Doctor in the House?

I am over 30 and I like wearing skinny jeans. Stupid? Absolutely. So, how do I achieve a bottom of a 25 year old? With the following combination:

1.  Spanx underwear.

2.  Whenever I think "chocolate" I substitute "carrot" into my diet (except on my skinny cappuccino). My skin is so orange, I haven't needed a spray tan all year!

3.  Boot camp at Coogee beach with my best friend Cassie on Thursdays before my weekly Open for Inspection Girl drill.

Boot camp (or butt camp as Cassie calls it) isn't for everyone. No, it's only for the truly insane who will pay $25 to be yelled at for an hour to do tortuous things. Thinks like running with a medicine ball tied to your waist or lunging all the way along Coogee Beach, then back again; tourists clicking merrily away at the weird "silly walk" local custom. The only thing that kept me lunging like Basil Fawlty this week was the zero calorie treat that awaited me; an open for inspection squiz at 4/4 Powell Street, Coogee with Cassie.

 Cassie is in the market. For a house and for a man. She and Brett, her boyfriend of five years hit Splits-ville last month, after a mercifully short detour into Ugly Breakup town. He's got the cat and she's kept the goldfish (which is a nicer shade of orange than me). Cassie (and Bubbles) are now sleeping in her old bedroom at her mum and dad's Rose Bay house. It's painted purple with pictures of George Michael and Ricky Martin on the wall; a shrine to the dubious taste of our shared youth. Cassie is an emergency ward doctor, so she thinks it's finally time to buy her own place.

Powell Street is just what the doctor ordered.  In between saving lives in the casualty department, dating via the Internet and killing herself with endorphin-releasing butt camp, Cassie is very time poor. Her idea of a renovation is buying new tea towels. And there's not a thing to do at 4/4 Powell Street except move in!

The art deco apartment has high ceilings and a Jetmaster fireplace. It has more character than George Clooney. And it's just as well maintained. A post-boot camp two minute wheeze away from Coogee Beach it's as bright as the smile on a Miss Australia contestant. All that Northern sun is sure to keep Cassie breezy and away from the chocolates if she ever thinks of Brett again. Not that she needs to with all the luscious low calorie stud muffins on tap at the local life saving club. Cassie has her bronze lifesaving medal, so we couldn't decide if she is lucky enough to buy 4/4 Powell Street, whether she should try to be rescued (the damsel in distress approach) or become a volunteer lifesaver (the friends first approach). Such are the dilemmas of dating for modern women. (Phew, thank gosh that Josh and I and Alex are happy as Larry.) 

Doreen Wilson from Di Jones Real Estate said that the apartment would be a great investment as Coogee is such a popular place to live. There are loads of families who choose the suburb because it is close to the beach and has great schools, and plenty of couples as well as singles because of the great beach lifestyle. Cassie's apartment would be ideal for busy city types or, hmm, doctors or nurses from the local hospital! Doreen was really helpful as she knows loads of people who live in the area and so gave Cassie a great run down on the neighbours. Doreen even said she would introduce Cassie to a few of them (especially the single male variety).

Doreen and Cassie got on really well, and actually knew a few people in common.

And I couldn't help but notice that, with two massive bedrooms, there would be heaps of space if Cassie ever wanted to babysit her adorable godson Alex for a weekend every once in a while. He'd even feed Bubbles, whom I know would love living close to the beach! Everyone would be a winner if Cassie moved into 4/4 Powell Street, Coogee, even the goldfish.