burnt

I went to the movies yesterday.

A lazy Sunday afternoon reclined in a Gold Class lounge chair with a glass of bubbles was a rare indulgence.

The movie?

B U R N T

 Here's a list of reasons you should go see this movie :

1. Bradley Cooper

2. Bradley Cooper

Oh.. You need other reasons?! 

Well, that's unexpected.

Perhaps it would help if you knew what it was about?
(Although I didn't before I saw it, so perhaps the element of surprise contributed to my enjoyment)

Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) is a Chef who destroyed his career with drugs and diva behavior. He cleans up and returns to London, determined to redeem himself by spearheading a top restaurant that can gain three Michelin stars.

It is a sneak peak behind the scenes at the kind of restaurant people like me aspire to eat in.
And the dishes created are works of art. 
The very definition of the word #foodporn

I don't know what the critics are saying about this movie;
And I'm not raving about it - But I did enjoy it.

Did I mention Bradley Cooper?!

Although, at one point, mid-film, it did occur to me that his character embodied may traits  I (unintentionally) seem to find attractive in a guy -

Driven, talented, narcissistic.
Intelligent yet clueless.
Arrogant but irresistible.


(Yes - I realise this is kind of a problem........)

Lucky he's so damn good looking!

xx

colour me pretty

 Picture this...

T H E  T I M E

Sunday afternoon.

T H E   L O C A T I O N

My lounge room;

Sun streaming through my window.

T H E  S E T T I N G

Me, on my couch, under a blanket;

Music on;

A pot of textas by my side;

And a colouring book in my lap.

T H E   A C T I V I T Y

Colouring In.

T H E   J U S T I F I C A T I O N

Experts say it generates wellness, quietness

and also stimulates brain areas related to motor skills, the senses and creativity.

T H E   P S Y C H O L O G Y

(aka the 'super official justification'

that brings back all kinds of memories of first year uni and Psychology 101)

"The action involves both logic, by which we colour forms, and creativity, when mixing and matching colours. This incorporates the areas of the cerebral cortex involved in vision and fine motor skills [coordination necessary to make small, precise movements]. The relaxation that it provides lowers the activity of the amygdala, a basic part of our brain involved in controlling emotion that is affected by stress" says psychologist Gloria Martínez Ayala

T H E  O U T C O M E

Total Bliss.

* * *

I feel in every girl there lives a spirit,

a wild pixie,

that if let go, would run and dance in grassy fields

until the end of the world.

And when that girl grows up, that pixie hides,

but it's always there,

peeking out behind old eyes and reading glasses,

laughing..

waiting..

to one day dance again.

                                          -- source unknown

V E R D I C T

Connect with your inner-child again.

Colouring just got cool.

xx

let's live a technicolour life

H A P P Y   F R I D A Y !

I have trudged through yet another week at work. Surrounded by colleagues who have also lost their spark. And I must admit, as a team, it would be incredibly depressing to observe us from the outside!


When does the adult world lose its shine?

At what point does the colour begin to fade away?

When did we all grow up to be so boring and serious?!


As a child, everything has indefinite potential.

Sticks become swords;

Tables become forts; and

Clouds become elephants and tractors and clowns.

Children see the world with wonder and excitement.

They live in technicolour when adults live in monochrome.


So what can we do to stop the colour disappearing completely?


This weekend I am setting an intention to see the colours and really pay attention to my surroundings.

here

xx

nourishment

This past weekend was one of the most fulfilling weekends I have had.  E V E R.

The word that comes to mind to describe how I felt on Sunday night is nourished.

It was a weekend of nourishment - Mental, spiritual, physical, nutritional nourishment.

And I was left with a sense of peace and contentment.

The weekend was the perfect balance of new experiences and comfortable routine.

I summed it up in a facebook post -


Quality time spent with beautiful friends, learning and

growing from a Buddhist meditation course, eliminating

 toxins in a hot yoga class, plus scenic beach walks with my

 four legged fur baby. Feeling completely blissed out right 

now. ♥



There was also a visit to the local organic Farmer's Market, an oh-so-relaxing epsom salt bath, and delicious home-made rice paper rolls.



So amazing. It is entirely possible that I will eat these every night for the next week!

And super easy to make.

Soak the vermicelli noodles in boiling water until soft.
Slice fresh produce thinly - I used avocado, cucumber, capsicum, apple, bean sprouts, carrot.
Soak rice paper in warm water until pliable.
Add desired fillings; including cooled vermicelli noodles - I also used coriander and lime juice.
Wrap into a little parcel/roll.
Easy. Peasy.

Today is my third day of an entirely vegetarian diet.

Not necessarily on purpose. But just because I am loving fresh, raw veggies right now.

You could add cooked chicken mince, or salmon slices, or prawns if you want to.

Give it a try. You will be hooked, I promise.

xx

here comes the sun

... and it's alright.

Can't stop humming this song today.

Happy Friday.

xx

they see me riding...

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you will already know about my new wheels.

That's right - a cute little bike I've fondly named 'Pollyanna'.

I haven't owned or ridden a bike for about 15 years... So purchasing her was a big commitment.

