hello beautiful

While planning this year's trip OS, I'm also revisiting our holiday from 2006 - and swooning over some of the beautiful sights we saw. This was my favourite fairytale castle - Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau - isn't it dreamy?

We've decided that after our week in Paris, we're going to drive down to our second French destination in The Lot. That way we can hopefully veer off and take in a few sights en-route.

I do love making dreams a reality.

French Word of the Day: Réve - dream.

holiday. celebrate.

Are you a quick unpacker? Or, when you come back from hols, does your bag sit sulking in a corner for a few days {weeks…}. I used to be the latter, now I'm the former. I love delineating that was now, this is then by the simple act of unpacking.

It's the same when we have people come to stay. We had the English rellos here for a couple of days, and boy, was it fun. There was much swimming in many locations {pool, Bogey Hole, ocean baths}, feasting {again, in many locations, Nobby's Beach, harbourside, back verandah, in the pavilion by the pool, the Beach Hotel…} And so much fun had  - the main one seemed to involve a sheet fort that took up 1/3 of our living room!

By the time our rellos had turned the corner from our street I'd stripped two of their three beds and gathered up beach and bath towels to wash. One hour later the fort was dismantled and back in the linen closet, loads of washing were chugging away and the house was back to normal.

Time for the next adventure {or aventure as they'd say in France!}.

French Word of the Day: lavage - wash!

whip it good

My gal requested a Blue Velvet cake for her birthday on Monday. It's like a Red Velvet cake, but with blue food colouring instead of the red. I used Nigella's recipe for Red Velvet, and, oh my, it was as delicious as you'd expect. Here it is {complete with wee French sugar teddy bears!}.

And here's the interior. It's more green than blue because of the cocoa, but nobody cared. It was delicious! One thing I discovered was this. I googled a recipe for Buttercream Frosting, which suggested whipping the butter on its own, for around three minutes, until it's white and fluffy. THEN you add the icing sugar a little at a time. Hello - revelation! This is the best icing I've ever made. Normally the icing sugar doesn't integrate very well, and the mix often splits before it's dissolved. This was light, fluffy and delicious {and very blue!}. Happy days.

We had three very content gals; the 14-year-old and her two cousins.

French Word of the Day: glaçage {gla sahj} - icing!

happy new year

Happy new year lovelies! This is where we spend a big chunk of New Years Eve {day} - having an adventure in the Bogey Hole. This fabulous ocean pool was carved out of rocks by convicts many, many, many years ago and is Newcastle's most wonderful swimming spot. Waves were crashing over the edge - but we decided to brave it and oh, how glad we were.

Afterwards, we went here.

To Nobby's. For lunch.

I know, hideously ugly isn't it?

Then we made our way to the foreshore for a lovely relaxing picnic, followed by fireworks before coming home to champagne and more fireworks on the telly.

This is the life.

Now, onto my 52 new things - both these shots were taken with my new baby - my Nikon digital SLR - I am in love. Secondly, here's my
French Word of the Day: Aventure - adventure. Shouldn't we treat our lives as an adventure? Let's!

Happy 2014 everyone x

52 new things

Okay. Here's the list for 2014 - 52 New Things! Ta da!

