DIY – Mia Wallace Costume

Looking for a last minute costume idea? This DIY Halloween Costume is perfect and it doesn’t take long to put together. Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction is an absolute classic and you will surely turn heads. All you need is black pants, a white button up blouse and black flats for your outfit. As well as a black bob wig, fake blood, a fake syringe, fake cigarette, red lipstick, grey eyeshadow and some tape.

Once you are dressed unbutton your shirt and tape the fake syringe to your chest (clear tape is best). Around the syringe apply the fake blood and on top of that add a grey eyeshadow and blend it in so it looks like a large bruise. Tie your hair in a flat bun and put the black wig on. In the movie, Mia overdoses on heroin so you need to run some fake blood coming out of your nostrils. I chose to do only one side to make it look more realistic. Lastly, add some red lipstick and hold that fake cigarette and you will look just like a 90’s movie icon.

Etto – Italian Street Pasta

If you are ready to be transported straight to Italy then make your way down to Etto in South Melbourne. Grab a table outside and twirl some delicious pasta on your fork in any shape or size you want. Whether you are into Bolognese, Napoli, Pesto or Alfredo there is something for everyone here. With a laid back atmosphere and quick wait times, the food will be in front of you in a matter of minutes. Wherever you are in Melbourne, there is no excuse not to get yourself to Etto and indulge in carbs galore. I love all types of pasta but I would recommend trying the Wagyu meatballs with a nice Napoli sauce over your choice of pasta.

Hope to see you there,

Carly Jensen xo

Photo Credit: marketingmag.com.au, richyvong.com, urbanspoon.com

Red Velvet Muffins

Now if you guys are like me then you will agree there is absolutely no better dessert than red velvet. Whether it is cake or cupcakes there is just something about that cream cheese icing I just can’t get enough of. I recently stumbled upon a cute cafe that served red velvet muffins so I thought I would find a recipe that will let us all be able to enjoy these delicious treats.

Red Velvet Muffins:

75g butter, softened
¾ cup caster sugar
1 egg
1½ cups flour
¼ cup BOURNVILLE Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon no taste red food colour
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda
250g PHILADELPHIA Block Cream Cheese, softened
2/3 cup full cream milk powder
2/3 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Baking Instructions:

CREAM the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Add the sifted dry ingredients and combined buttermilk and food colour and beat just to combine.

COMBINE the vinegar and bicarbonate soda and then stir through the cake mixture.

SPOON into 12 x 1/3 cup capacity patty paper lined muffin pans. Bake in a moderate oven 180oC for 20 minutes or until cooked when tested. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out of pan to cool completely.

BEAT together the remaining ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled muffins and serve immediately.

Enjoy,

Carly Jensen xo

Recipe from cadburykitchen.com.au

Hidden Gems – Miss Nail Bar

Calling all ladies of Melbourne! This hidden gem just opened and it is sure to make your nails go crazy. Miss Nail Bar is located inside the South Melbourne Market and it is my absolute new favourite spot. With 450 + colours to choose from your nails will be summer ready in no time. Some nail salons can make you spend half your day their but at Miss Nail Bar they will have you in and out in half the time. The staff are all funny, talkative and make you feel welcome. The manicure I got was only $22 and it included a vanilla and coconut scrub. Once your arms were all soft you got to soak your hands in either a rose or lavender water that smelt delicious and felt luxurious. Not only do they do a great job you also get a nice massage included, who could say no to that? Open on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 8am-4pm and on Fridays from 8am-5pm making a stop by here is the perfect way to spend your weekend and have some me time. If you need some relaxation then stop by “Miss Nail Bar” in the South Melbourne Market.

Enjoy,

Carly Jensen xo

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Fresh Organic Smoothies

Healthy food and drinks can be quite daunting to people when they have grown up on Kraft Dinner, chicken nuggets and cupcakes but for all those worried they won’t like a healthy organic smoothie let me reassure you, if I can drink one and enjoy it, so could you. Now let me first start by saying, yes there are a lot of crazy ingredients you will probably roll your eyes at but once everything is blended together it is quite a delicious and healthy alternative from your regular milkshake. Smoothies are good to have for breakfast, snacks, and they are packed with nutrients and they taste great! I have recently discovered a delicious little place called Combi that understands exactly what people want when looking for a smoothie. Not only do they look good, they are so healthy you wouldn’t believe it and everything they use is organic. I am always in search of cute places to eat and so for someone like myself Combi is the perfect place. For all those who are not lazy and could make these delicious smoothies themselves here is the recipe for my favourite smoothie called “Liquid Passion.”

Liquid Passion:

Passion fruit, berries, mango, coconut
flesh, raw fermented protein powder,
house made nut mylk

Hope you enjoy,

Carly Jensen xo

Photo taken off Google – broadsheet.com.au

Fun In The Sun – Republica, St Kilda

When the sun starts to shine the people of Melbourne flock to the beach to enjoy the glimpse of hot weather that is upon them. One major hot spot situated right on St Kilda Beach is the very cool restaurant/beach bar called Republica. People were dressed to the nines in their floral jump suits, revealing singlets and the hair and makeup were flawless. If you are looking to people watch and be among the elite crowd of Melbourne, this is definitely the spot for you. Everyone sipped cocktails in the sunshine and enjoyed the beach vibes that Republica emitted. The atmosphere reminded me of a day on a beach in California, the vibes were extremely feel good and carefree which is exactly what you want on the first warm day. For those looking for a fun way to spend your summer days and nights, Republica is definitely the place for you. You can watch the sunset while sipping delicious strawberry margaritas and relax as long as you feel like. So my advice for some fun in the sun is definitely spending a day at Republica on St Kilda Beach.

Carly Jensen xo

Friyay!

People are living more and more for the weekends and by that the saying “Friyay” has come about. When I first saw this play on words surfacing on the internet I thought it was quite silly. I then realized it was actually quite brilliant and more people should find little things to get excited about. It gives everyone something to look forward to and there is not one person on this planet that doesn’t look forward to the weekend. So with that being said, here are some fun ideas for things to do on Friday:

1) Eat a cuisine you normally wouldn’t-
Mix it up and try something new, if you always have Italian try Greek, if you are a burger person step outside your comfort zone and try Mongolian! For a real different cuisine try Ethiopian.

2) Go see a Drive In Movie – Stock up on snacks and find your nearest drive in movie theatre and enjoy the show under the stars. If it’s too cold out have a themed movie night in!

3) Opposite Night Out- This one is all about switching up what you would normally do. If you usually hang out sipping beers in grungy bars, go out, get dressed up and head out for a night of dancing! Same goes if you usually go out clubbing, try a unique bar and stay awhile.

4) Go into the city and stay at a hotel for a night- Live the high life for a night and stay at a hotel. This is a fun way to get out of the house and do something different.

5) Sports Night- Grab a group of friends and head to the field or court and play whatever sport you feel like! This is exercise and a way to spend time with friends.

6) DIY Night– For all the girls reading this, save your money this weekend and have a DIY night. There are tons of cool websites that show you different craft ideas for your home or even your own wardrobe! Pinterest has lots of cool ideas too.

Enjoy and Happy Friyay!

Carly Jensen xo