The sand between toes.. BBQ's with friends on the beach.. the sun disappearing into the horizon.. let's face it there's just something about summer.

Wherever you are in the world the warm relaxed days carry a feeling in the air.

In Australia we have some of the most amazing beaches to enjoy through the sunshine months. World famous spots like 'Noosa Beach' (pictured below) with it's white sand, cafe's, welcoming vibe, becomes a hive of activity as people flock to enjoy one of the best times of year. 

Further South at the iconic 'Bondi Beach' the energetic are out early, making the most of the cool start to the day and breathing in the fresh air. The walk around Bondi beach is one of the best in Australia and whether you're out and about or people watching from across the road in the cafe, you can't help but feel on holiday in that place.

Wherever you are this summer make sure you take some time, look around for a spot by yourself or with others, and truly appreciate what is all around you. They say 'an ocean breeze puts the mind at ease', so slow down, enjoy the view and stop and breathe. 

As a teenager I just couldn’t understand the lure of coffee.  The smell was vaguely appealing, the taste was truly disgusting and at the time the only benefit I could see was its ability to keep you awake.  This was enough to get me to try it.. and years later I can well and truly say I am a convert.

 Words like crema, roast and bean get my taste buds tingling and my senses stirred.

That feeling of walking into a cafe, you look across at the Barista and clearly by the signs of his dreads and piercings knowing it’s gonna be great! You glance at the trendy decor which screams…we are the new breed of hipster.

The seats are few because the place is jammed with twenty-somethings spending their hard earned cash on a weekend breakfast out. There are gluten free offerings in the cabinet and ‘raw’ brownies…when did they need to be raw I ask myself? I glance at the price…$5 for a regular coffee….ah well it’s not just the coffee after all is it…we are paying for the experience.

The first few sips are glorious and the drive was all worth it.  We are emerged in the coffee culture and thankfully for us it doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon.

From a coffee lover xo

As 2016 rapidly accelerates to a close, it’s a great time to grab your favourite cocktail and take some time to reflect on the upcoming year.

I would say 99% of people I talk to say how fast 2016 has flown. I often ask them did they achieve all they wanted to? And most often the answer is absolutely not! I’m first to put my hand up of someone who has lists upon lists of things I wanted to achieve.

When I think about this further I am struck by my how many of my decisions are career/ money based. However, when I think about what truly matters in life I believe experiences will be what I take with me as times marches on.

 Let’s make 2017 our year to say YES to new adventures! Let’s finally start that hobby…let’s go on that road trip! Let’s make that tricky cocktail we have been longing to try but didn’t want to splurge on the $50 spirits. Let’s book that trip to Europe!

I guess this is all easy to talk about, specially heading into the New Year’s resolution zone...but hey let’s take some practical steps too. First make a list…yes I hear what you’re saying, another list but unless it’s down on paper it’s unlikely it will ever happen.

Tell your significant other, a partner, a sibling, a parent…make it official and declare ‘I’m going to Paris’…even more fun burst into their room at 6am to do it.

Make an attempt to put your money where your mouth is...start saving even if it’s a small amount every pay packet.

Let’s say YES to new adventures! If you have an adventure that you are moving towards let the JT Team know all about it! Tag us in your pictures using #myjtstory…come on team let’s do this!

You are walking along the boardwalk, early in the morning, not before sunrise, not at sunrise, but just after. There are people around. Bikers, runners, people checking out the first waves of the day. Not far from here, people are still rolling out of the bars and clubs and slinking into their hotels. There is personality here, something to be proud of, something to think about, something to revel in. There is style here. Of course, it is not home. No, it is not that.

Home is something else. It is a place inside you. You carry it without everywhere you go, but that is the funny thing: it stays elsewhere too. It comes with you, but only in part, never in whole. With the John Taylor collection, you can make this part of your home a little bigger. You can express yourself a little more fully and tell the world a little more clearly just who you are.

You are not someone who wears what everyone else is wearing. You are not someone who is pulled in by every trend or who looks only to labels as your means of discerning the fashion from the fakes. You are passionate. You care about your life, and we do too. Blending city living with that experience of living on the coast, we are offering an unmatched chance to be fully you, unadulterated, unfiltered, unhinged, uncensored.

We have set a lofty goal for ourselves: to capture the essence of serenity and to complement it with top-quality craftsmanship. Are we up to it? Sure, we like to think we are. We like to think that our timepieces are the perfect addition to your life. Carefully tailoring our timepieces to embody sophistication, cool, and the uniqueness that is you, we are proud of the lifestyle brand we have created.

 Go beyond that boardwalk, and there is an even bigger world out there. It lies beyond the crash of the waves. It is bigger than any street. It encompasses everyone you have ever known and will ever know, and it reflects the whole of your life. There is time to enjoy it, too, if only you will take it. That is what John Taylor is really about: taking the time. It does belong to you, after all.

Forget the ordinary. Escape the mundane. Accept only the thrilling, the exciting, the real, the true. Welcome to John Taylor.

Whenever I head off on a trip I spend probably two weeks prior stressing over what I will pack. It becomes so overwhelming that I tend to wait until two days prior before I put anything into a suitcase.

Where will I be going? Is there a pool? Are we going out to dinner? All these various occasions require different outfits, different footwear and different accessories. A first world problem I know, yet still one I have to deal with time to time. 

On recent travels to Hong Kong I had an epiphany with my packing and I have some thoughts on dressing for travels and what to pack that might be helpful to some. 

My first thought is let your accessories do the talking. Whether it’s your John Taylor watch, pair of converse sneakers or in my case Louis Vuitton cross body speedy, that’s what makes the travel outfit chic. A diamond bracelet teamed with your John Taylor Watch adds an immediate element of class for a dinner out. 

Keeping the outfit simple is important, as it needs to be when walking extensive amounts. By keeping it simple you have more freedom to change things up with your accessory game. 

Another tip is to keep everything in a similar tone or shade. For this trip I packed a lot of white and blue, crisp and cool shades. Outfits were easier to style when things were similar in tone. By wearing say a white t-shirt and slacks, you can always pop on a floral cover up to completely change the look of the outfit, and it weighs next to nothing in your luggage, bonus! 

Fit was the important factor. Hong Kong is a city that requires a lot of walking so keeping my outfits cool, breezy and a comfortable fit was important. I chose flowy dresses, loose blouses and black comfy tights. 

A major part of enjoying my travels is feeling comfortable, chic and put together. With just a little bit of planning and some clever accessories this is made a whole lot easier.