OPI Swatch - Panda-monium Pink

 Summer calls for light pastel colours and OPI Panda-monium Pink from the Hong Kong Collection is the perfect pastel pink.

It's a really pretty colour - goes on smoothly but needs two coats

As you can see by this pic, even with the 2 coats, it's still a little bit sheer

Picnic time & Goodberry's

It's been beautiful weather lately, it actually feels like summer! Perfect time for a picnic by Lake Burley Griffin.

It was actually pretty funny - we weren't prepared at all even though my friend and I 'planned' ahead to have a picnic (planning being talking about it and agreeing to do it mostly, and not much else) so we went picnic rug shopping at 1am the night before at the 24 hour Kmart! 

Lovely view of the lake - with views of the Carillon, Questacon, National Library and Parliament House

Our spread - including chicken and pesto pasta salad, dip, fruit salad & thai fish cakes

And naturally I was looking for some dessert afterwards in the form of delicious Goodberry's

Mmmm fudge

It's Canberra's version of Cold Rock - with frozen custard a.k.a a concrete, either vanilla or chocolate and then choose your toppings

The list of choices

And wait...

There's too much to choose from and I always want everything

My mix - marshmallow fudge and almonds

I really like the Butternut one too - butterscotch fudge and macadamias, but the possibilities are endless!

Kingsley's Steak & Crabhouse - Civic, Canberra

What's an Australia Day meal without some form of beef? It was a scorching day in Canberra and the Canberra Centre provided some form of air-conditioned relief. 

Lunch was at Kingsley's Steak & Crabhouse at the North Quarter.

The menu consists of mainly steak and seafood (as you can no doubt already tell by the name of the place!) 

And of course, when on holidays - it's cocktail time! 

Gundooee Organis Wagyu pie - with mash and peas

Ultimate comfort food

Grilled Hervey Bay King Prawns - with chorizo, parmesan aioli and gremolata

This was good too, but let's not lie.  My heart was with the pie.

Kingsley's Steak and Crabhouse

Ground Floor

North Quarter, Canberra Centre

Opera Bar - Sydney Opera House

A couple of weeks ago, I went to see the Le Grand Cirque Adrenaline show at the Sydney Opera House. 

Naturally, it was off to the Opera Bar for pre-show drinkies and some food.  

My cocktail - Opera White Tea - Russian standard vodka, Poire William liqueur, Cointreau, Herradura tequila, pear puree and apple juice

This is the Opera tasting plate for two - it was like a delicious little high tea stand with all kinds of savoury goodies

This plate consisted of lentil dahl with pappadums (very moreish, I couldn't stop eating this!), fig, goats cheese and rocket salad; beef & burgundy pies

Marinated octopus salad, chicken and sesame nori rolls, thai fish cakes with nam jim sauce (these weren't really like thai fish cakes) and chorizo skewers

Yummy stand - perfect with drinks!

Before the show - it was such a lovely night, albeit crazily windy

During the break in the show - fail at picture taking because it was so damn windy!

Picture perfect!

Opera Bar

Lower Concourse level

Sydney Opera House

Sydney NSW 2000

On another note, Happy Australia Day everyone! I wish I was at the beach, but I'm down in Canberra again. What's everyone up to today?

Pretty in Pink

Everything I've been buying lately seems to be pink.

I love the basement level at the new Sydney Westfield - if you haven't been there, they've made it so it's like a clothes market, with so many gorgeous pieces. My favourite is Princess Polly where I picked up this dress a few months ago - I still haven't had any excuse to wear it yet, but I adore it!

Pink heart belt from Forever New - kind of reminds me of the Miu Miu belts out this seasons, very cute!

Pink bow belt from Forever New

Pretty floaty cami from Forever New

Accessories - they were having a pretty good sale so it was hard to resist!

Minkpink Sale

I'll definitely be waking up bright and early tomorrow to check out this sale! I love Minkpink stuff, and it's always so affordable.  Hoping the line won't be too long, and there'll be some great stuff.

Who's going?

Lunch @ Axis Restaurant - National Museum of Australia, Canberra

So today was an impromptu trip to Canberra after a last minute suggestion from a friend that I join them for the drive down - it was the 3rd weekend in a row I've been in Canberra, seems like I haven't been able to stay away! hehe

Anyway, it was another beautiful day, so off to Axis Restaurant it was for a lovely lunch.  I initially wanted to go for breakfast (they do breakfast on Sundays and public holidays) but they were fully booked out.  So remember to book early to avoid disappointment!

The weather was so nice and hot that they didn't open the outdoor area as people would swelter under the heat, we got a really nice window seat though :)

Complimentary bread and olive oil/dukkah and balsamic vinegar dips (am I the only one that secretly dreams of a fat wad of creamy butter?)

Gorgeous little birds invaded the outdoor area, and you can't see it in this pic, but there was this tiny little one with the most adorable blue face! Not sure what kind of bird it was...

Roast duck breast & leg confit, chorizo and cannellini bean ragout

Special fish of the day - Ocean Trout with a salad of sweet potato

And the very summery dessert - Lavender pannacotta with summer berries

A simple but pretty dessert

Complimentary sweets with coffee - these were very caramel-ly!

Axis Restaurant

National Museum of Australia

Lawson Crescent

Acton Peninsula, Canberra

Katy Perry OPI Collection

Ok, so I really don't need anymore nail polishes for at least the next 100 years, I still thought this new collection was quite cool.

The black polish has a shattered effect, so you can use over any polish you like.  I really like the look of the glitters and the gorgeous metallic purple/fuchsia colour.

I don't need any new nail polish.  I don't need any new nail polish. I don't need any new polish.... argh

Smile + Adore Tea (again!)

So it's been a week or so without braces, and even though I have to wear a retainer all the time, it's been great! 

And of course, I made another trip to Adore Tea when I was down in Canberra again last weekend.

It was a Monday morning, so the place was quite empty as expected

A very decadent Monday morning breakfast:

This was a-ma-zing... a mango iced tea milkshake, so yummy!

And of course, dutch pancakes! This time with chocolate sauce and ice cream (told you it was a decadent breakfast) 

Emilios Ocean Grill - Manuka, Canberra

It's been a while since we visited Emilio's Ocean Grill in Manuka, and it was the perfect place to visit during a hot afternoon for a light lunch.

Seafood pie - with 3 cheese mornay sauce, deliciously creamy, nicely offset by the salad

Seafood plate - with smoked salmon, prawns and oysters... Mmmm

Emilio's Ocean Grill

36 Franklin Street

Manuka