Be your best self.

The Awesome Source: Poachies, Hotties and Drinkies

The Awesome Source: Poachies, Hotties and Drinkies
Carly Jacobs

M

y aunty once told me about her old boss and the unusual gift registry she had on her 50th birthday.Β She asked each of her friends to give her whatΒ they were currently intoΒ for a birthday present. For example a book they’d recently read, a TV series they were addicted to, a CD of their favourite songs, a voucher to a great new restaurant they’d discovered. It was such a great way to get to know her friends again and toΒ discover new things she wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

It inspired me to start a segment of reader recommendations called The Awesome Source. I often run surveys to get more information on the Smagglets, like how old you are or if you have kids or not, but I also want to know what your obsessions are.Β So each month, I’m going to ask you for your top 3 recommendations from that month.Β It can be anything; a vegetable that’s been a staple in your weeknight dinners, a new workout that you’re loving or a fabulous app that’s changed your life.Β I’d love to hear about it!

Here are my top picks for August 2014.

[divider type=”standard” width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]

Wiltshire PoachiesΒ 

 

Screen Shot 2014-08-21 at 3.20.23 pm

I absolutley SUCK at poaching at home and I’ve wasted many eggs trying, so when I saw these at Woolies a few months ago, I snapped them up and I’ve been addicted ever since. They keep your eggs contained so they don’t run everywhere and go all weird floating around like jelly blobs in water. I panicked last week when I realised that my local Woolies was running out of them and the manager said they might not be getting them back in, so I went bit cray and hit up Peters of Kensignton and bought a few packets there. I’ve been having my perfectly poached eggs on protein toast (from the Protein Bread Company – it’s THE BEST!!!) with my Nanny’s pickles. Pro tip: don’t tip the eggs straight from the bag onto your toast because that’s how wet toast happens. Tip them onto another plate first, then transfer on to toast. Winner.

[divider type=”standard” width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]

How To Train Your DragonΒ 

 

Screen Shot 2014-08-21 at 3.30.42 pm

Β I’m totally late to the party on this one but a friend recommended that I watch this and it’s absolutely adorable. One of the sweetest, funniest and most morally sound kids flick I’ve seen in ages. Hiccup and Toothless (the main characters) will make your heart do that little whirring funny thing that happens when you see something really, really cute. Perfect for parents who can’t handle any more viewings of Frozen in their house.

[divider type=”standard” width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]

Libra HottiesΒ 

Screen Shot 2014-08-21 at 4.02.04 pm

My mate gave me one of these last time she visited me in Melbourne and I’m seriously hooked. They don’t sell them at my local chemist or Woolies so I jumped online and bought a few boxes from Priceline.Β Without over sharing (who am I kidding? I LOVE over sharing!) I suffer from horrendous period pain. I have to deep breathe like a woman in the final stages of labour for at least 24 hours every time I get my period. Naprogesic sometimes helps and sometimes it doesn’t but heat has proven to be a fairly consistent soother of my monthly cramps. These little babies are brilliant, you just rip them open, slap them (gently) on your lower tummy and you’ve got a delicious little pocket of warmth for at least eight hours. I honestly don’t know why no one thought of these before.

[divider type=”standard” width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]

Eau De Vie

Screen Shot 2014-08-21 at 4.05.28 pmMelbourne Bonus: I visited Eau De Vie for the first time last week with a few mates after the launch of Nikki Parkinson’s new book Unlock Your Style and I have to say I quite loved it. It’s tucked away down the end of Flinders Lane behind a big grand door, it’s all very secretive like you’re a sexy spy on a mission to kill The Very Important Leader of The Evil People. They have all kinds of fancy cocktails and a very yummy wine list. It’s the type of place where my mother would order a fancy cocktail and then sit around proclaiming loudly ‘This place is VERY Melbourne.’Β 

[divider type=”standard” width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]

Tell me… what are your top 3 recommendations from August 2014? A product? A restaurant? A television show? What made August rock for you? Do share so we can all try it out!

28 Comments

  1. Tahlia Meredith 10 years ago

    Those hot pockets sound awesome! Would they work for back pain? One time I walked to work (along a busy road…) with a hot water bottle tucked in the back of my so I could walk, something like this would be MUCH more subtle.

    • Tahlia Meredith 10 years ago

      *back of my pants

    • I Spy Plum Pie 10 years ago

      Depending on the reason for your back pain you can also get voltaren (and similar) patches that you stick to your body and it does the same thing. I used them when I pulled a muscle in my side and they worked wonders!

