I love you...to the moon and back.

Can you believe Lil' Brigs #1 turned 6 this week?!? How time flies! And there has never been a dull moment since! It seems like it was only yesterday she was born or celebrated her first birthday.  The last 6 years (and four years with Lil' Brigs #2, who celebrated his birthday on the same day as #1) have been both challenging yet rewarding as a mother.  As my sister once said (quite rightly), being a mother is like falling in love deeper and deeper each day.  Of course, there are days moments when things are not always peachy, hairs turn grey overnight, patience is tested, new skills are (forcefully) acquired, but that is what is amazing about being a mother...And through all that I wanted to remind my daughter how much I love her.  Of course, I remind her verbally as often as I can, and when I ask her: "How much does mommy love you"? She stretches her arms wide and says "Thiiiiis much", or "To the moon and back" (echoing words I tell her myself).

For her 6th birthday I thought it would be nice for her to have a constant reminder of that incredible love I have for her, a reminder that even when I may not exactly show it at a particular moment in time, that I love her to the moon and back...

And so I gave her this super cute charm from Emma & Roe, that says just that.  I like the idea that I can add a charm (perhaps each birthday?) to this bracelet, like a little 'diary perhaps, of our time together: this Eiffel Tower charm to remind us of our trip to Paris, a little treble clef to represent her love for music, little ballet shoes as she started classes this year...

And while I was there, I decided to get something for myself too, for days after she arrived, I celebrated my first Mother's Day, and this Sunday will be my 6th! Diamonds are a girl's best friend after all, and as I have a predilection for 'minimal' jewellery, I opted for some diamond stacker rings in yellow and white gold (gold ring is now on sale since I got mine!).

There's something for everyone on Emma & Roe's website, with great gift ideas for your nana, mom, or even when a new addition arrives in your family...

 I love you...

  to the moon and back!

My little something something for Mother's Day...

 This photo above was taken by the amazing Food Stylist, Photographer, Graphic designer and cook Shellie Froidevaux, who has the most amazing recipes on her beautiful website!  Planning on making her Chocolate + Potato Chips Cookie and Chocolate Chickpea cookie asap (I know, don't they sound crazy amazing?!?).

 Thanks for the shot Shellie!  Don't you wish every breakfast looked like this?!? Daydreaming this will be me again this Sunday...

All other photos taken by me.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOTHER'S OUT THERE!!!

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Travel Diary: My Queensland Roadtrip Part 1 - BRISBANE

I was recently given the opportunity to embark on a fabulous food-filled road trip with Accor Hotels from Brisbane to Byron with a group of amazing girls, which I couldn't resist saying 'yes' to.  I mean, you all know how Byron Bay is my happy place here Down Under! And food?!? LIVE to eat!

As soon as I touched down in sunny Brisbane, I was whisked to the Sofitel Brisbane Central for a fabulous French 'Sky Picnic': the hotel offers a service where they pack you a fabulous picnic which you can take with you as you explore the city. Instead, we got to enjoy the most dreamy picnic I've ever seen in their beautifully-decorated terrace, complete with French patisserie, charcuterie and delicious salads...Oh, and a glass or two of champagne...because as they say, when in France, or in this case, at a French picnic...

I felt like I was Alice in Wonderland...a wonderland of amazing food, that is!

Cheeeeeeese!

 I seriously had hearts for eyes when gawking at this spread! I mean, just look at it! Sofitel Brisbane's executive Chef Patrice Falantin sure brought everyone's dreams to reality with this picnic!

 Greedy? Who, me? I actually ate another slice of tart in addition to these, eeps!

Don't worry, I also had my fill of deliciously healthy salads! The quinoa chicken salad was delish!

After lunch we returned to The New Inchcolm Hotel, for an afternoon preview of their 'Girls Night In', the hotel' new offering, where we enjoyed manicures, cheese, and wine and chatter at one of their beautiful suites! Because we weren't full enough from lunch (not!).  Such a fun way to spend an afternoon! And a fabulous way to have fun with some girl friends! Am thinking this would be a great idea for a hen's 'night' too (especially since my little sister is getting married in August!)

