Me :)

I don't have much time... but I do recall having promised pictures. So, folks, if you are curious... this is me!!

Sorry for the shortness, but I have chilled white wine, homemade guacamole and pita crisps awaiting me outside on the balcony... how can one resist?

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

xoxoxoxox

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot!

No, my post title doesn’t refer to the weather… unfortunately :( I am desperate for summer to hurry up and kick in properly – enough of these cold winds and overcast days! I’m longing for the really hot 31 Degrees Celsius days – like this weekend hopefully! (If the weatherman is to be trusted that is – and our history together leads to me to be sceptical of his predictions…)

OK, so technically most people would call today “warm” or “nice” – but these, “most” people are also blessed with the ability NOT to feel EVERY TINY LITTLE bit of coldness. I, however, was born without this ability. I feel the cold. Like, REALLY FEEL. Comes from being quite skinny and having very, very poor circulation I guess (example no 1: the three heaters + bed socks + doonas my parents used to put in my room when I was little kid during winter to keep me warm. Did it stop me from contracting chilblains? No siree!!)

But, I’m getting distracted…

The post title. It refers instead to ginger tea. Hot ginger tea. Now, I love ginger tea, sweetened with a little fake honey, it’s the perfect way to wind down an evening, settle the digestion etc etc… So this is what I did on my Tuesday night, curled on the couch with the BF, reading my book. I had the freshly, piping hot brewed tea in my massive, special mug, I went to take a sip and…

… Missed.

Yes, folks, I missed my mouth.

An 18 year old girl that cannot even perform the simple task of drinking. Incredible, no?

So basically, I spilled scalding hot water all over my stomach and hips. I quite literally screamed and jolted off the couch like I had been electrocuted. The pain was AWFUL!!! I don’t know if you’ve ever been burnt but… IT HURTS A LOT!!!

Thank God for my sweet BF is all I can say. He managed to grab me and calm down my shocked tears. Then he lay me down and I spent the remainder of my night with an icepack on my stomach to cool down the skin. Can I add it was a cold night and having ice rubbed across your stomach can be oh so slightly unpleasant when you’re already pretty damn chilly… >_<

Thankfully, last night was a much better night spent at the parentals house with my siblings and their partners. The one thing that all people claim after spending a night at my parents house is, “You’re parents always get me drunk!!!” Yep, last night was no exception! :)

I admit that I might have overindulged a little bit, not only on the wine and champagne front, but also in my food consumption… But nothing beats my Mum’s cooking, so how could I resist? We were greeted with freshly warmed bread and a big bowel of homemade hummus which I promptly dived into and made a substantial dent in.

There were several glasses of champagne consumed around the bar (yep, my parents have a – well-stocked – bar in their house – and they know how to use it too My Dad displayed his bartending skills last night by whipping up Tequila Sunrises!) as we ploughed our way through the snacks.

As well as hummus there was homemade French Onion dip, rice crackers, carrot sticks, dukka and olive oil to dip bread in, thinly sliced cheese and stuffed olives – does my Mum know how to put on a spread or what?? OK, so I couldn’t have all of it… but the amount of hummus and bread I consumed I don’t think I needed anything else…

Next we progressed to the dining table for cold meats and salads, our light, refreshing main meal. Oh, yes, and a few bottles of Sauvignon Blanc to go with the food of course ;) My Mum even did up a platter of vegan “fake” meats for me :) The salads were freshly roasted, home-grown beetroot mixed with spinach and rocket leaves and drizzled with spiced, Greek yogurt (I admit it, I had some… I'm such a bad vegan... >.<), a salad of tomatoes, fresh avocado, cucumber and balsamic dressing and a spiced, roast potato salad. Yep, I ended up eating faaarrrrr too much…

Only… that didn’t stop me from being a bad vegan again and indulging in an icecream on the way home >_<

I am amazed I have any appetite at all today… But thus is my fast metabolism…

Oooh, I’m really excited about tomorrow too! I’m going to the Green Day concert with my sister and the BF – should be awesome!! Kinda terrified about the moshing situation however… I’m pretty sure that I will get trampled to death (considering I’m so tiny and weak that I can never even open my water bottles half the time… those twist-tops are damn hard!!)

The weekend ahead is fairly quiet though – no hard partying is on the agenda (due to budget constraints… >_<), but a big family get-together on the Sunday, which should be fun. That is, if my tiny, annoying little cousins decide to behave themselves and not run around screaming and hitting people at random…

Wishful thinking…

Hope you have a great Thursday!

