Colour Run

Wollongong seems to get things before Sydney this year (think City Slider and the Colour Run), but for only a 40 minute drive out of Sydney, I'm not complaining!

The Colour Run was a fair few weeks ago, but with the Sydney run happening soon in August (click here to book tickets), I thought it'd be a good opportunity to divulge the fun of the run and get you lovely people excited and revved up to conquer the 5kms!

I loved the Colour Run. Point blank. Buuuuut was extremely disappointed to find that the money spent on tickets was not even at least partially given to charity. 

However, once you get over that fact, the event is actually pretty spectacular.

It all started the night before, racing after work to get to Wollongong on time to register and pick up our packs. And suddenly it was the next morning, and my friend, P, and I donned our gear... (alongside our homemade and *super* gorgeous tutus!)

After a quick bout of morning zumba in the park to warm ourselves up at this ungodly hour, we took off, running under arches heralding the colour we were about to be splattered with.

^I, of course, managed to cop a mouthful of green as I opened my mouth in excitement!

The real fun, though, was the colour rave that followed the run - hundreds of people dancing, shouting, singing, and throwing colour packets into the air so forcefully as to make the entire park look as if shrouded in nighttime, before the music and light shone through again as the colour settled. It. Was. Incredible.

Completely coloured and mud soaked (it had rained incessantly the night before), we took to the beach to relax and giggle.

Tumblr Times

So I spend a lot of time on tumblr (shameless plug here: http://innocenceissweet.tumblr.com). Anytime I'm lost for inspiration, in need of wonder, or just want to feel calm and like the world is a beautiful place (because it is), I find myself scrolling through pages of aesthetic on Tumblr.

Here are some of the pictures I've reblogged recently. Note that I do not own/ have no taken/created any of these, I just find them lovely and inspirational.

Envy Cafe - Brucnh Spot Alert!

It can be hard to find the courage to rug up for brunch on a Sunday and sit outside in a courtyard when the autumn wind and leafless trees signal a far greater comfort to be had indoors. 

Envy Cafe, however, one of my favourite cafes and the cutest little spot in Sydney's inner west, takes all the comfort of indoors and brings it to their little courtyard outside with heaters, fairy lights and dark wood.

Apart from being very cute, Envy provides an oasis away from the bustle of the gorgeous Summer Hill strip, where Italian and Indian restaurants reign supreme. 

There is so much to choose from in their breakfast/lunch menu, and without a doubt my favourite part is choosing the ingredients (any fruit and veg you could wish for) for your very own juice concoction!

Alas, I opted for tea as well, and the smashed avocado and fetta on toast (before I realised there was an absolutely scrumptious sounding veggie breakfast on the specials boards! Oh well, just another excuse to go back, hey?)

My lovely brunch companion went for the 'Envy of all breakfasts', and mopped up every last bit!

If the courtyard is full, or a little far for your liking, Envy also have a cafe in Dulwich Hill called Sideways Cafe, which I love equally as well!

If you want to check out where exactly Envy (or Sideways) is, see their website here! Note they have not sponsored me for this post, I just really love cute cafe spots and I'm hoping to continue this Brunch Spot Alert throughout the winter months!!!

Keeping an Eye on the World Going By My Window

Henry the Horse Dances the Waltz

The other day (18th of April, to be exact), my beautiful friend Alex and I went to the races at Royal Randwick Racecourse. 

We spent the day tottering about the grounds, being lucky enough to score free members tickets and then to get a table (for free) that usually costs $110 a head!! 

Alex and I watched every race, marvelling at the strength of the muscles and the teeny tiny jockeys! For ethical reasons, I myself didn't bet on any horses, but Alex did - if you can call them bets! She bet between 50 cents and $1 on every race but had so much fun!

The part I really enjoyed most was people watching. There are literally thousands of people - gorgeous men suited up, and wonderful ladies with their heels and fascinators. 

My own dress was a super bargain at only $10 from a boutique, with my Steve Madden heels and vintage clutch. 

It truly felt like spring, even though this was the last day of the Autumn racing carnival! A girl can dream though!

My One Year Veggie-versary

Ok, so slightly *ahem* lame title, BUT it gets across what I need it to! On April 17th 2014 I was talking to a friend and saying how I was really considering becoming a vegetarian - it had always been in the back of my mind but once I went to a restaurant and ordered baby octopus, and looked down at all their heads when I had finished eating, I couldn't believe that we were eating animals - basically, my friend gave me the final push, and said, "why don't you be a vegetarian then?" And from that second onwards that was it. I was officially a vegetarian.

