MOVIE OF THE YEAR - SHERLOCK HOLMES!

Living in London at the moment there has been so much hype about the upcoming film adaptation of Sherlock Holmes directed by Guy Ritchie. Lead parts are played by Robert Downy Jr, Jude Law and Rachel McAdams.

Holmes takes on the task to stop the evil nemesis from taking out his threat on all of England, this is going to be one well done adaptation from novel to screen with a mix of thrilling mystery and suspense... a MUST see!

OUT CHRISTMAS DAY 2009 WORLDWIDE!

LOVE AT LANVIN SIGHT!

Ohhhh and that was a real ohhhh - as in i need, want, would-die-for immediately black lizard booties from Lanvin's current range. I was indeed love at first sight, these mega tall silver plated black Lizard boots are amazing!

Mr Elbaz has made me realize i never knew this form of superficial love until i saw these beauties! In fact the majority of killer heels this season by Lanvin are absolutely gorgeous... Cannot wait to see what's in next season...

CHINA TANGTASTIC!

Ok so from past experience i have learnt that chinese food can go fabulously right or very MSG wrong... luckily China Tang at the Dorchester does it good... and i mean all the way good. From the service being non invasive, yet very eager to recommend and please its typical Dorchester cliental, this restaurant is truly tangtastic all the way.

The interior is spaceish and not tacky central China, it is well furnished with gorgeous chairs and unique cutlery like the silver chop sticks and the misty stamped wine glasses.

The san choi bow is light and perfect seasoned, while the prawns crisp and airy and the beef is obviously a good cut of quality swimming in a balanced oyster sauce. All meals were polished and the staff were absolutely correct in telling us what and how much to order, not like the other restaurants which try to tell you to order the most expensive or way too many mains so that your belly feels heavier and your wallet feels lighter.

Highly recommended for a fun night, good food at a typical hotel - restaurant price.

BOWS FOR THE BOYS!

Soooooo... i am predicting BOW TIES to be HUGE for next season... and while it is probably going to begin as a men's trend i have a feeling it will shift into women's wear soon after. You name it, velvet, leather, fur every whichway material is going to be transformed into the must have accessory for 2010.

Designer Alber Elbaz - for Lanvin is rarely seen without a MAJOR bow tie!

And has even transformed his look onto his female design's.

So head out and buy one before they shoot up in price and start the trend among your group

of friends!

AUGUST FOOD PRODUCE!

In Australia we are all very fortunate to have great fresh produce all year round, that is because it is imported from around the world... Californian oranges, Hawaiin Pineapples and even herbs and spices from Asia.

It is a well known fact that food tastes its best when the ingredient is in season, and by that i mean it has not flown and been shipped for days to get here. In Australia each month boasts a different fresh fruit or vegetable, and August is by no means any exception.

Eggplant is HUGE in August, and while it may not be for everyone it can taste super good! Try this recipe for Roast Eggplant dip:

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tbl spoons ground almonds
• 2 tbl spoons oregano leaves
• ½ cup natural yoghurt
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbl spoons tahina
• 2 tbl spoons sesame seeds
• s&p
• olive oil

Ok, so this does not have to be a complicated process,

Slice your eggplant into 6 slices (approx 1.5 cm each)

Sprinkle salt and oil on both sides

Place on a tray and pop in pre-heated 160 degree oven.

Bake 20 minutes on EACH side

Take them out and let them cool slightly (15 minutes)

Peel of skin and place flesh into food processor

Add the crushed garlic, yoghurt, tahina, juice of the lemon

Combine until blended and then spoon mix oregano and sesame seeds

Add a drizzle of olive oil and your s&p..

ENJOY!

Other seasonal produce this month include: Capsicums, Zucchini, Tangelo’s and Watermelon!

BEAUTY TIP

There is one simple solution to avoiding greasy and damaged skin due to over use of foundation make up - always apply a thin layer of oil-free moisturizer before applying liquid foundation. This will act as a shield against the chemicals and oils which clog your skin when using liquid foundation.

