Some exciting news...

So happy to announce that Baby Bovary is due November 2017!

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It has been quite tricky to keep the news on the down low across social media but I'm so glad to be finally sharing this happy news with you all. I have documented so much of my personal life on this blog over the years, from dating Mr Bovary to buying a house and getting married, and this next exciting chapter is one I can't wait to document along the way. I'm now partway through my second trimester and am looking forward to (hopefully!) lots of baby related chats with fellow Mum's on my social media channels - but rest assured, beauty will still feature heavily as it always has. 

Emma x 

Twitter: emmabovaryblog

Instagram: emmabovary

 

Melbourne Tea Festival - Review & Haul

Coming from Melbourne I'm a big fan of a good cup of coffee, but in recent years I've become partial to a good cup of tea as well, which is what drew me to the Melbourne Tea Festival! I spotted a mention of it on Facebook and marked it as something I'd love to attend, so at the end of May my husband and I hopped on a train into the city to see what the first ever Melbourne Tea Festival was all about! Keeping in mind that my husband doesn't really drink tea I knew I didn't want to spend the whole day at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, and despite their being specialist workshops available I wasn't interested in spending the extra money on those this time around (entry was $15 at the door, and workshops ranged from $20-$44 each on top of that)

 

We ended up visiting every stall as they festival wasn't a big one, and I spent quite a bit loading up on lots of new tea brands to try. It was a little bit difficult to access each stall as there were people standing around each one drinking tea from the provided tasting cups, but it was still great to see so many Australian brands spruiking their wares. My favourite stall was the Madame Flavour one (they make my favourite choc mint rooibos tea!) because they had lots of different teas to sample, and had the owners daughter serving (seen here!) and she was an absolute star.

catching up with Mum after the festival
Melbourne CBD
Sliders on Tyres
Our sliders!
Tea Ceremony on show

Sliders on Tyres were a highlight of our day, I had The Fisherman which was fried tender calamari, crisp lettuce and lemon mayo, while Mr has The Boss with pork sausage, BBQ capsicum, double cheese, lettuce and aioli. The hand cut chips were way too thick though, next time I'd definitely get a few sliders each and omit the fries altogether. I thought it was clever to have a range of food trucks at the venue with a picnic area set up, as it gave another dimension to the event and provided much needed fuel after sampling so many tea flavours. The hauling was easily my favourite part of the day though...

I definitely didn't hold back when it came to buying new teas to try!
-Madame Flavour Afternoon in Paris tea + a stack of samplers
-Truly Tea Coconut Tea (Byron Bay)
-The Art of Tea Choc Mintea (Tasmania)
-The Dragon Tea Company Doublemint & Moroccan Berber (Bendigo)
It felt great to be supporting Australian companies and I can't wait to try all of these new blends. I love my tea sweet or minty, as evident in the flavours I chose.

Some new tea accessories I bought after attending the Tea Festival!

You can check out their facebook and website if you are interested in the next tea festival (they also hold one in Sydney!) I had a good time but wouldn't be able to spend a whole afternoon there - it was a nice part of a day in the city though, and I think I would go again if I had the chance.
Are you a tea or coffee drinker, or both? What is your favourite thing to sip?
Emma x


*Not a sponsored post, just my thoughts on an experience I paid for myself. Honesty, always.

April Goals / To-Do List

I'm definitely not what you would call an organised person, so setting mini goals and using my Erin Condren Life Planner keeps me on track most of the time. I've been setting weekly routine checklists and making ongoing to-do lists, but I thought I would make myself more accountable by popping up a few things from my to-do list and turning them into monthly goals to post on the blog. I love reading planner and goal orientated posts and find they motivate me quite a bit, so if you have posted anything along those line feel free to pop a link in the comment section so I can check it out!

 

April To-Do List

-Begin Yoga with Adriene

-Mug cupboard clear-out

-Redecorate the laundry

-Walk Winston for the first time!

-Organise a birthday catch-up with my best friend

-Haul some planner stickers

-Keep up with my BioElixia daily routine

 

Do you use a planner and write a million to-do lists like I do?

