summer road trip

For the last week or so i've been listening to Coldplay's new album Mylo Xyloto on non-stop replay. The vibe is one that reminds me of a laid back summer road trip and has inspired this collection of images.

A number of the photos below (including the one above) are by photographer Chris Searl who seems to shoot a recurring road trip theme including his campaigns for Corona, MTV, Dunlop Volley's, Glue Store and Monster Children. Chris if you happen to read this, I call shotgun on your next road trip!!

If you've been living under a rock, check out the video for Coldplay's single Paradise at the bottom of the page. Then close your eyes and imagine the wind in your hair while riding shotgun along an ocean highway!

Image Sources | 1. Chris Searl | 2. Kustom | 3. BohoBedLove | 4. HabitualMindCondensation | 5. Blindsided | 6. Jump |  7. Espiritu Santo | 8. Miss Modish | 9&10. Chris Searl | 11. Flickr | 12. 365 Days |  13. Retro Roadside | 14. Falling Out of Trees | 15-20 Chris Searl

endless summer with soludos

To coincide with their recent arrival in Australia, US espadrille brand Soludos have teamed up with Oyster Magazine for their Endless Summer competition in search of the perfect photo capturing chilled summer vibes.

With a summer trip to NYC and the Hamptons up for grabs I couldn't miss out on my chance - so here's my entry below - taken on New Years Eve at Bagnalls Beach on the NSW mid-north coast.  Best friends, corona's, sand, surf and the last sunset of 2011. Perfect.

Help me get to NYC by voting for my entry on the Soludos tumblr here, and check out the stiff competition while you are at it.

let's picnic!

These free picnic printables from Amy Moss at Eat Drink Chic have inspired me.
Time to get the gang together for a little gourmet picnic, me thinks.

Image from H&M Home

from a place you'd rather be

It's this time of the year that you start counting down the days until summer holidays and wishing you were anywhere but at work.
Well Corona Extra's 'From Where You'd Rather Be' campaign know's exactly where i'd rather be. The team at Corona took a road trip down the west coast of Mexico in a beat-up 1976 Winebago with some of their more talented friends including Monster Children's Chris Searl who captured these amazing snaps, along with legendary surf director Taylor Steele who caught it all on film.

And if you're like me and can't get enough of daydreaming at your desk, download the new Corona Desktop Widget, that updates your desktop background every day with images from where you'd rather be

destination scroll

Maya Bay, Phi Phi Island | Photo Mike Gillam

When the whole destination/bus scroll fad rolled around a few years back I completely lusted over them but just couldn't afford the hefty price tag (not to mention the fact I didn't have a wall to put it on) so it ended up becoming one of those items on my "i could make that myself" list which I just never got around to.

But when it came time to think of an engagement present for my good friends Amelia & Scott, I knew that this would be the perfect personalised present and that they of course had the style to appreciate it.

Each of the locations are holiday destinations for the cute couple with the final one, Palm Beach, being the location for their upcoming 2012 nuptials (bridesmaids duty, yay!). 

I'm really happy with the results and I've since had commissions for more. Hopefully one day i'll finally  get around to designing one for myself!

dumplings

Who says you have to go to Chinatown to get good dumplings?

Working in the lower north shore I am lucky to be spoilt for choice with traditional asian eateries but my all time favourite at the moment just has to be the traditional handmade dumplings of New Shanghai.
And judging by the lunchtime queues to get a table (they don't take bookings) it seems I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Today I popped in for lunch with my work buddies and about an hour later we rolled back out in a dumpling coma.

Even if you were to pick from the menu wearing a blindfold you really can't go wrong, but the pan fried pork buns are definitely a draw card as well as our other go to dishes - pork & chive dumplings, salt and pepper chilli prawns and stir fried chinese rice cakes.

I think what really tops it all off for me though is the decor. You really feel as though you could be eating in the side streets of Shanghai and there is even an old bicycle at the front door.

New Shanghai
Chatswood Chase
Ph. 02 9412 3358

here comes the sun

This past weekend really brought the goods with some solid sunshine. Summer is always one big party with my friends and this summer will be no exception. Sun, sand and sangria here we come!

Image from beach-bliss.tumblr.com