"There's no place like home"......REALLY!

Friends, family, landscape, design, food, wine.....Adelaide really has it all for us now. No wonder it was named the 5th best city to live in- in the world. It's really found it's own and come up trumps! Every time I go back my heart yearns for more. Australia really is the lucky country for those who dare to see it. A country with everything- In saying that, SPACE is a huge desirable factor in this realization!.

"Mum I want to live here so badly-I thought the New York was awesome but this place is amazing"...Well dreams can come true! (When you're a dual citizen).

My new favorite and life changing travel realization was to find MY OWN CITY in our city- NOT the city my family live in. Great move! When you discover things for yourself outside of the local realm it really changes your perception of where you came from (even though i left in 1980!) and if you'd like to go back. It's completely new..a new memory a new experience. A new city.

As a family traveling I have HUGE expectations for cities - especially kid friendly easy living cities (with a lot on offer!)....some I cannot bear the thought of returning to. I need a lot from a city to fall truly madly deeply in love with it. And the things that sell me on this are often very random things, (20c in winter would be one!) yet things that make me yearn for them in a way that I've lived in them before. It's hard to beat New York in so many ways- In saying that I feel alive with that pull toward a place that can actually hypnotize you and sedcue you in a way that you will always (family or not) return.

Adelaide... your new name of RADELAIDE is just! We salute you! 

Until next time.....(and I really am going to learn lawn bowls!!)

We remain dedicated to returning (for all the right reasons). xx

Favorite restaurants-

http://www.rubyredflamingo.com (fave Italian- always fantastic)

https://etica.pizza (a blink and you'll miss it place - it's literally someone's house with a big wall with only a number)

http://www.spaghetticrab.com (single plate restaurant- the name says it all! FUN!)

https://kutchi.com.au  AMAZING!! a tiny one woman hole in the wall show! Afghani food- and Ebenezer place is a secret shopping destination!)

https://www.africola.com.au Modern African at it's finest!

http://lucias.com.au Go to the Central Market which is fantastic and line up for some local Italian fare here!

Coffee/breakfast

https://www.facebook.com/coffeeinstituteespresso/ best coffee and  poached eggs to rival anywhere in the world! The food is art..every dish different every time.

Bars

http://stones-throw.com.au  amazing Gin cocktails..in all shapes, fruits and sizes!

http://laramblatapas.com.au fantastic find

https://www.maybemae.com My favorite..although I was the OLDEST person there!

http://2kwbar.com.au great for a view

http://www.bankstreetsocial.com.au LOVE

Hotels

https://www.artserieshotels.com.au/watson/ (our go to, as the rooms have separate kid sleeping alcoves for kids!)

https://www.mayfairhotel.com.au 

http://thefranklinhotel.com.au/index.php

Kids escapes in the rain

https://latitudeair.com (need to expel some serious energy in the rain..this is the place!! 3-6 daily happy hour for kids is $18 AUD..yes parents there's a cafe overlooking it all..)

https://adelaideaquaticcentre.com.au

http://www.wallis.com.au/cinemas/piccadilly

Things to do/Over night trips/Victor Harbor (you must!)

https://www.urimbirra.com.au

http://www.thebigduck.com.au/southern-ocean-adventure/

https://www.oceanicvictor.com.au

https://southaustralia.com/products/fleurieu-peninsula/attraction/granite-island-nature-park---guided-penguin-tours

Victor Harbor where to stay

https://anchoragehotel.com.au

http://www.hotelvictor.com.au

Victor Harbor/where to eat

https://www.qahwacoffee.com.au  (play beach volley ball on one side of this kiosk and tennis on the other..20c in winter- it doesn't get better than this!)

https://anchoragehotel.com.au/autumn-lunch-dinner-menu/ 

http://www.locomexican.com

AUSSIE MUST HAVES- (our secret weapons!) and TENNIS of course!

 Honey crackels and meat pies!! YEP!

