Loopylu update

So hopefully things will be available soon online. I have finally got all of my summer stock, I am shooting it this week and hopefully getting it online next week....

stay tuned...

It is exciting but I am also slightly apprehensive... the usual doubts pop into my head. What if nobody likes my designs, will the website run smoothly etc. I know all completely normal feelings and thoughts. Only natural when you start something new and I am a true believer of always stepping outside of my comfort zone and living every moment as it comes and experience as much as I can each day. Probably why I have managed to build a successful graphic design agency. My business partner and I are always reinventing ourselves and our business and always exploring new ideas. Keeps us motivated, current and inspired.

Anyway I am willing to give it a go and just see. Thank you for your support to date. Let me know your thoughts and feedback.

Byron Bay

It has taken a wee while to back into the swing of things since returning from our amazing holiday in Byron Bay.

I just love this place. Something so magical about it. We stayed in the Hinterland in a town called Federal which is west of Byron. About a 25min drive.

We love staying in the Hinterland as there is some much space for the kids to roam and play. We stayed in a gorgeous Queensland style home - Ammamead. The design and feel of the place was just lovely. What I would like to emulate when we design our new home.

So why do I love Byron so much? I think it is because it caters for everyone and the beaches, food, shopping and vibe is just perfect. From Byron markets on a Sunday, to surfing at the Pass, to eating burgers at the Top Shop, to strolling the streets of Bangalow what is there not to love.

The lease favourite thing for me was a day trip to 'Wet and Wild' on the Gold Coast. I am not a theme park person so this was huge for me... but boy oh boy did the kids have a great time. Me on the other had  fun in seeing their little faces - smiles from ear to ear. Not something I plan on doing again anytime soon though.

The kids went fishing, swam in local watering holes, surfed, look for lady beetles, went slip and sliding, hiked, ate, cooked and generally had a ball. They loved it.

I love the closeness you feel after being on holidays together. 1 0days away together is special and hopefully builds amazing memories for my children as well.

Looking to book again next September.

school holidays - a walk to get a coffee

How I love the holidays. This morning we went for a walk to the local cafe to grab a coffee. What a great back drop, the back of our property has the most amazing sandstone wall. We had time to kill and this is what happened.

With all day and nothing to do the simple pleasure of grabbing a morning coffee can turn into great memories. Time together, chatting being silly so simple but so nice.

BTW the yellow board shorts you see Jack wearing are a loopylu product soon to be available online.

New York City - LOVE

Oh how I love this city!

I am back on the blogging band wagon and have so much to share. New York trip being the first.
Stu and I went to the amazing NYC in May. Oh how I love this city.

Highlights...
The Highline
Chelsea Markets
Bike riding over the Brooklyn Bridge and to the cool town of Williamsburg.
Gospel service in Harlem
Catching up with one of my longest and dearest friends - Pauline
Shoe bar at Bergdorf and Goodman department store
Bike riding through Central Park and through Cambridge University while graduation was on
and
food, wine, bars and shopping out of control.

So yes we'll go back... for the 5th time... i'd even consider moving there for a short period of time. What and adventure that would be.

Creating the simple life

A goal of mine for a while is to create a more simple life me and my family. I am not overly successfulin achieving this most of the time as I like to be busy. But I have certainly tried.

Some of the things I have done to simplify our life are:

• Kids not doing as many activities after school - limited to 2 per child
• Growing our own veges
• Nurturing three chooks - Isabella, Moe and Beyonce. My daughter just loves them and she loves   collecting the eggs each day
• Just hanging out on weekends at home. not rushing out the door all of the time
• Exercising more
• Home cooking a lot more
• Hanging at the beach after school

It is real challenge for an Aries like me as I am naturally always wanting to be busy and I seem to be able to manage several things quick efficiency at one time.

I'll keep you posted on how my simple living plan goes.

Quote of the day

I’m not telling you to make the world better, because I don’t think that progress is necessarily part of the package. I’m just telling you to live in it. Not just to endure it, not just to suffer it, not just to pass through it, but to live in it. To look at it. To try to get the picture. To live recklessly. To take chances. To make your own work and take pride in it. To seize the moment. And if you ask me why you should bother to do that, I could tell you that the grave’s a fine and private place, but none I think do there embrace. Nor do they sing there, or write, or argue, or see the tidal bore on the Amazon, or touch their children. And that’s what there is to do and get it while you can and good luck at it.”

– Joan Didio

How lovely and how inspiring. Happy Tuesday

High Line in NYC

courtest of http://www.thehighline.org/about/park-information

We are heading to NYC next week. No kids, just Stu and I. I have been to New York a couple of time and have a huge love affair with this city. I just love it. Everything about it. 

