Thought for the day...

...but I need inspiration!

Finding it difficult to progress with my screenplay and writing assignments at the moment.

If anyone has any tips, please feel free to share them with me.

Thank you in advance :o)

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...

Brighton...such a pretty seaside town and I especially loved the carnival atmosphere.

Took my trusty Polaroid camera along too so I really felt like I'd stepped back into the 70s!

A sunny Saturday...

This post is dedicated to my family and friends in Australia...as proof the sun does shine in London! :o)

Spent a wonderful afternoon in Hyde Park. We sat in the sunshine reading and watching the activity buzz around us. The colourful women below were taking part in a charity walk for mouth cancer, I think. There were loads of other people walking, but none as dressed up as them. They seemed to be having fun. I saw another couple walking - he dressed as The Tin Man and she Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I was however, too slow with the camera.

Off for a drive into the countryside tomorrow...please sun, come with.

Meeting an idol...

Just got home from Selfridges, where I met Nick Hornby, my favourite author. He was there for a book signing, promoting his new novel Juliet, Naked, which has just been published. What an awesome guy. Genuinely happy to be meeting and chatting to his fans.

I was lucky enough to see him in New York a couple years back, where he did a reading from his book Slam at Barnes & Noble. I bought the book there and then, but the queue to get it signed was waaaaaay too long. I was more patient this time around (plus the line was shorter) and have my personally signed copy of his new book right beside me.

As a writer myself, he is one of my greatest inspirations. Not only does he write engaging novels about every day people living every day lives, many of which have been adapted to film, he has also co-written a screenplay, An Education, to be released in the UK at the end of October.

Mr Hornby, thank you for writing such wonderful books. I dare to dream of a career as stellar as yours.

Got hiccups...

I've discovered a cure!

I contracted a rather serious (and noisy) dose of hiccups just before bedtime (what are the chances), and despite attempts to get rid of them via the traditional methods of holding my breath, gulping water, standing on one leg, doing a cartwheel...ok...I may have made some of those up...whatever, the hiccups were still hanging on, begging me to stay awake a little longer.

Then wa-la...I discovered a cure.

Next time you get the hiccups, give this remedy a whirl:

Lie on your side, relax, then breathe slowly, gently and deeply. My hiccups were gone within a minute.

Sweet relief and a good night's sleep...finally!

Get outta town...

...and into the countryside!

I've just returned from a week in Cornwall (south west England), and boy was I treated to some dandy weather. The sun streamed through my bedroom window around 7am each day, beckoning me to get out into the open, deep breathe the fresh air and make the most of the glorious day ahead. Water, sunshine, sailing boats, rolling green hills, flowers, trickling streams...I feel relaxed just thinking about it.

I've always considered myself a city girl - New York is one of my favourite places in the world - so it came as quite a surprise when I found myself contemplating village life. Its simplicity and serenity are the draw cards. There's no pressure to be anywhere or do anything. I could just be. And when I can just be, I am inspired, refreshed and focused. Plus, there was a great pub serving scrumptious food just down the road!

Hope you enjoy these images of idyllic Cornwall...

Found in the middle of London...

Well, maybe not right in the middle of London, but certainly in it.

We discovered a little zoo in Golders Hill Park during our walk the other day. The place was teeming with kids thanks to school holidays. They appeared to be delighted at the sight of the animals. I guess they were squealing with delight..or do only pigs do that?

Regardless, I thought it was cool to find donkeys and deer within walking distance to where I live. Now you wouldn't get THAT in Australia!

Jeremiah was a bullfrog...

Remember this song by Creedence Clearwater Revival? I have no idea why, but it popped into my head just now.

I never did understand why they were singing about this creature but damn...it sure can get the hands up in the air!

So warm up those vocal chords and sing along now - you know you want to.

Jeremiah was a bullfrog,

he was a good friend of mine,

I never understood a single word he said,

but I helped him drink his wine...

Sing it, Joy to the World...

All the boys and girls now...

Joy to the fishies in the deep blue sea...

And Joy to you and me.

Lyrics from www.lyricsdownload.com

Staying in...

It's raining in London, again. I honestly think the one week of sunshine we had three weeks ago was actually "The Summer". I was warned before being dragged onto that plane over here back in April, but come on...I didn't think anyone was serious!

So I'm longing for the warmth and sunshine of Santorini, and wondering how I can maintain the colour gained from that holiday - it ain't gonna last until I get back to the Australian sunshine in December, that I can be sure of.

But the weather in London is what it is, isn't it, so I'm just going to have to suck it up and get on with it.

London cupcakes...

