the mash and clash of beautiful jewels, high bright colours and old school strong furniture makes for an eclectic abode. The hues are expressive and make me cherish my own highlighter shades even more.

Justifiable

Scary but true, Christmas is just around the corner. And while I'll happily do the standard cooked item for family - jams, relishes, rosewater lolly pops and the like - there are way to many cute things at cheerful-chic boutique, Sportsgirl. Faves below!




For Moller - Beach Sound Speaker $49.95

Perfect for some chilled Band of Horses, Jon Paull or Lykke on the sand this summer. We've all envied Jacqui's ownership of these wonders, so its high time that someone else is gifted with summer song.







For Nat - Ceramic Coffee Cup $19.95

Given her recent elevation in the corporate ranks to GM of a legal publishing firm, and her absolute addiction to coffee, seems like the perfect get for our little smart cookie wonder, Natalie.







For Cook - Perfect Fishy Wall Hanger $12.95

Happy to be home (her REAL home!) Jessie needs some pretty to liven up her new digs in the Lee / Toby / Michelle abode. Pretty and sweet, this lovely wall hanging will fit snugly between the photo prints of girls nights out looking glam.

For Llyne - Animal Key Ring $7.95

The queen of absolute cool, Ms Watt has a definitive style that incorporates high end designer with the quirky cool that the earth has to offer. Hard to buy for, this little sweets will make Llynnee smile endless.







For Jacqui - Butterfly Coat Hangers $14.95

Seriously, who DOES give coat hangers as a Christmas present? But when you consider Jacqui is owner to more Fleur Wood, Camilla & Mark, Cohen et Sabine etc than ANY other person I know (sans her sister Lydia), and is the girliest girl that exists, these seem kinda fitting... and also most to pretty to cover up.






For Bree - Etched Candle Holder $14.95

The QUEEN of Glasshouse candles - her room always smells Am-azing, Ms Plunkett will be in her element with a couple of these wonders. Small little tea lights tucked in tight, beautiful candle light dancing around her room, while we're all crowded into her bed laughing at ordinary TV.

Australian Childhood Foundation ad campaign (by JWT)

Smart, clever and right Out of Home ad campaign for the Australian Childhood Foundation. Created by JWT and running in Melbourne, AUS). UN.REAL.

Portable Sounds.

This is EPIC! About 2 weeks ago, at about 4am, my girlfriends and I hassled our gorgeous friend Russo aka The Mooch, to bring his sweet arse over to the party house in Eurobin St, Queenscliff to keep us up all night with his epic old school/new school hip hop party tunes. Unfortunately, he hibernated himself and didn't show, but if he had've been the owner of a Charlie Pyott portable, slim cased turntable concept - otherwise known as a Linos...

All you'd need to do is

1. Carry the player around, as needed.

2. Plug into a USB outlet, computer, or into an audio jack set as 35/45 RPM.

3. Push the side button to separate the base from the player. and chuck the record onto the spindle before reattaching the rest of the player.

4. Hit "on", raise the arm, spin the record, and place the head at the track you wanna drop.

BOOM. Insta party. Such an AWESOME Christmas present if it was a reality!

Hair Luscious

If you're going to do hair, you gotta do it with KEVIN.MURPHY. Not only are these salon-available only products beautifully packaged in recyclable friendly containers (that is equal parts gorgeous to smart) but the product is also paraben and sulphate free, which means good for your hair, AND good for the environment. Clean goodness - LOVE these products and think you will to. (P.s. they smell like a wonder!)

ANGEL.RINSE For coloured hair. A delicate moisturising conditioner with mango butter, cocoa butter and chamomile.

BORN.AGAIN Essential treatment. A conditioning treatment that replenishes tortured hair. Conditioning agents derived from Olive Leaf, Shea Butter, Omega 3 and Omega 6.

HAIR.RESORT Beach textures. Gives your hair a messy, slept in, beach look that helps to define long hair.

Protected.

Rarely am I consistent. Depending on my mood, the weather, the music I'm listening too, where I'm going (and who with), the time I wake up (list is endless...) I flit from one thing to another and kinda make up my mood as I go along with it.
One thing I AM consistent with however, is my recognition of karma. And while I sometimes forget the old adage "count to five" I am truly aware of how my actions impact the energy around me. Which is why I wear a Hamsa, or Chamesh Hand.

My first Hamsa was given to me when I was 18, by a lovely and very attentive Italian ex boyfriend, who I think thought I was a bit of a handful (even for myself) and I needed something to ward off the evil eye. Since then, I've moved onto my red string which never leaves my wrist. Ever.

The Hamsa hand (Arabic) or Chamesh hand (Hebrew) is an old amulet for magical protection from the evil eye and is known to draw positive energy, happiness, riches and health. The hand has five digits and is representative of the meaning of the number 5 (the protector). By pointing towards the floor, mystic Jews believe that the negative energy of the evil eye is directed away from the wearer.
The color red is significant within Jewish history because it was one of the items necessary to build the original Temple, and the thread came from a type of worm (considered as one of the lowest life forms - warranted or not - and yet it was intrinsic to the building of the Sanctuary. The red thread, reminiscent of the lowly worm, is a reminder that a person is no greater than the smallest, most insignificant element in the universe. It serves to remind that humility is the ultimate weapon against the "evil eye".

As the year comes to a close, and we start to wrap up and reflect on what we've left as our markers in the sand this year, I'm kinda thankful that my Hamsa has kept most of the negative backlash, that could have come from my wreckless actions, at the door. Make me feel like I'm taking some well learnt lessons into 2010, a little bit less scathed than others.

Want a Hamsa? Try One of a Kind.

Better Late than Never

The way I see it, it's much more important to fall in love with something at sometime than never at all. I'm sure I'm well behind everyone else discovering this beautiful talent, but feel very awed by Ben Voorderhake's photography.

I'm sure in part, its because Voorderhake has shown me, in an instant, a new side to many places that I spend almost too much time. Maybe its the sense of hope, that at some point I'll catch that secret glimpse of beauty from the many places I wander past doing my day to day. Or maybe its just because he's reminded me that its so important for us all to slow down enough TO grab those inspiring glimpses. Either way, I love these shots.