So, I’ve been pretty busy lately – from working weekends, to a trip to Europe and then Singapore, I literally have not had a weekend free in months!

So as you can imagine, I was pretty damn excited this past weekend to actually have the time to do…nothing! The weather here in Melbourne finally heated up and I had my first taste of Summer. I figured the only thing to do was to head to the ‘beach’ for the day at the famous St Kilda. I use the word ‘beach’ loosely because as a Sydneysider, I’m still not exactly convinced that you can call it that – but I’ll indulge the Melbournians this time.

I start off my day with a takeaway coffee and catching a couple of trams down to St Kilda, which took around 45 minutes from my place, although relative to Sydney public transport was very easy.  I’d been told the night before to ditch St Kilda. To instead find one of the other beaches along the bay which were less touristy and were likely to be less busy.  In the end though I decided, that given I am still essentially a tourist; I needed to give it a go.

Everyone else in the city is clearly just as excited about the heat as I am so the place is packed, from the sand to the grassy parks across the path along the boardwalk.

I lay down on the sand and read my book – which I have to mention, is amazing.   Yes, it’s somewhat a geek’s read but actually really interesting and the best way to understand my area of work in a practical way. “Freakonomics” describes the weird and at times unbelievable data-led explanations for some major social events/trends in history (previously unexplained).

Before the crowds appeared

Anyway, come lunchtime I wander along Acland Street which is a little too bustling for my liking and there’s not a whole lot to look at other than cafes and cake shops.  Still, it’s nice to get a break from the sun to find some lunch (and sunscreen which I’d forgotten!).  I head back to the beach for another couple of hours – still unable to actually get into the water which is freezing and let’s face it, pretty boring given the lack of waves!

I note the paddleboards at the city side of the bay and realise I may have to stop trying to make a ‘beach’ where there is none, and apply an activity to the bay next time!

[ This is something i wrote for a blog at work.. thought i’d just include it here for fun ]

So I have this recurring fantasy where I spontaneously walk into a hairdresser off the street and utter the dangerous words … “go nuts!”

Well today was that day!

I’m planning a trip to Europe in a few weeks, so naturally I also planned a trip to my hairdresser to add some blonde in my ever darkening roots!  I casually mention this to my work colleague Karly this morning and it drives a polite “hmmm” and slight nod without turning her head away from her work.    I guess it shouldn’t surprise me given the mundane concept of a maintenance colour. So I continue and explain my fantasy concept and suddenly her chair turns towards me and her attention is undivided with the words, “just do it!” sounding out in eager excitement. I laugh at the sudden shift in attention with no intention of following through. “Just do it, just do it!” she continues.

And I start to wonder.

When it comes to changing your look, it’s pretty much the most scary thing you can do. Because let’s face it – the other scary things in life pretty much just stem from insecurities about your appearance. Working up the courage to talk to the guy you like or presenting your work in front of a boardroom of people – they’re nerve racking and scary because people are looking at you and judging your appearance! Ok, so maybe that’s not 100% of the challenges in life and this is definitely a “vain” angle, but you know what I’m saying!

So the thought of risking a change which could result in judgement is enough to put you off entirely.  But maybe Nike has had it right this whole time – maybe we should “Just Do It”!
Karly’s words resonate in my head and suddenly I’m online trying to find a hairdresser to book me in before I change my mind.

My long time hairdresser in Sydney stocks L’Oreal Professional so I figure I’ll reduce the shock factor by sticking with the same brand, and I find the salon “Heading Out” on the L’Oreal directory.

A few hours later, I walk into the salon feeling less than confident if I’m honest, but I’m determined to follow through. “So what are we doing?” the stylist prompts.  To which I reply, “Whatever! I’m open to anything…go nuts”.

I promise myself I won’t say no to anything, but when she suggests a darker shade I immediately want to get out of there and go back to the comfortable frame of mind I was in only hours ago. Nike enters my mind again and I just go with it, smiling “sure, yep I trust you!”

I’m a big believer in a hairdresser acting like a friend and Maria definitely fits the brief, casually chatting with me and particularly humoured by the chance to “go nuts”.  We talk ponytail extensions and coloured chalk which both come as new concepts but which are apparently huge at the moment. The mention of extensions then leads to some of my own which I’ve never even considered. An image of platinum blonde gold coast beauties enters my mind, but Maria is quick to put my fears to rest and I continue to go with it.

She talks me through her experience with the L’Oreal Professional brand which she affectionately describes as ‘gentle’, ‘nourishing’ and having a ‘broad range’.   The salon also gets involved in L’Oreal Fashion week and Maria herself has won Colourist of the Year (cue my internal sigh of relief).  She continues, unprompted, that she’s represented other brands but would now never change from L’Oreal.

