Tuesday, December 21, 2010

In 2010 I...

· Became obsessed with red lipstick · Made a crochet rug · Started drinking red wine ·  Fell in love with Mad Men · Cut my hair short · Gained another brother in law · Had my heart broken, and then mended again · Became a journalist · Sold clothing at the markets · Went with my best friend to the Finders Keepers · Added another Starbucks mug to my collection · Learnt to cook pies · Bought too much Mt Washi decorative tape · Stopped collecting Russh magazine · Wrapped everything in brown paper with string · Started to wear heels out all the time · Collected clogs · Booked an overseas adventure · Dined out at least once a week  ·  Always greeted with Bonjour · Tweeted movie trailers to my friends · Perfected the art of shortbread · Turned 21 · Made a popcorn birthday cake · Found the perfect vintage floral tea cup · Started wearing a watch · Watched Sharkweek on YouTube · Got given a moustache mug · Watched Nigella and River Cottage with my mum · Said goodbye to beautiful friends · Found my new favourite drink of, vodka, cranberry & lime · Tasted the best mushroom arancini · Embraced shoulder pads · Balayaged my hair · Wore tights as pants · Listened to French music · Got my braces off · Bought a red casserole dish · Met Angus & Julia Stone · Ate fig and mascarpone gelato ·  Won a game of taboo · Started drinking Chai lattes · Lived next door to my best friend · Wished there was such thing as the game, Bamboozled  · Found the perfect spotty cardigan · Wore nude nail polish until it chipped and flaked off · Watched Friends every day · Missed my family a lot · Made batches of gingerbread men · Drank mojitos while listening to jazz · Said I love you, to someone everyday ·

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Brollies and Gumboots

Since I've been home for the holidays, it has constantly rained. The creeks have been overflowing, workers have been stopped from getting to work, and we've been cut off from leaving the town. 

I'm seeing the silver lining though, an extra day off work here and there, oodles of time to drink coffee's as I type up new blogs, play with my nephews in the yard, and watch movies as the rain pelts down and cools the blistering summer heat.   The gardens are loving it more than a ginger biscuit likes to be dunked in milk.

Hurrah for the rain, and being able to bust out the brollies.

Friends are Family

Jake and I were driving home from a Christmas shopping trip yesterday, and I was head-down and fully immersed in my Frankie magazine and after reading the article, 'Best Friends Forever', by Marieke Hardy, I instantly text, Popcorn to let her know that our favourite magazine had hit the stores. This is how the conversation went:

Me: Bonjour, the new Frankie's out, and it's good!
Popcorn: I know, I'm reading it as we type. It's getting me through my train ride to Brisbane.  Did you see the article on BFF's?
Me: Yes, I just finished reading it, we are kindred. Go to page 49.
Popcorn: The man with the beard and the fox hat? haha, yes we are kindred.

It's little things like this that cement my friendships. Simple things like, being 8 hours away from each other, but still picking up a magazine that we both love, and reading it at the exact same time and thinking of each other. After reading the first line of the article, I realised that yes, when we are all together, I do look around at them and think how lucky I am, and when we aren't together I still look around and see them. 

Case in point: Jake and I were in a shop yesterday and I looked over and saw a paper crane ornament.  Instantly I picked it up, twirled it on my finger and thought of Shark.  A few months ago she caught the origami bug, and made us all paper cranes out of envelopes, and now, whenever I see anything origami-related she springs into my mind.

Another Case in point: Denim dresses. Bird you know this is about you, and all the rest- Sideburns, Kevin Bacon, fur vests, Bieber fever, plaited rats tails, my hatred for RW, German Shepherds, heart attacks under beds, green polka dot dresses in kindy photos and the list could go on for as long as we've known each other.

How lucky I am to have these wonderful people in my life, that aren't just friends, but permanent -  like the image of a naked grandma at the beach in a string bikini on a rolled out bamboo mat- Friends, this is how I see you,  Pina Colada and all.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Bringin' back the Balayage

If one more person utters these words to me, "Darl you need your roots done", or "Why is your hair two colours?" I am possibly going to get a shirt made that says, "Balayage is in, bad ass".

