a little apple pie

For those days when you just need a little warmth. 

A little comfort. 

A little love.

A   L I T T L E   A P P L E   P I E

"We must have a pie.

Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie."

                                                        -- David Mamet

T H E   P A S T R Y

1 3/4 plain flour

1/2 cup self raising flour

1 pinch of salt

185g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup caster sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon chilled water

1 tablespoon milk

Sift flours and pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl.

Add butter and rub lightly into flour with your fingertips, 

until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Stir through sugar.

Add lightly beaten egg, and chilled water.

Knead together as dough forms.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Once chilled - Roll pastry out on a floured workbench ready to assemble.

T H E   F I L L I N G

1kg peeled & cored granny smith apples; cut into cubes

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice, caster sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

T H E   A S S E M B L Y

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg + 1 tablespoon milk whisked together

raw sugar for sprinkling

Roll out pastry to line individual pie trays.

Fill with apple mixture.

Add small piece of butter.

Cover with rolled out pastry to create a lid.

Brush with egg/milk wash

Sprinkle with raw sugar.

B A K E

On 200C for 30mins;

Then reduce heat to 160C and bake until golden.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

xx

let's talk about r.b.f.

Today I had the honour of being featured on The Nereeda Network's 'Nereeda Nine'.

oh em gee

Honestly, I feel a little out of place amongst many other oh-so-talented, and frankly, intimidating men and women who have participated before me.

Why?

Because I know what I am bringing to the table... 

And it's not an impressive CV or infinite business advice.

Which brings me to The Topic of Today - 

R E S T I N G   B I T C H   F A C E

(Formerly known as Bitchy Resting Face as shown in this Official Google Trends Graph)

... a phenomenon in which the resting face lacks animation and appears to look bitchy at all times, thus leading people to believe a person must be upset, a snob or a bitch.

Trust me... It's a thing.

People, such as myself, who suffer Chronic Resting Bitch Face are often inundated with enquiry from surrounding people, including -

"What's wrong?"

"Are you okay?"

"Are you mad/sad/depressed?"

"You know...Before I got to know you, I thought you were a snobby bitch*."

How people who suffer Chronic Resting Bitch Face respond -

"I'm fine...honestly." 

"No, nothing is wrong." 

"Yes, I'm sure."

How people who suffer Chronic Resting Bitch Face want to respond - 

"IT'S JUST HOW MY FACE LOOKS!"

I could have posted a photo of my own RBF..
But how could I go past Sassy Barbie?!
#nailedit

If you too suffer from this condition, please know you are not alone.

Infact, let us stand united.

Embrace it.

Love it.

Work it.

xx

*True... 

sunday agenda

S U N D A Y

There is no pleasure in having nothing to do;

The fun is in having lots to do

And not doing it.

Take it slow;

Give your soul a chance to catch up with your body.

I make my pancakes from scratch.

Tipping flour from the canister into a large bowl.

Adding milk. And egg. More milk.

Some sugar. A bit more...

Whisking.

Mixing.

Tasting.

It's not an exact science.

In fact - it's the only time I work without a recipe.

Everything else I bake is weighed and measured.

I am usually so precise.

But not on a Sunday morning.

Not with pancakes.

There's a special kind of freedom in the guesswork.

And they taste delicious. 

Every. Single. Time.

xx

twelve things you would know about me ...

( ... I F   Y O U   K N O W   M E   A T   A L L )

O N E

I write a blog.

T W O

I stand in front of my freezer and eat icecream straight out of the tub.
Or tubs...
Let's be honest - There are multiple containers of various flavours to choose from.

T H R E E

I spend a lot of time at the beach. A Lot.
Running. Playing with Miss Emmy. Sitting. Thinking. Crying (!) Contemplating. Reading.
Rain, Hail, or Shine.
Because the beach is my happy place.

F O U R

My big sister is my bestie.
We are polar opposites; yet somehow scarily similar in many ways.
We communicate multiple times a day; 

Through text, old-fashioned phone calls, or social media -
Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

F I V E

I light candles throughout my house every night. 

I like the warmth and ambiance of the flicker of a flame.