-Emma x

Recent Book Haul

I don't know if it's just the change in weather or a change in my mood, but I'm getting back into reading after becoming a bit slack over the last few months. It's been a while since I've actually bought new books to read (a few grabbed at Savers is about all I've done in the past year) so I was excited to purchase some in the last week, and was gifted a stack of others from my sisters stash. All of them seem quite promising and I'm looking forward to some nice nights curled up on the couch reading with a cup of coffee or glass of wine - that cliché heaven for bookworms, you know?

Everyone's current favourite author features quite heavily in the stack as I've wanted to see what all the fuss is about - Liane Moriarty! I picked up her brand new release 'Big Little Lies' from Big W where it was on sale for less than a tenner, and my sister gifted me 'What Alice Forgot' and 'The Hypnotist's Love Story' from her stack of unwanted reads. Also in the stack from my sister was Caroline Overington's 'Matilda is Missing', and on loan from her is 'The Pilot's Wife' by Anita Shreve which both of my sisters rave about and reread often.

 

What really spurred on this book haul was finding out that my local The Book Grocer store was closing down and had subsequently marked all books down to $5 - I promptly picked up Sophie Kinsella's 'Shopaholic to the Stars' which is the latest in the Shopaholic series (a series I adore!) along with Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop by Abby Clements. I'd not heard of that one before but I love most books that deal with small stores and the lives of those involved with it, plus - ice cream! Last but not least I picked up an eBook after seeing this tweet - Mothers and Daughters by Kylie Ladd. My to-read list has grown so much now and I can't wait to sink my teeth into these. Which should I read first?

 

Have you hauled any new reads lately?

What should I buy next?

-Emma

Eating Out | Red Door Corner Store, Northcote

The sun decided to pop its head back around the corner in Melbourne and my craving for sweet French toast hit a peak. After perusing the online menu for Red Door Corner Store (70 Mitchell Street Northcote ,Vic) I decided on the Brioche French Toast and made my way over with my best girlfriend in toe. RDCS is a place we hit up a few times while we were studying at university but the menu seems to have been updated since then, and the place was packed out when we arrived at 11am on a Sunday. There was a 5 minute wait for an inside spot, so we bit the bullet and headed to the garden round back to nab a table.

I love trudging along the faux grass path to get to the garden, which was full to the brim with hipsters sitting at nice little tables topped with potted succulents. The waitress was quick to drop off menus and a jug of water, which is always a good start to any meal. I studied the menu, despite already having decided on my choice, and was awfully tempted by the Housemade Crumpets (with Myrtleford butter, preserves, rooftop honey $9.5) and the corn fritters, but ultimately my sweet tooth won.

My flat white was pretty bang on, but the only sugar available was coconut sugar which I think polarized a few people as I heard whingey whispers from other tables over the course of our meal. I didn’t mind the caramel-esque taste it lent the caffeine though so I’m on board with the dark brown sweetener.

Adding brioche over regular bread immediately gives you the upper hand I think, and it was no different at Red Door Corner Store. It was basically a baked quince toasted sandwich with rosewater custard as the butter, and man that custard was divine. Sweet but not tooth-achingly so, it hit the spot for me and the sweet syrupy goodness drizzled atop the bread was the right balance when paired with the quenelle of cream hanging out on the plate.

It was actually my first time chowing down on quince and I must say – rather pear like? The praline was actually the most jarring thing for me, it was a bit of an attack on the tooth but overall the meal definitely needed a crunch factor so I can see why it was on the plate.  As you can see in the photo below, I demolished it so I can’t be too critical about these things.

