Every day bar Saturday and Sunday goes something like this:
Wake-up.
Press snooze.
Snooze.
Press snooze again.
Snooze.
Get-up... eventually.
Feed the cats... otherwise I physically cannot walk anywhere in the house without tripping over them.
Scoop kitty litter.
Get ready for work. (I am running late because I pressed snooze too many times.)
Before I leave the house, I make sure that all the cats are accounted for (and not trapped in the wardrobe).
Travel to work. I am a tight arse when it comes to paying for parking, so I catch public transport (which never fails to disappoint me). On some days I could literally walk the 3 km journey to work faster than the time the bus takes. On such days you will find me at my bus stop constantly looking at my watch trying to decide whether to walk or wait. Sooner or later (depending on how late the bus is) you will find me on the bus with my bitch face on, internally cursing the Adelaide public transportation system and thinking I could have walked faster!
Arrive at work.
Drink coffee and eat breakfast while reading news.com.au. I'm one of those people who reads the comments section of news stories. I miss reading the comments by the news troll called Kevin of Double Bay.
Work.
Breathe a sign of relief when it's lunch time. I love to eat, as well as shop in my lunch break...
Work some more and drink some tea.
Breathe a sigh of relief when it is home time. I love going home - home is where my heart is.
Some nights when I'm extra disorganised, I visit the supermarket to buy dinner ingredients. I spend way more money then I should on groceries going about things this way, but my trips to the supermarket hold some of the most exciting moments of my week (yes, really). So I enjoy doing this often.
Walk to the bus stop only to discover that I have missed my bus. The next one is not for another half an hour at this point of the evening... I now have my bitch face on again, internally cursing the Adelaide public transportation system and remember longingly that the trains in New York, London and Paris come every 5 minutes.
Get home finally and check our letterbox. (As I'm opening the letterbox, I pray for my magazine subscription delivery and not more bills.)
Walk through the door. It's quarter past six on a day that I managed to escape work a little early. It's pushing seven thirty if I've been held back a little or I've been to the supermarket. (Thanks go to Adelaide's public transport system for failing me yet again... I only live 3 km from work for God's sake! It shouldn't be this late already!)
Cuddle the cats (and my boyfriend if he happens to be home before me, which is hardly ever).
Scoop kitty litter.
Feed the cats a little bit of raw meat - I believe it is important for their teeth that they chew, but one of my cats 'Mishka' swallows pieces whole...
Cook dinner.
Load the dish washer. (I love this machine.)
At this point I look around the house and depending on the day of the week that it is, I either lament how I didn't do a good enough job cleaning the house over the weekend or how much cleaning there is to do next weekend. Things do not seem to matter much on a Wednesday... I make a bigger mess.
Play with the cats.
It is late in the evening now. This is when the realisation that it's almost bedtime sets in. It's funny, I'm still like a kid - I dread going to bed... (but the adult in me loves to sleep in late.)
Waste time - either mucking around on the internet or watching some TV. Our favourite TV shows at the moment are Game of Thrones (my boyfriend regrets reading the books because at least twice in each episode I'll turn to him and ask "did that happen in the book!?") and Hannibal (so gripping, I'm pleased to read that it has been renewed for a third season). We are still watching Californication, although I really think this show is beyond dirty now. Surely people in real life do not converse like the characters on this show?!
Prepare breakfasts (yogurt, rolled oats and berries EVERYDAY) and lunches (leftovers EVERYDAY).
Get ready for bed.
Feed the cats (just a sprinkle) because at this point they are behaving like I've been starving them for a week. I know for certain now that this is the reason why they are fat, but I can't help myself. I also change the water in their water bowls - one less thing to do in the morning... one extra minute of snooze time!
Go to bed.
My boyfriend and I discuss hopefully winning the lotto the next day so that the next morning is the last time we have to get up for work. EVER. (*Insert sarcastic laughter here* because we hardly ever buy lotto tickets.)
Turn off the lights (and annoy my boyfriend with the glow of my i device).
Fall asleep... eventually.
Do it all again the next day.
I sometimes feel a little jaded about my life, but then I remember that my boyfriend and I have our health, food on the table and a roof over our heads, not to mention very nice stuff and two very beautiful fat cats. We are very lucky and I need to remember this every day.
Children should make things a little interesting... How do people do it?
Overseas grocery shopping
We're back from our holidays in Europe. Needless to say we had a fantastic time.
Am I the only one who enjoys grocery shopping in foreign countries?
We honestly could have bought more, but in the end we managed to haul the following goodies back to Australia (noting that we bought more chocolate during our travels, but we ate it along the way).
I regret not buying more vodka in Poland and other floral honeys in France.
