NOT ANOTHER LBD!!!

I can almost picture, like you, my dear readers rolling your eyes and exhaling a collective "Not another LBD!!!" when you read the heading of my current post and funny enough I would've reacted exactly the same way myself.  However, this dress from Marcs looked so cute on the rack and the price tag was so attractive (post Christmas, New Year, going out of season, etc sale) that I couldn't say no.

You can't have too many LBDs after all.  They all look the same to an untrained eye but we, ladies, know only too well that each one of these dresses is unique.  What kind of normal person would buy two identical dresses anyway?

There were a few reasons that were in favour of this dress:  first of all, I am still in love with non-traditional looking lace, second - I liked the playfulness of the silhouette which is not easy to find in clothes for my age that are described by the designers as age-appropriate, or in this instance - inappropriate. 

Handbag:  Bondi Markets

Bracelet:  Dinosour Designs

And speaking of being inappropriate, despite the fact the double-layered skirt with the fringe hem looks slightly shorter than is expected to be worn at my age but the high neck and the simple design of the bodice balances it off and despite the severity of the colour, sends a vibe of fun and carefree.

Dress:  Marcs

Shoes:  Gorman

Paired with the chunky Dalmatian-patterned clogs from Gorman is further proof that I don't want to take things too seriously.

TIME OUT ON BONDI BEACH

It may sound strange to you but perversely I am quite relieved that the festive season is over if not for anything else but for the amount of food and wine consumed, hence the increase in waist size, which in turn led to two weeks of strict dieting and excessive exercising. This resulted in my being able once again to be able to wear my favourite shorts when we go to the beach.  On a windy day like today, I like to pair them with a crisp white shirt for a beach chic look

One of the biggest perks of living in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs is having Bondi Beach on our doorstep; arguably one of the World's most famous, popular by tourists and most loved by the locals, its beach and promenade are always packed with people bustling with various activities, even on the coldest and the wettest days of the year.

There are a lot of things you can do around here.  First and foremost is to have a swim between the yellow and red flags, followed by sunbathing under the hot Australia sun, surf the perfect waves or join a team playing beach valley ball.  If you are a fitness fanatic and want to have killer legs, challenge yourself by having a run for a couple of laps on the sand or along the promenade.

Ironically, both my husband and I are not big lovers of the sand and waves.  Our most popular activity is taking a stroll along the promenade joining the throngs of people walking their dogs, kids riding their tiny bicycles,  bronzed and toned fitness fanatics running past you with a swoosh and myriads of other activities that fall under the Beach Culture umbrella.  Watching the waves crashing on the rocks on the northern and southern ends of the beach always makes me feel calmer and helps me to clear my head.

Walking from one end of the boardwalk , you can't help but notice the stretch of the wall covered in graffiti which the local government regards as "helping Bondi to lead the way in being a vibrant and inspiring place that supports its diverse population, creative culture, enriching lifestyle and stunning natural features.”

Of course, beach culture is not just about the beach so for a complete beach experience head on to a vibrant, colourful joint with outdoor beachfront seating called The Bucket List  for a bucket of prawns or fish and ships washed down by a glass of crisp white wine or a quirky cocktail and watch the world go by.  

Young entrepreneurs trying to make some money in front of Bondi beach graffiti wall

Bondi Beach Graffiti Wall 

Shirt:  Uniqlo

Shorts:  Just Jeans

Watch:  The Horse

Bag:  Cape Town markets

Necklace: A gift from my daughter from South America

Glasses:  Bondi Markets

Link-up with Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, The Fashion Canvas, Style Elixir

OUR TRIP TO MELBOURNE TO SEE DAVID BOWIE EXHIBITION AND MORE

It is with great sadness that we learned about the death of one of the most famous and influential musicians of out times, David Bowie.  

How strange that only recently my husband and I made a trip to Melbourne to view his exhibition from the V&A, which was visiting from London, at ACME (Australian Centre of Moving Images) in Melbourne; David Bowie Is. 

"Featuring over 50 legendary costumes, original stage set designs, handwritten lyric sheets, album artwork, rear film, video and photographs and interviews, the exhibition showcases Bowie's impact as a performer and screen star." 

The organisers went to great lengths to make this event as informative, engaging and entertaining as possible.   Upon entering the rooms, we were given an audio equipment device with a built-in sound recognition module that turned out to be a fantastic way of interaction between the exhibits and the music associated with them.  It created a very important link between Bowie's songs and what inspired him to write them, giving us a great opportunity to better understand the creative process of his enormous talent as an artist, costumer designer, song writer and collaborator with similar creative minds such as Alexander McQueen and Laura Ashley.  We spent a good couple of hours wandering amongst the collection of memorabilia, listening to his most renowned songs and admiring the avant-garde of his stage costumes.

The following day we paid a visit to National Gallery of Victoria to view "Masterpieces from Hermitage:  The Legacy of Catherine the Great", which, given my Russian background, I was very eager to see.  It would not be fair if I didn't pay credit to the museum staff who went to great lengths in trying to recreate the historical period of her ruling in such great detail that from the moment you entered the exhibition it made you feel that you belong to that era. The exhibition itself was very enjoyable and full of wonderful objects of art and artisan works that we Australians don't see very often.

We stayed at Inter Continental the Rialto right in the city centre and afterwards took a leisurely stroll back along the Southbank of Yarra river admiring the work of the city planners and architects for their skills in designing this part of the city where office buildings harmoniously co-habit with open spaces, artificial lakes and huge sun shelters where people can take a break for lunch or just enjoy the peace and serenity away from the city hubbub.

We took time to explore the city and its suburbs but decided to stay away from the CBD with its predictable shopping malls and designer stores.  Instead, following the advice of the concierge from our hotel, we went to explore Brunswick and Fitzroy, two inner-city suburbs famously known for their coffee culture, night club life, vintage clothing and all things cool and kooky.  We stopped for lunch at South of Johnston a cafe-cum-gallery (another suggestion from the concierge) where I had the most delicious steak panini and where the walls are adorned with the works of contemporary artists and every table is decorated in different styles.

After lunch we went around to discover (again, thanks to the advice of the concierge from the Rialto) the rich and colourful street art for which this area is known.

All and all we had the most enjoyable time-out and we came home invigorated and re-charged.