sunshine always makes me smile

Oh, we have blue, blue skies today and these make me so happy. Yesterday's gardening was a great success, despite the drizzles. My dear husband spent the whole day pruning the lilly pillies and guess what we found? A dove nesting on three cute little eggs in the midst of the trees {that one didn't get so much of a prune...}. Bless!

I also managed to fit in a visit to the Olive Tree Markets down the street. Amazing. So many gorgeously crafted creations - including 50s style and pin-up-esque clothing and swimsuits. Squeee! I bought a pressie for a friend's new baby and plan on buying as many Christmas gifts for my nieces there as possible - you've got to support local creative types!

Today we have more gardening and a trip to the Farmer's Markets on the cards. Can we do turkish gozleme two days in a row for lunch? Um, yep, probably, it's damned addictive stuff.

I'd also like to spend a wee spot of time relaxing somewhere like this. Mmmmm.

a sunny saturday

Shhhh, don't tell anyone but we currently have sunshine. I know! So we're about to dash into the garden to do some work while the sun shines. Hubby needs to prune the outrageous growth on the lilly pillies around the pool and I'll take bags of the trimmings to the green waste site to get mulched up. Then I'd like to weed the front gardens, after all that rain surely the weeds will almost leap into my hands...

what's that don draper?

friday flowers from faraway

Oh, c'mon, where's Spring? It's 15 degrees at the moment, a cold 15 degrees. It poured rain all night and it's all grey and soggy-looking again today.

So I thought I'd take myself {and you} back to a perfect spring in the South of France. It's hard to find anything that's not picture-perfect in France. Even in the ugly villages {yes, it's true, there are some ugly villages in France, just one or two} there are still window boxes overflowing with red and pink geraniums, roadside roses and those gorgeous shutters. And if there's a wall, chances are that there'll be a vine growing up it.

I love it how the French take every opportunity to make things special. Can you imagine a French family bolting down dinner in front of the telly? {Sure, maybe they do - but boy, it'd be a secret}. No, instead meals are to be celebrated. Foods are prepared with love, and eaten with pleasure.

And homes are to be decorated with love, and lots of flowers.

Sounds like the right idea to me...

serendipitous shopping

For my gal's ballet concert this year she has to supply one costume: a 30s-orphanage-esque outfit for a performance of Annie. So straight after school yesterday we hit the Salvos. And paydirt. We found the most divine gunmetal grey dress, that when accessorised with torn stockings and falling down socks will look perfect - but will also look fab afterwards accessorised with tights and cute beads. For $5! Then, in the same section we found a gorgeous Industrie sunfrock, white with stripes of pink and orange - again $5. Standing at the register waiting to pay my head swiveled around behind me until my little eye happened to spy - a set of Boules! In a box! Pristine!!

I snavelled them up and the girl behind the counter delightedly said, "Oooh, you're buying these". Apparently she'd only put them out mere minutes before. Destiny? I think so.

I know what we're doing this summer - picnics and petanque tournaments. Oh yeah!

lanvin for h&m

Why don't I live in London near an H&M store where I could buy me some of the Lanvin for H&M?

WHY?

what's cooking wednesday

Okay, well as discussed yesterday, this week's meal planning is involving something different. Yep, now with more veg. Last night I started off the week with a couscous, roasted veg and chickpea salad {thanks Joanna!} served alongside our lamb steaks. Hello, did someone say delicious... Here's what we're eating this week:

Wednesday: Tonight I'm in the mood for a corn, avocado, baby tomato salsa salad. So what goes with that? Let's say pan roasted snapper fillets. Sound okay?

Thursday: French lessons = early dinner. Spaghetti bolognaise, easypeasy.

Friday: BBQ! I want to do some chilli lime squid and maybe garlic prawns. I think I'll serve these with a fennel and grapefruit salad, potato salad with chorizo and a big green salad.

Saturday: We've got so much gardening work to catch up on after last month's entertaining, golfing and visiting - so an easy dinner will be best. Chicken curry in the slow cooker, wilted greens {spinach, broccolini and peas with garlic and a wee smidgen of dried chilli flakes} and a rice pilaf {Indian-style} with plenty of veg to jazz it up.

Sunday: Roast dinner. Let's hope the markets are on. I'm feeling the need for roast beef, roasted beetroot, roasted carrots and a pea puree.

Monday: Twilight netball. Pork cutlets, with a waldorf style salad {baby spinach, red apple slices, walnuts, red onions and a mint and yoghurt dressing} and some beetroot and sweet potato chips that I'll roast in the oven.

Tuesday: Ballet night. Salmon patties, "coleslaw" {thinly sliced dark green cabbage, grated carrot, grated beetroot, thinly sliced spinach, thinly sliced radish, thinly sliced spanish onion, thinly sliced yellow capsicum and slivered almonds in a lemon and yoghurt dressing} and "potato salad" {roasted chat potatoes with a garlic, lemon and olive oil dressing}.

take 5

Honestly, how good are you at the five a day thing? You know, five serves of veg, and two of fruit? Do you manage it? I'm always struggling to find new and improved ways to boost our fruit and veg intake - but am always pushing the vege-phobes in my family to consume what I've prepared.

