Lunching

Sharing some pictures from a recent jaunt to our favourite restaurant, Oishii Sushi Bar at Sunnybank with a dear family friend, followed by dessert at a new-found obsession, Hey Sweetie, home of the kitchy decor, blackboard wall & vertical succulent garden... 

Here I am, posing serenely in the lovely Autumnal sunshine wearing a gorgeous rose printed twill fit-to-flare dress from Anthea Crawford; pink knitted poncho from Knits by Nancy, picked up from a little market stall at Coolangatta while on holidays a few years ago & absolutely ideal for warding off the cool breeze without adding bulk; sumptuous baby pink satin mules with gold heels from Wittner (loved because they resemble the slippers worn by Katharine Hepburn in "The Philadelphia Story" black & white film); pearlised gold vinyl handbag with yellow gold hardware from Forever New, augmented with a cutesy pink "cat" compact mirror that some family friends brought back from a trip to Singapore as a kind of good luck bag charm. Jewellery was kept simple in deference to the rest of the look - a matching gold necklace & bracelet with silver bow details from Karen Walker. Scroll down for some more snaps, including the delicious White Chocolate Tart with Salted Caramel Pretzel that I am STILL drooling over... even after devouring all that Easter chocolate...

In keeping with the whimsical vibe of the day, keep scrolling if you'd like to see some shots of the sublime Bonnie & Clyde (& their little nameless companion), geese of my fairytale-loving dreams, owned by the friend who came to lunch with us. They make exceptionally effective "guard dogs," too... hence why the photographs are taken through the fence...

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Tis the Season #1

It's hard to believe but Christmas is over for another year! Now I know that the Festive Season, while merry for some, is bittersweet for others, so I hope that however you marked the occasion, you found some semblance of peace on December 25th.

Below are some snippets (the first of three posts) from my own celebrations...

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Posing in front of a gigantic festive gnome (!) at Orion Springfield Central before an early dinner at one of my favourite haunts, Crema Espresso... home of the best B.L.A.T that I have ever tasted! I'm keeping my cool in the Queensland heat by wearing a gorgeous chrysanthemum-printed shantung fit-to-flare dress with modified sweetheart neckline & thin straps from Anthea Crawford (last seen with some different accessories in this post), white leather "cage" heels from Wittner for a bit of edge, vintage white & silver mesh Oroton shoulder bag & silver accessories - a brushed silver cuff from Wallace Bishop & antique Victorian silver bracelet with oversized heart locket & teeny tiny key from Kellie's Antiques in the Brisbane Arcade.

Just call me BLAZING VON TINSEL for the duration of the Silly Season! What's your reindeer name?

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Penny Family Christmas Tree

Definitely a labor of love for me; it takes a few hours to find the perfect place for ALL of those decorations! Each has a story or meaning attached & I'm usually quite proficient at remembering who gave what to whom & when. The beautiful angel at the very top has been a fixture of our festive celebrations & testament of our Christian faith since my very first Christmas... 32 years ago.

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Taking a break from gift shopping to remember BOTH realms of Christmas beside the BIG tree at the newly refurbished Indooroopilly Shoppingtown. I'm wearing a beachy white embroidered floral mesh dress from Wayne by Wayne Cooper with deep v-neckline, mullet hem & black underlay; black leather laser-cut sandals from Novo (style & comfort); duck-egg-blue vinyl handbag with black piping detail from Forever New for a pop of colour & finally, a moulded black resin "coral" cuff that I picked up from a little stall at this year's Paniyiri Festival.

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Wonderful Japanese tea sets from thoughtful friends...

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Green & girly to attend a performance of Handel's Messiah with a dear friend. I'm wearing a stunning mint green lace & mesh dress from Asos with a darker green satin slip that my dressmaker made for modesty purposes, sky-high white vinyl heels with dual silver buckles & matching tiny handbag - mint green chiffon corsage affixed to the front from Anthea Crawford - from Forever New, silver cuff from Wallace Bishop, antique silver bracelet with heart locket from Kellie's Antiques & jade beaded bracelet from Wanfu Fine Jewellery in Shanghai.

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Antique "Bathing Beauty" Statue from Belgium - a beautiful Christmas gift & divine new addition to my bathroom! 

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Off to a Christmas Pantomime with a dear friend in this eclectic ensemble - a jersey & sequinned floral tulle fit-to-flare dress from Anthea Crawford with rope belt from Bohemian Traders; edgy faux snakeskin heels from Nine West via Trade Secret; gold-tone vinyl clutch with strap from my local Sportsgirl store & vintage scarab hinged bangle (a Christmas gift) from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gift Shop. Yep, all the way from New York City. Scroll down for a closer look...

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Antique Silky Oak Planter Stand

Vintage Marquetry "Jewellery Box" Musical Table from Italy

Kitschy Vernon Ward 1950s Duck Print to add to my ever-growing collection!

This furry friend came all the way from London!

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When the sun goes down, the lights come on...

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By the Brisbane River...

Filling up on goodies at the celebrated Shingle Inn!

Ready for lunch at one of my all-time favourite spots, Great Cafe & Restaurant at Spring Hill! The food is absolute divine, the service is second to none & the price is extremely reasonable. I'm going for a predominantly monochrome look in a jersey & organza striped fit-to-flare dress with grosgrain ribbon tie belt from Anthea Crawford, speckled lace-up sandals from Novo & shoulder bag with silver chains from Nine West, androgynous chunky silver watch from Guess & for a pop of colour, a pair of handmade red & green beaded bracelets, given to me as a Christmas present this time last year.

Steak with Mushroom & Pepper Sauce, Crispy Beer Battered Chips & Caesar Salad on the Side... YUM!

Posing at the gate to Kerry's beautiful home before checking out her gaggle of geese...

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