Ladytron

I like them so much better on CDs, their early ones.

I was disappointed with the lacklustre show this evening. We entertained ourselves watching some kids in front of us dancing like "it was 1996" - the boyfriend said he's not seen anyone busting such moves since.

Looking For A Nice Dress For A White Wedding

We've got a Spring wedding to attend at the end of the month - the ceremony in the Royal Botanic Gardens and the reception across the harbour on an island. An excuse to buy a dress, yes. But I hate shopping for things for specific occasions, with a deadline to meet. I can always trawl an existing-something from the wardrobe but I already have a picture of me, in my head, wearing a shiny modern take of a 1920s flapper dress.






















How I got that picture, I don't know but this photo of Heimstone's Mustang Dress was sent to me by the Personal Shopper after I told her of my wardrobe woe. Lucky bitch just asked for one for her birthday and got it! This loose sister of the corset dress. Of course I clicked on the site right away but all's been sold. Found another one here but the price is not as generously slashed and it's hard paying for it when I know I could have bought it at a cheaper and cheerier figure. Sigh. Back to square one. I'm glad the happy couple has a wedding registry - save me madly shopping for another thing with a looming deadline.

Marc Jacobs X(X) Kaws

I love Kaws' early advertising poster-enhancement works.

And I have had a very soft spot for things by Marc Jacobs for a long time too but, I have to say, not all the time.

Putting the two together to mark the Marc Jacobs mouse flats' 10th anniversary, one would think, would be a godsend, a long-anticipated (well, for me, anyway, ever since I read about it) match made in heaven.

Bah! What a letdown. The only thing , if I have to find something, that I like about them are the Kaws trademark "XX" for eyes.

Good thing too because if I did love them, I would be throwing myself head-on into heartache-ville for procuring a pair would not be easy with only 150 pairs released worldwide tomorrow. And only at colette in Paris, OriginalFake in Tokyo, and the Marc Jacobs flagship stores in the US and London.

Dø, A Deer, A Female Deer

the dø (as in "do-re-mi", the first note on the musical scale) are Dan and Olivia. This cute couple makes cute music (on heavy rotation at the moment) and Olivia wears the cutest clothes (high on the covet list).

Like a gold tiered ruffle skirt over Hammer pants in their On My Shoulders video.
















Also in the same video, a puffball dress with miniature cape detail.

In At Last, a frothy white onesie...

and this super-fluid stripes and ruffles tunic...

with more ruffles on the back!

Plus this girl-Bambi has a personality to match her wardrobe too. Feeling a girl-crush brewing?

Stars Are Still Trickling Down

Such is the effect of Yves Saint Laurent's Star Plexi Necklace from earlier this year? Or could it be that the "star" is a such classic symbol/shape/form/outline that it never goes out of style? They never did with me. Anyway, I saw stars everywhere when I was shoppping in Singapore.

Long star-"studded" necklace from Topshop - I removed the white stars between the silver ones because I thought they made the cheap necklace look even cheaper. The boyfriend says I look like a sad Christmas tree decorated with one lonely strand of tinsel when I wear it but I don't give a shit because it adds instant sparkle to any outfit and the shiny stars make me happy. Did think about buying a few more just to look like a properly-dressed Christmas tree.

Star earrings from Topshop - Of course I had to have the matching huge-ish (for me) earrings. The Personal Shopper insisted. How very 80s they are.

Star-embossed wallet from the Comme des Garcons Guerrilla Store - It was actually the colour that made me buy it. Only realised they were stars when I got home.

Or maybe the "stars" play with everybody's latent desire/need/dream/aspiration to be one? Like it says on this very old pair of Camper mary-janes...

Glossy Gooseberries

The cape gooseberries from yesterday, all toffeed-up, sitting with their strawberry and mulberry pals on a cushy bed of vanilla crème patisserie in a pâte sucrée tartshell, waiting to be devoured.

