Weekend ramble

It's hard to believe that, just a week ago, I was doing the Bondi to Bronte walk and viewing the 2016 Sculpture by the Sea.

This weekend is rather gloomy with a forecast of storms and cloudy weather for the most part. Thankfully, it seems like these grey skies are a one-off and we are set for some gorgeous weather this coming week.

I had initially intended to post about my favourite Spring nail polish shades, but I think I will save that post for another time when I am more inclined to reach for brights and pastel colours. This time, you are getting a weekend ramble - enjoy!

Bondi to Bronte!

It's no secret that Sydney has one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. But I suppose like most things, it ends up being taken for granted.

Having lived in Sydney for the majority of my life, I tend to dismiss Bondi as a really touristy spot and I avoid it if I can ... preferring to head to smaller, local beaches during the summer instead.

As chance would have it, my brother and his girlfriend visited Sydney earlier this month and so of course a trip to Bondi was high on the list of places to see. This year's Sculpture by the Sea coincided with their trip so we decided to do the Bondi to Bronte walk and see the different artworks.

It was my first time going to Sculpture by the Sea and I absolutely loved it. We went during the week and although it was still relatively busy, I imagine it was less crowded than it would have been if it was a weekend. I recommend seeing the sculptures if you are in the area and wanting to take a scenic walk. There is so much to see and the amount of work that has gone into these artworks is incredible. 

I was pleasantly surprised to see The Grounds by the Sea, a pop-up of The Grounds of Alexandria. The service was fast, the menu looked amazing, and the staff were enthusiastic, to say the least! We had just had breakfast that day, so we skipped on food and decided to go for coffees/drinks instead.

I ordered the Mango Tango smoothie and it was so good. Chunks of mango, vanilla ice-cream, and chia seeds - a perfect reminder that Summer is near.

On the topic of Summer ...

Work outs!

I am hoping to get back into a fitness routine as I've really neglected my gym membership over the last couple of weeks. Add to that some really rich and indulgent foods, and I am in no way, shape or form (no pun intended!), ready for the Summer.

The aim for the week ahead is to try and go to the gym every evening after work. I pass by the gym during the week and there is really no excuse for me to not duck in for an hour a day and either attend a class or work out on my own. 

Let's see how I go...

Holiday beauty sets!

So I haven't been completely inactive during these past few weeks. The 2016 holiday beauty sets are slowly appearing on displays at counters and department stores in Australia. I've been walking around malls looking at some of the products on display and let me tell you, that can be physically tiring in itself!

I love the different beauty products that come out during this time of the year - limited edition items in cute, festive packaging. Not only do they make great gifts for friends and loved ones, but they are fun items to add to any make-up lovers' collection.

I have to say from what I've seen so far, I've not yet been wowed by the holiday sets this year. Besides a couple of products from Tarte which I immediately fell in love with, I feel as though brands are churning out the same thing each year with the quality of products not being as great as their regular, permanent lines.

Online reviews have also shown that the holiday products this year are less than impressive, which is a bit disappointing as I always look forward to the holiday sets each year.

I have my fingers crossed that the MAC Nutcracker Sweet Shop collection will have some exciting new items though, as that is all I'm really interested in at the moment.

We shall see.

Shopping my collection!

I suppose a positive aspect about this year's disappointing holiday releases is that it means there are less products to purchase.

Having recently organised my make-up, I've realised that I don't really need any more products. I should make use of the make-up I already have by "shopping my collection" rather than adding to it.

It's been fun coming across products I have purchased and forgotten about, or items from collections that I was so excited to get my hands on. A current favourite is MAC's 'Marine Life' highlighter, which I have been using as a blush this month. 

Have you come across any products in your collection that you had previously forgotten about? I would love to know!

That's it for my weekend ramble. If you have made it this far, thank you for reading and have a wonderful weekend.