Why breakups are awesome!

I'm not going to lie, breakups can really suck! However there is always an upside to every dilemma so I decided to explore the best things about a break-up!

1. You don't have to share your food. There is nothing more annoying than going out to dinner, ordering possibly the best dish of your life and then having the bf eat of your plate.

2. You can spread out in bed. You want to sleep on a diagonal? You go for it sista! You want all the pillows to yourself? They're all yours!

3. Spotted a hottie during a girls night out. You won't get in trouble for flirting up a storm!

4. Lost your appetite due to hearbreak? Hurrah! There goes those few kg's you wanted to lose!

5. All your friends will be really nice to you and may even give you chocolate!

6. You can watch whatever you like on TV.

7. You can sleep in for as long as you like and you have an excuse to stay in bed all day cause your "miserable".

8. You get to have those 'first time kisses' all over again with someone else!

9.  You no longer have to juggle a perfect balance of nights out with the girls, and time spent with the boy.

10. No more answering to anyone!

I have used this quote before but it is still my fav!

Photo of the day!

Fabulous exhibitionists Kim and Kanye grace this months cover of French Magazine "Officiel Hommes" in all there naked glory! 

I hate that I love this couple, but I dooooo! 

Men's Style.. Old school with a hint of swag!

A well-dressed man will always go far in my books. What I am loving at the moment is old-school tailoring with a hint of swag. Not sure what I mean? Please direct your eyes below..

Nose ring
Jeans with fitted dinner jackets
Bow-ties
Beards/Moustaches
Coiffed 50's hair

Bachelor of the week.. Dean Whare

This weeks Bachelor is one of the NRL's finest (and hottest) players! 

Aside from those swoon-worthy muscles, sexy tattoos and chiseled facial features, he is also quite the football player!

Having played for the Manly Sea Eagles and now the Penrith Panthers, this guy is sure to be in hot demand in 2013.

Dean has also graced the cover of Footy Ink's 2012 Calendar as 'Mr May'.

"High Heels and Hangovers" Jana Hocking caught up with the man himself to get all the goss ...

Who is your current Idol and why?

Michael Jordan, because he was an amazing athlete and inspiration. Not just for basketball but all sports.

What are the qualities you like in a girl?

Someone who is funny, strong, independent and has nice legs.

If you could play any character in any movie who would it be?

Simba from "The Lion King"

What does your tattoo represent?

My Maori heritage where I am from in New Zealand and members of my family.

How many hours per day do you train?

In varys each day but usual about 4 hours a day

Are you a boxers or brief boy?

I'm all about briefs

What's currently on your nightstand?

My iPad 

What was the last song you downloaded?

Stan walker "Take it easy"

What has been your biggest career highlight so far?

Representing New Zealand in a test match last year

If you were an animal what would you be?

A blue whale I would like to no what's at the bottom of the ocean

If you could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and 
what would you say to them?

50cent. Wanna be friends lol

If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 items would you take with you?

iPad, Bottle of Krystal, Beyonce to sing to me

Why Bondi Markets Rock My World!

There is nothing nicer than waking up fresh on a Sunday with no hangover in sight and feeling like the world is your oyster! This doesn't happen to often so when it does I like to make the most of it!

Being a Bondi local, one of my absolute favourite things to do on a day such as this is make my way down to Bondi markets for a potter around.

Now I hear what you're thinking.. What makes Bondi Markets better than any other markets?? Well I'm glad you asked dear readers!

I have put together a list to outline exactly that!

1. They sell sausage sizzles, and who doesn't like a sausage sizzle??

2. You can buy a bunch of fresh flowers for under $10, If you currently single like myself this is a fab way to spoil yourself! You can even pretend your on a date... with yourself! Is that tragic?? Whatevzzzz!

3. It has fabulous hand-made jewellery unlike anything you may come across in large department stores.

4. They are super strict with which new designers they let sell their goods at these markets, so you're bound to buy the next up-and-comers wears for a bargain price! It has been the launch pad for designers such as Ksubi and Lover.

5. Dogs are welcome! I don't have a dog, but if I did I would totes bring it along!

Woof!

6. It is a great place for people spotting. These markets bring along the most eclectic bunch of peeps. There are your tourists, locals, hipsters, celebrities and everything in between.

7. Bored with giving your friends the same old dud presents? Here you can buy unique one-off pieces such as hand-made bags, artwork, candles, jewellery and gorgeous pop-up cards that will make your present stand out from the rest. Go you!

8. You can deck your whole house out in Bondi Markets trinkets. They sell retro furniture, gorgeous artworks and there's even a wide selection of mirrors and frames. Ain't nobody want a house reflecting an ikea catalogue!