Corn, Zucchini and Quinoa fritters ($16.5) came out rather unlike what I was expecting (I always think flat pancake style creations with a jumble of corn visible) and more like little fried parcels sitting around a rather large coleslaw salad. I liked the addition of the corn in the salad (always a good addition for me) but it didn’t quell my dislike for coleslaw in general so I didn’t munch on that. The spicy looking sauce was dairy -free despite looking quite creamy, and the burst of capsicum flavour was definitely needed with the kinda doughy fritters. My partner in crime loved the general gist of the meal and was delighted with the fritters so I think it was just my expectations that let me down a little bit. The addition of smoked salmon (an extra $5.5) was a surprising one with this meal – we were thinking of soft red ribbons of salmon (a breakfast fave surely?) but instead a huge and delicate pink salmon steak was perched aside the meal and was pretty much a meal in itself. A bargain but not something we’d add to the meal if we were to do it over as it was just too much!

For less than $50 including coffees, Red Door Corner Store served up a gorgeous spread that kept hunger at bay until dinner that night, which is definitely the sign of a good brunch! I'm definitely saving room for one of those delicious looking cakes next time I visit...
Emma x

January Eats

I'd like to welcome a new regular to the emmabovarybeauty line-up - the monthly eats post! I see 2015 taking a lifestyle lean for my little slice of the internet, and I want to start incorporating all of the things that I love into my writing - when I originally began this blog in 2010 I wanted it to be about 'all of the things in life that make it beautiful' and I feel like I'm getting back on track with that now. A lot has changed for me personally since the blogs birth, and I feel its only right to pop up food posts and home posts as I see fit, since it's what make my life wonderful! Wordy ramble over, now onto some of the food I enjoyed in January!

Birthday ice-cream at Trampoline
Birthday lunch at RMB - calamari w chips and salad
Disappointing soy and ginger chicken
New 'By George' range at Coles

I celebrated my birthday at the beginning of January, and on the day spent a few hours shopping at Doncaster with my sister and my niece. I followed my lunch with a sweet treat from Trampoline Gelato - a scoop of Hazelnut Roche (nutella-like goodness, my fave!) and a scoop of Coconut!

Another beautiful birthday celebration, technically in late December but I threw it in this post anyway. My best friend Candi drove down for the day and took me out for lunch at RMB Westfield Plenty Valley. We both ordered Calamari with chips and salad, with Candi getting hers grilled as she needs GF and dairy-free options. I love that they were happy to accommodate, both versions of the calamari were beautifully cooked and the aioli was spot on for the crunchy flat chips.

I bought a premade stir-fry marinade that was soy and ginger based and cooked it with chicken for this home-cooked dish. It looked and smelt so good as it cooked and I had high hopes, but it was super bland and had almost no flavour whatsoever. Sure did look tasty, though!

Spotted a cute new brand at Coles - By George! George is my Dad's name so I snapped this picture to send him for a laugh!

Green Curry at Bay Thai
Lunch at Hatch
Lindt gift from my sister-in-law
Betty Crocker Vanilla Cake on a coffee break

Some gorgeous friends of ours celebrated their engagement with a party down in Albert Park and beforehand Mister and I shared a Thai Green Curry at the newly opened Bay Thai restaurant. It was super spicy so the beers went down well, and the flavour was seriously delicious.

Another surprise birthday lunch, well done January! My sister-in-law and brother-in-law took me out for a bit to eat, but not before they sung happy birthday to me with a candle stuck into a muffin! Was so nice to chill and check out the new Hatch restaurant in Preston, and the food was pretty tasty, but some of the dishes weren't as good as they could have been. I'll definitely head back here to try more of their menu though.

The next shot is of a nice little Lindt surprise from my other sister-in-law (I landed pretty lucky with my in-laws, didn't I?)

I am quite obsessed with baking at the moment and whipped up a quick and easy Betty Crocker vanilla cake with the intent of filling Mister's work lunches with it. I had a few slices myself and damn that's a good vanilla cake - added bonus is the premade frosting which was delicious. I had a nice little coffee break with Lolita and cake, what more could you want?


Dr Pepper at The Reject Shop
Choc-coated Peanuts
Coffee at Mumma Bovary's
Moccona with a Hint of Caramel <3

Had to snap a picture of this Dr Pepper 12pack at The Reject Shop - it's the obsession I began when we hit up America last year!

I was inspired by Norlin to nab a pack of chocolate covered peanuts to take to the cinema with me - great idea, Norlin!