I've been on the Balayage Bandwagon for some time now, and over the last 18mths I have been growing my colour out and then gradually getting my sister to use her trusty hairdresser skills to lighten my locks. 

It looks cool on Alexa, and I think that gal is cooler than an ol' fashioned fan-sing-a-long, so I followed suit.  My friends get it, my family get it, but a lot of others didn't really hop on the balayage train and ride it all the way to the end, instead they bought a ticket and decided it looked awful and demanded their money back. Shame on them!

There are also those other peeps, that don't know what balayage/ombre is, and question why you haven't taken that much needed trip to the hair salon to get a touch up.  Before I touch anyone up with a bottle of peroxide to the hair (I kid, I kid) I advise everyone to google Miss Chung, and get on that train, ride it to the end and bring balayage into your life, because you'll never look back, peeps.

CHooooo CHooooo!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Au Revoir, Townsville & Bonjour, Blackwater

Bonjour,
I've left Townsville, finished my degree, moved home, have been absent from blogging, and am currently preparing for my adventure with popcorn as we embark on NY, Ireland, London and Europe - Sheeesh, Kapeesh!
But, I am going to be on the blogosphere as of now, and I shall not be leaving, ever again. Hurrah!

I'm missing my Townsville life a lot. I'm going to admit it - I miss University. Seeing this snapshot below reminds me of stress, but also of morning coffees, late night's watching youtube and Friends, ringing Bird, sleeping in, classes with friends, researching and putting pen to paper to marvel essay's that will hopefully allow me to pass - phew!

I did love University, I did love Townsville and I do miss my life there, but enough with the sad sack that I have become and on with the future - the prospect of a new career in journalism, a new home to finally be able to burr up a Kitchen Aid, and an income that will provide me with the dosh to finance all my trips to the Sunshine Coast to see Popcorn, and to Townsville to see my best friend, Bird and my favourite people - Shark, B-riley, Elle, Harker and of course the rest of the flock, who I miss more than peanut butter misses jelly.


Thursday, November 4, 2010

Lovely, Lucy

On Monday, I went out for a little date night with lovely miss, Lucy. She's just fabulous, and before my departure in a week's time (out of Townsville, my home of 3 years while I was studying) we decided we would go on a little a date to catch up as we wine and dine of course!

We hopped along to "Garden of Eating", in town, and it was pretty ah-mazing. I felt like we were in a fairy garden, I kid you not.  Excuse me, is that a smoke.machine in that pond? Why, yes it certainly is.  And are those fairies in the kitchen bringing me my grilled artichokes, pumpkin puree, asparagus and chutney? Well, no, that's a little too far but It was just THAT cool.

Luce had a chicken dish, which I'll take her word for it when she said the meal was scrumptious. 

After dinner we cruised on down to the strand and had some gelato.  What a lovely evening, hurrah for new restaurants, new gelato stores and old, very muchly loved friends like Lucy.

Colder Climates are much Cooler for Christmas

A few Christmas holidays ago my family and I travelled to Tasmania for a little stay in the cooler climate.  It was just wonderful. 

The thing I most enjoyed about Tasmania was the chilly days in Hobart where Jake and I walked around the old style buildings and the mall, stopping in at book stores and having Starbucks coffee's every morning to warm ourselves up.  We would walk down to the harbour at 10 o'clock at night before dark had even set in yet and we'd have a seafood basket from Myres.  It was bliss. 

The Salamanca Markets were on Saturdays and we sipped on copius amounts of coffee and wore scarves to keep our necks warm from the breeze.  There were wooden toys, spices, hand sewn quilts and plants that lined the walkways, and what made our holiday so cosy was definitely the cold weather, and a 14 degree day was just what we needed during December. 

We also travelled on down to Port Arthur for the day, again, enjoyed a cappucino or five, and wandered around the scenery.  The flowers in the gardens were beautiful, it was a lovely day, and I'm sure we spent more than 8 hours wandering around the place.  Who would have thought? it certainly didn't feel that long. 

