Off The Cuff

Some people may call my addiction to Samantha Wills jewellery a little odd. They might claim that the way I stare at her pieces in shops is a touch obsessive and they could even speculate that the way I spend countless hours trawling through her website while drool gathers around my feet is, well, just kind of creepy. But really who can blame me? For years now I have had a one-sided, slightly stalker-ish love affair with Samantha Wills' pieces, so when I received my very own SW cuff, I won't lie, tears of joy occurred...followed promptly by much drool.

The problem is, I cherish this beautiful creation so much that I haven't actually found the perfect occasion to wear it to yet, and so it has been laying in wait, perfectly positioned in it's pretty box. I think an occasion must earn the honour of such a bracelet, but unfortunately people don't seem to be inviting me to many Bohemian Moroccan Night balls filled with bedouin tents and hummus....seriously, what's with that? So today I decided to finally bite the bullet and get some photos of my new cuff, hummus or no hummus!

Australian-born Samantha Wills has been producing her bold, bohemian-styled jewellery since 2004 and has been creating waves in the fashion industry ever since. Now living in New York, she has been labelled as "Australia's biggest export since Vegemite...but I'm pretty sure i'd rather cover my body in SW jewellery instead of Vegemite. Wills' beautiful, exotic pieces are inspired predominately through her travels and each one has a laid back bohemian-feel that is echoed through the use of turquoise, large stones and detailed engravings. Basically, put on one of her pieces and you will feel as though you're aptly dressed to march through the markets of Marrakech, or idle down Indian streets. Her Spring/Summer collection, filled with statement stones of sunset burgundies and tantalising turquoise, is now available and-once again-it's got me all blushing and flustered.

So finally, I can happily say that  have road-tested (or wear-tested) my favourite new piece of jewellery...there may not have been any hummus, and maybe a camel or two would have been nice, but  I truly think the beauty of the piece speaks for itself. 

Great City Lights At The Gertrude Projection Festival

I think that people are a lot like bugs (bare with me) in the way we are attracted to bright, radiant light. Thankfully however, our infatuation with all things luminescent-unlike our buzzy friends- doesn't usually end in our untimely comical death from a bug-zapping lamp. No, our obsession with light tells of how truly embedded we are in digital culture today; the thrill and spectacle of fluorescent, multi-coloured glints and glimmer still have the ability to conjure a childlike wonder and whimsy that turns the simplest of scenes (even a dingy club) into a wonderland. Tonight, Melbourne honours this long founded infatuation with The Gertrude Street Projection Festival, where the Hipster-Centeral Street becomes one giant screen that will transport viewers into a world of illumination and mystery. 

Now in it's sixth year, The Gertrude Street Projection Festival promises to be the most exciting event-filled  festival to date. Running from the 19th to the 28th of July, the festival is an opportunity to change our familiar cityscape into an unexpected world filled with mystery through the use of light and colour-taking everyday experiences and spaces and altering the public's perception of them. Artists are given the opportunity to create installations that will be splashed across Gertrude Street's buildings, showing you a side of the city you've never seen before. Tonight is opening night and to honour the occasion, artist Nick Azidis will illuminate the 14-storey towers of the Atherton Garden Housing estate, bombarding the site in colour, life and personality. If this all sounds quite similar to Melbourne's White Night (which you should have heard about, because if you didn't i'll assume you have no internet, no phone, no television, can't read and sleep in a homemade tent on a hill somewhere near Bundoora) that's because, well, it is, and many of the creative minds behind Gertrude Street's projections come from the same talented pool of artists.

If you're, how shall I say, somewhat averse to the cold, never fear! Like all good festivals, this one features an inaugural Festival Hub, located upstairs at Gertrude's Brown Couch, a bar that's keen on strong martinis, music, chilling and, as the name suggests, couches! The Hub is open every night from 6-8 and is the perfect space to relax, enjoy a drink with mates and catch one of the awesome events, such as live gigs, the Guerrilla Gameshow trivia night, and the Opening Night Party which promises to be pretty (to borrow the phrase) cray.

