to market, to market

How's tricks? I'm uber-excited as we're off to the Farmer's Markets for the first time since the great knee injury of 2010... {which, by the way, is on the mend. I merely stretched my ACL and then tore the living daylights out of the cartilage, so it's on the healing process}. We're going to buy coffee beans, roasting meat, vegies, some fruits and delicious turkish gozleme for lunch. Mmmmmmm. Gozleme....

woo hoo weekend!

Hey, Saturday, how's tricks? You are lookin' gooooooooood. After a week of working frantically I'm going to reward myself for my labours with a few hours of doing absolutely NOTHING today. Hubby's off at golf till after lunch and my gal's off to a picnic in the park at 11am. So for a couple of hours in the middle of the day I'm going to go up to the pavillion, loll on the daybed and read. And maybe look at the sky... That's it. I'm not going to:

• Wash clothes

• Mop the kitchen floor

• Water the gardens

• Weed

• Tidy the bedroom

• Wash the car...

Nope, all those tasks can wait for a few hours. Today, just for a wee bit, it's going to be all. about. me!

PS: I'm playing along with the fabulous Miss Maxabella today. Today I'm grateful that I had all that work that made me so frantic over the last few weeks. I'm grateful there's more coming, and I'm grateful for my gorgeous gal who's excitedly frocking up for a picnic. Bless.

friday flowers

I was just sitting on my front step, enjoying the sunshine for a few minutes, when I was overcome by a distinctive perfume. I looked up and rejoiced at the abundance of Wisteria blooms that have fringed my front veranda. Aren't they spectacular? They're still not at their peak - maybe in a few days - but boy, are they glorious.

oh bless

Those Olivers are damned good at having babies aren't they? I didn't even realise that Jools was pregnant until Jamie tweeted "It's a boy" last night. Here they are with the new addition. Now, let me say, I LOVE the names the Olivers give their babies, Poppy Honey Rainbow, Daisy Boo Pamela and Petal Blossom Rainbow are now joined by Buddy Bear Maurice.

PS: Have you ever seen little girls look so much like their mother? Bless.

PPS: Once again, I love how Jools comes out of hospital rocking her post-pregnancy tum. None of this tummy tuck after the birth for her. Congrats guys on your delicious family.

shoe fetish

Dita Von Teese just posted this shot on Twitter. Guess whether I'm deeply, madly and truly envious of her wardrobe...

lip service

Nothing says spring or summer more than a hot lip colour. I'm swooning over the orange lip at Marc Jacobs, or this more achievable look at Nanette Lepore. If you're not brave enough for the shocking pink or brilliant orange lipstick, a slick of gloss in a vibrant hue can bring a hint of sunshine to your day. Remember to balance it out with some serious black action on those lashes too.

travelling in my imagination

To take my mind off the overwhelming amount of work I have to do today I allowed my mind to venture into thoughts of what I want to do in Paris. Well, I want to visit the Laduree Bar on the Champs Elysee that's for sure. See that bar stool there? I do believe I need to perch on that - macaron in one hand, champagne in the other.

This time, our third time in Paris, I'm ignoring the guide books. I don't care if it's cheaper to stand at the bar and sip an espresso, I'm going to ensconce myself in a chair right out the front and sip a cafe au lait and people-watch. I'm going to a fabulous bar and sipping champagne and I'm going to dive into the sales and come home with one garment with an Agnes B label in it.

But for today, I'm going to work. Every word I write gets me that much closer to Paris...

best read

I will always choose a book by its cover, and am normally rewarded when doing so {most recent read: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand = pretty damned fabulous inside and out}. So, imagine the gasps, the whooping, the open-mouthed awe when I spied these Penguin hard cover classics with my little eye. Designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith these books would look fabulous anywhere - and you're doubly rewarded knowing there's a good read betwixt those pretty covers. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm pretty sure Amazon is calling my name, considering that the Aussie dollar's nearly equal with the US again...

bbbbbbbbbb busy

Just a quickie this morning as I'm uber-busy and a wee bit concerned I may drown in deadlines... And, as these things go, I also have a sick child home from school. Luckily I'd already packed her lunch so I might just have to pop her lunchbox by the sofa {yes, I had written coach - damn - where's my brain? I shall be needing it today...}

Enjoy your wednesday x

deep desires

I need Michelle Williams' eyebrows and lip-colour from this W cover.

