'Tis The Season

I spent last night watching 'The Grinch' - the old school one, with grainy film and that adorable dog Max.  It has to be one of my favorite Christmas movies and the message is perfect.  As I was running around this morning doing last minute errands I stopped and looked at all the madness around me.  

People were literally pushing each other out of the way to get to the register first.  It makes you rethink how you approach this time of year and to try and remember what this holiday is really about - and it has nothing to do with plastic toys and maxed out credit card bills. I consider myself so lucky to have the opportunity to go to Bali this year and couldn't ask for a better gift than the chance to travel but even as I'm boarding that plane I'm grateful that I get to spend the holidays with J's family and our Boston friends that are meeting us over there.  I'll miss my own family back home but I'll be with them in spirit and will happily re-live the memories and traditions of my childhood Christmas's...

As I said before, I hope to post during my holiday but if something goes wrong and I can't get my hot little hands around some free wi-fi then consider this a wish for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! x

The Mosquito Coast...

This week I've been so consumed by and in awe of the madness surrounding Oprah's visit, that I completely forget to vent my frustration on the most annoying of subjects: the mosquito.  

The mosquito is no stranger to summers in Boston but ever since moving to Australia I seem to be a magnet for these little guys.  I'm not just talking about a bite here or there, I mean I'm actually covered in massive welts, the most recent one a huge lump on my forehead - not a good look.  I've tried vitamins and repellent but I think I'm going to have to resort to buying a mosquito net for our room.  

Despite the constant itching there is a positive spin to this, and I seem to have become more interesting to children.  On the bus today the child behind me, blurted out "mummy, what are all those red bumps on that lady?" as I tried to slide down further into the seat and hide.  Hopefully I'm not the only one with such a strong hatred towards this insect but if anyone has any home remedies please feel free to share before I have to battle the mosquito beasts in Bali!

Dark & Stormy...

Can someone please tell me where the first half of December went?  I know I say this every year but I can’t believe Christmas is only 2 weeks away...how did this happen?

For so many months we’ve been planning and saving for our upcoming Bali trip and I can’t believe that I’ll be on a plane this Saturday (yeah!) Maybe it’s because this year is extremely non-traditional that it seems to be going by so quickly but even this weekend was over in a flash. From Thursday on it was a blur of relaxing days at the beach, company Christmas parties that got a bit too merry, Christmas lunches with the family, catching up with friends and simply enjoying the absolutely stunning weather that has finally arrived. 

On a side note,the title of this post has nothing to do with the weather but instead is dedicated to my new drink of choice - the beautiful combination of rum and ginger beer that makes up a dark and stormy (and will be consumed beach side in Bali, in large quantity).

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas...

Okay, so I figure since it's almost mid December it's perfectly acceptable to be out in the open about my obsession with Christmas. No longer do I have to hide the fact that I listen to Christmas carols in early November (or year round for that matter - they make me happy) or start creating gift lists in early January. I love this time of year even despite all the crazy madness.  

I'm still getting used to celebrating Christmas in warm weather - I mean how can you compete with snowy nights and sitting by the fire?  I suppose there is something to be said for BBQ's and warm weather but this Boston girl still isn't convinced - yet.

So I'm enjoying these next few weeks - writing cards, wrapping presents, listening to Bing Crosby and watching every Christmas movie I can get my hands on...

Whirlwind...

Melbourne. 

Every time I visit all I get to see is the inside of the exhibition centre or a hotel room, 

so I can't even tell you how nice it was to finally see a new area of the city. I loved 

St. Kilda - the little area that I did get to see - and really love the overall vibe of

Melbourne, it kind of reminds of Boston in some ways. If I can ever pry the surf board out 

of J's hands, I might consider moving there.

Anyways, it really was a whirlwind of a trip but I had such a great time working with the 

Magnolia Square team and seeing how the St. Kilda event came together. I even got to meet 

the lovely Captain kk who stopped by and said hello. I was really excited to finally meet 

her in person and was bummed out to miss the other gals who stopped by. Hopefully next time...  

Last Chance...

Today is the last day to stop by the St. Kilda Magnolia Square market.  Come on by to say hello (I'll be working all day) and to check out all the amazing goodies just in time for Christmas...x

St. Kilda - Magnolia Square

Another crazy weekend begins...

I've got an action packed few days ahead of me. Tomorrow I'm flying down to Melbourne (such the jet setter) to help out at the last Magnolia Square market of the year. I'm looking forward to seeing Alice Flynn's Design Lab and stocking up on some Christmas presents (for myself perhaps?)  If you happen to be near the St. Kilda Town Hall then make sure to stop by and say hello!

Mother Dearest...

Someday I hope to become a mother. When I do, I hope to god that I can be a fraction of the woman my mother is - beautiful, strong, selfless, honest, caring.  She is my role model, has perfected the apple pie and even knows how to get jiggy with it.

Today is her birthday.

Happy Birthday, Mom - I love you. x

Market Basket...

I meant to post these pictures last week but got distracted by my Thanksgiving induced food coma...

