Sometimes it's nice to get about in your own hood and go exploring. I love the idea of approaching your own city as a tourist. It's quite shameful how little of my city and state I've actually seen! I love my local area which explains why I spend a lot of my time around my own suburb. Living on the coast also means I'm not exactly central, but that's no excuse for not getting out more!
I've decided it's time to start making more of an effort to venture out more to places I don't usually see. Spice up your life. It's kind of like treating weekends as a lil' baby holiday. When we're on holidays we tend to make an effort to see the sights, explore shops, try new cafes and restaurants and get involved in the cultural events taking place. So that's how I'm going to approach more of my weekends this year. Let's be honest, life can get a bit flat when we become slaves to routine and comfort. Sure, routine can provide some structure to life, which I at least personally need to function, but what's life without spontaneity, risks and novelty? A little lackluster in my opinion.
On this account, a friend and I set off on a day trip to Guildford for a day of window shopping, boutique browsing and food discovery. The day began with lunch at Gourmet Indulgence - what an enticing name for a cafe, right! The cafe itself was a very cute set up with a very homely feel. The lady at the counter was very welcoming and accommodating, full of suggestions to assist our order. One thing I loved about Gourmet Indulgence is how they are very happy to tweak your order to your exact tastes or in fact prepare something made to order. Of course, there are limitations, but it's nice to know you could rock up for breakfast and order a custom meal.
We took our lunch around the corner in the outdoor area which was furnished with antique and retro furniture. It felt a bit like visiting your grandmas for tea. I had two poached eggs (perfectly runny) on toast with earl grey tea and my friend tried a polenta slice from the cabinet. I should mention, it was a little pricier than expected (mine came to around $19), but I enjoy trying out new places so I wasn't too phased at the time.
The real highlight for me was dessert! As we walked down James Street to Gourmet Indulgence, we passed an adorable cafe called Maddison Cottage which we agreed to visit after for a sweet treat. I love to end a meal with something sweet when eating out. It's pretty much a requisite for me :). There were several tempting options on display and I opted for a slice of the pear and pistachio cake. It was heavenly! And I'm quite fussy when it comes to baked goods as I've been raised with the best with a mum who is a baking whiz.
After filling up on food we began our walk down James Street to check out the local boutiques and stores. It's definitely the strip for antique lovers. We also stopped in on Maylands on the way back to have a quick look around. One shop I fell in love with is Deli which stocks a large range of gourmet food produce. I went on a bit of a mustard bender as you can see below. The middle one was quite a splurge but I am a huge dill fan so I couldn't resist. Hope it lives up to the expectation.
All in all it was a great day and affirmed for me that making an effort to check out neighbourhoods you don't usually experience delivers many rewards (like half a year's supply of mustard).
I'll finish with a snap of Miranda looking effortlessly chic and an editorial that kind of has a gypsy travelers vibe about it. I'm really digging the model's hair. She kind of reminds me of Daisy Lowe.
Happy Sunday Night People
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