We Are Not Alone

I really didn't think the traditional Scottish fabric was going to be so well-liked but these are the lastest from the lovely ladies at Lady Luck Rules OK today - their "new fashion crush".

Might move the fastener a few notches on this long Moschino pencil skirt handed down to me by the very pregnant Mrs Bunny and wear it as a strapless dress.

But the sewing will have to wait until I'm done nursing my favourite Scotch. On the rocks.

I Love Capes. I Love Berries.

I had my first cape gooseberry today. Its flavour is pretty complex - started off tasting like a tomato and ended on a creamy, almost cheese-y note - for such a tiny thing.

Its parchment-like husk, its "cape", made me think of ancient Chinese rain capes.

We're going to "waterproof" the berries (capes attahed) tomorrow - sugar-coat them like toffee apples and put them on a spring berries tart.

Work

First day back...to familiar faces, smells and tastes. And news.

Translating Tartan

From winter to spring. Bye-bye, heavy pieces. Hello, lightweight adornment numbers.

+ Big fabric brooch - Top Shop, Singapore
+ Canvas flats - Far East Plaza, Singapore

+ Old school bag - Rediscovered in box of old things, Singapore

The Big Things Are Not Going Away!

I picked up this illustrated children's book, Special Kev by Chris McKimmie, at Borders today. I ordered it more than a month ago for the boyfriend's birthday (for obvious reasons - no, he's not a child but he can behave like one sometimes, as boys do) but it didn't arrive before we left for our holiday and his birthday.

I just read it for the first time and when I got to these pages, I cackled.

Goddamn Big Avocado! I hope the boyfriend enjoys the surprise within his surprise.

Grey With A Twist Of Green: Weather-Appropriate Dressing

I should have known the past few brilliant-blue-sky days were too good to be true. Like the years before, I got conned yet again into thinking we'll bypass Spring and get straight into Summer. The new shoots on trees looked so much better yesterday. Forever the optimist when it comes to the weather. Bah.

Well, at least I get to wear this light wool deconstructed top that I nearly didn't buy at Zara in Singapore for the same optimistic reason. Happy that its crazy drapes and unexpected twists, folds and gathers will see the (grey) light of day before I retire it with the rest of of my warmies. Now, I have to go find something green to match. Maybe my green Orla Kiely wellies.

Gimme Hoki

Wednesday 17 September - Port Macquarie to Newcastle

This paper cone of fish 'n' chips from the only pub in the small coastal town of Tea Gardens is by far the best that we've had along the coast.

I like my fish crumbed, preferably with crunchy Japanese panko, but it's rare. I'd be lucky to find battered fish that hasn't got a thick, doughy and soggy coating - everything that Tea Gardens' isn't.

The fish used is the locally-caught Hoki, once regarded as inferior but now accepted as prime white fish. I don't know why it was frowned upon because its texture and taste are amazing for a "cheap" fish. So good that it is slowly taking over Flake (also known as "shark") as the one of the more commonly-used fish for the country's favourite nibbles. With so many people eating fish 'n' chips daily, it's good news for the threatened shark population which is not breeding like bunnies to keep up with the number of pals they lose to the deep fryer.

So if you are into the ethical eating sort of thing, question the fish man before you order. And read this.

There, my public service announcement for the day.

Buggy! Not Motorbikes!

Wednesday 17 September - Port Macquarie to Newcastle

The plan was to stop in Nabiac to visit the Amish Country Barn, a craft shop/cafe owned by Australia's only Amish family. We drove up and down the very short main street but couldn't find a shop with an old-style buggy on the front lawn. We stumbled upon The National Motorcycle Museum of Australia on a side street instead.

Motorbike enthusiast will love this huge privately-owned purpose-built gallery housing more than 700 bikes. For a girl whose very limited knowledge of motorcyles picked up from watching Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman go the Long Way Round and Long Way Down, and Sir Anthony Hopkins in The World's Fastest Indian, I was impressed with the number of bikes on display, and in love with some of the old ones.

