Noosa just got a whole lot hotter..Cuban Night at Bistro C

So Noosa has been declared the Riviera of Australia. European chic and  international with an abundance of Parisian cafe chairs. Well now you can add a whole new flavour to the mix. How would you like a slice of Cuba with your cocktails on a Wednesday night? Head for Bistro C & treat yourself to a Tie Me Down cocktail and see the hottest Cuban salsa dancers... trust me - it's hot, hot, hot and transports Noosa to a sizzling Latino world.

Perfect for a girls night out, although I'm sure conversation will stop when a certain male dancer takes to the floor. For couples it's a chance to get lost in your own lambada world, even the waiters were swinging their hips between tables, with ours flashing a grin & apology of - 'I just can't help it..I'm Cuban!' If you can help it,  just sit back & indulge in dinner and drink the spicy, Latino atmosphere in. Get there early to catch up over dinner, the music & dancing start at 7.30pm...


Noosa + Cuba + Ubercool Chic Styling of Bistro C = LOVE

 

You can find Bisto C Restaurant & Bar on the beachfront at Main beach overlooking Laguna Bay -  49 Hastings St, Noosa Ph- 5447 2845 or visit their website here.

A Girl, A Beach & A Horse - EQUATHON Noosa

There is nothing quite like the feel of the wind in your hair as you bolt across an open field on horseback. Driving across the golden sands of Noosa North Shore next to the pounding surf of the Coral Sea is the ultimate mix of freedom and adventure.

Now I have found something even more tempting and thrilling. For a truly heavenly experience, you need just three things - a horse, the ocean and galloping across endless miles of gorgeous wild beach.  This is the story of a girl, a beach and a horse and it really is quite the fairytale.

My adventure began at the prestigious award winning Equathon Noosa, home of the best horse riding adventures in Noosa. This special place is owned and operated by champion horse rider, Australian triple Olympian Alex Watson and his partner Rebecca Harr.

Alex fell in love with Noosa and knew this was just the place to bring his dream of creating horse riding adventure tours to life. The landscape and natural beauty are perfect with a choice of trails through the beautiful Noosa Hinterland and access to ride on such a gorgeous stretch of beach.

Now every great adventure has to have a love story and drawn to this horse riding dream, an American traveller named Rebecca left the United States to join one of Alex's week long horse riding trails. Yes - you guessed it. Girl meets her very own cowboy and out on that Noosa Hinterland trail the pair fell in love and change both their lives forever. Don't you just love a good love story and imagine them still riding out there together?

The trail takes us along a bush track filled with wallum grasses, paperbark and scribbly gum trees. Their trunks patterned in erratic, zig zag graffiti tracks from their resident artist scribbly gum moth. It's such an Australian landscape, and so peaceful except for the gentle thud of my Stockhorse's hooves on the ground. When another sound filters through on the breeze my heart skips a beat. The mellow relaxation changes into anticipation as I make out the sound of surf pounding on the coastline and realise we have reached the beach.

Stepping out on to the endless sand and taking in the beauty of the Australian coastline, the feeling of freedom is exhilarating - pure joy. The wide open space is liberating. We have room to stretch out, lead our horses into the shallows and dance along the tide. The more adventurous riders take it in turns bolting along the sand, with the sound of the waves and hooves splashing through the water.

It's a dream held by many - to ride a horse on the beach. Teewah Beach with its dramatic panorama and unspoilt beauty doesn't disappoint. 'Luckiest girl in the world' did run through my mind as I galloped alongside the Coral Sea...

Some come out here on a romantic horseback ride with a marriage proposal in mind. It’s just that kind of lifetime memory. I am green with envy that some local horse owners and trail leaders at Equathon enjoy this landscape to ride on at any time for free. It's not just the beach though, there are many reasons to find your own long-term four legged soul mate here.

The Noosa Hinterland, Rainforest and countryside is gorgeous and the Trail Network here immense. The secret beauty that can only be seen by hiking or horseback is a pilgrimage that must be done.

For visitors to Noosa and locals without their own trusty steed, Equathon offers days of wandering through all this lush beauty and the chance to get to know the diverse landscape on horseback .

The 7 day Bush & Beach Horseback Ride includes the true bushman thrill of a cattle muster on a stock horse. Days spent out exploring on horseback till sunset with dreamy evenings in a luxury B&B's mid-trail is a special kind of escape people come from around the world for.

Equathon's real heart and soul are the beautiful, responsive and well cared for, Australian Stock Horses. The friendly trail leaders love their work, this place and what they do. You can tell this place was born out of love and a dream...

