Glamour model launch: Inspired

I recently attended a glamourous cocktail party hosted in the upstairs gallery of the Holy Grail Civic as the launch of Inspired Model Management. A room full of gorgeous models and glitter was all a girl could take if it weren't for the fact that the company was rather fabulous and the champagne flowing.

A room (mostly) full of black, black and sparkles made me happy in my own designed hot pink dress (not slimming!) and an extra dash of colour from Viktoria Novak, who shared a preview of her collection of fascinators for the evening - so pretty!

Down stairs the main event was the grand final of Miss Top Model Canberra. It was boozy, with bad stageing and unspeakable sound quality... sorry I can't tell you who won, I disappeared soon after the opening musical number looked like pole dancing could be involved. A shame for the competition which I wish could have been dealt a lot more dignity. Images below show there was some good taste with Inspired Model Emma looking gorgeous...

Images from the event kindly from photographer Ina Jalil.

Check out Inspired Model Management online here. And thank you Inspired for inspiring some much needed glamour!

Love Nina x

Canberra Centre : Defining fashion

A new format and exciting new venue saw the Canberra Centre redefining their fashion show for a hot look at this season's style on the weekend. Brand new civic nightspot Tongue & Groove proved to be a dramatic backdrop to the show, styled by Lizzie Wagner's protege Kelsey Padjen, which featured a mannequin-on-pedestal approach to the modeling - a refreshing and welcome change to the regular High Tea events of late. This time around, it's a little younger, edgier, here are some of my faves...

Snaps to the Canberra Centre's marketing team for a hot new format and a great night! And thankyou to the divine Grant for being my muse for the evening. Below, Grant rocks his Tango & James "Knot Your Mamma's" brooch, and Ninaribena wears Tango & James "Some Like it Ruff" earrings.

Love Nina x

Decadence and wine: Parlour Wine room

A new venue for decadence and the devine is now open. I took a look at the New Acton East precinct to see that things are looking absolutely gorgeous. At Parlour Wine Room, opened only 2 weeks, the look is chic-antiques-meets-drama-queen and I love it! Who wouldn't feel like royalty in one of these thrones?

Parlour Wine Room has gone to considerable lengths to a offer their comprehensive 140 strong wine list, sampling some of the finest wines, sparkling and Champagne that the ACT, regional Australia and the international wine community has to offer - as well as classic cocktails such as the perfect martini, Manhattan or Old Fashioned cocktail. To accompany the wide selection of wine is a creative menu of Spanish Tapas with a modern Australian twist and an ample array of deserts to keep the sweet tooth happy.

Parlour Wine Room 16 Kendall Lane (off Marcus Clark St), Newacton Pavilion.

Chill out at: The Knightsbridge Penthouse

Weekend before last I had the opportunity to show of our gorgeous city to my parents visiting from Perth. We were after a 'nice' place to meet my brother's new girlfriend, so after discovering they would put on a nice cheese platter and a have a very good drinks menu, I thought the Knightsbridge Penthouse would perfect for a chilled out afternoon drink.

With a lovely eclectic mix of furniture, it is both modern and elegant - vintage mixes with opulence and a deconstructed wall feature brings the sense of history to the building.

Still retaining my favourite part of the fitout from it's days as the death-themed "Mortis" bar, the stranded fibre-optic 'hairy' light feature is still a big hit. And I can thoroughly recommend the mocktail "I'm Driving", because...well...I was driving - how very responsible!

I was so engrossed with our conversations too that I never got to check out the rear courtyard, I'll just have to go back to see it... well I don't think I really need an excuse!

Check out the Knightsbridge Penthouse, Mort Street Braddon.

Trinity Bar: Tuggeranong

  

A couple of weeks ago, I took the opportunity with my best gal pals, to check out the new and anticipated Trinity Bar in Tuggeranong (baby sister to Trinity in Dickson).

The theme is the same - everything in threes, and a dark and cruisey fitout. I was pleased to see, the ceiling-mounted beer taps (three of them of course), as in the original venue - quite an engineering triumph!

 

My favourite element is the lighting. Above, the fabric covered lights in the bar area.

 

And the reflective (brass?) ball pendants. 

Round ottoman seating, mosaics behind the bar, and, not seen in these images, the lovely dark timber veneer on the walls with a gloss black graphic - very subtle, and very chic.

 

Invited in by the image of this quite small space with cosy lighting and twinkling tealight candles inside. The outdoor area, streetside is covered and is a great spot for people-watching (in Tuggeranong???), yes Anketell street now has quite the cafe strip going on now!

But we were stumped by one thing... a phrase, possibly in latin(?), embedded in the polished concrete floor - "VINI VIDI VINVMBIBI I"  does anyone know what it means???