But like they say - "It's just like riding a bike".

Literally.

With three days of sunshine this past weekend, I took the opportunity to take Pollyanna for our first major excursion together.

We only almost died three times.

I think that's a good start!

With my phone playing tunes from the front basket, it felt very Now and Then. 

I loved every second of it.

OK - that's a lie. There was a strong head wind on the way home and I wanted to give up 100 times.

But I didn't.

YAYYY

**Round of applause**

Ahh.. Sunshine and happiness.

Life is bliss.

xx

Market Fresh

Adelaide Central Markets

The Adelaide Central Markets.

Such a vibrant place to go on a Saturday morning.

Selecting fresh produce from the various stalls is much more satisfying than the hurried experience within a supermarket.

I will admit that I did get carried away.. Perhaps a shopping list will keep me on track next time? But with so much variety it was easy for my eyes to be greedy.

My favourite find? The superfood that is kale.

See that leafy green in the left side of my basket ? It looks like spinach, but is touted for being nutritionally dense - full of vitamins and fibre. 

I've been keen to try it for a while.

Tonight I served it as 'chips' with my roast lamb for dinner.

And the best part ? It's super easy to prepare.

Cut the leaves off the stalk, place on baking tray, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and pop into the oven for 10mins.

Market Love = A simple, yet rewarding affair.

xx

books at the beach

Best way to spend a Saturday morning.

EVER.

Beats lying around on the couch with a hangover feeling sorry for myself.

Meanwhile - I read this book in less than a week. I think this is quite the achievement particularly at this time of year between work, work functions, and time at the gym.

Now I'm on the hunt for a new sea-side read!

xx

swoon for the weekend

Hooray! The weekend is here again!

Sometimes, I feel I am wishing my life away.. Working 5 days a week and silently (or often not so silently) willing the weekend to arrive as fast as it can.

It's the freedom of those two days in which I get to be outside rather than trapped within the walls of an office building. (Admittedly, I sometimes stay inside at home, on the couch for two entire days.. but the choice is entirely mine!)

This time of year is perfect for some casual frolicking along the beach - My favourite weekend activity.

Roll on 5pm.. I am ready to kick off my heals and enjoy the sunshine!

xx

A Lazy Sunday

There's a lot to be said about a lazy Sunday afternoon.

But in this case - I think my photo says 1,000 words.

The company of an extraordinary friend; sunshine; bite to eat; cocktail or two.

Perfect.

And just what the doctor ordered.

xx

Finding Zen

At first glance, this would appear to be some kind of list for finding my inner Zen. 

But really, it was the start of a quick 'To Do' list I jotted down on Sunday morning. 

I woke early and felt like I had 100 things to accomplish in a day - so being the ever-organised list writer that I am; I began to put pen to paper and had a giggle at myself when the first 3 items on the list made it look like I was searching for inner-peace in a day.

First things first - a Body Balance class to start the day. This is my new weekend ritual.

My gym has classes on both Saturday and Sunday morning...

Oh yeah... I've joined a gym. eek!

Anyway, in the spirit of full disclosure - I've made a commitment to attend atleast one of the Balance classes each weekend.

Feel free to hold me accountable.

Comments such as "Hey Andie, Happy Saturday. Have fun at Balance this morning?" will be accepted with a graceful - "Yes, it was amazing; I feel so energised now. Thanks for asking".

Of course, Baking made my list at number two, because I had a family dinner to attend; and dessert was expected.

I also whipped up some melting moments and some honey joys.

Honey Joys, by the way, are super underrated.

I love them.

OK... loved them. 

They're all gone.

I didn't even pause to take a photo.

Back to my list - - 

Freedom 

= Freedom Furniture

Sometimes I just like to go there to browse.

On Sunday, I went on a mission to find a bookcase for my cookbooks; But sadly, it was a failed operation.

My 'To Do' list went on to include other (less exciting) tasks such as Washing; Vaccuming; Take Emmy to the Dog Park; Food Shopping etc.. But these inclusions did not make for such a Zen-like list.

I did manage to put a big fat tick next to most of items which is always very satisfying. 

And next weekend, I'll be doing it all again.

xx

An Ordinary Weekend

I had an ordinary weekend.

It was not exciting. It was not busy. It was just ordinary.

And I loved it.

Andy Warhol

I did my grocery shopping;

Took Emmy for a haircut;

Had brunch with friends;

Gave myself a manicure;

Took Emmy to the dog park; 

Caught up on some long overdue TV watching (Hello True Blood and Hart of Dixie); and

Made Mum some pancakes for afternoon tea.

Three glorious days spent doing whatever I pleased.

I'm all about the little things at the moment. And the little things make me happy.

xx

Pack a Basket and Escape for a While

Ahh.. Spring time!

What's not to love?

Sunny days

Warmer nights

Delicious fruits

Colourful blooms

Perfect weather for a Sunday drive and perhaps a cosy picnic.

