profound feline: Birthday

Showing posts with label Birthday. Show all posts

Sunday, August 11

| Birthday Week | Part 4 | SPINOFF FESTIVAL Adelaide | Food Adventures | Onyx Dessert Lounge |

Hi everyone,

Well and truly by now you would know it was my BIRTHDAY recently, and with that I wanted to share the fun I had! This is the FINAL Part 4. I hope you have enjoyed a look into what I got up to for my birthday!

Mr W and I attended the SPINOFF FESTIVAL in Adelaide. What a wonderful present!

It was a HUGE day for us (especially me, the biggest newbie to festivals!) We got there at 3:30pm and it finished up around 11:30pm with Of Monsters & Men as the final act of the night. It was an amazing day!

Below, Of Monsters & Men all the way from Iceland to Adelaide, South Australia!

The aftermath of the dirty alcohol sodden and messy floor at Thebarton Theater. Snakadaktal, another band of young Australian singers that were some of my favourites of the festival! Their music is so chilled and ethereal. Mr W and I with an impressive shot taken in almost darkness :)

After being so indecisive about what to do for my birthday with friends this year, I finally decided upon a dessert lounge. There definitely is NO lack of choice for dessert bars in Adelaide of late.

I made a booking for 12 of my favourite people at Onyx Dessert Lounge in North Adelaide on O'Connell Street.

The lounges decor was relaxing, with pops of colour and subtle lighting. On the night Amy Whinehouse tunes filled the lounge, creating a chilled atmosphere for coffee, cocktails and desserts.

The menu's were presented on a nifty tablet that we passed around our group of 12 (it would have been to have a few more though) Apart from that, it was a fun, creative, and interactive talking point for all.

I ordered a latte that arrived in a unique gold cup, cube of brown sugar and tasty gooey centered chocolate included. Costing $5 I thought this was great!

Dessert time!

Chocolate Peanut Fondant with Salted Caramel Ice cream

A mouth-watering and intense chocolate experience to say the very least. Almost half of our group chose this dessert, as it came highly recommended by our waiter.

My favourite aspects of the dessert were the crunchy roasted peanuts and salted caramel crumb that lay beneath the ice-cream. I highly recommned this dessert when visiting Onyx Dessert Lounge. Cost $17.

The Espresso Martini is also worth trying if you're a coffee lover! Cost $18.

My initial reaction to realising it was nearing my birthday this year was something like this!

BUT..........

I can honestly say that my birthday this year was one of my most special in memory!

I am gradually coming to terms with getting another year ~~older~~ the wiser.

Putting any negativity aside now :) What do MOST love about Birthdays?

Thank you for hanging in there & sharing in my FINAL Birthday Week Part 4 post!

Take care,

x.k

Saturday, August 10

| Birthday Week | Part 3 | Balloons + Birthday Dinner & more Cake |

Hi everyone,

LIFE UPDATE! It is obvious from my inundation of BIRTHDAY posts of late, that it was recently my birthday on August 1st. I really wanted to share with you the fun I got up to in my stretched out, week-long celebrations! :) So, here is Part 3.

Don't fret though, I have an number of beauty posts ready to go up too!

I really do have the sweetest housemate that ever lived. This is the scene I woke up to on the morning of my birthday, I was smiling from ear to ear :)

She already knows my obsession with cupcakes, chocolate and bright colours.

I adored the colour of these flowers! I love the vibrant coral of the petals.

I had been craving a delicious juicy steak for a while now, so I lashed out getting a Scotch Fillet with Mushroom Sauce! Of course it helped that it was 1/2 price steak night. Yes! Mr W agreed, the fries were pure perfection, super-crunchy on the outer and fluffy on the inside.

What is a birthday without cake? I just couldn't resist sharing a piece of Lemon Cheesecake! I am known for not having the sweetest tooth, but a tarty Lemon Cheesecake is my idea of heaven in dessert. We even got the first slice from the cake, so it was super ~~moist~~ yummy! (I dislike that word).

His, hot chocolate. Hers, latte.

A perfect slice!

Thanks for sharing in my Birthday Week Part 3 post!

What are your food indulgences?

Take care,

x.k

Thursday, August 8

| Birthday Week | Part 2 | Food Adventures | Lunch at The House of Donkey |

Hi everyone,

LIFE UPDATE! It was my BIRTHDAY last week on August 1st (the horse's birthday) I really wanted to share with you the fun I got up to in my week-long celebrations! This is Part 2. I hope you enjoy it!

On the actual day of my birthday I organised to meet a girlfriend for lunch at The House of Donkey on Sturt Street in Adelaide's CBD. My friend had previously enjoyed a few lunches here, and recommended it would be perfect for a quick bite to eat on my birthday. Spot on Nicole!

The House of Donkey may have an unassuming shop front but the interior is quaint and oh so relaxing. I felt like I was being entertained in someones home. I loved it! Almost like a little escape where you feel welcomed and can sip away your coffee, soaking in the relaxed atmosphere.

There is also a lovely little bohemian style garden at the rear of the building where you can enjoy some sunshine on a mixture of tables, pillows, and milk crates. I can't wait to enjoy a sunny day in the garden, will definitely be back soon!