PS: there would also be no saying no to a spot of nuzzling from Ryan Gosling either... just sayin'

cheap tricks

Okay, with planning and booking being in place for our OS trip in only 10 months it's time for a serious lock down on finances. I'm looking to find 10 cheap tricks in 10 weeks to help me save so we can splurge in France. Every dollar spent here is 72 euro cents I won't have to spend. So I'm going to get cheap and I'd like to share my tricks with you.

Now, it's not going to be easy as I'm already pretty frugal. But I'm going to do my best to find some funky ways to save.

Here's this week's trick: pantry cooking.

I'm going to raid my pantry, fridge and freezer and see how many meals I can create without the need for shopping. Tonight's sorted - I've got a tin of red salmon, panko bread crumbs, eggs, potatoes, eshallots, corn, pinenuts and herbs in the window boxes to make salmon patties. I also have sweet potato and pumpkin to roast and serve alongside. And ha, there's some cabbage too...

Tomorrow night we've got dinner guests so I'll buy some beef to roast up a casserole, and I have potatoes to make dauphinous - but I'll see if I can whip up dessert from my pantry {chocolate puddings perhaps?}. Thursday night? Well, I stocked up big on chorizo on coles at the deli - it was half price so I bought four chorizo for just over $5 - I KNOW! I'll make up a batch of potato and chorizo tarts to freeze for my gal's school lunches and will make pasta and chorizo bake with the others {there's always pasta and the makings of a red sauce in the pantry}. Friday night I'll defrost the chicken breasts I froze the other day and make chicken schnitzel with half and a chicken curry for saturday night with the rest. Sunday night will be roast night with yummy stuff from the farmer's markets - that won't change - but monday I'll make spaghetti carbonara with garlic, spaghetti, bacon, parmesan and eggs. How's that? Almost a week's worth of meals and I'll only need to spend around $25 on the ingredients for two of the meals.

Cheap trick indeed.

happy 50th sam i am

Okay, now this is getting ridiculous. It's the 50th anniversary of Green Eggs and Ham! I know!!!

I love this book, it really helped me expand my gal's culinary repertoire. Whenever I was offering her up a new food I'd say, "At least I'm not Sam I Am trying to make you eat green eggs and ham!"

Kids and food are tricky. Oh, so tricky. But it's hardly surprising when you check out how many fusspot adults there are. My gal jokes that I'm just like Maeve O'Maera on Food Safari - I like everything. And it's true, the only food I cannot abide, and it's an obscure one, is Oat Cakes - you know those english biscuits? Erk.

I'm still fighting the battle with my gal to eat green vegies. Every night I'll serve up a small portion of something and insist she gives it a shot {mind you, I'm probably also encouraging her dad to do the same...}. And I'm not offering up limp over-boiled beans. Oh no, the other night it was cabbage with sauteed eshallots and bacon simmered in beef stock {I'd run out of chicken and the beef worked just as well}. Otherwise it'll be broccoli sauteed with garlic, olive oil, lemon and anchovies {smooshed into oblivion - you can taste 'em, but not see 'em}. Or buttered green beans with slivered almonds. Perhaps I should try a few nights of overboiled peas and then she'll be begging for my gourmet greens...

What's your one food loathing?

breaking that fast

If you'd asked me a few days ago if I liked muesli, I'd have answered with a resounding, "Hell yeah". However, should you have pressed me to tell which brand of muesli I liked I would have mumbled a sheepish, "Um, I'm still looking..."

Good muesli is an exacting science. It needs to have just the right amount of plump, chewy dried fruits and crunchy nuts, a hit of flavour and yummy oats. Of course toasted oats are always best - but then again that usually fills them full of fat - so you might as well be having a good ol' british fry up for breakfast.

But now, oh now I've discovered the Holy Grail of Muesli. Apparently it's just had a packaging change and leapt out at me with its box so stylish it deserves a wee glass display shelf all on its own in my kitchen. I braved the Velvety Vanilla flavour, even though I worried it'd have an antisceptic 'vanilla essence' taste. But oh my NO!

This muesli is only half toasted - so you get the delicious crunch, but with way less fat. Crunchy macadamias are studded throughout while plump dried cranberries, coconut and dates provide the perfect accompaniment to a vanilla taste so pure and delicious you'd swear you were supping on a vanilla-bean pannacotta.

