We have returned last week from our annual anniversary holiday to Port Douglas, and I'm almost finished the holiday laundry pile! (It's always the very first thing I get started on the minute we get home... because if I don't, it can take months!).
I say annual, although we hadn't been to Port Douglas for three years prior to this trip. After BB proposed on Four Mile Beach in 2011, and we got married in 2012 in the beautiful beachside Rex Smeal Park and held our wedding reception in Harrisons Restaurant (the only hatted restaurant in the region!), we decided that we'd love to come back for every anniversary. Late April is a gorgeous time to visit Far North QLD, and it's never Easter or school holidays, so we're able to snag some pretty good flight and accommodation deals. After enjoying a relaxing PD holiday for our first anniversary in 2013, we were persuaded to join friends on a cruise trip for our second, and then our third anniversary fell right when BB was unable to take a break due to a really good work opportunity. Whilst I certainly wasn't upset or mad, we were both disappointed, and when we booked the trip for this year, we were both super-excited to head north and celebrate anniversary number four... until the realisation that we couldn't take our puppy Stevie sunk in.
We have had short breaks away from Stevie since she joined our family in January last year, and she accompanied us on our Outback QLD trip in Winter; but neither of us knew just how hard it would to be say goodbye to her for a whole week. We were confident she'd have a wonderful time visiting her grandma and grandad (my parents), but GAWD we both had to reel in the emotions a few times when we started missing her.
I'll try to blog about our holiday chronologically, but let's be honest, I always forget to take photos when I'm on vacation, and sometimes we were just having way too good a time for me to start snapping away! Maybe I'll just share some highlights for you all...
Our first full day on holiday in Port Douglas, and we started our morning with a long (almost 8km!) walk before freshening up and getting changed to hit Macrossan Street for a stroll and lunch. I wore Suzanne Grae off-shoulder top (this Florence Broadhurst-inspired print is so fun), Jag chambray shorts, Harris Scarfe sandals and my favourite Louenhide crossbody bag (now on SALE for $29!). Oh, and PINEAPPLE earrings because QUEENSLAND
Shopping in Tommy Bahama is pretty much the only time I join my husband shopping - he always knows what he's after, and rarely needs my help - but in Tommy Bahama, I love to bring him the brightest Hawaiian print shirts and crazy Bermuda shorts. The change rooms are always freaking awesome too... like a little tropical corner of George Clooney's house in The Descendants.
On day 1, we hit Port Douglas' newest bar, Barbados Port Douglas, because I'd been salivating for weeks in the lead-up to our holiday over their signature cocktail menu. The Weniki Tiki cocktail I chose didn't disappoint - house-infused Belvedere Vodka, Passoa, coconut cream, pineapple juice and shredded coconut made for the perfect tropical welcome drink!
Overlooking the beautiful waters of Port Douglas, Barbados Port Douglas will fast become the go-to bar for locals and tourists alike. The bar's lime-washed timber furnishings, navy and white stripe awnings and umbrellas, and the small touches like embroidered canvas coasters are reminiscent of a Queensland-style beach house, but with a luxe Hamptons twist.
Even though this was ostensibly a romantic holiday for BB and I to celebrate our anniversary, we managed to get a little social and head out for dinner with our friend Jemma, who recently moved from the Sunshine Coast to Cairns. She drove up the coast road to Port Douglas and we enjoyed a beautiful meal at Star of Siam (probably the best Thai restaurant in QLD), even though Jem and I dared BB to eat the whole chilli garnish on his plate... sorry honey! I wore a stunning and oh-so-comfy Passion Q off-the-shoulder dress* from White Haven Emporium, with Samantha Wills earrings and a necklace purchased on our last visit to the fantastic Port Douglas markets.
This dodgy-as photo does this frock NO justice... I blame the cocktails and beers that BB and I enjoyed at dinner. I really should start remembering to take outfit photos before dinner, shouldn't I?
The following night we dined at Watergate Port Douglas, where the duck pancakes are possibly the world's greatest entree; and I wore a dramatic print dress from Sequins and Sand. This Achilleas dress* is a showstopper, there's no ironing required (a travel requirement for me!), and the Greek design and draping fabric really shows off the striking print to perfection. It's so new that it's not even featured on their website yet... but keep an eye out for this stunner!
I'm a big fan of white cotton off-the-shoulder frocks, and this new Iris Dress* from local resortwear designer Anannasa is the perfect transition piece for me to wear one of my favourite styles in Autumn. It's a little longer than most white cotton dresses, which means that you can belt and blouse it nicely, and the longer sleeve is super pretty. This style was SO easy to throw on over my togs to go downstairs to the pool, and is definitely cute enough to dress up and wear out for dinner - the ideal holiday frock, really!
I'll share a few more outfits in my next blog post, and you might just spot a trend that I obviously can't let go of!
*Super-awesomely gifted. You should really know by now that I won't wear anything I don't love, so consider these pieces fantastic!
You've inspired me to start planning our family's next holiday! I love every one of your outfits!
ReplyDeleteI want a combination of Tommy Bahamas change rooms and Rockmans change rooms to make over my dressing room. I just need Boyo to move out so I can HAVE a dressing room!
ReplyDeleteYou look gorgeous, and I think an annual honeyday is such a gorgeous idea. Unfortunately, we can't just pop off Botswana every year.