Yours truly, 2095

Stockholm, Sweden

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000+08:00

Stockholm Tunnelbana (the metro) isn't just a way to get around but is also displays art which some refer it as 'the longest art gallery in the world" Unfortunately I didn't get to see all of the stations as the blue line was shut down while I was there. I was searching high and low for it all the while thinking how stupid that I can't find an ENTIRE subway line (!?) ... Until I saw the "blue line closed" signs posted several times riight in front of me. Shame. If you're heading there they have art tours operating (wished I did this!)

I also spent a loooong time that day people watching as well. One of my favourite hobbies. Certainly beats looking at the people on the Perth transport system any day.

Some of my favourites.

Universitetet

Stadion

T-Centralen

Stockholm City Hall

Stockholm City Hall which I wasn't that keen to seeing (sounded boring to be honest) but it was beautiful inside. You can only enter with a guided tour.

The aptly titled Golden room. This is my favourite picture. I mean, just look at it - so many questions...

Stockholm, Sweden

2011-11-27T09:47:00.000+08:00

Out and about in Gamla Stan (Old Town)

Stockholm Palace

The marching was a bit of a hot mess. People in front - extend those arms!

Megaman! So lots of post it notes art on windows which never failed to make me smile (especially when done on office buildings)

A toadstool somewhere in Sweden. Rune stone outside Gripsholm Castle. I was tired and sick to appreciate this. All I cared about was a nice bed to hop into and LOTS of medication. Thank goodness it didn't last too long. I think it was from drinking 3 litres of water a day on a usual day at home to practically no water ... which was a bad idea. I was more concerned about very limited bathroom facilities on the bus and spending money on bottled water. Never again!

Can't tell you if I know you from the catalogue or magazine

2011-11-20T17:59:00.001+08:00

Top - Temt
Scarf - Opshop
Belt - Witchery (remind me to add an extra hole)
Skirt - Metallicus
Bag - Mimco
Shoes - Ferragamo

Scarf - Opshop
Badge - Pigeonhole

Saturday:
Crashed N's French class excursion to Jean Pierre Sancho, a patisserie on Hay street and it was pretty effing good. Will be returning. Very soon.

I think her French teacher thought I was one of her pupils because she asked me a question in French so I responded with désolé! je ne sais pas (probably spelt wrong) which is the extent of my awful, awful French. Weird that I can still remember useless phrases such as "I am here on holiday" and "easy tiger!" (the Lonely Planet phrasebook has a sex/love section which was especially entertaining to the French guys who stole it from us - don't ask) but nothing of actual use. Afterwards N and I went to the department stores to make funs of the ugly designer clothes and trying on elaborate fascinators. Also had an interesting chat to someone participating in Occupy Perth. The guy we spoke to wasn't an extremist who tried to push his opinions on you so I didn't feel like I had to pull out my hair in annoyance.

Went to Hayashi in Applecross for P's birthday and they took more than 45 minutes to get the food out and nearly an hour to cook the birthday boy's meal. It's not a cheap place to dine and the restaurant wasn't even that busy. Lame. The food was pretty good which is the main thing.

Sunday:

Went to Rosemount for the afternoon to wish D a happy birthday. He and B also DJ there now on Sundays which is exciting because they work quite a lot around Perth now.

Iced coffee from Fiorentina complete with super cute and super tiny milk bottles.

M (D's girlfriend from Italy) and me went off for some dessert. We had a good talk which was nice as she is quiet in a group setting and sometimes it's hard to find things to talk with her about. She was very chatty and told me when there is too many people talking at the same time she gets a bit confused as it takes her longer to process our words and by the time she finds a reply the conversation has already veered onto a different course. She (understandably) doesn't get a lot of jokes either. I thought she was just quiet! Note to self - make more of an effort to explain things to her so she won't get left out. Her English is really good but it still would be hard.

Some street art from Creepy

Fashion Party - Das Racist

Roll around this roundabout

2011-11-13T17:56:00.001+08:00

Top - Temt
Skirt - American Apparel
Belt - Country Road.
Shoes - Ferragamo
Bag - Mimco

Scarf - Givenchy (op shop)

Wandered down to William street for the first time in a few years because, to be frank, it can be disappointing but now there are a bunch of nice shops, cafes, boutiques and even a couple of vintage shops albeit they were the pop up variety. The owners of both of the shops I've visited are thinking of keeping it permanent as they have been pretty successful so far (please do!)

1. The statue reminds me of primary school. Also did not notice the screaming kid. Hmm
2. Lomo camera have dropped in price so I got my grubby mitts on a Supersampler. Been wanting this for a while but it was always out of my price range. I have not used film in a very long time so this will take getting used to. I know the results will be hit and miss (mostly miss)

Final results should have four narrow frames on one photo. Mine doesn't even have a view finder so this should be interesting. Or frustrating. Or both. Took it for a test drive and can't wait to see what results I get.

Photo credits to Lomography

Was considering going to next years Big Day Out but Kanye West (and a bunch of bands) are no longer coming to Perth (and a couple of other cities) If I'm not mistaken this was decided by the promoter to change the format and I think the ticket prices will remain the same even if we get less compared to other cities - especially a headlining act. It's a bit of a debacle! At least my choice is made very easy now though I would have LOVED to see Röyksopp.

Grouplove - Tongue Tied

Sognefjord

2011-11-10T17:25:00.000+08:00

While waiting for the boat I saw Bondi Vet on TV. There are a few Australian show screened in Europe. Australian version of Masterchef (in Denmark) Bondi Rescue, Beauty and the Geek (Netherlands) Packed to the Rafters and McClouds Daughters (Germany) I didn't actually watch the shows but saw the ads for them. I wish we had more TV series/movies from overseas. Thank god for SBS.

Our boat arriving with remnants of the morning mist.

We waited for ages in the cold to get a good spot at the front. It was freeezing out in the open but the view was so worth it. I bought a beanie and a pair of leather gloves for this specific morning but they were safely tucked away in my luggage on the bus somewhere. A real face palm moment. The hot drinks they served on board cost a small fortune but worth every cent.

Very lucky it was a beautiful day. Even though it was freezing (by my standards) I couldn't ask for a better morning.

Kissing in the blue dark

2011-11-06T18:22:00.000+08:00

Top - Temt
Belt - ?? From Singapore. Very cheap and crappy. The buckle broke on the first wear - get what you pay for so I used sticky tape under the bow to keep it together.
Skirt - Op shop. I gave it a good iron after I saw this photo
Shoes - Basque. Over $100 off at a sale last year. Sa-weeet
Bag - Mimco

Rare that I'm looking at the camera and there is a tiny hint of a smile on my face. I don't like smiling when I pose for photos because I think I have a weird/creepy expression when I do.

Scarf - Op shop
Brooch - Pigeonhole

Went out to Fremantle with Steve, D and his girlfriend M who has returned to Perth after a few months of staying in her hometown in Italy. Relaxing Saturday night - pub, fish and chips and back to the place they were house sitting for talking and playing kiddy board games. I was well over dressed but I wasn't sure what the plans were and I prefer not to be under dressed anyway.

Found out M gets quite competitive with only one game ... Guess Who. This would get my vote as the last game in the entire world anyone would get passionate about. When she lost she would glare at the winner which we found very funny. I was reluctant to play a card game with her as I'm the least competitive person ever and I rarely play games like this as a kid (only child - no one would play with me!) but she reassured me it was only with Guess Who. Interesting.

Hi M and D

Thought the statue of Bon Scott was a ten year old from behind.

$12 to ride a sodding ferris wheel. Steve is not good with heights anyway.

Steve's sister went on a trip to the U.S and came back bearing gifts :)

Bergen, Norway

2011-11-05T11:12:00.001+08:00

I was very lucky with the weather as the sun was out most of the time. I think I've brought the sunshine with me. I was told Bergen receives an average of over 300 rainy days a year and one year it rained for 80 consecutive days. Crazy! I did notice that the locals were in a good mood.

Bryggen

Up the funicular (because I'm lazy) and this is the view from Mt Fløyen

What is it with European cities and seemingly random placed red roses?

God knows where, Norway

2011-11-02T17:20:00.000+08:00

I don't need to tell you how beautiful Norway is. It's definitely on top of my list for places to return if I can. Most of these photos are from the middle of nowhere on the way to Bergen.

Telemark area.

I like seeing grass growing on roofs!

Seeing snow for the first time. I won't lie - I was very excited to see itty bitty patches on top of the mountains. I'm working on getting closer.

Where people can enjoy relaxing in a hot tub then take a dip in the freezing water next door. There are people who are addicted to this and say that their whole day is ruined if they miss out on a session. Not sure if I'm game trying this...

Tourist shot #27273490 with a stunning view of the road barrier.

Glacier

Left - Very tired and grumpy but cruelly forced by some sisters from Sydney (who were lovely) to don a fetching and obviously authentic viking helmet for a happy snap. The best helmet I've seen had two blonde braids attached to each side and fur trim adorned on the base of each horn.
Right - Experimenting with a slower shutter speed but no tripod so it wasn't the best result. Still thought it wasn't too bad for hand held.

Home.

2011-10-30T13:38:00.000+08:00

- Going to sleep at 6am and getting up at 3pm which is annoying and hope it will end soon. There are only so many kitten/puppy/cute animal Youtube clips I can watch as there is not much else to do at 5am in the morning.

- Playing Gears of War 3 with Steve which is fun but I found it easier than the earlier games (or maybe I'm getting better at it - not likely) They introduced a couple of Australian characters so I've been thinking Yikes. Do I really sound like that? throughout playing. Gears of War is so ridiculous and over the top that I can't help but feel affection for it.

Meeting up with Cheryl and kidlet at La Galette de France in South Perth. The servers have French accents. I can't determine if they are fake or not.

Dinner with Matt. I really miss eating with people.

Hello Perth. I didn't see the queen while she was here for CHOGM because I was too busy sleeping.

Visited Dan and Brendan doing their thing at Defectors. Hi boys.

Oh yes, nice to be back to Perth and experience the exciting and vibrant night life it has to offer. This is 1am on a Sunday morning. Sigh.

Other than the important people in my life (and my bed) it's so nice to be reacquainted with my wardrobe.

