I have a new addiction- it kicks you in the bum, punches you in the belly and slaps your thigh- all while you grin from ear to ear. Am I a masochist? No- just high on Zumba!
Zumba is an intense dance-based cardio workout, which originated in Columbia about twenty years ago. The moves are choreographed to Latin themed music to create a fun, high-energy atmosphere. Despite being around for a while, Zumba is only now gaining a following in Australia.
After one lesson, I am totally hooked! I want to Zumba everyday. It's the hardest but most happiness-making workout I've ever tried. I was a tad over-enthusiastic in the first twenty minutes and thought I was going to have to sneak out to avoid a humiliating fainting spell in the middle of all the shimmying mamacitas, but soon after I had an unexpected burst of energy and pulled through to enjoy the second half.
Maybe it has something to do with Nico- the cheeky Brazilian instructor, but mainly I think my new addiction is due to Zumba's feel good factor. You bounce, shout, gyrate, shimmy, stomp, laugh and leave feeling good about yourself The endorphin high lasts a good eight hours- believe me!
If you're not sold on Zumba yet, check it out on YouTube, or just go to a class.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Yes - Okay you're right!
Okay, fine! I admit it...I actually do really quite like the coat Angie is wearing in the trench blog below.
So there you have it.
So there you have it.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tricky trenches
This is quite controversial and you'll probably disagree but I don't like trench coats...There, I've said it!
I have a black trench coat that I wear to work. When I put it on, I feel about as stylish as I do in my white, bolognese-stained dressing gown. It doesn't make me feel sexy or stylish, and I would never consider wearing it outside the context of workwear.
Some people look great in thier trenches; but what are they hiding undeneath? Probably their pjs!
Even Angelina Jolie has been known to throw on her black trench over a daggy tracky.
So, there you go - a trench coat is a socially acceptable dressing gown alternative.
Seriously girls, just get dressed!
I have a black trench coat that I wear to work. When I put it on, I feel about as stylish as I do in my white, bolognese-stained dressing gown. It doesn't make me feel sexy or stylish, and I would never consider wearing it outside the context of workwear.
Some people look great in thier trenches; but what are they hiding undeneath? Probably their pjs!
Even Angelina Jolie has been known to throw on her black trench over a daggy tracky.
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| Angelina Jolie in trackies and trench |
Seriously girls, just get dressed!
My beef stroganoff
Inspired by Masterchef, I decided to make Beef Stroganoff for dinner tonight.
I looked online for a recipe and found so many variations - so I ditched the recipe idea and just made it up as I went along. The result was yum, so here is my recipe for Beef Stroganoff!
My shopping list included:
50 gms beef fillet, cut into thin strips
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 cps stock
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tbsp plain flour
1 packet of fettuccine
In a plastic bag, toss the beef strips with the flour and a teaspoon of the paprika. Brown the beef in a large, hot fry pan with a nob of butter and some olive oil. When the beef is brown but not cooked all the way through, take it our of the pan and put it on a plate.
Deglaze the pan with a cup of the stock, and add the chopped garlic and onions. Simmer until tender. Add the sliced mushrooms and continue to simmer for a further five minutes.
Return the meat to the pan. Add the rest of the paprika, the tomato paste and the leftover stock, stirring continuously. Add the sour cream and stir through. Add pepper and salt to taste.
Serve over aldente fettuccine.
Serves four, or dinner tonight/ lunch tomorrow for two!
I looked online for a recipe and found so many variations - so I ditched the recipe idea and just made it up as I went along. The result was yum, so here is my recipe for Beef Stroganoff!
My shopping list included:
50 gms beef fillet, cut into thin strips
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 cps stock
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tbsp plain flour
1 packet of fettuccine
In a plastic bag, toss the beef strips with the flour and a teaspoon of the paprika. Brown the beef in a large, hot fry pan with a nob of butter and some olive oil. When the beef is brown but not cooked all the way through, take it our of the pan and put it on a plate.
Deglaze the pan with a cup of the stock, and add the chopped garlic and onions. Simmer until tender. Add the sliced mushrooms and continue to simmer for a further five minutes.
Return the meat to the pan. Add the rest of the paprika, the tomato paste and the leftover stock, stirring continuously. Add the sour cream and stir through. Add pepper and salt to taste.
Serve over aldente fettuccine.
Serves four, or dinner tonight/ lunch tomorrow for two!
I want you!
When money is tight I always yearn to buy non-essentials item, like cosmetics and seasonal fashion pieces, and ignoring the lure of a sale requires more restraint than usual.
Working five days a week at Melbourne's fashion capital - also known as the biggest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere - is like torture for someone who's trying to tighten thier purse strings, not that my purse has strings, but you get the picture. Even a trip to the food court is an excercise in self-restraint as stocktake sales beckon to me from every angle. They say things like, "buy this black wool biker jacket with shiny gold zippers, it will complete your winter wardrobe - AND it's half price!." Such a convincing sales pitch, so enticing...so completely unnecessary and indulgent. I want it!
Gossip magazines provide moments of affordable indulgence in times of closely monitored spending but somehow they always make me want to buy more things - particularly makeup. A picture of one of my idols, the gorgeous Kate Beckinsale, with glowing coral cheeks, gold rimmed eyes and juicy pink lips made me want to overhaul my entire makeup kit. But then I remembered that not only do I not need any new makeup, I also can't afford any new makeup.