This, my friends, is Muesli Nirvana. AND it's Aussie-made. If you're seeking the ideal breakfast allow me to implore you to give this a shot {oh, and it's also available in honey flavoured if vanilla ain't your thang...}

oh happy day

Hey, guess what? It's Roald Dahl day today. To celebrate his birthday let's pause for a moment to reflect on a man with a joyous imagination and the ability to capture it in words and share it with the world. For Matilda, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and so many more, Mr Dahl, thank you x

sneaky peek

Psssst. You know how I said I wanted to rent a villa in the south of france with blue shutters, lavender, a sweeping drive and a pool. See this? That's our villa - deposit paid and booking taken. Seven nights with two other families {four without the dads while they head off for the Alps in a motor home to follow the Tour}.

Don't worry - I'm pinching myself too!

monday monday

Normally I love living in Australia, except when I hear about fabulous collaborations between designer's and affordable stores. Check out these seriously fierce Mary Janes by Christian Siriano for Payless. Payless! Have you ever seen anything like this at your local Payless? Oh, not I!

Le sigh...

oh what a night!

It's taken me a while to post about the ball, mainly because I spent yesterday, {ahem} recovering. It was quite the night. Firstly, I must say that I'm pretty sure I was on the best-dressed table. All my gal pals looked completely and utterly gorgeous. My fabulous friend Ms G had the most perfectly fingerwaved hairstyle, art deco-esque earrings {$5 from Diva no less} and the most perfect black french lace bolero over her frock. Ms R looked ravishingly beautiful, as always, in a frock with the most perfect neckline the world has ever seen and a smokey eye that would make many a make-up artist weep with envy. Gorgeous friend J looked smoking in a wafty wasabi frock that was made for spinning up a storm on the dance floor. Finally, and I'm saving this one, my glorious friend N won the prize for most covetable footwear. Check out those beauties. Set off with a stunning frock complete with tulle {!} underskirt she flashed those pins with the pride they deserved.

We bid and won on a few auction items, we tend to get a bit overexcited at these events - could have something to do with the amount of champagne consumed by the time the bidding starts. So we're off to another day at the races where we gals shall studiously ignore the horsies, because we're too busy concentrating on our champagne and giggling - and hopefully the husbands will bet smart and help us end up ahead like they did last time.

I did do the glittery eye. Eyes rimmed in a fabulous Mac shadow - delft blue - and then my Make Up Forever glitter pen {clear with multi-coloured glitter} over the top. And oh yeah, I also went with the red glossy lip - gotta rock that drag-queen look. I can't say my pics turned out great - the iPhone's handy, but take great close-up shots it does not. So you'll just have to imagine it - or I'll post a blurry shot later on.

I missed the dancing. Oh, I missed the dancing. There are few people in this world who get as excited about dancing as me and it nearly killed me to not be able to dance. Luckily I couldn't really hear the band because of the sound system, so at least I wasn't tempted by any fave tunes busting out to limp onto the dance floor.

The night reinforced how blessed with are with such fabulous friends. I mightn't have been able to dance, but the night was still a blast thanks to a table of utterly gorgeous people.

floral friday

I'm really starting to get excited about the ball tonight - and have found some inspiration on-line {naturally}. How's this swept-aside hair with ginormous flowers tickle your fancy? It's certainly tickling mine. Hey, if I can't wear skyscraper heels something has to make a statement so why not pretty fleurs?

I've also started slowly deciding on my make-up. Toenails with be painted in a red glitter shade that will set off the grey silk sandals, fingernails in the new OPI rose-gold {loving their range - LOVING} and I'll be doing a smokey eye in a deep blue - with glitter too naturally. I'm pretty sure my glitter-loving days are fast coming to a close, so best make the most of them.

I'll take a shot of the make-up later on for you to have a squizz at - I LOVE playing painting with make-up...

raving about reality

It's no secret that I love reality television. I also love when it throws out gems that are captured and embraced by the mainstream. Which is why I'm in love with Christian Siriano. The moment I spied him on Project Runway I fell deeply in amour, and as I saw his creative genius, well, I moved into seriously besotted territory.

His latest show just took place in New York and would you look at this delicious red crinoline that froths and fluffs for miles. Bliss. I'm also adoring the hair by Antoinette Beenders for Aveda - it's what they're calling a modern bun, brimming with attitude, crimping and fabulousness. Should I try for something similar for the ball tonight? Dare I?

quothe the raven

You know how much I do love an excuse to dress up - so check out this piece of exquisitely fabulous Halloween costume couture I found over at MarthaStewart.com

Magnifique non?