Scarf - Oroton
Top - Witchery
Skirt - Zara
Bag - Mimco
Shoes - Basque

Oslo, Norway

2011-10-29T04:23:00.000+08:00

This was taken a bit outside the city (my memory is hazy) I was very tired. It was cold and grey until the clouds moved and the sun's rays hit the water. It was magic.

Vigeland Sculpture Park in Frogner Park. It is excellent and not to be missed if you happen to be in Oslo. Wish I spent longer there.

It's designed by Gustav Vigeland and features over 200 granite and bronze sculptures representing humanity in all of its forms. The sculptures depict love, sadness, happiness, anger, life, death the old and the young, etc and also reminds everyone of their mortality.

The Monolith. My parents were a bit shocked when I showed them this picture. Ha.
From Wikipedia - It's meant to represent man’s desire to become closer with the spiritual and divine. It portrays a feeling of togetherness as the human figures embrace one another as they are carried toward salvation. Thanks Wikipedia, what would I do without you?

I overheard a person looking at the statues in disgust "Are they all naked?" she said to no one in particular. Someone next to her replied "Yes, they're all naked. Get used to it" Nice.

- It was a warm day (I guess it was warm to Norwegians) at around 20°C and saw a couple of Norwegian guys lying on benches with shirts hitched up trying to catch some rays. Again, niice.

- Saw the Prime Minister of Norway. My room mate recognised him from the news coverage of the bombings earlier this year. He gave us a very nervous smile because we were staring at him trying to figure out who he was. Sorry, Prime Minister. Consider this a celebrity sighting :P

- Went to the National Gallery to see some work by Gustav Klimt and more art. I really liked it. Seeing The Madonna and his other works in the flesh was great but can someone explain why The Scream is his most famous?

- Met an girl working in a souvenir shop (tacky souvenirs are my weakness) and was momentarily confused by her Australian accent. She is living in Norway and has a Norwegian boyfriend. She has it maade.

- Smuggled lots of food from the hotel breakfast buffet so I didn't have to pay a small fortune on lunch or dinner. One time it was 3 apples, 2 boiled eggs, bread, crackers and bananas. Feel free to judge me but I saved a lot of money.

Left - If I remember correctly it's supposed to represent the artist himself later in life and his frustration of not having enough time to take on and complete new projects. On the right - I was told it was a man trying to get out of a marriage. Don't quote me on this though. If anyone out there knows otherwise please correct me :)

Wheel of Life

Modern art y'all. This one is called She Lies. I warmed up to it as I liked the reflections while I walked around the opera house.

No tripod so it's a bit shit. I still get an A for effort spending ages balancing the camera on a ledge in the very cold night.

Viking ship museum.

I occasionally see these cute cars zipping past. I was told that no one needs a license to drive these. So if you were caught drink driving/speeding, there's no need to worry. This was eyebrow raising.

Denmark Part 2

2011-10-27T02:04:00.002+08:00

Took the train to Dyrehaven which is a forest and deer park 20 minutes away from the city. It's also home to Bakken, the world's oldest amusement park but it was closed for the season. I was chatting to a lady who mentioned that I shouldn't get too close to the stags or deer as it was mating season and they could get dangerous and charge!

Didn't see any fights between stags but heard a lot of howling (is that the right word for it?)

Danish Museum of Art & Design. I enjoyed this so much.

Not gonna lie - I would wear the shit out of both of these outfits. The one on the left is my favourite.

Frederiksborg castle

Ceiling decorated with the zodiac signs. I saw a picture in someone's flickr and really liked it so I spent a long time looking for it because of the little rooms and it felt like a maze. I wasn't disappointed but it was much smaller than I expected.

Yet another ceiling. Thank you mirror from saving my neck from considerable strain.

Hmm. I spent a long time looking up...

Amalienborg Palace. Though during a particularly rainy afternoon (naturally occurring on the one day I chose not to bring an umbrella) the guards wouldn't let me stay under any part of the building for shelter. Boo.

Tivoli.

Copenhagen, Denmark

2011-10-25T03:11:00.000+08:00

This was my first sight stepping out of the train station. I like the bike culture here but the thought of me riding a bike (especially sans helmet) is akin to suicide as I will nominate myself as The Clumsiest Person Alive. Also every time I seriously considered getting on a bike I see a nasty accident so that always scared me off .. for the past six years.

Outside the train station. Thank god for google street view because it made it so easy to find my hotel! Google maps usually lets me down when I need it most but thank you street view. Hotel was much cheaper than the hostels (private room) I was looking at and it was located near the central train station.

Nyhavn. Touristy tourist mode on now.

Denmark vs. Norway soccer (excuse me, football) match and the fans were out and about in force. Most were draped in flags or covered in their colours but some were more creative - now that's dedication. It didn't help as Norway lost the match. Right - Lego shop.

A cluster of very orange houses. Right - Børsen. I love the design of the spire - the tails of four dragons twisted into one.

Some thoughts:
- Danish is terribly difficult. Thank goodness the locals can speak better English than I ever will. I was talking to an Icelandic girl who compared the language to "sounding like someone throwing up" it sounds harsh but it made me laugh.

- While there I thought "today is a nice day to go to Sweden" as Malmö is only a 30 minute train ride away with trains going every 20 minutes. Perth is one of the most isolated cities in the world - a three hour flight to the next big city, so taking a train to another country in less than an hour is truly mind boggling to me. On Sunday morning I saw some guys waking up in some bushes and thought "daaamn even the homeless dress pretty well" as they were wearing clean white converse shoes but they were Swedes coming in for the Saturday night as booze is cheaper. Evidently they saved on accommodation too.

- My favourite place to people watch. Danes are generally really good looking and a very well dressed bunch. I'm trying not to sound creepy but I failed miserably. Bill Bryson is right. You can cast a Coke commercial very easily there.

- I think the gentle chime of the bike bell has traumatised me for life. When I hear that bell I get paranoid that I've accidently drifted into a bike lane because if I don't move RIGHT THIS INSTANT someone is going to ram their bike into me.

- I loved seeing the Scandinavian alphabet everywhere. Pronouncing them is less fun though.

- I want a bike now.

- Learned that a danish (the pastry not the person) is called wienerbrød which translates into Viennese bread.

- Why do the coins have holes in them?

- It was remarkably warm while I was there. Like last time I was ill equipped with the warm weather in Europe. This is Scandinavia, isn't it supposed to be cold??

Long time

2011-10-23T22:05:00.000+08:00

...No post.

Hello. Have not posted in a while but I've been away travelling for the past two months around Europe - Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium which was my backup plan after not being able to go to Japan in April.

I traveled alone and had the best time! Initially I was very nervous travelling solo and thought it would be a huge mistake but as I stepped off the plane in Copenhagen all of my fears disappeared. I enjoyed myself so much that I don't think I can consider travelling with anyone again :P I talked to way more people than I would have with a companion and got to do my own thing without aaanny consideration for anyone else (I know this sounds really selfish but it's true)

This is a dodgy myspace portrait somewhere in Norway. It was ... cold.

Hiiigh Teeea

2011-07-03T11:01:00.003+08:00

Bow fascinator - Profile
Bolero - Ladakh
Dress - Wicthery
Shoes - Wittner

I went to C's bridal shower at The George for high tea. I don't really go for high tea but this place was quite nice and exceeded my expectations.

Bought the bow fascinator a couple of years ago which was probably a bad idea as there is nowhere to wear it. Especially in Perth, so I was pleased that wearing a fascinator was part of C's bridal shower theme. It is a bit hard to wear because even with the use 2,000 bobby pins to secure it in place, a strong gust of wind managed to blow it off my head and it went flying as it's shaped like a frisbee. What else could I do to keep it on my noggin? Superglue? A nail gun? The power of prayer?

During Wardrobe Cull 2011 I was originally going to sell or donate this dress and kept in the 'maybe" pile but I think I'll keep it. I used to be a tomboy as a kid/teen and hated wearing dresses, what the hell happened...?

Yeah, yeah crappy photo. The only one I took, tried to be quick (so I don't stop people from eating) and sneaky (I'm a bit embarrassed that I bought a DSLR)

Dance, dance, dance

2011-06-21T20:58:00.003+08:00

Dress - Valley Girl
Scarf - Saba
Tights - Woolworths
Shoes - Guess

Went out dancing because some friends put us on the list for Amps for 1am so it was nice not to wait. We went on the last bus for the city at 11:30pm and it was like Lord of the Flies! I don't remember public transport ever being this bad but remind me to fork out for a taxi next time.

My favourite passenger was a girl with an empty bottle of Bacardi Breezer wedged between her jegginged thighs slurring/screaming on her phone "I'M ON THE FARKING BUS, CUNT! ... THE BUS! ... THE BUS! ... THE BUS, THE BUS! I SAID THE BUS YOU STUPID FARKING DEAF CUNT!" over and over. We were trying not to giggle noticeably. Sorry if the all caps hurt your eyes. Of course when we departed I couldn't help telling the bus driver that he was a king among men. I hope he gets paid danger money.

Pretty good night though the DJ was hit and miss. Danced my shoes to DESTRUCTION. Nothing a little super glue wouldn't fix but I decided to ditch them anyway because they were a bit worn and most of the sole was covered in a thick layer of bubble gum and chunks of glass. Lovely. Very uncomfortable to walk on. Not worth cleaning but I count this as part of my de-cluttering efforts.

At the red light I saw this person with her brown driving cap and matching gloves. Nice. This also reminded me to clean the windows...

TGIF

2011-06-18T18:10:00.006+08:00

Dress - Review (should have ironed properly)
Belt - Witchery (er, not meant to be worn on the side)
Tights - Woolworths
Shoes - Guess (completely plain, no branding in sight)
Coat - Esprit
Gloves - Sportsgirl

Last night I caught up with some friends at Bonsai Restaurant. They served Japanese styled tapas which I would call 'Japas' but it sounds very un-PC. We had a few of the share plates which were tasty and fine (though on the pricey side but what isn't anymore?) but I have to say the main meal was really disappointing. After the very nice starters it was a real "...oh" moment.

It was bland and I'm not even that picky with food. It was lukewarm too so I was thinking they ran out for some dodgy take away food to bring back :P

Bonsai has good reviews/rating on urbanspoon but I wouldn't go back unless it was purely for the share plates. Good and attentive service though. It's on 30 -36 Roe Street, Northbridge.

