Sydney Shop Girl

The V Day Von Follies.

2012-02-14T21:11:00.001+11:00

There was a good reason I stopped having a liquid lunch of a 600ml Coke Zero in the spring of 2006 and I rediscovered it today. I don't know how I ever drank a whole bottle in one go back in the day. I tried it again today and had to brush my teeth immediately afterward. I could practically feel my tooth enamel eroding.

It was a good idea at the time, a little something to keep me going on a day that's been one errand after the next. Most of which were outdoors, on foot - which made them all the more trying. I'm pretty sure I gave myself heat stroke, it was the first day this summer I'd been out and about in the summer sun. I'm hoping that I will be rewarded by a light tan for my efforts when I look in the mirror tomorrow.

But I couldn't say no to vanilla flavoured Coke Zero, now could I? Especially when it was a 2 for $5 deal at Coles. I could go on and on about my dental misadventures with Coke Zero but I won't. It's Valentine's Day after all. Which isn't a day I find particularly auspicious but we are also halfway through Frugal February and what better day of the month to have an official leave pass from frugality on?

The full details of today's escape from frugality will be the subject of future posts but let the record show that I admit to Gilt as well as a trip to my local (to work) Target which always has plenty of everything in my size (unlike the Targets local to home).

Okay. Not sure how I'm sold on this but Designers for Target this month is all about smalls. Dita Von Teese's smalls to be precise. The collection is called Von Follies. I think it's the first time Target Australia has done a Designers For range solely focussed on lingerie. It is a gamble and it is different to their previous collaborations. For me, the whole idea of the ranges was the opportunity to own a chain store interpretation of a designer's look and a lingerie line just doesn't seem that exciting or inspiring to me. But then again, I'm all about comfort, seamless under clothes and machine washing when it comes to under garments.

There was still quite a range of sizes and styles available today. The bras are $39.95 and briefs under $30 from memory. The collection is very Dita, lots of black with animal print here and bows there. I'm beginning to wonder, actually, whether this is meant to be one of those underwear as outwear things. Just an idle thought.

It did look very striking and non Target on the rack but no, I wasn't game enough to try anything on. Did you pick up anything from the range?

Before I sign off for the night, this is my little Feb 14th gift from Mr SSG courtesy of Guide Dogs Australia. The association was doing a public awareness campaign in the city today and were giving these stuffed toys out. Will you look at those eyes and that slightly cocked head?

Pretty in Priti.

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000+11:00

It's not everyday that an 'everything but the kitchen sink' blogger like myself receives press kits in her inbox and samples delivered to her front door. So enjoy it, I most certainly did.

Last week, Rossana got in touch with me to talk about Priti NYC's arrival to Australia. Priti is a range of nail polish and nail care products that are completely non toxic and eco-friendly. The brand was launched by Kim D'Amato in 2005 with the aim of providing high performance nail care without compromising the environment or a woman's health. The idea came to Kim during her own pregnancy. Priti is means happiness, affection and attraction in Sanskrit.

Priti is a well recognised brand in the US fashion world. The nails of models in the New York and Miami Fashion Week shows have been Priti-ed since 2005. Priti also collaborates with a number of designers and one of their recent creations was the shade I was given to test, Alister Stella Gray Rose.

Which Miranda Kerr herself wore for the Stella McCartney Show at Paris Fashion Week last year.

www.zimbio.com

I didn't get Miranda's legs after my in home meeting with Alister Stella Gray Rose but I did get a warm, deep pink pedicure that looked great with my white Birkis (as opposed to that all white sheer dress and jacket combo Miranda is sporting.

I'm usually an OPI girl. Compared to OPI, I found that Priti:
- has a less strong odour
- swipes off very easily with standard nail polish remover
- dries just as quickly
- lasts just as long in terms of remaining chip free.

There are some differences though:
- the standard bottle is 12.6ml as opposed to the 15ml OPI
- the Priti brush is a smaller diameter than the OPI, as the photograph above illustrates, this may or may not be an issue for you
- I had to be more careful to apply thin coats with the Priti polish as it can dry unevenly if you're not careful, OPI is more forgiving in my hands.

In Australia, a bottle of Priti polish retails for $17.95. Priti is stocked at zuri Homewares in the Blue Mountains or online at ashnJuls.com.au and www.iamnaturalstore.com.au

I didn't get a chance to try the Soy Nail Polish remover but it comes highly recommended and is one of the brand's best sellers!

Image coutesy of Priti NYC

Thanks again to Rossana for giving me the chance to try Priti NYC.

Seafood Sunday. The W London It Is.

2012-02-12T20:08:00.000+11:00

We can't really complain, can we? At least we had a half day of summer in Sydney today.

Just enough time to put some laundry up on the line before hitting the pool for some laps.

And the pool's kiosk for some post swim chips. There's only one place I ever seem to crave hot chips and that's at the pool. And they're always the best chips I've ever eaten.

I managed to get to the Pyrmont Fish Market this morning and decided that seafood was going to be on the menu for the rest of the day.

Starting with these Sydney Rock Oysters for lunch.

Which we had with a choice of lemon, Testuya's oyster dressing or tabasco and an obligatory glass of champagne. It was a rolling lunch at SSG Manor today so we all brought various magazines and iPads to the table and alternated between eating, sipping and reading.

Sashimi has been missing from my diet for way too long so the oysters were followed by salmon, tuna and scampi. Today was the first time I'd seen scampi offered as sashimi and my curiosity got the better of me. The flesh is sweet and has a very silky texture. The lady at the fish market did something tricky with the scampi shell so that all we had to do to eat the scampi flesh at home was to gently peel back each half of the shell.

www.crimsonedgeevents.com

We have progress with London accommodation! Mr SSG and I were locked in discussion for most of the afternoon during which it was pointed out to me that I would probably cope better with 'standard American' hotels than the more 'traditional European' establishments. The subtext here being that I would probably decompensate quickly in the absence of wifi and a 24 hour on site gym. It was also decided that staying in a livelier part of town would only add to the adventure. Which is why we settled on the W London Leicester Square.

I had my reservations at first, it does look rather ... hip, doesn't it? I'm not hip at the best of times and at times when day time temperatures aren't much over 2C, unhip would be putting it very kindly. I am reassured though, that I have two safe houses nearby should I feel desperately out of place in the hotel - McDonalds and Pret A Manger are apparently very close by as is Starbucks.

Now that all the major parts of the trip are planned, I need to decide if my red North Face backpack will get me past the door or if hard core Mulberry is needed instead. I may have no choice but to bring both.

SSG's Adventures in Daiso-Land.

2012-02-11T21:40:00.001+11:00

There's only one place to go when it's Frugal February and a girl is in need of some retail therapy - Daiso's Sydney store in the Mandarin Centre, Chatswood. There's only one price you need to remember and it is $2.80.

I spent close to 2 hours in Daiso today and the store certainly delivered on its promise of customers finding 'surprise and fun' the moment they enter one its stores around the world.

My Daiso trolley ready to go, coffee and all.

The Chatswood store has quite a large footprint for a discount store. It feels Japanese from the moment you walk in the entrance and get your trolley (the baskets detach from the base).

Colour and cuteness greet you in every aisle, as do polite and cheerful messages.

Most of the product packaging is written in Japanese but there is plenty of signage to clear any confusion.

I spent quite a bit of time browsing the beauty products which probably took up at least a third of the store. There was a whole aisle of different face washers and sponges.

As opposed to the aisle of facial massage products, also available in a rainbow of colours.

Can you imagine the possibilities if Daiso offered makeover sessions? It would be lotion and potion plastic surgery.

Where do I start with the makeup? There must have been at least one product to address every single one of your most pressing cosmetic concerns. I wasn't game enough to try the nose shadow but I did pick up some blush and a mascara base that I will review in a separate post. I was in two minds about buying the mascara that uncakes the mascara you already have on your lashes. And then there was the false eyelash travel case....

In the fitness aisle there were badminton rackets and resistance tools in your choice of colour.