I'm hoping to write more posts on this topic soon, but I want to remember how much this year has meant to me, so this post is going to be a me me me post, but it means the world to me.

There wasn't too much disagreement in my family when I came home and told my parents about my decision. My dad had been a vegetarian for years (though he isn't anymore) and it was something I had frequently talked about and thought about. It was no surprise that this day was coming - I wish it had come sooner to be honest!

My parents have been incredibly supportive - like beyond anything I could imagine really. Apart from maybe once a week/fortnight, my family is all 100% vegetarian with me and that makes me so so happy :) 

I think the hardest thing has been the reaction from friends and extended family. It isn't easy in my culture (European background, where meat is literally EVERYTHING to them) to shun the traditions. It's certainly gotten a lot better with my family in that everyone else leaves me alone and let's me eat my veggies and pastas and salads, except my grandma who often asks, "when are you going to eat meat again?" I know she's been brought up in a different era, a different world, and that knowledge for one who's entire lifestyle has revolved around meat, and who doesn't have access to the internet, isn't easy to come by. Friends on the other hand are sometimes a lot less accepting. I know they don't mean to push the subject, but even after a year I find it incredible that it's still a talking point when we go out to restaurants together. The worst point was when a friend whom I respected accused me of saying that vegetarians were more evolved than meat-eaters - my friend got really defensive and attacked every word I said. I try very hard not to bring up this facet of my life unless someone else brings it up for me. I've learn that it's better to respect everyone's food choices just as you expect them to respect yours.

I could talk about the changes being vegetarian and becoming more knowledgeable about the food industry has made on me for yonks, but I'll just mention the main areas for now.

I couldn't believe how incredibly fast a change in diet can affect your body: within a week my digestion was immeasurably better, I felt lighter after eating, I was in tune with what my body wanted and craved. My hair is stronger and my skin is incredibly clear, and you might think my conscience would be clear too but unfortunately the more you learn about these industries and the world, the more you realise how much there is still to do. It's disheartening to hear closed-minded responses and questions to making this change. 

There's only been one slip-up so far, and it wasn't my fault. I ordered a veggie roll sushi a few weeks ago for my train ride home after work, and had gotten onto the train and bit into the sushi only to find the store had given me a chicken one by mistake! Thankfully I hadn't bitten into the chicken, but it made me realise how prevalent these animal industries are in our society. One slip of the hand and you're immediately in contact with meat. 

At the moment I'm transitioning away from dairy products. The wondrous taste of almond milk has been brought to my attention (did someone say almond milk hot chocolate??) and I no longer crave cow's milk. Yoghurt is going to be my biggest step, but every time I eat it the thoughts of animal cruelty, of cows being artificially inseminated, of calfs being taken from their mothers, are prevalent in my mind and it's not the type of idea you can pretend isn't there.

Along the way, it is so helpful and comforting to know that there are others with my same views. I follow heaps of blogs and instragrams and tumblrs (my favs are agirlnamedally and essenaoneill) and am in the process of watching documentaries. It made me so happy when my dad agreed to watch 101 Reasons to go Vegan with me, and he saved Food Inc. for me to watch too! 

So much has changed in a year, and yet there is still so so so much more to happen. I want to become a wealth of knowledge on the effects to animals, health and the environment that being vegetarian and vegan have. I want to be armed with statistics, even though they make me incredibly sad. I want to inspire/tell others all about the effect you can make in this world, and I want to shout from the rooftops how happy being vegetarian has made me. That's not to say this is something I should be praised on - definitely not. I feel like living your life according to your values is the best thing you can do, and the fact that this is helping stop animal cruelty is only makes this even better :D My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner. xx

Flying

It's no secret that I am an airplane enthusiast (hoping to recreate this moment again this year!)

So when Qantas' first Boeing 747-400, City of Canberra, was making its final flight south from Sydney to Albion Park Regional Airport, I had to make an appearance to see the wonderful beast!

Let me give you a few facts about this aircraft that makes it oh so special:

• It was the first Boeing 747-400 that Qantas ever bought.
• It held the record for the longest recorded flight (20 hours or so) from London to Sydney.
• It now holds the record for the shortest flight a 747 has ever taken (15 minutes)
• It landed on a 1.8km runway when usually a runway over 3km is needed.
• Due to the short runway, the plane can never take off again!
• The plane has been donated to the museum at Albion Park Regional Airport, to save it from rusting in the American Desert.

Waking up at 5am to get to the Illawarra region wasn't ideal, but the buzz you get at that time of the morning transpired throughout the day - and hey! We got to see the triathlon occurring there too!