Next month, Sam and I will get the keys to our very first home! We are so excited to become the second ever owners of this little cutie.
It was built in 1962, and is almost untouched. There are a few things that we will be changing, such a floors, paint and adding some storage, but we will definatly be keeping it a vintage home. I will keep you all posted with our renovations. Yay!
Sam and I have been saving a lot of our money to get a deposit for a house...but being the online shopping addict that I am (and I know I'm not alone here...) I have gotten myself a few things here and there...
I scored this bakelite and lucite brooch from Ebay
This lamp was a great find on Gumtree, and it was only around the corner from out house! We were lucky that someone else never showed up to look at it, so we scored it for a neat $50 (hey, that is cheap in Australia!) I can not wait to have this in our future lounge room, sitting on our danish-style lounge reading a book (or blogs) under the lamp...one day!
If you haven't seen or heard of Luxulite, check out their Etsy shop for lovely jewellery and brooches...I went a little mad but it was worth it!
I also have a few things on lay-buy at my friend's shop, which includes this stunning dress...it is a deadstock polished cotton boned dress, with plastic-ish roses sewn on, and with a shawl....it is the most expensive dress I have bought so far, but if I was to find this beauty in Sydney, Melbourne or etsy it would be twice the price! I can't wait to wear it out.
A girl has to treat herself every now and then, don't ya think?
Two years ago when Sam was at Chopped Rod & Custom festival, he saw The ReChords. He thought I would like them, so the sweet fella got me thier cd, On The Wagon. I have this on high-rotation in my car, in our house, and anywhere else I am ever since. They are a real sold three piece, playing hillbilly infused rockabilly with some of the best harmonies I have heard.
Next friday 28th September the guys will crossing the boarder from their home-town of Melbourne to play at the Port Dock Hotel. If you are in Adelaide, come on down and watch these guys play! Hope to see you there...
"Taking place an hour and a half north of Melbourne, Chopped is a unique cultural experience similar to that of being thrown back to a 1950s/60s Hop Up Carnavale. Thousands of fans from around the country partake in a mix of traditional style hot rods & custom cars alongside bobber & chopper motorcycles with entrants running head-to-head throughout the show in two-lane old-style dirt drags entertaining the crowds.
Throughout the day and into the night the crowds constantly switch their attention between the field of dirt drags and cars across to the stage where 15 bands play Rockabilly, Garage & Rock through to Blues, Country & Surf in the setting of the 'Tiki Palace' bar that drops you back into 1960s island life with Cocktails, Tikis, & Period DJ's visually drowned by palms, bamboo and a giant Easter Island Head that lights up the sky at night by popping its top and flaming into the darkness"
This will be the first year that I will be making the treck over to Newstead, Victoria, for Chopped Rod & Custom festival! Sam has gone for the last few years (every year besides the first I believe) and he and all of our friends always have an awesome time. I'm usually stuck at work doing wedding hair. Not this year! I'm a little excited to camp, be cold, get dirty and drunk with my friends, old and some new too, hopefully!
Newstead is about a 10 to 11 hour drive from Adelaide, so I'm making a big play list on my ipod to entertain us on the way, so we don't have to play too many "I Spy" games. We are planning to arrive mid-day Friday and set up camp. I have been informed by my lovely husband that "it is impossible to be hung over at Chopped"...I think I will be testing this theory out, hopefully he is right!
Besides the cars and dirt drags as entertainment, as mentioned there will be live bands playing too. Yes, this is a hot rod and custom festival, but no, not all the bands that are playing are rockabilly bands. I love rockabilly but I also find this refreshing! In Australia, as I'm sure is probably the case around the world, not all hot rodding types are into rockabilly music, so there is a variety of acts playing. One band that I am looking forward to seeing is La Mancha Negra. Dirty, garage blues with a little surf influnce...sounds good to me.
Chopped is all about traditional style cars, booze, mud and music...no shiny billet wheels and rock and rollers in their matching poodle skirts and shirts here! It's about having fun, talking shit and getting your cars (and maybe yourself) dirty. I can't wait to show you all what we get up to!
Hell yeah, bring on October 5th, 6th and 7th!