I have only ever been in the summer so this is our first time visiting in Spring. I keep checking the temps on my phone and it is similar weather to what we are experiencing here in Sydney at the moment so perfect really as New York is best seen on foot.

One place I am really looking forward to visiting again is the High Line. It is so amazing and there is always something on there and of course something to eat as well. This year’s food vendors include Blue Bottle Coffee, Delaney Barbecue’s SmokeLine, La Newyorkina, L’Arte del Gelato, Melt Bakery, People’s Pops, Sigmund’s Pretzels, and The Taco Truck, as well as Terroir at The Porch, an open-air, full-service café with wine, beer, and small plates. Click here to find out more...


"....The High Line is a public park built on an historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It is owned by the City of New York, and maintained and operated by Friends of the High Line. Founded in 1999 by community residents, Friends of the High Line fought for the High Line’s preservation and transformation at a time when the historic structure was under the threat of demolition. It is now the non-profit conservancy working with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to make sure the High Line is maintained as an extraordinary public space for all visitors to enjoy. In addition to overseeing maintenance, operations, and public programming for the park, Friends of the High Line works to raise the essential private funds to support more than 90 percent of the park’s annual operating budget, and to advocate for the preservation and transformation of the High Line at the Rail Yards, the third and final section of the historic structure, which runs between West 30th and West 34th Streets...."

loopylu summer collection - sneak peak

bow tie dress

summer days dress

jumpsuit

the perfect kaftan

Sneak peak of what will be on sale coming this summer. I took Olivia down to Gordon's Bay for a practice session. I think the pics turned out really well and will upload them to my site soon. She was a reluctant model but in the end we got there. I asked her to play and have fun exploring on the rock and in the water looking for crabs. While she did that I snapped away.

Love to hear your thoughts.

I have most of the goods in my possession now. My new contact in Bali has been great. I have received samples and have made amendments which she is now working on. Once these are done then she will send the board shorts, more summer days dresses and some merino wool pants which will not go online for a while but I would prefer to have them with me than in Bali.

Pea, broad bean and curd cheese salad

Recipe of the week

Image courtesy food.ninemsn.com.au

So this is on tonights menu

200g peas, podded, blanched and refreshed
200g baby broad beans as above
1 spring onion shredded and finely sliced
1 large tbs grape seed oil
juice and zest of a large lemon
large handful of fresh herbs. Mint, coriander, parsley and basil
200g curd cheese like goats cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large bowl mix the peas, broad beans, spring onion, grape seed oil and the juice and zest of one lemon. Season.
2. Transfer to a serving plate. Drop spoonfuls of the curd cheese onto the salad mixture and scatter over the remaining herbs.

Give it a try and let me know how you go. I am going to have mine with some salmon.

Recipe courtesy of The Simple Things magazine.

Pizza, salad and figs

How yummy does this look? This was taken at a recent visit to Lil' Darlin in The Spot Randwick. The pizza's are truly amazing. We also ate delicious cocktails which I did take photo's of but didn't turn out very well. One that I had the pleasure of devouring had vanilla fairy floss hanging over the edge. Amazing just to look at.

Home made salad at home. Figs came fresh from food week in Orange (courtesy of my neighbour and good friend). Simple yet completely delicious.
Seared asapagus, figs, baby spinach, blue cheese and procuttio. Drizzle with a little very good quality cold pressed extra virgin olive oil... perfecto!

Saying no to Sugar

Well like many of you I have over dosed on sugar!!!! and I am officially over the stuff. I had anxious feeling every time I saw my children put a piece of chocolate into their mouths. I have hidden all the chocolate and lollies.. and will probably throw them int he bin or bring them into work and let other people poison the bodies.

We are having a super healthy week. Back to basic eating and wholesome stuff. I am not sure how long it will last but we need some de-toxing for sure.

I came across this site a while are. http://www.sarahwilson.com.au and just went in for another look. She is very inspiring. Take a look and even if you can't do it all you can at least start on a no sugar diet.

Not easy to do as you will learn that nearly everything that is commercially purchased has sugar in it.

I'll keep you updates on my quest. So far I am 1 day with out sugar. The biggest test for me is after dinner... that seems to be when I crave something sweet.

Easter - Hope it is a dry one.

With Easter just around the corner I have squeezed in an extra couple of runs to cater for the chocolate consumption over the next 4 days.In addition to Easter it is my birthday on Saturday so I am in for a very indulgent weekend. Bring it on!

What do you do over Easter? How do you celebrate?

We are planning on doing Easter show, maybe apple picking in Bilpin, BBQ's, breakfasts, lunches dinners and of course chocolate eating.