It would look something like this.

Insert Self Here for Blissful Time.

Last Saturday in honor of the delightful Violet Le Beaux being in town, a group of like minded bloggers (and a pair of well trained partners) got together to enjoy and afternoon tea in true girly style. In a little known corner of Collingwood, Melbourne, is a lovely store that is bringing girly back. Christina Re is well known for her stunning DIY stationery collection that let’s you create customised pieces of correspondence magic on paper, vellum and quilted card to name but a few.  To make the experience of selection and creation much more enjoyable, they have recently launched a small in store cafe to supply tea and cakes to weary crafters.  After popping in for a much needed lemonade the other week, I was overwhelmed by the serenity and light of it all, promptly making a note to bring back a bunch of appreciative friends.  And so we did.

left to right: Aurora Hime, Violet Le Beaux, Jimmy America

left to right: Esme and the Laneway, Fables in Fashion, Petite Valse

Super Kawaii Mama and Esme and the Laneway, doing what bloggers do best. Photo by Jimmy America.

Also in attendence were Kitty’s Drawings and Circa Vintage to help us improve the vintage lover versus princess contingent.  I met the two styles in the middle by wearing a 1960′s pink square dancing dress and vintage blue petticoat!

It was as fun and fancy as it looked, there is no doubt we’ll be doing it again. In fact, I think I shall declare this weekend;

DIY Tea Party Weekend

So have a little tea and a cake or two with me.

I’ve been having the best time these holidays. I’ve had Mr. SKM all to myself for a little while so we’ve been attempting to get out together a little bit more.  People often ask me whether Mr. SKM is also into all things vintage and retro, but I have to admit that I am alone on that island in this household. Even so, there are a few things we have in common. Our love of Sci Fi T.V, Kung Fu action movies and EATING! I’m no brilliant cook and as he tells me since I started blogging, I spend even less time in the kitchen, but still I love food. Now, I’m not going all ‘Food Blogger’ on you, but I’ve been asked to occasionally share snippets of what I’m doing in what I’m wearing, so here goes.

Last night we went on a bit of a date night to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie (which as an aside was crackingly good!) and proceeded it with a bit of a ‘pot luck’ dinner.  By that I don’t mean a 1970′s style dinner where everyone shows up to your house in lounge pajamas with a casserole, but the type of dinner you haven’t booked and don’t know where to go until something just jumps out at you. And what jumped out to us was Kam Fook at Westfield Doncaster.

Right off the bat I loved the decor and the pretty pretty crockery. It suited my Princess mood perfectly.

And then I see Princess Tofu on the menu! Oh this is going to be a good night!

Sheer heaven on a plate! By FAR the best Salt and Pepper squid I have ever eaten. I believe you can tell the measure of a Chinese restaurant by the standard of their Salt and Pepper Squid and the calibre of their dumplings. Kam Fook – you win for me.

Ironically, even though I live in the Antipodes I still bought a bottle of water from… Antipodes?! After the trials of the Christmas and New Year party season I am trying to be good to my body but still trick it into thinking that I am having something special, hence the bottled sparkling water.

Can’t you just taste it?

After the deliciously sunny beaches of Koh Samui, I am now back in the cool 14 degrees of a Melbourne Winter and enjoying a post holiday glow.  There is nothing quite like that airy feeling of returning from holidays, well rested and with a suitcase of shopping in tow. I’ve been spending the day today going through all the photos I took and preparing a daily outfit post of what I wore today. I can really see the difference a holiday makes!

Some of you have been following my adventures via Facebook and Twitter, but for everyone else I have a couple of highlights to share with you.  It is very tempting to bore you with reams of holiday snaps, but I’ll keep it to my favorites.

Mr SKM out did himself, choosing this amazing island paradise. While there are some very touristy areas of white beaches filled with flabby sunburned bodies, we chose to stay well away from all that. Instead, we opted for a more private retreat hidden into the side of granite cliffs and overlooking the Gulf of Siam. Even just looking at these pictures is relaxing.

As you know, I am not one for the sun. I live in 40+ SPF, large glasses and even larger hats , as well as those ever handy parasols.  I picked up two new swimsuits especially for the occasion, but this one is my favorite. A bright green, striped retro number from Jets by Jessika Allen.  I cannot recommend their pieces highly enough – Stunning!

Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while will know I have a thing for monkeys. One of the highest priorities on my list of things to do while away, was spend some time playing with the little critters. Thankfully, Koh Samui has a great Monkey facility that trains these guys as helpers in the recovery of coconuts, and as a side line some of the more entertaining personalities have the opportunity to put on a bit of a show. I always find these set ups a little bitter sweet, as any animal in captivity like this has a sadder side to it; but given the care and attention focused on these little ones as critical to the survival of the local farming system, I felt more at peace supporting the operation.

Thailand’s jungles are home to some of the most beautiful Elephants. Still used for transport and trekking, we were fortunate to experience just what is it like to hike atop these huge creatures. Certainly not the most comfortable journey, but awesome in the truest sense of the word.

We spent the last two days in the hustle and bustle of Bangkok… and the Amazing Grand Sale! Yep, it was both Amazing and Grand so I have lots of lovely finds to share with you in coming posts.  Staying at the Millennium Hilton was just delightful. With a view over the river and the city, a King sized bed covered in rose petals and even a little Elephant on my pillow for sweet dreams, I think I could live there.

So now I am all relaxed and re-charged, it is back to business – but with a decidedly more serene air.