by Candice DeVille | Oct 23, 2014 | Events, sponsors
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Brought to you by Nuffnang and Spokes
There is Spring Racing of another kind in Melbourne each year. It does have horsepower, but not in the four legged sense.
Last Sunday the Mr. and I headed to Phillip Island for the MotoGP, something we’d never done before. We both love bikes but for different reasons. He’s actually the long-term rider; I prefer the aesthetics and how brilliant they look in photo shoots, not to mention the leather outfits. It was a day we both really enjoyed.
Being there as guests of Spokes, we were even more aware than usual of the message of rider safety. As you may have read in my previous post, the Mr. has been involved in seven accidents in his time, fortunately protected by the correct gear.
On our drive out to the Island we were discussing this matter of correct protective gear and watching all the riders as they passed us. I was horrified to note that so many riders and pillions weren’t anywhere near well enough prepared. I saw shorts, t-shirts, chino pants, sneakers and even high-heeled sandals. The thought crossed my mind that should this particular lady come off, she wouldn’t be spending money on pedicures anymore.
It was a great relief to arrive and see plenty of riders in proper protective gear, checking their helmets in at the minding booth. Spokes had a fantastic arrangement where anyone who arrived in proper protective gear received a lunch voucher they were able to cash in at the Spokes Protective Clothing Lounge. Smokey pulled pork rolls, beef brisket… yum!
The first thing we did was head across to the Expo area and check out the various offerings including sunglasses you can smash with a hammer and they don’t break!
The team at Spokes put us both into the virtual reality headsets to test our reaction time. I get quite competitive at these sorts of things, so I was concentrating hard and made my best score of .43 of a second! Yeah!
I took my own protective gear (my ear plugs and sunnies), and we headed off for a special tour of Pit Lane. What a hive of activity! I was relying on the knowledge of the Mr. to translate all the colours and numbers into something I could understand, otherwise it was a blur of chrome and fake tan to me. I did have a little giggle at how alien I looked amongst all the grid girls, but mostly admired their ability to withstand the cold and pain of high shoes all day!
We headed back to the Spokes Protective Clothing Lounge for some of that amazing smokehouse lunch.
It turns out that the issue of wearing the right protective gear was more complex than I first realised. Did you know that there are online sellers marketing items to Australia that don’t meet our standards or are even counterfeit items? I had no idea! I suppose if they’re doing it with something as small as makeup, it stands to reason that bigger ticket items like protective gear would have this problem too. It just hadn’t crossed my mind. It pays to check out www.spokes.com.au for a full list of protective clothing retailers.
With our bellies full and feeling just that much more secure in the knowledge that the Mr. had gear that measured up to standard, we headed off to the grandstand for the big race.
I’m not even going to pretend I know about how this all works. I know the names, I know they go incredibly fast, and I know there is a palpable adrenaline in the crowd. I was informed that no, the tyre covers weren’t “wheel cardigans”, but rather electrically heated tyre warmers. I stuck to looking after my camera.
Trying to capture an image of riders going at around 300KPM isn’t as easy as I had imagined. Even with all my sophisticated gear, this is the best shot I managed to capture of Rossi about to cross the finish line.
It didn’t matter though; the size of the grin on the Mr’s face said it all. I know he was having ideas of returning to the racetrack himself, (yeah…. nah.) while we ladies could only think of the hot chocolate and warm car that awaited us.
The trip home left the Ride Smart message embedded in my mind. After seeing a few spectacular crashes trackside where, sparks flying, the boys still got up and walked away. It meant that every rider that dodged and weaved to find the “better” place in the traffic made me wince. Too many exposed ankles, girls in high-heeled boots and rear wheels nearly clipped.
As we came into the first major town, a woman stood shaking beside her car, the motorcycle in various pieces in the gutter. A crowd sat watching as the police managed the scene. It was only a matter of time before we saw this happen, and again our conversation turned to how prepared the rider may have been for the worst.
I loved watching the race, I was even more enamoured by the bikes on show. Glittering gold, chrome and cheeky slogans. But no matter what, with the Mr. right beside me, I was and am, incredibly grateful that Spokes is out there helping riders learn and prepare to make it back home.