Opening Days

Every Sunday

Opening Times

10am to 4pm

Location

Bondi Beach Public School, Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach

Phone: 02 9315 7011

"Awww" of the week!

Too.Cute.For.Words

It's that time of year again.... Oscars!!

George Clooney and Stacy Keibler

Love, love, love, LOVE Stacy's dress! It's sleek, with an amazing print and she kinda looks like a silver version of the Oscar trophy! However, did George age about 20 years overnight???? 

Jennifer Lawrence

Girl crush alert! Jennifer Lawrence looks S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G!! This is how the Oscars should be done! The off-white looks great against the red carpet, it's big where it counts, slim where it should be and stands-out from the crowd. Love! 

Designer- Dior

Reese Witherspoon

I will start with the pro's - The hair looks fab in all it's shiny, golden glory and the bling works well, however the train doesn't seem very structured and the front seems to flatten her chest. I'm a bit hoe-hum about this dress. 

Designer: Louis Vuitton

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan

Oh Channing, you hearbreaker, you!! Who doesn't love a boy in a bow-tie! And yes, Jenna looks gorgeous too. Maternity wear done right! 

Designer- Gucci

Kristin Chenoweth

Makeup = flawless, Dress = unique and unusual, Hair = fabulous! Botox = not too bad! Love this look!!

Kelly Osbourne

I am not Kelly's biggest fan and her hair kinda bugs me but I LOVE THIS DRESS! The structure is fabulous, it's the perfect dress for a curvy figure. It highlights the shoulders and hides the hips. The colour and structure gives this dress a big thumbs up from me!

Designer- Tony Ward Couture

JESSICA CHASTAIN

What is with the current trend of celebrities blending their dresses with their skin/hair. Dislike. It's the Oscars!! Time to stand out and embrace colour. If you are up for Best Actress you want to embrace glamour not fade into the background! Rant over.

Designer- Armani Prive

Michelle Williams

You don't need to see the front of this dress to know that the whole look is stunning. The structure, the colour the detail. Fabulous! Michelle's get's it right every time!! 

Amy Adams

I wouldn't normally like this colour or frou-frou dress but for some reason I'm loving it. Amy's hair looks cute and the dress would be fun to wear. The earrings also make a strong statement. It is reminsicent of old-school Hollywood Glamour. It's a YES from me! 

Designer- Oscar De La Renta

Quote of the day..

Ain't nobody got time for that!

The dating world is scary enough as it is, what with the whole getting to know someone, minding your manners, pretending you do lots of cool things like watch football, actually go swimming at the beach and never swear. So if you can make it though all that and still come out of it all with a boyff then you should be loving life!

So why, my dear lady friends, do we insist on being crazy maniacs when it comes to meeting the bf's ex ,or being the ex meeting the new gf?

I can put my hand up and say yes 'My name is Jana Hocking and I have donned my 'attitude face' when it has come to that awkward moment.' I may have even said a few things I perhaps shouldn't have (no need to re-live the whole 'nice supre outfit' saga... not one of my proudest moments!) However, in the words of the fine Bob Dylan 'these times are a changin' and no more will I be miss cranky pants. Oh no!

We girls have it tough enough, what with the whole 'giving birth', dealing with PMS, putting up with guys, and that awful menopause thing to deal with. Why be mean to each other as well??

Perhaps we need to suck it up and remind ourselves that it takes two to tango. If the guy has moved on to someone else, so be it! Or if you are the new girlfriend, rejoice! Don't be cranky at the girl who was his past.

So without sounding like a  "let's burn our bras and stop waxing" feminist, I generally don't mind the whole 'sisterhood' idea. Perhaps next time we're stuck in that awkward situation we relax those face muscles, hide that glare and plant a big ol' grin on our faces and save our bitching for later with the bestie. Hey, no one's perfect!

Should you still have trouble doing this, I recommend watching a reunion episode of 'The Real housewives of" (insert whichever series is your favourite here, mine is Beverly Hills!) and look at how loco those gals get at each other. Aint nobody got time for that!

Less of this

More of this!

Even though you want to say this..

Cray Cray for the Harlem Shake!

The world has been taken over by Harlem Shake Fever!

Check out this video below of Cara Delvigne getting her shake on!

And.... props have to go to last years youtube clip of the year... Kate Upton dancing to Cat Daddy!

(If you listen closely you can hear men's jaws drop to the floor all over the world!)

What's Hot This Weekend... Bondi Baby!!

Pondering what to do this weekend??

Feel like giving Bondi some sweet sweeeet lovin'??

Here are some suggestions..

FRIDAY


With Friday forecast for showers your best bet is to head indoors. Where better to drink away your rain day miseries than surrounded by the hipsters of Bondi at Buckler's Canteen.