I like the mural outside.

Mighty envious of A and her kick arse disco heels.

Shoes, shoes, shoes.

2011-06-12T14:12:00.006+08:00

After a shoe decluttering rampage I was enjoying a relatively neat and organised shoe space. Until now. I have a hard time getting rid of shoes like high heels that have the metal spike poking out the bottom or sneakers with a sizable hole in the soles but it was more than obvious that they HAD to go.

Undid my work within a day. Damn you sales.

Nu booties. Yes that is a milk crate.

Wittner

Wittner patent wedges

Lilli Mill. Comfortable to the extreme. In my old age I wear brogues/oxford like shoes when going out dancing now as with heels I might fall over and break my hip ;)
Plus comfort = more dancing!

Boots.

Seeing all the shoes in one space is giving me a mild headache. I think I'll avoid going to the shops for a while...

So...

2011-06-11T11:17:00.001+08:00

Just realised I've been posting here for over three years! Whoa! I started for fun and thought my interest will wane after a few months but ... here I am. Still. I think this speaks volumes about my social life ;)

I could never keep a paper journal for very long and who knows if this will continue but it's a pretty good record keeper. Thanks to the people who sometimes read or comment or send the occasional email (yes, all three of you)

Long gone.

2011-06-09T20:32:00.003+08:00

Feeling lazy and blah (developing cold like symptoms) to post here lately.

Long-weekend-going-out-dancing-outfit

Top - Forever New
Scarf - Oroton
Belt - Elufa
Skirt - Tokito. I like this skirt. It's very puffy.
Tights - Voodoo
Shoes - Salvio's

Hi Steve.

Busy weekend. Saturday night went to a friend's housewarming with Korean-like BBQ. YUM. Was thanking whatever celestial being was out there because my coat was warm enough for eating and socialising outside. Everyone was getting hammered on Soju. For something that looks so innocent in their beer-like green bottles it's surprisingly potent.

Sunday went to Ya Ya's to see some friends DJ. D and I showed our support by dancing on a very empty dance floor. Hmmm. A little daunting but it filled up a little bit while we were there. Drank G&T like a lady (ha!) and mixed blackberry liquor and Soju like an idiot. Tasted pretty good though.

Though it was a long weekend closing times were the same throughout Perth (I think) so the bars and clubs closed at midnight because it was a Sunday. Boo, Perth, Boo.

While standing on the corner and talking about where to go next ... I looked up and saw this interesting but horrifically ugly sculpture. I've never noticed it before. How long has it been there?

Red + Black

2011-06-04T17:17:00.005+08:00

Top - Forever New

Belt - Dorothy Perkins
Skirt - Review

Shoes - YSL

Coat - Esprit

Last night I emerged from semi hibernation to hang out with friends who I haven't seen in a while and eat Indian food. I can't think of anything better to do on a chilly night. Also saw M's better half for the first time though they have been together since January. About time! As for first impressions - I approve ;)

I like that Balti serves food in mini metal buckets. I was seriously considering asking them where does one get a mini pail to eat out of. I think proper protocol calls for scooping the food out and onto the plate but I have more fun eating straight out of it.

I always have butter chicken and garlic naan at Indian restaurants (it's my weakness) and Balti was good but not quite my favourite. They tend to be a little bit more expensive than other places but the portions are bigger - I was starving but I couldn't finish it which is rare.

Hennessy + Bordeaux

2011-05-30T22:40:00.003+08:00

At Hennessy. Now I know why Hennessy is so damned expensive. I curious how much Hennessy from 1906 will cost - and taste like. By the way old drunk ladies are extra scary. And kind of extra funny. It was sample time at the Hennessy factory and curiously enough their husbands weren't drinking and gave their samples to the wife.

In Bordeaux

Statue of the Girondins, Esplanade des Quinconces.

I also like the story that comes with the statues history. During the Second World War the German shipped all the iron they found in France over to Germany to melt the metal to use for weapons. They had already packed these beautiful horse statues on train wagons to bring them to Germany. When a local French train driver saw this, he waited for a silent moment, and drove the statues to a distant villages that no one ever visited. So after the war, he returned the statues and was celebrated as a savior.

Info via Florian

When in ~~Rome~~ Bordeaux... I'm not really a fan of red wine but this was pretty nice. This could be three buck chuck for all I know but with a Bordeaux label slapped on it.

The pastry thing on the right was a whole wheel of creamy cheese (I'm thinking Brie but I could be wrong) wrapped in pastry. Did I like it? Is the pope Catholic? I ate the whole thing in ten seconds flat and it was the definition of delicious. However, the thought of eating this at home makes me a little nauseous. I like that they shoved some greens to the side.

The bathroom was so tiny that the door kept on banging into the toilet. If I'm not mistaken this very bathroom was also carpeted. What. the. actual. fuck. What were the designers thinking??

O.P.I Stranger Tides.

2011-05-28T13:22:00.002+08:00

Feeling the chill.

2011-05-22T22:26:00.005+08:00

Dress - Review

Belt - Witchery
Bag - YSL
Shoes - YSL

Coat - Revival

Gloves - H&M

Detail of sleeve. Necklace was $2 from Supre (not bad, Supre. Not bad at all)

A Perth winter is nowhere near as cold as other locations but I was brought up in a very warm climate (pretty much in the desert) so I feel the cold, no matter how little, very easily. When I told my workmate who was brought up in Europe that I wear the whole winter wardrobe shebang he just shakes his head in disbelief.

Went to Tansawa Tei in Northbridge for dinner. Pretty pricey but the food was good and the service was friendly and prompt. It's funny how the food can be excellent and well priced but I can never return if the service is awful.

I like the leaf shaped wasabi. Nice CHUNKY and fresh pieces of Salmon but restaurants never serve enough condiments. I need lots of soy sauce.

Macha ice cream and red bean paste. Delicious though the serving is on the small size. Not sure about the parsley garnish...

O.P.I Sparrow me the drama

2011-05-21T12:16:00.001+08:00

Eurovision 2011

2011-05-17T21:48:00.006+08:00

It's that time of year again. Eurovision. It's horribly cheesy. It's high camp. It's funny but most importantly - always entertaining. It's infinitely better with appreciative company who will debate which "singer" is the hottest, get bitchy with the wardrobe and make cat calls at the TV alongside you. Matt joined me on Friday night with Gin and snacks and it was a lot of fun. Sometimes I was laughing so hard I had difficulty breathing. But I have to say the crazy novelty acts were really down this year. Boo to that!

Averted a mini crisis as the reception for SBS on the nice, big TV was screwy! ARGH! No! Had to drag out the small TV. Sometimes I really hate digital TV...

Sweden: Eric Saade - Popular. This is why I love Eurovision so much. Questionable lyrics "Stop don't say it's impossible, 'cause I know it's possible" and the "I will be popular, I will be popular, I will be popular" chorus. Hello smoking hot Swede who can't really sing, funny choreography and a great stage prop - while he is enclosed in a glass cube he smashes a wall. Brilliant. His other song is called Manboy (lyrics - Manboy, manboy You can call me manboy)

Sometimes, just sometimes you get a great song like this..

Serbia: Nina - Čaroban. It is so cheery and sunny I dare you not to smile when you hear this song. The girl is very pretty and I love the sixties theme. A word or warning: some might have an epileptic fit because of the crazy background.

Oh, Jedward. What is there to say about Jedward. If only this competition was based on enthusiasm alone ... a few weeks ago I was intrigued by the sky high blonde quiffs and had a very long, good laugh at their song. Still, I was looking forward to their performance and it was even more awful than I could ever anticipate. Yet I can't hate them. I don't know what it is but I find them oddly endearing. Help!

Moldova: Zdob & Zdub - So Lucky. Giant gnome hats and someone riding a unicycle in a tutu are always a bonus. Catchy tune too. At the end the lead singer even sports a monocle for no apparent reason. Not many novelty acts or stage props this year. Booo.

Estonia - Getter Jaani - Rockefeller Street. I like her dress and I've watched her little magic trick more times than I care to count.

The winner this year gets a big, fat meh from me but I prefer anyone other than Finland. He was so boring and smug looking.

Did anyone have a favourite? or any entry they despised?

A Star Wars costume party calls for...

2011-05-16T20:13:00.002+08:00

Really dodgy costumes. Awkward... I could only fit into a Jedi costume and the hips on the pants were very narrow - as if they were made for the hips of a fourteen year old boy. I quickly realised it probably was only made for fourteen year old boys. Anyway I made those pants fit and tried to take care not to rip them. Or spill red wine on it. I want my bond back, dammit.

It was S's surprise birthday party and props to his girlfriend, E who successfully kept it a secret for over three months!

S and his cake (Yoda cutting the head of a smaller Yoda was surprisingly disturbing) and my favourite costume of the night.

The lengths E went through was extraordinary. He thought they were going to Mandurah for the weekend and so they filled the car up with expensive petrol and drove an hour to the hotel. The poor receptionist had no clue who they were because, of course, there was no booking. E proceeds to chuck a hissy fit and pretends she made a booking (I pity the receptionist!) and gets so upset that she wants to go back home. There were also lies from her sister that the alarm at their place was going crazy and they had to go home as soon as possible to fix it. It was timed really well and the look on his face was priceless.

He was a good sport about it too - though the cost of petrol was prominent in his birthday speech.

I make E kinda sounds awful in the previous paragraph but she'll call the hotel to apologise and explain!

O.P.I Teenage Dream

2011-05-15T13:15:00.000+08:00

Not something I would wear very often but I wanted to go *~sparkly~* for Eurovision. I think this is about 4-5 coats, it'll be a pain in the arse to clean off.

Looking forward to...

2011-05-12T18:55:00.001+08:00

Eurovision this weekend. Is anyone going to watch it too? Yes, it's totally cheesy and the vast majority of the songs are terrible but isn't that the point? It's bad taste to the extreme and I love it.

I deeply regret not buying this dirndl, it would've been perfect for Eurovision viewing as it's held in Düsseldorf this year. One day I will organise a themed party and get everyone to dress up as Euro trash.

A few favourites...

Svetlana Loboda Be My Valentine! (Anti-Crisis Girl) My all time favourite entry (so far) Matt and I were in stitches the whole time. The three Trojan cartwheel at 1:40 is pretty fantastic and I still still think she was robbed. Though it was an entry from 2009 Matt and I still end our text messages with BOM.