So I'm looking for some new side-serve options. I know the veg should take up half my plate, so I'm going to make it as gorgeously edible as possible. I went to a new cafe on Saturday and was very impressed with a salsa salad they'd made. Baby rocket {normally the bane of my life as it's often a dry, teetering pile of the stuff that just gets caught in my teeth}, roasted fresh corn kernals, an avocado 'dressing', little orange tomatoes and wafer-thin slices of red onion. Perfection. Almost all the colours of the vegie rainbow were represented, and oh, did it taste delicious.

That's my new aim. Something new, something vibrant and something tasty served up with each meal. I'm going to copy their salad tonight - but for the rest of the week? Well, stay tuned for my menu posting tomorrow - there will be innovation and inventiveness. Wish me luck.

dark desires

Last night I finally fell prey to my curiosity and watched Dating In The Dark. Have you seen it? The premise is that six singles, three guys, three girls, hole up in a mansion and only get to meet each other in complete darkness. They chat, they flirt, they kiss, they snuggle - in the dark. There's a psychological profiler who assesses each character and ultimately they get matched up with someone and they can finally 'see' each other.

You know where this is going don't you? Last night the obnoxious, angry girl with great hair but little else to sell her was mouthing "Please be hot, please be hot" before her guy was revealed. Was he hot? He was not. He looked nice, he seemed lovely, in the dark they bonded, she liked the way he kissed, but in the end she left him on the balcony while she walked out the door with bags packed.

Devastating. This show is the ultimate in rejection, "Hey, I like you in the dark, but in the light - hell no". I'm surprised more episodes don't end with participants attempting to plunge from the balcony.

It's hideous, but it also reveals why so many of these people are single. They're waiting for the spark, the fire, the butterflies - all perfect harbingers of lust, but love, maybe not so much. Sure, you want the attraction, the 'cor, cute butt'. Do you get that in 30 seconds? Hardly. And if you do, does that last? Hopefully these people will watch the show and see what they've missed out on. Then they might realise that if they truly are after a relationship that'll last long after the cute hair has receded, that tight bod has loosened, looking a little deeper may be the only option.

seriously spooky

Here are a few of my favourite things from last night's Halloween. First of all, the houses that got into the decorating - including my number one pick with graves, ghosts, scaredy cats, massive spiders and webs. It's also the house that had the guy in the freaky mask and costume leap out in a spooky manner. He was really into it, not surprising as he was originally from Colarado {and apparently delighted that we're now doing Halloween down under!}. The goth couple around the corner had the coolest lollies {body parts, coffins, brain poppers...} and I love these wee ghosties in the frangipani. At the bottom are my cupcakes - black icing and wee ghosties floating in the night sky. Went down a treat they did.

A Happy Halloween indeed.

a red hot start to the week

After the somewhat frustrating and annoying nature of the last few weeks I'm determined to start this one off well. And what better way to start off a Monday than with a pair of lipstick red Ferragamo heels?

Pretty!

So, how was your weekend? Ours was fabulously jam-packed. The Halloween Party last night was a success. 10 kids all costumed up went around the neighbourhood trick or treating at homes that were decorated to show they were interested {oh, and some of the decorations were incredible - I'll have to post them later!}. The kids had so much fun wandering the streets {with us mums as a close distance to help them cross roads and to yell out "Don't forget to say 'thank you!'"} and they all came back for a swim and a snack afterwards. Bliss.

Sure Halloween's an American tradition, but it's an excuse to dress up and for kids to have fun, so I'm happy with that. Also, it's an opt-in or opt-out event. If you're keen, decorate a Jack O Lantern and pop it out the front, if not, then ignore the pesky knocks on the door.

Enjoy your Monday, and your week!

happy halloween

Creepy, spooky, and a little bit kooky, I must say that I'm glad Halloween's coming to Aus. It's a good reason to dress up and get together with friends over ghoulish cupcakes. We're off to a party at a friends' where the whole street gets involved. Plenty of kids, and plenty of keen doors to knock on to fill up those little jack'o'lantern lolly pots.

Cuteness.

mighty fine dining

Oh, the excitement when you uncover a gem. I'd heard a wee bit of buzz about this new-ish place in Newcastle, East End Enoteca and had it in the back of my mind as a dining option. So when I heard that foodie friends were coming up from Sydney and Melbourne, well, I knew Newcastle had to turn it up a notch.

So last night eight of us turned up at this fabulous place. Perfect size, perfect atmosphere - and oh, the food. We went with the tasting menu where delicious plates of Italian-inspired produce were continually produced before our ever-so-amazed eyes. Oh my.

