Off to a great start in LA

It's hard to believe we've almost been back from our USA trip for a week now. Where does the time go? It was bad enough our trip went so quick. We were away for a month from mid April to mid May and I've decided to dedicate a blog post to each city we visited - first stop being LA.

Prior to arriving in Los Angeles, I hadn't had many positive reviews on the city from friends or family who had visited so I was arriving with no expectations and an open mind.

Hollywood Boulevard

When we arrived at LAX we took the complimentary car rental shuttle to Alamo where we met our lovely friends from Toronto, Malado and Paul. We picked up an SUV and drove to our hotel - Hollywood Roosevelt. We arrived at the hotel around midday and were luckily able to check into our rooms to freshen up. Then it was a quick wander along the Hollywood Walk of Fame outside on Hollywood Boulevard before hunger took over and we were back in the car to tick our first west coast experience off the list - In N Out burger on Sunset Boulevard.

Hollywood Walk of Fame

In N Out Burger

I must admit I was going in with high expectations (it's generally what happens when people talk things up so much) but at the end of the day it was just a burger. I must admit the sauce they use is quite nice. Then we drove along Sunset Boulevard and stopped at Primo Caffe for some people watching - one of the best things to do in LA cause there are so many different characters.

We then retreated to the hotel for some drinks by the pool - the Roosevelt is known for its pool parties. Malado and I ducked out to check out a movie premiere happening at the Chinese Theatre but you couldn't see too much from across the street. We did spot Russell Crowe though. Dinner tonight was at The Ivy, which was quite nice but I think we should have opted for a breakfast or lunch booking here instead. It just didn't have a dinner vibe. We finished the night with a drink at a Cuban bar, La Seguarda.

Poolside at Hollywood Roosevelt

Cheers from The Ivy

Day 2 started with driving up the Hollywood Hills to Griffith Observatory where we took in the view of downtown Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign. I must admit, I did think the Hollywood sign was a lot larger than it was in real life. The view at the observatory is definitely worth the visit and you don't actually have to visit the observatory to enjoy the view.

View from Griffith Observatory

Then it was time to refuel at Toast Bakery Cafe on Beverly Drive. This was such a cute cafe with it's cake and candy bar decor. We all enjoyed a breakfast of eggs of some kind. Then it was off to the coast - Venice Beach first. And what another world that was, definitely an eye opener. It had an arty-grungey-alternate-hippy vibe with a lot of busking and loitering. After about half an hour we headed for Santa Monica, which was only a five minute drive away but felt like worlds apart. Santa Monica was quite beautiful and felt a lot safer. We explored the pier and Third Street Promenade where the shopping is.

Breakfast at Toast

Venice Beach

Santa Monica Pier

That night we went for dinner at Sur (Sexy Unique Restaurant) from reality TV show Vanderpump Rules. The restaurant and bar had a great vibe and it was a very glamorous establishment with plush chairs, chandeliers and large flower arrangements. We only saw Jax from the show, who was behind the bar when we arrived. After dining in the restaurant we had a couple of drinks and a bit of a dance at the bar, which was a little cougar town.

Sur Bar

We spent our last day exploring Beverly Hills. We started at the Beverly Centre, which was fairly quiet. Then we explored the LA Farmer's Market with cute patisserie, candy, fudge, meat, chili and more stalls. We had lunch at Cafe Marmalade at The Grove where I had my first of many cobb salads. At The Grove we were also introduced to American Girl, a doll chain whereby girls practically treat their dolls as their own child.

LA Farmer's Market

Hollywood Cobb Salad

The Grove

After The Grove we went for a drive up Beverly Drive and Mulholland Drive to explore the world of Beverly Hills homes. Even though we saw a lot of fences, gates and shrubs, it was still pretty impressive. It was then time for coffee at Urth Caffe before exploring the world of Rodeo Drive. I'm not sure if it was because it was a Saturday or people in LA just have so much money, but the number of luxury cars we saw within an hour was insane. It was never ending. You could literally people (or car) watch for hours. We did the tourist thing down the pedestrian friendly section of Rodeo Drive and saw Jason Biggs drive past in his convertible!