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by Candice DeVille | Oct 16, 2014 | Events, sponsors
My husband used to race motorcycles. He now commutes into the city and home again almost daily. My best friend and her husband both ride regularly, on new and classic vintage bikes. I love them all the way they are, with everything intact; so you can understand why I have a strong vested interest in motorcycle safety.
My Bff Helen on the track at Phillip Island
There have been a number of times that the Mr. comes home, shaken, having been in a close call with a distracted driver or even debris on the roads. Every time you get a roadside phone call, your heart stops. I know so many of you are in the same boat as me, with partners, friends and family all riding motorcycles. This puts us in a position of responsibility to highlight riding safety at every available opportunity.
I asked my husband for insights on his lifetime of riding.
“I’ve been riding for about twenty eight plus years and been involved in seven accidents, only one of which I was at fault. These are things I know for a fact.
- Invest in good quality gear. Unless your name is Clarke Kent it’s going to hurt when you come off. The choices today are amazing, and the technology involved – lifesaving.
- It’s never too hot to wear the right gear. Shirts, shorts, jeans, sneakers are not going to help you, even a fall at 20km/hr will be painful.
- Pay attention ALWAYS. Your daily ride is not the time to contemplate the world’s problems. That lapse in attention could be the difference between a near miss or a painful crash.
- Be SEEN. We have all seen those stickers on trucks.. “If you can’t see my mirrors then I can’t see YOU”. It’s a simple statement of truth. Constantly scan those around you, can they see you? If the answer is no or you don’t know then adjust your position accordingly and be prepared to react.
- If you think you’re fast on your weekend blast through the hills, take it to the track instead. Not only will you not end up being a statistic, you’ll also get a dose of reality of what fast really is.
With the MotoGP in Phillip Island coming up next weekend, I’m honoured to be working with Spokes. If you’ve ever attended this event, you’ll know how the road to the Island simply teems with bikes.
As a driver, it requires all your care, attention and skill to safely make this trip, ensuring everyone arrives without incident. I can’t even imagine how much more difficult it would be for riders in these conditions. Congested roads, impatient drivers, and often inclement weather.
This isn’t the kind of trip that you just wake up and decide to take. Planning and preparation make the journey a safe and enjoyable one.
“Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to clock up some significant kilometers on the bike, ranging from weekends between Adelaide and Melbourne, to a +5,000 km loop from Adelaide to Gold Coast (via Melbourne and Sydney).
I’ve done trips with tents, clothes, food, & more packed in my bags, to trips with nothing other than my credit-card. I’ve even done a trip when I moved from Melbourne to Adelaide, with everything I owned strapped to my bike, and wrapped in a tarp to protect it all from the weather. I’ve not done a trip with a trailer on the bike yet, but given my Dad has a sweet set-up with BMW and trailer, I can see that one happening at sometime in my future.
What I have learnt in all these trips, is to pack smart, take only what you really need, invest in the ‘right’ protective gear for the expected weather conditions, and don’t fall into the trap of ‘pushing on for just another 20k’s before I stop’.
Stop for a break often, stretch, and ensure you’re alert for any surprise that might come your way. Nobody wants to be caught out and be lying on the side of the road waiting to be found because of a momentary lapse of concentration.
And what’s the best route to take? The one that gets you there safely.“
While we begin planning for our big trip next weekend, I want to ask for your help. Please, share this post, share this message and help me to highlight the message of rider safety in this week especially.
Your favourite rider might ride a vintage Bonneville, a Harley, a customised Ducati or even just enjoy the thrill of being a pillion. Whatever they ride and whoever you know, this is a message we all need to get out there, keeping our friends from harm. Thank you.
You can follow the Spokes campaign on Instagram to see all the amazing goings on of the big MotoGP day at @spokesrides #Spokes
by Candice DeVille | Sep 24, 2014 | Accessories, sponsors, Vintage
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The last few days have been, without a doubt, two of the most fabulous of the year. They are the days when the last of the winter feelings lift and I feel compelled to break out the oysters and Chardonnay. The sunshine is almost hot at 4pm and everything in my garden is coming back to life, including me. It may only be September, but the summer holidays are so close I can almost taste them.
Being the thematic dresser that I am, I love to celebrate this moment with something special. A new pair of shoes, a pair of bright red peddle pushers (that’s today), and blouse buddies in these beautiful figural forms. I went to visit my friend at Designer Showcase and had a poke around to borrow some of her most wonderful vintage figural brooches that capture the season for me.