One of the best things about Australian country towns is that there is always a market on.  During our camping weekend we actually found two markets and I couldn't help but treat myself to a few early Christmas presents.  Who can say no to cheap fabric, a new sewing book and some fresh spices?

Let The Silly Season Begin...

It seems that once Thanksgiving arrives, the time until Christmas is one big blur. This weekend kicked off what is going to be a hectic start to the holiday season and I love all the planning, cooking, Christmas shopping and celebrating that is to come.

On Friday I was able to meet up with some girls visiting from America and it was so fun to have dinner and see Australia through their eyes. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to live here so it was great to be able share with them a little bit of my new home. On Saturday the sun was shining and we got a few friends together for a Thanksgiving themed BBQ. Unfortunately these are the only photos I managed to take - it's hard to balance a camera when you've got a glass of champagne in one hand and a turkey drumstick in the other...needless to say the afternoon was blast!

On Sunday the rain has come back so I'm catching up on some sleep, doing laundry and trying to write some Christmas cards. Looking forward to the week ahead...x

Happy Thanksgiving...

Happy Thanksgiving! 

You can take the girl out of America but you can't take America out of the girl...

I love Thanksgiving and refuse to let the holiday pass unnoticed even if it's not celebrated here in Australia. Last year I baked pumpkin pie and introduced my colleagues to the wonder of Thanksgiving. This year after a long day at work I didn't have the time to cook a full turkey so a store bought chicken will have to do. We all know the side dishes are always the best part anyway so I'm making stuffing from scratch, peeling potatoes and putting the final touches on the green beans.  

I have so many things to be thankful for this year - my family, friends, health - the list goes on. I am grateful for this little blog too, as it has introduced me to so many wonderful new people and is paving paths that never existed before.  So today, take a moment to look around and realise how many things we each have to be thankful for and while you're at it, help yourself to another serving of pumpkin pie - you only live once!

Tent City...

...perfect weather, swims in the ocean, the smell of bacon and eggs in the morning, trips to the local market and time to kick back, catch up on some reading and enjoy each other's company.  Our camping trip was an amazing little getaway making today at work a rough adjustment back to reality...

Summer Camp...

After a week of crazy deadlines, J and I are ready for some relaxation and plan to head south for a little camping trip. J has also completed his degree so we plan to kick back and celebrate his accomplishment. I'm looking forward to lazy afternoons, flipping through a magazine or two and hopefully good weather - we'll see.  Back on Monday, wishing everyone a wonderful weekend...

If You Don't Know, Now You Know...

Imagine my surprise when I was reading through a few comments the other day only to see that the lovely Kellie from Dear Olive had awarded me my very first blog award!  I'm still surprised that people actually read my blog and put up with my horrible grammar, let alone send me awards, so I was really blown away at Kellie's gesture.  Well friends, today I am the happy recipient of the Versatile Blogger Award which means I'm going to share 7 things about myself and then pass the award along to 7 other blogs I've started following recently.  Without further delay and in no particular order, here goes:

1. I'm afraid of the dark. Yup, I admit it.
2. My two favorite words in the whole world are elixir and regime. I know this is completely random but i love the way they sound.
3. When I was young I used to want to be a broadcast journalist, this is ironic only because as an adult I have an insane fear of public speaking.
4. Much to my embarrassment I turn red at the blink of an eye, for no particular rhyme or reason. And yes I absolutely hate it when people point out the fact that 'oh my god your turning so red'. 
5. I am completely obsessed with my sister's dog, Marley, and have only found the strength to refrain from blogging about him for fear that I'll come across as that scary pet obsessed woman.
6. When we were little, my sisters and I used to make up our own language when we'd go into stores, somehow thinking that people would be impressed that we knew another language.
7. Goonies is my favorite movie. Yes, it's not very thought provoking or ground breaking but give me a rainy Saturday, a little Cyndi Lauper and 2 hours to watch this movie and I'm in heaven.

I'm passing this award along to:

• Bakery Bookery
• Bebek
• Oscar and Ruby
• Mrs A In The Cove
• Les 3 Castafiores
• Cocoon and Chic
• Marriage Renovations And...

Oh...To Be 25 Again

I decided to treat myself to a manicure and pedicure last week. My feet needed some desperate attention before I could bare them to the world and thought I'd get the nails to match - how fancy of me.  I don't normally get manicures because I seem to be the kind of person that walks out of the nail salon and immediately smudges the polish. This happens without fail and sometimes while I'm still in the shop which then requires me to sheepishly ask the woman to touch up my newly painted nails.  

Anyways the colour of this nail polish made me smile and made the smudge that happened right after I snapped this photo much more bearable. The colour is by O.P.I and is called 'Oh...To Be 25 Again' - how great is that name?  Somewhere, someone gets to come up with all these insane names for nail polish - I want this job!  So while I'm not sure I'd like to rewind the years, at least my painted nails allowed me to have a lovely trip down memory lane...

Splish Splash...

Despite working all weekend, I still managed to take advantage of the amazing summer weather.  Each night after work I'd go home and enjoy a quick swim in the pool.  Well, if I'm being honest the very first thing I did was pour myself a glass of wine, then go for a swim, but you get the idea.  I'm a lucky lady to be living in such a beautiful place...somebody pinch me.