Because I want want want but won't allow myself to buy, I've developed a game that provides some satisfaction in desperate times- it's called Fantasy Bags. All you do is go to website that you love to buy things on, fill up your shopping bag with everything you want, head to the checkout, then close the webpage before entering any payment details. Although your coveted items won't arrive in the post, there is some satisfaction in compiling them. Some sites will keep your items in the shopping bag for a week or so, and often I find that the products I was desperate for last week don't seem so important this week.
This week's fantasy bag included:
Working five days a week at Melbourne's fashion capital - also known as the biggest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere - is like torture for someone who's trying to tighten thier purse strings, not that my purse has strings, but you get the picture. Even a trip to the food court is an excercise in self-restraint as stocktake sales beckon to me from every angle. They say things like, "buy this black wool biker jacket with shiny gold zippers, it will complete your winter wardrobe - AND it's half price!." Such a convincing sales pitch, so enticing...so completely unnecessary and indulgent. I want it!
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| Witchery biker jacket |
Because I want want want but won't allow myself to buy, I've developed a game that provides some satisfaction in desperate times- it's called Fantasy Bags. All you do is go to website that you love to buy things on, fill up your shopping bag with everything you want, head to the checkout, then close the webpage before entering any payment details. Although your coveted items won't arrive in the post, there is some satisfaction in compiling them. Some sites will keep your items in the shopping bag for a week or so, and often I find that the products I was desperate for last week don't seem so important this week.
This week's fantasy bag included:
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| Becca soft touch blush in Songbird |
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| Becca line+illuminate in Ibiza |
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| Becca glossy lip tint in Rosita |
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Ugly Smugly
Smug people are really annoying. I don't like them at all.
There is one member of the "smug club" who I find particularly annoying and am forced to encounter on a weekly basis. How this Engineer found her way into my editing class, I do not know, but her priority seems to be to make sure that everybody knows that she knows everything, and is right- always!
You have probably encountered such an individual at one time or another. The type who answers every rhetorical question and interrupts loudly, drowning out anyone else who dares share their opinion.
Smug people are cunning types. They try to disguise their true nature by diverting your attention. For example, the smug girl in question often interjects loudly with a furrowed brow, then trails off her self-righteous declaration with a pseudo-shy giggle. It's such a well-rehearsed act that I'm certain many are unaware of the truth.
It was only today that her smugliness revealed itself to me. During class discussion, I suggested an editorial correction, which admittedly was wrong as I had misread the sentence of the manuscript in question, but upon hearing my suggestion she actually scoffed, and to my amusement was reprimanded by our tutor.
Dear Smugly,
Perhaps in engineering it's important to be right all the time, but the English language is quite different. There are many acceptable, yet varied, ways to edit a manuscript because editing is intuitive, not scientific. What are you going to do when you encounter a challenge that can't be fixed by regurgitating a quote from a handbook? Good luck in the real world.
Sincerely,
Laura
There is one member of the "smug club" who I find particularly annoying and am forced to encounter on a weekly basis. How this Engineer found her way into my editing class, I do not know, but her priority seems to be to make sure that everybody knows that she knows everything, and is right- always!
You have probably encountered such an individual at one time or another. The type who answers every rhetorical question and interrupts loudly, drowning out anyone else who dares share their opinion.
Smug people are cunning types. They try to disguise their true nature by diverting your attention. For example, the smug girl in question often interjects loudly with a furrowed brow, then trails off her self-righteous declaration with a pseudo-shy giggle. It's such a well-rehearsed act that I'm certain many are unaware of the truth.
It was only today that her smugliness revealed itself to me. During class discussion, I suggested an editorial correction, which admittedly was wrong as I had misread the sentence of the manuscript in question, but upon hearing my suggestion she actually scoffed, and to my amusement was reprimanded by our tutor.
Dear Smugly,
Perhaps in engineering it's important to be right all the time, but the English language is quite different. There are many acceptable, yet varied, ways to edit a manuscript because editing is intuitive, not scientific. What are you going to do when you encounter a challenge that can't be fixed by regurgitating a quote from a handbook? Good luck in the real world.
Sincerely,
Laura
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Closet Conundrum
It's been a while since I've had the energy or inspiration to write a blog.
Ax and I moved out of the bungalow and into a real-life grownup apartment a few weeks ago, and the move has left me feeling exhausted and a bit suffocated by the un-housable piles of stuff. There are photo albums and nostalgic trinkets, bits and pieces of jewellery, stuffed animals and art projects from as far back as I can remember, but most of this "stuff" consists of clothes with no place to live except the boxes that brought them here.
Having overindulged in my mum's cooking during our stay at the bungalow, a few extra kilos have somehow found their way to my thighs. Only a handful of my extensive wardrobe can be pulled on past my knees, and as for doing up my skinny jeans?...Not a chance! With the extra inches, getting dressed has become a time consuming exercise of persistence and compromise. Ax can verify that many a morning has quickly turned from lax to teary after trawling through my wardrobe in search of an outfit that provides both comfort and confidence.
Now that half my wardrobe is loosely piled in cardboard boxes in our bedless bedroom, assembling a wearable outfit elicits an intensity of anxiety that could be described as something akin to a mini panic attack. On several occasions I've given up and thrown on some hideous combination just to get out of the house, and consequently spent the day feeling frumpy, daggy or invisible. Part of the problem is that I am overwhelmed by the overabundance of choice. I like to vary my style to suit my mood and to avoid uniform dressing, but this has resulted in an incohesive wardrobe where mix and match is rarely successful.