Ciao for now!

xoxoxoxox

Crazy Nights :)

Phew! That was an intense weekend! And I mean "intense" in a good – except for one minor (ok, major…) detail – way!

Btw, before I continue, I apologise for the lack of photos – believe me, I hate it more than you (by “you” I mean if there is possibly anyone actually reading this blog… >_<) do, but we have a severe lack of internet (or, for that matter, computers…) in our household at the moment, so I am forced to solely post from work, surreptitiously typing up my posts in a tiny window at the bottom of my screen… Hopefully, I should nab some real, un-secret internet access from the parentals house this weekend, and then I shall bombard this blog with pictures!!!

But back to my weekend!!

Friday night kicked off with a bang – well, technically with a text. On the long, boring and hunger-filled bus ride home from work (seriously, am I the only one who is STARVING after work??? Like, all I can think about is FOOOOODDDD (!!!!) the entire trip home!) I got a text from my bro inviting me out that night with his GF and some mates. It took a split second contemplation: going out partying… or staying at home watching “Turner & Hooch”.

Ok, "Turner & Hooch" is a cute movie… but is there really any competition??? :)

So the BF and I whipped ourselves up a quickie dinner – well, I did anyway, the BF couldn’t be stuffed and made a trip to the local fast food joint for a deliciously healthy (not!) meal of greasy garlic bread and a “chicken” ( THAT’S debatable…) burger... Meanwhile, I tossed together a salad of lettuce, cherry tomato, roasted zucchini (done in olive oil, cracked black pepper and a bit of salt), peas and corn, drizzled with a tomato-chilli dressing with a toasted pita bread and hummus on the side. Light, luscious and filling!

Anyway, our night started off with pre-drinks at the bro’s house where we made an amazing discovery of possibly THE WORST tasting vodka energy drink EVER. We decided it was so disgusting we had to shoot it to get rid of the remaining bottles. Quite possibly it was the effects of these shots that led us to decide to smuggle out own vodka into the clubs in hopes of simply ordering soft drinks than adding our own alcohol (this didn’t work – they don’t allow you to bring glasses into the toilets surprise surprise!!).

We then walked (ok, more stumbled…) down to the pub on the corner and indulged in some miiigghhhttyyyy big pints (well, not THAT big… having been to and experienced the pints at Oktoberfest, no beer is too big!!) and talked nothingness for an hour (this included discussion of the TV show “Glee”, the dubbing of my BF as a “Gleek” and also an epic quest by me to steal as many breath mints from the front counter. Do not ask me why. I was craving mint…)

Then it was onto the taxi to our club (after entertaining the taxi driver with pointless jokes, i.e. “What do you call a penguin in the middle of the desert?” “LOST!!!”) where we spent the night dancing until 3am in the morning, when we poured ourselves into the taxi home then collapsed into bed.

The next day I was greeted with another text inviting me out that night with my girl mates. There was another pause in contemplation… then I thought, “Why not? I’m young, I can do it!!!”

I spent the day with the BF’s family having a long, late lunch (unfortunately consisting of roast chicken, non-vegan coleslaw, non-vegan dips, non-vegan salami… but some nice bread rolls and carrot sticks! >_<) then dolled myself up for the night. Dinner was a repeat of the previous night (I’m ADDICTED to hummus at the moment!!!) and a glass of Houghton’s Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. Best. Wine. Ever. :)

My mates and I caught the bus into the CBD and hit up a bar first for cocktails – I had the most delicious cocktail called a “Sea Breeze” – vodka, cranberry, passionfruit, strawberry – yum yum! Oh, and, a quick smile to the bartender got me a) served first and b) a little heartshaped strawberry on the side of the my glass … lets not tell the BF about that! ;)

We headed to the dance-floor next and amused ourselves by gawping at the over-the-top, dressed as cowboy-and-cowgirl couple that were drunkenly creating erratic dance routines nearby, then decided it was time to move on. To the local gay-friendly club! Yes, some of my girl mates are gay and, well, the place is damn fine and classy!! After all, where else can you see a drag queen show for free? It was hilariously fabulous!