The Gertrude street Projection Festival is the perfect opportunity to get caught up in the magic and mysticism of light, as you see the buildings, lane ways and footpaths you know transform into a new inspired world. Sure, we may not have wings, seven eyes or four hairy legs, but there's no denying that when it comes to shiny-ness, we're just like flies to a flame.

Market Lane's Take-Away Miracles

We all love a good quickie don't we? And by 'a quickie' I obviously mean a take-away coffee...geesh, get your head out of the gutter! Sometimes I feel like God himself invented the humble take-away...it's as though he knew you would forever be running late for a 9 am meeting after you pressed the snooze button six times, and he understood that only a quick pick-me-up coffee could subside the dehydration party going on in your severely hungover mouth (Note To Self: write God a thank you letter). I have to admit, I really am much more a sit-in kind of coffee drinker, however there's a little coffee hide-away, located on Carlton's Faraday Street, that's making me change my tune.

Six months ago Market Lane opened this blink-and-you'll-miss-it pop up store which has been churning out delicious take-aways ever since. If anyone were to rule in coffee geekery, it would probably be these guys. With two other locations (Prahran and Victoria markets) Market Lane means serious business when it comes to coffee. Beans are sourced from some of the best coffee growers in the wold in an attempt to create superior coffees that are distinctive, memorable and can stand up on their own without the need for blending. Try one of the rotating single origins as an espresso or your morning needs a good kick start, indulge in one of the pour over coffees on offer...it could just be the hangover cure you were looking for.

A white windowsill daintily decorated with pots of geranium flowers is the only clue to the coffee shops existence, which makes a ritual morning coffee feel like an intimate affair. With no seats available in this cosy hidey-hole, you'll find yourself munching on a pastry from next door's artisan bakery, Baker D. Chirico, while checking out the vast array of exotic beans for purchase. There's a big focus on educating people about quality coffee here, so while waiting for your strong latte you'll probably end up chatting with the knowledgable barista about the new Puerta Verde they have on offer that comes from Guatamala's Antigua region. You'll nod your head politely pretending you know where the hell that is, because let's be honest, you probably couldn't point to Guatamala on a map...but you won't really care because you'll be sipping on the best darn take-away coffee you've ever had.

Yes, the space may indeed be small and you may have no idea what the barista's talking about, but while munching on a warm Baker D. Chirico pastry and sipping on a Puerta Verde latte, you'll start to wonder if you ever need to sit in a cafe again! Yup, this God dude really knew what he was doing when he invented the Market Lane take-away.

Great Gatsby Fashion

Sometimes, when a new trend enters our little world of pop-culture, things can get...how do I  put it...a little crazy. And when I say crazy, I don't just mean your creepy old neighbour who talks to himself kind of crazy, i'm talking about the full blown craziness that can only be experienced at Myer on Boxing Day. Perhaps the most obvious recent influence on all things fashion, film and yes, even food related, has been the screening of The Great Gatsby. Now, if you haven't A) read the book B) seen the movie or (more shockingly) C) even heard of this cultural phenomenon that's pretty much achieved world wide domination then hang your head in shame. Do it!*

To better describe the extreme way in which Gatsby has influenced the fashion world I have come up with a new word: Gashion. Genius.  The trend slowly began creeping its way into our wardrobes when chain stores began introducing large chandelier earrings, sequinned shift dresses and lacy headbands onto their shelves. Then, before we knew it, BAM! girls were walking down Swanston Street wearing flapper dresses and men were heavily smoking indoors again...ok, maybe not that last part. So, when I recently attended a Gold Class session of The Great Gatsby (it sounds swankier than it was...I somehow managed to grind choc-top into my dress and got popcorn stuck in my hair) I decided to honour some of the beautiful comebacks of 20's fashion that the film has brought us and donned my best sequinned dress and vintage Mary-Janes for the occasion. True Gashion at its finest!

What I Wore

Dress: Sportsgirl

Earrings: H&M

Fur Stole: Vintage

Shoes: Vintage heels from Amsterdam
Stockings: Voodoo

And if there's a more appropriate way to end a Gatsby-inspired night than with ridiculously oversized bottles of Moet and chandon, I haven't found it yet!

*Do it!