At my sister's, husband's house we met his family and we travelled around his properties where we spent the days, fishing and cooking bbq's out in the open.  It was quiet, and my favourite thing was the location, and the cold weather that forced us to wear socks, flanny's, scarves and beanies all day, while misty rain fell outside.  We enjoyed Christmas Fairs, Cherry Farms, Crepes near Marion Bay and a lovely family holiday that will stay in my memory as the best Christmas ever.  If only we were going to be there this Christmas, I could really do with a nice, cold climate change. * 


*What inspired me to post this today was the cold weather suddenly appearing in Townsville at the moment, it's raining, the sky is grey and it's absolutely perfect..Oh, and I am obsessed with all things Christmas, including holidays!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Meme - Five Faves 6

I haven't done a little post on this for a while now, and I feel like bringing myself out of my overworked study slump, so listing my favourite things at the moment will hopefully amp up a positive mood for me, don't you think?
Anyhoo, here are my favourite things that are making me smile lately. 

1. Norah Jones and this beautiful song. I've been listening to her whimsical tunes on repeat for the last week and she is calming me down.  This song is beautiful, and it reminds me of my sister's wedding. We played a few songs of Norah's and they fit the mood perfectly.

2. My recent holiday plans.  My friend and I have signed, sealed and nearly almost payed for our holiday next year. We're celebrating our graduation, and a little trip to NYC, London, Ireland, Italy and France is going to be fabulous.

3. Jake's holiday stories.  My lover Jakey is overseas at the moment, while I'm stuck at university - boo.  I do however love his stories and phone calls all day.  I also love his constant purchasing of holiday gifts for me, he's so sweet.

4. This new book.   I already have Pip's other book, and I just recently ordered this bad boy in from Angus & Robertson.  So fingers crossed it won't be too long.  The sad fact is that I haven't been sewing all year... I haven't had my sewing machine at uni with me, and I am very excited to go home for the holidays to spend time with my family as mum bakes Christmas cakes and I sit at the table sewing up a storm drinking Chai Lattes with her.

5. As per usual my clog obsession a.k.a 'clogsession' has spiralled even more out of control.  I actually have to stop. Sportsgirl have new ones in, but it's these bad girls from Gorman that are catching my eye. These clogs are ah-mazing. Actually everything from Gorman's is catching my eye at the moment, including this dress

What are your favourites for the week?


* These are some pictures from home, which are also making me happy this week

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Oui Oui, je vous aime

Ainsi faire la fête j'aurai des ballons à notre mariage et nous danserons la nuit loin  - In English terms, "So to celebrate I will have balloons at our wedding, and we'll dance the night away."

Why, yes pahlease.

I love France.  I've never been, but in 3 months I will be whistling a different tune - perhaps a French tune, while I eat a baguette, with a cigarette in my hand of course, wearing a red beret and a drawn on moustache.

But anyhoo, this blog, and in particular their wedding is making me fall more in love with France than I thought possible. I have to admit, I've never seen balloons look so ultimately sophisticated at a wedding....And I'm not usually a fan of wedding balloons. At all. - I guess I am whistling a whole new tune. A French tune of course.

Fin


*Images are from the above linked blog, and are so whimsical that I had to show them on my own.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Soundtracks That Make Me Smile

I've got to admit, certain movies have me watching them over and over again simply, because of their soundtracks. 

The music that plays in the background softly easing you gently into a new scene, or blasting through pivotal moments, or even ending a scene to make you cry, and cry everytime you hear that song - these are the types of soundtracks that stick in my mind. 

The ones, that even when I'm not watching the movie, if I hear that song I can remember - Hey? that's when Baby leapt into his arms, or This is the moment when Penny Lane was singing on the bus, or even This is when, Lelaina, Troy, Vickie and Sammy break out to My Sharona in the petrol station.  All these moments define movies to me, and heck, I think it's because of the schmick soundtracks that pave the way for those moments that make me smile.