The night ended semi-early for me, when my gorgeous BF drove all the way out to pick me up at 1am (he considered a taxi home alone “too dangerous” – aww :) what a sweetie!!). So I collapsed into bed around 2 o’clock, thoroughly contended and also thoroughly exhausted…

Then came Sunday night. Ugh. Felt ok-ish during the day – cured my hangover with a mug of tea with rice milk, sweetened with fake honey and a big bowel of yogurt, cereal, chopped pineapple and plum, cinnamon and fake honey, watched “Rock N Rolla” and generally lazed about. Then, I started to feel a bit ill. But, silly me, I still decided to go out for a walk. By the time I got back… the damage was done. I felt so sick. I crawled into bed at 8pm, woke up at 8:30 sweating and feverish and completely delirious. The poor BF spent the night trying to assure me that, yes, I did indeed have hands as I was convinced that I didn't because I couldn’t feel them…

Needless to say, I spent yesterday off work to recuperate and am feeling much better today :)

A case of burning the candle at both ends perhaps? Or just a random sickness? Who knows? Has anyone else ever had that happen to them perhaps as the result of pushing themselves that bit too far?

In any case, it’s almost the end of the day – thank God! Vision of dinner dance in my head – stir-fried vegetables and soba noodles boiled in green tea infused water – YUM!! I can hear the comfy couch at home calling my name!

Ciao for now! Please, if any is reading, feel free to comment… nice comments I hope! :)

xoxoxoxox

"Scrubs": The Creator Of Brilliant Ideas

There is something to be said for having a license. You know, something other than the freedom, independence, being able to go where you want to etc etc…

I like to tell myself that, really, me not having a license (and also me being to lazy to do anything about this…) is actually a good thing – I mean, I catch public transport and therefore do not pollute the air and thus save the universe (well, not entirely save, but you get what I mean…) and also I get good exercise walking everything and…

Yeah, let’s go back to the public transport thing actually. Coz really, it ain’t that great. Well, it is great with the low pollution etc, but some of the people on the bus make catching it to work in the morning a harrowing experience.

You have several types on a bus – The Quiet People who read or listen to their iPod or chat quietly amongst themselves…

Then you have the Loud, Abusive Drunks, The Overbearing *Think-They-Are-Charming-But-Are-Just-Seriously-Deluded” Guys… the Sleazy Staring Guys (who, if you didn’t gather from the name: STARE. Very obviously. AT YOU. *shudder*). And the People Who Are Attracted To My Seat.

No, seriously.

Every morning. Empty seats behind me, in front of me, TO THE LEFT OF ME. And people will always choose to sit right on the seat next to me. And then they will relax. They can be the smallest person ever, but when they relax – they expand. Not only do they now sit in their seat, they also now sit on half of my seat whilst I huddle against the window in my severely decreased space… And I don’t dare scooch away. Because I’m terrified if I try and move away or to another seat, they’ll get offended and think I don’t like them, think that I think they smell etc etc…

I know, I know. It’s petty. It’s pathetic that it annoys me. I know this for a fact as, at our last family dinner, my attempt to explain how annoying it was ended with my elder sister demanding, “But WHY is it so annoying?”

To which my muted reply was, “BECAUSE… I have to put my bag on my lap.”

…

In my defence, it’s a big bag. (Also, she had the unfair advantage of having drunk less wine than me that night and therefore her arguments were more sound and rational…)

But I shall move on. To the more important topic of last night’s dinner. Inspired by Scrubs.

I got home, tired from a days worth of nothingness at work with just enough energy to go for my daily run. But no energy left to utilize my imagination in regards to what I would cook for dinner. I spent approximately 15 minutes standing in front of an open fridge, seeing, staring, trying to muster energy. After turning down the Boy’s offer to join him in a Red Rooster binge (because there are SO many vegan options at Red Rooster I’m sure…), I finally saw something. Soy yogurt.

Then… it hit me…

BRINNER!!!

Otherwise known as, ‘BREAKFAST FOR DINNER!!”

Could life get any better than breakfast for dinner???? :D

Yes, inspired by Scrubs (see episode “My Bad Too”… no, better yet, just watch ALL Scrubs episodes because they are friggen awesome!), I concocted what fellow food bloggers will recognize as a yogurt mess.