There's just something about cupcakes that brings out the girly girl in me. Perhaps the sight of them transports me back to childhood birthday parties, where pretty pastel party dresses were teamed with wooly cardigans, pigtails and polka dot hairclips. Where, with balloons and streamers in hand, we'd rush to the cake table to get a closer look at the sugary treats, which were about to face an invasion of little hands grabbing at their favourite frosted colours and designs.

I'm glad they're back with a vengeance, readily available to purchase at market stalls, bakeries, department stores and supermarkets.

Sweet. Colourful. Moist. Delicious. Irresistible. I love cupcakes. Yum!

Welcome to the Mother Country...

Nathan and I left sunny Perth three weeks ago now - how fast time flies - and we've been getting to know the streets of London. It's been exactly 10 years since I was last here, and I can't remember a thing. It's like I've never been here before, except I remember the black cabs and red buses, so I must have been!

It's been surprisingly sunny, so we arrived at the perfect time. We've heard that London is beautiful in the spring/summer, and I'm starting to believe it. Bring on the sunshine and warm weather I say....although it was hilarious to read a newspaper article declaring a weekend forecast of a searing 21 degrees celsius - that's winter weather in Oz!!!

My 5 favourite things about London thus far...

1. Pre-packed sandwiches - so much choice.

2. Tulips, daffodils and blossoms....everywhere!

3. The Moroccan food stand at Camden Markets - deeeelicious!

4. The Underground - aside from the dust, fumes and crowded carriages, it makes a piece of cake out of exploring London.

5. The markets - I've only been to two so far, but I can't wait to explore the rest.

8 more sleeps....

London, here we come!

Wish I wasn't so sad to be leaving home though :o(

What?????????

As part of a tag, my last post was dedicated to my beautiful darling nonna, who I was looking forward to spending some time with.

She died suddenly this morning. Massive brain haemorrage. There was nothing the doctors could do to prolong her time with us. I am in total and absolute shock, but the worst part - I didn't get to say goodbye.

Spend time with your loved ones today........PLEASE.

I've been tagged...

I've been tagged by one of my favourite bloggers, LJ of Love, Life and a Double Latte to:

* Go to the fourth folder where you keep your photographs

* Choose the fourth picture

* Explain it.

This is a photo of my beautiful nonna (grandma), taken at my parent's house on (almost) the eve of my 30th birthday. She's 82 here. We were having a family shindig, as Nathan and I were heading off to New York a couple days later to celebrate my entry into the next decade of adulthood. If I could do one thing, it would be to spend more time with my nonna. To drink endless cups of coffee with her, etching the stories of her life into my memory forever. What were her dreams? Who were her best friends when she was five, nine, 12 years old? What were her favourite things to do as a 16 year old? Life was a lot harder for her than I will ever experience in my lifetime, yet despite all this, she has remained ever elegant and loving, offering boundless generosity to anyone she meets.

Here's to you nonna - ti amo sempre.

xxxxoooo

Now it's my turn to tag the following bloggers:

New York City Daily Photo
MahaloFashion
Coco's Tea Party
Mostly Mod

I wish I was as talented as...

Kat Macleod

The intricate detail and beauty of her illustrations...

The vibrant colours....

The use of luscious fabrics...

Is it possible to envy the wardrobe of something unreal?

I am left gasping at the sheer loveliness of Kat's work.

Old School...

I've been wanting my own Polaroid camera for a while now and thanks to the inspiration of fellow bloggers who share their beautifully framed, hauntingly grained instant camera images online, I was finally pushed over the edge to get out and source one. First stop - eBay!

I won this Polaroid 636 Instant Camera today and I can't wait to get it in the mail - time to step into Wonder Years mode and start taking some old school photos.

5 things I love about Polaroid photos...

1) The subtle afternoon light that seems to swathe itself across every subject in the image.

2) Their retro sentimental feel.

3) Their ability to instantly transport me back to my childhood.

4) They make everyone smile - bring a polaroid camera out and you can see the memories flood into the mind, and surface on the faces of those old enough to remember the real instant cameras.

5) The excited anticipation of gathering around the still drying film as it morphs from a cloudy blank canvas into images of a moment captured in time.

Images of an Australian summer....

I love bouganivillea, especially the delightfully deep pink variety I photographed the other day. Wish I'd taken a closer shot. Ah well, next time.

We had dinner last night at a place called Soda along Perth's northern beaches. It was a 42 degree celsius day, so we were inclined to bathe in this icy cold water.

Sunset on the horizon of the Indian Ocean - simply magic!

Time to cleanse...

In preparation of our move to far away shores in a couple months, we're having a Garage/Yard Sale this Sunday and boy, have we collected some STUFF over the years.