      • Tahlia Meredith 10 years ago

        Oh cool, ta x

      • Author
        Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

        I freaking LOVE voltaren but you have to be careful with it because sometimes it can make your tummy go all yucky!

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

      I assume they would but you can get dedicated back pain and muscle pain ones?

      • Tahlia Meredith 10 years ago

        I’m quietly outraged that of the 426 medical professionals I saw, not one told me about such magical things! But I did rock some Voltaren, so it wasn’t all bad πŸ™‚

  2. Kelly NH 10 years ago

    My kids love How to train your dragon. I took them recently to see the 2nd one. Big tough mum bawled her eyes out in the cinema….what a sook!! Kids films always do me in. I never cry during grown up movies!!
    Another awesome & hilarious kids TV show is Strange Hill High – its got Moss from The IT Crowd in it (I heart Moss xxx)
    Ive recently discovered Emma & Toms life bars. While I was doing the Whole 30 these were a godsend! They are a raw bar with dates, nuts & cacao. The orange one had me convinced I had died and gone to heaven. Found them in woolies snuggled amongst all the healthy stuff, and YAY they are Aussie made & owned :o)

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

      It’s so on my list to see the second one. I just loved the first one so much! Emma and Toms are brilliant – they also have amazing juices (even green ones!) that are perfect for a little afternoon pick me up snack!

  3. I Spy Plum Pie 10 years ago

    Another excellent list Carly! If you loved that movie then definitely get down to ACMI to see the Dreamworks exhibition, we went a few weeks back and it was great. So interesting to see all the different processes and you can go in a room and watch a short snippet from that movie and it’s like you’re flying the dragon. Awesome.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

      Ah yes! I have to get on to that… I’ve been away a lot so I’ll have to make time next weekend! I heard it was great – I always miss things like that!

  4. Chorizo lover 10 years ago

    Revlon gel envy, love the Ace of Spades colour and though it lasts only a week (not two like they say) it’s nice and easy to apply and looks good
    Thank you range, the body wash with sweet orange is lovely, I got it from Woolies supermarket
    and
    VEEP with Julia Dreyfuss, so clever and funny and gosh I could speak up to some of the deadwood in my office the way she does

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

      Holy shit Veep is AMAZING!!! I love Julia Dreyfuss… did you see Bryan Cranston pash her when she won her award? Highlight of the year I say!

  5. Caz 10 years ago

    ohh! I wonder if Canada has something similar to those Libra Hotties. I’ve luckily escaped 16 (ish?) years with very non-painful periods but a recent decision to switch to non-hormonal birth control means I’ve now got to contend with a heavier and more painful period (ugh the things we do to avoid synthetic hormones!) and so I feel that at 28 I’ve got to learn all the tips and tricks many girls learnt at 14.

    Three things I’m loving in August:
    1. Suits -I was meh on this show for a while but I’ve gotten back into it and I’m adoring it. I generally netflix it while doing other menial laptop work (emails etc.) and it’s perfect to get into but not down-the-rabbit-hole absorbed. Plus I’ve got a thing for great looking men in suits.

    2. Jeans! After living in gym shorts for the majority of the unusually hot (for Vancouver) summer, the cooler weather has me embracing jeans again (with a tiny roll at the hem) and the plethora of new outfit options (all from my closet of course) for autumn.

    3. Rose wine. It’s pink, but there are some delicious and new options to try that are more interesting than your typical NZ sauv blanc and a local Pinot Gris/Grigio and the bigger flavour means you can still drink chilled wine with something more robust (steak/pork) but summery where you don’t want a room-temp and spicy big red. It became a bit of a “thing” here this summer -maybe you’ll get the same in Melbs next season?

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

      Oh you’re so lucky! I can’t do hormonal contraceptives. It’s just not my bag so I’m destined to just suffer in pain. It’s horrible! – I love Rose! I was at the Gold Coast all week and it was totally my drink of choice. I’m not a massive fan of white but rose is the perfect in between wine. Love it.

  6. stylemelbourne 10 years ago

    Love eau de vie natch!

    Storytime. I was freezing at Tokyo Disney watching a night parade a few years back. This nice couple approached, and after a lot of hand gestures as we tried to breach the language barrier the girl ended up (hesitantly) just lifting my top and shoving her hands down the back of my pants.

    Suddenly lovely soothing relief from the chill came as she stuck one of those heat patches on my lower back. I’d never seen them before; hooray for the generous, inventive Japanese! I just wish I’d worn underwear that day.

    My 3 things of the month would be; The Happiness Project book, homemade Gingerbread martinis and FKA Twigs.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

      Ha! Love it! That’s very cute. I’m not going to lie though that would make me feel very uncomfortable having a stranger shove their hands down my pants! Do you have a gingerbread martini recipe??? I feel that is something I would very much like to consume.

