Atomic Martini & The Click-Clack Lounge

On Saturday Mick & I headed off to Atomic Martini & The Click-Clack Lounge to visit the uber-glamorous Lisa & Karie. I just LURVE going to visit these gals. Lisa is lucky I didn't crash tackle her & steal the amazing frock she was wearing. I could have gone berserk buying up all manner of fab homewares from Mz Karie's Click-Clack Lounge shop. Instead, I bought a beautiful black sequinned cardi & a lovely hair barrett.
I could have stayed for hours & hours trying on the hundreds of frocks and coats, shoes & hats & furs and........ I could go on & on. But The Big Fella was getting hungry. 
If you've got a hankering for some mid-century goodness get yourself down to these ladies.

	491A Lutwyche Rd, Brisbane, Australia 4030



Dolly Parton is touring Australia

After months & months of rumours it was finally confirmed today that Dolly Parton is finally touring Australia. She is playing at The Brisbane Entertainment Centre 25th & 26th of November.
I have been a huge Dolly fan since I was little. My parents had this old VHS tape of Dolly live & I used to watch it over & over again. I remember sitting cross-legged with my chin on my hands rivetted to the screen. I thought she was one of the most beautiful woman in the world. Not just in appearance but in her personality. She just seemed like such a wholesome modest almost shy person.
Even though I love just about all of her songs & I regularly crank the song "9 to 5" up on my ipod in the car after a crappy day at work, my favourite song is "Me & Little Andy".
I used to absolutely ball my eyes out when I would watch her sing this song. It is a simple song but it is just so sad & lovely.
I cannot wait to see Dolly live & hear her amazing voice for myself.



Peta Pledger Brooches

Today I got delivery of my two 'Peta Pledger' brooches!

One is cherry red love birds and the other is a koi fish.

I don't know about you, but I reckon you can never have too many brooches.

I am a big fan of marcasite, resin, bakelite & celluloid brooches. I don't own too many but I think I may slowly but surely amass a collection. A nice brooch just jazzes up a plain top & make it look a bit snazzy.

Here is the link to Peta Pledger's fabulous site:  PETA PLEDGER



The Great Western

Yeeharrrrr! On Sunday Mick & I got ourselves all tussied up & headed to The Wooloongabba Antique Centre for The Great Western - A Celebration of the Western Shirt put on by Western Wac.
It was so fantastic seeing heaps of people all dressed up in the most fabulous western wear. I am drooling with jealousy over some of the beautiful outfits on display. It was lovely to catch up with some people again.
Even though I wanted to spend hundreds of dollars on all manner of mid-century goodies I restrained myself and only allowed myself to buy another squeaky toy for my new collection.

After about an hour the crowds began to give us the irrits (particulary this one woman with her two children that continually shoved into us to get by.) Do people not say 'excuse me' anymore????!!

We got to hear one set of The Sugar Shakers which was fabulous. 

It was a great excuse to don some western threads & get out of the house.

I wish I could be a cowgirl everyday.



Chrissie Cremers

Amsterdam based interior designer/stylist Chrissie Cremers worked as an interiors stylist in the residential field until her interest evolved into conceptual-based photography styling. She started producing magazine features that were characterized by a fresh, graphic, humorous and quirky approach. Soon her work was noticed and she was invited to work for ELLE Decoration UK – and since has been featured in Elle Decor all over the world.

CHRISSIE CREMERS

TRENDLAND

That's not Sweat. It's my Body Crying.

Yesterday I had my first session with Marc the PT. If they say people look like their dog pets then Marc owns a greyhound. He is thin & sleek with about 1% of fat on his body. He competes regularly in marathons. He is also an ex-copper. In his favour he has a dry wicked sense of humour so I immediately forgave him when he told me what he has in store for me. I was only supposed to have a half an hour assessment session but he declared that his next session had cancelled so he had heaps of time to spend with me.