The National Motorcycle Museum of Australia
33 Clarkson Street
Nabiac
New South Wales

Mexican In Port Macquarie

Dinner last Tuesday was a toss-up between yet more pub grub (we've had at least one pub meal in every town) or Toro's Mexican Cantina next to our hotel. The blinking Christmas lights-lit Toro's won - we were so sick of greasy and stodgy alcohol-soaking food and it's hard to fuck up Mexican food, right?














It was a laugh-a-minute evening - the first thing that got us started was the decor. Of course we had to sit in one of the booths!














Every table had a made-for-Toro's candle holder. Loved the cactus cut-out. Also custom-made were their ceramic place mats which had key Spanish phrases painted on them.

It's been a long time since I've had a drink with a paper umbrella. It was a huge and very tasty margarita - no salt.














The boyfriend had a beef chili con carne. Look at the crown of corn chips. More giggles.














I had chicken enchiladas without rice or beans. Our waitress was taken aback and said that it was going to be small meal without them and offered extra corn chips. It sure wasn't a small meal when it arrived.

The food wasn't great - the boyfriend's beef wasn't cooked long enough to allow the flavours to be absorbed, the chicken in my enchiladas was tender and tasty but the sauce was bland and their guacamole was just plain avocado mash. However, what Toro's lacked in the food department, they made up for with their hysterical service - our waitress had us in stitches without meaning to - and super-Mexicano decorating ideas.

Insatiable Wanderlust And Appetite

The rental car is not due back until this evening so instead of ploughing our way through the huge load of laundry and tidying the apartment yesterday, we went for one last drive - three hours down south this time to have lunch at Lynwood Cafe in the tiniest of town, Collector...so small that we missed the highway exit on our drive last year.

It might seem silly (which we have been very often lately) to travel such a distance just for a meal but I'm so glad the boyfriend suggested it - even if there was no food involved, I'd be happy just to have had the opportunity to see the inside of the quaint old farmhouse.


One of the smaller dining rooms in which we ate - Lynwood's owners bought the house and converted it into a cafe. This cute little room off the main dining hall, I assume, was once a bedroom.

The window - Overlooking the outdoor dining area in the beautiful back garden. I love how it floods the room with luminous natural light.

Table setting - Charmingly lo-fi Cath Kidston vibes.

Shaved pear salad with Gorgonzola, rocket and pinenuts - We shared this classic blue cheese and pear combo that can never go wrong.

Corn beef with seasonal vegetable and mustard sauce - The boyfriend's meal. I had a taste of the mash with the sauce - very very comforting.

Coq au vin with parsnip mash - My lunch. The chicken was cooked to perfection, soft and nearly off-the-bone. But the sauce was a little bitter - could be the vin that was used? I cleaned my plate anyway.

Lemon polenta tea cake - I made the boyfriend order it because I wanted a taste. Very lemon-rindy = very delicious! And the texture was just perfect.

Scone with Lynwood preserve and double cream - This is seriously the best scone that I've ever had (better than mine). Everyone has their own take on how a scone should taste - I like mine biscuit-crusty on the outside and soft on the inside and Lynwood's fulfilled my wishes. And the preserve was so good we bought some to take home.

The long drive was well worth it. Lynwood Cafe is such a special little place that encompasses all that I love about eating-out in Australia - their use of top-grade regional and seasonal produce on a menu of dishes cooked utilising the simplest of methods that draw out the best of the ingredients. All served in a totally unpretentious environment by friendly and knowledgeable staff. With an excellent House White to match.

Lynwood Cafe
1 Murray Street
Collector
New South Wales
Ph: (02) 4848 0200
Website: www.lynwoodcafe.com.au
Opening Hours: Thursday to Sunday & Public Holidays - 10am to 5pm
Friday & Saturday Nights - 6pm to 10pm (Bookings advisable)