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If you fancy adding these guys, or any of their garden friends to your Spring wardrobe, have a chat to Marsha at Designer Showcase vintage jewellery (a good friend and sponsor of the blog), and she’ll help you find just the right thing in her extensive collection.
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by Candice DeVille | Sep 10, 2014 | Home & Garden, sponsors
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*Brought to you by Nuffnang and World of Style*
World of Style is a love story. The love story we have with our spaces, how they reflect who we are, who we aspire to be and the dreams they create in us.
Now into the fourth month of my major outdoor space renovations here at home, I’ve never been more aware of just how much power our space exercises over us. While my life and space has never been more chaotic, the vision plays a crucial role in keeping my sanity amongst it all. Even as a highly creative type with the ability to dream up almost anything, there are times when that well runs dry or the choices available overwhelm me.
The Tiki Bar is well under way
The pool build is nearly there, but wow, there is a lot of landscaping to do!
Thankfully, Porter Davis has created an ingenious new system and space that takes the heavy lifting out of the creative process for you. This is World of Style.
World of Style is both a concept and space. This hub, now based in South Melbourne, is a destination that energises and inspires. Not at all what I expected when this idea first came across my desk. I’ve seen far too many “showrooms” and home building spaces over the years. In an industry where beige and ‘safe choices’ seem to have ruled supreme for the last decade or more, I could not have been more excited to be introduced to World of Style.
Using incredible smarts and a passion for beautiful homes that truly reflect the individuality of their owners; the Porter Davis team developed the concept of the World of Style quiz that uses key questions and emotional responses to imagery to pinpoint (with amazing clarity) your unique design style.
Now, instead of wasting countless hours wandering showrooms trying to decipher if that tap is truly you, this system has it nailed. Don’t believe me? Take the quiz!
For someone with such eclectic taste and diverse style influences as myself, I honestly did not expect a simple quiz would be able to “get” me. How can my preference for one picture of a puppy over another lead this tool to decipher that my style is not only “Designer”, but that the “Las Vegas” meets “Miami” look is exactly the space I’m longing to create? And yet it did.
Subsequently I spent a number of hours at the World of Style space, wandering lustfully through the rooms, feeling my incredulity growing. From the kitchen with a lush tropical aspect, perfectly hewn wooden bar stools and wallpaper options which blew my mind; I came away with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration. (I see some glitter dragon wallpaper in the future of my retro-tastic powder room)
So often I have people ask me where they should start when considering renovations or building something amazing. It seems like an insurmountable task on a road filled with too many choices and risks of making huge mistakes. Having seen the elegant and inspiring solution that is World of Style, I now know the answer.
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by Candice DeVille | Aug 19, 2014 | sponsors, Travel
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Brought to you by Nuffnang and Wotif.com
WIN a Golden Passport worth over $50 Grand!
“The mornings are slow, warm and fragrant with jasmine. Bowls of steaming ramen and a french press of perfectly brewed coffee sit perched on my breakfast tray. My cybernetic butler smiles and opens up the drapes to reveal glistening waters, swaying palms and meerkats playing by the sea. “It’s going to be a marvellous day.” I think to myself, slipping into my swimsuit and soft pink scarf.
A lazy start reading e-books, drenched in gentle morning sunlight seems like just the thing to get me started. Then perhaps a luxurious massage before heading into vintage town to shop for all the amazingly priced pieces, and arm loads of fresh flowers to bring back to my villa. The bargains are so plentiful I can barely fit them into the huge boot space of my 1956 Cadillac, so a convoy it is to make sure that each find has a space.
As we turn the corner from Vintage St into Thrift Store Heaven Ave., the street is partitioned off to give plenty of room for dancing to one of the multitude of bands. Petticoats flash and boots crack on the tarmac as the song reaches its crescendo. With perfect timing the cocktail and dumpling carts arrives to nourish happy, but weary dancers. It must be time for a massage again.
Arriving back to the villa side pool, freshly cracked coconuts await my return. Nestled among a bed of Singapore orchids, the sight itself at once relaxing and luxurious. The koi swim slowly, their tales splashing through the sheet of the waterfall, droplets landing on my butler and narrowly avoiding her armload of laksa.
