Pearth organic kitchen review

PEARTH Organic Kitchen  

PEARTH is all about creating wholesome and healthy food. We don’t prescribe to any particular diet. On our menu you will find food to feed the gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian and meat eating people of Perth. What you won’t find in our food is processed products or refined sugars. We cook this way because we believe that health is the natural consequence of using whole foods, organic ingredients and conscious cooking techniques.

Over the past few years the Perth brunch scene has taken off, meaning my 'to visit' list has got ever longer. When Pearth opened in West Leederville I knew I had to visit, with an incredible menu focusing on wholesome and nutritious food and enough options to keep any vegetarian or vegan happy for days.

I met Catherine mid morning and was pleasantly surprised to find two empty tables, we grabbed menus and started deciding what to have. Catherine went for the banana bread and I went for an acai bowl. 

How incredible does it look? Catherine assured me it tasted just as good as it looked, if not better. 

Two pieces of fresh banana bread divided by laters of coconut yoghurt, house-made berry chia jam, fresh fruit and drizzled with maple syrup, Vegan and gluten free. $17.50

Kommunity Brew in Wild Jasmine ($8) is my all time favourite Kombucha, it's made here in Perth and tastes incredible! 

PEARTH have a hearty list of smoothie bowls, but with a little bit of advice from one of the staff I decided to go for a trusty acai bowl, it was totally delicious and the serving was so generous I had to pour the remainder in to a smoothie cup to take home. The PEARTH acai bowl is quite possibly the best acai bowl in Perth! 

Acai bowl containing acai, blueberries, banana, cacao, dates, almond milk served with fresh fruit and house-made granola. Vegan with gluten free option available. $17.50 

Our food was served really quickly, and I'm sure you'll agree the presentation and serving sizes are amazing. The service was great and the decor inside is light, bright and modern. Price wise, it's on par with other trendy brunch locations across the city. 

PEARTH Organic Kitchen

106c Cambridge Street West Leederville 

Monday - Friday 6:30am - 3pm 

Saturday + Sunday 7:30am - 3:30pm

Have you visited PEARTH Organic Kitchen before?

xo

Where to spend New Years Eve in Perth 2016

There is quite literally something for everyone in Perth this New Years, whether you want to welcome 2017 singing along to Frozen with the family, watching fireworks on the beach, jumping around in a mosh pit or drinking cocktails all night with your girl gang- Perth has you covered.

I've scoured the web for the best New Years Eve events in Perth and made a quick list, there really is something for everyone....

Perth New Years events for 18+ 

hint - click on the title to get more info / book tickets 

New Years Eve at Wolf Lane (18+)

Discover what's behind the hidden door on Wolf Lane this New Years Eve. One of Perth's best small bars has planned the ultimate new years soiree of juice and jivin' - $70 gets you a loaded apple cocktail on arrival and a selection of delecious treats through the night. With DJ Philly Blunt on the decks from 8pm, it's set to be an incredible night. If you've not been to Wolf Lane before, the atmosphere is always incredible and the bar's always filled with friendly people.


New Orleans Leederville Mardi Gras  (18+)

4 of Leedervilles best venues have joined forces to bring the Mardi Gras party spirit to Perth this New Years, your ticket grants you roaming access across The Garden, Bills, Babushka and Blue Flamingo. There's a mix of amazing DJs, roving entertainment, street food and a drink on arrival all for a reasonable $65.

Coast Port Beach New Years Eve Party (18+)

Want to watch the final sunset of 2016 at Perth's best new beachside bar? Then this one's for you. Coast Port Beach opened at the start of summer and has quickly become one of Perth's most popular beach side venues, with a friendly beach house vibe it's the perfect place for any occasion. Just $25 gets you a ticket for the Coast Port Beach New Years Party, you'll be greeted with a glass of champagne and light canapés and there's drinks specials on all night long.

Midnight in Cali at the Guildford Hotel (18+)

After undergoing an incredible transformation, The Guildford Hotel re-opened it's doors in 2016. This year The Guildford Hotel is throwing a Midnight in Cali New Years Party, with a 4 hour inclusive food and drinks package featuring the Tanqueray Gin garden bar, Nitro espresso Martinis and an In-N-Out burger bar to name just a few! Tickets start at just $100, there's also a shuttle bus service on offer for the night.


Redfest at Redhill Auditorium (18+)

For the metal kids who want to see out 2016 in a mosh pit, Redhill Auditorium have you covered. Party like there's no tomorrow with a lineup including Deez Nuts, Saviour, Hellions and Northlane before counting out 2016 with The Amity Affliction. Tickets are $90 and there's shuttle buses leaving from across Perth.