Last Saturday, I made my way down to Autotransformers Car Shop for the launch of the 10th issue of FUEL Magazine and the first ever FUEL TANK Annual dvd launch. Of course, Sam was striping away, and I was chatting and socialising with friends. I would have loved to share more photos of the cars and bikes that were there but silly me, I took my camera that was pretty much flat, and didn't realize until I got there and started taking photos....of course, I did manage to snap a pic of what I wore...
Vintage beaded swearer- Etsy, Skirt- Bettie Page Clothing, Shoes- Hand made 1940's style suede shoes- Rock and Roll Products in the UK
Here are a few previews of the DVD. It is a fantastic representation of Australian hot rodding (well the good stuff anyway!)
My hat goes off to Luke, who (of course, with help from others) has put so much work in to the magazine and DVD. If you dig tradtional hot rods, kustoms, bikes or neat cars in general, go over to their website and order yourself a copy or two.
This Saturday night I am off Rocket Bar with my girlfriends to see Clairy Browne and the Bangin Rackettes for a ladies dancing night! Although a few of the fellas are coming along too...
If you haven't heard Clairy before, check out some of these clips! She has an amazing voice, which kind of reminds me of the wonderful Amy Winehouse. So soulful and strong...just like I like my ladies.
It's Saturday morning...well mid-day, and I have sat myself out in our back yard armed with my laptop and flat bread smothered in avacado, tomato, red onion and tabasco. The sun is shining and I feel content. Life is good.I went out with some old friends last night, who I have now known for 10 years(!) We might not see each other constantly, but I always feel at home in their presence. I feel lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life.
Over the past year or so, I have become much more confident in myself, and I am enjoying learning about the person I am, and being comfortable with her. As I am accepting this, I have found myself to have these moments of sheer happiness, where nothing can bring me down. And today is one of those days. We might not be living our dream at the moment, but having those "moments of sheer happiness" and choosing to be happy is what gets us through it.
I just wanted to share this good vibe with others, and to say that it is okay to be happy.
For the 10th time, the Kustom Kulture Vultures have organized a sweet weekender to satisfy all music punters...here is what they have to say about it-
"The 2012 Adelaide Kustom Kulture Weekend celebrating 10 years bringing Rockabilly, Roots and Related mayhem to SA!
Kustom Kulture Weekend brings together Rockabilly, Roots & related music and culture for a whole weekend of fun. It’s a whole lot more than just a festival,... with great bands (interstate & local) deejays, kustom cars, tattoo artist, Pin up comp, lowrider pushbikes, traditional ‘von dutch’ style pinstriper, stall holders, art exhibits, drink specials, giveaways, a giant boot sale, fashion, music & mayhem. This weekend offers a taste of everything “Rockabilly, Roots & Related”
This year Rockabilly Hall of Fame and Viva Las Vegas Festival headline act Big Sandy and The Fly Right Boys direct from LA USA performs at the 10th Birthday Bash along with Satellites, the Saucermen and Hot Rollers Go-Go dancers on Sat night March 17th.
Tickets availabe through Fringetix..(Adelaide Fringe website: adelaidefringe.com.au)
Friday night March 16th sees Triple JJJ Unearthed Winner 2010 Los Capitanes perform its unique blend of Ska/punk at KKW with Dead Lucky, Swingin' Switchblades and Bastard Sons of Ruination perform to thrill SA Kulture Vultures!
Sat arvo The Hot Rod and Kustom Showdown(pre-67 style Traditional Style Rods and Kustoms on display). El Caminos provide the Surf tunes, Rollerderby ladies and stalls. Ladies Day inside the Ballroom prior to the Big Bash!
Sun 18th Car Boot Sale with Slingshot Dragster and The Screamin' Demons playing in the Beer Garden.
Ms KK SA comp + Mr Riff, Quiff or Diff for best photo in all categories judged and awarded Sat nite.
SPONSORED BY The Highway, Dirty Devil Kustoms, Mid West Traders, Bambalam, Moondog, Roadknights, Aqua Calabria, 5 Seeds, Southern Comfort, Hawker Street Cafe, Cafe Manto, Dream theatre, Ring a Bin, Albert Sands and Metal, Fruit 4 U, Craigmore Ray White, Derringers, Paperdoll Pinups, Tooheys Extra Dry, Auto Transformers
An Adelaide Fringe Festival 2012 event not to be missed. The 10th Adelaide Kustom Kulture Weekend March 16th to 18th!!"