We lost track of how much alcohol we had purchased (one can *only* bring 2.25 litres of alcoholic beverages duty-free into Australia) and I had read conflicting information online about bringing honey into the country... I therefore only bought one jar of lavender honey in case it was confiscated by DAFF. Luckily, the DAFF officer let us keep our jar of honey after inspecting it. We bought some Soplica vodka in hazelnut, quince and raspberry flavours and Sobieski vodka in bitter sweet flavour (green nuts, orange and spices) - we are not big drinkers, so it should last a while.
Am I the only one who enjoys grocery shopping in foreign countries?
We honestly could have bought more, but in the end we managed to haul the following goodies back to Australia (noting that we bought more chocolate during our travels, but we ate it along the way).
I could tell that by the end of our trip my boyfriend had lost his
patience with me as I stood gawking at the dairy fridge and at the
shelves in the beauty isle in just about every supermarket that we
walked into.
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| Dairy isle in a French supermarket... |
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| ... it went on for what seemed like forever. |
I regret not buying more vodka in Poland and other floral honeys in France.
We lost track of how much alcohol we had purchased (one can *only* bring 2.25 litres of alcoholic beverages duty-free into Australia) and I had read conflicting information online about bringing honey into the country... I therefore only bought one jar of lavender honey in case it was confiscated by DAFF. Luckily, the DAFF officer let us keep our jar of honey after inspecting it. We bought some Soplica vodka in hazelnut, quince and raspberry flavours and Sobieski vodka in bitter sweet flavour (green nuts, orange and spices) - we are not big drinkers, so it should last a while.
I'm now looking forward to making crepes for brunch sometime soon - available toppings will be: miel lavande (lavender honey), confiture de figues violettes (purple fig conserve), crème de marrons (chestnut conserve), crème de noisettes (hazelnut conserve) and confiture de lait fleur de sel (salted caramel).
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| Delicious crepe toppings |
For the record, I found La Fermière yogurt at Harrods in London and at a supermarket in Poznań (in Poland)
called Alma. In fact, I found flavours at both places that I could not
find in France! Of course, the terracotta pots in which this delicious
yogurt is packaged in came home with me. Now to find an Australian stockist...
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| Le Fermière yogurt pots |
My diminishing suitcase packing list for a Europe holiday in earlySpring
Well I'm here in France! I never got to publish my packing list before we left Australia, because as per usual I was too busy with work and sick (yes again! This time with the flu) before we left. I guess now I can add some preliminary notes.
Packing light for just over a month away is no mean feat for some one who enjoys dressing up... but it's very important for someone who also enjoys to shop whilst away.
What worked really well for me back in 2012 when we traveled to the USA, was packing a diminishing suitcase. This means, that apart from the staples, I also packed a few items that were on their last legs.
What worked really well for me back in 2012 when we traveled to the USA, was packing a diminishing suitcase. This means, that apart from the staples, I also packed a few items that were on their last legs.
I did the same on this occasion and specifically 'saved' a few bits and pieces from my recent wardrobe cull to take with me, so that as I travel across Europe acquiring new stuff, I will get rid of this old stuff hence making room in my suitcase. It's also a really good way to just get rid of worn out pieces that you find yourself clinging onto, even though honestly the items belong in the bin.
My packing list (items in red text are the pieces destined for the bin):
Coats and Jackets
Dresses
Knits
Tops
Jeans/Pants
Miscellaneous/Accessories
My packing list (items in red text are the pieces destined for the bin):
Coats and Jackets
- Etoile Isabel Marant Kady leather jacket in tan
- Etoile Isabel Marant tweed blazer in dark grey
- Fleur Wood felt wool blazer in light grey (worn on Day 2 in Nice)
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| Day 2 outfit |
Dresses
- Etoile Isabel Marant Prewitt dress in black & ecru (can be dressed up or down)
- Trenery check dress in navy
- Etoile Isabel Marant Falk sweater in black & natural
- Country Road knit in light grey
- Indie designer light knit in black
Tops
- Country Road long sleeved striped jersey top with zip
- Country Road crew neck long sleeved striped t-shirt
- 2 x SABA striped breton top in black and white
- Jane Lamerton striped Breton top in cream and ink navy
- Country Road long sleeve tee in grey marle
- SABA white tee
- Layering tops
- Seamless tank tops in black, grey and nude
- Country Road skinny jeans in blue
- Nudie skinny jeans in black
- Zara cropped cuffed trousers in black
Shoes
- Isabel Marant Dickers in tan*
- Isabel Marant Jenny in dark grey*
- Country Road Winona ballet flats in black*
* After walking 20 km around Nice and Monte Carlo I have decided I need to buy sneakers. Walking on cobble stones and up a million stairs is a bit different than walking the streets of New York...
Miscellaneous/Accessories
- Statement necklace in black
- Scarf in black
- Socks
- Opaque tights in black
- Undies
- 2 x bras (one nude and one black)
- Pyjama pants (with daytime layering tops as pyjama tops)
Toiletries & Makeup Packing List
We depart for our holiday in less than a week! First off, I'm publishing my toiletries and makeup packing list. Of course these packing lists will be different for everyone, depending on what products one uses, but they are a good start.