Everybody loves a 'picnic'...!

xx

Image 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7

Winter Road Trip

First of all - I promise I'm not slack.. My laptop has died an incredibly sad and untimely death. Particularly inconvenient as I was somewhat bedridden for the two weeks (Helloooo boredom). This has meant no blogging because it turns out the Blogger App on my iPhone hates me :(

Anyway, a few weekends ago my lovely sister (who was back in town to play nurse and chef) put on her Chauffeur's hat and drove us to Mannum. It was a weird wintery day with miserable gray skies and intermittent rain. But I am all about deep and meaningful chats on a road trip, so I settled back in my passenger seat and as she drove we discussed the meaning of life...

OK. We didn't.

But it was still quality time with my big sis!

Sometimes it doesn't matter how many opinions you have sought, the only one that truly counts is the harsh truth from a sibling (I can only assume that big brothers have the same ability to impart wisdom in a caring and blunt way at the same time?!)

Anyway - On our travels, i took a souvenir shot out the car window using the Camera+ App.

Big love to you Bree - I miss your guts.

xx

Afternoon Tea with Miss KB

I finally got to see the SFC over Easter!
(And then sadly got too slack to post about it before now!)

Even though Miss KB insists that there's still sooo much work to do, the place is ah-mazing and I am truly jealous!

Miss Emmy was invited to the afternoon tea because she won't be welcome after the arrival of Chuck Bass - understandable, because Emmy is practically from Brooklyn and Mr Bass has high standards....!

The afternoon tea was delicious (I think I ate my body weight in mini quiches) and it was wonderful to catch up with KB but my petulant teenager of a dog, clearly dissatisfied with being confined to the courtyard, gave us all a heart attack mid-afternoon, by successfully escaped and disappeared up the street.

Luckily KB noticed she was missing before she could venture too far so she spent the remainder of the afternoon inside with us.

I took this opportunity to engage her chair modelling skills.....

Hmmm... She really needs a haircut!!

xx

Easter Snapshot

Due to moving house last weekend, I didn't really make any exciting plans for the Easter Weekend but in the end my four day break disappeared in the blink of an eye in a blur of more unpacking, quality Emmy-time, catch up with friends, several visits to my poor nan in hospital and far too much chocolate. There wasn't even any baking!!

I did manage to take a few quick snaps throughout the weekend.

Allow me to share them with you --

Miss Emmy chilling in one of her fave new spots in the house

The pile of chocolate, which disappeared much faster than I am willing to admit

Chad Michael Murray made a return to One Tree Hill -
I may have squealed when he appeared on my tv...
(and then I scrambled for the remote so I could pause and take a photo!)

Miss Emmy and I went for a walk at the beach -
BTW.. this is not me trying to be abstract , this is Emmy pulling on the lead around my wrist as I took the photo!!

Good Friday dinner. Delish!

I felt this way after the long weekend too...

Planning on doing more of the same this weekend. But with less chocolate!!!

xx

Scrub & Glow

This post is 2 days late, but in my defence it is difficult to maintain a blog without the internet at home. I am hoping to rectify this situation soon.

In the meantime, I indulged myself in a treatment at Endota Dayspa on Sunday.

The Scrub & Glow - Designed to make your skin smoother than Barry White on Valentine's Day.

It was one hour of pure bliss.

I am a huge fan of Endota since my gorgeous sister and I began a tradition of going together for special occassions such as birthdays and weddings. I must admit that going alone isn't quite the same. Much less of an event. But still very relaxing.

On Sunday I organised my Endota treatment to coincide with my homes Open Inspection. And this method of distraction was definately superior to previous weeks spent walking laps of the local shopping centre.

Each time I leave, I promise to make the effort to treat myself more often but life gets busy and money gets tight and I never seem to take care of myself the way I should.

So Bree - come home soon so that I have an excuse to go back and be pampered!

xx

Cupcakes for Grandma

I went on an impromptu road trip on the weekend. Not too far. Just up the freeway to Mannum.

My cousin and I decided to honour our Grand-daughterly duties and pay our Nan a visit.

Anticipating an icey welcome unless I arrived with a gift of the edible kind, I baked some individual Carrot and Walnut cakes.

I know I have blogged about Carrot and Walnut cake before, but it's such an easy cake to make and I always have the ingredients available in my poorly stocked kitchen,. Plus, it turns out that these are Nan's favourite (must remember that for future..) 

So it was a win for all involved.

Nan appreciated the effort and Emmy enjoyed a ride in the car. 

And me ?

I can pretend that these cakes are practically a balanced meal, since they have vegetables in them.. Good thing too, because I ate one for dinner.

Everyone was happy.

xx

Escape to the Country

Today I went on a road trip to Mount Compass to visit my Uncle David and his girlfriend Collette on their farm.

They don't make an income off of their land, but Collette has lived there for over 20 years and the garden surrounding her farm house is just stunning.

I made some new friends too..

Arrow

Lou

Pretty Cows

While walking around the property, my cousin Katie and I decided I should sign-up for the next season of Farmer Wants A Wife.

Can you imagine ?  The other girls on the show could do the gross dirty tasks around the farm and I could win the Farmer's heart with cupcakes. The plan was practically fool-proof.  Except a quick Google search informed us that I have missed out on the auditions by a month. BOOO...

xx