The 2hr  Bush & Beach Ride costs $125.00, the crowning glory is riding along the open coastline of Noosa North Shore. For an extra $40 you can enjoy a private tour and an even more exclusive adventure. All Skills and abilities are catered for.

Equathon organises Escape packages which include beach rides & Noosa accommodation as well as offering a complete horsemanship learn to ride program supervised by Alex. Private coaching from an  Olympic Equestrian - now that's style! You can also bring your own horse to stable at Equathon overnight and experience your own magical sunrise ride on the beach.

The drive to Equathon is an easy journey from the cosmopolitan world of Hastings Street. Just head to Tewantin and cross the Noosa River aboard the sleepy car ferry to find yourself at Noosa North Shore. 

Equathon can be found at Beach Road, Noosa North Shore

Tel -  (07) 5474 2665

For more details visit the Equathon website

It's true there are Wild Horses at Rainbow Beach - Noosa Life&Style's most popular post... it seems like everyone wants to adopt a wild brumby.

Explore Noosa with a 4WD Beach Safari and find a landscape straight out of Ayers Rock in the post The Red Canyon - Noosa North Shore

Dreamy Photo Shoots - When Art & Music Collide

I have completely fallen in love with these dreamy images of local musical duo, He Said She Said, created by talented photographer and artist, Tracy Naughton. More recently still, I was blown away by her gorgeous portrait of artist Evangeline Cachinero as Frida Kahlo.

Tracy was lovely enough to talk to me about her work and these stunning shots on the eve of her next show RIDE - a creative fusion of art & live music...

Tracy..these images of musical duo, He Said She Said are hauntingly beautiful. Did you come up with the location and styling yourself?

Thank you! I did style and find the location myself. I love the vintage look and brought the props and one of the dresses Ayla was wearing to suit the mood and vision I had in my head. Ayla & Michael came dressed for the shoot which turned out to be perfect as well - then we got Ayla into the dress I bought her for a variation. Both styles worked so well and they are such lovely people, it just made the shoot just flow so easily.

Recently you have been working increasingly more with musicians and artists, creating some powerful images. You seem to enjoy capturing the spirit and mood of musicians in your work. Is this something you see yourself doing more of in the future?

I would love to do more work with bands as I have a big affinity to music. It inspires me in many ways, so to be able to surround myself with things that I love is very rewarding.

Is it instinctive how to portray your subject? Does it come from way you see them or the message you feel from their music or art?

Yes definitely. I have ideas of how I see them and discuss it beforehand obviously to make sure it suits their vision also. I think the thing that makes it work is involving the artists as well and making sure they are happy in the outcome.

How important is the link between art and music to you?

The link between art & music for me is basically a blurred line, they go hand in hand like cheese & crackers. Musicians are artists that need conceptual art in some form to promote their product. When I'm creating, I am endlessly inspired by music, so it's a seamless bond.

The intoxicating shoot you did recently with artist, Evangeline Cachinero styled as Frida Kahlo must be a favourite of yours! Was the concept to use portraits of iconic artists as inspiration your idea?

Yes this was my idea, Van had posted something online about when you Google Spanish artists her name is linked to Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali (try it, it's true). I love art history books filled with photographs of amazing artists. I'm fascinated with how they lived and the stylised portraits they participated in. These were artworks in themselves.

As an artist, you seem extremely passionate to promote other artists and the creative movement on the Sunshine Coast. Do you think it is an exciting time to be an artist on the coast?

I think the potential is there. I am excited by what I am seeing and it's definitely growing, but without continued support from our community for our artists, we could lose the momentum. I am just trying to do all I can to help raise awareness that there is something very cool happening and it's there for people to enjoy and immerse themselves in, if they want it.

You're famous for taking breathtaking images of the natural beauty of the Sunshine Coast. Is capturing musicians and artists just more creative food for your soul or are you heading in a new direction?

I love all forms of creativity - it is food for my soul and I would never categorise myself. I'm open to everything and surrounding myself in what I love.

Your latest project has been described as an event to celebrate Arts, Music & Culture on The Sunshine Coast. What can we expect to see at this Saturday's event RIDE?

The night will kick of with He Said She Said - who are the loveliest, talented duo, doing amazing versions of some very popular songs, but also have their own repertoire of original songs. You do not want to miss them, they are on from 6pm..

Then from 8pm, The ever energetic Floating Bridges - a massive crowd pleaser, everyone will be dancing to these local favourites.

