upbeat happenings....

I always write down what I'm looking forward too and I feel incredibly lucky that I have soooo much happening just in the next 6 months that it is kinda overwhelming!

like trip back to Adelaide November
Dubai trip first week December
Adelaide over Xmas
our Wedding next April
Overseas honeymoon including Hong Kong, Rome, Positano, Paris, London and Koh Samui next April/May..... wonderful!!!

BUT over the next week:
Sleeping in Mondays and Tuesdays during day light savings due to the time difference changes. I deal with companies in the Middle East… need to step in line with them

Starting dance classes with a work colleague on Wednesday nights at the Rocks through Sydney Dance Company. Will be a laugh – as I can’t dance! I’ll be looking forward to chomping down pizzas after at the Australian every week!

Finally doing run club in Sydney’s inner west every Thursday night. I regularly run on my own and do the Bay Run every Sunday morning, running from Balmain. But I need to meet some people who can help motivate me even more!

Halloween House party in Paddington on the Friday night. Good grooves, funky beats, decks-a-hoy ...... fab! And another Halloween Party Saturday night…. What to wear?!?!?!?

Shopping for baby clothes. Must check out some factory outlets... need to venture further than the Inner West!

J’ai envie de changer de coiffure

‘I feel like getting a new hairstyle’ (from my French daily phrase calander).

You know, it’s unbelievable. I’m getting married next April and here I am (and I can’t believe I’m saying it) ‘oh I can’t possibly chop my hair off as I want to wear it up for my wedding’. I used to cringe at people who’d say that! I’ve always had short hair, I’m a short hair person, it’s been cropped really short, aka current Kylie, to as long as it is now, below collar bone. My hair is soooo thin that it does look crap long. I can’t wait to chop it off – to just below the ears. I can’t decide whether to wait or do it now! My hair goes very wavy when it’s short and looks loads better. I refuse to get hair extensions to make it look thicker, I find them so tacky.

I guess on my honeymoon I could chop it all off at a hip salon in Paris or London…. (and pay a fortune….)

welcome my new little nephew with no name!

In between my alcohol induced stupor yesterday, I was informed that I now have a little nephew- 4 nieces and now a nephew. Born Sunday afternoon on a glorious early Spring day.

It is so exciting.... and I get to go shopping for baby stuff this weekend - woo hoo!!!!! You know you've hit 30 when you're more excited about buying baby clothes than clothes for yourself!!!

Gordo does lunch

I was lucky today to take my lovely fiance, as a surprise, to the Gordon Ramsay lunch. Unfortunately I had the hangover from hell, after spending all day yesterday drinking at the Exchange and the London in Balmain with a great friend of mine. Still, a quick champagne to fix the hangover and I knew I'd be right!

My fiance is obsessed with him, has all his cookbooks and even acts like him in the kitchen!!! I am not much of a cook but am a big foodie and love any good food.

The meal was suprub, lamb and lemon tart - who can go wrong! Great value hearing Gordon Ramsay in person

I was overwhelmed when Gordon jokingly asked if he wanted to do our wedding for us, when I was having his autobiography signed! Charming man, but a total flirt!

Might have to check out his Dubai restaurant in December as well as Royal Hospital Road in London on our honeymoon.

Great day!

Kate Moss/Andy warhol inspired prints

OH MY! I love!

just came across this

Doesn't she look so fabulous? Kate is an icon.... The Marilyn original...

When in Rome

(picture borrowed from here)


I’m currently reading When In Rome by Penelope Green. After the first few pages I rolled my eyes and thought ‘oh god another story about a Sydney PR exec/journo who has left her glossy PR firm and packed everything up for her *hard slog* of a life in Rome. BUT after a few chapters, I felt like I was drinking coffees with her at breakfast, smoking cigarettes by the colleseum, eating fresh pasta with a bottle of vino in a ‘no tourist’ café down a paved, narrow backstreet. It is a lovely story. It is very easy to read when Italian is probably your favourite cuisine and you own 3 espresso stove top makers!!!! AND use them all so regularly.

It’s been 7 years since I trevelled in Italy and less than 6 months until I go back for more. Back to Rome for 3 short glorious days and then down to Positano for a week of indulgence.