Rodeo Drive

We spent our last night enjoying Japanese cuisine at happening restaurant Katana. It was very flash and full of beautiful people catching up with friends. We enjoyed a number of share plates and after had good intensions of checking out a bar or club but three full on days had us back at the hotel and checking out the end of a Roosevelt pool party.

Until next time...

I must admit I really enjoyed LA - it actually ended up being my favourite place of the trip. I think having our friends with us definitely influenced that as Malado and I were able to get away and do the 'celebrity hunt' things we wanted to do without the boys and it got us out and about a bit more at night. It's also a very flashy and glamorous place and I love that world, especially people watching it.

Happy New Year from Melbourne!

It was another New Year's away from home for me, with Melbourne the choice for us and a group of friends. We packed as much Melbourne goodness into four days as possible - eating, drinking, shopping and more eating - but it was still a nice break away after the madness of Christmas.

We celebrated New Year's Eve in style at Spice Market. We pre-booked a premium lounge package which was a great idea as the bar card kept us going all night with plenty of drinks and food, and we were able to dance in peace but still amongst the action of the dance floor. We also conveniently had our own waitress and bottle service. The DJ kept the crowd dancing, and there was the occasional random staged performance. The only downside of the night was that the venue closed at 2am, however my feet would probably disagree!

New Year's drinks table

Happy New Year everyone

For shopping we headed to the DFO at South Wharf, Bourke Street, Melbourne Central and Emporium. Emporium is a great addition to shopping in the CBD with all the mid to high end labels conveniently located in one centre, and they even have an Adriano Zumbo kiosk! Of course I had to try something, but I promise I shared it. The H&M store in Melbourne GPO was a highlight. There is just so much choice and it is very reasonably priced - I bought four things for $90! And... somehow over the four days I ended up with six pairs of shoes!!

Dinners were enjoyed on Lygon Street (of course) followed by a visit to Brunetti's for a caffe and dolce fix; The Atlantic seafood restaurant at Crown Melbourne where we enjoyed The Atlantic Seafood Platter for two and had a few cocktails at Crown prior; and The Meat & Wine Co where ribs and different cuts of steak were the main choices. We met up with one of my cousins for lunch in Collingwood on New Year's Day and he took us to Messina gelato afterwards. I couldn't believe the amount of people lining up waiting for it to open. I must admit I can see why it was voted best ice-cream in Australia as it was delicious!

Dessert at Brunetti's

The Atlantic Seafood Platter

The queue of people waiting to get into Messina gelato

Once again Melbourne did not disappoint and no matter how many times I visit, I still never get sick of it. See you again soon!

Birthday weekend in Brisvegas

I am fortunate to have amazing godparents who spoil me rotten! My godmother wanted to take me away to watch a West Coast Eagles game so I decided on an Australian city I'd never explored before - Brisbane. It worked out that my birthday fell just after the weekend so we made it a joint birthday celebration.

Game on at the Gabba

Having been to Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Darwin and my home city of Perth before, I wasn't sure what to expect from Brisbane. We left on a morning flight and arrived in Brisbane mid afternoon. We stayed at Mercure Brisbane, which was a short walk to Brisbane Square, Treasury Casino and Queen Street Mall. I must say how pleased I was with the staff at the Mercure. I don't think I have ever noticed the work of a concierge before but their's was superb!

That evening we grabbed an early dinner at Milano in Queen Street Mall and then caught the free bus to the Gabba to watch the West Coast Eagles take on the Brisbane Lions. Lucky for us West Coast won.

Pre-game dinner

The following day we explored South Bank, taking in the view of Brisbane's skyline, the ferris wheel, the man made beach and markets. South Bank is also home to the Queensland Maritime Museum, Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, State Library of Queensland and other arts institutions. We did a full loop on the free City Hopper ferry along Brisbane River and finished the day with shopping in the mall.

Walking to South Bank

Pretty flower arches

South Bank Beach

That night we visited the Treasury Casino, in Brisbane's beautiful treasury building. We enjoyed a three course dinner at Kitchen at Treasury for $30 per head before heading into the casino. I must say it wasn't as exciting a casino as Crown Perth, but Andrew and I didn't care as we both won on roulette.