There were also the things discount stores all over the world are famous for - plastic storage containers. The lunch boxes range did have a Japanese twist to them with those clever lids containing a full set of cutlery. For those of you keen on recreating the famous bento lunches of Japanese schoolchildren, there is a selection of creative sushi making tools.

Even shopping for kitchen sponges was fascinating. There was such a wide range to choose from and then to decide on the colour that best matches your kitchen.

It goes without saying that I didn't leave empty handed. I had a vague agreement with Mr SSG that I could only buy things that already needed to be replaced at home. I mostly held up my end of the deal.

I bought two kinds of clothes pegs. The standard kind I used to find at my local $2 stores.

And these blue four leaf clovers. The plastic feels pretty solid. For the record, Daiso is a bit like Ikea in terms of country of manufacture. While both stores aim to provide customers with Japanese and Swedish (accordingly) design, much of their range is actually made overseas. Daiso's products appear to be made mainly in Taiwan (including the skin care I saw) or China. It's the way of the world these days whether we like it or not. I will tell you my feelings about Heinz Tomato Ketchup now being made in New Zealand another day. I'm down to my last 2 bottles of the Australian made product.

These colanders were made in Japan. You can never have too many colanders in a kitchen. I think my mum might like these actually. I will probably have to get some more for her and my Aunty when they come visit next week. Any excuse to return to Daiso!

Can you tell it was a pink themed shopping day? I hope my handbags have a gross weight of lead than 4kgs.

I went for the pink nail polish remover becuase experience tells me that the pink versions around the world are universally acetone free.

Blue appears to be the colour code for an aquamarine scent. Rose, lavender, orange and apple were the other options - each with their own colour.

Surprise! Just to be a little unpredictable, I bought a blue fragrance diffuser for the office. You have no idea how many ways the Japanese have thought of to fragrance a room. Whilst there didn't seem to be actual sprays, there were all sorts of perfumed beads, gels and emulsions with the sole purpose of scenting a room. Products were further divided into those suitable for 'rooms' or 'bathrooms'.

There are exciting times in Sydney. All sorts of interesting international stores appear to be opening here. I like that more reasonably priced brands are entering the local retail sector because it makes going to bricks and mortar stores more interesting than it has been for the last few years.

Before I go, I have The Etail Queen herself to thank for giving me the heads up about Daiso Sydney. There isn't a thing about etail or retail she doesn't cover in her blog.

Have a lovely evening and I will be back again soon.

London On My Mind. Denim in the Workplace.

2012-02-10T19:25:00.001+11:00

Helloooo weekend!!!!!

Before I forget, I'm guest posting over at Suger Coat It today. Thanks for the invitation Melissa!

Oh my am I G-L-A-D this week has come and gone. Mostly glad that it's gone. The highlights have been few and far between which has made me all the more determined to write about them.

First up I discovered that quinoa can be cooked in a rice cooker. It is much fluffier than the stove top method. All you need is 2 cups of water to every cup of quinoa and a bit of stock powder for flavour and you're done. Press 'cook' and return when after ironing 3 of other people's shirts (I've never been one to suffer in silence) to find your fluffy quinoa piping hot and ready to go. The quinoa also freezes and reheats well when cooked this way so I make extras when I can.

The rest of my escapist moments this week have been rather British. It's only 19 days until I leave for London and it's keeping my spirits up immersing myself in some cool Britannia.

www.news.com.au

Starting with the first of the three (only!?!?) Absolutely Fabulous reunion episodes. It's been 20 years since Edwina and Patsy came into my world with their of the moment fashion references and perfect comedic timing fuelled by Bollinger, cigrarettes and Lacroix. In the time that's passed and as I've seen more of the world, I've found myself not just laughing with the girls but also beginning to relate to their experiences.

It's hard to say whose return I enjoyed the most. Bubbles' take on the Royal Wedding was hilarious and nearly stole the show from Patsy's famous glare and French twist (whose perfect shape owes just a little to the cigarettes Patsy keeps within it). Edwina has her own moments involving an out of body experience brought on by watching 'foreign' DVDs with subtitles which cause her to think she can now speak Danish. But most of all, I loved the fact that Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders look their age and humour themselves as women who are older than they were but are only getting better with time.

www.largeprintbookshop.co.uk

There is nothing like crashing out on the sofa with a bit of insider gossip in novel form to take your mind far away from the trials of everyday life. At the moment, I'm living vicariously through the pages of 'Hotel Babylon' by Imogen Edwards-Jones. I didn't realize that this novel was also made into a television series. Thank you again, Wikipedia.

With an endorsement by Candace Bushnell, how could I not enjoy 'Hotel Babylon'? It's a fascinating insight into the world of a 5 star hotel in London and the staff that make the hotel look like an oasis of luxury and perfection. There are crazy guests, crazy staff and some revealing facts about just how much of a profit hotels make on room rates and high teas.

It's Friday and denim in the workplace was clearly required.

Jeans - NextDirect, belt - Hermes. top - Zara, bangle - Mai Tai Collection, necklace - Run For Office by Red Phoenix Emporium

I have nothing but good things to say about my Next jeans. They have a bit of stretch in them and are very comfortable, right from the first wear.

My bangle is from Mai Tai's horn bracelet collection. This is the black version.

It's always such a pleasure getting an order from Mai Tai.

Such beautiful packaging. Untying a ribboned box is such a pleasant way to discover a new online purchase.

I'm off to put my feet up and have a quiet evening with my Kindle and a glass or two of Mumm. I will return tomorrow with news of just how Mr SSG and I managed to fit this 1.4kg Costco pizza into our domestic oven/

Have a lovely weekend everyone. I know I will.

And the winners are ......

2012-02-10T07:23:00.001+11:00

Happy Friday!!!!!!

Gee time flies. The La Clinica Skincare Heroes give away has come and gone.

The lucky ladies are:
@MissDirections - stem cell complex serum
@sixinchheel - vitamin A mask and treatment
@DistressMother - firm lift caviar serum

Thanks again to you all for entering. I hope to get everyone's prizes in the post in the next few days. Bear with me - it's a crazy hectic life I'm living right now.

Thanks also to the lovely ladies at La Clinica for their sponsorship of this give away - Julia and Rita Marie.

Final Goodbyes.

2012-02-08T13:26:00.004+11:00

bagelnosher.blogspot.com

I attended a funeral yesterday. For me, the death of an elderly relative is so close to my everyday work that the usually clear line between my work and personal life gets blurred. In the days leading up to the funeral, I was pragmatic. My uncle was in his late 80s and had endured years of medical intervention and treatments that often left him quite exhausted at the end of each day. His physical frailty was at odds with his mental sharpness but he found ways to still engage in his hobbies and maintain his religious faith.

My uncle last illness was a brief one. He appeared to be in a deep and peaceful sleep. Days earlier, he had met with his parish priest. In my professional life, I would argue that this would be the 'ideal' way to 'go'. To not linger through pain and indignity and for loved ones to be left only with the best last memories of the person they knew and treasured. Yes, though death is very sad, at times it can be a blessed release.

In the days that passed between his death and the funeral mass yesterday, I remained convinced of my logic and did not cry. But as the service began though, so did the tears. Because of so many things. The hymn 'Amazing Grace' being sung. Seeing my aunt on her own, in the midst of her own grief but also able to be concerned for how I was coping. Her outward calm as she made sure things were just so. And then her one public moment of grief by her husband's coffin as she took a single yellow rose from its floral arrangement before returning to her pew.

It is one thing to be 'prepared' and pragmatic about death but it is another when it happens to someone you love. The grief is often not so much for the person who has left behind their physical pain but for those who are left behind.

My uncle's early adult life was one of constant change and uncertainty against the backdrop of war. He survived largely because of God's will and the experiences of those years shaped the rest of his life and were never forgotten. I was honoured when he told me his story that first day I met him when he welcomed me into the family just before Mr SSG and I were married. It was his hope that his family would never forget the past and also that we would stay close to one another. They are hopes that I am glad he was able to see materialize.

Goodbye and God bless, Uncle J. May you rest in peace.

Monday Night Missoni. Monday Afternoon Madge.