The sun slowly sinks behind the horizon, tiki torches come alive and the sound of island drums heralds the arrival of the dancing girls. All dressed in our favourite Pake Muu’s, my girl friends and I call to our partners to hurry down from the balcony so they don’t miss the show. With charming grins, the men step back to reveal a small procession of perfectly dressed monkeys, each holding coloured boxes filled with unearthly coloured glitter lucite jewellery. Knowing our Omni-cam is recording every moment of the evening, down to the smallest wink or smile, I sit back and enjoy the show.”
This is my Wotifia.
A place where anything and everything is possible, if only you can imagine. Starting your ideal travel journey in your imagination is by far the best way to find adventure, passion, fun and romance. Dream away and then start to uncover the secrets to finding your perfect destination.
The gateway to Wotifia begins with Wotif.com.au with over 13,000,000 rooms in 118 countries and 120,000 flights to get you there. Being able to compare and review all the deals means you have more time to plan your adventure within an adventure, and knowing you have 24/7 support from the team means you’ll never be left in travel limbo.
For the lay person, finding the door to Wotifia may not come as easily as it does to me, someone who spends a great deal of time in fantasy land. This handy video guide will help you see the possibilities for what they are and show you how you too can become a “Visita” in “Wotifia”.
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Win a Golden Passport to Wotifia by heading to Wotif.com.au.
Worth over $50 grand, this passport could be used to take you, your family or your mates to unlimited travel destinations where anything is possible and you can let your imagination run wild. Where it’s always sunny, never-ending cocktails, thousands of miles of coastline worldwide – it’s the world without borders. Wotif’s Golden Passport competition is geared to inspire fans with what they imagine Wotifia to be, no matter how weird or wonderful.
Where would your Passport to Wotifia take you?
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by Candice DeVille | Aug 18, 2014 | Accessories, sponsors, Vintage Shopping
It’s wonderful the people you meet at local vintage fairs. These shows aren’t just good for the frocks and the chats, but for uncovering the hidden gems in the vintage vending world.
While I sat at my stand I spent most of the day eyeing off pieces at the stall directly opposite me. A black cloche hat with a waterfall of feathers, a large silver bow with strategically placed diamontes, and the perfect little leopard print pill box hat. When I realised I could wait no longer and simply had to add the leopard print to my collection, I wandered over to make the deal. While handing over my paltry sum for this pretty piece, I struck up a conversation with the stall holder and owner Marsha Byron. Here was a lady with a familiar sense of drama and a passion for fabulous I could well relate to.
Marsha began to tell me about how she and her daughter had set up their business, Designer Showcase, when the passion for vintage jewellery over took them both like wild fire. Seeing its beautiful construction, the settings both delicate and decadent, and learning its history, became something they longed to collect and share. Like me, they both have an enduring passion for beauty but are quite miffed (is that a nice way to say it?) about the trend for “cheap”, imitation vintage jewellery.
When shopping at your local mall in Australia, you’ll now find fewer than three retailers who all sell these sorts of pieces. Sourced in bulk overseas, tarted up with the marketing wand, then sold off to you at the “bargain” price of $49.95. Your “new vintage” jewellery may last the night if you’re lucky (I’ve tried and can say every single one has needed repair after the first wear), but it’s not a patch on the real thing.
A week of so later, I went to visit Marsha in her studio amongst black velvet cushions of jewel encrusted pins and displays of dripping milk glass adornments. It’s easy to see why I stayed nearly four hours.
Simply referring to the Designer Showcase pieces as “Vintage” is a bit of a misnomer, as there are pieces in this collection from Victorian times. While not all of the very oldest may still be wearable in their original form, Marsha takes a sensitive hand to rework some of these pieces into new forms. A lonely earring becomes a cocktail ring, a hair slide can become a statement brooch; and so the story continues.
This story has a lovely ending / beginning for us too, as I’m proud to announce that Designer Showcase Vintage Jewellery is now an official sponsor of Vintage Current! This means that we’ll have the inside track on all kinds of lovely pieces for you, competitions, giveaways and even more beautiful pictures.
With prices beginning at approximately $20-$55 for earrings, brooches around $30-$60, necklaces at $30-$100+ for those super special special pieces, this is my new Australian online go to for all occasions. So don’t waste your hard earned pennies on “cheap” new tat, go vintage all the way!