S I X

I don't seem like the 'Sporty Type' but I like to run. 

And I sometimes practice Yoga. 

And although I haven't done either for a while, I also like to ski - Water and Snow.

S E V E N 

I own an electric drill and a power sander.
I am quite handy around the house...
But I struggle to sew on a button.

E I G H T

I HATE wearing flat shoes. 

Unless I am wearing workout clothes with sneakers - I'm either barefoot or in heels.
Yup.. I wear heels on the weekend.

Flat shoes make me feel short and fat.

N I N E

I could give up watching television in a heart beat; 

But I would cry if you took the music off my iPhone.

T E N 

I sometimes eat chocolate and drink wine for dinner.

E L E V E N

I still believe a Pinky Promise to be a legitimate, binding, contractual agreement.
Thou shall not break a Pinky Promise.

T W E L V E

I sing in the car. 

Always.

xx

that time i made a wedding cake

Making someone's wedding cake wasn't on my Bucket List or anything.

But now that I've done it, I'm totally writing it on The List..

Just so I can have that sweet satisfaction of ticking it off!

∙ Make someone's Wedding Cake  ✓

But it wasn't just someone..

I honestly don't think I could make a wedding cake for just any old couple..

This was probably a good thing though..

Because it meant that it wasn't your standard, fancy, fondant-frosted, rose-piped cake.

This cake was a special order.

For a special pair.

T H E   C L I E N T

Lady P and The Thomas

T H E   O C C A S I O N

Their Wedding! (eek!)

T H E   B R I E F

Make a cake.

Any flavour.

Any frosting.

Put dinosaurs on top of cake.

C R E A T I V E   L I C E N S E

The part where I decided to create a 3-tiered cake despite never stacking cake on cake before in my life. Ever.

Each layer a different flavour.

Playing dress ups with the dinosaurs...

Because even dinosaurs deserve to look a bit fancy for a special occasion.

T H E   F L A V O U R S

Tier 1. Chocolate Fudge Mud Cake

Tier 2. Chocolate and Coffee Mud Cake

Top Tier. Orange and Almond Meal Cake

M I D - C R E A T I O N   M O C K   U P

T H E   F R O S T I N G

Vanilla Cream Cheese Buttercream

It is the ideal “crusting” buttercream to create cakes with a bakery-style smooth fondant look but with the classic cream cheese buttercream taste everyone loves!

1 cup (226 grams) butter, slightly softened

12 tablespoons (144 grams) organic palm shortening

24 ounces (680 grams) chilled cream cheese

2 kg icing sugar

1½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pure almond extract

Beat butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy. 

Add cream cheese and extract(s); beat until fully incorporated. 

Gradually increase mixer speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy.

Gradually add icing sugar, beating on low to medium-low speed, until well combined. 

Beat on high speed until well combined and smooth. 

Buttercream will be very stiff and thick. 

Before frosting cake layers, rebeat buttercream to ensure smoothness.

If not using immediately, keep bowl covered tightly to keep buttercream from drying before frosting cake or cupcakes.

The buttercream can be refrigerated for up to 1 week in an airtight container. 

Before using, bring to near room temperature before beating smooth again.

T H E   U N V E I L I N G

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S   
P I P P A   A N D   T O M   

xx

man vs gentleman

Hands up who else hates this new upgrade to Facebook which sees memories from your past shoved in your face at the very top of the feed, so if you're anything like me, it's the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning?!

Yeah. I knew I wasn't alone.

BUT

This new functionality did notify me recently of a status update I posted in 2011 -

I know what you're thinking...

I was profound in 2011, wasn't I?!

And I stand by this statement 100%.

In fact, this 'memory' combined with today's Season Premiere of The Bachelor are the catalysts that inspired today's post...

The Difference Between  A  M A N  and a  G E N T L E M A N

Here's a little eye candy for those of you who are inspired by 'visual examples':

#youarewelcome


Much like Bee vs Wasp - 

A gentleman can usually be distinguished from a man on appearance alone...

[If you get close enough]

A sense of style.

A signature scent.