2012-02-06T21:36:00.001+11:00

And that's another action packed Monday at work done and dusted. They just seem to fly past these days. Just where does all the time on Mondays go? One minute I'm jubilant at beating the morning peak hour and the next I'm stuck defeatedly in the afternoon city bound crawl. At least my good friends at DHL seemed to have negotiated the Monday traffic successfully. My Gilt Groupe order was waiting for me when I finally got home this evening.

Remember my post a few weekends back about the wonder of guilt free Missoni at Gilt?

Well, my wool knit ponchos arrived today. Ponchos plural because how can you stop at one when you're being offered Missoni at a fraction of the price of Country Road?

This black and white fringed number was also a big hit with The Distressed Mother and Faux Fuchsia. In fact, I have FF to thank for drawing my attention to Gilt in the first place. This winter, the three of us will have to find a day to synchronise ponchos. I nominate a Saturday, ladies. We could all wear them to brunch in our respective suburbs perhaps? And take action shots as we sip our coffees of choice.

Missoni does have the tendency to look like an oversized tea cosy (or 'reworked hippy stuff' in the words of Mr SSG) when its on the floor so I apologise on behalf of my floorboards. It was just too warm this evening for me to model woollens. I'm planning to bring both of these to London. If need be, I'm sure I can layer them on top of each other if it gets too cold. I think I was being serious there.

Missoni excitement aside, tonight was also the one Monday night of the year that I voluntarily sit myself down in front of ESPN HD to watch my recording of the Super Bowl.

I have no idea what the rules of American football are but I'm fascinated by the pre game ceremony and the minutiae of the action on the sidelines. There were live crosses to American armed forces stationed around the world who were watching the game. The national anthem was sung by an ex American Idol and God Bless America was sung by country and western singers. I heard that there was passionate national debate about what colour jerseys the New England Patriots should wear for this game. Apparently leaving the presidential candidate analysis in the shade for quite a while. This is clearly a sporting event that seems to unite Americans from all walks of life and from all over the world.

Non Americans like myself spend hours before game night googling the famous Half Time Ads as they aren't actually shown in the Australian broadcast. My favourite this year was Matthew Broderick revisiting his Ferris Bueller days for Honda. Watching the ad made me wistful, happy and a little sad. Has it really been 26 years since Ferris Bueller's Day Off was released? Again I ask, where did all the time go? It's not just Matthew Broderick that's aged and grown up over the intervening years, we've aged with him.

Image courtesy of www.businessinsider.com

But it was the half time show that really blew my mind away. Madonna, you are a legend. You may look a little scary sometimes in your paparazzi shots these days but woman, you can still dazzle an all ages crowd with some pretty fine reworks of your hits from over the decades. From gladiator to cheerleader, every one of your outfits dazzled. I also admire your ability to perform in those stiletto boots. Unlike the Ferris Bueller's of the world, you've barely aged.

The Return of the Sun.

2012-02-05T16:03:00.001+11:00

What about this sun, Sydney? For a while there it was looking as if it had packed its bags and left is for good. The rain has finally stopped in Sydney and colour has returned to the sky and our streets. Even the laundry smells and feels sun kissed.

I went for a walk around Surry Hills yesterday after brunch. After weeks of having the bleak weather colour everything grey, seeing the world bathed in sun was like viewing it in technicolour.

The rain left behind this camouflage effect on the bark of a tree.

Everything's just more colourful in Surry Hills. Even the bike paths have a yellow honeycomb painted over them where simple white stripes would have done in other suburbs.

The streetscape is dominated by the colour and character of the terraces that peep out between the arching trees that rustle gently in the breeze.

It's not always a suburb that's car friendly, those vehicles able to find themselves a place to be parked seem a little self conscious in an area that's definitely kinder to pedestrians.

On foot, the hidden side streets and unexpected paved open areas are much easier to discover.

Walking at an easy pace allows you to be in the moment. To notice that red door on your right.

And that cafe up ahead with the lemon over its awning.

The everyday world gets lifted out of the ordinary when the sun returns after a prolonged absence.

Brunch and Bathroom News. Bourke Street Bakery, Surry Hills.

2012-02-04T14:49:00.002+11:00

When I left you the other day, this is how the shower looked.

It now looks like this.

All it took was a change of shower screen to let in some light and to create a sense of space. The bath tub is now practically begging to be filled with water and bath oil. Look at how much less shower screen there is to clean each week!

I know you're dying to know how I Macgyevered my way through the lack of functioning shower for 36 hours problem. I could have bird bathed in the laundry or sprayed myself with Evian but it was Friday night after a long week and I needed a hot shower to unwind more than anything else.

So Mr SSG and I had a Friday night getaway in our own city at the Four Points by Sheraton in Darling Harbour.

Miraculously I packed on the lighter side of usual. Unfortunately, this meant that I forgot my mouthwash. I've never been more relieved to find hotel mouthwash in my life.

The hotel also has an excellent 24 hour gym which was very popular this weekend due to all that rain that washed over Sydney.

The usual Saturday am line beginning to form out the front of Bourke Street Bakery.

The gym was popular with me because I needed a good work out (or two) in order to do Mr SSG and my first visit to the original Bourke Street Bakery in Surry Hills justice.

Bourke Street on a Saturday morning is a very happy place to be indeed.

Even if you are working the weekend, it's hard not to relax a little as you reach the threshold of the tiny bakery / cafe.

Bourke Street's chocolate tart, rhubarb and apple tart and yours truly....

It's standing room only inside the bakery and decisions have to me made quickly at the counter. So it's just as well there were cakes on display in the front window to help me plan my order.

It was mainly sweet things, breads and quiches available at the time we were there (9am). The pies and rolls tend to make their appearance later in the day.

Most of the seating is outdoors on the sidewalk but there were a few seats inside.

Though these were filled as soon as they were vacated.

Just above the barista's station is a range of Bourke Street goods - the official cook book of the bakery and sour dough bread crumbs made from the house bread.

Everywhere I looked there were more tempting treats, most around the $4 mark.

Macadamia and honey sticky buns.

My order placed, it was time to pop outside and get a table by the street.

And settle in for an hour or two.

Honestly, it was to tranquil and my fellow brunchers so languid, I could have stayed where I was the whole day. I know I was in hipster central today but there was such a sense of live and let live around me, it mattered not that I was the only person there rocking navy track pants and running shoes.

The coffees were excellent. I started with an apple and rhubarb muffin. It was just the right size and the batter was dense and moist. There were generously large chunks of apple and rhubarb throughout the whole muffin and the dusting of icing sugar was just enough to add a little sweetness to complement the natural flavour of the fruit.

We couldn't keep away from the pan au chocolate long enough for it to be photographed so here it is with a few bite marks for interest. Buttery light pastry and a rich chocolate filling, just the thing to go with my no added Equal coffee.

The rhubarb and almond tart was housed in a light short crust pastry and in hindsight, I don't think one was enough. Mr SSG's favourite was the pan au raisin.

With the rain apparently done for the day, we sat a while longer after finishing our spoils. Just watching the world go by. Which is generally a very interesting and colourful experience in Surry Hills.

I couldn't leave without some take home bread, a wholemeal sourdough which is going to have a starring role in dinner tonight and possibly breakfast tomorrow if there's any left over.

It was barely 24 hours away from home but it did feel like a little holiday. How else can I explain my renewed zeal for doing the housework on the first sunny Saturday afternoon we've had here in a while?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

The Friday Facelift.

2012-02-03T10:02:00.002+11:00

Surprise! I'm still at home this morning. Lady of leisure that I am this wet and grey Friday, I've had time to potter around and quite literally smell the flowers in the She Shed.

And wander down the road for a coffee.

These are challenging times for me. I'm trying to give up Equals in my coffee. It's a kind of lady of leisure detox really. One additive at a time.

Cardi - cotton on, shirt - Ralph Lauren, belt - GAP, trousers - Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans at Costco.

My outfit for today is lady of leisure casual. There's even a pair of pearl studs involved - and comfort flats. What are we going to be wearing this winter, I ask you, if we're already getting out our knits and shirts in summer?