I absolutely FELL IN LOVE with the decor at The House of Donkey. I had to take the obligatory picture of the Donkey mural, too too cute!

Bright colours for the Birthday Girl!

Behind me on the wall is a blackboard with the daily specials menu. It is short, maybe 6-8 to choose from. But ALL of which sounded tasty, to my liking, and affordable to boot!

I ordered the Cheeseburger with a Lentil and Potato Patty! Being a meat eater myself, I wasn't sure if this burger would be mouthwatering enough, boy was I wrong. The flavours were fantastic. The patty was thick and abundant and the vegetables crisp and bursting with flavour. Yum yum!

Oozy cheese and pickle close up! I loved the tangy pickle addition, it made the burger.

My friend decided upon the Scrambled Tofu with Spinach, Roasted Tomatoes and Sourdough. Tasty!

Tucking in! Mid way. We enjoyed our plush & pillowed window seats. The room was filled with natural light. Look at the little donkeys on the windowsill. Gah - the cuteness!

What would a birthday be without cake? Chocolate Lavender Brownie Cake! Chocolate overload, just the way I like it! Not overly sweet, but intense cacao. We couldn't finish it all due to time constraints so I sneaked it out. Never leave a brownie behind, NEVER!

The House of DONKEY. Love.

Thanks for sharing in my Birthday Week Part 2 post!

What are your favourite places for a quick lunch or coffee catch-up with friends in Adelaide?

I love getting recommendations from other foodie lovers :)

Take care,

x.k

| Birthday Week | Part 1 | Road-trip & Murray Sunset Country National Park |

Hi everyone,

A road-trip to the Riverland (where I was born & my family still resides) was organised over a 4 day long weekend with Mr W! It's not often we both get to spend time with my family in the country, so it was a special treat to relax and recharge together. Taking in the fresh country air....inhale....exhale.... :)

Our trip to the Riverland takes about 2.5-3 hours from Adelaide, so I like to take time for little breaks along the way. We stopped at the sleepy town of Truro as it has one of the BEST country bakeries in my opinion. We got there just at the right time, a newly stocked oven of yummy pastries were waiting for us to devour.

Here's what we got! I chose the traditional Steak & Mushroom Pie / Chocolate Donut & Iced Coffee whilst Mr W picked out a tasty Chicken & Vegetable Pie / Sprinkle Donut & Lemonade. Perfect!

Mr W and I also stopped at our favourite lookout over the beautiful Murray River near Blanchetown. The cliffs were a stunning orange on the day, and so high that you are eye-level with the eagles soaring along the cliffs. The views were so beautiful, we took a good 20 minutes soaking up the sun and beauty.

On the Sunday my family and I decided to venture to the outback, Murray Sunset National Park, just over the Victorian border. It is one of the few remaining semi-arid regions in the world where the environment is relatively untouched. Murray Sunset National Park is Victoria's second largest national park, covering almost 1 million hectares! WOW!

The 4WD was fully laden with supplies, as you have to prepare for anything in the isolated outback. We found a beautiful spot to stop for lunch, sandwiches, and sausages in bread. So much fun cooking on the fire!

Then it was time for the sweeties!

Mum made her famous Vanilla Slice. Can you spot the sneaky fly in the picture? It wouldn't be the outback without flies.

I made Jam Drop Biscuits using Blackberry and Apricot Jam as well as a few macadamia ones.

These went down a treat!

Gumtrees swaying in the breeze.

It was so peaceful and quiet, all you could hear was the wind in the trees. Serene.

We found a little enclosure made to protect an endangered marsupial.

I wore my Grandpa's 50 year old Akubra. Grandpa would be so proud.

Montage of a perfect day spent with my loved ones.

Thanks for sharing in my Birthday Week Part 1 post!

What are your favourite places to visit that help recharge your batteries?

I would love to know :)

Take care,

x.k

Saturday, September 22

Hello Helloberry!

Hello everyone,

On August 1st it was my birthday! Like with most gift-giving occasions I had the forever awkward task of subtly hinting to friends and family my desired presents :) Okay, I'm going to be honest and say there was actually nothing subtle about it, there may have been a list. Only to help and offer a guide, as I know it is so frustrating when you have no idea what to get someone for their birthday.

It was then that I found Helloberry!

I had been ogling the WHOLE Helloberry collection on the Helloberry website and Etsy for quite some time now. It all began when I saw some 'Arm Candy' blog posts and then pins on Pinterest.

First of all, I was meserised by the shiny bright items and then I clicked onto the Helloberry Shop :) I was also pleasantly surprised with how affordable their pieces were, starting from $15-$35 AUD. As I am not one for super expensive jewels dripping off my extremities, unless they are forced upon me :) I thought that this was the perfect gift giving idea!

So by now you are probably wondering Who is Helloberry? Where is the product from? Below is a short little blurb about Helloberry from the creators.

"Helloberry is the lovechild of three Torontonian girlfriends who
share a passion for good food, good wine, fun travels and all the pretty little things in between. We're weak for things that hold a burst of colour, a dash of shine and a hint of sparkle. We're bringing you all things sweet & fresh -- keeping helloberry always in season."

I decided upon two bracelet pieces from the Helloberry shop! The 'Gold Dust' & 'Wishing Hearts' bracelets.