So, I decided to clean out and streamline my wardrobe. This task is a work in progress rather than an overnight fix. I pulled about forty pieces of clothing from my collection (bags, shoes, pyjamas, dresses, jackets and t-shirts) to begin the process; Some loved but out of style, some too small, others rarely worn, and a handful that had never been worn. Many will be sold (hopefully) on eBay and a few will go to charity bins.
Next, I need to decide what my perfect wardrobe would consist of, but I don't know where to start!
Although I like the idea of a capsule wardrobe, in practise I think it's terribly restricting. Yes, it would be great for a holiday, but for real life I need more options. Once quiet day at work, I actually tried to sketch every necessary item for my capsule wardrobe in as much detail as could be achieved using one squared cm for each item...I ran out of room on the page. I am certain now that I could never be a minimalist.
There are several items that I could not forseeably live without.
1. Dark skinny jeans (not to be worn with item no.2)
2. Vintage wash denim jacket
3. Black leggings (not to be worn as pants)
4. Floral/patterned mini dress
5. American Apparel 'V' neck t-shirts in neutral colours (white, grey, olive)
That's basically it!
Now that I've worked out what my essential items are, I can finally begin to make sense of my wardrobe.
A magazine cutout that styled a denim jacket in several ways is providing me with inspiration this week and reducing my outfit anxiety. Many of the featured outfits incorporated pieces and styles I already own, so all I have to do is choose a look and pull the pieces from my collection.
These girls rock their denim jackets!
Ax and I moved out of the bungalow and into a real-life grownup apartment a few weeks ago, and the move has left me feeling exhausted and a bit suffocated by the un-housable piles of stuff. There are photo albums and nostalgic trinkets, bits and pieces of jewellery, stuffed animals and art projects from as far back as I can remember, but most of this "stuff" consists of clothes with no place to live except the boxes that brought them here.
Having overindulged in my mum's cooking during our stay at the bungalow, a few extra kilos have somehow found their way to my thighs. Only a handful of my extensive wardrobe can be pulled on past my knees, and as for doing up my skinny jeans?...Not a chance! With the extra inches, getting dressed has become a time consuming exercise of persistence and compromise. Ax can verify that many a morning has quickly turned from lax to teary after trawling through my wardrobe in search of an outfit that provides both comfort and confidence.
Now that half my wardrobe is loosely piled in cardboard boxes in our bedless bedroom, assembling a wearable outfit elicits an intensity of anxiety that could be described as something akin to a mini panic attack. On several occasions I've given up and thrown on some hideous combination just to get out of the house, and consequently spent the day feeling frumpy, daggy or invisible. Part of the problem is that I am overwhelmed by the overabundance of choice. I like to vary my style to suit my mood and to avoid uniform dressing, but this has resulted in an incohesive wardrobe where mix and match is rarely successful.
So, I decided to clean out and streamline my wardrobe. This task is a work in progress rather than an overnight fix. I pulled about forty pieces of clothing from my collection (bags, shoes, pyjamas, dresses, jackets and t-shirts) to begin the process; Some loved but out of style, some too small, others rarely worn, and a handful that had never been worn. Many will be sold (hopefully) on eBay and a few will go to charity bins.
Next, I need to decide what my perfect wardrobe would consist of, but I don't know where to start!
Although I like the idea of a capsule wardrobe, in practise I think it's terribly restricting. Yes, it would be great for a holiday, but for real life I need more options. Once quiet day at work, I actually tried to sketch every necessary item for my capsule wardrobe in as much detail as could be achieved using one squared cm for each item...I ran out of room on the page. I am certain now that I could never be a minimalist.
There are several items that I could not forseeably live without.
1. Dark skinny jeans (not to be worn with item no.2)
2. Vintage wash denim jacket
3. Black leggings (not to be worn as pants)
4. Floral/patterned mini dress
5. American Apparel 'V' neck t-shirts in neutral colours (white, grey, olive)
That's basically it!
Now that I've worked out what my essential items are, I can finally begin to make sense of my wardrobe.
A magazine cutout that styled a denim jacket in several ways is providing me with inspiration this week and reducing my outfit anxiety. Many of the featured outfits incorporated pieces and styles I already own, so all I have to do is choose a look and pull the pieces from my collection.
These girls rock their denim jackets!
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| Chloe Sevigny |
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| Rachel Bilson |
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| Miranda Kerr |
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Sometimes when I close my eyes, all I see are Chagall horses...
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| The Old Woman Mounted the Ifrit's Back..., 1948 |
I love the escapism of Marc Chagall's whimsical dreamlike paintings. I always think of Chagall when I'm procrastinating, like now. I should be writing an essay, but instead I'm dreaming about Chagall horses. A few years ago, when I should have been studying, I painted a Chagall nightscape on our fridge. When we moved house, the fridge was destined for the tip, so the door came off and was relocated to my wardrobe, where it stayed for several years. I was going to upload a photo for you, but I don't know where it is anymore...probably reunited with the rest of the fridge.
Here is some inspiration for your own day dreaming...
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| Mounting the Ebony Horse..., 1948 |
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| He Went Up to the Couch..., 1948 |
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| Clown on a Horse, 1927 |
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Portable Keyhole
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| Rear Window (Hitchcock, 1954) |
Everyone should watch Rear Window (Hitchcock, 1954).
Apart from being a classic and one of Hitchcock's best films, it also has wonderful sets, incredible cinematography, AND is still thought provoking sixty six years later!
There is one line in particular that stuck in my mind after tonights viewing. The nurse (pictured in the floral frock) refers to the camera through which her client "observes" his neighbours, as a 'portable keyhole'...and I love that idea because we are all voyeurs when we look at the world through a camera.