Co-owned by the seriously good looking Nathan Jolliffe this bar is reminiscent of a sporadic pirate ship mixed with a teenage dudes bedroom mixed with a bands backstage dressing room. The toilets are covered in graffiti and there are tattered flags, dark lighting and communal tables spread out throughout the bar.

Don your favourite beanie, drag out your  finest flannel and traipse on down to Campbell Parade for frozen slushie jugs and some flirtatious times.

http://the-canteen.tumblr.com/

SATURDAY

My one true love (excluding Channing Tatum, Ben Harper and Tom Hardy... obviously!) will be gracing us with his presence at The Bucket List, Bondi this Saturday at 1.30pm. I for one will be invoking my inner laid-back surfie attitude and attending.

Even if you aren't Donovan's # 1 fan like myself, with jugs of sangria for only $24 you can always get tipsy and just sway along!

SUNDAY

Grab your closest dude and head down to Bondi's annual Van sponsored 'Bowl-A-Rama' to see some of the world's best professional skateboarders carve it up at the concrete skate park located on the southern side of Bondi Beach.

With a huge cash prize of $100,000 you are guaranteed to see fierce competition, and lets face it, some hotties! 

http://www.bowlarama.com.au/_blog/Blog_-_Bondi

While you are there, why not glance down to the beach to check out 'Bondi Blue Water Ocean Swim' a race that sees guys don their budgie smugglers and girls break out the ol' one-peice for a 2.1km swim. 

http://www.oceanswims.com/events/eventdetails.asp?EventID=373

Discovery of the Day... A$AP Rocky!!

Reasons why I am currently crushing on A$AP Rocky..

1. He is disgustingly good looking!

2. He has collaborated with my girl crush Lana Del Rey AND appeared in a her music video 'National Anthem'. Who knew the President of the USA could look so damn hot!

3. He isn't just a pretty face! I'm loving his music MAJOR!

4. He is disgustingly good looking!

5. He is touring Australia in June.

6. He's from Harlem. I love Harlem.

7. His name is A$AP Rocky!!!!

Press Play.

Bad Decisions Make Great Stories!!

Recently I was asked to appear in Cleo Magazine for an article titled 'Words To Live By'. It focused on that one quote you base your life on.

Aside from the fact that I look completely fug in the photos I had a great time taking part and I love that the article was designed to embrace positive thinking!

For me, my personal quote has always been 'Bad decisions make great stories'! I like the idea that there can be a silver lining to any situation.

We've all been through dodgy breakups (appearing in a national newspaper under the headline 'Jana Hocking dumped by Farmer Kieran has to be a highlight!), bad travel experiences (there is a reason they tell you not to drink the water in Thailand) , disaster flatmates (seafood left out on the kitchen bench overnight during a heatwave does not a perfect flatmate make!) , nights out that have turned tumultuous (oooh we've all been there!)  and  car trips that have found you lost in the middle of nowhere.. at night.. low on petrol... and all you can think about is Wolf Creek!

The best thing I like to do at times like this is learn to laugh at myself. What is the point of experiencing it if you can't get a good chuckle??

Some of my absolute favourite stories have all revolved around a disaster of some form..the time my best friend and I got distracted duty free shopping and missed our connecting flight from Abu Dhabi to London and ended up having the BEST 6 hours of our lives living it up in the airport lounge..

Or the time I decided to drive a manual car for the first time at a grade 9 party and ended up crashing the birthday boys new car (may have been his birthday present) straight into a tree  (they called me Jana of the jungle for months.. "Jana, Jana, Jana of the jungle, watch out for that TREEE!!")

Or even the time I was leaving a friends place who just happened to live on 2000 acres, got completely lost, popped a tyre and couldn't explain to my search party where I was because all I could see was sheep and a crop with 'yellow flowers'?!?!

Having a sense of humour about a crazy situation is the best way to deal with drama. Plus, what else would you talk about at a dinner party? I say embrace your inner crazy, step back from the situation and have a good ol' laugh! Nobodies perfect, and how boring would it be if we were!!

What is your life quote??

Going Troppo at Tropfest!

Last night was Sydney's annual Tropfest Film Festival located at the Domain, so off we traipsed with our picnic basket and wine for a night under the stars watching a series of 7-minute short films all vying for the annual first place prize of $10,000, a trip to LA and a Toyota car.

Now I LOVE Tropfest, truly I do, however you have to be prepared for an emotional roller-coaster. One minute you are laughing at a hilarious bogan-inspired comedy and the next you are almost sobbing at a zombie story with a heart (seriously!).

The theme for this years festival was 'balloon' with all short films using this subject creatively, from a tattoo on a hand, to a urine-filled water bomb.

If anything this festival will leave you sufficiently entertained, perhaps a tad tipsy and contemplating subject matters that you had previously not given much thought to.