So here they are, my favourite soundtracks - I must warn, there are quite a few, and I am in no state to choose my favourite, so I will list them in alphabetical order for argument's sake.

What are your favourites? Or have I pretty much listed every fabulouso one out there? In my opinion. Yes. Yes I have.

* If you were holding me at hostage, and demanded an answer I would probably admit that my top three are - Almost Famous, Juno and Garden State. shhhhhh!

** Aristocats nearly made it to the list - nearly.

*** Pulp Fiction, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Way We Were, and 500 Days of Summer are also pretty dang ace

1. Almost Famous - This soundtrack is possibly the best thing since sliced bread.    This movie completely changed my music style. After watching it, I started listening to Cat Stevens and Simon and Garfunkel and Tiny Dancer by Elton John became my favourite song. Ever. Listening to Thunderclap Newman - Something in the Air, was my favourite thing to do when I worked at the pizza shop on Friday nights, and I must say, I'm very upset that Led Zeppelin - Tangerine, never made the cut, because this scene is pure love.

The. Best. Sing - a - Long. Ever. - You are home.

2. Cruel Intentions - Four songs stay in my mind. Placebo - Every you, Every me. Counting Crows - Colourblind. The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony, and Fatboy Slim - Praise You.  All four of these songs, whenever I hear them I can remember the exact scenes in which they were played, and they made the movie for me.  Cruel Intentions, for me, has the best ending to any movie I have ever seen, and it's because of this song.

The. Best. Ending. Ever.

3. Dirty Dancing - I know the favourite song for this bad girl is usually, "I've Had the Time of My Life", and even though I do dig it, I still love, The Four Seasons - Big Girls Don't Cry, The Ronettes - By My Baby, and of course, Eric Carmen - Hungry Eyes - To me, that's Dirty Dancing, Baby.

4. Footloose - Oh, Footlose, how I love you.  Bird and I used to watch you every other weekend when we weren't watching Dirty Dancing, and we'd sing along to all your songs.  Our favourites: Kenny Loggins - Footloose, Deniece Willliams - Let's Hear it for the Boy,  and possibly my favourite tractor race scene ever, with Bonnie Tyler - Holding Out for a Hero. It gets me every single time, Kevin Bacon. Every single time.

5. Forest Gump - This movie is so beautiful, and the music deserves it's own big, fat congratulations. How can you possibly not listen to this soundtrack over, and over again without not feeling like you were living in the swinging '60s? There are just too many songs to list, but, Scott McKenzie - San Francisco and Harry Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin'  are at the top.

6. Garden State - Garden State, you and your brilliance get me every time. Coldplay, The Shins and Nick Drake - Bravo to you. Whenever I hear these songs I feel like I'm living in a town where everyone has cemetery's for their pet hamsters.

7. Juno - 'nuff said. Seriously though, whoever made this soundtrack is a pure genius. Barry louis Parker, Kimya Dawson and Belle and Sebastian you rock my socks. P.s I always cry when Cat Power - Sea of Love is played.

The. Best. Opening. Ever.

8. Looking for Alibrandi - The opening to Looking For Alibrandi is so schmick and cool with the Italian themes at Tomato Day. The teenage anthems and the popular songs at the time of its release made me run out and buy the cassette - yes a tape. Whenever I hear, Lo-Tel - Teenager of the Year, U2 - With or Without You, and Silverchair - Miss you Love, I think of this movie, and Josie crying at John's funeral and making out with Jacob Coote - he pretty much made the movie for me.

9. Lords of Dogtown  - David Bowie, Led Zeppelin and this scene, right here - Make this movie absolutely ACE, and Maggie May possibly the coolest song in the soundtrack, and forever etched in my mind.

10. Reality Bites - I love, love, love this movie. Ethan Hawke Circa Reality Bites is my favourite. And the grunge music that plays throughout the film makes me love it even more. When they dance to My Sharona in the petrol station I just want to do the same.  Crowded House - Something So Strong, World Party - When You Come Back to Me, and U2 - All I Want is You Yes, this is in Spanish, but the ending is this.

