inexplicable wanderlust

May 8, 2013

Champagne, Girlfriends and Fashion

The much anticipated inaugural Fashfest Canberra did not disappoint. I made it to the fourth and final night, and was blown away by the talent of our local designers. In the words of fashion blog I, Flaneur, Fashfest’s closing night was “mother fucking mind melting”. The Canberra fashion scene is very much alive and kicking. And obviously in high demand. The four-night event sold out, with standing tickets released only a few days before.

With a champagne in hand and my gorgeous girlfriends by my side (our photo made it onto OutInCanberra), the people watching could begin. And Canberra’s most fashionable were out in force. The music was pumping and the anticipation building. The highlight of my night was seeing the collection from U.L.E. by Morgan Hubbard. Her eco-friendly approach to fashion coupled with her modern cut-out designs made for an earthy and natural, yet contemporary look. And I couldn’t go past the hand-cut wooden earrings.

The event was covered by a number of Canberra bloggers, here are some of my favourites:

I, Flaneur by Jess Cochrane and Leon Shore

Closet Voyage by Jiawa Liu

Her Canberra by Maddy M O

Style Hunter by Annie Brown

98.1% Canberra by Martin Ollman

Vanisha’s Life in Australia by Vanisha

The inaugural year of Fashfest Canberra was pretty impressive. Bring on Fashfest 2014!

April 27, 2013

For the Love of Fashion and Canberra

Canberra is getting its own mini-fashion week. And I couldn’t be more excited.

Fashfest. A four night occasion. A celebration of Canberra’s fashion elite, showcasing the collections of 30 local designers and shining a light on Canberra’s vibrant, but often hidden, fashion scene.

I am most excited for closing night when I will get to see the collection from U.L.E., the independent fashion label of my gorgeous and incredibly talented friend Morgan Hubbard. Her zero-waste, eco-friendly designs coupled with her unique concept of clothes and our relationship to them, is sure to be a highlight!

Now my love of Canberra is no secret. I refuse to stand by and hear my town be called boring. The face of Canberra is changing. In the last few years Canberra’s arts and culture scene has exploded with a whole bunch of new festivals and events taking place throughout the year.

Fashfest is the newest event on the scene. It presents us with another opportunity to support our amazing local talent. And is just more proof of the changing face of Canberra. Fashfest is almost here. I’m excited!

Fashfest (www.fashfest.com.au, May 1-4)

March 21, 2013

A Coffee Lover’s Guide to New York City

Good coffee is a rare commodity in America. In my opinion, American coffee is just cheap and nasty. In my five months there I made it somewhat of a mission to find where the good coffee was hiding. And I did manage to find some.

New York City is a bit of a haven for food and coffee lovers alike, but you do have to do a bit of research to find where to go. Here are my picks for the best coffee I found in NYC.

Manhattan

Ninth Street Espresso

My first good coffee experience in the US was three weeks into my trip at Ninth Street Espresso at the Chelsea Market in New York. It was like heaven in a cup. And I could not have been happier that New York was going to be my home for five months. With three locations in Lower Manhattan, this place is reserved for trendy New Yorkers and those that enjoy a good brew.

Joe Coffee

Joe Coffee certainly has made a name for itself as one of the premier places to enjoy coffee in New York. I had heard and read a lot about the place before I got to try it so expectations were high. But I was far from disappointed. And the best part, with eight locations scattered across Manhattan, you don’t have to go far to find a good coffee.

Irving Farm Coffee Roasters

I stumbled upon the Irving Farm Coffee Roasters one afternoon when I was touristing around the Upper West Side. I had heard nothing of this little cafe so it was a bit of a gamble going in. But I was very pleasantly surprised. Found at three locations in Manhattan, it is definitely worth a try. I kep

Brooklyn

Brooklyn Roasting Company

This is another place I just happened to stumble upon in my travels. And if you do venture over the bridge to Brooklyn (which I highly recommend), then it is definitely worth a visit. The coffee is delicious and the place just oozes cool.

Photos: Lauren Waldhuter

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March 15, 2013

No Better Month

A Guide to the Month of March in Canberra

There could be no better month to be in Canberra than March 2013. This city could not fit more into one month’s calendar. Last weekend was the centenary celebrations and the closing of the Enlighten festival.

Yesterday kicked off the You Are Here festival showcasing the best of Canberra’s arts and culture scene. There is a huge variety of events from dance shows to live music, poetry and living art to DJ sets and overnight sleepovers. And the best part is that its all free!

I am most looking forward to tomorrow’s Art Not Apart festival held at NewActon. Live music, live art, short films, French films, food, juice, poetry, circus acts, market stalls. Tomorrow, NewActon will have it all. My beautiful friend and incredibly talented musician, Natalie Magee, is performing at 1.30pm at the Central Stage. Some other friends are taking part in the Suitcase Rummage markets selling their art and even some homemade gingerbread. Then there is Sound and Fury, an underground art-inspired party complete with none other than an absinth bar. I could not be more excited to check this out and support Canberra’s own local and emerging artists of all varieties.

You Are Here (Various locations, 14-24 March)

Art Not Apart (NewActon, Saturday 16 March, 1-7pm)

Photos: nataliemagee.com, youareherecanberra.com.au

Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinema (Acton Park, 17 to 27 March)

Another outdoor cinema is coming to Canberra this month. Tickets to the Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinema are selling fast. Located on the foreshore of Lake Burley Griffin this is the perfect twilight picnic event. And depending on what movie you see, it could be the perfect date with someone special or a great night out with all your mates. And, if you go on a Sunday, you get free Ben & Jerry’s icecream!