Don't you think?
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| The apartment block in Rear Window (Hitchcock, 1954) |
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Profiteroles as promised!
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| This is Martha Stewart's croquembouche |
After Ax told me about the chocolate profiteroles, I planned to make some one day, sometime, vaguely in the near future...But it was only when Elizabeth Bard described her wedding cake, a traditional French croquembouche (profiteroles, crème patisserie, and crunchy toffee), in her novel Lunch in Paris, that I started looking at recipes.
Making a croquembouche seemed a tad over ambitious, so I decided to try my hand at profiteroles filled with crème patisserie, and drizzled with chocolate.
Ax found this recipe for the choux pastry on his iPhone!
To make the choux pastry, you will need:
1 cup water
1/2 cup unsalted butter (chopped)
1 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
Bring water and butter to boil in medium saucepan
Reduce heat, add flour and salt and stir until a smooth ball forms
Transfer to a large bowl and beat in eggs one at a time with an electric mixer
After the fourth egg is integrated, the mixture will look smooth and silky. Cover with gladwrap and let stand for about an hour.
To make the crème patisserie, you will need:
1 cup milk
75g castor sugar
3 egg yolks
25g plain flour
1 vanilla bean, split length ways
Heat the milk with 50g of sugar in a small saucepan, add the scrapings from the vanilla bean and bring to a gentle boil.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 25g of sugar.When the yolk mix is pale and frothy, add the flour and whisk to combine.
Add the hot milk slowly to the egg mixture, whisking as you go.
Return mixture to saucepan and whisk over heat until it thickens.
Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.
To make the profiteroles, preheat the oven to 215C
Transfer the pastry mixture to piping bag. Use a 1/2" tip to pipe 1" rounds onto a lightly greased tray leaving puffing room between each round. If you want smooth profiteroles, use a moistened finger to smooth the piping ridges.
Bake until golden brown puffed (about 23 minutes). Remove from oven and turn off heat.
Use a small knife to make a small slit in the side of each puff. Return the puffs to the oven, with the door slightly ajar for a further 10 minutes. Remove puff from oven and allow to cool completely.
When the profiterole are cool, use a 1/4" piping tip to pipe a bit of the crème patisserie into each puff, through the slit you made earlier. Once filled, the profiteroles are ready to be served, with your choice of sauce.
Transfer the pastry mixture to piping bag. Use a 1/2" tip to pipe 1" rounds onto a lightly greased tray leaving puffing room between each round. If you want smooth profiteroles, use a moistened finger to smooth the piping ridges.
Bake until golden brown puffed (about 23 minutes). Remove from oven and turn off heat.
Use a small knife to make a small slit in the side of each puff. Return the puffs to the oven, with the door slightly ajar for a further 10 minutes. Remove puff from oven and allow to cool completely.
When the profiterole are cool, use a 1/4" piping tip to pipe a bit of the crème patisserie into each puff, through the slit you made earlier. Once filled, the profiteroles are ready to be served, with your choice of sauce.
I made a chocolate sauce, by melting down a milk chocolate Easter rabbit, with a splosh of milk and a shot of Kahlua. Yum!
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| The shapes are a little rustic but who cares! |
The profiteroles were so good, that Ax and I polished off about four before they even made it to the plate, we didn't have much room for dinner afterwards though!
Happy baking...
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Très fabuleux, non?
I'm currently reading a fabulous book; Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard. It's a true story, about an American academic (Bard), who falls in love with a Frenchman, and upon moving to Paris finds that she must not only learn a new language, but a new way of life. Bard's descriptions and anecdotes transport me to Paris in such a way as to manifest the apprehension, adventure and excitement of experiencing life as a stranger in an elusive foreign environment. Bard's glorious portrait of Parisian life is complemented to perfection by the handful of recipes that complete each chapter. As such, the reader's journey is not just cultural, but also culinary. There are several recipes that I'm itching to try out, including Bard's green beans in walnut oil and her individual chocolate puddings! |
| Breakfast Café au lait & croissant avec Nutella! |
So, here are some of my favourite French fashions and finds.
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| French inspired vintage style enamel kitchen canisters |
Chic, bold red lips with radiant pale skin, and eyes cleanly defined by black liner and black mascara. |
| The obligatory navy/ white stripe top. Mine's from American Apparel. |
Macarons in an array of pretty pastel colours. A macaron, in case you don't know, is a light, crisp, meringue style biscuit, made from egg whites and almond paste, and filled with a sweet smooth icing. They are quintessentially French, and totally delicious. The macarons pictured are from Ladurée in Paris; a Parisian 'tea salon', known for their infamous macarons! Similar biscuits are available from Lindt cafes, where they are known as delice. Enjoy!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Date night
Ax and I ventured to 'Asakusa' on Waverley tonight. We hoped that the fare would live up to standard of 'Hana', the Japanese restaurant that we frequented in the Blue Mountains, and to our surprise, it came pretty damn close! The restaurant is quite small with minimal, modern decor. Each table is presented with an amuse bouche of edamame, traditional Japanese boiled soybeans, on arrival.
We ordered the tempura asparagus, and the fried eggplant with chicken mince for entree. The eggplant was ugly, yet delicious and sadly I was too busy stuffing my face to take a photograph. The asparagus was tender-crisp and perfectly complimented by the accompanying dipping sauce. Smiles all round.
For main, Ax slurped the nabeyaki udon soup, which came in a hot iron bowl, with a tempura prawn and some assorted tempura vegetables. And, although he claimed the broth was not quite as tasty as the nabeyaki at Hana, I did see the bottom of the bowl.