Lordi - Hard Rock Hallelujah. It's a rockalypse!

Pirates of the Sea - Wolves of the Sea. So awful! but great. Catchy tune. Bad singing. And they're pirates. What more do you want.

I honestly like these two songs. No sarcasm.

Sebastien Tellier - Divine

Portugal - Flor de lis. Very pretty tune and that stage is magnificent.

Okaaaay I think I've embarrassed myself enough for one post.

Châteaued

2011-05-10T17:13:00.005+08:00

More posts on France. At the moment my social life extends to eating leftovers and watching DVDs so I don't have much to post about.

Ammaaazing gardens.

When I first saw this I though the chef scraped it off the sidewalk. The dangers of ordering without an English translation. It was my birthday that day and it was ... interesting.

We were in Tours and we went bar hopping. We got to chatting with the local boys at the table next to us and they got a kick out of my phrasebook which has a romance/sex section. They thought it was hilarious! (the Lonely Planet phrasebook are good, I recommend them) they sung happy birthday to me (in English) and things got a little rowdy when one of them decided to drop his pants to show me a pen drawing of a love heart on his upper thigh. Um. OK.

French guys dropping their pants without encouragment seemed to be the theme of the night because another patron decided to yell at us for not drinking French alcohol (WTF) he was really, really annoyed and shouting. He started was calling us Japanese and I firmly told him we were Australian. He started up again and said "Don't you fuck my face! I know you are Japanese or Chinese, don't fuck my face!! I'll show you my sushi roll, Japanese girl" ... and decided it was a good idea to pull his pants down and get out his cock. What. The. Hell. He also had the tiniest flaccid penis I've ever seen in my life (not that I've seen that many haha)

When Steve asked me how my birthday was, it was a little hard writing that email. It was all blood sausages and being flashed at. Definitely my most memorable birthday.

The next morning we had to get up pretty early to look at chateaus. It was very difficult to get up and it was an early morning. I was cursing life itself.

Château de Chenonceau. Catherine de' Medici, one of the women who lived here threw the best parties. She had about 80 beautiful ladies in waiting who she dubbed "the flying squadron" They served food to patrons topless, danced and partied with no clothes on to seduce important men. Who said history is boring?

I like a good wine cave. Free samples!

Chapel of St. Hubert. Where Leonardo Da Vinci was buried.

Chateau d'Amboise

OPI - Mermaid's Tears

2011-05-07T10:46:00.003+08:00

Fantastic colour.

Lazy Sunday.

2011-05-01T19:22:00.007+08:00

Hat - Pigeonhole
Top - Temt
Skirt - Piper
Belt - Piper (came with skirt)
Shoes - Sambag

I've been looking for a skirt like this for some time, was tempted by the Country Road version but didn't want to pay Country Road prices ($130 to be exact) This one was $40 on sale and has the added bonus of deep pockets. I am a fan of pockets in skirts/dresses. It's a bit hard to iron and keep crease free though.

Pigeonhole has the best things, I've never left the store without buying or lusting after something.

I like cider and I honestly wanted to try this because of the pretty label. I'm a marketer's wet dream. Steve brought it to the counter and said in his very best tough guy voice "Just want these Pipsqueaks, thanks" He was told by the cashier his macho voice needed work. Not a bad drink, would buy this again. Spent the night watching Doctor Who.

Very lazy day today. Woke up at noon after a late night, lunched and wandered around Leederville. Played some pool. Actually won a game (rare!)

Aaah, so pretty.

Tried to walk off a heavy linner (between lunch and dinner - think brunch) with a walk around Heathcoate. It's getting chilly these days :)

The One That Got Away - O.P.I

2011-04-28T11:29:00.000+08:00

From the Katy Perry collection

Park Life.

2011-04-26T21:10:00.006+08:00

It was a beautiful day to be out and about. S and I took a stroll in Hyde Park, Mt Lawley to walk off some of the the burger we had for lunch.

I like people who choose to spend their day off hanging out in a park playing music! I made good use of 10x optical zoom. It's a good spy camera...

Dress - Valleygirl
Belt - Fossil
Shoes - Betts
Bag - Mimco

While I'm not into disposable fashion, I sometimes don't mind going to places like Valleygirl or Temt for cheap and cheerful clothes. You can find some decent stuff if you're prepared to invest some time digging through the crap. This dress is from 2006 and it's still going strong for something that cost $10 I also like the bold print, it's perfect for Summer.

Bought this leather satchel for half price because the shop was closing down. S insists that it's a man bag that should be utilised for manly, man business and I think it is erring-on-the-side-of-business/school but $40 for a leather satchel is a pretty good price. It also has a key to lock it up but ... wouldn't a thief just take the whole bag to get to the contents? Just sayin'

Phone Photo.

2011-04-22T20:55:00.006+08:00

Just Because.

I Hope everyone is enjoying the Easter break. So far I have consumed my weight in chocolate and vegged out in front of the TV doing my best bloated zombie impression. Been sick for the last few days and just before the holidays too. THE HORROR but now quickly on the mend.

Skirts. Yeojin Bae (I love trying out expensive shit in the change room) and chilling on the couch at the Hong Kong Palace in Alannah Hill. The Hong Kong Palace is a friend's place that used to be a brothel. According to lore, the clean up before the move in was horrific. I believe it.

V burgers in Victoria Park, Final Fantasy milkshake with black sesame seed ice cream in Northbridge. Both excellent.

Symmetry and very creepy mannequins at Myer. Headless ones aren't too bad but why is the neck extended into a cone shape? The mind boggles.

Saturday night.

2011-04-18T17:18:00.005+08:00

Went to Wire magazine 100th issue reader's party at Rosemount Hotel. It was alright though it was pretty dead inside. More fun in the beer garden. Played some pool (badly) and hung out with friends while some bands played. Not a bad night out.

Split Seconds on the right and Boom! Bap! Pow! (how's that for a band name) Probably my favourites on the night. In the photo on the right, though it isn't very clear the dude dancing was wearing what could only be described as a Badass Outfit. Gold and Silver sequined top paired with tight leather pants and boots. Nice.

At the end of the night a poor girl was was lying on the pavement puking her stomach lining out on the road ... while some one was taking pictures of her. No doubt the results will be posted on Facebook within a few minutes.

It made me glad there wasn't Facebook while I was first out and about getting as pissed as I possibly could. I'm sure there are drunken pictures of me posted there but by then I (sorta) learnt the harsh lessons and (somewhat) drinking more sensibly. Her friend was covering up what her ultra short dress couldn't. What a good friend!

One of the prettiest store fronts I've come across. Worth investigating.

Some artwork by Creepy. People can have strong opinions about graffiti/street art but I'm all for it. It brightens up blank walls and it's better than advertising.

Top - Temt
Skirt - Valleygirl
Scarf - Oroton
Shoes - YSL

Sportsgirl - Lace

2011-04-17T12:10:00.000+08:00

Been wanting a light lavender for a while. Not bad for less than $4

Banana Bread

2011-04-16T10:31:00.000+08:00

A couple of posts ago I lamented my Banana-less life, well I found a large pack for cheap. Couldn't finish all of them so the bananas that became overripe were made into Banana bread. Yum.

So, so easy to make. If I can make this, anyone can. Seriously.

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/4 (185g) self raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
20g butter
1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg beaten lightly
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
1 large overripe banana - I used three large overripe bananas and it is DELICIOUS. I highly recommend using more than one.

Method:

Preheat oven to hot (220) Grease 14cm x 21cm loaf pan. Line base with baking paper
Sift flour and cinnamon into a large bowl then rub in butter. Stir in sugar, egg, milk and banana. Do not overmix, the batter lumpy. Spoon mixture into pan
Bake for 30 minutes. Stand cake in pan for 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack, turn cake top side to cool
Cut banana into eight slices. Toast lightly on both side, spread with butter if desired.

Enjoy :)

I like my sugar with coffee and cream.

2011-04-13T20:43:00.007+08:00

Saturday night we stopped off at The Bird for Steve's friend girlfriend's birthday only to find out we just missed them. Whoops. Spent too long on Youtube watching Adventure time and Rocko's Modern Life - I remember Rocko's stint as a phone sex operator and this was classified as a "childrens" show!

The best part of The Bird is the courtyard at the back. Nice atmosphere and it has a laid back vibe. I'm not really into bars but I quite like it.

Dress - BYSI
Belt - Cue
Shoes - Betts
Bag - DKNY
Posing in the bathroom. Classy.

Dan and Brendan DJ on Thursday nights at Defectors and a acquaintance of theirs got us on the guest list at Amps. Nioce. Did feel a bit weird walking up at the front of the line instead of waiting for ages and having to pay a cover charge. I'm sure the people in the queue were wondering why the hell we were getting let in as we didn't look nearly as cool nor important as they did.

Laughing at Steve's face ... it's. creepy. At least he has eyes here.

Anyway we sent a barrage of texts to a friend, who I haven't seen in ages and she buckled under pressure and came. Had a great time - felt like the old days :)

Got home around 4:30am woke up at 10:00am sans hangover and feeling strangely refreshed - with the urge to start cleaning. Yeah, I'm confused too.

Gave Steve some Polaroid film as part of his birthday present, this is cutting into my stash that I've been hoarding since Polaroid have ceased production on film a couple of years ago. Seen a pack go on ebay for $100, so he better appreciate it! :P

Sally Hansen - Spark

2011-04-11T20:31:00.000+08:00

Pacman Moleskine.

2011-04-09T11:55:00.005+08:00

I have several blank notebooks strewn across pockets of my room and have placed myself on a stationary ban. The horror. However. When Moleskine released a limited edition series to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pac Man last year ... I was a lost cause. Finally got all the books I wanted but a part of me still wants the whole collection. If only I had the $$ to spare.

I am a complete sucker for stickers. Stickers are the way to my heart.

Can't wait to use them. These are the perfect sized for travel journals.

The ad is adorable too :)

Sugar coated.

2011-04-07T20:52:00.002+08:00

Cupcakes made by C's boyfriend for Steve's birthday. I love the sprinkles and lavender icing but colour balance is off so it looks much nicer in person. C is a lucky gal with a boyfriend who can bake, my advice to her is hold on to him tight and never let go :)

Happy Birthday, Steve.