Origin NYE 2016 (18+)

If metal's not your thing but you still want to jump around this New Years, check out Origin. Celebrating it's tenth year, Origin is one of Perth's best music festivals. This years line up includes A$AP Rocky, Chase and Status & Pendulum. Tickets are on their final release at $180.

Perth New Years events for families 

New Years on Rottnest 

Could there be a better way to spend the last day of 2016, than on Perth's island paradise? There's a stack of free events happening on Rottnest this New Years eve, from roaming performers and face painting to food trucks and silent discos. Karma are also offering a free pool party with DJs to help you dance your way out of 2016, and then to finish the day there's going to be a firework display over the beautiful Thompson Bay. Rottnest Express are offering free travel for those under 12 and $55 return fares for adults, they've even put on late night ferries to get you home!

New Years Eve Frozen Sing-a-Long 

As part of Perth City's New Years eve celebrations they've arrange every 5 (and 25) year olds dream, a Frozen sing a long. It's free to attend, simply grab your besties and head to Northbridge Piazza for 4:30pm.  Perth City have put on a whole range of activities around Northbridge on New Years Even, you can check the full range at Visit Perth City everything is family friendly and completely free!


Where will I find you this New Years Eve?

xo

2016 beauty favourites

I can't believe 2016 is coming to an end already, it feels like it was March only yesterday! 

My hair and beauty product collection has quadrupled through the year, so I thought I'd take 5 minutes to give you guys the run-down of my favourite products I've found this year....

Essano coconut milk hydrating shampoo and conditioner / $15.99 / Priceline

Perfect for hair which needs a little TLC, these products are plant based and contain no nasty parabens or sulphites they also smell incredible and leave hair soft and shiny.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge / $16.99 / Priceline 

Literally a miracle for applying foundation and concealer, the round sides are perfect for blending makeup and the flat edge and precision tip make flawless application around your eyes and nose super easy! *

White Glo Bright Nights / $8.00 / Most supermarkets and large chemists

These White Glo whitening films are incredible, simply peel them from the packet and stick over clean teeth for a quick fix whitening treatment. Perfect before a night out or big event! 

Yves Saint Lauren Black Opium EDT / from $99 / most department stores 

With top notes of coffee, heart notes of white florals, jasmine and orange blossom and base notes of vanilla, cedar and patchouli this perfume is the perfect mix of sweetness and rock chick. The smell is almost addictive-I literally can't stop reaching for it. 

Loreal Nude Magique Cushion foundation / from $16 / most pharmacies

I finally found a foundation which matches my skin tone perfectly, this formula is absolutely incredible with a sheer - medium coverage it leaves me with the perfect glow and has built in SPF 29.  It comes with a sponge in the pack, however I team it with my complexion sponge for flawless coverage.

LUSH million dollar moisturiser / $54.95 / LUSH 

A little bit goes a long way with this beautiful moisturiser from Lush. Filled with nourishing shea butter and nutrient rich sesame oil it leaves my skin wonderfully hydrated. It also has reflective pigments which create a beautiful glow, I love mixing it with foundation for a dewy look! *

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brown Pen / $38 / Sephora

My go-to for day to day perfect brows, the colour match is great and it literally only takes seconds to fill in my brows before heading out for the day, and it doesn't budge either which is awesome. 

L'Oreal False Lash Superstar Mascara / from $25 / most pharmacies 

I've honestly never had so many compliments on my eyelashes, this 2 step primer/ mascara eliminates the need for false lashes. First coat lashes with the white primer then layer on the black mascara, it lasts all day with no fall out at all...uhhhhmazing. 

Clinique Chubby Stick lip balm / $36 / most beauty and department stores

I've loved these lip balms since they were first released, Fuller Fig is my perfect day to day colour and the formula which is loaded with hydrating mango and shea butters, leaves my lips perfectly hydrated. 

Beauty Killer Palette - see below 

Moon child palette- see below 

Vanillary solid perfume / $9.95 / LUSH

Sweet, yet sophisticated this solid perfume melts into skin and leaves subtle notes of vanilla, tonic and jasmine. A little bit goes a long way. I also love layering this with 'Imogen Rose' solid perfume to  smell like the lush rose jam range. *

Real techniques expert face brush / $22.99 / Priceline 

There's not a beauty blogger in the world who doesn't own some Real Techniques brushes for good reason, they're incredible! Designed by beauty gurus Sam and Nic Chapman, this brush is the best seller in the range, it's Ultra firm and broad for application and blending of cream or liquid foundation, the bristles are super soft and 100% cruelty free. I also find this brush perfect for contouring! 