A whole other adventure for next time-

https://www.tourkangarooisland.com.au

Direct flights to Adelaide are an adventure!! (lots of power napping involved!) and YES it's a VERY long long way! Our favorite airlines in 2 stops instead of 3 are-

http://cathaypacific.com

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/homepage.html

Pack light! ALWAYS xx

Simply- the hardest working mother on the singles scene - well not really but really! Not single (now), however- a divine mother of the two most gorgeous girls ever, stylist, fashion editor, art director and your dating by design connoisseur that will not only have you dressed for success, but will have you in stitches with her dating stories..and I mean bend over side splitting laughter! New York times best selling author in the making!! (we vote for her whole heartedly) because she’s “scene” it all.
Her stories are as amazing as her styling and we are loving each and every summer tip she has to offer-
Oh and she smokks..(always a plus!) We love her and so will you ( I know that line gets so boring yet always so true.. and you will, you will!)..Alyssa Dineen we salute you- you are our summer 2018 style dating mothering guru! xx

http://stylemyprofilenyc.com  http://www.alyssadineen.com

-summer goals?
Aside from spending some time on Shelter Island with my daughters, I will be keeping very busy with my new styling business, Style My Profile. We have a lot of ideas and things in store!


-tell us more about that new part of your styling business...you can't dangle that carrot! please-!!

When I got separated and started online dating, I noticed people seemed challenged to communicate who they were on their on line dating profiles. That, combined with suddenly being the person all of my newly single friends would come to for dating advice, was how I decided to start Style My Profile. I love helping people get themselves out there again and presenting the best version of themselves. (We love this so much Alyssa-no one better for this advice!)
 

-the juggle is real…how on earth do you fit everything into your day?
I don’t! I do make lots of lists on my phone and set reminders for myself for everything. I plan each weekday out by the hour. As a single mother, business owner and very social person, I have to!

-who and what inspires you?
The women in my life: my mother, my girlfriends, my sisters, my daughters. My mother taught by example how important female friendships are and because of that I was able to get through a very difficult divorce with my incredible friends (and mom!). My friends are all doing such amazing things in our 40s and 50s: starting businesses, leaving difficult marriages, being single moms, finding love and happiness. They are all very inspiring!

-what advice would you give your younger self (and actually listen to?)
Ha! When I showed this question to a friend we got a laugh because mine is glaringly obvious. To put it simply, I would tell my younger self to value herself and then others will also.

-3 things every woman should own
So hard to narrow down to just 3…. But definitely well-fitting jeans, the perfect tee shirt (James Perse) and a great ankle boot.


-how do you handle your girls wanting to dress themselves?
My daughters have never really let me pick out their clothes, even as toddlers. They both value comfort over anything. I got over the fact that I wouldn’t be able to dress them how I want a long time ago! But when an event calls for something dressy they will rise to the occasion :)

-why smokks?
I love the easiness of a smokk dress. It’s great to pack for trips and fits equally well in the city, country or the beach. Throw it on with some sandals and a woven bag and it’s easy and chic.


-5 things you can’t travel without?
My boyfriend is in the hotel biz with many locations in central america so I’ve been lucky enough to travel to beachy warm places. Here’s what I always have in my suitcase:

1. A Malia Mills swimsuit **
2. MD Solar Sciences Mineral sunscreen from Onda Beauty **
3. A self help book (embarrassing but true!)
4. My Janessa Leone sunhat **
5. A Smokks dress of course!

-what's your daily routine
Always start with a latte that I make at home. Check emails and lists for the day. It used to always include some form of exercise but currently dealing with an injury— the one benefit of that is that I have more time in my day for other things. Then I’m either shooting in the city or meeting a private client to shop. Sometimes both!

-words you live by
Treat others how you want to be treated.

-how does your down time look
Lately it’s included looking online at home and decorating sites. We are renovating and redecorating and don’t have enough time to actually spend on this! With my daughters, we love getting cozy at home and watching movies together.

-favorite destination and why
That’s a tough one! I spent the turn of the century in Zanzibar which was pretty spectacular. I also love Costa Rica and traveled there for a month on my own right after college. It was such an empowering thing to travel to a 3rd world country by myself so I have a soft spot for that Costa Rica! I visited again last year with my boyfriend, over 20 years later, and it’s definitely changed but I was pleasantly surprised that it still has it’s culture and is not overly developed (yet).


-NYC fave restaurants
Lure is an oldie but goodie. My boyfriend's apartment is a few blocks so we go pretty often for oysters and wine. My friends and I like to go to Yves in Tribeca. Great French fries and cocktails! In Brooklyn my longstanding favorite is Frankie"s 457 for the cavatelli. The bonus of not having your kids all the time is going out to dinner more!

Alyssa wears https://smokks.com/collections/pennie-dress/products/pennie-smokk-in-liberty-london-worlds-collide-print-cotton-tana-lawn