But it's a gentleman's behaviour which really sets him apart from a 'regular' man.

A gentleman is evolved.

He has manners.

And confidence.

And ambition.

He yields a sense of power without the entitlement or the ego.

A gentleman understands the difference between saying and doing.

And most importantly - he knows how to treat a woman.

(unlike 2014 Bachelor Blake Garvey...)

Yes, Young Andie/Grasshopper.. 
There is a difference between a hot guy in a suit and a wanker in a suit who thinks he is hot.

Let's see what you've got Sam Wood.

xx

the trust equation

I attended a training program through work recently, during which I was introduced to
T H E   T R U S T   E Q U A T I O N

There's a whole theory behind it;

And I found it very interesting particularly applied to professional scenarios.

But honestly, the equation makes it appear much more complex than it needs to be.

It's really very simple - 

T R U S T  . . .

H A R D   T O   E A R N 

E A S Y   T O   L O S E

The same week that I was introduced to The Trust Equation, I also found myself involved in a conversation about rock climbing.

"Are you afraid of heights?" I was asked.

Well, look, ummm... you see, I'm not a huge fan...

But the honest truth??

There's a better chance of me coping with heights than trusting someone to hold the ropes and pulleys to keep me suspended in the air whilst rock climbing....

I guess you could say that I suffer from Pistanthrophobia.

Which, despite sounding like an incurable disease, is

"the common fear of trusting people

due to past experiences with relationships gone bad."

To trust is to be vulnerable.

And vulnerability terrifies me.

(But that's another post for another day.)

Trust must be deserved.

I do not sprinkle it freely.

  

Thankfully I don't believe Pistanthrophobia is incurable.

I don't by any means think it is easy to overcome.

It just means I am cautious when choosing who to trust.
And sometimes my little protective shell takes a bit of gentle persuasion to crack.

And so... Here's a memo to everyone in my life;

Perhaps it's a memo you may wish to send to everyone in yours - 

xx

hey you! pay attention...

N O T E   T O   S E L F

To Me.

To You.

Listen Closely.

Pay Attention.

📷 In My Home

You yourself, as much as

anybody in the entire universe,

deserve your love and affection.

                                                          -- Buddha




House bound and recovering from surgery this week has given me the time to
1. Analyse every detail of my home; and
2. Take a few photos of the pretties that surround me.

Oh.. And

3. Remind myself that I am singularly responsible for my own health and happiness.

More so, I have come to realise that I DESERVE my own affection.

As much as anybody else.

It is fascinating (and somewhat heartbreaking) that I am not willing to give my own body the time and patience that I would afford to anybody else in my life to recover from this procedure.

Instead, I have found myself feeling frustrated at being tired and drowsy from the medication.

And ironically, pushing my mind and body through the pain has resulted in what is probably a slower than desirable recovery.

What a shitty cycle to be in.

And so, having learnt this lesson myself during the week (and because I wanted to share with you that very pretty photo from my very own living room) I am going to remind you one more time -

xx

nice girl seeks adventurer...

I work in advertising...

So you'd think I'd be a little more across things like the latest brand relaunches and multi-platform campaigns.

But I'm not.

#sorrynotsorry

Turns out this tv commercial has been on air since March.

But I only saw it for the first time this week..
So let's pretend it's brand new and not judge me for bringing up old news.

Besides... given the product being advertised -
I'm probably not the target demographic.
The ad really wasn't meant for me...
(Yes. Telling myself that does help me sleep at night.)

Anyway -
the core message appeals to me.

It is how I try to live my life.

Spending time and money on experiences rather than things.


I F   Y O U ' R E   N O T   C O L L E C T I N G   E X P E R I E N C E S

T H E N   Y O U ' R E   N O T   L I V I N G

S P A R K   Y O U R   P A S S I O N

Work, play, rest, repeat. 

Life can feel a little routine sometimes but it doesn’t take much to mix things up and break the mould. 

Tap into something that gets you excited and push yourself beyond the everyday. 

Who you are tomorrow, is born from what you experience today.

Are you an Experience Collector?

📷 Follow The Blackline by Lauren

xx