"You see, Lainie, this is all we need...a couple of smokes, a cup of coffee...And a little bit of conversation.You and me and five bucks.You got it." - Ethan Hawke, this is my favourite line in any movie.

11. Remember the Titans - We used to watch this every week in HPE, and I've got to say, I knew every song off by heart, and they pretty much rock. Best football film ever I say. Plenty of Creedence, and The Hollies - Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress, makes me think of school over and over again.

12. Risky Business - I do have a mild crush on 'Old School Tom Cruise', definitely not 'New Tom Cruise'.  Risky Business is the bomb, his underwear, Bob Seger - Old Time Rock n Roll, scene is classic.  The Police, Bruce Springsteen and Phil Collins also made this movie a hit for me, but it was pretty much hotty Tom Cruise in his underwear. dancing to this song.

13. Rock n Roll Highschool - This movie started my everlasting love for The Ramones, and they have rocked my world ever since. Yes, Fleetwood Mac makes an appearance, but for me this was all about The Ramones. Please watch this movie, it's effing fabulous. Riff, I am going to name my first born after you.  
High School Musical? pfffffft.

14. Sixteen Candles  - Oh, Jake Ryan, you are the epitome of high school love, and this soundtrack is the epitome of John Hughes and classic movies.  Spandau Ballet - True, The Vapors - Turning Japanese, Darlene Love - Today I Met the Boy I'm Gonna Marry, make me think of Jake Ryan, standing outside on the street in front of a red porsche.

15. The Breakfast Club - Simple Minds - Don't You Forget About Me will always remind me of that scene, and nothing else.

16. The Wedding Singer - Oh the Wedding Singer, Bird and I just love this whole soundtrack, and we love to sing it when we're entirely drunk off Passion Pop, where Bird is the Side Burn Lady, and I am her Wedding Singer. I want this scene to be reenacted at my wedding thanks.

LOVE STINKS

17. Walk The Line - I heart you Johnny Cash, but I heart you even more, Walk The Line Soundtrack.  Folsom Prison, Jackson and Ring of Fire make this movie brilliant.  Whenever I hear Folsom Prison Blues (Which is very often) I always think of the prison scene, university, and interpretive dances.  

18. You've Got Mail - Possibly one of my favourite movies, and the soundtrack unexpectedly is so good.  The songs fit the theme and mood of the movie so well, and even though I would not have personally listened to them beforehand, after watching this movie, Harry Nilsson is forever in my Itunes. This movie made me want to own a book store, while playing this soundtrack over, and over again.


Monday, October 4, 2010

A place called, Betty Blue

On Friday, the lovely miss Popcorn and myself headed out for an early morning breakfast to start planning our overseas adventure. 

At the end of the year we finish university, with both of us graduating as eager new journalists! hurrah! We are uber excited, and to celebrate our hard work over the last three years we are planning on a holiday break to Ireland, London, New York, France, Italy, Amsterdam, Spain and all those little places in between.

So, we headed to Betty Blue to discuss our plans, and decide where and when we want to set off on our very own 'Euro Trip'.

Contiki is ticking all of our boxes, and I especially love the Amsterdam trip, where we will be going to cheese farms AND, wait for it.....a clog factory, where we will learn how real clogs are made! seriously, it's my dream come true - Cheese and Clogs! eeep. 

The Italian trip will also be amazing as we stop off in Verona (where Letters to Juliette was filmed) and we'll get to reenact Romeo and Juliette's famous love scene - Beth, can I be Romeo?) - More on our trip later though, stay tuned!
Anyhoo, our breakfast date was amazing, filled with lots of talking, sipping on coffee, and some wonderful plans for our future holiday together - I can't wait.

Until next time, I love you Betty Blue...