1. Ride my bike on more varied routes {I do love my trek out to Nobby's breakwall, but perhaps it's time to mix it up}.
2. Go for a family bike ride!
3. Bake bread.
4. Make cheese!
5. Go for a nighttime swim in the Ocean Baths or Bogie Hole on a hot summer's night.
6. Take REAL photos! I got a digital SLR for Christmas and I plan on using that baby!
7. Learn French. Quickly! I need to find an intensive course, I have six months to improve.
8. Have my girlfriends over for cocktails by the pool.
9. Organise more drinks parties.
10. Learn crochet, knitting or sewing with my gal.
11. Ride the Fernleigh Track. I think I'm nearly fit enough.
12. Do some yoga with my gal.
13. Go on more dates with my hubby.
14. Weed out my wardrobe. Ditch the old stuff, and sew/buy some new.
15. Continue to find new ways to increase the vegetables in husband and child's diet.
16. Do something that scares me.
17. Write those e-books I've started.
18. Bring a smile to someone's face every day.
19. Keep discovering new music.
20. Get a damned mammogram - honestly, I didn't do this one this year. I'm a nincompoop.
21. Give blood monthly.
22. Organise my files on my computer. Blerk.
23. Save like a maniac for guilt-free spending on our OS holiday.
24. Sell or give away on Freecycle all superfluous items.
25. Print out photos from our OS holidays, frame them and hang them.
26. Make a start on painting the house {well, at least the fencing on the verandas!}.
27. Get back into the making the bed every day habit.
28. Create new and interesting salads.
29. Clean out the DVD and CD drawers!
30. Eat out more often, supporting locals!
31. Shop as little as possible at the supermarket, choosing small and local instead.
32. Get those weird, pesky jobs done - such as putting handles on the wardrobe that's in my study!
33. Catch up more often with my friends from far away {um, Sydney, and Melbourne…}
34. Blog more often {poor, neglected blog!}
35. Learn something as a family {the other two were not keen at all on this last year, but I shall find something, oh yes I will}.
36. Go out and take pics with my gal. She's studying photography as an elective, and what better way to learn than to do!
37. Go back to looking on the bright side. Politics have got me down. But I can still fight for what I think is right and not allow myself to be brought down!
38. Start plotting a bathroom makeover {once we've had our holiday and can save enough for it}.
39. Find alternative lunches for my sandwich-loathing gal. Something new.
40. Get those weird little places in my house sorted. We have a really cute lowboy in the alcove outside the bathroom. My plan is to place a couple of baskets on top, for towels, and fill inside with excess bathroom stuff. Instead random crap gets piled on top. Must measure, buy baskets, and get this sorted. Stat.
41. Go around the house, gather all the random piles, jars and cups of coins, and take them to the bank - hello OS spending money.
42. Repair those items of clothing that are filed away under 'to repair'.
43. Do something with the ideas buzzing around in my head.
44. Find and nurture collaborators.
45. Go to burlesque fitness each week.
46. Read books somewhere other than bed.
47. Do another course at the Hunter Writer's Centre - the Travel Writing one was ace.
48. Do some travel writing.
49. Make an effort to dress up regularly.
50. Do something spontaneous and awesome!

a year in review {a very brief one}

Last year I decided that I'd ditch the New Year's Resolutions and, instead, came up with 52 New Things thanks to a friend on Twitter who did the same. Now, while I certainly didn't achieve every one of those 52 things, I came pretty close, and I think 2013 was more awesome for it.

Amongst the best things:

• starting a book club {my friend C organises it and loads of friends, new and old, from Twitter are in it - it's been brilliant}
• catching up with friends more often
• seeing more live music
• be a tourist in my town
• put away the washing when I bring it in {well, most of the time}
• do a cooking class with a friend {so much fun I am still giggling!}
• go on more dates with my husband!
• organise another tweet up {we had TWO}
• save up for an overseas holiday - tick! Yep, we've booked five weeks next year OS. We're going to spend time in England with the relos, then a week in Paris with friends, then a week down south in The Lot - near this gorgeous town above. Then back to London again. So excited!

I love having a plan, but the best thing about 52 new things was that it made me even more open to trying new things, and experiencing something different. I was more likely to say 'yes'. I saw lots of movies with my friend C that I probably wouldn't have chosen to see, and LOVED them. I made time to see as much of Newcastle Writers Festival and This Is Not Art festivals when they were on, even though, at the time, it was exhausting and a whole weekend away from my family. But I still have a buzz from them, and so many great memories with my fabulous friends.

Stay tuned for 2014's list of 52 New Things. Some from last year will be on there - but there'll be some new ones too.

have yourself a merry little christmas

Well, here we are - Christmas Eve! Are you prepared? I *think* I am. I have all the ingredients I need {well, after calling hubby and asking him to pick up a couple of bottles of prosecco at Vintage Cellars on his way home from work} and all I have to do is wrap the last few pressies, do my Christmas nails {red with gold glitter tips!} and pack.

Oh, and bake a little.

And finish writing an article.

Then I can loll about on a fabulous wingback chair dressed in claret velvet, with my ermine stole flung casually just-so over my lap.

Perfect!

