Weekend things...

 Birthdays, dinners out, winter sport, beautiful sunsets, fresh sheets, Vivid lights. 

A wonderful weekend!

My birthday celebrations - 44!

I've had a beautiful few days enjoying my birthday celebrations. 44 this year!

It kicked off with flowers, gifts and phone calls from family and friends, a donut cake and a dinner out with family. There was a brunch with friends the next day and more cake...

Then Simon and I had a night away and a beautiful dinner at Jonah's at Whale Beach.

It was a perfect end to my birthday celebrations. 

 I feel truly spoiled and ready for the adventures of another year x

 

2 days in the Hunter Valley - my birthday 2019

This year I celebrated my birthday with 2 days in the Hunter Valley. 

Simon and I drove up on Sunday and arrived in time for lunch at Love Kitchen.

There were lots of amazing organic, vegan  + vegetarian options on the menu and I had the most delicious risotto for lunch. It was so lovely to sit and look out onto the vines enjoying the sunshine while we ate.

We then drove along stopping at a few wineries for a browse and a tasting here and there.

No visit to the Hunter Valley feels complete without a stop at The Smelly Cheese Shop so we popped in to grab a few bits n pieces to take back to our accommodation.

We stayed at The Woods again. We love the little cottage Blackwood. The fact that it is self contained, close to everything but still lots of space around makes it perfect for us. 

As it was quite a warm afternoon when we arrived we jumped into the heated pool for a soak as the sun set. Bliss! We decided to have a night in instead of going out for dinner. 

It was wine and nibbles instead.

The next day we had a sleep in and a leisurely breakfast at the cottage. Blackwood supplies delicious food for a hot or cold breakfast and it was lovely not to have to go out first thing.

 We walked around the grounds with lots of kangaroos watching on.

Around lunchtime we jumped in the car and drove around stopping at a few more wineries and breweries.We had lunch at the Matilda Bay brewery whilst tasting a few of their beers.

The weather was starting to turn with wild winds and rain so we headed back to Blackwood to light the fire and settle in for the afternoon. It was lovely to cosy up and watch the rain.

It was a lovely couple of days. So nice to take some time out of routine and recharge. 

I love a mini break to celebrate my birthday.

You can read about our last trip to the Hunter here

A mini break in the Mountains.

As part of my birthday celebrations Simon and I booked a 2 night mini break in a cosy cottage in the Blue Mountains. Just located out of Lithgow is "Kookawood" a little slice of heaven tucked away amongst the trees. We had an amazing break sitting in front of the fire, going for a stroll through the bush but mainly enjoying the peace and quiet and the beautiful surroundings.  It was nice to slow down. A highlight was definitely having an outdoor bath with a stunning view over the mountains, the water was piping hot and it was bliss!

Here are a few photos from our mini break in the mountains.....

On our drive up we stopped for lunch and a browse around the shops at Leura and a quick peek at the 3 sisters.

We followed our directions and turned onto a dirt road, drove through the trees and discovered Kookawood. It is such a beautiful place!

Every corner is filled with vintage finds, the armchairs are cosy and there are snuggly throws everywhere to wrap yourself in. We had brought all our food and drink supplies along with us so we bunkered down, lit the fire and enjoyed this wonderful space. The sunset that night was stunning!

There are 2 bedrooms, 1 downstairs and 1 upstairs. We chose the one upstairs in the loft space to sleep in as the hot air from the fire and heating rose up and warmed the space nicely. The bathroom and kitchen have everything you need. You can really just bring your food supplies and you are set.

The next morning was a beautiful sunny, crisp morning. We slept in and then pottered around a bit before deciding to take a bath outside. I was a bit unsure to start as I thought it might have been too chilly but the bath is deep, the water is hot and it is so private and quiet. It was so relaxing.

We then had a wander around the property, said hello to the cows and just took it easy. We had no inclination to get out and about to explore, we were just happy to hang around the house. Around 4pm we started up the fire pit and enjoyed a drink around the fire. Later we lit the bbq for dinner that night and had the best steak sandwiches. Everything tastes better in that fresh mountain air!

We truly had an amazing stay and headed home feeling rested and refreshed. This little house in the mountains was everything we wanted for a winter mountain break and the fact it was only less than 2 hours away from us was great! If you want more info on Kookawood you can find it here

Turning 40 has started off being pretty wonderful so far!

Have you got a Winter break booked in anywhere? Been to the Blue Mountains lately?