Pictures from Roma (not my own) dreaming of coffee....

The best day in the last 11 years - June 11 2006

This is the date I had my final cigarette. I decided that evening after chain smoking nearly a packet while drinking homemade cocktails with friends in our new Balmain pad that it was enough. 11 years of smoking and every month I’d say to myself ‘I’ll stop soon, I’ll quit soon, won’t be long’. I even tried on numerous occasions but failed. After 10 years of doing this I finally realised that I had a serious addition even though I’d say ‘I’m only a social smoker, I only smoke when I drink’. I noticed that I was drinking every day just about so I was smoking everyday. I was using drinking as a crutch to ‘allow’ myself to smoke… an excuse. It’s amazing how much your drinking consumption changes when you stop smoking.

A few things helped me stop
Hypnotherapy about 4x a few years ago. Although it didn’t help straight away, what was said stuck
The book Allan Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Smoking. Fantastic book.
Realising that I was over 30 and didn’t want to be one of these ‘old hags’ with a ciggie hanging out her mouth. Tragic look.
Knowing that smoking was really affecting my running. I love to run and keep fit but smoking was not doing me any favours

Life has been wonderful since I have stopped. I've hardly been sick, I've got more money and more engergy. Of course, not a week goes by not wanting one, especially with a drink in my hand! If I can do it, anyone can! But you have to be ready and noone can tell you to give up, only you can tell yourself too.

I don't care whether people smoke or not, I don't judge and I don't tell people not to smoke as it's their choice. For me though, I had to stop.

14 months on and nothing has changed!

Who I am

countdown on - so exciting!

Currently my fiancé is working in the Hunter Valley 3 days per week. I do love just hanging out on my own, relaxing, drinking wine and watching the box set of Sex and the City for the 3rd time! I think I must be the ONLY person who really likes Big and sees that he really doesn’t do anything wrong… he’s a MAN for god’s sakes! And gives me time to think moure about the wedding. Am starting to get so excited! Confirmed people flying in from London... hen's night to plan in Sydney.... less than 6 months to go! April 14 is coming around sooo quickly.

I’m counting down to my trip back to Adelaide for 4 days at the end of November. There’s nothing like going back to your home town. Spending time with mum and dad, finalising some wedding details (cake, flowers..) getting my hair done by my fave and cheap hairdresser! Catching up with friends for long lunches by the ocean. Checking out our wedding reception venue nestled high in the Adelaide Hills and the quaint 1800s stone church we will be getting married in around the corner from the reception venue.

Photos - the relaxing Grange Jetty Kiosk in Adelaide. Views+Food+wine+Company = a fabulous day out

Our reception venue, a stunning rustic old Water Mill. The church. Quaint, and only seats 100! yay

it's nearly time for ME

yes in 4 days time I will have submitted my final assignment for the year. I am so ready to sleep for a week!!! It's been a crazy year....... but I do love change

from quitting my job
getting engaged
moving to sydney from Adelaide
getting a new job
moving into fab apartment in Balmain
studying
organising trip to Dubai in December
organising wedding
planning honeymoon

What a year!!!!!!!!

I am very excited about the coming weekend. Sleep in, clean (yes that's right), cook my favourite batch of oven roasted tomato soup and brioche bread and butter pudding, go shopping and lunching with a friend I haven't seen for aaaages go to the fresh food markets, maybe do a yoga class, maybe indulge in more cocktail making...........

Happy me days coming very soon!

weekend wowsers - Bubbles Beers and Burgers

Geez am very happy it is so near to the weekend.

Tonight - celebrating with my fiance tonight (have just been rewarded a nice pay rise and a trip out to Dubai for work first week of December) will probably go to our wonderful local (The London) for some bubbles and beers and burgers. Sitting out on the balcony with distant Sydney Harbour Bridge views

Tomorrow - Beach, weekly shopping at my fave Norton Street grocers in Leichhardt and study

Tomorrow night - Pomomofo ep launch in Paddington. Meant to be Australia's anwer to the Scissor Sisters and recently played a 5 hour set at the 15 Restaurant (Jamie Oliver) launch in Melbourne. Should be fun.... if not, different!

