Only 2 days to go until it's officially spring! Yipeeeee!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
A few things from the weekend
- Going away with a baby for two nights requires a serious amount of preparation and you have a serious amount of luggage. So much for resolutions of learning to pack light.
- I haven't seen a sunrise in years and years, but they really are pretty - in the still freshness of the new day there is a whole different kind of quiet.
- Fly fishing is very medetative and is almost like yoga in the way it lets your mind wander and rest.
- I can live without electricity, and maybe coffee for the odd morning, but please don't ask me to go through a day without taking a shower.
- New car smell is very cool. As are new cars!!
- I need to make eggs benedict very soon.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Banana Republic does Mad Men
I love this!
Banana Republic has launched a Mad Men collection for Fall 2011. Gorgeous, slick looks designed by the show's costume designer Janie Bryant.
Banana Republic has launched a Mad Men collection for Fall 2011. Gorgeous, slick looks designed by the show's costume designer Janie Bryant.
I'm still trying to track down series one from Mad Men so that I can actually watch the show and catch up to the current series, but have had no luck so far. But i really love the moody fashion that's come out of the show, especially the skinny pencil skirts and elegant up-dos.
For more go to Banana Republic
Monday, August 22, 2011
A few things from the weekend
Phew, so that's over. Weeks of planning and prep, but the Christening all went well. I've just packed away the last of the prezzies and put my over-tired nunu down for a nap.
So, the weekend that was...
- I love Dunkeld flowers on the corner of Bompas Road and Jan Smuts. Where else can you buy flowers and have them cut and put into bunches for no extra cost? Such a pleasure and a time saver to just plunk them straight into the vase.
- I'm going to have to take quite a serious break from baking. One carrot cake (turned out really well, if I may say so), blueberry muffins, cheese scones and spinakopitas (please excuse the spelling) later, I think I've done my share for the while.
- One bottle of champagne on Friday night, one bottle of rose with lunch on Saturday and lots of 'pink juice' (rose champagne) on Sunday means I'm nearly all out of Disprin!
- Ok, now I need a long weekend break. Oh, of course, that's this weekend! Off to Dullstroom, yay!
Oh, and happy six month half-year birthday to my daughter! Can't believe how far we've come in such a short space of time.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Spinning
Oh my goodness there is so much on the go right now it is actually unbelievable.
Right this minute I should be researching and writing an op-ed piece that is due in less than 24 hours. And for someone who is mortally afraid of deadlines, that is a seriously short time.
The good news is that the emails I sent out regarding doing freelance work have come to something, very exciting! But wow, am I writing unfit. I used to churn out a feature piece and news story in an hour flat, back in my young and ambitious days. Now I break into a cold sweat at 800 words.
Well, I suppose the only way you get over something you are afraid of is to just do it.
And in other news, I avoided getting a traffic fine today by using my baby as an excuse...
Feel super guilty about it. I was driving home from coffee with a friend, when I went into a turning lane, only for it to end and become a painted island. And there was a cop, standing waiting to give out fines...
So while searching for my driver's licence, I said, "I'm so sorry, I was just trying to get my baby home in time for her bath..."
Which was a bit of a fib, seeing as she was fast asleep in her car seat (the one time I wish she was screaming in the car!)
Anyway, so they let me go without a fine. And I felt really bad for the white lie. But at least I don't feel bad about getting a fine! Oops.
Right this minute I should be researching and writing an op-ed piece that is due in less than 24 hours. And for someone who is mortally afraid of deadlines, that is a seriously short time.
The good news is that the emails I sent out regarding doing freelance work have come to something, very exciting! But wow, am I writing unfit. I used to churn out a feature piece and news story in an hour flat, back in my young and ambitious days. Now I break into a cold sweat at 800 words.
Well, I suppose the only way you get over something you are afraid of is to just do it.
And in other news, I avoided getting a traffic fine today by using my baby as an excuse...
Feel super guilty about it. I was driving home from coffee with a friend, when I went into a turning lane, only for it to end and become a painted island. And there was a cop, standing waiting to give out fines...
So while searching for my driver's licence, I said, "I'm so sorry, I was just trying to get my baby home in time for her bath..."
Which was a bit of a fib, seeing as she was fast asleep in her car seat (the one time I wish she was screaming in the car!)