There was a beautiful short film featured in last nights festival called 'Better than Sinatra' that looked at the life of a secluded, broke old pensioner, who was truly happy in his own little world when dancing to buskers music.

Another scene-steeler (and my personal favourite) was a film called 'Time' that looked at one boys perception of time-travel. I won't go into too much detail as it comes with a twist, however make sure you check it out below. The child actor is phenomenal!!

The best thing about this festival is that it is free to attend and BYO. Perfect for a cheap and cheerful night out in Sydney mixing with the who's-who of Australian film. Star-sighting of the night goes to 'Sam Worthington' in his blundstone boots! Hot!

Check out my two personal favourite films below..

How to cure the hangover of all hangovers!!

It's sunday, so it's safe to assume you are reading this with a throbbing headache and craving a big mac!

I like to think of myself as somewhat-of-an-expert when it comes to hangovers. It starts with, 'hey let's go for one drink' and usually turns into 3 Espresso Martinis, 2 Rieslings and a vodka, soda and lime kinda night. Gaaaaah!!

I find they come in various degrees and ailments. For me, there is the 'headache hangover' from mixing my drinks, the 'nauseous hangovers' from forgetting when to actually stop drinking, the 'I-really-want-to-sleep-but-can't hangover' from drinking too many vodka redbulls (energy drinks and a dance floor do not mix well with me, no matter how awesome I think I look!) and then there's the good ol' 'Cringe hangover' that comes at various stages throughout the next day when you remember all the stoopid things you said or did. My friends like to call this hangover the 'Shaniqua' because apparently I turn all ghetto. 'Oh no you didn't'!!

So overtime I have tried a range of hangover cures to rid me of this dreaded morning-after-curse. Unfortunately I am yet to find the perfect cure however I've managed to pickup some handy tips and tricks along the way to make the next 24 hours a little easier.

Tip 1: ALWAYS have a big glass of Berocca before bed. It really does give you back your B-B-Bounce the next day. Ta-Ta headache!

Tip 2: Keep a bottle of water by your bed for the many times you will wake up throughout the night with a mouth as dry as the desert.

Tip 3: Craving something to eat on the way home? Do it! Going to bed with something to absorb the alcohol is always a good idea. Perhaps better to take this advice before you start drinking as well. 'Eating is cheating' is not a true statement.

Tip 4: Do as I do.. If you can, sleep through a hangover! Don't have to go to work in the morning? Then why not stay in bed?? Why be conscious when you don't have to!

Tip 5: Hair-of-the-dog! No, I don't mean wake up and go for another bottle of wine. I simply mean, get up, grab your closest girlfriends for a late breakfast and order that bloody mary! It certainly works for me. Obviously this is not medically correct (I can picture a doctor shaking his finger at the computer screen right now) However, one cheeky bloody mary should do the trick. Should you wish to make it yourself please see my past post.. here Mmmm delish!!

Tip 6: DO NOT drink at work functions. Just don't. You do not want to be 'that girl' they are talking about at work the next day. Keep it professshhh people!

I will now leave you to enjoy your hangover in peace. Draw the curtains, watch a whole series of your favorite TV show (Sex and The City always does the trick for me) and if you can, get someone to bring you something disgustingly fatty to eat! Yum!

J xx

A friendly reminder for the weekend..

Friday Funny!

This weeks Friday Funny is dedicated to the youtube sensation 'Sh#t girls say'!

Enjoy!

Sh#t girls say

Sh#t Girlfriends Say

Sh#t Fifi Says

(Anyone who listens to Fifi and Jules will find this funny!)

Word to yo mamma!

We’re often told over and over again that to ‘Change your lifestyle you have to change your thinking’ but hey, it aint that easy sista!

I’ve watched so many friends, family, co-workers, random strangers lose their ‘spark’ (you know, that thing that makes them uniquely them, whether it be a wicked sense of humour, crazy antics, or beaming smile) due to unforeseen changes such as a bad breakup, losing their job, arguments with friends or a million other things.

When you’re down it can be so tricky to pull yourself out of that ‘glass case of emotion’ yes, I just quoted Ron Burgandy from Anchorman, what of it!?

How do you change your way of thinking? Or ‘SNAP OUT OF IT’ as my mum would say. (Notice I just used shouty capitals, not a coincidence).

Well, I’m a girl, so obviously I turn to the wise words of celebrities and pinterest, and let’s just say it’s got me out of a funky mood on many occasions. Don’t knock it till you try it! Those crazy A-listers are quite the Einstein’s when it comes to quotes.

Here are a few of my fav’s!

Right on Marilyn!

I hear u Tupac!

Oh Adele, how I heart you! 

Word!

No more boohoo'ing!

Liz Lemon oh so wise!

So true Zooey! (Love her in New Girl!)

My fav quote of them all!