Bohemian Rhapsody!

Yesterday was another beautiful day in Venice filled with all the bohemian goodness that I crave after living in the red carpet, bulb flashing, sometimes superficial, Hills. I wandered with my girlfriend through Abbot Kinney and hit up some super cute boutiques and somehow resisted the urge to burn a massive hole in my pocket.

Mark and Estele Clothing

There's something about this super long Kimono in the softest t-shirt material that makes me want to justify its almost $300 price tag. Even though it looks like I pulled a "Jack and the Beanstalk" and traded the Goose in for one of the Giant's t-shirts, I love it! I'd wear it in slightly see through white, with a deeply vibrant floral bikini underneath (my fav bikinis are here), massive shades and the 'peace, love, dove' attitude to match... Fabulous!

Ethiopian friendship beads.

I've been wearing these hand hammered beads for years now and always collect more whenever I'm at the Rose Bowl Markets in Pasadena.  I love to stack them and then give them to girlfriends when they're sans accessories.

Winter Kate Fringe Vest $17

Nichole Richie's latest line, Winter Kate is to die. I'm loving the no fuss, Boho chic. Check it out here! 

Urban Outfitters Raw Crystal Ring $18

I love raw semi precious stones. Sometimes you just want something that's a little less refined and little more organic to pull off the Hippy 'everything is as it should be' sentiment. 

Camilla Franks' Kaftans

Dubbed the 'Kafan Queen' by some of the industry's finest, Australian designer Camilla Franks' easy breezy chiffon Kaftan's scream Bohemian Summer.  Although they don't have the Bohemian price tag to match, it's certainly fun to scour her website and dream of hot desert nights donned in barely there chiffon.

Well before I change my dogs name to Rainbow and become a Yoga Instructor, I'm going to enjoy living out my alternate personality through fashion...sigh

a beach day to remember

Tomorrow my friends and I (along with the rest of Los Angeles) are planning a day at the beach to celebrate Memorial Day.  Here's my must haves list for a fun hassle free day in the sun and surf.

Smokey Joe table top weber and grill $35. It's something that you can use all summer long! Don't forget to bring your coals, matches and bbq equipment.

pottery barn throw $49 to keep you warm when those evening breezes start to pick up.

never underestimate the importance of sun smarts! In Australia I grew up with the sun smart moto of "slip, slop, slap". Slip on a sun shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat. Choose something light weight and higher SPF for your face and switch to a lower SPF for your body if you want to look like you've actually been to the beach.

personally I'll be getting my tan from Kate Somerville's Somerville360... the best.

I'm loving J Crew's sunhat for $165. However am sure I can find something equally as effective for a one eighth of the price here.

if you're like most people, you love the look of your hair after a day of playing in the sun and surf.  Bring along an extra spray bottle and fill it up with some salty sea water so you can spritz your hair all day long to keep the beach babe tousled hair happening. This tip came from hair stylist extraordinaire Christine Symonds at Byron and Tracy Salon; who's responsible for Lauren Conrad's sultry waves and the cover of this months People Style Watch.

which brings me to....magazines! Bring some easy reading material to keep you busy between games of charades, frisbee and for our friends sing alongs with my boyfriends trusty guitar skills.

Food is another story entirely! Stay tuned for a couple of great recipes that make for crowd pleasing munchies and hassle free transportation!

packing punches

More often than not people wait for reasons to celebrate (birthdays, engagements, holidays, weddings) and then sometimes the pressure that comes with celebrating such momentous occasions can actually make the day stressful, negating the 'celebration' part altogether.  Everyone's busy with life, kids, work and sometimes when you're out of practice the idea of hosting any type of event is enough to tip you over the edge, which is one of the reasons that I launched my business the chirpy bird and why I love what I do.  It's not about events, it's about lifestyle and I love showing people how easy it is to commemorate the simple moments and joys in life. Whether it's the season finale of Lost or tonights UFC fight with Jackson vs. Evans, finding things to celebrate is a great habit to get into.  I personally have never been big into watching two grown men beat the living daylights out of each other, however some of my best friends find it to be extremely exciting.  So tonight I'm choosing to celebrate the way that I know how, by giving everyone a good ol' punch. One black & blue and red punch to be exact! Oh yes, diving head first into the boxing theme...here we go!

Watermelon Punch 
Watermelon
Handful of fresh mint
Superfine sugar
Ginger Ale
Vodka
Lime

Cut up watermelon and blend until smooth. 

p.s. notice the OPI Tickle My France-y nail color I was raving about a couple of days ago! 

Finely slice two tablespoons of mint and add to blender. Also add one tablespoon of superfine sugar to watermelon mixture.

Fill desired pitcher with ice. By the way if you don't have enough pitchers for your party, have a look around and see if you have any cool vases that can double.

Stir in two cups of Watermelon mint puree.

Add 1 1/4 cups of Ginger Ale.

I'm Australian so I like to start with at least 1/2 a cup of Vodka and then go up from there if necessary. Now's a good time to taste test. Then add the juice of two limes.

Add slices of limes to your mixture and sprigs of fresh mint to garnish.  I also love to wrap my pitchers with basic kitchen twine to add a little rustic effect.


Black and Blue Punch


Using frozen blackberries and blueberries here saves lots of $ but if you've got some berries left over from the farmers market that are looking dull, use them up! Waste not want not!


Copy the Watermelon Punch recipe above but substitute the berries for the watermelon. If you've chosen to use frozen berries, it's best to wait until they've thawed out a little so they're nice and juicy.  


enjoy!