Not going to lie, I've got a glass of Craftsman Organic Chardonnay literally in my hand while writing this post! But while a cheeky wine on a fine Friday evening of musing isn't out of the ordinary, a blog post giving myself a pat on the back totally is.

It's not often that I boast about my wins, especially the more trivial ones, but I'm all about breaking the stigma that giving yourself a compliment or owning your success is something that shouldn't be done.

Especially because these days, for the most part, I work in a team of one. Yep, just me.
I don't have anyone to tell me that I'm doing a good job. I'm not going to get validated with a promotion or a bonus or anything tangible that screams 'you are good at what you do!'.

So instead of doing what I usually do on a Friday as I 'clock off' by simply closing my computer and walking two steps out of my office, I'm having a wine.



And not just any old wine at that, I'm having a glass of Craftsman Organic Wine from BWS.
It's an Organic Wine, which means it's made using natural production processes that are kinder to the environment and ecologically sustainable (win!). Today, I'm having the fruity and fresh Chardonnay, but the Shiraz counterpart is also certified Organic, meaning I can trust they have less preservatives than some other wines!

So here goes, here's 10 reasons I deserve such a mindful and thoughtfully produced glass of wine this week:

1. I finished up my first month working out of my comfort zone with Bumble and my second event ended up being a complete 'sell out'!
2. I asked for a pay rise from one of my longest standing clients showing I am committed to standing my ground and getting paid what I'm worth.
3. I consistently exercised and have started to build a routine! This is HUGE for me as I've never felt motivated to prioritise exercise in my life!
4. I created content for over 10 different brands this week.
5. I had a top tier client book an even larger scope of work, and this week I executed it! All 10 outfits were shot and all 40 hi-res images shared!
6. I had not one, but two date nights with my finacé!
7. I recycled my wardrobe by hosting a sample sale and gave new life to my much-loved client pieces that I have shot but never had the chance to wear.
8. I said no to something I felt obliged to do, but didn't want to.
9. I got my screen time down by 20%.
10. I found the perfect dress to wear to my engagement party this week!

It wasn't until Scott's boss hinted that he should take a break (and use some of his 5+ weeks of annual leave) that we realised we'd not been on a holiday in over 12 months.

With all the house-buying, renovating, girl bossing, quitting of jobs and moving this year, we'd hardly thought about throwing any travelling into the mix.

But we needed a break, and a reward for everything we've achieved in this last year. So, we treated ourselves to a long weekend in Melbourne! We left with few plans, excited just to spend time with each other and the satisfaction of not having to answer to anyone for at least 72 hours.

Consider this your highlight reel:
W H E R E  W E  A T E :

We basically spent 90% of our time in Melbourne eating, so it makes sense to start with what Melbourne does best; damn good food!

We wanted to explore the city organically, so we headed out most days with no plans or expectations and gladly stumbled upon some amazing foodie spots. My two favourite finds were Pinkie and No.19 Society. I must admit, the aesthetics got me in, but the food in both was just as good!

N O . 1 9  S O C I E T Y

If you're thirsty: they are a licensed venue so it was Summer spritzes all round!
If you're hungry: if you're going past the all day breakfast you've got to try the macaroni and cheese hotdog, because how can a combo like that go wrong?!
Don't leave without trying: The raspberry cheesecake, it blew our minds!


P I N K I E

If you're thirsty: this place is smoothie goals! Words like snickers, oreo and cappuccino are all on their smoothie menu so you can see what I mean.
If you're hungry: If you're a burger lover, you won't be disappointed with their classic beef burger!
Don't leave without trying: the banana bread, I don't even know how to explain how incredible this was. Just look at the pictures and wipe the drool from you mouth!



W H E R E  W E  S T A Y E D :



If you're looking for somewhere to stay in Melbourne, you can't got past Hotel Lindrum in the city's CBD. These guys have absolutely everything covered; spacious rooms, a breakfast buffet, hotel bar and a beyond convenient location (walking distance to most places and a tram on their street!).

The most charming thing about this hotel was their attention to detail, they've actually surveyed their customers (80% of which are women), to find out what they want.
Things like an in-room tea service are complimentary and when I couldn't bring my razor on the plane (since I only had carry on) I just asked reception and they brought one up!

They also brought me hairspray and a hair-tie from their 'survival kit' to save me from having to find these items when we arrived late in an unfamiliar city.

I could rave about how accomodating these guys were for ages, but the best way to see what I mean is to stay there for yourself!

W H E R E  W E  W E N T :

Apart from rolling from restaurant to restaurant in the CBD, we took a short trip to St Kilda not once, but twice during our trip!
I had no idea this coastal strip was just 30 minutes from the city via tram and it was a welcome change from city life! We spent one night having dinner on the esplanade, going for a long walk along the bay and stopping for a sunset ice-cream. Yes, it was date-night goals!

The next morning we headed back for the Sunday market which had over 100 unique stalls from local makers and creators. We did as much Christmas shopping as we could fit in our luggage and were both impressed by what was on offer, which included a Nutella crepe stand!

The outdoor cinema by the bay and Melbourne's Luna Park also looked fun, but we're saving those for our next visit!