Have a simply beautiful Christmas. xx

merry christmas to all

Well hello, how's your Chrissie preparations going? Swimmingly I hope. We're pretty much set, aside from one last grocery shop {which I'm trying to plan to avoid the hoards - is that even possible?}. I'm not doing a meal planning post this week, as it's Christmas, but I thought I'd share the recipe for the Christmas crackers I'm making for Christmas Eve supper at my in-laws.

I did a trial run a few weeks ago for Christmas drinks at my neighbours, and think I only need to add an extra layer of filo to the centre to have them perfect! Here's how I made them.

Cute sheets of filo in half, brush with melted butter, and place one sheet over the other.

In the middle third place a piece of pancetta or proscuitto. On top of this, add a dollop of the following:

• ricotta cheese
• goat cheese
• lemon zest
• fresh shredded basil
• freshly grated pepper.

Make this to taste, I used more ricotta for a milder flavour, and I also used truffled goat cheese because I saw it in the supermarket and went "OHMYGOODNESS, TRUFFLED GOAT CHEESE!".

Roll up tightly.

Grab ends and give them a twist to form fanned out cracker ends. You could tie with a piece of chive if you're feeling like you have time. I never do.

Brush with melted butter and bake at 180 degrees celcius till they're nice and brown. Keep an eye on them - the ends brown quicker.

Enjoy!

I'll be serving these with Pink Christmas cocktails: a few pomegranate seeds, a splash of rose syrup topped up with prosecco in tall glasses or champagne coupes!

Merry Christmas everyone, thanks for hanging around with me this year. I do so enjoy sharing things with you. xx

meal planning monday

Well, we're into the final countdown. It's nearly Christmas. How are you coping? Taking lots of deep breaths? I have a spray bottle of Rescue Remedy in my handbag that's getting quite the workout. However, it's all about simplicity this year. I'm trying to tone things down a bit.

I've bought all the pressies for our nieces and nephew, and Christmas pressies for our gal. Because her birthday's at the end of December I usually shop for her birthday AND Christmas pressies before Christmas, but this year I'm leaving birthday stuff till after Christmas. Should save a little sanity.

And speaking of simple, meals shall be simple too. Very.

Monday: poached chicken, avocado and mango salad.

Tuesday: thai beef salad.

Wednesday: spanish chicken salad: grilled, sliced chicken breast, chorizo, grilled corn, grilled capsicum and lots of greens.

Thursday: chicken and spinach gozleme.

Friday: salmon and salad.

Saturday: duck confit and salad {because it's nearly Christmas!}

Sunday: roast beef and salad.

Phew. Now I just need to shop and restock in preparation for school holidays which start tomorrow. Eep! How's your pre-Christmas week going?

image from housetohome.co.uk

i'm your fan

I've always *liked* Leonard Cohen's music. His voice has an incredible timbre that just gets more beautiful as the years go by. But I wouldn't have called myself a real fan, until recently.

My friend C asked a few months back if anyone was interested in going along to see Leonard in concert at his recent Australian tour, and I thought, "why not?"

I have a concert-bucket-list of bands/artists I'd like to see live, and, as so many of my friends had raved about him live {one of my friends has seen him in New York AND Berlin!} I thought I should. How glad I am that I did.

What a night. This concert will have to go down as one of the best I've ever seen. I love a performer that gives their all - and Leonard gives more than you think anyone possibly could. The crowd was positively enamoured: with sighs, screams and lots of singing along happening.

Worshiping at the altar of Leonard? Yep, I'm there now.

If you ever have the chance to see Leonard Cohen in concert, do what it takes to get there. He's Your Man.

fabulous friday

Ahhhh, how's the serenity? This was my view yesterday when I went with my mum and step-dad down to Merewether for a coffee. Afterwards we went for a wander down to the ocean baths where we saw this cute paste-up on the back of a sign.

My favourite place is the Ocean Baths - and this surf club. Pretty as a picture isn't it? The baby pool was devoid of water - but had sand-a-plenty!

I adore the new SurfHouse - the design, the positioning, the café, kiosk and pizza downstairs, the restaurant upstairs.

And the bar. Don't you just imagine it saying "Excuse my beauty"? La-la-love.