One & a half hours! He has written me out a plan that he wants me to follow, including weights.

I told him that I am doing Weight Watchers & he was happy about that but I have to keep a food diary for the next week to show to him incase it needs some tweaking.

This is my programme:-
MON - Aqua Mix class
TUES - PT session
WED - SPIN CLASS
THURS - BODY BALANCE
FRI- WEIGHTS & TREADMILL CARDIO
SAT - Day off
SUN - WALK/JOG WITH POOCHES OR 10KM BIKE RIDE
When I explained that I had been doing the Couch to C25 thingy he asked what my walking & jogging speeds were. Ummmmm 4.5 & 6.
"Yeah. Not anymore Vickster. Now your walking speed will be 6 & your jogging speed 9!"

He made me do 5 minutes of walk/jog at these speeds. The 9 was scary! I almost went flying off the treadmill!

He was very very nice & funny but he warned me that he WILL be pushing my limits in our training sessions. He explained that whilst it was good that I was coming to the gym & doing my namby-pamby strolling on the treadmill at 4.5 it was simply not intense enough. 

He wants me to enter myself in lots of sporting events like the Jetty to Jetty so I have a specific date & fitness goal to work toward. I said that I was happy to walk the 5km J2J. "Pfft!" he snorted "You will be running it! & next year you will be running the 20km leg!". I had to grab the chest press machine for support as my legs turned to jelly at the thought.

"That's your problem Vicks. You don't have any faith in yourself. You have to start thinking that you CAN absolutely do it! I am going to help you."
He also sent me a text message this morning asking me how I'm feeling. I'm feeling quite motivated... and a bit sore in the quads.
Last night (on direction of Marc) I took the infamous green asian goal weight dress out of the cupboard & hung it where I can see it as a reminder why I am torturing myself.

One day my lovely I WILL wear you again.

Road Trip to Coffs

On the weekend The Big Fella & I hit the road with his Mum & Dad for a road trip down to Coffs Harbour to pick up a truck. I had only been as far south as Bryron Bay so I was excited. I DO love a road trip. Particulary to places I've never seen. This unfortunately was a very fleeting visit. Next time I would love to take a full day to drive there and stop along the way. It was so gut-wrenching to pass through all these gorgeous little towns & not stop at all the quaint little antique/collectors stores & Op shops. I was thrilled though when the MIL stopped at a little collectables store at Ulmarra. I almost went into fits of hyperventilation upon entering "Contrarys on Clarence".

This little shop was filled to the brim with all manner of kitsch, collectable, funky stuff.
I seriously could have spent a small fortune in this store.

I did buy some plastic squeaky toys which are cute yet a bit creepy looking, a cute little squirrel ornament, a deco ashtray & a 1950s black handbag. With me squealing with joy we set off again.
We spent the time in Coffs going from door to door of TBF's rellies drinking gallons of tea & catching up.
Sunday we hit the road again with TBF's dad behind the wheel of his fancy new work truck. This time we stopped at a retro shop at Woodburn. (I didn't catch it's name)
Loads of hippy 1960s & 1970s clothes but a big collection of mid-century chalkware, glassware & kitchenwares. Again, I could have spent a fortune. I asked the lady if she had any chenille bedspreads (my holy grail). She showed me a pale green one for $120 but it was a bit plain for me.
"Oh I get heaps of them in all the time", the hippy shop owner brags, " I cut them up & make clothes out of them... look". Sure enough she had cut up these fabulous chenille bedspreads & made them into these funky hippy tree-huggin vesty jacket things.
I'm afraid I wasn't very sutle in my response as I recoiled & gasped in horror. I ran from the store blubbering "How could she?! How could she?!"
As we sped through the towns I glanced longingly at the passing shops wondering what treasures lay inside.
I dreamt of finding lucite handbags for $10, a suitcase full of atomic barkcloth curtains for $15 & Barsony lamps buy one get two free. Arrr dreams......