The Village (Glebe Park, 21 to 24 March)

I am also really looking forward to checking out the Village. This event will literally see a village of tents, caravans, inflatables and cupboards invade Glebe Park along with an army of artists ready to entertain with theatre, cabaret, comedy, live music, puppetry and circus acts. I am particularly excited to see local act Poncho Circus do their thing. And best of all, its free!

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March 9, 2013

A Festival of Lights

Enlighten. A festival of lights definitely worth seeing.

Down by the lake, as night falls, you will find our national buildings, from the National Library past Old Parliament House to the National Gallery, alight with artwork.

Inside the foyer of the National Library, usually reserved for those seeking a quiet space, you will find instead, a bar mingling with people and a live jazz band to set the mood.

Down behind a brightly lit Questacon you will find a stage hosting a couple of aliens whom, if you’re lucky, might be able to do up your hair to look just like them.

A little bit further on and there’s the aerodrome in front of Old Parliament House, host to a variety of shows and events throughout the evening from yoga to acrobatics and live music.

Past the Portrait Gallery and onto the NGA, you will find giant projections of Toulouse-Lautrec‘s artwork and a Parisian-themed streetscape. Here you can finish your evening with a coffee and maybe even a French sweet crepe.

Enlighten has only one night left for 2013. But if you happen to miss out tonight, then the rest of March has you covered.

This weekend Canberra celebrates its 100th birthday. On Monday the big centenary celebrations culminate in One Very Big Day. Tuesday is the Party at the Shops. And the rest of March brings the You Are Here festival, The Village, the Famous Spiegel Garden and some more outdoor film fun with Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinemas. Get amongst it!

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February 26, 2013

The Hidden & the Not-So-Hidden

I’m not an artist. And I don’t know a lot about art. But I know that I enjoy looking at art. And I know what art I like when I’m looking at it. So it is lucky for me that Canberra is full of hidden and not-so-hidden artistic delights.

The not-so-hidden comes in the form of the National Gallery of Australia. The NGA is home to an immense collection of art and every year hosts one or two pretty exciting exhibitions. This year, its Toulouse-Lautrec. An artist that I fell in love with at first sight. Matt and I spent a perfect Valentine’s afternoon gazing at his masterpieces.

Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris and the Moulin Rouge (National Gallery of Australia, until 2 April)

Photos: nga.gov.au

There is also a wealth of local talent kicking around Canberra at the moment, but it can often be a little more hidden. I am blessed to have a number of friends who are incredibly talented artists and invite me along to their exhibitions.

Alex Lewis, local Canberra artist and studio resident at the Canberra Contemporary Art Space in Manuka, was one of the two artists exhibited in Control and Contain (mentioned in my love letter to Canberra). While that particular exhibition has closed, CCAS has new and exciting exhibitions all the time. And with Alex a studio resident this year we will be seeing much more of him.

Caiti Stevens, another local Canberra artist, has an exhibition Whimsical Oddities showing now at the Ilios Gallery in Hackett. Her art will transport you back to childhood where dreams were endless and the imagination uninhibited. Often featuring local and emerging artists, Ilios Gallery is connected to Wilbur’s Cafe Bar giving you the opportunity to enjoy a coffee or a sneaky beer while perusing the artwork. Whimsical Oddities ends 24 March.

Whimsical Oddities (Ilios Gallery, Wilbur’s Cafe Bar, 14 Hackett Place, Hackett, until 24 March)

Photos: foxandcanvas.tumblr.com

Britt Nichols, also a local Canberra artist, has an upcoming exhibition at Honkytonks in the City. Britt’s art is edgy and super cool, sometimes a little bit rude and always surprising. Every fortnight, Honkytonks presents “Wednesdays at the Wall” featuring a different artist and their collection. I am super excited for Britt’s exhibition opening/launch party on 27 March.

BRT (Honkytonks, 17 Garema Place, Canberra City, 27 March to 10 April)

Photos: brittamon.com

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February 8, 2013

A Love Letter

Since returning home from New York a month ago I have found a new appreciation for my hometown, Canberra.

And it’s not because being back in Canberra is a nice break from the big city (I actually happen to love city life, especially that of New York). It’s because, despite what you may have heard, there are actually a lot of cool people doing cool things here in Canberra. Canberra is changing. You just need to know where to look.

I had been inspired by Canberra-based fashion blog, I, Flaneur, before I had even left New York, to seek out some of the cool things happening in Canberra once I was home.

Art exhibitions like Control and Contain at the Canberra Contemporary Art Space in Manuka. Canberra-based designer boutiques like those found in the new Lonsdale Street Traders in Braddon. Delicious coffee from places like my favourite cafe, Lava (which serves up far better coffee than any place in North America, or anywhere in Canberra for that matter).

Cue, the Sunset Cinema.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights for the next six weeks at the National Botanic Gardens. There are different films on each night, with something for everyone, from classics like Breakfast at Tiffany’s to the action-packed new James Bond film, Skyfall.

Grab your picnic basket and rug, some pillows and a blanket (for when it gets a bit chilly), find a nice patch of grass in front of the big screen and as dusk falls, get settled in for the start of the movie.

Canberra, I love you.

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