The main reason I'm at home is to say provide some moral support to our bathroom. It's getting a facelift. The whole shower screen is going as is the wall mirror to the left, out of range of the photo. It was baby steps at first, changing the shower head to a hose and rail arrangement but then a more drastic intervention was needed when the door of the screen fell apart.

Post operatively, the shower will be out of action for 48 hours. Which means that we will be checking out of SSG Manor tonight and hitting the road in search of shower facilities.

I'll be back tomorrow to update you on how we fared, as well as a photo of the bathroom reveal. Have a lovely weekend!

A Fresh Pair of Eyes.

2012-02-02T21:36:00.002+11:00

I've just got myself a fresh pair of eyes through which to view the world.

Cameras are so hard to photograph. But I just wanted to show you how tiny the body of the camera is. It's about the size of my iPhone. It's the lens that gives it heft.

Say hello to my new Sony NEX-C3 (link is to quite a comprehensive review) - the last hurrah purchase permitted under my own rules for Frugal February. I've joined the world of compact system cameras because my DSLR was just getting too big and obvious to be lugging around the world and its restaurants (someone in this room has tickets on themselves). I've also decided that since I'll never be an iPad person, it's perfectly fine for me to have two cameras instead. Logic is such an individual thought process. Which is something I hope Mr SSG will agree with should he first hear about my new toy through this blog.

No surprises that I bought mine at Costco for $750 as a kit that included 2 lenses - 16mm prime and an 18 - 55mm zoom. It also came with a very nifty bag and a 4G memory card. It is a 16.2 megapixel camera and the images are gorgeous. The body of the camera weighs around 230grams!! Just looking at it now, it would easily fit into most of my handbags, even with the largest lens attached.

The camera is so easy to use and I'm loving the fancy shooting options built into the camera. For all you photography fiends, all the usual shooting modes are also present as well as exposure compensation (my favourite DSLR trick). There is an external flash (included in the box) that you need to attach manually to the camera and there is the option to also attach an old school view finder (not included). The user interface is very easy to navigate but it isn't touch screen if that's your thing. The Sony also doesn't have that irresistible retro design of the competing Ricoh or Pentax compacts but it is a solid make and the lenses have a substantial weight to them. It is interesting though that this camera seems noticeably slower than my DSLR or point and shoot.

Battery life appears to be a shortcoming in this class of camera so I took the liberty of ordering some generic back ups on Ebay for around $8 each. The lenses are 49mm in diameter and filters can again be cheaply bought on Ebay to protect them. I like to be over prepared when it comes to travelling with cameras.

With a new camera literally in the palm of one hand, just what have I been snapping today? My everyday world but with some pretty cool shifts in colour. I'm obsessed with the partial colour tone shooting modes in the Picture Effect mode. It makes the world so more is more. A maxim that never fails to cheer me up when life is a bit too hectic and busy.

Black and white mode with green partial colour.

One of my pot plants at the office. So much greener than in real life.

Colour polarisation.

Outside my window. Much more edgy than in real life.

Another black and white photo, this time with yellow partial colour.

We've been distant for a while but today I welcomed my claw hair grip back into my life. It was almost like we'd never been apart really. My hair's just touching my shoulders now and that's about the right length for an up do of sorts as far as my claw is concerned.

Black and white mode, red partial colour. I wish there was pink partial colour too, all the better for appreciating those fine pink uggs of mine.

This is not a sight you'd expect to see in a Sydney summer. Flannel pyjamas and ugg boots. At least I've not got my infamous Explorer socks on as well.

I'd best get to bed now, I think. I'm off on a little adventure tomorrow night. Which involves a bit of packing. Which I think I will do tomorrow because ..... drum roll please ..... I have a late start at work tomorrow.

Cheerio!

Sydney's 24 Hour Summer. Trying To Be A Beauty MacGyver.

2012-02-01T20:45:00.000+11:00

Sydney's one and only summer's day.

There was that day this week where the temperature hit the mid 30s and it appeared that summer had finally arrived in Sydney. I was all set for it too. I dusted off my little white fan and set it on my desk and even turned it on a few times during the day. I'm beginning to think that I was being a bit premature and hopeful now and that I'll have to dig out the heater for the rest of the week. It's crazy to be wearing cardigans in the height of summer. Not to mention having wintery foods for dinner. Then again, I do have a low threshold for breaking out the lamb cutlets from the freezer.

At least we have summer fruit to remind us of the season we're meant to be in. The stone fruit of the week at SSG Manor is currently the peach. We will be moving back to cherries for the weekend.

SSG, hair MacGyver.

Seeing as its officially the start of Frugal February and some of you are also planning to start a month of low spending yourselves, I thought I might write about a haircare article I was reading in InStyle other week. My hair has grown out a fair bit and I'm trying to embrace everything I loathe about it:
- its thickness and weight
- its stubborn waves that never 'frame and flatter the angles of my face' the way hairdressers say they should
- but mostly the fact that it is I that needs to style it everyday and not someone else like a personal hairdresser who could power blow dry it for me on a second daily basis.

The InStyle 'Beauty MacGyver' article was about cheap hair care tricks and it was the ready availability of the cheap tricks that caught my attention. Did you know that great things can be done to your hair with a toothbrush and hair spray? The theory is that the size and density of the bristles on a toothbrush make it the perfect vehicle for precision hairspray application. Isn't that your biggest issue with hairspray too? The idea is to use the toothbrush technique to finesse a pony tail or up do so that your hair looks sleek and stays that way all day.

www.screenrant.com

It wouldn't do to test a MacGyver trick under my normal work conditions. I needed a test situation with more movement and physical exertion. So I did my hair especially for this evening's pre dinner run. It was just as well I made an effort. Some youngsters at the bus stop were draped in the Australian flag as they made their way to the cricket and parents doing the school run on foot were still in their work clothes.

Anyway. My hair did well during the run. My pony tail managed to stay rather sleek and my usual fly aways were notably absent. If even my hair can be MacGyvered with a toothbrush, all things are possible.

Thinking Frugal for Frugal February.

2012-01-31T19:17:00.002+11:00

You know how I don't do Valentine's Day? Well, what I do seem to do every February is decide to make it a month of frugality and pledge to cut spending more severely than the Euro Zone and the US economies combined. It's my credit card statement that does it to me. It never fails to sadden and puzzle me as to just how I managed to run up such a high spend and have nothing nice to show for it. Endless deductions for work related expenses, insurance, car repairs and so on. Necessary but oh so uninspiring and unglamorous.

I'll be straight with you and confess that it's not always the most successful of endeavours. I usually realise this sometime around the second week of the month but this year, I'm going to see if I can make it to the third week of the month with my savings goal achieved. My goal for this Frugal February is to make just one big ticket purchase for the month and make only one online purchase as well. I will also leave my credit cards at home with Mr SSG should I be out window shopping.

Just so we all don't feel too deprived this month, I have conveniently placed a few online orders through late January - to give me something to talk about over these lean weeks. I am hoping, though, that this post will help keep me accountable and on the straight and narrow.

This year's planning for Frugal February started with a bit of spending in order to save. I had to spend $30 at Coles in order to get that 8 cent per litre saving on petrol coupon. It turned out to be harder than usual to get to $30 because I already have a house fully stocked with everything thanks to the genius of Costco (which did contribute a significant proportion of said ugly credit card statement). But I got there.

Thanks to this tube of super glue which I needed for my turn as SSG Manor's home handy person. I was afraid that I'd not be able to type this to you tonight on account of my fingers being stuck together with the glue but thankfully my little project went off without a hitch. Don't forget the toothpicks when using super glue! It really does make spreading the it easier. Mr SSG knows some pretty cool stuff.

I really had no choice but to get that bottle of Elvive serum after all. It took my total at Coles to $30. What can I say? I'm a child of the 90s and cannot be persuaded to break my hair gloss routine. Especially when it gives 48 hours of shine, contains Argan oil and is around $11 to boot.