Speaking of sugar, K-mart is selling Lindt Dark Orange Intense for a dollar each (down from $3) My absolutely-favourite-chocolate-in-the-world. I may or may not have cleared the shelves. Christmas has come early. I will be washing myself with a rag on a stick in no time.

A couple of Polaroids. On the left the flash burnt C's face off but a marker pen helps. I mean, you can't notice anything at all.

To the Moon (cafe) and back.

2011-04-05T21:06:00.002+08:00

I'm showing my age here but does anyone remember Paula Adbul's "Opposites attract" featuring a cartoon cat called MC Skat Kat? Many tears (of laughter) were shed when Matt and Steve preformed their touching and very romantic duet. Blast from the past.

At least they are upfront about it. Saw bananas for about $15 a kilo at my local supermarket, they're just going to go to waste and rot on the shelves. I miss bananas :(

I like the idea of menus attached to record covers. The campier/weirder the better though.

Top - Lee
Belt - ?
Skirt - Tokito
Shoes - YSL

His & Her

2011-03-31T22:01:00.001+08:00

Steve bought some B&W Polaroid film and these are the first two shots. In a word = Awkward. At least I don't have that just-woke-up-from-a-two-week-coma look he has going on there :)

Wanderlust.

2011-03-30T23:34:00.005+08:00

Stop motion film of Paris made from 2,000 photos. It's really well done and not an Eiffel Tower in sight. Nice choice of music too.

Stunning footage of Aurora Borealis. If only I can see this in person one day but until that time comes (if it ever comes) this video will have to do.

One of my favourite documentaries was about the Aurora Borealis. It was presented by Joanna Lumley and it was about her life long fascination with the Northern lights. When she was young she had a book about a penguin and it featured the Northern Lights, it's funny how certain things from your childhood can stay with you forever. She travelled all the way to Arctic Norway and was quite emotional when she finally saw it - I would have been so disappointed for her if it didn't go according to plan. There's no guarantee the lights will be on show while you're there.

Cancelled.

2011-03-29T22:57:00.006+08:00

Last week I cancelled my trip to Japan. I was supposed to go in a couple of weeks - I admit there was a time where I was stubbornly holding on to the last tendrils of hope. I would be lying if I said I'm not disappointed but a cancelled holiday is really nothing in the grand scheme of things. My stomach still sinks whenever I hear/read/watch any news of Japan. The group of girls I was supposed to be travelling with were considering going to Korea instead, but my heart isn't in it.

Steve seems keen on a trip to New York later in the year - we've been together for five and a half years and we've never travelled together!

This is an ... interesing way to explain the radiation situation to the kids of Japan. By using poos and farts (this will no doubt keep the boys riveted)

I've been watching a bunch of Elizabeth Taylor clips on youtube. So far Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf are among my favourites - her last line in this clip kills me.

Not only was she talented and stunning (I guess being born with violet eyes and double row of eyelashes will propel one to stardom) she spent decades making significant contributions to AIDS/HIV related causes. She began her campaign when few celebrities even acknowledged the disease. Even in death she donated the bulk of her $600m estate to the cause and her family even asked fans to give to AIDS charities in lieu of flowers. Amazing woman.

Firday's a picnic.

2011-03-25T23:23:00.003+08:00

I made the arduous decision to take Friday off instead of spending it at work. After a night of abusing my stomach with sugary snacks and watching Inspector Rex (what can I say? it's in German and the lead actor is smokin' hot) I arrived bright and early (what? 10:30 is early) at Cottesloe beach for a picnic with C and her baby.

Our day involved...

a lot of this. Though a very ballsy seagull managed to get all Solid Snake on us as steal the last two slices of Brie cheese! What stealth, what tactics. We didn't notice until we see this big hunk of cheese gulped down and into an unworthy gullet. I was surprised it didn't choke on it. Damn seagull. Cheese is precious.

also some of this. It was a difficult day, I know.

It was a gorgeous, cloudless day and although I'm at risk of sounding like a spoiled brat (or even more so) I'm getting a little tired of these constantly sunny 30 degree plus days. Autumn officially started in Australia 25 days ago and these beautiful, hot days are going to continue on for at least another week. I'm really looking forward to grey days and rain. I've even starting to drag out my coats, scarfs, gloves and tights with anticipation and sighing wistfully with startling regularity. How long must this go on, weather??

C's baby provided the entertainment with her 'lets-crawl-everywhere-and-give-mum-several-heart-attacks' antics. I like her grumpy what-the-hell-are-you-looking-at-face on the right.

After they left, I stayed and spent the rest of the afternoon listening to music and reading Letters from St. Petersburg - an entertaining read so far. I hope I'll to get to Russia one day.

Colour co-ordinating with the sky. It's called Kate by Bloom

Belle and Sebastian at Astor theatre

2011-03-21T19:16:00.005+08:00

No, I didn't shove my camera in Stuart Murdoch's mug - just zooming in like nobody's business so I can crop out heads (being short is a curse sometimes)

They played most of my favourite songs and it was a great concert. Except for a group of people behind us (with the supporting act) were talking and loudly meowing (yes, meowing) throughout most of it. Steve politely asked them to be a little more quiet during the songs but that didn't amount to much ... I always wish I had the balls to speak up at times like this.

Dress - Marc by Marc Jacobs
Shoes - Steve Madden.

Steve did a big wardrobe cull during the week so he bought new clothes because "the closet looks empty". A little bit of girly thinking right there. Speaking of somewhat girly. He loves using my L'Occitane 20% Shea butter hand cream (which by the way is. the. shit) until I bought him to the L'Occitane shop so he buy his own ... and not steal mine anymore.

Japan Earthquake Stories from Twitter.

2011-03-13T23:07:00.004+08:00

Along with the rest of the world I watched in horror as the earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan. I wanted to share a heartwarming post by Thumbnail of life. It is genuinely touching to hear people still helping and looking out for each other in these difficult times. It was originally posted (and translated from Japanese) on Jun Shiomitsu's Facebook. I didn't post all of it but you can read it all here.

For those who want to donate here's a good list...

My thoughts are with you, Japan.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://twitter.com/unosuke/status/46376846505426944

Tokyo Disneyland was handing out its shops’ food and drinks for free to the stranded people nearby. I saw a bunch of snobby looking highschool girls walking away with large portions of it and initially though “What the …” But I later I found out they were taking them to the families with little children at emergency evacuation areas. Very perceptive of them, and a very kind thing to do indeed.

http://twitter.com/akitosk/status/46302222346223616

Secretary General Ban Ki Moon: “Japan is one of (the UN’s) most generous and strongest benefactors, coming to the assistance of those in need the world over. In that spirit, the United Nations stands by the people of Japan and we will do anything and everything we can at this very difficult time.” I was moved at his words. What better example that good things happen to those who do good.

http://twitter.com/raai15/status/46546475362160640

At the store where I work, a huge group of young men suddenly came in to buy booze. One of them suddenly said, “Oops, I only have enough money to buy booze, I can’t donate! Forget the booze, maybe next time!” and instead put ALL his money into the disaster relief donation box. One by one, every single one of the army of youths threw all their money into the box after him. What a heart-warming sight that was!

http://twitter.com/7474529/status/46565903520907264

A goth youth with white hair and body piercings walked into my store and shoved several hundred dollars (several tens of thousands of yen) into the disaster relief fund donation box. As he walked out, I and people around me heard him saying to his buddies, “I mean, we can buy those games anytime!” At that, we all opened our wallets and put our money into the donation box. Really, you cannot judge people by their appearances.

http://twitter.com/micakom/status/46264887281848320

Cars were moving at the rate of maybe one every green light, but everyone was letting each other go first with a warm look and a smile. At a complicated intersection, the traffic was at a complete standstill for 5 minutes, but I listened for 10 minutes and didn’t hear a single beep or honk except for an occasional one thanking someone for giving way. It was a terrifying day, but scenes like this warmed me and made me love my country even more.

http://twitter.com/aquarius_rabbit/status/46213254376210432

It was cold and I was getting very weary waiting forever for the train to come. Some homeless people saw me, gave me some of their own cardboard boxes and saying “you’ll be warmer if you sit on these!” I have always walked by homeless people pretending I didn’t see them, and yet here they were offering me warmth. Such warm people.

http://twitter.com/gj_neko26/statuses/46394706481004544

We’ve all been trained to immediately open the doors and establish an escape route when there is an earthquake. In the middle of the quake while the building was shaking crazily and things falling everywhere, a man made his way to the entrance and held it open. Honestly, the chandelier could have crashed down any minute … that was a brave man!

http://twitter.com/kfstudio/status/46390032776437760

My daughter who was staying at DisneySea just made it back home! Many, many thanks to the staff who worked very hard in the cold with ready smiles that made her to feel safe and secure during the entire night. They brought her food, drinks, snacks, heating pads, and anything necessary to ensure she was comfortable and secure throughout her stay. I was touched by the Disney staff’s warmth and hospitality. Thank you so much!

http://twitter.com/VietL/status/46376383592677376

This earthquake has reminded me of that Japanese goodness that had recently become harder and harder to see. Today I see no crime or looting: I am reminded once again of the good Japanese spirit of helping one another, of propriety, and of gentleness. I had recently begun to regard my modern countrymen as cold people … but this earthquake has revived and given back to all of us the spirit of “kizuna” (bond, trust, sharing, the human connection). I am very touched. I am brought to tears.

http://twitter.com/ayakishimoto/statuses/46403599743451136

There was a small bread shop on the street I take to go to school. It has long been out of business. But last night, I saw the old lady of the shop giving people her handmade bread for free. It was a heart-warming sight. She, like everyone else, was doing what she could to help people in a time of need. Tokyo isn’t that bad afterall!

http://twitter.com/tksksks/statuses/46403815397801984

Both the government and the people, everyone is helping one another today. There are truck drivers helping evacuees move. I even heard that the “yakuza” (gangsters, organized crime groups) are helping to direct traffic in the Tohoku region! There have been many recent developments that have made me lose my sense of pride in my country, but not anymore. Japan is an amazing place! I’m just simply touched. Go Japan!