Sunday - recovery and more study and maybe more beaching

Pomomofo flyer

A wonderful romance

Tomorrow is my 4 year anniversary with my sweet heart. It has been the most amazing, wonderful, fantastic experience.

Gone from severely underweight, chainsmoking, coke snorting party girl with hair falling out to serene, healthy happy Em. It's amazing what a stable influence can do.

Looking back I see laughter. Travelling through Thailand, drinking cocktails at dusk, mesmerised by the sunset and warmth. Trekking in Tasmania, on the overland track, experiencing a snowstorm the day after Christmas. Sipping plenty of wine in Margaret River in Western Australia. Moving from Adelaide to Syndney and continuing on this adventure together, us. Maybe China next, maybe back to London, maybe Brisbane, maybe Dubai. It doesn't matter. As long as we are together.

He hasn't changed who I am, strong, independent, friendly and direct. He has influenced me to make better choices in life. Focus on things that are good for me. Competing in fun runs, cooking up a storm, doing french classes, learning to dance jazz, studying again, doing well at my career, making me realise that simple things in life are more important than material things and in the end this is what counts and what we leave the earth with, Love, memories, happiness, generosity.

To celebrate I was going to book into a fabulous restaruarnt. But have decided instead to take him to the Night Noodle Markets in Sydney followed by a bottle of Moet given to us on our engagement.

In 6 months time and 2 days after our 4 year anniversary of getting together, I will be floating down the isle in a stunning cream pleated gown. Eating at the Bridgewater Mill in the charming Adelaide Hills at autumn (this fabulous spot did get a mention in the Sydney good food guide, 06)

Then 5 weeks honeymooning in Hong Kong, Rome, Positano, Paris, London and Koh Samui.

Love, romance, commitment to someone for life. I could not ask for anything else.

Photo of us (not the best one.... but us. My hair is way too dark!)

Fri - Daze........

Love them - yes. But from lunchtime on - I should really not work on a Friday.

Today is one of those days. One of my best friends is in town from Adelaide so I took her to Pier 26 in Darling Harbour. I do love this place. You can kick back on a SPACIOUS table, eat salt and pepper squid and down a bottle of Jansz bubbles, with no rush. views to die for, men to perve on and food to indulge.

3 hour session today. Then back to work............. not good!

Tomorrow is meant to be the races at Randwick but am cancelling as I need to study. Saturday night going to James Squire pub at King Street Wharf, Sydney. Sunday, Sydney good food month, food and wine festival, again at King Street Wharf.

Fab thing about living in Balmain is the ferry ride to King St/Darling Harbour - all of 8 minutes.............. love the weekends...

(Darling Harbour)

goings on

Unfortunately I post not too often as I have a job that the harder I earn the more money I earn and seeing I'm going on a 6 week honeymoon next year through Europe and Asia and I want to SPEND big I'm working oh so hard to earn loads of bonuses!!!

Anyway been having too much fun lately:
Partying with a group of fireman the other week was a laugh. Yes they have hot bodies but they were young and I'm nearly married! Still, dancing at a dodgy club in Balmain is always fun. So is drinking lots of cheap champagne. Photo below - me in the stripey top.

This weekend just gone was spend soaking up the rays next to the rooftop pool at our apartment block, and swimming. Lazy days with magnificent views across Sydney Harbour, reading In My Skin by Kate Holden. Great book.

Saturday evning dinner in Manly so fiancee could watch beer wenches in tight tops, at the Bavarian Bier Cafe (start of Octoberfest - I could see myself kicking back with beers oh so often over the next few weeks).

Sunday more pool side antics then out with Julia on Sunday night. Think at 31 I'm getting a little too old for clubbing... still, it was fun and love to have a boogie at gay clubs. Takes me back to London days.

Yesterday spent the day drinking mango daiquiris (I do make the best ones!) and eating Maggie Beer pate and goats cheese with lovely fiance, watched World's Fastest Indian on DVD.

Recipe for Mango Daquiris (makes enough to regret ringing your mother after consuming)
3 shots bacardi
2 shots cointreau
1 shot mango liqueor
1 shot lemon juice
1 shot lime juice
2 fresh ripe mangoes
ice

Blend in blender, drink through straw and enjoy that sloshed feeling!