A nice relaxing coffee break at Mumma Bovary's, but I have to admit that I have stashed a jar of Moccona with a Hint of Caramel in her cupboards as her coffee is always woeful!

Moccona, have I told you lately that I love you? I really do - Hint of Hazelnut is my next purchase alongside you, but right now I'm sitting in front of a hot cup of you with a splash of milk and everything seems right in the world.

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So there you have it - my first monthly eats instalment! I hope you all enjoy the lifestyle related content that I'll be posting, the bulk of my passion lies in the beauty realm but I think writing about a wider range of things every now and again will really warm my soul and make me much happier overall!

-Emma

July Goals / June Update

Recapping my June goals:
-Walk 52km (improvement is the goal, not perfection!)
Huge fail on this one, I only managed around 30km and it definitely affected the way I feel about my health and fitness right now. Can't let this happen in July!
-Limit takeaway coffee (health + budget orientated)
I still indulged in a few takeaway coffees but I consciously thought about whether or not I wanted one before ordered, whereas I used to just buy them as a habit even when I didn't want one. I've been having an instant coffee each morning and really enjoying it!
-Read 3 novels
I really enjoyed my reaching choices this month, which were all borrowed from my local library. My favourite was The List by Joanna Bolouri which was the best sexy read I've ever come across. I also read J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy which took me ages to get hooked into but in the end I didn't mind it, and my final read was Paris Was the Place by Susan Conley which made me yearn for a trip abroad (and made me think about asylum and the idea of family...)
-Cut back on small beauty purchases and put that cash towards wishlist items
As you will see in my upcoming monthly round up haul I still bought some little beauty purchases, but I definitely also put a whole stack back on the shelf instead of buying and didn't buy any large beauty items either (I'm waiting for something awesome to splurge on!)
-Finalise hens + kitchen tea guest list
I was slack with finalising these and really wish companies were prompt at getting back to customers! Would love some tips on what you enjoy in a hens or kitchen tea?
-try making Mum's lentil soup on my own
Obviously wasn't as good as Mumma Bovary's but it was still delicious and perfect for cold Melbourne nights!
-create + hang artwork in the bedroom
So pleased with this one, Mister Bovary and I created a quirky canvas print for the wall and even he said it has helped pull the room together and give it some personality!

5/7 ain't bad!

takeaway coffee and a book I read in June // My version of Mum's lentil soup // my most recent library stack

July Goals!
-Walk 52km
-20+ days of stars*
-Read 3+ books
-Finalise wedding bouquet details
-Order our wedding bands
-Try cooking with a new recipe x3
-Start filling some pot plants


*stars are for days when I workout and eat healthily all day- no cheating!

the week

my week in review

a free blueberry blast because my name is Emma? Don't mind if I do!

Snapping shots in the car on the way to uni as the sun rises, pink lips and heavy lashes. Wore this blue scarf every day this week, am really obsessed with it. And don't worry, I was the passenger, wasn't taking photos while driving!

My everyday lunch at uni, a vegie pack chock full of carrots, celery, cucumber, almonds, walnuts, sultanas, dried apricots, cheese, rice crackers and a big strawberry. All served with a side of hommus, nom.

Drooled over Joy Cupcakes. Flavours like lavender honey, chocolate with marshmallow and pavlova had my heart racing, despite me not being a sweet tooth. Their store is along Southbank in Melbourne and also at Doncaster shoppingtown, where I'm heading next week to treat myself to one or two.

 My bestie and her fiance decided on a whim to drive down to our side of town (2 hrs away!) and stay the night over the weekend, and it was great to spend time just chilling with them. The next day we all went to Moomba, a free festival here in Melbourne that celebrates water skiing. Sitting by the river, eating poffertjes and watching the skiiers was a heavenly was to end a week, and getting a sleep in the next morning due to Labor Day was awesome :D

I spent most of my time this week studying for my last semester of uni, I am really enjoying the subjects I've chosen so am really happy.

Did you get up to anything exciting last week?

boost, moomba, burrito party, winning at casino,vegie pack, uni,