http://twitter.com/endless_6/status/46395420523503616

I just came back safely from the supermarket! Man, I was so touched at how everyone there was mindful of others, buying only as much as they needed and leaving the rest for the people behind them.

http://twitter.com/dita_69/status/46309373458382849

Suntory Beverages has set up free vending machines. Softbank Telephone services is offering free Wifi spots. Everyone in Japan is putting everything they can into helping one another. Japan is also now receiving aid from abroad. Compared to the Kobe earthquake, when Japan took too long to contemplate accepting foreign aid or dispatching the self-defense force to join the rescue effort, Japan has definitely grown into a far stronger nation. Be strong, everyone!

http://twitter.com/RUMI88LoL/statuses/46342599149240320

Yesterday, I was impressed and touched by the actions of my neighbor’s 13-year-old-boy. He was home alone when the earthquake hit. But instead of hiding, as soon as the earthquake quieted down, he jumped on his bicycle and road around the block repeatedly shouting at the top of his voice, “Is everyone alright? Is everyone okay?” At the time, there were only women and children and the elderly in the homes. I cannot describe how comforting it was just to hear a strong voice asking if I was okay. Thank you!

http://twitter.com/sorry_no_user/statuses/46332985133375488

I went out last night to help some friends who were volunteering as security personnel between Machida City and Sagami Ohno City. I saw total strangers, both young and old, helping each other along everywhere I turned and was heartened with an overwhelming feeling of encouragement. I was so touched I hid behind the toilets and cried.

http://twitter.com/hikaru_star/statuses/46332900928532480

I’m so touched! My colleague at my part time job, wanting to help even just one extra person, wrote a sign saying “I just have a bike, but if you don’t mind hop on!”, rode out on his motorbike, picked up a stranded construction worker and took him all the way to Tokorozawa! Respect! I have never felt so strongly that I want to do something helpful for others.

http://twitter.com/pao313/statuses/46332792174411776

It was stupid of me to think I could catch a cab at Urawamien Station. I ended up walking 30 minutes and then finally was picked up by a stranger who offered to give me a lift. I’m touched by the warmth of human kindness. Thank you, thank you!

http://twitter.com/robasuke23/statuses/46326711935172609

Last night, I decided, rather than stay at the office, I should try walking home. So I slowly made my way west on Koshu freeway on foot. It was around 9PM when I saw an office building that had a sign that said “Please use our office’s bathrooms! Please rest here!” The employees of the office were loudly shouting out the same to all the people trying to walk home. I was so touch I felt like crying. Well, I guess I was too tense yesterday to cry, but now the tension is wearing off and am very much in tears.

http://twitter.com/akanensm/status/46214540161064960

I’ve been walking for many hours now. I’m touched at how everywhere I turn, there are shops open with people shouting “Please use our bathroom!” or “Please rest here!” There were also office buildings where people with access to information were voluntarily shouting out helpful tips, like “**** line is now operational!” Seeing things like this after walking for hours and hours made me feel like weeping with gratitude. Seriously, there is still hope for this country!

http://twitter.com/sumonya/status/46479563412348928

My husband finally got home very late last night after walking for 4 hours. He told me he felt like giving up at around Akabane, when an elderly man who was going around handing out free coffee saw him, gave him a steaming cup and said, “You must be tired and cold. Here, have some coffee!” My husband told me that it was because of this elderly man that he found the will and strength to continue walking. I’ve already heard this story from him five times tonight, so no doubt he was really, really touched! Thank you to my husband’s anonymous helper!

http://twitter.com/NOBCHIDORI/status/46477518169047040

Japan is strong! At Osaka I saw a LONG line of people waiting to give blood at the blood donation center. This is the first time I have seen such a queue of selfless people waiting patiently in line just to give. It was a moving sight! To everyone in the hard-hit areas, we your countrymen accept your suffering as our own and we share in your grief. Do not give up! Stay strong!

http://twitter.com/moebamuse/status/46379810217406465

Amazing! My brother just managed to get home from Disneyland right now. He’s got bags and bags of free sweets. Furthermore, Disneyland paid for every customer’s travel fare back. All night long, the staff responded immediately and fully to every request he made. Disneyland is truly a world class brand

http://twitter.com/ryoshun49/statuses/46605524434821120

Last night, Aobadai station was jammed with stranded people unable to get home. But there were private cars with drivers shouting “If you’re going in the direction of ****, please hop on!” I was able to hitch a ride on one of them. When I thanked the driver, he replied “No worries! We’re all on the same boat. We have to stick together!”
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On a personal note I am scheduled to leave for Japan in a month but at this stage it is up in the air. I would be lying if I said I wouldn't be disappointed if original plans don't go ahead but it is nothing in comparison to what the Japanese are feeling.

Sculpture by the Sea 2011

2011-03-09T20:18:00.005+08:00

Spent a ab-so-lute-ly flawless Sunday at Cottesloe beach. The weather was perfection.

There is very little information on the artists or even the sculptures on the internets so only pictures will do.

The shoes remind me of The Shoes on the Danube Promenade

This was one of my favourites.

Chen Wenling Red Memory Smile. Seen this guy's work exhibited in a small art gallery hidden away in the top floor of a department store in Singapore a couple of years ago. You can't easily forget his style. It's $180,000 for those who have some spare cash just lying around...

I think this was one of the most popular too. Picture a swarm of parents shoving their reluctant kids in front of the statue and tried (very much in vain) to coax a smile out of them in a attempt to get a happy snap on their iphone ... pissing off other parents in the process who were waiting to do the same. I had to wait a while to get a somewhat clear shot and got a chance to practice my patience...

The one on the right is called Farewell Kiss by Ayad Alqaragholli. I think I liked it a little better after learning the name.

Exhibition ends Tuesday 22 March, 2011

Sportsgirl - Supernatural

2011-03-08T07:21:00.002+08:00

This one was .95 cents and one of my favourites.

Sunday Life.

2011-03-06T22:59:00.002+08:00

It's long weekend time! and it's not over yet. Had a relaxing (and wonderful) Sunday afternoon having lunch with friends and visiting Cottesloe beach for the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition (which I will break up into another post)

The weather has cooled down since last week. It's been beautiful. Too bad I didn't take advantage of the hot weather to have a swim in the sea. No beach all Summer. Weird.

Hat - Bondi
Top - Myer
Skirt and belt - Piper
Shoes - Wittner
Bag - Longchamp

Lunch was very nice but very pricey (which is ok - trying to make up for missing Future Music festival) The sea air always makes me famished!

Japan Plan.

2011-02-26T13:43:00.008+08:00

Picture taken aggges ago with 50mm 1.4 Dolls were from Melbourne - I like to think they are gossiping.

Long time, no post. Nothing much has been happening except that I'm heading off to Japan in April. E, my workmate saw me looking at my long service leave and invited me along if I had time left over :)

My leave was approved only a couple of weeks ago I've been a bit busy planning stuff. I was very lucky to have time off with such short notice and of course, E, who was kind to invite me.

Now I am going to study some Japanese phrases. I used to study Japanese in high school, but I tended to use the time as a social event. Curse you, 15 year old me!!

Big Day Out 2011

2011-02-12T17:50:00.004+08:00

Last Sunday I went to the Big Day Out and was shocked to the core upon realising I had a great time. I've mainly experienced awful people in the crowd and the weather tends to be pretty foul so I didn't have high hopes. I went by myself too but that wasn't an issue as we tend to separate as a group to see different things anyway. Still had fun though!

Perth was lucky last Sunday - warm enough to remind us it's Summer but not hot enough to feel like my internal organs are being slow roasted. Maybe nice weather = nice people ...? Was also surprised at the lack of security but I later found out they were present at the fire.

CSS were fun :)

Dirndl and lederhosen

Deftones (pull up your pants, young man!)

...and finally Rammstein. Possibly the only reason for me to buy a ticket. They were here ten years ago so who know when they will come back (though a side show would be nice!)

Tried taking a pic of this thing in full flame but the result was just a plain orange screen. Awesome.

Chef whites and a cooking pot during Mein Teil :D

Fire, fireworks, people on fire, flares ... a giant pink phallic thingy shooting foam onto the crowd, what more can a gal want? :P

A couple of lovely metalheads escorted me to a taxi stand and hailed a cab for me. Who said chivalry is dead? To quote Steve - Metal heads, candy hearts.

Wai con 2011

2011-02-01T22:01:00.009+08:00

A few photos.

Paul and A in their finery (how many Kakashi outfits does he have!?)

While most people just stand while their picture is taken this guy has his pose down to a fine art. Nice werk.

Someone asked me what character I was cosplaying and he gave me the strangest look when I told him I wasn't in costume, this what I normally wear. But upon seeing this photo I guess I kinda do look like I am wearing a costume. Oh dear. I'm glad Stephen found this amusing!

Australia Day.

2011-01-27T19:48:00.001+08:00

Top - Lee
Belt - Witchery
Skirt - Review
Shoes - Ferregamo

Tuesday night - Mussels from Terrazza and they were pretty good with huge portions. I asked them to amp up the spice as much as they could and they certainly delivered! Yum Yum.

Steve's shirt always reminds me of a pyjama top. If it is a pyjama top, it's an expensive one from Ben Sherman.

Happy 'Straaay-liaa day! Sparklers for number one in the Triple J Hottest 100. I correctly predicted the number one song, if only we placed bets! It wasn't really my cup of tea but it was better than some past number ones *coughbernadfanningcough*

We weren't planning anything (except for playing Donkey Kong Country Returns) but Stephen's friend D decided not to go through with his original plans, calls Stephen up on Tuesday evening telling him that people were coming over on Australia Day - so get ready. Spent a few hours getting the house fit for visitors. Nice one, D. THANKS. Anyways it was nice, gorged ourselves with food (D redeemed himself with a delicious potato salad), played games and nearly passing out on the couch. As it should be.

Saturday night.

2011-01-25T07:31:00.001+08:00

Dress - Zimmerman
Necklace - Supre
Shoes- Basque

Doc Riley Mimco bag.

Went to a house party on Saturday night. Really nice bunch of people considering they've invited total strangers (they are workmates of D's) and we met the most fun and vibrant 50something year old - I'm convinced that the secret of appearing young is enjoying life to the fullest. Something that can never be bottled and sold.