I am super excited to be giving my lovely friend Jen, from Paperdoll Pinups, a hand on Saturday for the Ladies Day, so if you would like to have your done and ready for Saturday night, please come down and see us. Another of my wonderful friends, Donna, will be teaching a strolling class, which is a tonne of fun once you know how to do it!
Adelaide's very own Kustom Kulture Weekender is only 4 weeks away, and this year I am entering the Miss Kustom Kulture competition. There are three judges, but "likes" from people are considered in the voting process. Here is the photo I have entered, thanks to my lovely and patient husband for taking it for me.
Powderpuff Boutique's "Tourist" playsuit
So if you are on facebook, and would like to give me a hand- click here to find my photo and like.
There is only 7 weeks left for Sam and I until we are jetting off to the land of the free. I have been busy organising our accommodation, car hire and researching places to go and things to do, but the first thing on our agenda in attending Viva Las Vegas for the very first time! I am so excited to be going. We got in early and booked a room at The Orleans about a year ago- I heard you’re not doing Viva right unless you are staying where all the action is!
One of the things I am looking forward to the most is meeting people. So if there are any people out there who read my blog and recognise my face at Viva, please come and say hello- I would love to meet you!
Of course I am excited for the music too. I think JD McPherson will be my highlight. All of my girlfriends are very jealous of me..hehe. I also get to see Big Sandy twice in one month, in two different countries! He is headlining Kustom Kulture 10, here in Adelaide, and is also playing a few spots around Melbourne and Brisbane next month. The pool party looks like a whole lot of fun, and I can't wait to get my very own Boot! Sam is looking forward to the car show, and seeing the Ventures will be a treat too.
So...who else is going? Have you got any tips for this VLV virgin? I would love to hear what you are looking forward to.
So we had a special 2nd birthday party to go to on the weekend, and I was asked if I could make some cupcakes. Being the perfectionist I am, and not into making cake from a packet (and I don't judge anyone who does- I just like to make food from scratch when I can), I hopped on the internet to look for the perfect vanilla cupcake...and found it pretty much straight away! Thanks to Glory at Glorious Treats.
On Friday night, I stopped into the supermarket on my way home from work, gathered all my ingredients, drove home, popped on my cutest apron and got to work.
The only problem I had with this recipe was that is said to fill the cupcake patties 2/3 of the way up, which lead to overflowing cupcakes *sad face* . Although they tasted delicious, they weren’t 100% perfect (being anal, again!!), but I still had time to make another batch, which I filled half way up, and they came out PERFECT!! Yay!!
I then made the cream cheese/butter cream icing and dyed it pink. They turned out so pretty! My lovely friend Tracy-Lee, who is the baking queen in our group of ladies said- “oh my, these really do taste as good as they look!”. Needless to say, I was a little pleased with myself.
The recipe for these little heavenly morsels is here and the icing here. I am so glad I found Glory’s blog! I’m looking forward to trying more of her recipes.
Oh my word, I can't believe I haven't written a post about this fella...Pat Capocci is one of the best rockabilly artists, in my opinion, in Australia. He is uhh-mazing on the ol' axe, writes the catchiest songs and is one of the most down to earth and lovely guys I have met. I don't normally like to talk to musicans because if they turn out to be a wanker, it puts me off their music, haha! But Pat is so friendly, and you can really tell that music is his life, and he has got a lotta life in him.
I'll let his music speak for it's self- here are a few of my favouite songs.
Pat also plays in a few other bands around Sydney, with The Twilight Rhythem Boys and also in Danny & The Cosmic Tremors. I had to pop in a few of their songs too. If you see any of these guys headed your way- please go and check them out! I guarantee you will not be dissapointed!
Christmas is possibly my favourite time of the year. I love being around my family, giving gifts, eating food and of course having a drink and enjoying myself.
This year we had a christmas brunch at my Mama's house. It was an amazing spread of the most delicious food, with the best company too, of course! Gifts were given, drinks were drunk, and the Xbox got a good work out, with all of us having a go on the Kinect. So much fun!
We left Mama's around 1 and made our way down to my in-laws for a hot lunch, and stayed for a seafood dinner, and more drinks! It was a great day. I love my family.