  7. nonnuclearmaven 10 years ago

    Loving the Moo Goo Oil Cleansing Method, it seems counter intuitive to clean with oils but my sometimes angry skin is a lot calmer, especially if I’ve been naughty and not taken my make up off the day before.
    ChromeCast – just moved in with my love and he’s gone full nerd and hooked my/our TV with the tech magic…cyanide and happiness shorts on a TV sized screen? yes please
    Ethical Nutrients Immune Defence – feels like everyone around me are dropping like flies and I’ve managed to only have a mild cold so far
    Laura Jay xoxo

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

      I’ve heard of this Moo Goo Oil – why does one buy it??? I’m terribly interested. I’m also loving the sound of this immune defence… I got struck down HARD last month and I’m only just getting better. I certainly won’t be skipping my flu shot again next year. πŸ™

  8. Kara 10 years ago

    Loving this post! So happy!

    I’m loving:
    1. Deep heat. It smells awful but I fall over A LOT and so it works like a bloody charm.
    2. My dog Buddy. I’m always grateful for him, but today especially I did something a bit out of my comfort zone and he was right there next to me panting like a happy dog!
    3. Jarrod’s ipad. He bought it for work but I steal it from him constantly and read books on his kindle app. πŸ™‚ One day when I have enough money I’ll buy my own! πŸ™‚

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

      Oh my god totally. Mr Smags love his deep heat but it just means he always a bit a weird. Oh you NEED to get a Kindle. I have an ipad and it seemed excessive to get a kindle too but it’s much kinder on my eyes. I’m totally addicted to it. I really only use the ipad for editing videos and that’s about it.

  9. Erika 10 years ago

    Moo Goo can be bought at the chemist or online.

    Obsessions this last month – counting down to the Queen/Adam Lambert concert and still buzzing from it; housetraining the sod of a puppy. And because of said puppy, have been wearing an old black jumper with many darns in it (and many more to come)

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

      Oh wow that sound amazing! I would have loved to have gone to that! Mr Smaggle and I are SO close to getting a puppy but it’s stuff like the training that’s turning us off… is that bad?

      • Erika 10 years ago

        I keep reminding myself (through gritted teeth – and this is as someone with over 40 years of dogs) that puppyhood is a stage to be got through so I end up with the dog I want. Some people adore the puppy stage, but I am NOT one of them. It’s tiring, but nowhere near as bad as housetraining a child (or as long).

        If the thought of house training and basic obedience is just too much, you could making enquire about an adult rehome from a breeder – bitches who don’t like being mothers, dogs who are retired from the show ring, returns for whatever reason (could be as simple as death, divorce) – all the adults who have already got their training, but need a home.

        And yes, the concert was awesome. A Kind of Magic πŸ™‚

        • Author
          Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

          I think Mr Smaggle has his heart set on a puppy… I don’t think he realises how long the puppy stage lasts for! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment… I really do love hearing about other people’s dog owning experiences.

  10. Chelsea Sutherland 10 years ago

    Ok now I feel like the Hotties are the best thing about August and I haven’t even tried them yet!

    But my obsessions this month are:
    1. 90’s Grunge & Metal Music (blame Soundwave – their lineup takes me straight back to late high school and I haven’t ruled out counting sleeps until the festival kicks off next year)
    2. The Artful Business Conference – I work with the organisers on another project and in the interest of full disclosure, I am doing some work for them leading up to the event. But I’m excited about it not so much for them, but for how even working on the project has reinvigorated my passion and drive for my own freelancing. It’s amazing what surrounding yourself with like minded people can do.
    3. Social Media – I know people like to mock the whole “fake” and snarky Facebook experience, and I’m not saying it’s not justified at times. But I had to get my beloved Labrador put to sleep last Friday and posted an RIP status tribute to my little mate and the support I got was phenomenal. And not just from my “IRL” friendship circle – a former colleague I haven’t physically seen for about a decade messaged me just to see if I was really alright and she wasn’t the only one and that connection and care for people’s lives and experiences, good and bad, is what social media should really be about.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 10 years ago

      Oh wow that conference sounds awesome! Where is on at? I need to branch out with my conferences! I actually really like Facebook. My community is pretty rad (with the odd weirdo) but I’ve had pretty positive experiences with social media.

      • Chelsea Sutherland 10 years ago

        At the Carlton Brewery in Melbourne actually! I’m attending virtually from Brisbane though πŸ™‚

Leave a Reply