Anyway, so they let me go without a fine. And I felt really bad for the white lie. But at least I don't feel bad about getting a fine! Oops.
Monday, August 15, 2011
A few things from the weekend
- Funny how spending time with some friends can leave you feeling inspired and uplifted, and other just make you feel criticised and irritable.
- Mushrooms on toast at Salvation Cafe, 44 Stanley, so delicious.
- It is beyond irritating that people with no children have the strongest opinions about kids. I doubt this irritation will ever go away, I'm sure I'll just bother listening less.
- I'm so glad I am lucky enough to have a husband who has grown out of stupid boy antics. Most of the time anyway.
- Wolves on Corlett Drive is overrated. I'm really not a fan of the 'cooler as ekke' vibe.
- Sunday afternoons spent on the lawn at home with a glass of wine is my new favorite hobby.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Friday finds
I know many of my Friday Finds have been book reviews and about food or cooking, but I had to share Annabel Karmel’s book and website with you.
Seeing as I'm going to be venturing into a whole new culinary area soon when my daughter moves from just cereal and onto actual food (I am quite excited about this, she is just ambivalent at present!) I bought Annabel Karmel's book New complete baby and toddler meal planner last weekend. It's a very comprehensive book and goes from the baby stage of purees right up to creating balanced meals for toddlers.
Annabel's website is very impressive and has great nutritional information and tons more recipes. I'm not sure I'm the type of Mom who will create little mice figures out of baked potatoes with radish slices for ears and chives for tails, but it does have some great ideas and is very inspirational.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
T-minus 10 days
We're planning my daughter's Christening for next Sunday, and I am up to my eye balls in to-do lists and recipes and planning planning planning.
We're having a mid-morning service and then a Christening tea for 40 odd people afterwards at our house. I've never done anything more ambitious than try and cook dinner for 6 people, so to say that I am slightly overwhelmed is an understatement.
I had a bit of an outfit disaster this morning when I tried on what I was planning to wear, to discover that it's just all wrong. But thank goodness for the Trenery sale, what impeccable timing. I managed to find a navy draped skirt in jersery and a black cardigan, so now I have a choice of two outfits, depending on how summery the day turns out to be.
It's quite a tricky one dress-code wise - while the church and tea is casual, I'd really like to wear a skirt, and have lovely black patent leather peep toe mules from last summer that I never got to really wear after giving up heels once I fell pregnant.
My daughter also has a choice of outfits - a christening dress from my husband's family (she's too big for my dress, it was made for a 3 month old) that has been passed down and is all lace and chiffon, or a new one that her Granny is making. Why two? Well, because she's offered, so who am I to say no?
So apart from outfits, there's the champagne and glasses to organise, flowers to buy, ingredients to buy and cakes to bake (I'm going to make a pecan and carrot cake, spinach and feta quiche, blueberry muffins and cheese muffins) plus all the other culinary contributions from the women on both sides of the family to organise, a final interview at the church and a hair appointment for me.
Once I have this out of my system, I can assure you that my daughter's first birthday party next February is going to be a very intimate affair, with only a few little friends and a picnic blanket somewhere. While my 30th birthday party will hopefully be spent by me and my husband and a bottle of champagne, and no other guests whatsoever!
We're having a mid-morning service and then a Christening tea for 40 odd people afterwards at our house. I've never done anything more ambitious than try and cook dinner for 6 people, so to say that I am slightly overwhelmed is an understatement.
I had a bit of an outfit disaster this morning when I tried on what I was planning to wear, to discover that it's just all wrong. But thank goodness for the Trenery sale, what impeccable timing. I managed to find a navy draped skirt in jersery and a black cardigan, so now I have a choice of two outfits, depending on how summery the day turns out to be.
It's quite a tricky one dress-code wise - while the church and tea is casual, I'd really like to wear a skirt, and have lovely black patent leather peep toe mules from last summer that I never got to really wear after giving up heels once I fell pregnant.
My daughter also has a choice of outfits - a christening dress from my husband's family (she's too big for my dress, it was made for a 3 month old) that has been passed down and is all lace and chiffon, or a new one that her Granny is making. Why two? Well, because she's offered, so who am I to say no?
So apart from outfits, there's the champagne and glasses to organise, flowers to buy, ingredients to buy and cakes to bake (I'm going to make a pecan and carrot cake, spinach and feta quiche, blueberry muffins and cheese muffins) plus all the other culinary contributions from the women on both sides of the family to organise, a final interview at the church and a hair appointment for me.