Real techniques brush cleansing gel / $17.99 / Priceline

Gone are the days of washing my brushes with soap, this formula gives brushes a deep clean restoring them to their former glory. 

Redken Beach Envy Wave Aid / $31.50 / Redken salons

This salt-free beach spray is amazing, it gives the most incredible boost of volume and creates perfect fresh-off-the-beach texture without the sand or salt water! 

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray / $23 mini or $49 full size / Mecca 

Absolutely miracle worker, a few sprays and makeup stays put for up to 16 hours. It has built in 'heat control' technology to help your skin stay cooler even in the Perth heat! 

Palmers facial cleansing oil / $14.99 / Priceline

Facial cleansing oil rose to fame in 2016, at first I was skeptical but quickly ditched the micellar water I'd sworn by for years in favour of this. Infused with oils and botanicals this gentle formula is perfect for sensitive skin, makeup removes quickly and skin is left feeling hydrated.

R and Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo / $29 / R and Co salons

R and Co are relatively new to the Australian market but their products are incredible. This dry shampoo is perfect for refreshing hair between washes and smells divine, I love the mini version (pictured) as it's perfect to pop in your hand luggage before a trip away*

Jeffrey Star Beauty Killer Eyeshadow Palette  / $65 / online only

Thought Jeffrey Star disappeared along with myspace? You are wrong. The scene superstar re-rose to fame this year with his cult beauty products. Beauty Killer is a 10 shadow palette, each shadow is packed with intense pigment, with a mix of matte, frost & glitter shades this palette is ridiculously versatile! 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Glowkit / $40 USD / online only

Sadly only available from the US this amazing highlighter palette is absolutely amazing. ABH has taken the beauty world by storm this year and these beautiful highlighters are no exception, perfect for every skin tone and makeup style the pigment builds quickly and effortlessly and lasts all night.

What are your 2016 beauty favourites?

xo

Please note, some of the products featured in this post have been received as press samples through the year, however this has absolutely no influence on my love for them 

Two years in Australia

At the end of September 2014 we packed up our lives and made the move to Western Australia.
One year on I wrote a re-cap about our first year in Australia, the first year was most definitely a rollercoaster of emotions and adjusting to living in a new culture, but by the end of the first year I had just started to find my feet and was starting to feel settled in Perth.

So what was year 2 like?

As we finished our first year in Australia we both were working pretty good jobs and had just moved in to a beautiful old cottage in Wembley with a swimming pool and beautiful tropical garden for the summer. We packed up our bags for a long weekend and head to Sydney  (psst click for sydney blog posts) where we got to know some of Australia's most iconic landmarks like the Opera House and Bondi Beach. We had an awesome time, but felt much more at home when we got back to Perth. 

It was relatively plain sailing counting out the rest of the year, we got to know Perth city a little better and at the middle of December welcomed Dan's family for a month. We celebrated christmas with the English family and the family who already live in WA, spent time on their boat, playing on paddle boards and watching dolphins in Mandurah. 

Not long after Dan's family flew back to England we hopped on a flight to Brisbane and explored the tropical Gold Coast. We teamed our flights to land not long after my mum, who was visiting a friend from England, and after a week in Brisbane we all flew back over to Perth. The timing was impeccable (I can't lie it was totally planned) as mum was able to help us pack up our short term rental to move up the coast into a longer term rental. We had a few short days with mum in the new house before she went back to the UK. It was heartbreaking as ever waving her goodbye, knowing she's so far away. Whilst mum was visiting I gained a clinical nursing position in the community.

At the start of March we welcomed number three in to our mini family, Jessie the border collie. Our lives changed forever and we fell totally in love with our crazy little ball of fur. The next few months were filled with walks, puppy school, crate training, obedience training and doggy day care (yes, it's a real thing). There were some horrid nights of being awake all night, but slowly Jessie somehow made us feel more and more at home, and after a camping trip for my birthday in April, where we spent the weekend watching her run up and down the beach, I thought I really really like living here. There was a love forming like nothing I had ever imagined, for a four legged friend, so unconditional that all the sleepless nights, peed on carpets and chewed shoes seemed so insignificant. 