Oh I do love to live beside the seaside!

meal planning monday

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Especially when I share this pic of the rather decadent trifle I made yesterday. We had an early Christmas dinner with my dad and step-mum who were down from Queensland for my gal's ballet concert on Saturday. To give us time together, my mum and step-dad (who are staying with us this week) went to the movies - and we had a chrissy dinner.

I must say, rose and vanilla poached white nectarine and raspberry trifle is a bit bloody delicious. There was lots of vanilla - even in the whipped cream on the top {and in the custard!}. No jelly, I reduce the poaching liquid {water, sugar, vanilla, rose syrup} after I've poached the peaches, so it becomes a sticky syrup and pour that over the bottom layer of sponge jam roll slices. Mmmmm.

Tonight we're having the other half of that trifle - with a vegetarian Christmas dinner!

Monday: we'll stuff a hollowed out loaf of bread with layers of pesto, roasted vegies and feta cheese. This'll be weighed down in the fridge to squish it together so the flavours mingle, then we'll slice it and serve it with lemon-thyme-roasted potatoes and green beans with almonds. Then trifle.

Tuesday: we're off to a neighbour's across the road for Christmas drinks and nibbles. I'll make mini-bon-bons a proscuitto, herb and goat cheese mix encased in filo pastry and shaped to look like bon-bons. Then we'll come home for a late final dinner with my folks - mexican perhaps.

Wednesday: hubby will be craving a steak {surprise, when is he not?} so I'll cook steaks on the bbq {to which my daughter will say "Steak AGAIN?"} and serve with salad.

Thursday: netball committee dinner night out at MoneyPenny on Honeysuckle. Mmmmm. Hubby and gal will have grilled chicken and salad.

Friday: salmon on the bbq, with salads.

Saturday: I'm out with my gal-friends for a Christmas celebration. We're hitting a tequila bar and mexican place. Yummo!

Sunday: quiet night at home - and I'll be ordering thai takeaway!

That's it for me. You?

fabulous friday

My parents are up from Melbourne at the moment, so, amidst my work, I'm trying to squish in fun things to do with them. On Wednesday we went for a bike ride to check out some of the new Street Art in Newcastle {my latest obsession}. I love what's happening in Beresford Lane down in the West End. This piece is one of my faves - the exuberance and ridiculousness is just wonderful.

Today we're off to the Art Gallery where I'll be interviewing photographer Bill Henson, which I'm both nervous and excited about. I remember studying Henson's work way back when I was majoring in photography at Uni and being astonished by his painterly photographs. My parents will be coming along and checking out the four exhibitions on display at the Gallery while I'm being all journalistic.

Tonight my gal has a school dance, so I'll take my parents along to Darby Street After Five where we'll do some Christmas shopping, check out some of the fab buskers and grab ourselves something to eat.

Tomorrow it's Olive Tree Markets for more shopping, then my gal's ballet concert in the afternoon - before I head off to a friend's birthday party! Woo hoo!

Have a fab weekend everyone.

meal planning monday

Summer! Finally! {Hopefully!} Last Friday I went with my friend C to Christmas in the City and we were all rugged up and wintery to combat the endless drizzle. Not so good for checking out the Christmas lighting, but we did do a spot of shopping before accidentally catching up with another friend - and meeting our friend J when she made it in. Now it's finally looking like swimming and cycling weather - and bbq weather! Hurrah!

My mum and step-dad arrive from Melbourne tomorrow - so I'll be planning lots of vegetarian meals while they're here.

Here's what we're eating:

Monday: I'm going to marinate and then wrap some chicken breasts in proscuitto before baking them on a bed of french lentils. I'll also cook up some roasted vegies. I think I'll do this on the bbq  so I don't grotty up my still-sparkling oven after getting in cleaned two weeks ago!

Tuesday: parents arrive. Tonight's dinner will be orichette pasta with broccoli, caramelised onion, toasted pecans and crumbled roquefort cheese.

Wednesday: last week I went to my Bookclub for an end-of-year dinner to Talulah at The Junction. One of my friends RAVED about the pumpkin salad, while another raved about the pork belly. So I had both - and shared the salad with my friend L. OH. MY! Roasted pumpkin, quinoa, baby rocket, goat cheese and praline!!!!! all tossed through with what tasted like an orange vinaigrette. I shall try to replicate this tonight.