Treasury Casino

The next day we hired a car and took a road trip up the Sunshine Coast to Noosa. The roads were pretty easy to meander once we got out of the city and on the right freeway entry. We drove through Mooloolaba and continued up the coast to Noosa. Noosa was a nice coastal town with a main street (Hastings Street) of boutiques, cafes and restaurants. We walked up Hastings Street and checked out the shops before settling into a seafood lunch overlooking the ocean. Upon leaving Noosa beach, we stopped into Noosa National Park's lookout and admired the view from above.

Noosa

Hastings Street, Noosa

The lookout at Noosa National Park

From Noosa, we headed to the hinterlands and made our way to a quaint town called Montville, as recommended by a friend of Andrew's. We stopped into The Edge Cafe for afternoon tea and admired the view of the rolling hills and over Queensland. I honestly felt like I was in country Switzerland! I must say I was very surprised at Queenland's mountainous terrain... it was really quite beautiful. Back in Brisbane, that night we enjoyed a dinner at Sono Japanese Restaurant in Queen Street Mall.

In the hinterlands - the view from The Edge Cafe in Montville

The next day was my birthday. We started the day with breakfast at Brew in Burnett Lane - a tucked away cafe I found on Urbanspoon. The rest of the day was spent shopping and pampering for the ladies (manicures, pedicures, wash and blow drys). When I returned to my room at 6pm, I was greeted by a lovely surprise! The hotel staff left me with bottle of champagne, birthday cake and cards for my birthday. It was honestly the nicest experience I've ever had at a hotel and really highlighted what an amazing concierge they had!

Hotel surprises

That night we enjoyed dinner at Aria Restaurant - Matt Moran's restaurant at Eagle Street Pier. We started with a sherry for aperitivo before enjoying a red wine over dinner. I tried kangaroo for the first time for entree, followed by the mulloway for main and hazelnut dessert (plus two pieces of bread somewhere in between). The waiters surprised me with some Happy Birthday petit fours also. The restaurant's food and service was amazing, but I must admit I was so full after it, that it was difficult to breathe.

Happy Birthday!

The next day was our last day in Brisbane with a 5pm flight back to Perth. We started the day with a City Sights hop on hop off bus tour. Even though we'd been in the city for four days already, we hadn't really seen much except South Bank and Queen Street Mall. The bus tour took us out of the city to the Botanic Gardens, Suncorp Stadium and Mt Coot-tha, which provided an amazing view of the city. It also went through Chinatown, ANZAC Square and past the GPO.

Brisbane from Mt Coot-tha

Queen Street Mall

We ended the day with some final shopping and where it all began - a meal at Milano. It must sound like all we did on this trip was shop! I really enjoyed my first visit to Brisbane and found many comparisons to home.

Third time's a charm for Bali

Before this time I'd been to Bali twice before. Once as a 12 year old the other for New Year's four and a half years ago. I've never been a "Bali person"... someone that loves it and returns year after year, but I must say on this trip, I actually enjoyed my time on the holiday island.

Holiday time!

It was a family trip with my partner's family for a friend's wedding. We stayed at a lovely resort in Seminyak called Vasanti, which was on a quiet back street but close to W Hotel and Potato Head. Everything at the hotel was perfect - they even screened football games in the early hours of the morning - but one point to note is you can't just walk out onto the street and take off for the day, you need to take a taxi to leave the hotel.

Vasanti Seminyak Resort

The four day, three night trip saw us leave Perth at 7.30am and arrive into Denpasar's new airport - impressive I must say - around 11am. When we arrived at the hotel we couldn't check in yet so the first stop was Potato Head for lunch. I enjoyed my first coconut of the trip and soaked in the holiday atmosphere. After lunch, my sister-in-law and I headed to Cocoon Beach Club for hens day celebrations for the bride to be. I'd never experienced the Bali beach clubs so it was nice to experience two in our first day.

Lunch at Potato Head

That night once more of the family had arrived we headed to Jimbaran Bay for seafood on the beach. We enjoyed lobster, crab, prawns, fish and more while the kids ran around and made friends.

Dinner in Jimbaran Bay

The next day the girls started the day with a bit of shopping around Seminyak Square, approximately a five minute taxi ride from our hotel. We then found a beauty salon to get manicures and pedicures, ready for the next day's wedding. Following we headed back to the hotel for a swim and lunch by the pool. That afternoon three of us headed to W Hotel for sunset cocktails. What an amazing hotel - will definitely stay there the next time we come to Bali! We sat on the deck laid with lanterns and overlooking the ocean listening to tunes by the DJ and enjoyed an espresso martini and lychee martini.