The next few months were a total blur, and I grew to totally neglect blogging and social media. Our lives became balancing acts, but we formed amazing new friendships with people at work, started taking the 4WD out more and generally started to feel like Perth was becoming home. Almost in sync, both our careers took off and we expectations at work increased, we saved every cent we earned   and our evenings quickly became consumed with working from home. 

After a few months of work, work, work I realised I was beyond unhappy in my job and despite it sounding incredible on paper I was unsupported and over worked. A break was much needed so when an email landed in my inbox from a hotel in Bali we realised it was a sign we had to go and not long after we were floating in a pool with a Bintang in hand, the holiday flew by and on the way back I turned to Dan and said 'where are we going?' and he replied 'home'. 

When we got back we spoke at length and crunched numbers and realised the stress, the toll on my health and the lack of free time at my job just wasn't worth it..so one Monday morning, not long after getting back from Bali, I bounced in to my managers office resignation in hand. 

I felt a new wave of motivation and creativity. I threw myself in to new hobbies, jumped out of bed at 6am and felt a fire burning inside me that had been put out months before. The stars obviously aligned quite quickly, because before I had even worked my notice I had landed an incredible new role with identical pay but a lot less hours. 

I started my new job at the middle of September and was able to maintain my new hobbies, my twice daily dog walks and occasional stops at the gym for spin class. By the end of September we decided that Perth would be our home for a good few years, so started researching buying our first house together and hope to be in to something new in the next 6 months.

Once again, it's been a total rollercoaster, however we have grown umpteen amounts. We are no longer young people, but young adults with career paths and yearly plans, we have our own fur child who is the most incredible ray of sunshine on the darkest days. 

xo

Top 5 packing hacks

There's nothing I hate more than not being able to fit everything I could possibly need in my suitcase for a trip away. I've learnt so many sneaky ways to make the most of my luggage over the years so thought it was about time to share them with you.

1. Write a list of what you need before you go. 

It sounds super simple but it avoids a) packing too much and b) leaving an essential at home (you know like your toothbrush, makeup wipes or emergency box of tampax)! Packing a capsule wardrobe filled with simple pieces makes mixing and matching much easier and saves so much room- I'm also fond of doing a 'test run' before my holiday to see if I've got any spare room in my case for an extra pair of shoes. If you're not great at list writing, there's hundreds of 'packing lists' available online! 

2. Roll or bundle your clothes.

Without a doubt, rolling clothes is the most space efficient way to pack and reduces wrinkles en route. Simply lay clothes flat and roll up before packing into your case, making sure to pack them in tightly to prevent them unravelling whilst on board. There's also the 'military roll' which is great for t-shirts or if the roll technique isn't for you, try bundle or 'clown car' packing. This space saving technique whereby you lay clothes in your suitcase with some overhanging (i.e the arms of the shirt), layer other items over at a right angle and tuck it all in over each other (google it- it's much easier than it sounds).

3. Make the most of your carry on luggage.

Most airlines offer between 5-10kg of carry on, make sure you check your entitlements including dimensions of bags, whilst packing. If allowed, I try to take one larger bag and one smaller one for airport essentials like my passport, purse, book and phone. In the larger bag I like to pack more essentials- a change of clothes, spare undies and toiletries. Great for freshening up mid-flight and in case of a bag loss emergency when you arrive at your destination.

4. Layer some tumble dryer sheets in your bag. 

Simple, but so good! Grab a couple of dryer sheets from your cupboard and pop them in your case before you leave, your clothes will smell fabulous when you arrive and throughout your trip, even after a couple of wears. It's also a life saver if the hotel room and wardrobe don't smell the greatest when you arrive.

5. Pre-book excess baggage before you get to the airport. 

Getting caught at the airport with excess baggage is every traveler’s nightmare, so weigh your suitcase in advance and send your excess baggage through World Baggage, the leading Australian excess baggage company. Doing so could save you up to 70% compared to airline fees and they offer a pick up service from your front door and the ability to track your belongings throughout their journey. Using it is simple-- enter the details of your bag(s) on their easy quote tool and receive a quote instantly online, you can choose different options to get your baggage to your destination safely and on time, either before or after you leave home.

What are your top packing hacks?