Once I have this out of my system, I can assure you that my daughter's first birthday party next February is going to be a very intimate affair, with only a few little friends and a picnic blanket somewhere. While my 30th birthday party will hopefully be spent by me and my husband and a bottle of champagne, and no other guests whatsoever!
Monday, August 8, 2011
A few things from the weekend
Some of you may still be on weekend seeing as tomorrow is a public holiday, and if the traffic is anything to go by, I may be one of the only people left in this city.
But some of us are on Monday time today, so here follows a few things from the weekend.
- I really need to get out of Jhb and have a holiday, or a Vitamin B injection, which ever comes first, I'm not fussy.
- Fish and chips and mushy peas are super easy to make and really delicious.
- Long weekends that actually aren't long weekends are actually quite stupid, as you end up having Sunday/Monday morbs twice.
- Getting back into bed with a cup of coffee and a good book on Sunday morning is heaven.
Happy Women's Day for tomorrow. We will be packing a picnic basket and hanging out at Jo'burg zoo, enjoying some of the early spring sunshine. Can't tell you how excited I am!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Friday Finds
Last weekend was a very adventuresome one in culinary terms.
On Saturday night we went to an authentic Japanese restaurant in Rivonia, where my husband proceeded to eat squid and eel sushi and drink sake out of a little wooden box.
I, on the other hand, was feeling slightly less brave and stuck to the plum wine and tuna nigiri, both of which were really yummy.
But my favourite part of the weekend was going to Italian supermarket Super Sconto, on Louis Botha.
While it’s in a bit of a dodgy area, there is safe parking behind palisade fencing. If you are driving from the north you will find it just past Jo’burg institution the Radium Beer Hall.
Driving down Louis Botha I first thought, “Gee, this is my first ever time in this part of town.” And then I remembered our trip to the club 206 Louis Botha in our Matric year, and shuddered at how crazy we were back then.
Super Sconto have a beautiful selection of really unusual pasta, cheeses, as much olive oil as you could need in your life time, and huge packets of real Italian coffee. We bought a lovely piece of Parmesan cheese and fresh panzerotti filled with butternut.
But the best part of the morning was going up to the cafe and deli on the top floor where they serve the most amazing macchiatos. We also had a delicious ciabatta with parma ham that I can’t wait to go back for again!
So while Louis Botha may not be on your usual Saturday morning grocery route, Super Sconto definitely is worth a visit if you are looking for something a little different.
On Saturday night we went to an authentic Japanese restaurant in Rivonia, where my husband proceeded to eat squid and eel sushi and drink sake out of a little wooden box.
I, on the other hand, was feeling slightly less brave and stuck to the plum wine and tuna nigiri, both of which were really yummy.
But my favourite part of the weekend was going to Italian supermarket Super Sconto, on Louis Botha.
While it’s in a bit of a dodgy area, there is safe parking behind palisade fencing. If you are driving from the north you will find it just past Jo’burg institution the Radium Beer Hall.
Driving down Louis Botha I first thought, “Gee, this is my first ever time in this part of town.” And then I remembered our trip to the club 206 Louis Botha in our Matric year, and shuddered at how crazy we were back then.
Super Sconto have a beautiful selection of really unusual pasta, cheeses, as much olive oil as you could need in your life time, and huge packets of real Italian coffee. We bought a lovely piece of Parmesan cheese and fresh panzerotti filled with butternut.
But the best part of the morning was going up to the cafe and deli on the top floor where they serve the most amazing macchiatos. We also had a delicious ciabatta with parma ham that I can’t wait to go back for again!
So while Louis Botha may not be on your usual Saturday morning grocery route, Super Sconto definitely is worth a visit if you are looking for something a little different.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Breton stripes
Image source: guardian.co.uk
Today marks 4 weeks exactly until spring day! You can definitely feel a new warmth in the sun in the middle of the day, and the garden is just about to burst into new growth.
Spring clothes are slowly filtering into the shops, replacing the reams and reams of grey we have been subjected to over the past 3 months. Yes, I have to confess that I have been one who have maybe taken this tred a little too far, but am now so over wearing boring grey.
