by Annette @ Wellness WA | Feb 6, 2010 | Food, Reviews, South of River
Having driven past a few times on previous weekends, seeing signs spouting promises of artisan bread, fresh fruit & vegies, free range eggs and organic produce, I finally woke up early enough to check out The Farmers Market on Manning in Bentley (just across the road from Curtin University) this morning with my mama.
My first time at a farmers market, what glee!
The markets are teeming with activity and everyone there seems relaxed and happy, my kinda place. There are cute little stalls throughout & pups galore (excellent).
Cardboard boxes are the go with no plastic bags to be seen. We try some organic lemon & garlic kalamata olives from a farm in York and end up buying some… so tasty! And at a similar price you’d pay in the supermarket.
Stalls noted include… flower / plants, organic tea, honey, curry puffs (!?!!), organic+vegetarian cheese (this place was going off because they were offering free cheese samples), chutney & sauces, raw juice, fudge, cakes, as well as the fruit, vegies, fresh meat, free range eggs etc.
The prices seemed exceptionally reasonable, I bought a bunch of organic kale for $2.50 & an organic kiwi fruit for $0.80. They will both make an excellent smoothie for me later!
Highlight of the morning would be seeing a tiny Italian boy with a huge loaf of artisan olive & sun-dried tomato bread that was about 1/3 the size of him, nibbling all over it, so cute!
The setting is fantastic, on the green grass under the shady pine trees next to the Aboriginal music college on Manning Road.
I’ll definitely be going back, I want to eat more local & organic foods and this is a wonderful way to support our local industries and farmers.
If you live South of the River, give it a go! I think you’ll enjoy it just as much as I did 🙂
Location
Clontarf Campus
Manning Road
Bentley, Western Australia
Time
8.00am – 1.00pm Saturday
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Feb 4, 2010 | Exercise, Wellness Tips
On a scale of one to ten how typical is it to be inspired to take up dancing again when watching SYTYCD on late night television?!
Regardless of the answer to this question, inspiration has taken hold & me + 1 gorgeous friend are going to be shimmying, floor routine-ing, chair dancing & doing tear drops till our calves fall off! YAY!
Show girl shape up, here we come!
Check out: Sugar Blue Burlesque for more details!
The other great thing to happen Tonight was a salad of EPIC PROPORTIONS!! I’ve recently started getting pretty full-on into delicious salads and am definitely feeling the benefits of it.
Tonights number included such hits as…
♥ Handfuls of baby spinach
♥ Light fetta (with non-animal rennet of course)
♥ Vine ripened tomatoes
♥ Sweetened dried cranberries
♥ Chickpeas
♥ Sesame seeds
Honestly, it sounds so simple but tastes so amazing!
My friend & I have regular “salad dates” once a week, so much healthier than the coffee & cake that most of us go for! Maybe you can try having a salad date too?
It’s fun to go shopping for the ingredients, prepare it together & then sit down in front of a bowl of amazing vitamins & flavour while watching other people exercise! Alternatively you can watch coming-of-age teen comedies which we seem to alternate between.
Please make sure to enter the Safire Competition if you haven’t already and want the chance of winning some sweet goodies!
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Feb 3, 2010 | Day Spa, Inner City, Other, Reviews, South of River
♥
After a fairly intense past 6 months with little extra funds to ‘treat myself’, I got back into it Today with an hour long massage at my old fave, the Cove Spa (previously The Beauty Cove Day Spa) in South Perth.
At this moment, to me, Cove Spa is unparalleled. That being said, once I find a good thing I tend to stick with it! So this may be a biased opinion & I will be doing much more further investigation (hard life!) to see if I can find more wonderful places in Perth to get my pamper on!
I chose the standard 60 minute relaxation massage (at the princely sum of $105) to help combat the stress acquired from starting a new job & am so, so, so glad I did!
Here’s why:
♥ Comfy slippers, not all spas can say they have these but luckily this one can! So good to pad around in comfy slip ons.
♥ Free cups of tea! YAY! However, the water jug didn’t have any lemon slices in it, which it usually does. Lemon water is tasty. That’s my only gripe so I think they’re doing pretty fantastic!
♥ Expert masseuse. I was reluctant to venture away from my usual therapist Kate, but the girl I had (Sam) was just as good & really friendly! She made me feel comfortable & possesses magical hands.
♥ Aromatherapy! I was surprised when she asked me to inhale deeply three times (you lie with your head face down into a hole in the table), wonderful essential oils sent me that little bit further into relaxation, it was a really special touch that I loved and didn’t expect.
♥ Sam was really thorough, massaging onto my bottom (how proper!) a bit as there is a lot of tension held here for most of us due to sitting at computers all day long. Not for the shy I suppose, but excellent as part of a full body tension release.
♥ No pressure to leave the lounge area. I lazed around for about 20 minutes reading magazines and at no point felt rushed, which is how you want to feel after such a relaxing experience!
♥ Afterwards I felt so great and at peace with the world, which is how I always feel after a massage at Cove Spa. I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s true!
Highly recommended, once again.
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jan 26, 2010 | Alternative Therapy, Products, Wellness Tips
♥
There’s not too much more relaxing than a nice hot bath. Despite the fact that it has reached over 40 here in the past few days, I found myself craving one. LUCKY FOR ME, Today was a delightful 28 degrees & a soak was on the cards!
I’ve long been a fan of Epsom salts (otherwise known as Magnesium Sulfate), you know, that weird box of crystals in the dark blue box with white writing that exists in the back of the laundry cupboard? Maybe this is just in my house…!