This is D's brother who I haven't seen for a long time. I remember the days when I gave him piggyback rides so he wouldn't bother his brother and Steve while they play Age of Empires (terribly important business). I believe they still owe me one. That was about five years ago. He is now 11 while I feel old. He has turned out to be quite the dapper kid, look at his fancy hat.

Lancome - Pop Petrol

2011-01-23T09:02:00.001+08:00

Love this colour.

Bits and bobs of home.

2011-01-19T18:57:00.005+08:00

Following this post. Had a empty frame from Ikea waiting to be used but was overwhelmed with Etsy - there is such thing as too much choice! So I ended up using my photos instead. I think it looks alright, even if I do say so myself. Eh, saved myself a few bucks and time as I take ages to decide on anything. The Hello Kitty calender is a gift from C, who visited Japan last year. So Jealous.

A workmate gave me this a long time ago before he left for greener pastures. He went travelling (I think around Tibet?) and took lots of beautiful photos that made my jaw drop - this one is my favourite. I love everything about this picture - her expression, beautiful traditional dress and the snowy backdrops makes it for me. I will treasure it forever.

Big Doramon from Steve that looks after my stuff :P

My comfy-running-errands-outfit but ended the day with a trip to the library (always relaxing) and playing Donkey Kong Country Returns with Steve. I loved Donkey Kong Country when I was a kidlet and hearing the theme music always makes me nostalgic.

Top - Bonds
Belt - Fossil
Skirt - Sportsgirl
Shoes -Wittner

The whole inner sole detached when I was peeling the price sticker off - hence ugly super glue marks.

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Was nominated for a Stylish Blogger award by the lovely Kiki Chaos. She obviously nominated me before I posted a not-stylish wardrobe pic today :P

Some things that you may not know about me.

1. I'm a total tomato sauce fiend. I must have with everything (except for sweet things obviously) and am known for hoarding ketchup packets in my bag for dire emergencies. Thank you McDonalds!!! Shout out to friends who kindly steal away packets for me. You know who you are.

2. My favourite songs to sing at karaoke are Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler, Lola - The Kinks and on Lips/Singstar Yellow - Coldplay (one of the rare ones that I'm actually good at)

3. My favourite thing to shop for is not shoes nor clothes ... it's stationary. Gimmie a Saturday to kill in Officeworks and I'm in heaven.

4. I'm useless with makeup will rarely wear it unless I'm going out. I've applied blush for the very first time at the ripe age of 24. I wear it occasionally and hope to god that I don't look like a Russian hooker.

Ladies pinch, whores use rouge.

5. I must be one of a few people who adores the German accent/language. I find it very sexy. No one I know shares the same opinions though. I even watch German news on SBS every morning.

6. I really want to learn how to play the ukulele. I've looked around but I haven't found anyone that teaches ... yet.

7. One of my bigger fears is flying. I can't even watch the ads for Flight crash investigations (or whatever its called) I can relax a little when I'm up in the air though.

A couple of things.

2011-01-14T17:58:00.004+08:00

New camera :) I can't believe I've had my last one for three years, doesn't the time go so quickly? I had a look at my very first photos on my old camera and they were so so bad. I like to think I've improved in that time but should really take a class so I can use this one to it's full potential...

"Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst."
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
(so true)

Thank you strong dollar. Thank you sales....

Recipe: Baked Camembert Pasta

2011-01-11T22:25:00.000+08:00

After finding a wheel of Camembert cheese buried in the fridge (better than finding gold) I decided to forgo the usual eat-with-crackers route and try out a recipe from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food.

Serves 4-6

1x250g wheel of Camembert cheese
2 cloves of garlic
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
100g Parmesan cheese
400g dried Rigatoni (imo you can use pretty much any short pasta)
150 fresh Spinach.

Preheat you oven to 180 degrees
Unwrap cheese and score a circle into the top of the skin then discard. The book suggests Camembert that is packaged in a box. Mine wasn't and it was fine as the skin keeps all the cheese intact
Peel and finely chop garlic
Lay garlic slices and rosemary leaves on top of the cheese and gently pat with your fingers to coat them in oil. Sprinkle with some pepper.
Grate Parmesan
Place cheese on a baking tray and put it in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until golden brown and melted
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil
When the cheese has 10 minutes to cook, add the Rigatoni to the pan and cook according to instructions
When the pasta is cooked, add spinach to the pan -it only needs cooking for 10 seconds or so
Drain pasta and spinach in a colander reserving some of the cooking water - return pasta to stove and let spinach wilt.
Drizzle with a couple of good lugs of extra virgin olive oil and add grated Parmesan
Season with salt and pepper and give it good stir
Remove cheese from oven - either drizzle the melted cheese on top or let everyone help themselves.

Before putting it in the oven

...and after.

No picture of the finished product as it doesn't look that great (food stylist, I ain't)

Verdict - Very easy and quick to make! and most importantly - so delicious. This will be particularly good in Winter time. Steve gave it a thumbs up too. .

Normandy//Bayeux//Mont St Michel.

2011-01-08T12:03:00.005+08:00

Remnants of the artificial harbor built during WWII for D-Day that was supposed to last only three months (!) Learning about the whole thing and how it was all kept secret was incredible.

The people who reside here are obviously not concerned about the rising sea levels...

Turret in pretty good condition. Cue about 20 tourists getting a obligatory photo with it.

I'm glad they left the remnants.

The very moving Normandy American Cemetery.

A sea of white crosses (and some with a Jewish star)

Visited Bayeux which is home of the imaginatively named Bayeux Tapestry. Lonely Planet describes it as "the world's oldest comic strip". It illustrates the story of the Norman conquest of England in 1066 but it's also looks like an exercise in Propaganda if you ask me. The illustrations are actually quite striking using a limited colour palette.

The headset they provide go really fast though! There were a group of hyper and giggly high schoolers who, of course, thought the naked men were hilarious. Good to know some things are same across the other side of the world.

Literal pigeon holes scattered on the side of a building.These are the most fattest and healthiest pigeons I have ever seen. Friends. This must be pigeon utopia.

To me the best part of the day always includes food. Crepes are cooked and served by an eccentric guy who was highly offended when CL asked him if there was blue cheese in the cider. Bad Idea. I guess in these parts it's the equivalent of calling their mother a whore.

It was his last day and he had some cider with her (big no no at his work) and explained the types of cider (which confused us even more) and told us his relationship problems. Interesting.

Mont St Michel. Via Wikipedia According to legend, the Archangel Micheal appeared to St. Aubert, bishop of Avranches, in 708 and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. Aubert repeatedly ignored the angel's instruction, until Michael burned a hole in the bishop's skull with his finger. Uh. What ...?

The most recognisable shillouette in France after the Eiffel Tower. I had to run quite a bit back to get this shot. A Goth looking couple greeted me with a Bonjour - so much for the French being rude to tourists...

Welcoming Twenty Eleven.

2011-01-05T18:59:00.004+08:00

A new year, a brand new decade. Let's go! On occasion Jagermeister gives out some nice freebies. Little ice shot glasses to dunk in Red bull but to be honest, I really dislike Red bull. The liquor shops were absolutely chaotic this afternoon. Leave things to the last minute - who me?

After some karaoke (and drink dialing a friend who recently arrived home - I might've agreed to participate in the City to Surf this year - oops) We head out to Defectors in Mt Lawley to see Dan and Brendan dee jay.

Hi, boys.

Then it happened. Happy New Year :)

The sparkley sparkler fizzed out just as the camera clicked, Typical.

I always love going out for New years and it was a pretty good night, though I am certainly getting old - by 2:30am I was dozing off on the comfy sofa...

Dress - Dangerfield (should have ironed it a bit better, eh?)
Belt - Witchery
Shoes - YSL
Am slowly getting used to this remote control business. It is so much easier!

Out with the old...

2011-01-03T15:47:00.000+08:00

and in with the new (diary) I like buying stationary waaay too much.

Goodbye 2010

2010-12-30T22:55:00.044+08:00

I love Melbourne.

Sydney so we could see Wicked

Wai-con

At the beach - underwater cameras are always fun.

Sculpture by the Sea

Birthdays.

Karaoke face.

Learned how to play Poker ... and got really into it because we played well into sunrise.

Singapore to see Cheryl and Jonathon get hitched.

I still want a Mini.

Met Shag (again)

Nuremburg

Prague

Budapest

Vienna

Salzburg

Oktoberfest

Munich

Out and about in France (this is Honfleur)

Paris

Christmas time.

2010-12-26T19:06:00.004+08:00

I hope that everyone had a noice and relaxing Christmas complete with full bellies!

It was a scorcher this year (and most years gone past) at 40 degrees. I was going to wear something pretty but comfort quickly became top priority as the morning progressed.

I dream that just once, just once I will celebrate Christmas somewhere snowy. Preferably in front of a roaring fire place sipping (ok ok guzzling) hot chocolate

Ate and drank faarr too much as is required on Christmas. With audible groans I retire to the couch trying not to nap.

C's amazing ice cream cassata. It is a vision. Barely two minutes out of the freezer and it's quickly melting.

It's official. Singstar is a tradition.

Sporting Essie - Mint Candy Apple.

C's super duper cute pie Diana Mini. Tempted to steal it...

Showing us how it's done. Thanks S.

Got some really lovely presents but my favourite and most useful gift would have to be ... a remote control for my camera. Click! Click!

Le Tour de France

2010-12-21T18:15:00.004+08:00

So we're in France - wish I was there right now (yes, even with all of that snow) but posting this and reliving it just a tiny bit will have to do.

We ran the Metro marathon, saw most of the commuters jogging along and we started to run along with them. Did not see any of these so called rude Parisians I was so often warned about, in fact a couple of commuters helped CL carry her luggage up the stairs. They had trains to catch and places to go, not the type to have nothing better to do. We realised why French women do not get fat - it must be all the stair climbing in the metro! We reached our destination utterly exhausted. You know something is terribly wrong if I could not be bothered trying to find any dinner.

Rouen Cathedral. Excited to see this, remember art class learning about Monet painting this cathedral again again again again in different lights.

Le Gros Horoge. Aptly called The Big Clock. Rouen is the location where I first used my very shocking French. To my surprise the waitress actually understood me! It was only ordering coffee and a pastry but I still felt rather chuffed :P

Macaron wagon. The best type of wagon.