I ordered the beef glazed with teriyaki and it was absolutely delicious. It was a little one dimensional and could have done with a few more veggies, though.
With two entrees, two mains, a serve of rice and a bottle of BYO plonk, our bill came to $56, which is quite reasonable in my opinion.
As Ax says, 'the Japanese aren't really known for their deserts', so we strolled a bit further down Waverley in search of a moist slice of cake or a sweet pudding. We found ourselves at 'Red Rhumba', which serves modern Australian cuisine. Ax said he didn't feel like dessert, but I begged him to have a few bites so I wouldn't feel guilty, and bribed him with the promise of a drink.
We ordered wine and tiramisu, and the tiramisu was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! The perfect combination of creamy custard and moist ladyfinger sponge biscuits soaked in coffee and liqueur. Plus, it was presented beautifully in a large glass, and big enough to share, which was lucky, coz Ax ended up eating several more than a few bites. A wonderful saturday evening had by all!
(Pics by Ax)
Tune in next week for adventures in profiteroles!
We ordered the tempura asparagus, and the fried eggplant with chicken mince for entree. The eggplant was ugly, yet delicious and sadly I was too busy stuffing my face to take a photograph. The asparagus was tender-crisp and perfectly complimented by the accompanying dipping sauce. Smiles all round. For main, Ax slurped the nabeyaki udon soup, which came in a hot iron bowl, with a tempura prawn and some assorted tempura vegetables. And, although he claimed the broth was not quite as tasty as the nabeyaki at Hana, I did see the bottom of the bowl.
I ordered the beef glazed with teriyaki and it was absolutely delicious. It was a little one dimensional and could have done with a few more veggies, though.
With two entrees, two mains, a serve of rice and a bottle of BYO plonk, our bill came to $56, which is quite reasonable in my opinion. As Ax says, 'the Japanese aren't really known for their deserts', so we strolled a bit further down Waverley in search of a moist slice of cake or a sweet pudding. We found ourselves at 'Red Rhumba', which serves modern Australian cuisine. Ax said he didn't feel like dessert, but I begged him to have a few bites so I wouldn't feel guilty, and bribed him with the promise of a drink.
We ordered wine and tiramisu, and the tiramisu was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! The perfect combination of creamy custard and moist ladyfinger sponge biscuits soaked in coffee and liqueur. Plus, it was presented beautifully in a large glass, and big enough to share, which was lucky, coz Ax ended up eating several more than a few bites. A wonderful saturday evening had by all!(Pics by Ax)
Tune in next week for adventures in profiteroles!
Monday, March 22, 2010
"Can I interest you in a used car...or an apartment perhaps?"
Now that we are feeling more comfortable and knowledgeable in Melbourne, Ax and I have started our search for the perfect apartment (aka. the perfect compromise). Two properties have been viewed so far on this quest, but I suspect we'll have worn holes in our shoes by the time we find the right place.
I decided to view apartment number one while Ax was at work last week. After getting stuck in the wrong lane on a busy road then taking a convoluted detour to get back on track and handing over five dollars for metered parking, I finally found the dump, um...I mean place, situated right next to a construction site. I reluctantly approached the dirty, yellow, ground floor door and pushed it open to reveal a decrepit, green and red, dirt encrusted foyer, with a fly ridden cement stairwell and an ancient minuscule elevator. By this time it was about ten to one and the inspection was not due to begin until one p.m. I slowly made my way up to the third storey, with my brow becoming increasingly furrowed as I absorbed the overall disgusting-ness of this eyesore of an apartment block. When I reached the door of the apartment, I looked at my watch (...two minutes to one), and quickly turned and fled back down the stairs, with my index fingers in my ears, away from the audio-visual pollution and back to the refuge of my car. It took me a few days to get over the initial shock of realising that real estate agents are liars and no better than used car salesmen.
Surprisingly, I woke up this morning still hopeful that our perfect apartment was just waiting to be found, and was possibly only hours away from discovery! Silly me. I had e-mailed a couple of agents on friday afternoon, hoping to schedule in a viewing or two on the following monday. Neither responded, but I was determined. Ax and I set out for the day and finding ourselves in the area of one of the advertised apartments, decided to have a drive by look. As it happened, the apartment was located right next door to the leasing agent so we asked the agent for a viewing. The space was described as a 'gorgeous self-contained studio apartment' with 'sunny paved courtyard' and 'sunny living room/bedroom', and the photos of the courtyard and kitchen were good, so I was excited to view our potential home.
The real estate agent was very busy and important so we waited about twenty minutes until he had time to show us the property next door. It had a nice high fence with a solid wooden gate, and the courtyard was pretty too. The kitchen was modern, with stainless steel surfaces, Ax and I smiled at each other with approval. The bathroom was small and minimal, not so good. Despite the bathroom, we wanted to see the rest of the place, but the agent had come to a standstill. We were confused- where was the rest? 'That's it...studio apartment', the agent said. Apparently, in real estate speak, any floorspace- regardless of its location i.e in the kitchen, can be described as 'livingroom' or even 'bedroom'! As we're no so keen on sleeping in the kitchen, or hanging our clothes in the shower, Ax and I decided to give this one a miss.