No matter how ‘natural’ and ‘oil free’ your foundation is, there is only so much covering and clogging your pours can take, so with a thin nourishing layer of moisturizer, this will help your skin stay hydrated and even help you to remove all make up at the end of the day.

Another tip is after applying the foundation, brush on some bronzer, and don’t forget to apply it a bit darker under your jaw line, especially on the sides to give you a more defined jaw line.

Festival - TASTE

Melbourne is not shy of fabulous food, boasting some of the hottest chefs and mind blowing decked out restaurants with world-class service. 15 of Melbourne's most sought after restaurants will be showcasing their signature dishes from August 27 – 30^th at The Royal Exhibition Centre.

The festival is offering six sessions over four days and nights, and once your in all you need to do is purchase crowns (the culinary dollar 1 crown = $1) each dish costing between 8 – 12 crowns.

Melbourne’s very popular taste festival will feature restaurants such as Hellenic Republic dishing up their smooth and sweet saganaki cheese with peppered figs and classics such as The Botanical’s amazing wagyu burger.

To think that you can nibble on specialties from Melbourne’s finest dining destinations, entre at Maha, main from Circa and dessert from Jaques Reymond, there is guaranteed to be something here for everyone, and you do not have to wait months to get in, simply purchase your tickets not via ticketek.

COCKTAIL

Oh the joys of a cocktail... and the aftermath of one!

Cocktail do not come cheap, however if you get some friends together

and mix up a few drinks it won't wake up the next morning with a

sore head and empty wallet. Recently, the most expensive cocktail

in the world was found at London's Movida nightclub and has a price

tag of £35,000 pounds! It is believed this pricey cocktail includes Louis XII cognac, half a bottle of Cristal Rose champagne, some brown sugar, angostura bitters and a few flakes of 24-carat edible gold leaf... This is one cheaper cocktail i found- guaranteed to have the same effect!

I present to you the Californian Hurricane -

2 cups dark rum

2 cups light rum

1 cup trip sec

2 cups pineapple juice

1 cup orange juice

1 cup grenadine syrup

mix all ingredients except grenadine syrup and once in serving glasses run a tablespoon amount of grenadine over each glass to give it a red tinge, Enjoy!

LOCAL HOLIDAYS

Ok i thought i would start of on something which everyone wants, and always thinks they need, a holiday! And due to our hopefully soon-to-be-gone-for-many-years financial crisis i thought i would choose a local destination, which means get those jackets, beanies and boots out because we are heading to... THE SNOW!

Quay Resort and Spa in Falls Creek in Victoria is a new and glamorous chalet set in a convenient ski in - ski out location. There are 40 one, two, three bedroom apartments to choose from as well as multiple penthouses, three dining options, Mii Spa and wonderful conference facilities for companies wanting to treat their staff, and also do a little bit of side work.

This new development is a true gem in the accommodations offered on ski mountains, not only in Victoria but in Australia. It is in a league of its own and it is not only a place to dump your skies and gear at the end of a long day, it is the kind of place were people want to come and enjoy the atmosphere and facilities, at any time of the day and evening.

Quay is only going to get busier with the best Victorian snow on its way, so rug up and make a booking at the fantastic frostiness which is Quay Resort and Spa.

For bookings and rates - http://www.mirvachotels.com/quay-west-resort-spa-falls-creek

WELCOME...

At the moment this blog is updated as often as i can... but hopefully it will turn into more of a consistent rush of blogs which will all be posted on the 1st of every month and there will be something for everyone to read each day of the month. It offers everything from the exclusive to inclusive. The blog will cover a vast number of themes aiming to offer everyone something, from the more luxurious things like cars, holiday destination, day spas, art, fashion, jewelry and even yachts, to more economical and affordable every day things such as cafes, books, festivals, movies, special occasion presents, shopping specials, recipes and household goods.

This information aims to help inform people of objects, destinations and flavours they may not know about and the best part – it is all accessible to Australians, and hopefully there is something here for you, Enjoy!