It’s a complete cliché but Christmas really is one of my most favourite times of the year. It’s another complete cliché, but spending time with family is something I absolutely relish during the festive season. Some of my favourite memories of the Christmas holidays have been from our family visits to the Gold Coast and I thought I’d spend a brief moment sharing a few memories of our special times together!
 
1. Myself, mum, dad and my sister huddled under our protective beach tent – the harsh coastal sun isn’t kind to pale English skin!
2. Having Copenhagen ice cream on a sweltering day – mum’s favourite.
3. Staying at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort and swimming in the tropical fish lagoon – I distinctly remember wanting to go for a swim after lunch and dad making us wait for our food to digest so we wouldn’t get cramps and start drowning!
4. Eating at the Bavarian Haus – a family favourite and…
5. Of course, who could forget the theme parks! There’s been tears, fears and jeers at each other whenever we visited the coastal staples but we always had an amazing time.
 
They’re just a few silly things that make me smile but they bring back very fond memories of family, good times and the Gold Coast. Wherever you are this Christmas I hope you have a safe a happy time with family and loved ones and have plenty of opportunities to make some festive memories to last a lifetime!

Sorry for the long absence, Gold Coast Stylers, I’ve been away on some leave but now I’m back on the golden mile and boy have I been busy! As well as helping to put together our fab new issue, this month’s seen me rubbing shoulders with Hollywood celebs, going Greek and spending a delightful day at the Designer Forum Camilla Franks high tea.

Like most of the Gold Coast I was on celeb watch in August. Lucky me scored one of the covetable invites to the premiere of The Other Guys at Robina Town Centre where I craned my head over the media pack to catch a brief glimpse of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg walking the red carpet. My celeb spotting didn’t end there though – not only did Mark and Will provide a humorous opening introduction to their new movie but they also brought attention to a few more well-known faces in my midst, namely the Titans and Jessica Watson!

It was all Greek to me (pardon the overused pun!) on August 28, when I was invited to Kouzina Modern Greek and Meze Bar’s, Greek Taverna Night. In aid of the St Anna’s Greek Community Club the night was an indulgent feast of European proportions. I’m always saying I should have been born Greek and tonight was no exception. The never-ending stream of plates, over flowing with succulent Greek fare had me fit to bursting (even though I couldn’t fit anymore in I couldn’t pass up just one more chicken souvlaki!) It never fails to amaze me how much the Greek community gets behind events such as this and I’m sure St Anna’s is well on their way to achieving their fundraising goal, judging from the generosity of the crowd that night.

Last week I joined ladies lunching at the Designer Forum, Camilla Franks High Tea at the Surfers Paradise Marriott. A fan of Camilla’s for a long time, the event was a decadent indulgence in terms of the both the food and the kaftans! The Kaftan Queen has once again outdone herself with her Babylon collection. Bright prints and soft pastels in an array of flowing designs (I’m loving the short kaftans – for those of small stature like myself!) were paraded along a blue carpet.

That’s all for the moment, Stylers. Hope you’re having a stylish start to September and don’t forget to write in and let me know where you’ve been and who you’ve seen!

By Sarah Murray, journalist
 
Gold Coast style is a bit of everything: golden glamour, laidback leisure, eclectic experimentation and beach beauty. Here at Style Gold Coast we love embracing every aspect of life along the sands. As a newcomer to the coast I can’t wait to discover what this golden city has to offer, and in my weekly blog I’ll be keeping you up to date with where I’ve been on the coast, people I’ve met and what I’ve been up to.

This month I travelled a little further south and discovered the dining hotspot I've been hearing so much about from foodies in the know. Babalou at Kingscliff is well worth the trip from the GC, with a laidback ambience and food that's out of this world. Make sure you check out my full review in the mag!

But don’t just leave me to do the hard work Gold Coast, Stylers! Write in and let me know what you’ve been doing, where you've been eating and, more importantly, what you’ve been wearing. This week my musings are movie focused with Sex and the City 2. This is one movie that certainly doesn’t disappoint in the wardrobe department. I must have caught Carrie fever on the night of the premiere though because I bought two pairs of new shoes on the weekend: red sequinned pumps (aptly named "Dorothy") and this season’s must-have boot – the thigh-high. Both were well below Carrie’s budget but hopefully not her style! That’s my budget and my blog for this week, Stylers, but don’t forget to check out Sex and the City 2 while it’s in cinemas.