I decided to view apartment number one while Ax was at work last week. After getting stuck in the wrong lane on a busy road then taking a convoluted detour to get back on track and handing over five dollars for metered parking, I finally found the dump, um...I mean place, situated right next to a construction site. I reluctantly approached the dirty, yellow, ground floor door and pushed it open to reveal a decrepit, green and red, dirt encrusted foyer, with a fly ridden cement stairwell and an ancient minuscule elevator. By this time it was about ten to one and the inspection was not due to begin until one p.m. I slowly made my way up to the third storey, with my brow becoming increasingly furrowed as I absorbed the overall disgusting-ness of this eyesore of an apartment block. When I reached the door of the apartment, I looked at my watch (...two minutes to one), and quickly turned and fled back down the stairs, with my index fingers in my ears, away from the audio-visual pollution and back to the refuge of my car. It took me a few days to get over the initial shock of realising that real estate agents are liars and no better than used car salesmen.
Surprisingly, I woke up this morning still hopeful that our perfect apartment was just waiting to be found, and was possibly only hours away from discovery! Silly me. I had e-mailed a couple of agents on friday afternoon, hoping to schedule in a viewing or two on the following monday. Neither responded, but I was determined. Ax and I set out for the day and finding ourselves in the area of one of the advertised apartments, decided to have a drive by look. As it happened, the apartment was located right next door to the leasing agent so we asked the agent for a viewing. The space was described as a 'gorgeous self-contained studio apartment' with 'sunny paved courtyard' and 'sunny living room/bedroom', and the photos of the courtyard and kitchen were good, so I was excited to view our potential home.
The real estate agent was very busy and important so we waited about twenty minutes until he had time to show us the property next door. It had a nice high fence with a solid wooden gate, and the courtyard was pretty too. The kitchen was modern, with stainless steel surfaces, Ax and I smiled at each other with approval. The bathroom was small and minimal, not so good. Despite the bathroom, we wanted to see the rest of the place, but the agent had come to a standstill. We were confused- where was the rest? 'That's it...studio apartment', the agent said. Apparently, in real estate speak, any floorspace- regardless of its location i.e in the kitchen, can be described as 'livingroom' or even 'bedroom'! As we're no so keen on sleeping in the kitchen, or hanging our clothes in the shower, Ax and I decided to give this one a miss.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Painting the Roses Red
I have many warm memories of watching the original Alice in Wonderland(Disney, 1951) as a child. In fact, I viewed it so many times that the particular tones and inflections of each character's voice, from Alice through to the timid violets, are etched into mind.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Movie_alice_in_wonderland_flowers.png
When I heard that Alice was being brought to life once again, this time by Tim Burton, I was filled with nostalgia and hopeful that this reinvention would maintain the integrity of the original Disney classic. Although apprehensive about Burton's vision for Alice and the prospect of wearing irksome 3D glasses, Ax and myself ventured to the cinema on Saturday night, with about three hundred other movie goers, to witness Burton's creation.
(Like this but not quite so glamorous!)
http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/695413-live-it-up-in-a-3d-cinema-dimension
Apart from the awful cinema experience (overcrowded, people arriving half an hour into the movie, texting, chattering, starting the film while the lights were still on and the sound being too low to carry across the rustling chip packets), I found Burton's Alice in Wonderland quite enjoyable, but not particularly memorable. Actually, the parts that were memorable were rendered so for being not particularly enjoyable (in my opinion)!
Firstly, a few words about Johnny Depp, an amazing actor who sadly seems to be carving out a niche in 'quirky' roles. Unfortunately, his wide eyed glances and mousy character voices have become all too predictable. This is not to say that his performance as the Mad Hatter is bad, but rather that it is boring.
Secondly, the battle scene is all wrong, out of place and completely unnecessary. The muted grey, black and red colour scheme is reminiscent of Zack Snyder's 300 (2007), a film based on a graphic novel of the same name about the battle of the 300 Spartans. As if forming this association wasn't disturbing enough, in the climax of the scene, Alice dashes up a spiral stone staircase and upon reaching the top slices off the head of a Jabberwocky, which bumps and tumbles its way to the ground. I understand that Burton's vision for Alice is meant to be grittier than Disney's (and probably truer to Lewis Carroll's text in some ways), but this battle scene is inconsistent with the vibrancy, quirk and humour of the rest of the film.
What I enjoyed about the film was Alan Rickman, perfectly cast as the voice of the caterpillar. Helena Bonham-Carter was also enjoyable to watch, and delivered most of the laugh-out-loud quotes.
An illustration or two to come...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Movie_alice_in_wonderland_flowers.pngWhen I heard that Alice was being brought to life once again, this time by Tim Burton, I was filled with nostalgia and hopeful that this reinvention would maintain the integrity of the original Disney classic. Although apprehensive about Burton's vision for Alice and the prospect of wearing irksome 3D glasses, Ax and myself ventured to the cinema on Saturday night, with about three hundred other movie goers, to witness Burton's creation.
(Like this but not quite so glamorous!)http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/695413-live-it-up-in-a-3d-cinema-dimension
Apart from the awful cinema experience (overcrowded, people arriving half an hour into the movie, texting, chattering, starting the film while the lights were still on and the sound being too low to carry across the rustling chip packets), I found Burton's Alice in Wonderland quite enjoyable, but not particularly memorable. Actually, the parts that were memorable were rendered so for being not particularly enjoyable (in my opinion)!
Firstly, a few words about Johnny Depp, an amazing actor who sadly seems to be carving out a niche in 'quirky' roles. Unfortunately, his wide eyed glances and mousy character voices have become all too predictable. This is not to say that his performance as the Mad Hatter is bad, but rather that it is boring.
