SALVAGE THE SALVOS

i had a fun half hour in the local Salvos today, and scored some pretty great finds. but it's become known to me during my past few op shopping trips that the op shops are struggling. i striked up a conversation with one shop owner a few weeks ago (it was at a city-fringe Salvos and i was curious as to why the items were a little more expensive in this shop compared to others - the answer to this was that price is based on location, what?!). anyway, i also found out that some stores are struggling to stay open due to lack of business. when i mentioned this to a Vinnies lady, she said that stores like Rivers and Kmart etc buy bulk and can sell at these ridiculously low prices, and that op shops can't compete.

the concept that op shopping could be a thing of the past has me worried. not only for my own selfish needs, but also for the behind-the-scenes reasons that these stores operate for - to help people. homeless, financial problems, addictions, suicide prevention, family issues, gambling and more! and not to mention the thousands of volunteers who work at the stores. so, i guess my post today is about pleading your inner op-shopper to get back out there. next time you drive past one, stop and have a look, surprise op shop finds are the best. next time you log on to your fav online store, turn off the computer and hit up the op shops instead. seriously take $20 with you and just have a ball.

check out this website to find your nearest op shop: http://opshop.org/

here's my $20 worth from today:

OLYMPIC STYLE

This week has been a buzz with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Sydney. I'm happy to admit I've been spending every minute on Instagram following the buzz, and why not when such beauties as Lara Bingle & Whitney Eve are on my Instagram radar! But seeing the hottest and craziest looks hitting the catwalk isn't what I'm excited about the most - no, instead, it's all about the unveiling of the 2012 Olympic Team opening ceremony outfits!

One word comes to mind - vintage! I've been a vintage fan since 2003 (yes I can pin point the year exactly, it's when I had a dress up theme party called "back of your closet" where we had to find items of clothing that looked like they had been hidden in the closet for years! Well this whole exercise made me so happy, exploring the op shops for the best finds, and then wearing each garment with pride knowing it's having a second chance to shine! My addiction started from there, wanting to bring back to life the amazing op shop item I found!) ... Anyway, I was so happy to open the morning newspaper and see the new design for our Olympic team, and secretly wished at that moment that I was somehow a genetically talented gymnist and could enrol for a late admission!

Sportscraft are the ones behind this amazing new look. A vintage inspired forest green sports jackets teamed with crisp white drill skirts for women, and preppy white trousers for men. There is also Volley who have created a new version of their iconic volley-shoe for the Games, with a white shoe featuring green and navy woven trim, green laces and a green leather tongues.

For once I may be willing to watch the Olypmic opening ceremony this year (well at least they go in alphabetical order right?!)

TO SPLENDOUR

What a way to start the day. In my email inbox this morning was a little old email titled "SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2012 LINEUP ANNOUNCED...." ...and it has completely reshaped my Thursday! Study you can wait. Work you can't wait, so I will get to you soon. Lunch you can wait. Today is all about how to get my booty to Splendour, and who I can talk into coming with me!
The festival is back home in Byron Bay this year having spent the last two years at Woodford on the Sunshine Coast (which I've heard was a very special spot too!). So it offers a great excuse to stay for a few extra days in Byron to relax after the massive 3 days worth!

Here is the amazing line-up, and also some pics of Splendour-goodness...

Photo credits:
1. Unknown 2. Rezon8 3. Her Library Adventures 4. Luna Magazine 5. Far From the Mocking World 6. Music Universe 7. Stephen Booth Photography 8. Gregarious Peach 9. Stephen Booth Photography 10. Henna Harem

I NEED A DOLLAR

Just a quick post today to share one of my favourite videos! When we were in the states last year I was told about this great tv show based on the lives of two aspiring New York fashion designers trying to make it big in America (funny enough the show is called "how to make it in america"). The opening intro creates an amazing insight into the real NYC, the people, the streets, the art, and most importantly the array of different cultures and societies of the city... Plus the cover song is fabulous, "I need a dollar" by Alow Blacc!

Oh take me back to NYC!!

ACMI

We ventured to Melbourne on the weekend for another birthday celebration, and had a whirlwind of a time! Will be posting a Melb-dedicated write up soon, but for now I wanted to share some great art I discovered at ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) or as we know it - The Place Where Jon Works. Our friend Jon (an awesome local comedian, check out jonbennettcomedy.com) has been living in Melbourne on and off for as long as Simon and I have been together (going on 9 years now, crazy!) and we always manage to get a bed to sleep wherever he's living at the time. Certainly works out well for us! In between comedy gigs Jon works at ACMI, and most visits we get a sneak peak at the current exhibition. This time it was William Kentridge, best known for his prints, drawings, and animated films - and someone I had never heard of until now! I loved his raw etchings, and his work was really powerful, so wanted to share some of my favourite pieces from the exhibit, also a sample of his animated films...

REUNION

So excited for the American Pie Reunion movie to hit our cinema's next month! Having grown up with the originals (American Pie 2 Soundtrack is the soundtrack to my senior year!), it's gonna be so much fun watching the next phase of this hilarious series....

Some pics from the world premiere....

27.

I have just enjoyed the most amazing weekend! This youngen here turned 27 on Saturday, and in usual style I celebrated as much as possible. I have always loved birthday's, and try & promise myself every year that I will continue to love a birthday celebration and never grow old and cynical of that special day of the year. Okay well I WILL grow old, but stay young at heart I hope!
We started with a dinner on Friday night, enjoying the best tapas and sangria in town @ El Toro with some of my closest friends! Followed by a few vokda, lime & soda's at the beachside Palais (and some perfect DJ tunes for me to reminisce my early years with all the hits of 90's, naughties, and today, most especially the DJ's love for TLC )!
I awoke the next morning (my birthday!) to Simon cooking banana-pancakes for breakfast, & flowers from my bestie Janice (all the way from Sun Peaks!) - spoilt! I also decided to hit my new local gym with my friend Ruth (aka fitness queen), which my friends would tell you is the last thing I would be known to do! "Gym" does not exactly exist in my vocabulary, but now that I'm living closer to one I figured might as well! We then headed into the city & met up with my sister Bec to get prepped for our big night out for her 30th (something she had been planning for months, and even better that it fell on my birthday as well!). We had the most amazing night out with Bec and her friends, who were all SO lovely! I took Bec to Clinique to get our makeup for the night .... probably not somewhere I would go back to in a hurray. We enjoyed the most amazing meal at Red Salt Restaurant, followed by Adelaide's best cocktails at Fumo Blu, and then danced our little hearts out at a local pub - which hasn't changed in 10 years which is great haha!
It truly was the most memorable weekend, and a great birthday! Thanks to all the lovely people who shared it with me xx