Thinking Outside The Square...

For the past two days the sun has been shining and I've been working at the Magnolia Square markets, loving every minute of it.  Despite the fact I've been on my feet and missing out on some damn good beach weather, I've left each day filled with inspiration.  I've seen some amazing products, met some really great people and have had a blast getting to know all the girls at Magnolia.  

My mind is already working overtime on ideas for the next Sydney event and I'm so happy that this opportunity came my way.  The event ends tomorrow so if you happen to be free come by and check it out.  For now I'm going to go back to resting my feet, enjoying my vino and watching a Sex and the City marathon...

Three Sisters...

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - capturing a moment. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  Inspired by SouleMama


Today I am thankful for my sisters. 

Magnolia Square...

During the past few weeks I've been thinking of change. I tend to wait for change to happen, for opportunities to come my way instead of going after what I want. I suppose it's easier that way but recently I've been motivated to do things differently, to put myself out there and see what might happen...

I sent a simple email to the director of a really amazing event here in Sydney called Magnolia Square.  I was looking for a challenge outside of my day job and thought it would be interesting to put myself in a creative environment, meet new people and step outside my routine.  So to make a long story short, I'll be lending a hand at this weekend's event and if all goes smoothly working with the director to help organise some of the 2011 details.  For the first time in so long my mind it spinning with ideas and I feel inspired and ready to put myself to work. 

So if you're in Sydney and haven't yet been to a Magnolia Square market then come on down and check it out this weekend- you won't be disappointed...

Sunday By the Sea...

Sunday was pure perfection.  The sun was out, we took our friend Julie on an amazing (yet crowded) trip to Bondi to check out the Sculptures by The Sea exhibit. The day ended with some drinks and a bbq - hello summer.

Vincent Vega...

What do John Travolta, shots of tequila and a fake mustache all have in common?  Well not much but they all played a role in what turned out to be one hell of a Saturday...

Early in the day we headed out to a function for J's new employer and caught a glimpse of John Travolta, which immediately made me want to break into the Jack Rabbit Slim's dance routine from Pulp Fiction. Luckily for those around me I had to postpone my dancing until later that night when we headed off to a Mexican themed wedding reception. Nachos, margaritas, mariachi music - I was in heaven.  All it took was a bit of tequila to get everyone dancing and quite honestly I'm not sure who brought the fake mustaches but they made for some good laughs and a fun fiesta!

Under Pressure...

My new commute involves lots of time standing on buses. It's not so bad unless its raining, which it has been here for what seems like forever. During these bus trips I can't help but dream of palm trees and sunny days. I've really struggled this week with finding the time (and motivation) to keep up with my regular blog posts. I could blame this on the longer commute but I can't quite get into my old groove and find that by the time I sit down to write about my day it's so late I just want to collapse on the couch.  This busy schedule isn't a bad thing, in fact I like being busy and productive, but I also need to carve out some time to write about my daily happenings or just be able to ramble on in this little space.

I felt pressure to write when all I wanted to do was watch reality TV.  I felt pressure to post and then it all of a sudden it occured to me that the only person putting pressure on myself was me. I was talking about this very subject with a few girls last week so it helps to know that I'm not the only insane person who willingly puts more pressure on herself but I also take comfort in knowing that this will pass.  Once I get my groove back the posts will flow, the pressure will ease and let's hope this rain stops too...

Egg On The Table...

Today I felt like I was spinning.

I could easily blame this on the champagne I consumed during the Melbourne Cup race but this form of spinning is something different. It signals that things are happening, ideas are bouncing around, creativity is back and good things are in the pipeline...

When I was young, my two sisters and I used to play a game in our backyard.  We called it Egg on the Table.  Where this game originated from or why we played it, is unknown to us (my parents I'm sure didn't care why we played it as long as it kept us out of the house). The game was always played in our back yard, in the summer - always the summer. To play you simply look up toward the sky, tilt your head back, put your arms out wide and start spinning.  We would spin in circles all over the backyard, big dizzy circles until one of us fell over - the egg fell off the table.

Did this game have a purpose? No. Was is strange? Of course, but that was half the fun and for some reason I thought of that game today. I don't really remember much more about 'Egg on the Table' except that we'd all collapse in dizzy laughter on the grass until the spins passed.  Since that time I've had my fair share of 'the spins' -for completely different reasons - but I still remember those moments every time summer rolls around.  Today, as my head was spinning with ideas and plans for the future I couldn't help but think of this game, tilt my head towards the sky and smile...

Missing In Action...

I've been missing in action the past few days but with good reason. I'm happy to say our move is complete, the boxes have been unpacked and we're feeling settled.  On the other hand, our experience with the real estate agent has been none too pleasant but I'll save you my whinging...

On a much more positive note I wanted to say that last week's Sydney ABCD Meetup was a really fun night. I got to unwind after a long day at work with a glass of wine and a great group of ladies.  It was fun to catch up with everyone and put a face with the blog - not to mention some amazing goodie bags!  Looking forward to the next one for sure....