The amazing W Seminyak

Sunset Cocktails

That night we headed to Mozzarella's in Legian for dinner - a nice Italian restaurant. After dinner we checked out the markets on the street outside and then three of us took a taxi and braved Kuta. We headed for the Sky Garden - a multi-level club on Kuta's main strip. We went to the top level, which had views overlooking Bali and enjoyed some drinks and dancing.

The next day was wedding day. After spending the morning swimming, we then got ready and headed off to the venue in Nusa Dua early afternoon. We arrived with plenty of time to spare and sat around the bar admiring the view while we waited. At 4.30pm the ceremony started followed by photos, food and dancing. It was a lovely night under the lanterns and stars and marked my first overseas wedding so is sure to be something I won't forget in a hurry.

Nusa Dua Wedding

Swinging

Wedding lanterns

Sunday was our last day in Bali with a late flight home that night. We all headed into Kuta for some market shopping and then Andrew and I had a one hour foot massage (a must for any similar holiday). Following we all met up again at Bamboo for lunch - apparently owned by an Australian which was apparent with the number of screens showing AFL games. We then head to Beachwalk Shopping Centre which has the likes of Topshop, Zara, Victoria's Secret and many more international fast fashion stores. Our day ended with a coffee before Andrew and I headed back to the hotel to freshen up and make our way to the airport (the rest were staying an extra three nights).

All in all it was a much more enjoyable experience of Bali so I can actually say I liked it! I think staying in Seminyak and frequenting nice places helped with this ... who knows when I will be back!

New year full moon

On the bucket list for a while was a Full Moon Party in Thailand so when I started thinking about where to go for New Years around mid year, a New Years Full Moon Party was the perfect idea. We planned the trip with another couple and spent four nights in Phuket and four nights in Koh Samui.

I had been to Phuket with a girlfriend five years ago so I had a pretty good idea of what to see and do but it also helped to meet up with someone there who part lives there and had a car. In Phuket we enjoyed $12 massages everyday, did a day trip to Maya Bay and Phi Phi Island, hung out at Catch Beach Club, shopped at the markets, bought some artwork in Phuket Town, enjoyed the nightlife of Patong and all its quirky bits and hung out at our beautiful resort - the Kalima Resort & Spa.

Phi Phi Island Tour

Bangla Road

The plane ride to Koh Samui from Phuket was interesting. The plane was so small it used propellers instead of jets - scary! In Koh Samui we enjoyed $10 massages, made the journey to Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party on New Years Eve, shopped at the markets, went to a Thai boxing tournament, did an elephant trek and went jetskiing. We also enjoyed the nightlife at Ark Bar and a meal at The Cliff Bar.

The view from The Cliff Bar

Koh Samui beach

The Full Moon Party was an experience in itself. We purchased a return transfer through our hotel in Koh Samui and left the port in Koh Samui around 5pm for Koh Phangan, enduring rough seas. When we arrived on the island, we were greeted at gates to purchase our 'ticket' (wristband) into the party. Past the gates, the buckets and body paint stalls started. I decided to get into the spirit and had my arm painted with colourful stars. I also added some flashing pink horns to my outfit which I picked up for a few dollars at the port in Koh Samui.

We made our way to the beach and checked out a few of the bars. It was still daylight but the sun was setting. We walked along the beach and had a drink at the bar on the far corner, perched above some rocks. We stayed there for a couple of hours looking out over the beach. We then made our way back to the beach where music was in full blare at each of the bars and stopped at one which had the music we preferred. By now people had overflowed out of the bars and were dancing on the sand. We bought some buckets and danced the night away, watching as thousands of tourists made their way onto the beach.

At midnight, for a few minutes, fireworks exploded into the sky as we all celebrated the start of 2014. The only real annoying part of the experience was the boat ride back to Koh Samui as there were massive lines at the port and a lot of pushing and shoving. I would recommend booking a room and staying on Koh Phangan for the night.

Koh Phangan beach - the night is just beginning

Flaming rope jumping

Beach partying

Full Moon Party Koh Phangan

Dancing the night away

All in all though it was a lot of fun and an experience I won't forget. Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes to party.