Bliss – mango-peach soy yogurt, Vogels Soy and Linseed Ultra Bran, ¾ of a mango (I say ¾ as the remaining of the mango took a detour to my mouth and never made it to the bowl…), a handful of puffed corn, lashings of cinnamon and a drizzle of fake maple syrup. It looked stunning, brilliant – until I took my spoon and mushed and mixed the entire thing into one mess. As you do :)

Oh yes, and of course I had with it my two pieces of toast spread thickly with the old Aussie classic – Vegemite :) Yes, I know it’s an acquired taste. Yes, I know I put it on so thick that you can hardly see the bread. But I loves it. Spending two months in Europe deprived of its strong taste led to many a fruitless search amongst foreign supermarkets…

And tooonnniiiggghhhhtttttt is late night shopping!! Whoot! I have a $60 voucher burning a hole in my wallet, absolutely no self control when it comes to shopping and sheer determination to spend, spend, spend!! Should be a good night :) Not only late night for clothes stores, of course, but also a chance to stock up on fresh veggies and health food tonight, hurrah! Been craving some organic hummus with pita bread – yum!

In any case, it will be better night than last night where I fell asleep on the couch at – no joke – 8:30pm. Lame. AND I turned down an offer to go out with my mates to a half-price cocktail night. Double lame. I must be getting old!!

In any case, I was awoken from my cramped, foetal position on the couch by a gigantic bear hug from the Boy, so that made up for such a dull night :)

Well, I must be off lovlies! Time to trawl the blogosphere as I while away the hours of work (instead of, you know, actually doing work haha)

Ciao!

Xoxoxoxox

P.S. For the record, in regards to the constant advice that your parentals give you on cutting AWAY from yourself… Listen to it. Seriously. Because fingers bleed A LOT. And, being a vegetarian, blood in your food – even if it’s yours – isn’t appealing… >_<

How to Start My Very First Post... ?

OK, that turned out to be a harder question to answer than I anticipated...

It involved me creating a blog then logging in and logging out repeatedly whilst I waited for inspiration to strike, agonized over what to write, attempted to write drafts, jotted down notes etc etc…

Then I thought, “Bugger it, I doubt anyone will read this anyway!”

So, rather in the same vein as ripping off a bandaid quickly to get it off with minimal pain (an old wives tale if I ever heard one – it still bloody kills!!), I have plunged in recklessly and let my mind ramble onto this post.

...My mind ramble… never a good thing… See, my mind follows what my friends have described as: “The Laser Pointer Effect.” Basically, imagine standing in a hall of mirrors and pointing a laser at one mirror – then watch as the laser bounces from mirror randomly, erratically and crazily. That, folks, is my mind: crazy, jumping and random :)

I suppose I should let you know what you’re getting yourself into if you read this blog :)

Well, this blog will be my ramblings on life…

…on fashion (one of my great loves and passions)…

…on food (another of my great loves, believe it not – most people irritatingly opt for the “not” option, which isn’t actually surprising considering my 160cm height and the fact that I barely tip the scales at 40kgs…)…

…and basically everything that my bored mind conjures while I try and fill in time at work. Yep, at work. I’m a receptionist and half the time I surf the net in a desperate attempt to amuse myself and keep the boredom from causing my brain to melt…

Oh, and, you know, occasionally I do actually do work as well… ;)

Now, about me. Ugh. I hate writing facts about myself. So lets just throw some random stuff out there:

~ I’m 18
~ I work as a receptionist
~ I’m starting university in two months for a Bachelor of Communications, majoring in Performance Studies
~ I want to become an actress (shallow, no? ;))
~ I’ve been a strict vegetarian for 2 years and am trying to become a vegan (I say “trying” because I do so well, then I go to Mum and Dad’s house and my brother – a former dessert chef – places an array of very much non-vegan cakes on the table and… well… my willpower decides to take a slight, brief (and delicious!) vacation…)
~ I live out of home with my boyfriend of over 1 year and his twin brother. Can you say overload of testosterone? Can you say “housemaid”?... :/
~ I drink far too much wine. Pft, what am I saying? You can never have too much vino! ;)
~ I spent the past to months backpacking around Europe using the Eurail and covered London, Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Florence, Venice, Salazberg, Munich, Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Copenhagen and Sweden – it was possibly the most amazing and life changing experience of my life :)

...It also left me pretty much broke lol...

I think that’s enough information for now. I have sufficiently bored and scared you off. All in one post. Quite an achievement if I do say so myself :)

In any case, real posts will begin tomorrow, this afternoon… whenever I can!

Ciao for now, mes aimes!

xoxoxo