days like today...

Make you wanna splash the sea and damn the consequences of a wet crotch all afternoon. This beautiful Melbourne day has inspired a quick change of track of the week to a more crusing down the coast in my purple chevy impala kind of song... Hope you enjoy!

And thanks to my little bestie Sara (above) for splashing it up when we were in Barcelona!

because he's cool...

Twitter informed me yesterday of the passing of Mr Patrick Swayze and it was then that I realised the impact that one man can have on your life. Born in the 80s my childhood crush was the Dirty Dancing, "No body puts baby in a corner" Johnny Castle and a somewhat tragic phase of wanting everyone to call me Baby. Then came the early 90s and my crush had evolved from a 50s bad boy in a bikerjacket to a blonde bearded surf gromit named Bodhi. Point Break was one of those films that even later as obsessed adolescents we would rent and watch over and over, quoting lines; "What am I going to do? Paddle to New Zealand?"."It's the place where you lose yourself and you find yourself. You don't know it yet but you've got it, it's right there" and the quote that has been ingrained into my psyche and vernacular "ROCK-N-ROLL".

Bodhi and Johnny Utah prompted a life long yearning to surf that I am still yet to fulfill. Mainly because of a gnawing fear of being eaten by sharks, (haha gnawing) but maybe just maybe Mr Swayze has given me another gift. The realisation that life is too short and the inspiration to make my next trip a surfing safari.

Peace be with you Mr Johnny-Castle-Bodhisattva. xoxo

Rihanna runs this town... O yes she does...

This super stylin sistah is someone I admire. Well actually it's an admiration that probably regularly crosses the line into unabated jealously. The reason, because she is one of the few where that je nai sais quoi is taken to a whole nother level.

Rihanna actually oozes cool, whether she is rocking the red carpet (like pic no.2 at the Fashion's Night Out Event) or crossing a New York street the girl looks fly.

It's that effortless rocknrolla cool that gets me. She makes me wanna cut my hair again after 2 years of growing it out, she makes me wanna push my fashion limits and she makes me wanna break all the rules. 

Riri my aspirational style icon.

(pic no. 1 courtesy of www.perezhilton.com)

offtherunway.com.au

I discovered this little gem through www.stylehunter.com and had to share it with you. Although mostly aspirational fashion on my current budget, my wish list is already overflowing with rupert sanderson peep toe booties (above) , a Luella petrol clutch and erickson beamon bangle. (also pictured above)

Check it out:

offtherunway.com.au

madison catches my girl crush...

Now officially on the radar of Australia's fashion pack Alexa brings her flair and savoir faire to the pages of this months madison... 

Harper's Bazaar - new editor, new look, newsworthy?

Hmmmmmm well it was the first cover I noticed when I was strutting past my beloved corner newsstand to the sounds of this mornings soundtrack (longest road - morgan page deadmau5 mix) but on closer inspection I am a little bit head cocked slightly to the left, squinty eyes and quizzical brow.

You see I like the cover I do. It's simple and stylish but kind of reminds me of the newspaper lift out Wish and maybe they are going for a more newsy type of aesthetic it would explain the blink and you'll miss it headers in grey, yes grey and yet they are then using a watercolour and tie-dyed text palette for it's headlines. 

It may be my mood but the articles seem to lack that certain something that makes me want to read more, after a column or two I'm impatiently flicking along for something else only to find more of the same same. Pieces on rock royalty, inside blah blah's closet (see I can't even remember who's closet it was) and yet another Aniston interview. 

Then finally I reach an article with a bit of promise 'Gucci director, Frida Gianni tells Bazaar why music makes her clothing collections sing' however as I turn the page I am again disappointed because instead of an article exploring the inspiration that music can bring to a creative medium like design, it is a simple question an answer about Frida's record collection. Asking the hard hitting question's like 'Do you throw many parties and DJ at home?' or 'How many record's do you have?'. Violently flicking the page I get to Boy oh Boy or Boy oh BORING the most uninspiring fashion spread I have ever seen. 

My mood is slightly lifted by the piece on Stella McCartney but all in all as I put down October's 'new look' issue next to last months Sienna cover, I feel like a woman who has just seen her recent holiday snaps and with utter disappointment realised, shit I've packed on the pounds. 

my inherited perception of cool

Since today is the day that we thank our fathers, I thought I'd share with you my inherited perception of cool shaped by what my dad likes to call 'The School of Dave'.

My older sister and I were enrolled from birth however we were not the only students with cousins and childhood friends also on the roll. In fact 'The School of Dave' is renowned for its tutorials on music, film and storytelling. So much so it is now spoken of as if a legend "AH Grasshopper you too have been taught in the ways of Dave".

Music and film classes had one main principle 'to know where you're going, you got to know where you've been'. It's important to know 'the classics'.

Top 20 'Classic' Songs from 'The School of Dave'

Hotel California - The Eagles (live Hell Freeze's over version = Awesomeness)

Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles

Let's Stay Together - Al Green

You Can't Always Get What You Want - Rolling Stones

Respect - Aretha Franklin

Stand By Me - Ben E King

Eagle Rock - Daddy Cool

April Sun in Cuba - Dragon

With a Little Help From my Friends - Joe Cocker

Moondance - Van Morrison

Roxanne - The Police

My Girl - Otis Redding

Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles

Diamonds & Pearls - Prince (also my first ever cd along with MJs Thriller)

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix

Get Rhythm - Johnny Cash

Rapture - Blondie

People Are Strange - The Doors

California Dreamin - The Mamas and the Papas

Anything Goes - Frank Sinatra

Not to mention the Rat Pack, the entire Beatles catalogue and songs from 1950s musicals.


For films it was a heartbreaking task to narrow down and that is why this list only goes til about the 1980s and has been bumped up to a TOP dadadada 33. Very random number I know but it's a fitting number in my family as it was my Grandfather's guernsey number at Fitzroy and I'm guessing it may have been Butch who actually inspired 'The School of Dave'.

Top 33 'Classic' Films from 'The School of Dave'

Dr. No

Cool Hand Luke

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

The Sting

True Grit

The Outlaw Josey Wales

Dirty Harry

Easy Rider

The Godfather

Goodfellas

The Untouchables

The Great Escape

The Elephant Man

To Kill a Mockingbird

It's a Wonderful Life

Harvey

The Black

Singing in the Rain

West Side Story

Sunset Boulevard

The Great Race

Some Like it Hot

Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis films (my childhood was filled with these on a sunday afternoon)

Breakfast at Tiffany's

To Sir With Love

Lost Boys

Parenthood

Three Amigos

Jaws

Star Wars

Indiana Jones

Back to the Future

Field of Dreams

And perhaps the most integral part of the course was the unit on storytelling. This was not limtited to bedtimes and even extended to car trips you see 'you are never lost when you're on an adventure'. The best way to describe my childhood would be to show you

Hey what can I say it was never boring and it was 'The School of Dave' that taught me the No.1 Golden Rule for storytellers:

Don't f**k up a good story with the facts.

Thank you Dad and Happy Father's Day!