On exhibition will be my photographic artworks of Evangeline Cachinero, Artist Claire Matthews, The Floating Bridges, He Said She Said, & The Nowhere Art Group. There is also a bar and light food will be provided.

It's a great night out! We would love to see as many people turn up as possible to support these artists and art in general!

Was this event a long time in the planning?

The ideas started forming around a year ago so. With so many people involved, there was quite a bit of planning to do.

Artist - Claire Matthews shot by Tracy Naughton

Is it too late to get tickets?

No, it's not too late - you can buy them at Backbeat records in Nambour or directly through me and pick up at the door. There will be door sales on the night, but numbers are limited, so I do suggest pre buying tickets.

RIDE is on Saturday 17th March 6pm - 10pm
at Ground Zero Gallery - 80 Howard St, Nambour
Tickets $10 via Backbeat Records or contact Tracy to reserve


The angelic sound of Ayla Scanlan of He Said She Said, who will be featuring at RIDE on Saturday night

Tracy Naughton can be contacted via email at naughtys@bigpond.com​.au or find her on Facebook at Let Me Sea Artwork & Photography here

Visit the Let Me Sea Website to view more of Tracy's gorgeous work.

For more details on the talented contemporary artist Evangeline Cachinero, known as one of the top rising stars of the Australian art world, view her artwork on her website here.
For upcoming news on He Said She Said - find them on Facebook here.

Tandem Surfing & Surf Dogs - Noosa Festival of Surfing is Here!

I have always been slightly in awe of the Surfer Girl. My idea of a day at the beach is slightly less adventurous. This Surfer girl, however, is a whole new breed of cool! I can't get enough of these Tandem Surfer shots and this weekend you can see them for real....

This Sunday brings the Festival of Surfing to Noosa. It's Australia's favourite surf festival and she is turning a milestone 21!

Just one more eye opening suprise for this ex-city girl. It seems like Noosa's Festival of Surfing will bring lots of crazy sights.

A spectacular exhibition of the world's best Tandem Surfing couples will be held on Friday March 16th & Saturday March 17th.

Oh, how I love these images! Meet Lani and her master, former world tandem surfing champion, Chris De Aboitiz, putting in their practice this week for the first official dog surf event in Australia - The Surf Dog Spectacular.There's a special prize for 'Best in Surf'.

 The sport started in the 1920's in Waikiki. There are now huge annual competitions in California & San Diego. As part of the Festival visitors & locals of Noosa will enjoy their own Surf Dog Spectacular to be held on Sunday March 11 from 4.30pm.

 

It’s not all Tandem Surfing or Sea Dogs on Longboards surfing. You can register to compete with or watch stand up paddle boarders, the best longboarders worldwide, tag team surfers, finless and yes...I am really wondering about the family challenge? It's all happening here and in true Noosa Style, you can watch it from the Festival’s specially created Beach Bar. Coronas at sunset, anyone?

The Hawaiian-style Beach Bar will be the centre of a festival village at First Point, with views of all the action in the waves and the entertainment stage from the upper deck. Free live music will kick off each afternoon as soon as the surfing has finished, with BBQ food stalls & wood fired pizza. Enjoy free surf movies, Zumba dancing, fashion parades, celebrity guests – including the world’s best surfers and don’t forget those breathtaking Noosa sunset's.


The Noosa Festival of Surfing starts on Sunday March 11^th and runs through to Saturday March 17^th, 2012. The soul, spirit & magic of Noosa has made this the largest Surf Festival worldwide in terms of competitor numbers - that's not including the surf dogs!

If your dog seems keen to try a new sport - surf dog clinics will be held in the next few weeks in Noosa. Chris De Aboitiz has taught many dogs to enjoy the waves with his Natural Balance Dog Training Program. Details can be found on the Noosa Festival Of Surfing website below.



Chris & Lani enjoying the sunset........

Check out all the details for the Festival at www.noosafestivalofsurfing.com





Images via www.visitnoosa.com ,Sunshine Coast Daily,
www.noosafestivalofsurfing.com

 

Embrace the Rain

It wouldn't be a tropical paradise here if it didn't rain. The countryside wouldn't be full of green rolling hills if it wasn't wet.

So even though it makes the everyday run around a bit more of a challenge this post is to remind you to embrace the rain..it really is beautiful.

Just change the way you look at it. We may as well embrace it as it's looking like it may be planning to stay a while. Which means I get to do one of my favourite pastimes.

I love falling asleep listening to the sound of the rain...

Sharing some of my favourite rainy images to inspire you to be crazy and go outside just to get wet...

