Noosa, Hair Expo 2014 and a long weekend

It feels like ages since we’ve been anywhere.

Being back in Noosa is like travelling back in time for us: the last time we were here was a good 10 years ago!

The place has changed a fair bit, but the beach is just as beautiful – especially when you see it like this! Mrs Romance has done a great job getting up early enough to capture the sunrise this morning.

We’re in Noosa at the generosity of Tourism & Events Queensland as part of The Remarkables Group’s AGM. Seahaven Noosa have put on this amazing spread for our breakfast. Mrs Romance and I agree that this is probably the most incredible breakfast we’ve ever had.

This is also by far and away our most popular Instagram pic – even better than last week’s fish and chips! Thank you so much to all of our Insta-fans for your support. We’re so happy you like our pics!

The coffee and the food at this breakfast is just as good as the setting! Love the cups the coffee comes in, and the crispy pancakes, lemon curd, creme fraiche and a strawberry to top it all off makes this the very best of what we’re eating as we look out over the ocean!

Today I’m off on a boat cruise with Noosa Dreamboats on board this beautiful mahogany speed cruiser. I’m lucky to be spending my day with three very lovely ladies: Andrea from FoxInFlats.com, Carly from Smaggle.com and Kate from Secret Bloggers’ Business.

After this super-cool speedboat tour of Noosa, we head back to our wharf to have a crack at stand-up paddle boarding. It’s tough at first, but we all end up having a lot of fun!

Tonight we retrace our steps with the rest of The Remarkables Group on a sunset cruise of Noosa Heads. There’s pretty much a seafood platter each and enough of a beautiful night sky for everyone!

After our evening cruise, a cocktail’s in order. Miss Moneypenny’s on Hastings Street is the perfect place for our post-sail drinks. We order kettles of white sangria and settle in!

Our hotel room in the Sheraton Noosa Resort and Spa has a balcony that makes for the best office space I’ve ever had! A pot of coffee and free Wi-Fi, and I’m set!

Sadly my comfy work space is short-lived. Poor Mrs Romance has torn her gastrocnemius in her right leg so I’m on care duty for now, the poor lady.

From Noosa, a few of us (StylingYou, Smaggle, TheOrganisedHousewife.com, BabyMac and KimBeach) are lucky enough to try the luxuries of Ikatan Balinese day spa just outside Noosa. I go for the one-hour body massage, which is bloody awesome. Watch this space for a review – this really is a little bit of heaven. They also do couples treatments!

Our last stop for the day is to our accommodation: Spicers Tamarind Retreat in the hinterland. This place is amazing, with incredible bungalows all spread out over a huge property. They’ve even got a resident cow!

For our last night in Queensland, we head to The Spirit House Thai restaurant in Yaninda for a cooking lesson and dinner. The food’s awesome – even the stuff we’ve cooked – and the chefs/trainers Annette and Kelly are brilliant too. It’s a great way to end this amazing trip and AGM. It’s going to be hard getting back to real life.

In an attempt to make up for not being in tropical paradise, we take a trip out to Paramatta today. It’s not quite the same (it’s cold and rainy for a start) but the yum cha we have in Sky Phoenix Paramatta should definitely be included in our yum cha wrap of Sydney. It’s fast, fresh and not too expensive either.

The real reason we’re in Paramatta today isn’t for the dumplings. We’re on the hunt for a microphone for Mrs Romance in her Hair Romance capacity to interview people for Hair Expo 2014.

This place – the Guitar Factory – is crazy! Check out all the cool guitars. Upstairs they’ve got a load of sound equipment and next door is Drum Factory!

Before Mrs Romance has to face the crowds at Hair Expo tomorrow, we have another (and in my opinion) more exciting appointment. We’re meeting with the lovely Kathleen from Nip of Courage – a distributor for Aussie craft spirits – to try out some of her clients’ commodities.

We’re in the Young Henry’s Brewery tonight – one of my favourite places in Sydney to drink in. The line-up is – as I think you’ll agree – quite impressive. We’re only trying a little taste of each drink, but by the end of it, everyone’s pretty mellow!

On the right, you might notice a Young Henry’s bottle there too. That’s because this Newtown brewery will soon be branching out into the spirits world – and I’m not talking about the afterlife here!

Mrs Romance is very busy this weekend. Hair Expo is one of the biggest hair events of the year so she’s all over it getting interviews and filming content. Keep your eye on HairRomance.com for lots of tips, goss and the latest styles over the next few weeks.

Meanwhile I’ve decided to hermit myself… I’m not sure if ‘hermit’ is a verb (I’ve asked myself a few times but I’m starting to get argumentative) but I’m going to say it anyway.

As a result of being left to my own devices, I’ve skipped brekkie and have moved into lunch territory. This sandwich masterpiece has two types of bacon (hickory smoked and dry-cure short cut), and my favourite sandwich cheese: Nimbin, which is vegetarian by the way.

The sanga is perfect and I’m very happy I’ve chosen the way of hermitude this long weekend!

Instead of real people company, I’ve gone for a less confronting option: Ghostbusters. It’s the perfect companion for someone who doesn’t really feel like talking to anyone!

And just to keep my attention completely away from the jobs at hand, I’ve poured myself an atrociously large gin martini too! This should keep me going till…

...till I realise it’s the last day of International Negroni Week! My god how embarrassing! How could that have slipped past me?! Well, this should make amends.

Now to organise myself for the extra day of this long weekend. Thank you, Queen Elizabeth II. Your superfluous birthday has given all us common folk in Australia and New Zealand another day to do nothing with! Excellent!

How will you be spending your long weekend? Did you forget about Negroni Week too? Have you ever had a massage in a spa – how did you feel about wearing those strange mesh pants they give you to put on? Tell us all about it in the comments!

Images by Mr and Mrs Romance via Instagram: @MrAndMrsRomance, @HairRomance and of course @AngryBastard!