Finally, some preparation that didn't involve spending any money. I have made a beef curry in the slow cooker to freeze and have on standby when the call of home delivery threatens to derail my frugal plans.

Then, I made a culinary leap of faith and served the curry with quinoa. I hope the Indian curry purists and Spanish grain crop farmers are not deeply offended by this cross cultural use of a curry and a carbohydrate.

For dessert, we had cherries. It's been an amazing season for them, hasn't it? There weren't too many around Christmas where I live so it was a very pleasant surprise to be able to find them this late in this weird summer we're having at the moment.

Wardrobe wise, I've risen to the challenge of shopping my wardrobe and making what I have work for me. My aptly named Red Phoenix Emporium Run For Office necklace has made it with me to work every day this week. It is only Tuesday but I think I'll be wearing it for the rest of the week too.

Dress- David Lawrence, necklaces - Red Phoenix Emporium,

Here I was on Monday wearing some serious monochrome print. It definitely needed that burst of orange too, I reckon.

T- bonds, necklace - Red Phoenix Emporium.

Today the necklace went solo. I was feeling very monochromatic.

That's about it form me tonight, people. I'm off to work out further ways to Run For Office tomorrow.

Have a lovely evening and think frugal!

La Clinica Skin Care Heroes Giveaway

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000+11:00

La Clinica have recently launched a new range of serums and treatments and I was lucky enough to receive a care package from Julia and Rita-Marie. We've also decided that another La Clinica giveaway is in order and are squeezing in this one just before Valentine's Day. So if you're interested in self gifting this V-Day (the only way to do V-Day, in my book) then read on.

Where off duty skin care super heroes hide in my dresser.

I've been using two of the Hero products for the last couple of weeks now and can say from personal experience that though they may not be dressed in lycra and made of kryptonite, they are definitely now my skin care super heroes. All Australian, 100% certified organic and reasonably priced for the quality - you can't ask for much more these days.

$37.00 50 ml, all images from this one onward are courtesy of www.laclinica.com

The Rebalancing Vitamin A Boosting Serum is suitable for all skin types and aims to restore radiance and glow. It is applied after cleansing and followed by your usual moisturiser. I've been using the serum in the mornings and find that it is easily absorbed without leaving any oiliness behind. It's a good base if you usually wear make up during the day.

After a week of using the Rebalancing Vitamin A Boosting Serum, I went to work with a nude face. It was a brave move but I'd also slept in and was running terribly late. Even under the harsh fluorescent light at work, my skin did look more hydrated than it usually does first thing. It also felt 'plumper'. I think I've found myself a 10 minute sleep in right there.

$53.00 30 ml

But the all time miracle worker award would have to go to La Clinica's Vitamin C Ultra Serum. The goals for this serum are to rejuvenate and clarify and it delivers both in bucket loads. My skin felt smoother the first night I used it and I do notice a change on the nights I forget to use it. It doesn't sting like the glycolic acid based skin treatments do and because this is used everyday, the result appears to last longer than a once weekly treatment. It's also a fair bit cheaper than the treatment skin wipes I use once a week.

Now it's over to you. Thanks to La Clinica, I have 3 prizes to giveaway. I've linked back to the official website for each so you can have a read and decide which would most suit your needs.

Prize number 1 is a 30 ml Anti Ageing Stem Cell Complex 3 Facial Serum worth $60.00 AUD.

Prize number 2 is a 30 ml Firming Lift Caviar and Pearl Repair Facial Serum worth $100.00 AUD.

$42.00 100 ml

Prize number 3 consists of a 100 ml Rebalancing Vitamin A Facial Mask worth $42.00 AUD and a 50 ml Organic Green Tea Emergency Booster Serum

Here's how to enter, same as always:

Be a follower through Google Friend Connect or via twitter @sydneyshopgirl
Drop me an email at sydneyshopgirl@hotmail.com with your follower / twitter name, a postal address and what you'd like to win - prize 1, 2 or 3.
Entries are open now and close FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10 2012
Entries are open world wide.

Best of luck and thanks again to La Clinica for their generous sponsorship of this giveaway.

Childhood Dessert. The Good Wife Returns.

2012-01-29T16:41:00.002+11:00

Of all the simple pleasures in life, nothing brings more contentment than that favourite dessert of your childhood. For me, the dessert that takes me to that happy place is vanilla ice cream, canned lychees and a good couple of tablespoons of the syrup from the can.

My childhood consumption of lychees and ice cream was a strictly after dinner, at the dining table experience. The number of lychees in the can were divided equally among my brothers and I. My mother also kept a watchful eye on me to make sure I didn't tip all the syrup into my bowl and over my brothers in regard to just how many scoops of ice cream they balanced in their bowls.

At SSG Manor, there are no such rules. The best time for eating lychees and ice cream is any time in the evening after a particularly harrowing day. For maximum therapeutic effect, I eat mine from the sofa and recline to watch the television whenever the need takes me. I do, however, walk my dirty cutlery to the dishwasher at the first available ad break rather than leaving things to get sticky on the coffee table over night.

Can you believe that we're heading into February this week? Already. January just seemed to go by with a snap of time's super fast fingers. The newspaper is getting thicker with the return of its regular supplements and holiday programming seems to be tapering off on the free to air television channels.

The Good Wife has returned to Channel Ten. I've been a responsible citizen and not downloaded anything off the net or googled for spoilers - but I have been on Ten's website catching up on the double episode I missed last week. Thanks again, twitter for the heads up.

It all sounds very exciting for Alicia this season though. Things with her husband may be about to change dramatically and she also finds herself working longer hours with Will. It may take the whole season (or longer) for the 3 of them to open their lines of communication with each other and to stop messing with each others' minds but rest assured, I'll be there for every wistful camera close up.

In the mean time, there is Eli Gold (Alan Cumming) to keep me entertained.

popwatch.ew.com

His ability to simultaneously play mind games with all the rather strong female characters to get his desired outcomes is one of sub plots that fascinates me most.

And the Winner Is....

2012-01-29T07:32:00.001+11:00

Congratulations to Miss Kitty-Cat who won the Red Phoenix Emporium 'I'm A Sydney Shop Girl Too' necklace give away.

Miss K, if you could send me an email with your postal details and I will forward this on to Willow and Lotus.

Thank you everyone for your support of the giveaway, RPE and my blog.

Stay tuned for more give away goodness next week.

Cocooning. Celebrations Are In Order.

2012-01-28T20:04:00.001+11:00

You know I'm serious about spending the weekend cocooned from the trials of the outside world when I don't even leave the house to have Saturday breakfast at my favourite cafe up the road.

Coffee this morning was hand scooped from this jar of Moccona. I pride myself on how I actually used a teaspoon as opposed to pouring straight from the jar.

I applied similarly high standards of kitchen utensil use to our poor loaf of banana bread. It's one of those great mysteries of the kitchen as to how I can use a bread knife on banana bread and still come up with a triangular shaped slice. It didn't just look strange and it didn't toast evenly either. Just as well I slathered it with cream cheese, which helped to even out the width a little. My food styling this morning didn't stop there. I drizzled honey over the top of the cream cheese because it makes cream cheese taste like carrot cake frosting. After breakfast, I had a little lie down while my pancreas recovered.

Staying at home cocooning is one of those double edged swords. Staying at home per se costs nothing. There's all this extra time to do the house work and plan a home cooked dinner with whatever's in the kitchen but on the other hand, there's all that extra time in front of the computer at 9 am feeling virtuous that you haven't spent any money all day.

Which brings me to the Gilt Group. A random tweet got me curious about this Alex and Aexandra's members only online 'sample sale' and before I knew it, I found myself browsing the 'sale of the day' that was made for me - Missoni Accessories. I will report back when my order arrives in the next couple of weeks.

Nothing like a photo of a bottle of champagne to diffuse the impact of a reference to those Trying Times of mine.