Thursday: we'll have a bbq tonight - lots of roasted veg and haloumi, along with chicken breasts for the meat-eaters.

Friday: we should go to the beach and have fish and chips {or potato scallops and chips for the vegos}.

Saturday: it's my gal's ballet concert at lunchtime today - so all the grandparents will be in the audience with us. I'll make an afternoon tea for everyone for when they come home. Then I'm off to a uni-friend's birthday party - with my friends V and M coming up from Melbourne and Sydney for the night!

Sunday: I'll leave this dinner up to my step-dad - he's an awesome cook. Perhaps I'll see if he can mimic the carrot and haloumi fritters from Quint Café at The Essential Ingredient. Mmmmm.

image from housetohome.co.uk

colour my world

Last weekend saw Newcastle host the Hit the Bricks Street Art Festival which has brought colour and joy to Newcastle streets. Local and national street artists converged on the city and have brought long-term joy and colour. I'm delighted to see the streets come to life, there's far too much emphasis on beige in this city for my liking. I love to see art spreading from the galleries and museums into the streets - and I'm glad that so many business owners embraced it by offering up their walls as canvases.

On Sunday my gal and I went on a walking tour, organised by Renew Newcastle, where we checked out some of the amazing pieces on display.
Artists such as Askew, Adnate, Shida, Numbskull, Fintan Magee, Sofles, Grizzle, Mike Watt, Umpell, Shuda, Bafcat, Beastman, Phibs, Jumbo and Mike Maka were joined by many others and boy, have they created something fabulous.

It rained pretty heavily on the first two days, but the artists carried on. In fact, some incorporated the running paint into their work, to great effect. Isn't this whale a beauty!

This was my gal's fave - and one of mine too. Isn't she just glorious?

We got to see artists in action, and some of them even stopped to have a chat with the 25+ strong group on the walking tour to tell us about their art, their inspiration and the festival.

While some artists used ladders, others required more serious equipment to complete their pieces. I love the colours and the scale in this piece. It makes a boring old car park POP!

After the walking tour I went home and grabbed my bike so I could pootle out and check out the rest. On my travels I saw an historical piece of street art! It's nice to see that things work in swings and roundabouts. Everything old is new again.

This piece is utterly breathtaking. I've rarely seen a more powerful portrait. Seriously, this is the kind of work you'd expect to see win the Archibald Prize - the eyes tell so many stories. This glorious boy gazes up the Hunter River and overseas the area with majesty.

What a gift to the city.

For more info, go to the LookHear website. And next time you're out, see if you can find these pieces. There are also plenty of secret sites, such as laneways, that were off the map. Searching the hashtag #HitTheBricks or #HTBfestival will find more images on Instagram.

Thanks for sharing your work with us guys, we really appreciate it.

meal planning monday

Oh hey, how's things? Did you have a lovely weekend? Oh I did. Too lovely. Too fabulous.

And this week? More loveliness. Hurrah!

Monday: it's my gal's theatre rehearsal tonight 5 to 8:55pm. I'll feed her beforehand, and pack plenty of healthy snacks to share with her friends. Hubby and I will just have simple steaks grilled on the bbq with salad.

Tuesday: I haven't made chicken schnitzel in 900 years. Guess I should. And I should probably serve it with a green salad and perhaps a potato salad too.

Wednesday: I'm off to dinner with my bookclub friends to Tallulah at The Junction. Hello pork belly. I'll leave the fixings for mexican in the fridge for hubby and child.

Thursday: netball committee meeting. Early dinner tonight. Perhaps marinated, bbq chicken breasts and lots of salad.

Friday: it's the official opening of Christmas in the City - with lights and entertainment - hurrah! We'll go and check it out, and have something to eat at a local restaurant while we're there.

Saturday: oh, nothing planned tonight. Yay! Easy dinner at home. Garlic prawns and chorizo on the bbq perhaps?

Sunday: whoops, I forgot, hubby and I are going along with our friends to the Art Gallery Society's Christmas Dinner. A meal amidst Whiteley On Water exhibition? Don't mind if I do...

That's it. That's my week. Tell me about yours.

image from housetohome.co.uk

meal planning monday {on a tuesday}

Oh, I am sorry this is late - but I do have an excuse! My internet was only restored last night - after 10 days of NO INTERNET! Eeep!