Back in 2012 when I holidayed in the United States, I only packed sample sizes or almost finished cosmetics. This turned out to be a great idea given that within 24 hours of our plane landing I found myself in Sephora hemorrhaging money.
Our first stop on our Europe itinerary is Nice, France, and well, I can almost hear the French pharmacies calling my name in the distance... I will be packing very lightly in the skincare department, knowing that I will certainly buy a few new products in France.
Toiletries Packing List
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Floss
- Dry shampoo (travel sized)
- Cleansing Oil/Makeup Remover (deluxe sized sample from Biotherm)
- Exfoliating Cleanser (deluxe sized sample from Biotherm)
- Facial Oil (remainder of my Kosmea Organic Rose Hip Oil)
- Moisturiser (a small deluxe sized sample from Clinique)
- Eye Cream (a tiny sample tube from Caudalie)
- Body wash (deluxe sized sample)
- Fragrance (a couple of sample vials)
- Shampoo and conditioner (sample sachets)
- Comb
- Hair ties
- A few bobby pins
- Tweezers
- Nail clippers
When it comes to makeup, I plan to play it safe and pack the items I use on daily basis here at home.
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| I'm packing my every day favourite cosmetics |
Makeup Packing List
Foundation and tinted moisturiser. A small sample tube of tinted moisturiser and my current foundation (Bourjois Healthy Mix).
Concealer. I can't live without my Ellis Fass concealer...
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder palette. This is one of my favourite recent purchases. I have fair skin, so the powders in this palette work for me as a setting powder, highlighter and bronzer.
Blush. A small travel compact of a pinky neutral Tarte powder.
Eyeshadow. I'm taking my Clinque Chubby Stick in 'Ample Ambre' (a favourite), my NARS shadow pencil in 'Skorpios' and Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks in 'Amethyst' and 'Sugar Frost'. These four colours will create a lot of looks and the products require no brushes for application.
Mascara. A deluxe sized sample tube.
NARS lipstick. My favourite YLBB shade for day ('Dolce Vita').
MAC lipstick. My favourite bright shade for night or day ('Vegas Volt').
I am packing the bare minimum make-up brushes with me - just the MAC 187 duo fibre brush which I use for powder and a Tarte blush brush.
I'm planning our European holiday... really quickly
In less than two weeks my boyfriend and I will be relaxing somewhere in Europe...
We have been planning (read: talking about) this holiday for many months. We got to a point in mid January that nothing was booked so I called our travel agent to make it happen. Now all of a sudden, it's happening. We leave in a matter of days and and I'm starting to get nightmares about:
1. My boss telling me at some stage prior that I can't take the time off work anymore
2. Forgetting to pack something really important
3. Forgetting to pack altogether
4. Misplacing my passport somewhere in the house
5. Being stuck in traffic on the way to the airport
6. Missing the plane altogether
What can I say, I'm a worrier...
I hope that none of the above mentioned travel disasters occur and that instead I finally get to try Pierre Hermé macarons. Back in 2012 I tried Ladurée's offerings in New York and was left a little bit disappointed. Pierre Hermé macs better blow my mind!
Of course I'm hoping to do the obligatory 'what's in my cabin bag' and 'packing list' posts (because it's excellent blog fodder if anything). Some may say that lists like this are anal retentive, but let me tell you that back in 2012 when I came down with gastro/food poisoning (whatever that was) days before we were set to depart for the US, the lists saved me a lot of worry. They allowed me to literally pack in 10 minutes flat - which was all the time away from the bathroom that I could muster.
So now to get through the next fortnight of work without tearing out our hair and/or working until 10pm in the days leading up to our departure. I also need to get around to booking the rest of our accommodation and internal train travel - yes we are this unorganised!
Map sourced from: www.worldatlas.com
We have been planning (read: talking about) this holiday for many months. We got to a point in mid January that nothing was booked so I called our travel agent to make it happen. Now all of a sudden, it's happening. We leave in a matter of days and and I'm starting to get nightmares about:
1. My boss telling me at some stage prior that I can't take the time off work anymore
2. Forgetting to pack something really important
3. Forgetting to pack altogether
4. Misplacing my passport somewhere in the house
5. Being stuck in traffic on the way to the airport
6. Missing the plane altogether
What can I say, I'm a worrier...
I hope that none of the above mentioned travel disasters occur and that instead I finally get to try Pierre Hermé macarons. Back in 2012 I tried Ladurée's offerings in New York and was left a little bit disappointed. Pierre Hermé macs better blow my mind!
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| Ladurée NYC - March 2012 |
So now to get through the next fortnight of work without tearing out our hair and/or working until 10pm in the days leading up to our departure. I also need to get around to booking the rest of our accommodation and internal train travel - yes we are this unorganised!
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