I'm famous!

I can't believe I haven't told you guys this yet. Yes, it's true, I am in the latest issue of Cleo. See, that's me on the cover (ha! I kid! As IF I would wear my dress that long).

I'm on this months Beauty Panel (page 74/75), where I got given some cool beauty products to play with (All About Glo illuminator and Nak dry shampoo) and then I got to write reviews for them. It was so much fun, and I'm really thankful to Cleo for the opportunity to see my ugly mug in print.

On that, I recommend the All About Glo illuminator. It comes in a super-easy to use little pump bottle, goes on smooth, and gives a natural, healthy glow. I have used it almost every day since Rachael the beauty ed gave it to me and I'm almost out now. I will definitely be replacing it!

Price: $19.95
From: Priceline
Why you need it: To make your skin look all plump and glowy when you have the enthusiasm of a deflated balloon at the end of a Christmas party.

Mama Mia! (sorry for getting the song stuck in your head)

I grew up on a steady diet of Dolly, Cleo and Cosmo, so Mia Freedman was someone who was very much part of my formative years. In fact, when I moved house a few years ago I had to get rid of my collection of Cosmo's, Cleo's and Dolly's from the 90s and it was tough (I kept some, but don't tell Boyfriend)! It's amazing to look back at old mags and see what was in fashion, what topics were being discussed and which celebs we were emulating (this is where I drop the word zeitgeist, cos it's a good word).

So I was very excited to read Mia's memoirs about her years in magazine land - she talks about the cover of issues I know I bought and articles I know I read. It's also a total spin out to hear (read?) her talking about people she worked with and offices she sat in while I'm thinking 'I work with those people! I have been in that office!' since my Real Life Day Job is at the same company she was once with.

Mia has a really great writing style so the book is easy to devour. I tell you what though, it must have been a tough one for her to write. She has really laid her soul bare, talking about her kids, her relationships and her miscarriage. I will admit to trying to read through tear-filled eyes; I couldn't see what I was reading but I had to know what happened next!

I won't ruin the ending (it involves a carrot and a donkey) but I recommend you give it a go. Hopefully you take away the same message I did - it's ok to drop the ball occasionally and you don't have to have it all to be happy.

Price: $30.99
From: Borders
Why you need it: To get a different perspective on magazine land and an insight into balancing a high flying career and a growing family.

Picture credit: mamamia.com.au

Get Look Book, look amazing. Simple.

Have I mentioned before how much I love PRIMPED? Honestly, my morning routine at work goes like this: 1 - turn on computer 2 - fetch breakfast (cinnamon and brown sugar oats with lite white) 3 - load up work email 4 - load up personal email 5 - load up PRIMPED. Notice that even before I do any work I need my PRIMPED fix? Zoe and Yasemin both write really clever and witty blogs, there are loads of how-to videos and it's a great place for keeping up with what's hitting counters now. Which is obviously good for me since I have a serious shopping addiction, particularly when it comes to cosmetics.

I'm sure I have also mentioned how much I love magazines (no? well there you go) so horray horray I was delighted to hear PRIMPED produced a spring/summer look book full of products, trends and how-to's for the warmer months. Produced in print. Paper. Mini magazine. I love the internet for the immediacy of delivery, but there is something special about the tangibility of the printed word. Glossy pages, all shiny and inviting with that newly inked smell.
...
Sorry, I went to my happy place for a minute there.

So the look book walks you through the top 10 trends for SS0910, hair makeovers, skin tricks and the newest and greatest products. What would you expect to pay for something like this? I'll bet you said some money, right? Well, how does no money sound? Is that something you might be interested in? All you have to do is pop into one of the big 4 David Jones stores (that would be Elizabeth St Syd, Bondi Junction Syd, Bourke St Melb or Queens Plaza Bris) and ask any of the lovely cosmetics girls on the floor.

Price: free!!
From: David Jones - or if you can't make it instore, you can always flick through the digital version
Why you need it: So you can be pretty for summer! Prop it up on your dressing table for daily inspiration.

Picture credit: primped.com.au

Magazines Go Live, Sydney sees rise in paper people running around

Magazines Go Live - my brain immediately conjured up images of little magazines sprouting arms, legs and little googly eyes. I have no idea how my brain works sometimes. But Magazines Go Live is a big 3 day fun-fun-festival of fashion, beauty, celebrities and music put on by ACP Magazines* as part of their 30 Days of Fashion and Beauty Festival which runs throughout the month of September. Tell me more, I hear you ask, tell me when this amazing spectacular is occuring! It's this weekend. For reals. Friday, Saturday and Sunday (11, 12, 13).

What you need to know...
Price: $50 BUT it's buy 1 get 1 free, so really you just need a friend and it's only $25 and you get a $35 goodie bag so really you make $10 profit if you think about it! (don't think about it too much)
Where: Royal Hall of Industries at Fox Studios (I refuse to call it Entertainment Quarter - it will always be Fox Studios or The Old Showground to me)
But what if I am a VIP?: Well aren't you fancy. Lucky for you there is a VIP launch party on the Friday night. Tickets are $295, but again they are BOGOF, so find a buddy and slice that down to $147.50 each. Plus, Chris Isaak is playing and baby, he can do a bad bad thing to me any day.
What's in it for me?: Apart from the aforementioned goodie bag, there are hourly fashion shows, free manis, hair styling, wine and cocktails, spray tans, palm readings and performances from various musical acts like Ricki-Lee, Cassie Davis, Axle and meet and greets with the Idol top 12 and the boys from Bondi Rescue (incidentally, I saw Dr Chris Brown the Bondi Vet/Bondi lifeguard today and WOW...mouth to mouth please). Basically, it's a great big girlie frou-frou fest. Leave the boyfriend at home for this one.
The other boring details: Friday 10-5, Saturday 10-8, Sunday 10-6. Tickets from Ticketek.