Secondly, the battle scene is all wrong, out of place and completely unnecessary. The muted grey, black and red colour scheme is reminiscent of Zack Snyder's 300 (2007), a film based on a graphic novel of the same name about the battle of the 300 Spartans. As if forming this association wasn't disturbing enough, in the climax of the scene, Alice dashes up a spiral stone staircase and upon reaching the top slices off the head of a Jabberwocky, which bumps and tumbles its way to the ground. I understand that Burton's vision for Alice is meant to be grittier than Disney's (and probably truer to Lewis Carroll's text in some ways), but this battle scene is inconsistent with the vibrancy, quirk and humour of the rest of the film.
What I enjoyed about the film was Alan Rickman, perfectly cast as the voice of the caterpillar. Helena Bonham-Carter was also enjoyable to watch, and delivered most of the laugh-out-loud quotes.
An illustration or two to come...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Shake Up Your Make-Up!
If you're like me and can't resist the allure of a new beautifying product from your favourite cosmetics brand (mine are Benefit and Smashbox), chances are your makeup case looks something like this...or perhaps even worse!
Although I like to keep my makeup case clean and bacteria free, it's always bursting at the seams with collectable Benefit boxed blushes, multiple mascaras for varying lash looks, or that new season lip gloss that I simply had to have. (Mind you, this is not my entire collection, I also have a black ceramic cup full of brushes and pencils!)
When your makeup case is this choc-a-bloc, digging through it each morning to create an original look on a daily basis can be a confusing and time consuming task. In my experience, it results in grabbing a few favourites from the top and quickly slapping them on, just to get out the door on time. Consequently, many of the more ambitious products or those that are not immediately within reach, are left to be forgotten at the bottom of the case.
To stop myself from becoming entangled in a repetitive makeup rut, I have developed a simple rotation system, which ensures that no cosmetic must-have gets left in my makeup case for too long. This system requires one or two clear storage cubes (you can purchase these from Freedom or basically anywhere that stocks storage solutions). One cube will be used for makeup, and the other for cotton balls/tips etc.
Once you have these containers, you can get down to business!
1. Lay a towel out on your bed or some carpet and carefully empty out the contents of your makeup case onto the surface.
2. Throw away anything that smells funny, has separated, gone cakey, has broken packaging, or is past its used by date.
3. Group items according to product type ie. bases, blushes, glosses, shadows etc
4. Now comes the fun part. Select one or two products from each pile and put them aside. The products you choose could be inspired by a look from magazine, a recently purchased product, a celebrity idol, seasonal colours or anything that grabs you!
5. Place the selected assortment of products in one of the clear cubes. This is going to be your go-to selection for the next fortnight or so. Clean your makeup case and return the unselected cosmetics to it.
When your finished, you'll have something like this...
My cosmetics cube currently contains my Benefit Playstick foundation, Smashbox bronzing primer, L'Oreal bronze eyeliner, Stila Major Lash mascara, Benefit Softlights fusion blush, Benefit Hoola bronzing powder, Smashbox eyeshadow trio, Modelco summer bronze shimmer powder, and Benefit Benetint lip balm pot.
Arrange the cubes on your bathroom bench so that your chosen bits and pieces are within reach after your morning shower. Rotate the cosmetics in the cube every couple of weeks and you'll have no reason get stuck in a makeup rut ever again!
Although I like to keep my makeup case clean and bacteria free, it's always bursting at the seams with collectable Benefit boxed blushes, multiple mascaras for varying lash looks, or that new season lip gloss that I simply had to have. (Mind you, this is not my entire collection, I also have a black ceramic cup full of brushes and pencils!)
When your makeup case is this choc-a-bloc, digging through it each morning to create an original look on a daily basis can be a confusing and time consuming task. In my experience, it results in grabbing a few favourites from the top and quickly slapping them on, just to get out the door on time. Consequently, many of the more ambitious products or those that are not immediately within reach, are left to be forgotten at the bottom of the case.
To stop myself from becoming entangled in a repetitive makeup rut, I have developed a simple rotation system, which ensures that no cosmetic must-have gets left in my makeup case for too long. This system requires one or two clear storage cubes (you can purchase these from Freedom or basically anywhere that stocks storage solutions). One cube will be used for makeup, and the other for cotton balls/tips etc.
Once you have these containers, you can get down to business!
1. Lay a towel out on your bed or some carpet and carefully empty out the contents of your makeup case onto the surface.
2. Throw away anything that smells funny, has separated, gone cakey, has broken packaging, or is past its used by date.
3. Group items according to product type ie. bases, blushes, glosses, shadows etc
4. Now comes the fun part. Select one or two products from each pile and put them aside. The products you choose could be inspired by a look from magazine, a recently purchased product, a celebrity idol, seasonal colours or anything that grabs you!
5. Place the selected assortment of products in one of the clear cubes. This is going to be your go-to selection for the next fortnight or so. Clean your makeup case and return the unselected cosmetics to it.
When your finished, you'll have something like this...
My cosmetics cube currently contains my Benefit Playstick foundation, Smashbox bronzing primer, L'Oreal bronze eyeliner, Stila Major Lash mascara, Benefit Softlights fusion blush, Benefit Hoola bronzing powder, Smashbox eyeshadow trio, Modelco summer bronze shimmer powder, and Benefit Benetint lip balm pot.
Arrange the cubes on your bathroom bench so that your chosen bits and pieces are within reach after your morning shower. Rotate the cosmetics in the cube every couple of weeks and you'll have no reason get stuck in a makeup rut ever again!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Flower Brooch
So, here is the first creation to emerge from my recent adventures in craftiness. It's a tad rough and ready but I'm pleased with the result.