Kiss in the rain...

Look up...

Laugh and go dance in the rain with your children...

Remember how amazing it was to taste the rain when you were a kid...

Dress for the occasion...like in these gorgeous red Hunter boots - perfect for stomping through those puddles...

Speaking of beautiful..

Couldn't resist throwing that one in to brighten a rainy day!



Just remember we are lucky because somewhere else someone will...

Because rain gives life. All this glorious rain will make things grow..

There is one more golden lining...Waving goodbye to my 5 year old daughter on her first day of school tomorrow.. maybe nobody will notice my tears through all this rain...

xxx


Images via www.pinterest.com, www.weheartit.com, www.barnesandnoble.com,www.sonubabby.blogspot.com

Ikatan Day Spa - A Balinese Paradise in Noosa

There are lots of hidden gems tucked into the wildness around Noosa. My new favourite? A peaceful sanctuary in a magical garden setting where you can enjoy life in the style of a Balinese Princess. Just ten minutes drive from Hastings Street you will find the Ikatan Balinese Day Spa just off the Eumundi-Noosa Road.

Ikatan Spa promises to be a place of tranquillity for Body, Mind and Soul. In this fast-paced, fast-tracked world it can be hard sometimes to live in the moment and just breathe. At Ikatan from the moment you wander through the gate you enter another world.

A spa treatment in a Balinese garden sounds like a perfect escape and on making my booking at Ikatan, I couldn't help but imagine I was headed for a far off place, with minimum travel time and no passport required..

On arrival at the Ikatan reception, I was greeted warmly & offered the choice of champagne or Iced Tea. I already felt like a much welcomed guest of an island resort who will definitely be staying a while. When you get the chance to escape to a tropical hideaway you should embrace the pleasures in life and naturally I chose the champagne.

Deciding to sink further into Bali style, I purchased my own slice of Ikatan to wear post pedicure and take home. My new Batik Island Flip Flops will help Ikatan to raise money for a Balinese Street Kid Orphanage, a project dear to their hearts.

Life doesn’t get much better than walking through a tropical garden being led to a Balinese pavilion champagne in hand. The only task is to relax on a daybed and take in the surrounds. A tranquil pool lies next to the pavilion in which I would enjoy my chosen treatment - the Ikatan deluxe pedicure.

A tropical Hibiscus flower lies as if in offering outside and Balinese handmaiden statues gracefully caress the Koi filled pond . Sitting back on my daybed with my feet lovingly placed in a Zen bowl of calming water, I felt like I was on my own beautiful island. I was so relaxed and calm, this was an island I could stay on a long time.

Subtle music floats through the air and a large glass wall next to me lets me watch the paradise outside. Beautiful white gardenia flowers spread across the ground. It is all so wild and green and fertile and seems the perfect match to really awaken all your senses and finally just breathe...

Occasionally a goddess of Ikatan wanders past along the garden pathways wearing Batik trousers and bearing trays of refreshments to hidden destinations throughout the rainforest. As my feet are lovingly restored, the atmosphere of this peaceful secret garden and the soothing sound of a small fountain lulls me to another level of relaxation.

Butterflies dance and small birds come down to drink from the pond next to my daybed – it’s like you are a part of the garden, the nature around you keeps going and immerses you in this much slower and more detailed world. You are conscious of minutes stretching – our fast-paced world completely forgotten inside this Balinese retreat.

The sign no mobile phones or children ensures this solitude and quiet time is all for you and nothing will disturb your inner Zen as your attentive therapist caters to your every whim.

My feet were massaged, exfoliated and buffed to perfection. Not long into my treatment they took on a polished and pampered holiday glow. At one stage my ankles and heels were painted with a nourishing poultice with the gentle strokes of a paintbrush. This was definitely heaven and I could have easily drifted off to sleep and missed the huge lizard that wandered past the window in the rainforest outside.

If you were coming with a partner or girlfriend you are welcome to bring your own bubbles for post relaxation and pre-order a delectable Meze platter for two to enjoy in your own sanctuary of the garden. I think this is a perfect excuse to stay longer – after my treatment I really don’t want to leave.

As I am gently led back along the path to reception in my batik flip-flops with my perfectly polished toes, I pass doorways and wonder at what bliss some lucky person is experiencing behind it, and start planning my next visit to this little Balinese village of peace.

The owners of Ikatan have created something really special. Their love for the Indonesian island of Bali is apparent in the environment they have created and the ingredients and treatments on offer at the Ikatan spa.