 The New Inchcolm Hotel is part of Accor's M Gallery by Sofitel series of boutique hotels, and is a newly renovated heritage-listed building, that has retained a lot of its charm (with elegant Art Deco furnishings, beautiful tiled flooring, and even a fabulously refurbished old elevator that I couldn't help smiling in whenever I saw it!). Boasting 50 elegant room options, that include one and two-bedroom suites, it also holds Brisbane's first loft-style hotel two-storied suites (which is where I stayed), all beautifully contemporary but with elegant edge in this vintage luxury hotel.

After a little downtime, we were ready to party on with some fabulous cocktails at the New Inchcolm's elegant Socialites Bar, their 20's decor and ambiance, was the perfect setting for a relaxed and fun start to the evening. We kicked off the evening with 'The Socialite': spiced rum, pear and ginger liqueurs served with fresh pear.

After drinks we adjourned to the hotel's chef-hatted Thomson's Reserve restaurant, and were treated to a fabulous dinner by Chef Michael Crosbie, who has developed a menu that hones in on simple clean flavours whilst celebrating unique Australian ingredients.

 Loved the beautiful ambiance at the Thomson's Reserve restaurant..

This grilled wagyu rump cap, with glazed short rib, cider jelly and pistachio brittle, absolutely delicious!  The tasting menu offered matched wines, and instead of a wine, this dish was paired with a Custard and Co apple cider from Western Australia.

After dinner I rolled back into my beautiful suite for some R&R and off to the land of nod in this cloud of a bed.

And in the morning, it was time to eat again! Thought I'd order in to enjoy the beautiful lounge on the downstairs floor of my loft suite... 

Eggs benedict and brioche french toast with berries and toasted almonds, yum!

Well, that was after I ate some macarons I found next to my bed the day before...the Inchcolm Hotel sure know the way to a girl's heart!

Bag: Chloe Faye available at Selfridges (in the larger size too), clutch version at Forward, and at Neiman Marcus

Pyjamas: Personalized PJ's in the softest cotton ever from Keep it Personal. 

Love me an oozy egg yolk!

After breakfast we were off to our next stop: Gold Coast!

Watch this space for Part 2 of my Travel Diary.

All pictures taken by me on my DSLR and iPhone. ©

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How to 'toughen up' (or dress down) a pink and/or girly dress

Are you one of those people that looks a really pretty and feminine dress and thinks: "Oh, how beautiful! If only I could wear something like that", but feels they could never wear something that girly?  I am one of them.  Not my sister, she wears girly, frilly, lacy and floral with not one moment's hesitation, even with strappy feminine sandals.

Or, perhaps you have a beautiful dress hanging in your closet but feel you can only wear them on the rare 'formal' occasion?

Either way, for those who would like to wear a feminine girly dress (and yes, even in pink), here are some ideas on how I would wear it.  For some reason I don't feel comfortable in a girly feminine dress and strappy high heels, I need to pair them with something sporty or 'biker chic', or roughen it up a little.

Case in point: this beautiful and romantic pink broderie anglaise dress by Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, via Avenue 32.  As you may know by now, I am a huuuuuge fan of online shopping, and Avenue 32 is one of all-time favourite stores.  Not only do they stock some of my favourite designers (Roksanda, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Maticevski), but also amazing new designers that I absolutely love discovering (e.g. Litkovskaya, Anna K, and more).

 Pink and pretty: Philosophy by Lorenzo Serafini broderie anglaise dress

 I loved mixing the delicate and feminine broderie anglaise with some texture, like fur (and further down, leather), and tough 'motorcycle' boots

Jacket: Dries Van Noten (old), Boots: Balenciaga, Dress: Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini (available at Avenue 32)

Pair a feminine dress with a little something sporty, I'm a big fan of bombers, and this is my new favourite, from Zara (!), love its beautiful embroidery!

I paired the dress with two sporty pieces, the bomber jacket and my trusty sneakers...I live in flats and sneakers, comfort is paramount, and not just for my feet, I feel more comfortable in my own skin too...

Dress: Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini (available at Avenue 32), Jacket: Zara, Sneakers: Adidas x Topshop (similar here)

 Nothing like a good black leather jacket to pair with a girly dress...my Helmut Lang jacket is one of my favourite buys of 2015, it goes with almost everything!

 Frilly details...

