This week I’m back from holidays and everything has returned to normal. The countdown to the Christmas break has begun. Here are a few things getting me through until then.

camixa linen shirts

A linen shirt is always a classic choice and is a perfect option for summer. The light, breathable fabric will keep you cool and comfortable, and will always look stylish. I have quite a few linen pieces in my wardrobe, which I tend to wear when working from home. I recently purchased the Lete linen shirt in Army Green from Camixa and couldn’t be happier. The fabric is thick enough to be substantial, but thin enough to be breathable and easy to move in. The subtle mother of pearl buttons are really well spaced, so there isn’t any gaping, which is important for those bigger in the chest. My favourite thing about these shirts is the structure. The lapels and collar sit really nicely and look really smart. The army green colour is really on trend at the moment, so this piece is versatile enough to be teamed up with some white or ivory linen pants, light washed boyfriend jeans, or a leather pencil shirt.

Camixa is a Sydney based label, who are specialists in shirts. They make their designs in Sydney, they source their linen from France, they learnt to construct shirts in Italy, and their manufacturing is in a family owned factory in China that specialises in shirts. Their philosophy revolves around the rules of trade that include no child labour, fair wages and safe working conditions. Camixa doesn’t just work in linen. They also have a wide range of shirts in high quality silks, cotton and Marino wool.

These linen shirts retail at around $90, which is pretty typical for a shirt of this quality. You will have these for years to come.

fancy muffins

When I want to eat something that is insanely tasty, but is pretty easy to prep, I go for what I call my Fancy Muffins. They’re not that fancy, but they taste fancy. The flavours are really well balanced (if I do say so myself), with some saltiness from the feta, some acidity from the lemon in the chicken, sweetness with the pumpkin, and an interesting mix of textures. There is minimal prep involved, if you buy everything premade. The most effort needed to get this meal on the plate is to slice and roast the pumpkin and the chicken. I eat this as an open sandwich, so it feels like you’re eating two mini pizzas.

  • English Muffins – you can use whatever type of muffins you like, white, wholemeal, this recipe might even work with sultana/raisin, go wild!
  • Lemon herb marinated chicken breast – you can either do your own marinade or buy the chicken pre-marinated.
  • Pesto – again, you can make your own pesto, or you can buy. My recommendation is to get the really chunky pesto, not the stuff you would normally use as a pasta sauce. My favourite is the Red Rock Deli Basil Pesto, Pecorino and Cashews.
  • Pumpkin – I know it’s not Pumpkin season in Australia at the moment, but I love pumpkin all year round.
  • Marinated Feta

Method

  1. Slice the pumpkin into ½ cm thick slices and roast at 180 degrees C until the right level of caramelisation for your tastes. I like to roast for 20 to 25 minutes.
  2. Roast the chicken until cooked all the way through. The internal temperature of the chicken should be no less than 74 degrees Celsius. I cook mine in the airfryer for 12 minutes at 190 degrees, but you can pan fry it, barbecue it, roast it, however way you like your chicken cooked.
  3. Separate the muffins and toast until toasted to your liking
  4. When everything is cooked, assemble. I like to spread the pesto on the muffin directly, then I place the pumpkin, then the chicken, and then I crumble the feta. Enjoy immediately.  

spotify wrapped 2023

This week Spotify released their annual Wrapped list for 2023 for their users. While I love to see it, it’s quite revealing. It’s confronting how basic my music tastes are, with my top artist, Taylor Swift, being the same as just about every other person on the platform, contributing to the 26.1 billion streams for 2023. But to be fair, she’s had a pretty big year. Something I didn’t realise, as well, was how much I like country music. My other four top artists are all female country artists, and all of my top songs are country songs.

Some other interesting metrics you are provided with from your Wrapped list include how many minutes you listened for – 2,220 minutes for me, your Sound Town – Madison, just outside of Nashville, USA, and you get assigned a character that personifies your listening habits – apparently I am a vampire, because of my embrace of the darkness and my love for emotional, atmospheric music. Maybe I will soon be entering my emo era?

Every year when I see my Wrapped I always make a mental note to listen to a bunch of different type of music in the new, upcoming year. I think last year’s Wrapped said that the Hamilton original cast recording was my most played, so I guess country is a departure from that.

DOOG – dog owners outdoor gear

Harry can be a rough and tumble kind of guy. After putting his old collar through the wringer with beach days and rumbling with his friends, it finally broke. But luckily, he had a new one waiting for him. 

Back in October 2023, Harry tried his paw at modelling with dog and dog owner gear brand, DOOG. DOOG is a local Northern Beaches business that creates innovative gear for dogs and their owners. The products are practical, stylish and made of materials to withstand the vigorous activities we go put ourselves and our best friends through. 

Harry got himself a new collar, with a bright cyan and white polka dot design.  The collars are made of durable neoprene, and have a big, plastic clip for a safe, quick release. The collar seems to be pretty comfortable, Harry’s made no complaints. We also have been using the walkie pouch, which conveniently attaches to your lead, and has enough room for doggy poop bags (unused bags), your keys and a couple of treats. 

You can get DOOG products directly through their website, or find a stockist here.  

Check out Harry’s instagram here.

aspect skincare

I am generally pretty loyal when it comes to my skincare. If you find something that works, why change it? I had been using a brand of skincare that just seemed to keep discontinuing my longtime favourite products, so I thought it was time to find a new brand. A few years ago, I was introduced to Aspect Skincare through one of their starter kits and liked their products. I thought I would give them another go, and I am pleased I did. 

For reference, I have a fairly normal skin type, so my focus is on maintaining a clear complexion and anti-aging. 

To start my skincare routine off both morning and evening, I use the Purastat 5 cleanser. It’s a gel so I just quickly adding water to emulsify the formula and it becomes creamy and sudsy. It feels really silky when worked into the skin, and leaves my face feeling really clean, but not stripped. It also acts as an exfoliator, containing lactic acid,  but it’s quite gentle for use twice a day. I have been using this for about nine months now and have noticed my skin has been quite bright and hydrated.

In the mornings, my next step is the Extreme C 20 vitamin C serum, which is brightening, hydrating and has anti-aging benefits. Then I use the Phytostat 9 moisturiser. This is a nice creamy consistency, it’s non-greasy, and it smells amazing. It reminds me of the smell of getting a professional facial. 

In the evening, I swap out the Extreme C for the Retinol Brûlée. I have been using retinol products for about four years now, so I found this serum pretty gentle. However, if you’re not used to retinols, introduce this product gradually. 

You can buy all four of these products in the one pack, Aspect’s Age Management Kit. Aspect’s products are widely available, and you can find a stockist here.

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