Why you should go: It will be fun! Who doesn't love a bit of girlie time with some pampering and fashion.

Picture credit: ticketek.com.au

*Disclosure: My real life daytime job is at the company hosting this event. If some gorgeous chick approaches you with a clipboard and a video camera, be sure to say hi!

I heart Marc Jacobs

Truly. I heart Marc Jacobs. Me and MJ...we're tight.

This is definitely one of the most exciting purchases I have made in a while. (Fickle? Me?) Every season Marc by Marc Jacobs puts out a seasonal collection catalogue and a tote bag with it. So you get to own a Marc by MJ tote for cheapsies! I have been toting (ha) around my Spring/Summer 2008 tote for aaaaaages (the black and white one on the left). I use it to carry my lunch, haul my gym gear and even as a handbag every now and then. So SUPER EXCITEMENT +++ that the new 2009 Fall/Winter collection magazine with tote bag is now available. It really doesn't matter to me that 95% of the magazine is in Japanese (that's the mag just below with the flowers on it). So what? The pictures are pretty. It's their most recent ads, the new collection, pics and bios of the M by MJ staff and some other stuff which I'm sure is very interesting. Total visual fashion porn. On that note, let's make this post less about words and more about pictures.

The bag itself is black canvas with a cute apple and heart pattern and an inside pocket (see just above on the right). It's bigger than the previous bag I had too, so will be beach appropriate as well as gym, shopping and generally just being awesome.

Honestly, where else could you buy Marc by Marc Jacobs so cheaply?!


Price: $29.68 (yes...68c)
From: Kinokuniya (so 10% off if you have a K card)
Why you need it: for the Marc by Marc Jacobs tote! Oh, and I'm sure it's an awesome read if you can read Japanese.

Picture credit: my Canon Ixus 85IS and awesome skillz (yes, skillz with a z)

Glossy pages

You know how much I love magazines, right? I adore the smell and the feel of a brand new mag, all glossy and inviting. Pages filled with pretty, shiny things for me to ooh and aah over. When it comes to my glossy titles, I have my favourites but I like to read most of them. Some have been getting better with age, like the new Shop Til You Drop that came out today. I'm not religious at all, but that magazine is my bible. I had a quick flick this afternoon and I have already spotted half a dozen things I will be investing in. This mag never lets me down and is a budgeted-for purchase every month. (Review to come soon i.e. once I read it!)

Other titles have been up and down recently, producing amazing content one month and then average the next. How many times does a mag have to be average before it falls out of the routine? Harper's Bazaar used to be a favourite of mine and then each month I was more and more disappointed until I skipped a few months and it was out of the routine. But I love Grazia and I always enjoyed Edwina McCann's columns, so I figured new editor, new leaf and I gave Harper's Bazaar another chance this month. I was pleasantly surprised.

What I liked (in point form):

• It flowed really well. Everything was in a logical order and was like a good book that you couldn't put down.
• Great variety in the fashion shoots. I love Christine Centenera's styling for the drama and Mark Vassallo's for the quirkiness so it was nice having one spread from each of them plus one from Claudia Navone. Having all the shoots from different people means you get a bunch of different perspectives on fashion.
• Interesting features - loved the Trips To Take Now travel piece (planning a yoga retreat to Thailand in my imagination) and What Your Clothes Say About You (very very funny).
• I liked the Sienna Miller photo shoot. Don't tell anyone because I normally don't like Sienna, but the photo spread was kind of amazing.
  
• I actually flagged things to buy/websites to visit/things to read again. The sign of a great magazine to me is how many page corners I turn down, and there were plenty of bent pages when I was done.
  

Will I buy Harper's Bazaar again next month? Quite possibly. Was I pleased with this issue? Definitely. Would I recommend it? Pick one up on the next visit to the newsagents.

Price: $7.95
From: supermarket or newsagent
Why you need it: To drool over amazing fashion and be inspired by glam styling. I may never be able to afford anything in the pages of Harper's Bazaar, but I always take a few extra minutes picking an outfit the day after I read it.

Picture credit: harpersbazaar.com.au & shoptilyoudrop.com.au

Happy birthday bella!

Well done me. Post about a Monday magazine on a Thursday. Whatever.

Happy Birthday Grazia!

Can you believe this beautiful magazine is celebrating its first birthday already?! Well I guess I can believe it since I have every single issue piled up on my bookshelf and I can't fit any more on the pile now (new year = new pile). How has this shining bastion of fashion and news evolved over the past year? Great covers, witty columns, inspiring fashion and to-die-for food. I flicked through the first few issues this week and it's amazing to see just how much it has evolved. There is a much better balance now of expensive and affordable fashion. It's the right mix of celebrity and real news. And the food...oh gosh the food...

Matthew Evans' Out of the Pantry column is drool-worthy every single week. He has a simple yet passionate way of describing food and I challenge you to read a column and not want to either a) fire up the stove and/or b) move to the country and grow your own fresh produce.

So how do I enjoy Grazia? I always go straight to the editors letter (Editor-in-chief Alison is deliciously crazy), then Matthews Evans column, then High Maintenance...just got higher by the hilarious Lucinda Pitt. After that I go front to back and devour every single page. I'm a flagger as well, so I always fold the corner on interesting stories, things I might want to buy or websites I want to check out.

What was the point? Oh, that's right. Basically I love Grazia. It's a great mag and I'm looking forward to many more birthdays.

Price: normally $5, this week $2.50
From: supermarkets and newsagents
Why: Fashion and news in a great format

Picture credit: Grazia.com.au