Onward to Honfleur.

I love these narrow houses, looks like straight out of a children's book illustration.

Where we stopped by for lunch. I even loved the copious amounts of smokers puffing their way into my delicate lungs because it signified "We're in France!!" These mussels were so fresh and delicious (I don't even like Mussels) but this. was. the. shit. Especially paired with fries. Also had some Fish soup with cheese to melt onto bread. God I miss the bread from Europe. In short - one of the best damn lunches of my life.

Deauville.

To me a tacky beachside retreat for the rich. It was low season so it was pretty boring. It does have the dubious honour of having the most STINKIEST public toilet I have ever endured in my life. I have never dry retched so much in one location. One was never so happy breathing in fresh air afterwards!

OK weird photo to post but bear with me - this was the view on the way to the toilet, no door for the lads to hide from prying eyes. Also, all the sinks were in the urinals too! Lucky the men's part was mercifully empty, I hate to think what I would do if it were ... occupied.

At the beach where beach closet are dedicated to famous people.

Caen.

Abbaye-aux-Hommes so we could see the final resting place of William the Conqueror.

Where William the Conqueror is buried.

From Wikipedia In a most unregal postmortem, it was found that William's corpulent body would not fit in the stone sarcophagus as his body had bloated due to the warm weather and length of time that had passed since his death. A group of bishops applied pressure on the king's abdomen to force the body downward but the abdominal wall burst and putrefaction drenched the king's coffin "filling the church with a foul smell".

Lovely.

Munich Minute.

2010-12-18T12:23:00.003+08:00

With bleary eyes and tired bodies we checked out of the hotel and into the city. It would be pretty lame if we just went to Oktoberfest without even a short visit to the city.

Went for a spot of shopping - ZARA! H&M! though I mainly spent my cash on some tacky Oktoberfest souvenirs for Stephen (salt in the wounds) Buying tacky souvenirs is an art form. I was not surprised to see the queue dominated by Australian accents.

As you know I've been enjoying the violent sculptures on this trip.

Riddle me this. Who doesn't love cutey-pie cherubs hacking and slashing their merry way through mythical creatures?

There are four of these cherub looking things surrounding the column of St. Mary and according to the sorcery of google they each symbolize the city's overcoming of war, pestilence, hunger and heresy.

Thank you to whoever left this rose, it made for a pretty photo.

Tried on a 99 Euro dirndl (cheap) at Munich's answer to Best and Less and it was surprisingly uncomfortable. Made the girls look good though :P

Oktoberfest.

2010-12-13T18:23:00.008+08:00

I've never thought much about going to Oktoberfest but as the trip fell on the 200th anniversary it was a no brainer. Though I enjoy a drink (or two or three) but I'm not a fan of beer. Even so, I got excited.

First thing first - Greased up our stomach linings (best decision ever) This is pomme frites and currywurst. In a word. AMAZING. We ate on top of a bin (I thought it was a table as it was shaped like a barrel - whoops) while chatting to a couple of American guys. One had the gall to say the flight from Chicago was incredibly long. No, just ... no. They attended the festivities every night and plan to until it ends. At first I was thinking "are they mad?" but later I could see why :P

On the recommendations of the American guys this is where we spent most (if not all) of the night. The rotisserie actually rotates and the people moved. I liked this a lot.

Making friends. They were lovely girls though we couldn't communicate very well. The only song we all could sing together was Robbie Williams Angel and that Heeeey baby song by DJ Otzi (remember that song?? - that was a blast from the past) After that particular song ended one of the girls was still slurring "III wannaaa knnoooow if you'll beee my giiiirrrll"

One foot on the table with the other planted on the bench so we don't fall off. Falling off is very easy to do. We had a few near misses and I saw a poor girl on another table have a nasty fall, a bunch of people standing on the other side of the bench jumped off - leaving it unbalanced. This and beer = fraught with danger. I committed a faux pas dancing on that table with someone ;)

After many failed attempts at catching the waiter's eyes our new friends helped us procure some beeer. Ten Euros each and they were HUGE. By the way those who serve the beer were amazing holding about 6 in each hand. I couldn't lift one for a few minutes.

Making more friends. This is Martin, who we later found out attended with his girlfriend ... and her father. He did not act like he was in a relationship for he was spied either in deep embrace or dancing rather closely with a vast array of girls. I don't think I saw him even speak to his girlfriend. All night she sat miserably at the end of the table nursing her beer.

Martin surprised us by claiming he knew where Perth was so I drew him a map. He knew the locations of pretty much every other city in Australia and New Zealand (he was stalling) but when it came to the crunch ... he thought we lived in Brisbane. A for effort.

Some lads making mischief while security looks on with a bemused smile. When the night ended I'm pretty sure i gave blondie a hug. Sorry Blondie.

End of the night. Met loads of interesting people, everyone was really friendly and relaxed. There was no fights or arguments (as opposed to a night out in Australia) I've noticed that when Europeans drink, they tend to do it all classy-like.

One memorable character (a local) asked me if I have a didgeridoo. I think "oh here we go, naff Australian stereotypes" and he grins and says that I'm not much of an Australian as he owns one and can (apparently) play! I can just picture him now in his lederhosen playing the didgeridoo...

He also told me when taking a drink you must look at other people in the eye or you cursed with six months of bad sex. "It's not too bad for me! I am old, I will die soon - but it will be terrible for someone young like you!"

Stained white.

2010-12-06T22:27:00.005+08:00

Top - Lee
Belt - ??
Skirt - Witchery
Shoes - YSL

Kicked off Saturday afternoon with icecream drowned in Creme de Cassis - blackberry liqueur (my favourite souvenir from France) Most delicious. I will be weeping bitter, salty bucket loads of tears when I finish the bottle! I try not to think about it too much.

After a bit 'o karaoke (or in the neighbour's ears - an unholy wail that could wake the dead) I went to a house party at a friend of a friend's place.

I have one word. Sangria. I like the copious amounts of chunky fruit. Punch spiked with Vodka and Paella was also served. What awesome hosts. Pity that I ended up spilling Sangria onto Steve's brand new Ben Sherman shirt (whoops) and my white skirt (can't take me out anywhere!) Though in my less than sober state I was contemplating spilling more on my skirt to make a pretty pattern. White and red wine stains also make a nice colour combination. Hmm. Needless to say - It only remained a thought.

By the way does anyone know of a good drycleaner in Perth?

essie, essie, essie.

2010-11-30T19:21:00.002+08:00

Took advantage of some Myer instore specials (and gift vouchers they insist in sending me) However, if I'm spending some dough on stuff I don't really need, it's probably the other way around.

Anyway, was supposed to get one of these mini packs. The other two somehow snuck their way to the register but the one on the right was originally a GWP so the girl at the counter gave it to me :)

They would make excellent Christmas gifts but I'm too selfish...

Stuff.

2010-11-25T22:30:00.002+08:00

I have too much of it.

I wish I had the cash and bare walls to buy more art. This is The Undertaker by Shag.

The 'small tidy up' on Sunday exploded into a clean up of epic proportions that went from 1pm until midnight. It resulted in 3 full garbage bags, recycle bin nearly full, a bunch of stuff ready to be donated to charity and a tower of things to sell on ebay that is taller than me. It feels soo good to get rid of useless junk! Now to tackle clothes and shoes ... this will be difficult.

Afternoon in Salzburg.

2010-11-20T09:51:00.001+08:00

mmmmm. Yes, it's just bread but I love eating plain bread.

Looking like the biggest tourist ever but, hey I'm good at it. Though I don't usually walk around with a camera on my neck, only if I'm horribly lazy. Oh wait...

Crossed the bridge. I'm not used to rivers/lakes/streams/bodies of water that isn't bile brown with rubbish floating in it so I thought this was really pretty.

Strolled around Mirabell gardens.

Of course it was lovely as all European gardens tend to be. Must be because of nill water restrictions. Was very embarrassed to be a tourist as we saw someone from our group walk up to a local and rudely interrupted his phone call with a loud "GARDEN, GARDEN" of course the guy had no idea what she was on about and she kept going "Where is the garden?! The garden!" Good lord, people. Just. ask. politely! It isn't terribly hard ... oh wait, I guess it is.

Running naked fist pump! Nice arse, righty.

One of the statues based on mythology.

Apparently a popular location for weddings. Can't imagine why.

Yours truly, 2095

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden

Can't tell you if I know you from the catalogue or magazine

Roll around this roundabout

Sognefjord

Kissing in the blue dark

Bergen, Norway

God knows where, Norway

Home.

Oslo, Norway

Denmark Part 2

Copenhagen, Denmark

Long time

Hiiigh Teeea

Dance, dance, dance

TGIF

Shoes, shoes, shoes.

So...

Long gone.

Red + Black

Hennessy + Bordeaux

O.P.I Stranger Tides.

Feeling the chill.

O.P.I Sparrow me the drama

Eurovision 2011

A Star Wars costume party calls for...

O.P.I Teenage Dream

Looking forward to...

Châteaued

Chapel of St. Hubert. Where Leonardo Da Vinci was buried. Chateau d'Amboise

OPI - Mermaid's Tears

Lazy Sunday.

The One That Got Away - O.P.I

Park Life.

Phone Photo.

Saturday night.

Sportsgirl - Lace

Banana Bread

I like my sugar with coffee and cream.

Sally Hansen - Spark

Pacman Moleskine.

Sugar coated.

To the Moon (cafe) and back.

His & Her

Wanderlust.

Cancelled.

Firday's a picnic.

Belle and Sebastian at Astor theatre

Japan Earthquake Stories from Twitter.

Sculpture by the Sea 2011

Sportsgirl - Supernatural

Sunday Life.

Japan Plan.

Big Day Out 2011

Wai con 2011

Australia Day.

Saturday night.

Lancome - Pop Petrol

Bits and bobs of home.

A couple of things.

Recipe: Baked Camembert Pasta

Normandy//Bayeux//Mont St Michel.

Welcoming Twenty Eleven.

Out with the old...

Goodbye 2010

Christmas time.

Le Tour de France

Munich Minute.

Oktoberfest.

Stained white.

essie, essie, essie.

Stuff.

Afternoon in Salzburg.

Chapel of St. Hubert. Where Leonardo Da Vinci was buried.

Chateau d'Amboise