This post was written in collaboration with World baggage. Picture via pinterest. 

hiring a driver in bali

In Bali you have two options when it comes to getting around, hiring a scooter or hiring a driver. Hiring a scooter (around $5 a day) is probably not the best idea, the roads are ridiculously busy and your travel insurance probably won't be valid for starters but it's also hot, sweaty and just a bit of a pain in the bum. Hiring a driver however gives you a locals expert knowledge of the roads, secret spots and gets you an air conditioned car for the day, a full day with a driver starts at around $40 AUD depending on how many days you book and how well you know the driver, but realistically you can expect to pay $50-60. I'd also recommend throwing in a tip and offering to buy your driver lunch. There's literally 1000s to choose from if you scroll through tripadvisor you'll find some incredible reviews, make sure you book well in advance. We used Semiton Bali Tour on our recent trip and the guys were incredible. 

Knowing we were pushed for time on our trip we asked the tour company for some advise on things to do to get the right mix of culture, history and natural beauty. The driver picked us up from our hotel reception just after breakfast and we set off on our journey into Bali.

Our first stop was at a beautiful old temple, we paid the temple guards for sarongs (donation) and spent time wondering the temple grounds. I didn't take any photos or write down the name- bad blogger.

From there we set off to Tegenungan waterfall, we totally underestimated the steps to get down to the falls so decided to take the chance to grab an ice cold beer in a shop looking out over the falls instead. It was a pretty sensible choice given the heat! 

From there we head out to Ubud, we made a quick stop at some rice terraces on the way however they were ridiculously busy so we were only out of the car for about 20 minutes.

Once we arrived in Ubud we decided it'd be a good idea to spend a few hours wondering around, we agreed on the pick up time and place and set off on foot to explore the town. I spent time in Ubud (Ubud, Bali blog post) the first time I visited Bali and fell in love with the mix of arts, culture and hustle and bustle.

We made our first stop at a local warung to fill up on food, from there we head to the Ubud monkey forest for a few hours and then walked in to the town centre to explore the shops and markets.

When we were finished it was almost the end of the day, so we asked to be dropped in the centre of Seminyak. We bid our driver goodbye and decided to walk around before heading to the beach..

From the beach we had a lovely walk back down to our hotel (Double Six Hotel blog post). 

Have you been to Bali before? What's your top tip for hiring a driver?

xo

White water rafting in Bali

Just a little apology none of my schedule posts have actually posted recently! 


When we were planning our getaway to Bali we decided we wanted a mix of culture, relaxation and adventure so we quickly decided on a day of white water rafting. We booked through Nyoman ( who was recommended to us on Facebook) she owns Resi Bali Tour  which offers a mix of private tours and activities, for a few hours of white water rafting, pick up from Seminyak and a buffet lunch you can expect to pay around $40 AUD per person which is great value for money.

The optional flying fox to the start of the rafting

We were picked up bang on 08:30 from our hotel and shared a journey out into the jungle with a few other couples, the van was comfortable and luckily had air conditioning, I even snuck in a little nap on the way. Once we arrived at the rafting centre we paid our fees and got assigned life jackets and paddles, it was glorious Bali chaos, however we were given ice cold bottles of water to cool down whilst we waited for our time to go.

There was a fairly brief safety talk before we set on our 14km journey, our guide was really fun and enthusiastic, he knew a few words in English, you know the essentials like 'boom boom' (in both a sexual way and a raft hitting rock kinda way), 'pokemon go' and 'beer'.

After the first 30 minutes of paddling we pulled over for a leg stretch / re-inflate and chance to climb a waterfall (which we chose not to, let us at the rapids!)

The journey wound through rice paddies, section of jungle and through several waterfalls leaving us well and truely soaked...

It was definitely a laugh and more than suitable for those with no skills on the water at all, the couple in front of us didn't paddle at all (so of course myself and the guide made every effort to soak them with our paddles).

The journey ended by flying off a man made waterfall before a few flat water turns to the end point. I wish I'd taken the clip to attach my go pro to my helmet as it was a whole heap more exciting than it looks in photos! 

When we were back on dry land we had a horrific hike back up to the buffet, showers and pick up point. I'm not going to lie the steps were horrific in the heat and humidity and took me a good 15 minutes longer than anyone else in the group, they sucked. The showers were probably what you'd expect in the middle of the countryside in a third world country, I would definitely recommend packing lots of clean clothes, body spray and baby wipes!

I chose to not eat any of the buffet food as again, it's what you'd expect for an included buffet in the countryside and definitely didn't look vegetarian friendly (I'm not one to risk bali belly).

Overall the experience was so, so worth the $40 we paid, it wasn't the most exhilarating thing I've ever done but for an activity for total beginners and families it's awesome fun and something we'll definitely recommend friends and family do when visiting Bali.

Have you been white water rafting before?

xo