More pieces to follow!
More pieces to follow!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Excuse Me Waiter, I Didn't Order the Rant Special!
Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder
With a lot of free time and a little money in our pockets, Ax and I decided to venture to some yet-to-be-explored corners of our new city. Our journey led us to Bridge Rd (Richmond) just as a heavy downpour began to ease. With grumbling tummy's we paced the steaming footpath, keeping our eyes peeled for a chic eatery offering brunch and some much needed cafe au lait. We landed on the doorstep of the Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder (a large cafe with deli and fromagerie), and being pleasantly surprised by the prices posted on the menu in the window, decided to head in.
With a lot of free time and a little money in our pockets, Ax and I decided to venture to some yet-to-be-explored corners of our new city. Our journey led us to Bridge Rd (Richmond) just as a heavy downpour began to ease. With grumbling tummy's we paced the steaming footpath, keeping our eyes peeled for a chic eatery offering brunch and some much needed cafe au lait. We landed on the doorstep of the Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder (a large cafe with deli and fromagerie), and being pleasantly surprised by the prices posted on the menu in the window, decided to head in. I asked the waitress for a table for two, and she glanced at the reservation book with a furrowed brow then looked around the half empty cafe with an expression of concern on her face. The floor manager was called over and he too studied the reservation book and the 10-15 empty tables, and then proceeded to offer us a place at the bar and a booking for the next available table. "Um...there seems to be quite a lot of available tables, so I think we'll just go somewhere else" I said, totally perplexed. According to the manager, those tables were reserved for people arriving in 15-30 minutes. "There are a couple of tables who will be finished shortly, if you'd like to wait at the bar for one of those tables", he said. To which we replied, "No thankyou!" and left.
Is this a new phenomenon, the mysterious empty yet "fully booked" restaurant? Why could he not have given us a table and assigned one of the bookings to the next table to be vacated? As this cafe is partly owned by renowned Australian chef Stephanie Alexander, I am still curious to sample the fare, but this incident has left a sour taste in my mouth. I won't be going again anytime soon, but next time I'll book a table!
Image from www.melbourne.breakfastout.com.au/richmondhillcafelarder
Thursday, March 4, 2010
She's a Crafty One
Earlier this week, I accompanied my baby sis to her first day at "film school" (WOW!), which is conveniently located two minutes on foot from the uber fashionable Chapel St, Prahran. As the "O" week food stalls etc were yet to be set up, we decided to stroll down Chapel St for a browse and a bite.
We encountered some teeny weeny turtles at the pet store, but this was surprisingly not the highlight of our journey...for me at least! We ventured into a fabulously quirky boutique, choc-full of handmade, vintage-esque and imported dresses, tees, cardis and accessories. If I wasn't currently (GULP) unemployed I would have bought several pieces.
Although I wasn't able to walk out of the store swinging a bag or two full of enviable goodies, I did leave feeling inspired. As my sister nudged me out the door, a flash of vivid colour caught my eye and I flicked open the rack of clothes to see a reddish-coral tee in a sheer cotton fabric with an intricate black applique of beads and tulle(?)on the neckline. After we left, I started thinking about how easy it would be to make something similar with haberdashery store finds like buttons, beads and fabric swatches, but put pins on the back so you can attach them to whatever top/ jacket/ bag you like.
I headed to Spotlight today and was overwhelmed by the enormous selection of beads, buttons and fabrics on offer. I came home with a small assortment of bits & pieces and a couple of ideas in mind (below).
This is my palette for a pretty, girly, vintage themed applique brooch. Pink, tiny polka dots, floral, buttons.
This selection is my palette for a darker more glamorous evening brooch. Black, metals, beads (need some black tulle).
To be continued...
We encountered some teeny weeny turtles at the pet store, but this was surprisingly not the highlight of our journey...for me at least! We ventured into a fabulously quirky boutique, choc-full of handmade, vintage-esque and imported dresses, tees, cardis and accessories. If I wasn't currently (GULP) unemployed I would have bought several pieces.
Although I wasn't able to walk out of the store swinging a bag or two full of enviable goodies, I did leave feeling inspired. As my sister nudged me out the door, a flash of vivid colour caught my eye and I flicked open the rack of clothes to see a reddish-coral tee in a sheer cotton fabric with an intricate black applique of beads and tulle(?)on the neckline. After we left, I started thinking about how easy it would be to make something similar with haberdashery store finds like buttons, beads and fabric swatches, but put pins on the back so you can attach them to whatever top/ jacket/ bag you like.
I headed to Spotlight today and was overwhelmed by the enormous selection of beads, buttons and fabrics on offer. I came home with a small assortment of bits & pieces and a couple of ideas in mind (below).
This is my palette for a pretty, girly, vintage themed applique brooch. Pink, tiny polka dots, floral, buttons.
This selection is my palette for a darker more glamorous evening brooch. Black, metals, beads (need some black tulle).
To be continued...
Monday, March 1, 2010
Surreal Funereal
At my Aunty Eve's funeral a day or so ago, I witnessed this theatrical scene. A young girl, no more than 10yrs old, weeping in the style of an Italian widow and dancing barefoot with a single red rose at the front of the funeral hall. The image has been at the forefront of my mind ever since, so I decided to put it on paper.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Frank
Hungry for creative nourishment. Inspired by the fury feline friend at my feet.
Original artwork by Laura Keeling (c) 2010
Original photography by Laura Keeling (c) 2010
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