by Catherine on April 22, 2013
by Catherine on April 19, 2013
What: We’re popping up at The Village Markets!
Where: Burleigh Heads State School, Burleigh, the Gold Coast
When: This Sunday, April 21, from 8am – 1pm
Why: Because it’s gonna be awesome… Plus you can be the first to get your hands on the new issue of Kinfolk Magazine that arrived today from Portland!
by Catherine on March 12, 2013
A completely perfect day for me would combine sunshine, beautiful food, wandering about looking at cool old things, and leave plenty of time for a swim or two at the beach. So it’s no wonder that after my first visit last month, I’ve fallen head over heels for the pretty town of Bangalow.
Set back in the green hills just 10 minutes drive from Byron Bay, leafy Bangalow is home to artists, brilliant cafes, and more antique emporiums than you could shake a beat up old hand-carved stick at. It’s a shame that there aren’t many bargains still to be had, but if you love a chilled out rummage as much as I do, there’s a lot of good stuff to take in.
For a complete itinerary of all the vintage and antique shops in the Byron Bay / Bangalow / Northern NSW area, I recommend checking the Old Wares Trail listings on Heath’s website. And if you find yourself in Bangalow, I reckon you won’t want to miss:
by Catherine on April 29, 2012
Congratulations to Katherine & Racheal T, winners of the Sweet & Tender candle giveaway! But wait… there’s more!
Leah, maker of these beautiful candles, has very generously created a discount coupon for The Spring’s readers… just enter the coupon code THESPRING10 to get $10 off orders over $35 at the online store. Sweet & Tender also ships for free throughout Australia with no minimum spend, so order up your votives and enjoy!
by Catherine on January 26, 2012
Aaaand we’re back in Brisbane. So much for trawling all the vintage shops and sweet cafes from South East Queensland down to Sydney! We got spooked by news of the flash flooding in Northern New South Wales, so when the road leading out from our mountain retreat finally drained yesterday morning, we bolted for home.
Even with the break in the deluge, the drive from O’Reilly’s out of Lammington National Park wasn’t without incident. The falling rocks on the road were pretty scary, and at one point Mr. Spring successfully cleared a landslip blocking our track with only his cub scout training and a plastic milk crate to aid him. (I kept dry in the car snacking on cheddar and quince paste… but seriously, the men had it all under control).
Now back home in the city, I’ve booked us some weekend flights down to Sydney and made a quick reservation at a fancy restaurant we’ve been meaning to try in town. Just like the creek waters, our vacation momentum is unstoppable!
by Catherine on January 25, 2012
Flash flooding is the natural enemy of a road trip, but if we had to get stuck somewhere we couldn’t have picked a better appointed (or more hauntingly atmospheric) spot. Today we made our own fun on higher ground, scrambling up the slippery ladders of a tree-top walk, splashing through a bush land botanical garden, and taking it easy in the mountain villa’s bubbling hot spa. Road trip day 2 may not have gone quite according to plan, but this is the best wet-weather holiday I’ve ever had!
by Catherine on January 24, 2012
The rainforest of the Gold Coast hinterland is certainly living up to its name, but the drizzle hasn’t stopped us enjoying the spectacular natural beauty of these misty mountains. After a day of winding roads, steamy bush walks (our first encounter with a leech!) and swimming in the rain, getting all tucked up in our mountain villa with mugs of hot chocolate by the roaring fire feels like true escape. Vacation-mode achieved.
by Catherine on December 2, 2011
I’d been to Mt. Warning once before, or at least I’d been to about three kilometres from the parking lot at its base. It was last Anzac Day when our original plan to scale the 1,156m peek unravelled on account of the crowds and rain. But this past Monday Mr. Spring, my Ma and I prevailed, reaching the 360 degree vistas of the summit mere moments before a wall of clouds rolled in and shrouded the valley in a thick rainy fog. The last 400m of the climb involve hauling yourself up a steep rock-face with the aid of a thick chain – not the best bet for those with a fear of heights – and for anyone the hike is a bit of a challenge! By the end we were all in serious need of sustenance so we headed straight for the Rainforest Cafe. It’s a beautiful and relaxed spot tucked just down the road from the national park. Mercifully it was still open at 4pm and their incredibly fresh, flavourful, generously portioned dishes really hit the spot.
by Catherine on October 21, 2011
Whenever I’m at the Gold Coast I always make time to hang out at Gov’s Espresso, Mermaid Beach. Gov’s is more than a coffee shop – it’s a vintage emporium with a seriously good magazine collection, the yummiest sweet and savoury muffins, plus the raddest playlist to set the mood. The place is looking fab after its recent downsize and refurbishment and it’s the perfect space to relax and daydream about long summer days in the pages of periodicals.
via: 1. instagram of Gov’s Espresso; 2. Russh; 3. Wrangler Jeans; 4. Yen ;5. O’Neill Swimwear; 6. Frankie;
by Catherine on September 19, 2011
To celebrate soaring weekend temperatures, this Sunday Mr. Spring and I made an early morning beeline for the coast and The Village Markets. A hugely popular bi-monthly event, the markets are the place for emerging designers, vintage aficionados, and all sorts of other creative types on the Gold Coast to get together and stock up on locally made, mended, and lovingly collected goodies. This Sunday’s offerings included beautifully scented candles, lots of crocheted beachwear, heaps of good-quality festival-worthy clothing, and some striking pieces of jewellery. Marissa and the other organisers of TVM have done a brilliant job of creating a community feeling around the youthful and modern artsy-craftsy culture that has become so wonderfully popular around Australia (Thanks Frankie!).
After we’d done our dash at the markets it was just a hop skip and a splash to the first swim of the season. Burleigh Heads was heaving with revellers, but we managed to find the two most coveted beach must-haves: a spot in the shade with a view over the water, and the perfect cup of home-made ice cream.
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