I didn't break out the Costco Champagne just to celebrate the purchasing of cut price Missoni. I've officially dodged the operation that was planned for next week. My blood tests were fine this week and I am now officially a blood test free zone until become a citizen of Planet IVF. I'm telling you, I'm a completely different person to who I was last week. A weight has lifted off my shoulders and calmness has returned. I have a sense of finally being able to move forward and leave the last 3 months of uncertainty behind me. The way the world is at the moment. you take what you're given in the miracles department and say a little thank you to God while you're at it.

But back to the champagne. It really does come from France, hence the ability of Costco to label it champagne. It's not cheap though, $30 a bottle compared to Chandon at $20 and Moet at $49 (both Costco prices). Mr SSG really likes it. He reckons it is a champagne with body and reasonable value for its price point. From my point of view, all I can taste is chocolate and that can only be a good thing.

From champagne to quinoa. I don't really know how to link the two. I bought both at Costco? Anyway, I'm finally getting in on the super grains fad. On its own, it has this nutty flavour and a very firm texture. I'm having it as a side dish with a tofu stir fry tonight.

Boiling it is like watching tiny corn kernels sizzling away in oil, waiting to pop. And that image is about the only vaguely unhealthy thing about quinoa. The kitchen smelled fantastic as it cooked. Very wholesome and organic in an earthy kind of way. Completely made me forget that I'd had a pre dinner glass of champagne (or two).

I took the advice of my clued up twitter friends and cooked 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of boiling stock for 12 minutes before letting it rest with the lid on for 15 minutes.

My vegetable and tofu stir fry was based on this Kylie Kwong recipe.

You really need a strongly flavoured dish to go with quinoa but what quinoa doesn't have in taste on its own, it makes up for in texture.

That's it from me tonight. I'm reliving Christmas by watching a back log of taped Jamie and Nigella programmes.

Australia Day 2012. Grey Skies and Reflections.

2012-01-26T10:15:00.000+11:00

Happy Australia Day!

In my mind's eye, my little corner of Australia will aways be a place of clear blue skies, sparkling water and dazzling sun. It's pure cliche but aren't so many cliches based on at least a grain of truth?

Even when I find myself cooped up indoors because of the rain and work (more so the work if truth be told), it's hard not to have a little smile when I remember what today is all about. It's a celebration of Australia and all that this country represents to its diverse citizens.

The reality for many of us in our daily lives is not endless beaches and wide open plains but rather commutes, congestion and crowds. Australia in 2012 is a land of change. We face issues common to the rest of the world - the rising cost of living, border protection, our role in world conflicts and the moral dilemma surrounding our television networks and their obsession with increasingly demeaning, manipulative and invasive reality television series. Okay, perhaps that last point just really gets me but does anyone else feel the same when faced with the ads for reality television programs?

But our reality exists in a pretty spectacular context. There is a recognition of the problems we face as a nation and the freedom of speech and thought to work towards solutions. Our ability to embrace change is crucial to our future and there are signs that this change has already being felt. This year's list of Australia Day Honours recipients recognised intellectual and cultural endeavour over sporting prowess, challenging the single ideal of 'the Bronzed Aussie' as the symbol of the Australian people.

This year's Australia Day Speech was given by the prominent neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo. He used the address to speak about what he feels are the big issues facing this country. Two main themes were explored in his speech - the rise of anger and rage and its consequences on the innocent bystander and the continued presence of racism, subtle or otherwise. As individuals, we may not have the power or influence to change policy, but we can change our own reaction to anger and racial prejudice.

I've Hit Bottle! French Onion Soup Roast Turkey.

2012-01-25T20:39:00.000+11:00

I've hit the bottle. The very bottom of a bottle of a hair styling product, to be precise.

It's only taken me about 5 years but by golly I've done it. I now have a sneaking suspicion that in the 5 years I've been out of the hair gloss loop that this product may now be both discontinued and obsolete. But none of this has taken any of the gloss (!!) off my achievement.

To celebrate hitting the bottle and surviving an extra long, extra slow and wet drive home, I popped into Coles and found a replacement. My good old Elvive is still available. It's now around $11. It took all my will power and sense of adventure to not buy it again. After all, if I'm going to using the same thing for another 5 years, I might as well invest in newer technology.

Seeing as Pantene's Aqualight has been so good to me, I thought I'd give their Clinicare range a try. I found this Luminising Elixir for chemically stressed and damaged hair for $20. It's made in Japan which I found pretty interesting and reassuring. The country that has given me years of good hair (thank you hair straightening and henna conditioning colour) and superior full face makeup removal (thank you Shu Uemura facial cleansing oil) will surely continue to provide through its provision of supermarket hair care.

After half an hour trying to open the tamper proof box, I finally got to the elixir - with a pair of scissors. It has a pleasant, soft fragrance and is best applied on towel dried hair. Readers, I went above and beyond tonight. It's the night before a public holiday (so a technical Friday night) and I actually Parluxed my hair. I know. Just so I could tell you whether or not using the elixir lead to 'supremely smooth hair with shine and elasticity even at the tips of (my) hair'. It's also a bit cool here in Sydney tonight and I didn't want to get a neck chill going to bed with wet hair.

I'm now sitting here patting my hair as I type. It does feel smooth. I've just checked for shine using my iPhone as a mirror and shine is indeed present. Advertising campaigns seem to suggest that elasticity is best tested by tying strands of your hair around your finger in a knot and tugging. My hair isn't long enough so I can't really comment on any increase in tensile strength of my hair. What I can say is that my hair hasn't gone all sticky with this product which is encouraging. I will report back in a couple of weeks with a longer term evaluation.

I have yet to make soup from a packet of Continental French Onion Soup Mix - there are just so many other good things to make from it.

The treasures I find in my freezer never cease to amaze me. Just this weekend, I unearthed this oven roasted turkey breast left over from Christmas. After a bit of google chef-ing, I found this unique way of cooking it to prevent it from drying out. It turns out you can slow cook turkey using one of my favourite ingredients - a sachet of French Onion Soup.

All you need to do is dust your turkey with the soup mix and pop it in the slow cooker. I placed my turkey on some scrunched up foil to prevent it sticking to the slow cooker. Just a splash of water over the base also helps make a gravy from any of the meat juices. I cooked my 1.25 kg boneless breast for 4 hours on high.

It turned out perfectly. Very moist and with added flavour from the soup mix. The turkey was served as a roast dinner on Sunday night.

Tonight, though, the leftovers were reworked into a lazy wet weather dinner. Turkey and cheese melts. The reason that bottle of Kewpie Mayonnaise is in the photo is that I had this feeling that ketchup and mayo would be prefect with the melts. It was a vision that just came to me. I was right.

Talking turkey and hitting the bottle in the same post. It could only be the night before a public holiday. Have a lovely Australia Day tomorrow, everyone. Stay dry and if you're working like me, may it be q*iet for all of us.

Mi Goreng Is Mr August. Hamptons in the Workplace.

2012-01-24T19:19:00.000+11:00

First up tonight, thank you to everyone who's given me great food and shopping ideas for London. It's only a matter of weeks before I'm meant to be flying out and now that you've given me places to be, I can concentrate on the big issues like whether I'll need wellies and whether I should buy them here before I go.

Compared to the rest of Australia, the weather has been rather cool and pleasant. We even had rain today and it looks as if it's not going anywhere in a hurry. Even on Australia Day. So maybe a pair of mock croc Hunter for Jimmy Choo wellies isn't as insane an idea as it sounds. The only problem is where to source? Any tips would be great. Just leave me a comment. Thank you.

Image courtesy of rdujour.com

I received my copy of the Taronga Zoo wall calendar with the Sunday paper and I have to say, those Sumatran tiger cubs do not have a bad angle amongst them.

The triplets have the cover and my good friend Mi Goreng is Mr August.

I could pick him in a crowd any day and I've even labelled the cover photo for your reference.

Nothing much exciting's happening in my world at the moment. Except that I whipped out my Ralph Lauren furls this morning. The furl bracelet was the inspiration for today's Hamptons in the workplace outfit. There wasn't actually that much to inspire, all I needed to do was put on the dress and some pearl studs but it's quality not quantity.

outlandinstitute,wordpress.com

I'm going to spend this evening in the 80s. Young Talent Time is back and the first episode is being repeated on Channel 7 tonight. Are you liking it? I must admit, the bit I'm most looking forward to is the final song, All My Lovin' being sung by Millsy. I have such affection for the song, I was hoping to add a clip of the Johnny Young version from YouTube but spookily, none of them seem to be working at the moment.