But one new spring trend that I am really looking forward to is the return of Breton stripes. Click here for some very interesting reading on the history of the stripe Francais a la Chanel. (that is so not a grammatically correct French phrase. Please excuse me, Alliance Francaise.)
Another great place to visit if you like stripes is the Lanalou blog. She's giving away a candy striped bag from Quote Studio. Forget spring, this is the perfect beach bag and just looking at it makes me so excited for those long days to be spent lazing in the summer sunshine and swimming in the warm sea.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Why this is not a mommy blog
You may find the strap line at the top of this blog ‘this is not a mommy blog’ a bit unusual.
The idea to write a blog was suggested to me by two friends at my baby shower many months ago, who thought it would be a great idea. Inwardly, I groaned and thought, yes, that's just what the world needs, another dull, naval-gazing blog with a woman discussing the minutia of her pregnancy and raising a baby.
I've read a few of these, and some approach the topic with great humour, but most would only be interesting to immediate family and friends.
Funny how as soon as I fell pregnant I became very conscious of not always prattling on about 'everything baby'. Colleagues at work expect you to go all mushy-brained and that you will only be able to hold an intelligent conversation when discussing nappy brands and developmental milestones. But it’s a stage, and like getting married or buying a house, it is an exciting and an all-consuming stage.
But here's the thing. Having a baby is hard. And one of the reasons it's hard is because it can be quite a lonely experience. Not while you’re in the hospital and being bugged by a nurse every two minutes. Not when you go home and you’re enjoying doing all the little things for the first time and you can just gaze at your baby for hours.
But when your husband has returned to work, and the visitors have stopped popping in with flowers every two minutes, it’s just you and your little bundle.
And for many of us who have had careers and met interesting people and travelled and been very independent and accountable to no one for a number of years, that’s quite a daunting feeling.
So I suppose my point is that having a baby means going through a bit of an identity crisis.
Especially if, like me, you have been fortunate enough not to have to return to work right away. Living in a city where the first question you are always asked when you meet someone new is “What do you do?” has now morphed into “What does your husband do?” and this just feels like another tiny loss of your own identity. I really dread someone asking me, “What do you do?” and having to answer “I’m just a Mommy”.
I’m not sure when my own identity crisis will end. Lately, not a day has gone by when I don’t toy with the idea of jumping back into work – how nice it would be to put on a pencil skirt and high heels and have an intellectual conversation, not to even mention how nice it would be to get my own pay check at the end of the month!
But here will be time for that. And for now I just have to enjoy what I have right here in front of me.
The idea to write a blog was suggested to me by two friends at my baby shower many months ago, who thought it would be a great idea. Inwardly, I groaned and thought, yes, that's just what the world needs, another dull, naval-gazing blog with a woman discussing the minutia of her pregnancy and raising a baby.
I've read a few of these, and some approach the topic with great humour, but most would only be interesting to immediate family and friends.
Funny how as soon as I fell pregnant I became very conscious of not always prattling on about 'everything baby'. Colleagues at work expect you to go all mushy-brained and that you will only be able to hold an intelligent conversation when discussing nappy brands and developmental milestones. But it’s a stage, and like getting married or buying a house, it is an exciting and an all-consuming stage.
But here's the thing. Having a baby is hard. And one of the reasons it's hard is because it can be quite a lonely experience. Not while you’re in the hospital and being bugged by a nurse every two minutes. Not when you go home and you’re enjoying doing all the little things for the first time and you can just gaze at your baby for hours.
But when your husband has returned to work, and the visitors have stopped popping in with flowers every two minutes, it’s just you and your little bundle.
And for many of us who have had careers and met interesting people and travelled and been very independent and accountable to no one for a number of years, that’s quite a daunting feeling.
So I suppose my point is that having a baby means going through a bit of an identity crisis.
Especially if, like me, you have been fortunate enough not to have to return to work right away. Living in a city where the first question you are always asked when you meet someone new is “What do you do?” has now morphed into “What does your husband do?” and this just feels like another tiny loss of your own identity. I really dread someone asking me, “What do you do?” and having to answer “I’m just a Mommy”.
I’m not sure when my own identity crisis will end. Lately, not a day has gone by when I don’t toy with the idea of jumping back into work – how nice it would be to put on a pencil skirt and high heels and have an intellectual conversation, not to even mention how nice it would be to get my own pay check at the end of the month!
But here will be time for that. And for now I just have to enjoy what I have right here in front of me.
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