Starting with either a Kir Royale or a summer cocktail of Elderflower and Prosecco {or Peroni for some of the boys}, we nibbled on spicy grissini sticks and marinated olives. Then came the food. Lordy - can words do it justice? A lemon tuna paté that was quite possibly one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten was followed by pork meatballs in a sweet tomato sauce, ocean trout and scallops so plump and tasty I'm drooling at the memory, then an incredible pork number, salads, crispy garlic potatoes, pan fried snapper fillets {with more scallops and a carrot puree} and finally a massive rib roast of beef.

Think that's enough? Oh no, there were also delightful morsels of aranchini and a gorgonzola risotto so creamy, so delightfully tasty, so perfectly accessorised with wilted radicchio that I may never eat another risotto such was the lofty taste heights that this number assumed.

We concluded the night {and by we, I mean me} with a cassis panacotta {mmmmm} or affogato and then icy limoncello.

If you're ever in Newcastle, no, hold on, make plans to come to Newcastle and book in with a group of friends. Oh, and we also highly recommend the Tuscan Sangiovese that helped wash everything down so well.

Sated? Oh yeah.

utter perfection

Well, Sarah Blasko was a revelation last night - what. a. voice. We saw her a few years ago in an inner-city pub and she was amazing, but in concert in a beautiful theatre? Well, the acoustics and atmosphere only served to enhance her angelic voice and mesmerising performance.

The only thing I kept getting distracted by were her musicians - they were amazing. Totally into their performance and with fingers that flew across their instruments. She had the most delightfully voluptuous violinist with a talent for the instrument and a pair of shoes I ached for. And the pianist! Well, he was fabulous, and I couldn't stop thinking of Rianna at Last Doll Standing {love, he's your HUSBAND - the beard, the hair, the boots - oh my!}.

A totally perfect night that made me fall in love with Sarah Blasko all over again {as if I weren't already seriously smitten}

grey moods

Feathers! Shiny corsets! Marion Cotillard! Am loving on this shot from the new Dior Campaign Lady Grey featuring the divine Ms Marion.

I'm extraordinarily fond of the shiny showgirl look and think it's the perfect way to dazzle the dreariness out of today...

something's gotta give...

Well, I don't know what's in the stars, the air or even the earth's core but whew, these past few weeks have been challenging. Here I was, juggling away, I had a few daggers, a couple of flaming torches, a chainsaw and even a couple of those squishy balls made from birdseed-filled-balloons when suddenly whole new dimensions were added to the mix and that's it, it all came tumbling down.

From the massive, teetering piles of washing that seem to keep growing no matter how often I wash, to the general grottiness of the house, to a job that caused me palpitations and angst into the early hours - and ended up a complete and utter shocker - to a forgotten birthday, hidden on the calendar amidst many other "DO NOT FORGET" items.

Sigh.

I've beaten myself up over it and am trying to gather myself and move forward. But I know I'm not alone. I've read other blogs and thought, "Oh my god, you're totally living my life..." The realistic side of me knows that these things have to occur every now and again just to force us to pay attention and move forward in a better and brighter manner. But gee, couldn't they be a little more gentle and subtle about it? You know, more of a tap on the shoulder rather than a slap in the forehead?

It's time for me to prioritise, organise, timetable and activate myself to ensure I don't let this happen again.

what's cooking wednesday

Sorry for my tardiness - I seemed to have some 24 hour virus thing that was thankfully resolved with a nap until lunchtime {I swear my body puts these things on just to force me to sleep...}

Anyway, here's what's on the menu this week.

Tonight: Dad and step-mother are visiting - so salmon on the bbq with some salads. Yum.

Thursday: hubby and I are off to see Sarah Blasko performing at the beautiful Civic Theatre. Le sigh. Sister-in-law and her two gals are babysitting. I think mini hamburgers made with chicken mince burgers {s.i.l. doesn't eat red meat} will go down a treat.

Friday: Out to dinner with friends. Hurrah. We're checking out the East End Enoteca - a place I've heard quite the buzz about on Twitter. It's an Italian-inspired place with a Family Table policy - small meals shared around groups. With options such as peppered venison and scampi and yabbies those plates won't want to be placed in front of me as I'll be ever-so-inclined to be greedy!

Saturday: Nothing planned. Hurrah. I think we'll have a salad with poached chicken breasts, crunchy prosciutto, poached eggs and cos lettuce {yep, does sound like a caeser salad doesn't it?}

Sunday: Roast night. Standing rib roast of beef appeals.

Monday: Twilight Netball Night: San choy bow with turkey mince perhaps {I'm woefully remiss when it comes to cooking with turkey - but thanks to Frilly Hills Liss I think I'll give it a shot.}

Tuesday: Pork cutlets will go down a treat after ballet don't you think? With an apple 'coleslaw' perhaps.

What are you nibbling on this week?

road trip

Big drive to the big smoke for a meeting today. Regular blogging shall resume on my return!

look at me, look at me...

I'm featured over at BellaMumma today spilling a few of my beauty tips. Go over and say hi. {PS: This photo - not me...}

presenting...

A cold, rainy, blustery monday deserves a pretty pair of shoes. So here I present to you these Giuseppe Zannoti numbers - all tied up with a big bow. I can't imagine a prettier pair of party shoes - can you?