Chinese New Year At SSG Manor.

2012-01-23T21:41:00.002+11:00

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese New Year, everyone.

I hope you've had a wonderful, food and family filled time of it. It's the year of the dragon and I hope this year brings us all good fortune, happiness and nothing but happiness.

The good last minute Reunion Dinner hostess always remembers to put her can of lychees (bought on the way home tonight) in the freezer so that they are nicely chilled for dessert.

I'm hosting the Reunion Dinner for the members of our family in Sydney at the moment and it's all completely under control. Dessert is in the freezer and our mains for tonight are all ready and waiting to be reheated when everyone gets home.

Mr SSG and I received red packets in the post and a telephone call at the weekend from our parents interstate. So I've nothing to do really, while I sip my glass of CNY bubbly except tell you what else we've been up to this Spring Festival (as CNY is referred to in China). Starting with dessert, of course.

Mr SSG and I visited Chinta Ria Mood For Love at Westfield Sydney last week. I'm a big fan of the original Chinta Ria at Circular Quay (which reminds me, I need to go back gain soon) and I was curious to see what Simon Goh had come up with on the 6th floor designer food floor.

Mood For Love is a romantic vision of Malaysia in its colonial days.

Red shuttered windows and distressed brickwork greet you at the restaurant's entrance and it is visually quite a departure from the sleek silver and black marble of the rest of the retail complex.

The red melamine bowls and black lacquered chop sticks took me back to the hawker's stalls of KL. The glowing lights of JB HiFi being the only reminder that I was in fact in the Sydney CBD.

It's pure romance with a touch of the clandestine eating at Mood For Love. A copy of the menu appears at the front of the restaurant, stapled to a wall and slightly distressed. The full menu in the restaurant comes sealed in a large brown paper envelope.

Mr SSG and I were here only for the desserts but I suspect we will return for a full meal very soon. One of my favourite memories of trips home to Malaysia with my mum are the glorious coconut, pandan and palm sugar flavoured desserts. The desserts of other South East Asian cultures are a challenge for me but the desserts of Malaysia are my downfall.

We ordered two desserts to share from the menu entitled, 'Are You In... Sweetheart?'. See what I mean about Mood For Love being more than just a place to eat?

Pandan sago $8.80

Mr SSG ordered the Pandan sago and it was amazing. Just enough palm sugar under the coconut milk and soft pandan flavoured sago. It was light and refreshing and healthy, I'm telling you.

My favourite Malaysian dessert are kueh dar dar, brown sugar flavoured coconut inside pandan flavoured crepes. An aunty of mine was legendary to a whole generation of hungry primary school aged expats back in Perth. She was a big fan of visual impact and she liked her crepes to be a green closer to jade than Laduree. She also liked extra palm sugar (which she magicked into Perth from Malaysia) so her coconut filling was a glossy, deep brown. The only concession she made to the tamer tastes of Perth was to use desiccated coconut from Coles.

Kueh Rolled Me Green is Mood For Love's sedate almost Bergdorf Blonde version. Subtle flavours, delicate textures and very moreish.

Kueh dar dar $8.80

The crepes are a delicate Limoges tea cup green and the coconut filling more amber than brown. They are also served only in pairs and with a light dusting of sifted icing sugar. My aunty always erred on the side of over feeding and she always served no less than 10 rolls at a time in doily lined takeaway containers, covered with double glad wrap just to make sure.

We made short work of dessert as you can see.

No after dinner stroll in South East Asia is complete without window shopping so Mr SSG gamely accompanied me to the Nespresso store to have a look see at the Shanghai Tang Nespresso machine. It costs and auspicious $588 and the answer is still N-O from Mr SSG as to whether one could come home with us for the newly decluttered kitchen bench.

Back in real time now and it's just about time to serve dinner.

There are a number of traditional foods that people like to have for their reunion dinner at Chinese New Year. Spring rolls, steam boat, yee sang (the lucky chopstick toss salad with anything luxe you can get your hands on like grape fruit segments or raw salmon) or in my case, Malaysian chicken curry. I'm not 100% sure if curry is traditional but I cooked mine in a red Le Creuset to up the auspiciousness factor and added extra flavour with tomato paste and a can of crushed tomatoes. Which now makes it a Franco Italian Malaysian Chinese chicken curry.

The best thing about Malaysian curry is that even the serving instructions tell you that it is best served with either rice or bread. Buttered white toast has got to be my favourite accompaniment to chicken curry but tonight we're going for jasmine rice.

For all the sceptics, the coconut flavoured evaporated milk worked a treat, You can't tell from looking that I didn't use coconut milk.

As I'm in charge of the SSG Reunion Dinner (so in charge I named it after myself), I also got to pick the entree which was....

I'll be honest and say that my package of duck pancakes came from Costco but Coles and Woolies stock them too.

Peking Duck!!!! We're just cutting to the chase actually. It's all about the duck pancakes for me. The fiddly san choy bow and noodle dishes that are also traditionally part of Peking Duck service will not be making an appearance at our place tonight due to time and stomach restraints. I've got my eye on the prize and that prize tonight is canned lychees and vanilla ice cream.

The beauty of this kit is that everything is microwaved. There are 2 duck drumsticks in the package, not just the pieces of crispy duck skin that are traditionally served at restaurants. The way ducks are prepared for Peking Duck is a story on its own. Air has to be pumped between the skin and the meat before cooking in order to get that crispy goodness in the skin. Standards are somewhat relaxed at SSG Manor. Two and a half minutes on high in the microwave is as complicated as it gets for the duck I'm serving tonight.

A large sachet of Hoisin sauce came with the duck pancakes which suits me down to the ground. One of my favourite things on Peking Duck nights is to just have the sauce with a stick of spring onion or cucumber. So I made extra crudités for tonight.

So, how does off the supermarket shelf stack up to Chinese barbecue restaurant?

Maximum effect for minimal Monday night effort.

Pretty darn well is my verdict. The duck actually cooked rather nicely in its microwave safe plastic packaging. The meat was very tender and though the sauce was richly flavoured, it wasn't overly salty. The Hoisin was authentic and there was plenty of it for my extra cucumber and spring onion sticks. There was more than enough duck for the 10 pancakes.

And we're done for another year. Too much food and lots of family love. It's what Chinese New Year is all about. I'd best be off, mum's on the phone for a New Year's chat with all the current residents of SSG Manor.

London Calling. Who Now Knows.

2012-01-22T08:13:00.000+11:00

Half the weekend has now disappeared while I've been attending to a desk full of personal admin. It was all that rain this morning that started me off. Before I knew it, I'd completely cleared my desk of bills and filing.

Then the rain didn't go away so I started on my holiday plans. What started as illegible scrawls of hotels, dates and places to go has now solidified into a couple of tables and a tick box type check list of things that need to be confirmed. I've been google mapping quite a bit of London this weekend. It's such a densely packed city and the names of streets and landmarks are so whimsical and iconic, I felt like I was playing Monopoly.

My current plan allows for 5 days of free time before my conference which is in the Docklands area. I'll be staying in the Westminster area to start with and then moving on to Canary Wharf. I also have a short list of 9 places I need to visit. And they're not shops. Who would have thought. They are rather touristy though.

Cavalicious has reopened and all is good with Saturday mornings again. Except that I was running late and missed out on my usual almond croissant. The ricotta danishes are a pretty fine substitute though.

Technology is a wonderful but every once in a while, your body says no and gives you a headache from looking at your computer screen for too long. So I spent the afternoon reading a hard copy magazine and looking at my battery operated analogue clock.

And it was just as well I was concentrating hard on the pages between Kim K's weight loss and the Golden Globes dress round up because guess who was on both page 67 and 68? Red Phoenix Emporium jewels!!

