The Silver LiningEmma Gorge
Posted on July 19, 2013
The mini hike into Emma Gorge was as fun as it was rewarding! After our morning seeping in the luscious waters of Zebedee Springs (read about it here) we decided it was time to limber up and get active. Yes, there is a “path” of sorts and the way is marked, but this walk is not exactly your typical Sunday stroll. Imagine clambering over slippery rocks and tip-toeing across creeks, all the while trying to remember to look up ever so often to enjoy the greenery and incredible rock faces that surround you. The gorge ends with an icy (and I mean icy) natural pool where you can have a well-earned swim and wash away the sweat and red dust. I must admit, it was so so very cold and I didn’t last long. But I contented myself to laze on the nearby rocks that had been warmed by the sun, listening to a group of children splashing around, seemingly immune to the chilly water.
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You say goodbye…and I say hello! (Quick stopover in Perth!)
Posted on February 25, 2013
I managed to flit in and out of Perth last weekend whilst en route from Broome to a paediatric course in Shepparton (in rural Victoria – yes, it was indeed exceedingly painful touching down in Melbourne but not being allowed to go shopping! All mah girls say – awww…). But that’s okay! I had just 24 little hours at home but managed to fit in my sister-in-law’s birthday lunch in picturesque East Perth, a visit plus some retail therapy in my beloved CBD, and dinner with my family where my mum cooked all my favourite dishes and I ate enough to satisfy my Asian-food-quota for at least the next three months.
I’d seen some pictures of Gorman’s latest collection (she has been killing it of late!) and made her store in Enex100 my first port of call. Well, I do admit to making a couple of detours – to snap up some heavily reduced pieces of Karen Walker and have a chit-chat and a short sunglasses swap session with one of the lovely Myer girls (she had this pair, amaze!) and, as always, to run my fingers longingly through the exquisite French lace pieces by Lover in David Jones. But I did eventually make it to my final destination and with only moderate damage to the wallet sustained.
Other places on my hitlist were Miss Brown’s pop-up shop also in enex100 and who could resist a quick visit to Pigeonhole’s wildly successful (and hugely expanded!) store at one40william. Jinn was unusually in a very “yes” mood (he’s usually the voice of reason when I lapse into retail delirium), perhaps it was because he hadn’t seen me in two weeks or because he could rest assured that I’d be at least 2500 kilometres away from the nearest Gorman until April. Maybe both! But let’s just say – a highly successful day was had.
***What I’m wearing – top by Arabella Ramsay (so totally not the same but, in the spirit of detours, how badly do I want this?), shorts by Sretsis (here’s a cute top with a similar vibe), pink leather shoes by The Horse (love these), Super Duper Strength sunglasses by Karen Walker (in black), paper aeroplane necklace by The Bunny (still transportation-themed), vintage tooled leather bag from Bluebird Vintage (get a custom-made one!)
***What he’s wearing – Jimi Hendrix t-shirt by H&M (similar), sunglasses by Cheap Monday, green backpack by Herschel (similar)
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Malaysia photo diary…aka Food Safari!
Posted on January 7, 2013
So we were recently in Malaysia for a whirlwind trip to finally wind up the month long festivities that was Jinn’s little sister’s wedding! Crazy hey? But between dinners and meet-and-greets (Jinn’s parents both have massive extended families) we managed to fit in a spot of shopping, sight-seeing and as you can see – a whole stack of food! Malaysia is well-known for its culinary delights and boy oh boy I tried my bestest to sample them all!
Top 10 things to eat in Malaysia:
- Char kway teow – flat rice noodles stir-fried with delicious whatnots like Chinese sausage and scrambled egg
- Wonton mee or its East Malaysian sister kolo mee – thin egg noodles that are cooked just al dente served with a delectable soy-based sauce and little pork dumplings
- Roti canai – Indian flat bread that is just oh so fluffy accompanied by curries-of-the-day (Great for breakfast! Really!)
- Teh tarik – another delicious Indian concoction, black tea sweetened with condensed milk
- Laksa – which differs in taste depending which region it comes from – Sarawak, Penang, or curry laksa – they’re all good!
- Chee cheong fan – so simple yet oh so mindbendingly awesome, rolls of thick flat rice noodles served with plum-based and chilli sauces and a sprinkling of sesame seeds
- Ice kacang and ice chendol – icy desserts in a coconutty sauce, perfect for the hot humid weather
- Poh piah – simmered local turnip wrapped with chilli sauce in a thin rice flour skin
- Muah chee – sticky rice dumpling filled with crunchy peanuts mixed with white sugar and sesame seeds, one of my personal faves!
- Nasi lemak – coconut rice, spicy tiny deep fried fish accompanied with a curry
- Satay – self-explanatory and universally worshiped by all
- Bah kut teh – juicy pieces of pork spare rib cooked in a herbal soup and served with a bowl of steaming white rice
- And don’t forget to sample the local tropical fruits – jackfruit, rambutan, longan, mangosteen…and if you’re brave – durian!
Huh? Did I say top 10? Well, there’s just that much amazing food to eat, I’m sure there’s still some that I’ve missed. What are your must-eat foods that you would travel the world for? 
***Street art in Penang by Ernest Zacharevic
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Hello there 2013…and we’re back!
Posted on January 4, 2013
We spent New Year’s Eve partying on down in Penang! (We were there for the continuation of the wedding bonanza extravaganza that was Jinn’s little sister’s wedding!) As usual the weather was hot and humid but that didn’t stop throngs of locals and tourists flocking to Gurney Drive (one of the main shopping/eating streets) to join in the festivities. As the tunes were pumped out, hijinks and crazy dancing ensued as we celebrated what 2012 had been and welcomed in the brand spanking new 2013, full of promise and big dreams.
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The shoot before the storm…Part #1
Posted on November 29, 2012
Last Saturday I had the opportunity to do a photoshoot with the very talented Mr Steven Chew! Steven is a lifestyle and portrait photographer based in Perth, Western Australia (he also does a mean wedding shoot and dabbles in film, and when I say dabbles I mean rocks it!).
Check out his facebook site here and tumblr here!
The photos were taken out and about our home and we only had about an hour to shoot as a sudden unexpected storm blew up (I hear there were hailstones in some areas!). Despite the approaching dark grey clouds in the horizon, we had a fun day, and the garden enjoyed its bonus watering! (Both from myself and the storm! Better be getting some mega strawberries now…)
I’ll hopefully be collaborating with Steven on something a bit different in the near future (just you wait!), but in the meantime part #2 will be up next week featuring the second “costume change”. Who knew my garden could look so good? Must be a good photographer – that’s mad skillz…But Steven’s way of not only capturing the light but also the heart and story behind the person is what makes his photography stand out. Look out for more work anon!
***What I’m wearing – bird print t-shirt by Design Tshirts Store graniph (I reckon this is pretty cute) via Pigeonhole, Bambi print shorts by Sretsis (check out their amazing cherry print current collection here), cheap-o yellow sandals from the Ladies’ Market in Hong Kong (*sigh* aren’t these nice…), amazing sexy gardening gloves via Bunnings (yeah Bunnings! Seriously almost as bad as Sephora for its deceptive money-sucking abilities)
***What he’s wearing – dark blue V-neck t-shirt by Silent Theory via SqueakyTees, dark brown shorts by St Goliath also via SqueakyTees
The Silver Lining 