Well, I’ve recently discovered that this curious box contains a great stress relieving treat. Magnesium has long been known to reduce aches & pains by relaxing the muscles & blood vessels in the body (WHO KNEW?). The reduction in stress / anxiety come from these same benefits, relaxed muscles = relaxed mind.
Apparently a very high proportion of us are deficient in magnesium, which is a mineral that helps control high blood pressure, relaxation & helps the blood circulate smoothly! For more info on this super important little morsel, check out the WH Foods website & find out what you can munch on to get more! One of my favourite sites for sure!
So, I’m making these a part of my weekly routine. Once or twice a week, an epsom bath for me! I find that with a cupful of salts & a nice long soak, a wave of calm washes over me.
Apparently epsom salts are also good for the garden in some way according to my Mother, so you can go wild getting dirty with seedlings, worms & Magnesium Sulfate, then wash it all away with the same box of joy! I’m no gardener I’m afraid so take no responsibility for any withered blooms!
Have you ever had an epsom salt bath? Ever even HEARD of epsom salts? Leave a comment!
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jan 24, 2010 | Beauty Salon, North of River, Other, Reviews
I love having acrylic nails. I can’t help it. I am addicted to the shiny, neat way my hands look when they’re just done.
Due to domestic downsizing, I went without them for a year and I eventually learnt that I am simply not disciplined enough to sit in front of telly, dutifully filing, shaping, buffing and coating all ten of those little suckers when I can pay someone else to do it in half the time.
So around Christmastime, in a fit of desperation, I had a full set of French acrylics back on. Being an acrylic aficionada, I was significantly underwhelmed with the result (at a service that shall remain nameless). So began the searching for a decent salon that would tick all the boxes.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with acrylic nails, acrylics are mixed by a nail technician from powder to create an acrylic material which adheres to your natural nail, making it very tough and durable. Depending on your nail growth, the acrylic takes about 3-4 weeks to grow to the point where your nails need to be “rebalanced” or in-filled.
“Permanent French” refers to creating a “French” manicured-look by using a white powder for the tip, then a pink powder for the nail bed. Typically, nail technicians should have appropriate qualifications, and of course, you should aim to check that out.
Over the coming months, I will be road testing a few nail salons in the eastern metro area and then rating them according to five categories: service, technique (of the technician and tools used), the finished nail form (whether a natural look is created through the ratio of pink and white, the shape and the thickness of finished nails), time, cost, plus an overall star rating, out of 5
Now remember, this is based on my opinion and how I like my nails to look; your requirements may be different but hopefully this will give you some hints about where and what to try.
For the purposes of our road-test, I will be having French in-fills, every 4 weeks. (All in the name of science!)
Fantasy Nails
Shop 6, 1010 Beaufort St, Bedford.
What I had done: Permanent French acrylic refills, after 4 weeks’ growth.
Having been for a great, cheap pedicure at Fantasy Nails, I was hopeful that their acrylics would also fit the bill. I wasn’t disappointed. They actually seem to know something about nail health. The lovely tech noticed the red area below my old acrylic and commented that the nail bed had been damaged through the last tech filing too thin. (Needless to say, this was not at Fantasy Nails). This has left a line, visible through the new acrylic and that has to grow out. I thought this was just an unfortunate side-effect since I’d had this before and no one else had ever spotted it. Colour me impressed.
Service
I made an appointment for late on a Thursday afternoon, although you can just walk in. If they’re busy, you may need to wait. The atmosphere is friendly, but efficient. Sure, chatter away, if you like, or not. It’s not a requirement. I didn’t make any new BFFs but I was treated respectfully and with a smile.
Nail form
Perfect ratio of white to pink – the white started just slightly lower than it would on my natural nail so they will continue to look balanced for at least two weeks. Nails were shaped square-round, as requested – smooth with no sharp corners. Thickness was the only aspect that let the form down – I prefer my nails reed-thin and this takes more time – a couple of nails look a bit chunky when looking laterally, down the nail. But from the top (and particularly when waving the little darlings around), the form is spot on.
Technique
I thought I’d seen it all until my nail tech used the end of a tip to cut into the drying white acrylic to create the curve. The result is a very clean line between the white and the pink, following the natural curve and shape of your finger. Electric drills are used, along with emery boards and buffers. The big surprise was the buffing paste. Ordinarily, I have a gel coat over the acrylic to create a shiny, wet look. My tech advised me that the gel overcoat isn’t necessary and instead, used a pink buffing paste which gave the acrylic a far more natural sheen. The buffed finish is looks glossy and smart.
Time
Woah! Super-quick. I was in and out in 45 minutes.
Cost
Not the cheapest refills at $55 + $5 for one tip but worth it for the finish.
Overall rating
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (4.5)
Fantasy Nails also operates in Subi and Booragoon. Also give the pedicure a go (the chairs are brill!).
Article by Bron: I am 39, married and a full-time health professional. Like most busy women, I work way too hard and struggle to make my own health a priority. But I’m beginning to understand that wellbeing is all about having a rich, full and balanced life. (It is possible to love food, drink good wine and feel healthy – it’s called “living”!). One area I’m passionate about is how our psychological and emotional health interconnects with our physical health, particularly the role of stress. So I really look forward to writing about the stuff that I’m curious about, or battle with, and hope that it answers questions for you too 🙂
Bron x
PS Oh, and at this age, I’m also learning that gravity wins, no matter what!