 And of course, one of my favourite footwear choice for a feminine dress: none at all, cozing up at home with a sweater thrown over, or barefoot on a beach (I will be bringing this dress with me to Byron Bay next week), love the contrast of cozy with girly...

In a nutshell, my favourite pieces to wear with a feminine dress are:

*Sporty-chic jackets like bombers, and silk hooded jackets

*Leather motorcycle jackets Faux-fur or denim jackets 

*Oversized chunky knit cardigans

* Tee-shirt, turtleneck or fine knit crewneck sweater under the dress

*Footwear of choice: mid-heel boots (with a chunky heel, like Isabel Marant Dicker boots), sneakers, Oxfords (like my favourite Dieppa Restrepo Cali oxfords), perhaps flat strappy sandals.

How about you, how do you wear your pink and/or feminine dresses? 

Outdoor photography by: Kevin Khaw

Indoor photography: me

Happy Friday everyone!
x
CC

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Uniqlo x Lemaire - a match made in Sartorial Heaven

Hello there! I am still here, and apologize for my absence! Life's been a little crazy lately!

But I have decided I will try my best to keep this blog updated from now on...

So thought I'd start with one of my all-time favourite 'designer' collaborations ever, which was Christopher Lemaire's final collection for Uniqlo.  Since last year I have been a huge Uniqlo fan, with its affordable basics for the entire family, from my little ones, to Mr Brigs. I especially love their Heattech range (of thin yet warm thermal clothes), which I first heard about from Susie Bubble many years ago.

And of course, I am a huge fan of Christophe Lemaire's work, not only for his own label, but also during his stint as creative director at Hermès.  Love his crisp, paired-back simplicity and flawlessly tailored designs, and wonderfully edgy silhouettes.

Now I know I am a little late to blog about this collection, but since it is almost all I have been wearing lately, I thought I'd share anyway.  I put in countless orders in for this range, as I became enamoured with the entire collection (and not just the womenswear, but the menswear too, some of which went into Mr Brigs wardrobe, but some actually went into mine).  I zero-ed in on the mustard yellow pieces, as it is a colour I love but cannot find often in silhouettes I like.  Not only were the pieces beautifully designed, the quality was impeccable, beautifully tailored, timeless and classic but with an evident edge to them.

 This yellow mesh polo sweater is one of my favourites of the collection, I'm so glad I checked the store the night before the range was meant to be released, as it (and the rest of the collection) was already there, so I pounced on it before it sold out.

Bag: Balenciaga Navy Pochette (available at Matches), Sandals: Sydney Sandal Co. (the comfiest sandal ever, these are so delicious on!), Swimsuit: Seafolly,

Here I layered the v-neck knit over the milano sleeveless rib dress, for a double-dose of yellow, in a beautiful ribbed fabric - love the texture and quality of these, so luxe!
Bag: Mansur Gavriel backpack (love it in pink!), Shoes: Adidas Superstars (available in b&w here)

 Lemaire's expert tailoring in 'gaucho' culottes and blazer

Borrowed from the 'boys': Chambray blouson 'shirt/jacket' and pleated elasticated pants, with a cashmere-blend sleeveless tank from the women's range (oh so soft and versatile!)

 I also got the cashmere-blended bodysuit (and in white too), these are so comfy, cut beautifully and so versatile!

Bag: Proenza Schouler PS11 (available at Net-a-Porter, Forward, and My Theresa ) , Bracelet: Céline

I'm embarrassed to say this is only a fraction of the items I got, anyone else a fan of this collaboration? Or of Lemaire? Or Uniqlo?

For daily updates, you can follow me on Instagram.

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All I want for Christmas...is a Lekker bicycle

 Growing up in Brazil, I vividly recall a TV ad of a little kid writing to Santa: "Não se esqueça da minha Caloi" (Don't forget my Caloi - a Brazilian bicycle brand).  I wrote such a letter to Santa, and a few years later received a bicycle that I rode to school everyday,  I absolutely loved the freedom that gave me.  When I later moved to Cambridge (UK), my parents bought me a £10 vintage fixie bicycle which I rode everyday and everywhere, rain, hail or shine (less shine, more rain).  Despite the lack of gears (worked up my quads!), I loved cycling everywhere in my repainted black vintage bicycle (not so much in the cold rain though)...