I've two and four garbage bags of shoes and clothes to sell, respectively, yet my remaining wardrobe is still bursting at the hinges...although I can actually differentiate between my pieces now. I'm pretty embarassed at such waste, but it's obvious isn't it? I desperately needed each and every one of these items at time of purchase!

My new year's/new country resolution is to only buy what I really, really, really, really, really need. Although how will I resist all those markets and their nik nak offerings that await me in London? Plus I feel the need to start collecting antique tea cups and saucers, much to Nathan's dismay :o(

Must get back to covering myself in dust as I continue sorting through our much loved, but seldom used bric a brac....such a nice word for "crap" don't you think?

Happy Thursday/Friday to you wherever you may be in this world!

Fly me to the moon...

Image from Lex and the City

Second and third images from A Cup of Jo

Image from Black*Eiffel

Don't you just love these balloon images?

Being the sentimental creature that I am, they remind me of the simplicity of childhood, where fighting for the red balloon over the pink was the one and only concern of the day.

There's something so very innocent, yet romantic about balloons, particularly in these beautifully captured images.

But their most vital strength is their ability to make me smile.

Hope they make you smile too :o)

I did it, I did it....

I resisted every temptation laid before me, and refrained from eating meat the entire festive season.

Then yesterday, when I was feeling less than energetic and mighty hungry, I declared to the husband that I was NOW going to start eating meat again. The time had come.

No sooner had these words tumbled from my lips that we drove by a billboard exclaiming Go Veg, Be Green.

Well, there goes that idea... :o(

P.S Happy 2009 to you all by the way! Hope it's a year crammed with a multitude of opportunity to make your dreams reality.

Isn't he AWESOME!!!

Source: TIME Magazine

"So?" — Dick Cheney, when told that two-thirds of Americans did not support the war in Iraq, arguing that polling should not dictate the war's conduct.

So I'm at the 5 month mark of my conversion to being a seafood-eating vegetarian, and strangely, it's getting hard again. Not sure if it's the festive season get togethers where delicious aromas and delectable dishes surround me, but I feel like eating meat again.

At the same time though, when I give it due consideration and think what "meat" product I'd actually like to eat, I feel a little queasy and put off by the whole idea.

What to do? What to do?

It's getting hot in here...

I was at a friend's house the first time I saw this ad. I was sitting on her couch conversing with her and her husband, when all of a sudden I went quiet, allegedly. I then started blushing a little, allegedly.

Saw the ad again last night whilst sitting on the couch with Nathan. All of a sudden I went quiet, allegedly. I then started blushing a little, allegedly.

Come to think of it, I do recall feeling a little feverish after that first occasion. Any clues as to why would be greatly appreciated...

Today's musical treats...

Made myself a CD today, so thought I'd share some of the tunes with you. Links take you to their You Tube videos.

Time is running out - Muse....my favourite band of all time

Leave it alone - Operator Please...an awesome and fresh Australian band

Mr Brightside - The Killers...bought their new album Day & Age yesterday and looking forward to playing it on high rotation

A-Punk - Vampire Weekend...undoubtedly my favourite album of the year

I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked - Ida Maria...this song is just so much fun and makes me want to jump around screaming the lyrics

I just can't get enough...

What are we addicted to...

The clothes or the act of shopping?

Hazy days...

I just had Chinese noodles for lunch, and as expected, I now feel like I've been smacked in the head with a baseball bat.

The MSG (mono sodium glutamate) is shooting its way through my bloodstream, causing a dense cloud of haziness to wash over me. My senses have dulled and the effects are similar to that feeling you get after downing a bottle of wine.

I've known MSG doesn't agree with me for some time now, but I'd never really delved further into it, so I thought I'd do a little google search and this is some of what I found:

• MSG is a salt of the amino acid glutamate
• Too much glutamate in the body leads it to change to GABA, another amino acid
• GABA, whilst being waved about as a potential alternative to ritalin and dexies, may be addictive. It has a slightly sedative effect, which helps induce relaxation and sleep, and it affects the same receptors in the brain as valium.

No wonder I'm feeling totally out of it!

I found a really good overview of MSG here, which I think is worth a read.

But maybe you should finish eating those noodles first!

In Blue by Michael Canetti

I love this print by Michael Canetti.

Yours for £70.00 from The Real Art Co.

It's what's on the inside...

The summer sun has finally popped it's head above the clouds, so out came the denim shorts I bought a few weeks back. They were so comfortable, I know I'll be virtually living in them for the next four months.

I was even more chuffed with my purchase when I went to wash them. Turning the shorts inside out, I found this on the inner pocket....

It's the detail that makes the difference, and even though this print serves absolutely no purpose (unless I decide to wear my shorts the wrong side out), I love knowing that someone, somewhere made an effort to put it there.