looooooooooooooooooooong weekends

Had the most lovely weekend with one of my best friends Kate. We went away to a coastal town (Pt Elliot) about an hours drive from Adelaide and stayed in an "idyllic" beach shack. (I say idyllic - it was very daggy but suited us fine!) Had such a relaxing time. Drinking bottles of Morris Sparkling Shiraz eating jarlsberg cheese and maggie beer pheasant farm pate.............

We headed to the delicious Flying Fish Kiosk for dinner on Sunday night.... I have decided this would be a perfect place for an intimate wedding reception.... a stunning coastal town, rustic style restaurant with panoramic views over the Southern Ocean.... and amazing food. I stuck to the tradional Coopers Beer Battered whiting with chips and prawn wontons with caviar for entree........ this food is amazing! No wonder it wins so many awards. Pricey but worth it.

I fell in love with Kate's dogs... pictured below, who spent the weekend with us. I'm not usually a small dog fan but I am now a changed person! Aren't they gorgeous???

French daily phrase

Jeudi 26 Janvier


La neige tombe très fort
The snow is coming down (falling)really hard

verb is tomber - to fall


um no it's not!!!!! It was 41 (104F) here again today!!!!! I better remember these phrases when I go back to Europe one winter.....

relaxation

I love having a day off. Holiday here today in Australia. For celebrating the time when white people landed in Oz. (Where is the holiday celebrating 40 000 years of settlement in Australia before this time?? Anyway won't go into that!) At least it is also a day that welcomes 'new' Australians, awarding citizenship.

Anyway I had no plans for today. Unually I'd be at Adelaide Oval watching the one day cricket but my partner is away working in NT so thought I'd use the day to relax.

Woke up early and went to the gym, did weights and cardio
Came home and tidied up.
Connected my ipod through my stereo and danced away to Armand Van Helden, Groove Armada and Faithless (the ipod is the greatest thing ever! I never saw the point of them until I was given one at Xmas)
Watched An Affair to Remember

Am looking forward to tomorrow. Off to Port Elliot (about 2 hours south of Adelaide on the coast) with a fab friend of mine for 3 nights. We are meeting at the gourmet Adelaide Markets (see pics below) to stock up on cheeses, BBQ meat, wine and other goodies. Then we are staying at a beach shack and just relaxing!

French Daily Phrase

I was given this desk calender for Christmas and every day it has a different French phrase (with the translation in English). I must start posting daily phrases!

Today's is
mardi 24 janvier (Tues 24 January)
Couvre-toi bien!
Dress warmly

at the top of the calender is the verb or noun. Today's was se covier (to cover up)

aaah some how Australia in January - you need to undress not dress! It's so hot!!!! Anyway at least it teaches me new/different phrases.

family pics

I have fallen in love with my partner's nieces. All 4 of them. I don't have a pic of Kate, his eldest niece (not a good one anyway). these were all taken over Xmas. I can't wait to have my own family soon. I love children!!!!

First pic Ben's nieces, Laura and Emma at the resort we stayed at in Byron.



me and Gracie at Gracie's house near Canberra. (Isn't she gorgeous?!?!? All of 3)



Gracie again, Ben and I played 'horses' with Gracie all evening!

A sun-tastic time in Melbourne

Mum and I just had the most fabulous time in Melbourne! Although I thought by going to Melbourne I'd be escaping the 40C+ (104F+) heatwave that we'd been having in Adelaide! I was so wrong!!!! Saturday at the tennis it was 40 and yesterday it was 42................... and flew back to Adelaide last night and all my lovely herbs (the Italian Parsley and Mint especially) had perished because Adelaide still had the 40 degree temps all weekend.

Anyway spent half a day on Saturday at the tennis and then relaxed all afternoon back in the hotel. (The hotel was a fab Art Deco, 1920s style - the Vibe Hotel. Worth staying). Sunday I went to a fab spot for breakfast called the Green Grocer in Nth Fitzroy with a friend of mine then spent the afternoon shopping down Collins and Little Collins Street. Mum and I later went to the National Gallery of Victoriaand spent a couple of hours there - taking in the Tate Modern exhibition 'British Art from the 60s' (pic below ngv website.)



Melbourne is now my 2nd favorite city, behind Adelaide of course! Everytime I go there I discover a new area. From the bohemian feel of St Kilda to the grungy streets of Brunswick to the cool/hip bars of the CBD. I really love it.

Unfortunately I did not get a chance to go to J'Aton Couture. I will be flying back there soon to visit!

Sunny Days

got to love January heatwaves - at least a week of 35+ (95F)........... sunny blue skies. Perfect beach weather

Well I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted! Life has been crazy. The holiday was fabulous, taking in the very hip Byron Bay (and staying at this magnificent resort), sunning on the Sunshine Coast, feasting in Brisbane (including with the lovely Jules - had a fab time Jules). and even stopping in Canberra on the way. It was a great holiday but admitedly the humidity nearly killed me! I much prefer the dry heat of Summer in Adelaide where I live.

Since I've been back in Adelaide life has been pretty mad. We put an offer in for an absulutely stunning 1910s huge Villa in a suburb only 10 mins from the city - it needed a lot of work but had huge high ceilings, wooden floorboards and it's origional charm. Unfortunately we missed out - and the annoying thing was we could have bid what the house went for! Oh well. So we are still looking but might rent somewhere bigger in the interim so we don't feel so rushed to buy something.

This weekend mum and I are off to Melbourne for the tennis which will be fantastic! I MUST go and check out J'Aton Couture in Prahan as well........ the bestest bridal place in Australia (well from what I've seen in magazines!)

Must fly - hope to update more regularly and add some pics soon.