It's been 21 years since I moved to Australia (ok, showing my age here, eeps!), and it is only this year that I started wishing for a bicycle for myself.  Mr Brigs is an avid bicycle rider (the serious kind that goes on crazy rides down narrow winding roads up the hills), and my little ones started riding their own little bicycles (Lil' Brigs #1 has foregone her training wheels and is mad about cycling now - you should see the joy on her face when she is pedalling!), and I wanted in on the fun...that feeling of freedom while riding around, wind in my hair...

I immediately knew what style I wanted, a vintage 'fixie' style bicycle, but with gears (because I live in a slightly hilly part of town), and one I could add a cute little wicker basket to...you know the kind you carry flowers, a baguette and perhaps a fluffy dog in?  Ok, maybe no fluffy dog (for now).

When I discovered Lekker bicycles, I fell in love with their vintage style bikes.  They are built to last in a light, 100% rust free aluminium frame in gorgeous colours that made it really hard for me to choose which one to go for.  I decided to pay the extra $200 for the Jordaan bicycle with extra gears due to my hilly surrounds, otherwise the Sportief would have suited just splendidly (or the Amsterdam bicycle, a beautiful more modern version).  And the colours! Oh, the colours! I have to say that even though I chose a gorgeous shiny candy red bicycle, the pastel green set my heart aflutter (I don't think pictures do it justice), and the black is so beautiful and classic!

As if the bicycles weren't gorgeous enough, Lekker also have their own beautiful range of accessories (from which I purchased the Andalas wicker basket).  Even though I saw cheaper baskets at bicycle stores, the quality and look did not compare with that of the Lekker baskets...And even though I love the white handles and seat on my bicycle, the lush leather handles and seat that Lekker have on their website has me eyeing those as well.

Lekker (Dutch for 'yummy'), is Dutch in design.  Its founder Meindert Wolfraad is originally from The Netherlands but moved to Australia in 2009.  He saw the need for beautiful Dutch classic bicycles that combined with the Australian beach culture (parts that are more beach friendly and don't rust as easily).  The high workmanship quality and focus on comfort is greatly appreciated, with the wide oh-so-comfy seat on my bicycle putting any fear of a sore derriere to rest, and the upright sitting position and thick tires ensuring a comfy and smooth ride.  Now I can ride for a quick trip to the grocery store, into the city, along the river...

With the recent changes in Adelaide's bicycle laws now allowing cyclists to ride on the pavement, I am so excited I can now enjoy my city on this easy enjoyable ride, with and without my little ones in tow.  Oh, and they even have cool children's seats so I can cycle them to school and not have to battle for a carpark during crazy drop-off times.

  Love Lekker's iconic Dutch 'ding-dong' brass bell

 Please excuse the cheesy grin.

 Lekker's own brand of beautifully woven baskets. 

Free to explore this city where one would not ordinarily reach by car... 

(all images by me and my trusty tripod)

"Querido Papai Noel (Dear Santa Claus),

Obrigada por não ter esquecido minha Lekker (thank you for not forgetting my Lekker bike).

Clarice"

Has anyone else asked for bicycle for Christmas?

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Everlane is shipping Internationally for ONE week only (trial)! Run, don't walk!

Ok, the day we have all be waiting for (well, I certainly have) is here!

Everlane is offering international shipping (and for a flat rate of only $15!!!) for one week only (for now, here's hoping the trial goes well and it becomes a permanent thing soon).

For years I have been using forwarding companies to get my beloved Everlane wares here Down Under, so as soon as I caught wind that they would be shipping directly to us for one week, I had my items waiting in my bag ready for me to click 'pay' before you could say 'hello'.

Sadly I had to cull my shopping bag right down due to the horrendous state of the Australian dollar against the US dollar, but ah well! I am doing my happy dance nevertheless.

I ordered their Short-sleeved silk crew and the men's card case (I have discovered my love for card cases after using a 'disposable' one for almost a year now! Time to upgrade to leather).  I am leaving behind their long-sleeved silk tee and their slouchy black trousers (anyone have either item? Would love to hear your thoughts on them), and really, I practically want every single item in their store!

International shipping started today and we only have T minus 6 days left, so I suggest running, not walking!

 shop now at Everlane

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