I am so glad they had the vision to bring to Noosa such a perfect piece of paradise and can't wait to sample more. The Tropical Luxe style of Noosa and the Island Style of Bali is a marriage made in heaven and the setting and decadent spa treatments on offer at Ikatan has seen it listed as one of the top five Best Destination Spa Experience in Australia in the Australian Travel Awards.

If visiting Noosa without transport, Ikatan will personally transfer guests booking a minimum 2 hr treatment to and from your hotel.

Ikatan also offers a decadent High Tea in the gardens with a package of spa treatments for the ultimate girly gathering, birthday celebration or bridal party. There is also has a range of couples packages for those looking for a romantic holiday escape to Bali, Ikatan Style...

Visit the Ikatan Website here

Ikatan can be contacted on (07) 5471 1199

Find Ikatan Balinese Day Spa at
46 Grays Road,
Doonan - Queensland - 4562

Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm - Sunday by appointment

For more spa stories check out Would you pay for a fish to eat your feet in the name of beauty?

Would you pay for a fish to eat your feet...in the name of beauty?

Normally here I am sharing life's beautiful things but there is just something I can't get my head around...


People are paying money for the princess (!) like feeling of putting their feet in a tank of Garra Rufa fish in a now popular salon treatment called the Fish Pedicure.


Garra Rufa fish feast on the dead skin on your feet, tickling you as they nibble away...the results are apparently amazingly soft skin with fish pedicure salons as common now as your popular nail bar all across Asia, Europe, the USA and now the UK. The fish get fed and your feet get exfoliated...


Does this look like something you would like to experience? Something you would actually pay to have done?

No...I'm sorry...you just can't make this look glamorous!


Well millions are! Including one member of my family in England, although my Aunt does say "No, I don't do the fish nibbling feet thing anymore...”

This bizarre sentence over a glass of wine prompted a confused response from me. Soon enough I was aware of this shocking new craze in the name of beauty or call it life experience. I had entered the alarming world of the fish pedicure. There it was online - images to shock me everywhere. After my laughter died down - I just still couldn't believe it was true...


So now I am wondering if I am in the minority who find this discovery hysterically funny and then frankly, well just completely gross...


What do you think has the world gone mad?

I know women suffer in the name of beauty...I believe in the opposite however and prefer a more holistic pampered approach called a day spa...



If I could I would follow the quest for inner and outer beauty with a week long retreat of spa treatments, Zen food and yoga...in the hills of Byron at Gaia Retreat and Spa - one day please...

Pedicure's are my thing...my special treat in Sydney was to be pampered in the art deco heaven of the pedicure room at the gorgeous Gillian Adams Spa in leafy Turramurra...one of the North Shores secret well loved spots.



A pedicure followed by a gourmet lunch with the girls in the perfectly manicured sunny courtyard... feels like a week’s holiday and you could easily imagine that perhaps you and your perfectly manicured toes were actually sipping your glass of wine in Provence...

Unfortunately he is not guaranteed to be in the hydrotherapy pool when you visit...



This week I am looking forward to checking out the famous Noosa Balinese inspired retreat...the Ikatan Day Spa in Doonan and there will be no flesh eating fish....maybe just a frangipani floating in the water - the way the world should be..

For now our laws are the only thing stopping the Fish Pedicure salon experience from popping up in every local shopping centre here. Garra Rufa fish, are exported from Turkey and are prohibited to be imported into Australia.



In some states of the USA, fish pedicure's have been banned. This is due to the hygiene risks involved with, well, how do you sterilise a fish that just sucked on someone else’s feet? Not to mention the waste products of someone else’s dead skin passed through the fish in your tank later...ok, enough said.



So nothing in my foot spa except a frangipani please!

My idea of a perfect pedicure via Ikatan Balinese Day Spa





To indulge in a much more glamorous and indulgent experience...with no fishy friends involved...

When in Noosa spoil yourself at the Ikatan Day Spa at

46 Grays Road,
Doonan Queensland
Tel - (07) 5471 1199

In Byron Bay find your own personal Utopian Sanctuary in the Hills (as close to heaven as it gets) at the Gaia Retreat and Spa

933 Fernleigh Road
Brooklet, NSW, Australia
Tel - (02) 6687 1216

When in Sydney indulge at the temple that is known as the Gillian Adams Day Spa

1356 Pacific Highway
Turramurra
Sydney NSW 2074
Tel - (02) 9488 9944



SO - have you tried a fish pedicure? Do you like the idea? If you are local do you wish we had these in Australia or are you as shocked as me?!