This week's busy, again, so I'm frantically planning easy meals. Here's what we're having.

Tuesday: tonight's the photo and dress rehearsal for my gal's ballet concert. I'll be at the studio from 5.55 till 8pm. I'll be giving my gal a light snack beforehand, taking some crackers for her to munch on between costume changes, and making spaghetti bolognaise for a late supper.

Wednesday: I'm going with my friend C to the pre-season opening at the Civic Theatre. It starts at 5.30, so I'll leave behind the fixings for homemade pizzas.

Thursday: Nothing on tonight (woo hoo!) I'll make chicken burgers for dinner I think.

Friday: I'm taking my mother-in-law and father-in-law to the Civic Theatre to see the winner of The Voice, Harrison Craig in concert. I'll make shepherd's pie for dinner beforehand, with lots of veg.

Saturday: Another concert! This time with my friend C to see Leonard Cohen!!!!!!! It's my first Leonard Cohen concert and I'm VERY excited. C is bringing her delicious zucchini slice, so I'll take along some cheese and crackers. Hurrah!

Sunday: slow roasted pork shoulder on the bbq, with apple slaw and a baby spinach, pear and blue cheese salad will do. Don't you think?

Phew. What a week!

fabulous friday

Two things are making me happy today. The first is that my gardenia is covered with flowers and the heady scent creeps under the door and into my bedroom at night. Not to mention how intoxicating it is every time you walk up or down the front stairs {let's ignore the fact that it obviously needs MORE cow manure - it's a greedy feeder, but I'd prefer lots of flowers to green leaves anyway}.

The next thing making me happy are THESE! New red shoes! As you may remember, I fell in love with what I am calling my "Paris shoes". A red pair of wedges from Django & Juliette. I was actually seriously thinking of buying another pair exactly the same, when a friend sent me a link to eBay with some Django & Juliette shoes! I didn't buy the ones she sent {as fab as they were} because I saw THESE! 1/3 of the price of my others and so comfy I could cry. That leather is the softest thing you ever will feel - and the colour!

I think they'll be getting an outing at some stage this weekend.

I have another busy weekend. Tonight I'm off to the official opening of Eddie's Supper Club - the 20s-style New York Jazz Club I went to last weekend. I'm off with my friend J who just happens to be free - so we'll be frocking up for a bit of fun.

Tomorrow afternoon is the last Book Club for the year. I LOVED the book we read The Rosie Project, it was the perfect book to end the year on.

Tomorrow night I'm off to see Empire at the Spiegelteint - from all reports it redefines fabulous. My red lace frock may well require another outing for this night!

Sunday I have a baby shower to attend, a rally for Climate Change, and possibly going to see La Dolce Vita at the Italian Film Festival.

I love weekends.

pretty good

Two things are currently making me happy. My husband FINALLY hung my antique map of Paris in our living room. Ahhhhh isn't it glorious?

Sitting just below it are these glorious coral peonies. They're HUGE! There were only three in the bunch, and already in full-bloom when I bought them on Friday - but they are bringing me such joy. They've now faded to a pale, antique-peach - but oh my, they make me wish I could paint.

Happy Tuesday everyone.

meal planning monday

Good morning! Apparently we're in for a week's worth of heavy rain {hurrah!} so no bbq on this week's meal plan. My gal's chosen the first two meals for the week - sadly I have to choose the rest. Let's see how I go.

Monday: chicken pot pie, mashed pumpkin, peas and corn.

Tuesday: spaghetti and meatballs.

Wednesday: roast beef with lots of roast vegies.

Thursday: grilled fish, steamed veg and lemon-roasted potatoes.

Friday: it's the opening of the Italian Film Festival, so I'm off to see something fab. I'll make a lovely Italian dish to eat before leaving, hmmmmm, perhaps I'll check out Nigelissima for inspiration.

Saturday: I'm going to Spiegelteint tonight - but not until the 9.30pm session. Lamb fillets, crusted with dukkah and served on a roasted chickpea salad will do.

Sunday: chicken with 40 cloves of garlic {if I can find Australian garlic at the markets!} with greens and mashed potato.

image from housetohome.co.uk