The National Lottie

For the 5th challenge, we want you turn your attentions to Sydney culture and nightlife. Your task is to run your very own Sydney-themed event.. The type of event is entirely up to you – a Sydney-themed dinner party for your friends, or perhaps a night at the opera…(Sydney drinking isn’t a valid topic!).

The Fifth challenge to win the Awesome Tour of Sydney took place last week and after some great suggestions I ended up using Will’s idea of the Strictly Ballroom themed party.

The call went out for Bloggers,  Twitterers and Internet heads alike to don their best waltzing gear and head to Mount Merrion and I must say everyone looked marvelous.

@JasonRoe, @claireboyles, @anthonymcg, Susan Me, Darren, @Bngr, Sinead Cochrane, Sinead Keogh, @pluincee

(more…)

Ms. Raptureponies turned me on to Etsy a while back and now it’s an addiction. A burden likened to my Daft and E-Bay problems, for discussion at a later date. In my Friday evening I’m-too-broke-to-leave-the-house stupor I came across the fabulously decadent designs of  Louise Black.

All pieces are hand-stitched and mostly one-of-a-kind but there is a limited range of reproducibles.

[All images © Louise Black Designs]

Ruby Couture, returns to Dublin at the Mansion House from 24th to 27th September.

With labels such as Prada, Gucci, Balenciaga, Chloe, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen on sale at a discount of 80% I am already making space in my wardrobe. The range is up-to-date, including current Autumn Winter stock.

The event opens with a VIP Exclusive Viewing at 6pm, Thursday, 24^th September and opens to the public at 7.30 Friday, 25^th through to Sunday 27^th.  The stock will be replenished daily to ensure a complete collection for all shoppers. 

To top it all off there is no entrance fee!

Opening Hours:

Thursday 24^th Sept: 6pm: Exclusive Viewing (VIP Invite Only)

7.30 – 9.30pm (Open to all)

Friday 25^th September: 10am – 9pm

Saturday 26^th September: 10am – 6pm

Sunday 27^th September: 11am – 6pm

I’m a little bit in love with this seasons range of thigh high boots or OTKs (over-the-knees).

Verging perilously on the line between pole dancer and power dresser the trick seems to be to wear them with chunky jumpers and long blazers for a modern Marlene Dietrich look.

I am particularly taken by these practical CK pirate style boots. I wonder if they come in thunder size.

The androgynous assistant eyed me impatiently as I approached the counter and took a large swig of snobbery with the last mouthful of it’s coffee.

I laid my conquests down and like that elderly woman who is always ahead of you in the supermarket, counted out my pennies one by one by one.

“This one isn’t for sale” she said caring not for the emotional investment I had already made, “it’s broken”. True, the spine was cracked, beyond repair and it was in need of tender stitches down the seam.

“It’s not broken” I ignored his implication and set the money down, “It’s just lame from love”.

But then I’ve always been a sucker for lost causes.

The Penultimate Challenge

To have a party. Yes, seriously, that is it. An actual party with actual cash monies. The 5th Awesome Tour of Sydney challenge focuses on Sydney culture and nightlife, each contender must throw a  Sydney-themed event. It can be any type of event but a Sydney drinking isn’t a valid topic unfortunately.

The deadline is tight, Tuesday 14th September being the last day for submissions. So once again, I need your help. Beach Volleyball in the rain?  Sydney-food themed dinner party? A Pool party?

Some inspiration:

Sydney Mardi Gras

New Years in Sydney

Sydney Festival

And yes, you are invited.