I leave, really happy with the cut and incredibly surprised that the darker shade doesn’t scare me off too much. The extensions and curls are a bit harder to get use to but I’m assured that they’ll be less dramatic in a couple of hours.

I’m slightly* embarrassed to be back in the office with my new dramatic look, but I’m also comforted by the result given that another hairdresser with free reign could have decided that a black die job or a perm was the way to go.

But at the same time I realise how easily you can re-book and “Just Do It”, all over again tomorrow!

(*hugely)

#nomakeupbelow!

A scenic one hour trip around the bay of Melbourne, we reach Sorrento & Portsea. Sorrento sits on the bayside of Melbourne where you can actually see the skyline of the city miles away which almost feels like a hallucination and i expect you’d have to see it to understand what i mean!

We have fish & chips looking out onto the water and the moored boats which is picturess and you can see why this is the choice of many a Melbournian to spend their weekends & holidays.

But it’s when we venture over the other side of the land onto to the coast-side that I actually yelp at the view!  Don’t get me wrong I love the bay, but i’m all about Aussie waves and coastline so when we hop out of the car on the coastal beach of Portsea I realise no bay or river will even come close. I guess that’s why Sydneysiders are so snobby when it comes to our beaches. But i have to admit this coast like is just as beautiful as any NSW beach and I make a mental note to spend the entire summer here!  Looking even further down the coast and we see huge rocks protruding through the water and I immediately think of the 12 Apostles and i even ask the dumb question as to whether its them.

It’s not.

Looking up the coast..

It’s been raining all day but the heavens clear as we’re overlooking the Tasman and even a rainbow appears which i think was just overkill! 😉  

This past weekend I was lucky enough to have a visit from Mum & Dad in my adopted city. Since all three of us have spent so much time in Melbourne and seen much less of country Victoria, we decide to hire a car and head out of the city to a few different regional spots. Not so lucky though, that it also coincides with a crazy time at work which means that our planned four day weekend in the country is cut short when I’m told I need to be back in the office Monday afternoon. Still, for the brief break outside of Melbourne is really feels like a holiday.

An extremely easy drive about an hour and a half out of Melbourne, we arrive into Daylesford, labelled on the welcome sign as the ‘spa capital of Australia’.   The area sits on natural mineral springs and as such has turned into a town of pampering and you can even swim in the (apparently medicinal) springs.  Also supposedly the gay capital of Victoria (still not sure why, I think we missed something), the town is sort of like the Blue Mountains but maybe slightly more ‘small town’.  Servicing tourists and weekend visitors from Melbourne is clearly the main business and it’s reflected in the knick-knack type shops that line the main street.  You know, the type that you go into and have look around but pretty much never buy anything.

Gardens in Bendigo

Finally the Melbourne weather found me in Daylesford because it pretty much rains the entire weekend and for the first time this winter I’m seriously cold. Like ‘trip to the snow’ cold. It means the weekend is based around food & pampering which suits me perfectly! We eat out at every meal and there’s not one place that disappoints – the food is consistently good, from a trendy Melbourne-esque coffee house to a vegetarian café we accidently stumble upon.  Worth its own mention though is “Perfect Drop” the restaurant we go to on Saturday night which was chosen by Mum after some clever trip advisor research.  The place is conveniently next door to our accommodation and boasts possibly the best Modern Mediterranean food we’ve ever tasted.  The restaurant is cosy with fireplaces and accents like old records and exposed brick and has a really trendy vibe for such a small town.  Every dish is amazing and following our meal we sit in front of the fire as if we’re at home and order another bottle of red. I honestly could have stayed there all night, which Mum & I almost do, only leaving when we get the feeling they’d like us to move along.   Tragically we’re told by the waitress that their head chef is leaving to “spend more time with his family” which we assume means he’s been poached by some upcoming Melbourne spot.

Bendigo Courts

The rain continues on Sunday and I decide I have NO other option than to get a massage and a facial at one of the several spas in the centre of town (poor me, right?!).  By now I’m sufficiently relaxed and the impending work stress that awaits me is a little further from my mind.  Daylesford is probably not more than a one day or two day destination but it was still a gorgeous quaint little town and I’m glad we went.

Melbourne bound on Monday morning, we take brief detour to Bendigo which is built on gold (!) and the town wows us all with its grandeur, apparently left over from the gold rush. Not exactly the type of place you could spend too much time I’m afraid but definitely worth a drive in and out visit and a nice end to our very brief tour of country Vic.

Bendigo’s Town Hall