Seeing RPE's Match My Missoni necklace on page 67 of this week's Who Weekly helped soothe my mind after reading of Kim K's inner turmoil and journey of self discovery.

It was only a matter of time before the nation's fashion editors saw the light, quite frankly. RPE jewels take pride of place in the collections of so many of us ordinary folk and they are so much fun to wear. I swear they give a little love back as well. What's not to like? People, we're in the calm before the fashionista frenzy and our giveaway will definitely put you ahead of the fash pack.

Then I turned over the page and saw the Turquoise Me To Mexico necklace and all remaining memories of what Erin Wasson designed and (sort of but not quite) wore to the Golden Globes was completely erased.

It's fantastic recognition for Willow and Lotus who've worked so hard to bring Red Phoenix Emporium vision to as many fashion lovers as possible. With this coverage in Who Weekly, the sky's the limit. Who Now Knows.

Ladies, I've taken it upon myself to do your PR for London. I'm planning our London campaign right now. It's a place that needs colour at the moment with those 8C daytime temperatures. I'm thinking high tea at The Dorchester as well as frequent trips to Harvey Nichols for maximum brand exposure. Or I could go round to Victoria B's place and have a chat along with an impromptu trunk show.

The Righting of the Ring. More Is More.

2012-01-21T06:30:00.000+11:00

Well, what a difference a bit of blog based pep talk and a night out makes. Thank you everyone for tackling my post of utter despair and hopelessness and then being able to leave such uplifting comments afterwards. Life just is unfair and awful at times and there isn't much to be done about it besides enduring whatever it is and trying not to think too far ahead.

Except to make travel plans. There's nothing like time zones, exchange rates and trying to figure out a foreign city from Google maps to shift your focus from your daily life's seemingly endless troubles. The poor city at the receiving end of my confusion with time zones is London. There are many things iPhones make easier to understand but time differences isn't one of them. When a day is lost, when a day is found etc etc. I'm hoping to tread the same pavement as Princess Kate herself in around 5 weeks so let's hope the ticket and hotel planets align.

So I'm in a better frame of mind now. Perhaps it's because the weekend has rolled around or perhaps because I finally figured out the right way to wear the faux Arty Oval ring. With the stone hitting the knuckle rather than shielding it. Perhaps my chakras got realigned with the righting of the ring. It's actually holding up pretty well. Survived an entire day of hand washing without losing any of its plastique gold toned coating and I haven't had a skin reaction to it either.

My Aunty CK calls this much jewellery together glittering like a Christmas tree. Trousers - Country Road, T - Calvin Klein at Costco.

As it turns out, the blue of my ring cleverly echoed the blue of my Party Like It's 1920 necklace from Red Phoenix Emporium. Which was as good a reason as any to wear the two together as well as a bit of Hermes Clic Clac chunkiness at the wrist. I admit, it was a bit much all of it together, the gold and silver tones but some days, more is more. It was not a day to heed Coco Chanel's advice to look in the mirror and remove one piece of jewellery before leaving the house for the day.

A notebook that's never going to get lost in my bag.

For those of you who are notebook addicts, have you seen the brand Leuchtturm 1917 around? I found this notebook at Books Kinokuniya and the colour alone was enough to make me buy it. They are also slightly wider than Moleskines and a bit cheaper. The thing I like about the Leuchtturm 1917s is that there are index pages as well as numbered pages in the body of the notebook. Despite my love of technology, I still can't make decent notes with a keyboard and find it much easier to write down notes at conferences and teaching days.

There are also groovy accessories like this colour co-ordinated pen loop that you stick on the back cover of the notebook. Alas, only for one ball point and no extra loops for a highlighter, liquid paper pen and coloured roller ball pen. The bare minimum I carry for note taking.

That's about it for the moment. I've a quiet weekend planned. Cavalicious has reopened this week so I'll be down there this morning for a coffee and then the rest of the weekend will just unfurl from there. I hope you have a lovely one.

An Urban Summer's Day. Jamie's Italian, Sydney.

2012-01-20T18:28:00.003+11:00

Summer emits a different heat in the city. It's infused with a layer of haze and the air feels thicker. You can't hear the sea breeze over the din of buses and the street crossing buzzers. I also doubt that much of the sea is left in the breeze by the time it blows across the endless alleys and side streets. Which makes it feel hotter than it is.

Thank goodness for the trees and the shade they give in the places where the long shadows of buildings don't reach.

Because that's the only place to enjoy a coffee on a summer's afternoon. It felt a little like home finding Bertoni Casalinga in the CBD. Bertoni's in Balmain is one of my favourite places to visit after early morning yoga. Mr SSG and I would pull up an inverted milk crate and have our coffees and Italian doughnuts after class and people watch Balmain style. My coffee was perfect and if I closed my eyes, I could have been in Balmain on my milk crate.

The languid afternoon was a suitable prelude to a mid week dinner with Mr SSG. The Sydney CBD is just made for summer evenings. There's things to see, eat and drink and it's all under the arches of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The planets must have aligned as well because there was no queue outside Jamie's Italian on Pitt Street either.

Jamie's tea towel inspired cloth napkins.

Mr SSG and I were greeted warmly by the British wait staff who all had enviable tans to set off their uniforms of dark denim jeans, white Ts and aprons. I think that's how you tell the locals from the visitors, the darker the tan, the more likely is the owner to have come from across the seas.

We had a table upstairs. The restaurant is much larger than it appears from its rather unassuming store front. It's decorated in true Jamie style which made Mr SSG feel as if he were on the set of one of Jamie's television programs. Tables were well spaced and the dark, simple decor made me feel comfy and relaxed and not as I were dining at a restaurant chain.

The main bar is downstairs and there is a wide range of Italian beers and wines on offer. The bar area started to get very busy around 6pm as the after work crowd rolled in for dinner on the way home. The noise level never got too crazy and despite the numbers of diners, it never felt too crowded or chaotic.

Assorted Italian beers, $7.50.

Bread is complimentary and comes dressed in olive oil and fresh herbs. There is a combination of breads on offer including a flat bread and ciabatta. I didn't need to use the balsamic vinegar and olive oil supplied, the bread was tasty enough on its own.

There are several stations around the restaurant where the bread tins are prepared and the staff are generous with seconds if you need them.

As an entree, we shared a plate of marinated sardines ($9.00) which were flavoured with lemon, parsley and chilli. It was such a delicate and zesty dish that it took me by surprise. I was expecting heavy and oily which some of Oliver's dishes tend to be but this was very refreshing and the perfect thing to share on a summer's evening.

Marinated sardines, $9.00.

Service was efficient given the size of the restaurant and there were two kitchens running, this is the counter surrounding the restaurant's upper level kitchen.

Tuscan Wild Boar Sausages.

For mains, Mr SSG ordered the Tuscan Wild Boar Sausages ($22.50). These came with a lentil salad and a salsa. Again, very fresh and light flavours despite the main ingredient being a meaty sausage.

Prawn Linguine.

My main was the prawn linguine ($25.00 main size, $15.00 entree) and was the perfect sized serve as a main. The pasta had bite and is obviously freshly made. There sauce was generously spiked with prawns and fresh tomatoes. For the price, I was very impressed. It wasn't stodgy and the rocket garnish was a nice touch.

The house Bellini is $9 and is features Jamie's Vino Frizzante

Jamie actually has his own range of wines and his sparkling, Vino Frizzante, is the basis for the Bellini served here. There's a complicated process involved with this which requires the bubbly to be poured over a a special silver muddler onto the peach puree. It's fascinating to watch. I forgot to check the shop area to see if the muddler is available to the general punter.

I think this is my future toaster, when our current one dies a natural death.

As evening drew closer, the 90s pop soundtrack got a little louder as the crowd loosened up after a long day at work.

It really felt a million miles away from the financial centre traffic just outside the window.

After a Bellini and a glass of Fizzante, I had no room for dessert but I will be returning again soon for the tiramisu. Jamie Oliver, I really enjoyed dinner at your Italian here in Sydney. The food was fresh, light and tasty. It was a lovely way to experience your style of cooking.