*Seriously Betty Blue, I don't want to leave Townsville because of you. You and your 'shroom bruschetta, and your waffles. BOO

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Food Fashion Friends

I've got to admit, I love all of the above - but not in that order of course.  Friends always come first when food and fashion are involved. But, we do love the other two when they are strung together like a paper train of hearts.  My friends are fabulous, too fabulous if you ask me, and we love to combine food and fashion for most of our outings, and my latest superb buy was of course Fleur Wood's - Food, Fashion, Friends

I have loved Fluer's clothing for a long time - in fact, I remember reading an uber cool spread on her in Cleo Mag once, and I fell in love with her whimsical clothes that oozed femininity. 

When I heard she was bringing out a book, I quickly went down to Angus and Robertson and ordered myself a copy - and it amazed my little eyes with every flicker of the page. 

The recipes, the styling, the clothes, the designers - ooh, la, LA. I only wish that I could host some of these certainly amazing soirees in the future - my favourite? - the cloud themed hurrah.  Who wouldn't want to attend that partay? I'm sure Popcorn, Bird, Shark, Music and Bikey would be up for one of those shindigs.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Meet Crumpet

My sister has a new little friend in the house - please, say hello to Crumpet, he is just lovely, and has very short legs and a rather long tummmm. Schnitzel von crum is that you?

Jake and I brought him home the other day after a night away.  Jake aka "I Think Sausage Dogs are Silly" has now been converted to an "I like to secretly stroke his soft fur and cuddle him while you're not looking" kind of guy, and the kids just want to snuggle him all day. We toats love him.


Hosting A Birthday Bash

My sister can definitely host a hurrah of a birthday bash! Bird and I recently headed home for the weekend for little Henry's 1st Birtday party, and it was a bee-autiful day.

Little Henry was dressed in an uber cute Seed shirt, that I wanted to somehow squeeze Jakey into because it was rather dashing, and the festivities went off with a bang!

Sarah had organised a craft table, bubble blowing station and even a jumping castle for the bevvy of tikes to enjoy themselves on.  ALL the food was homemade, and I seriously do not know how this supermum does it.  I secretly think she had a leotard and a cape underneath her party get-up.

Everyone had a ball, and Oskar and Archie played the part of older brothers really well, chasing Henry around and enjoying the festivities that were in full flare!

Pretty amazing afternoon I'd say, and it got better - when all the little tikes were tuckered out and ready for naps, us older kids got to have a go on the jumping castle, and I must admit after all those home cooked honey jumbles, rice crackles and monte carlos I thought I was going to heave - how carnival of me?

Bravo Sarah, the party went off like a frog in a sock, or a bee in a honey pot?

Happy Birthday my dearest little Henry x


*Yes that's Archie naked in the bubble blower bucket, and on the present front, my sister and I agreed to get him the large pull along dachshund from Brio - big hit with Henry!

Balmy Beaches

I have been on a little blog holiday lately - I know, I know slap me over the wrists! I have really just had too much on my plate with uni work, and then my socialness has been going a little overboard - literally actually, as we have been heading to the beach and diving into the ocean lately.
Jake and I headed to the strand last time he visited, and it was just lovely.  We walked along the beach,  took some snaps, headed to the rocks and chilled in the sun.  What a lovely Sunday arve it was, which followed on from a very cool morning.  We slept in, and then headed to a late brekky at Betty Blue (our favourite) and then afterwards strolled on down through the mall, stopping in at books shops and then picking up some lollies from A Spoonful of Sugar - pretty ace morning, If I don't say so myself!
The beaching did not stop there! Shark, Popcorn and I headed to Magnetic Island a few weekends ago, and it was absolutely breathtaking.  We got there early, hired a mini car (pink velvet seats and all) headed up to Horeshoe Bay, and spent majority of the day lazing on the beach, swimming, eating ice-creams and then kayaking around the rocks - how perfect? It was surely a beautiful day, and the company was just as swell. x

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

My Beautiful Sister Says I Do

My sister and her partner recently got married. It was a beautiful day, and I could go into so much detail about the happenings and the joyous affair, however I don't think I need to.  All I need to do is show a few snapshots taken by the massively talented Orin and I think you will all agree that a picture tells one thousand words, all of which would be, "My sister is absolutely stunning, and her new groom scrubs up pretty darn well nice too!"







enough said?