Down The Way

In the midst of yesterday's blissful sun and complete loveliness, I caught wind of this years ARIA nominees, announced by the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. To my amazement, my favourite folk pair Angus & Julia Stone featured toward the top of the list, sharing the lead with many other amazing Australian musicians. Receiving a total of six nominations, the duo are in the running for album of the year with Down The Way, single of the year with Big Jet Plane, best group, best adult alternative album, as well as the public's pick of most popular artist and album. The nominations followed some pre-main event awards, where Down The Way won best cover art and producer of the year! I wish these lovelies all the best for award night on November 7th. Its only fair that their wonderous efforts are rewarded.

Mace Spray

Indie rock four-piece, The Jezabels have just posted their new track "Mace Spray" up for some easy listening. The track forms part of their forthcoming EP Dark Storm, set to hit stands in just a few days (October 1st)!
 

Bouncing around the indie music circuit for the last few years, The Jezabels were a fairly late edition to my playlist. Only really seeing the band on their own accord after supporting Tegan & Sara on their national tour in July of this year. Although I now own the EP's of previous years, I regret not being able to witness The Jezabels earlier days. However, with an ever growing fan base, and a spot on the bill for some of Australia's best summer festivals, I look forward to sunny days spent driving windows down, head in the clouds, with The Jezabels infectious sound on repeat.

Sydneysiders can catch The Jezabels live at UNSW Roundhouse on October 14th before they head to the States.

Afternoon Delight

I love the joy that a simple batch of vanilla cupcakes can bring to an otherwise dull afternoon.

Adornment Is Never Anything But A Reflection Of The Heart

Wise words spoken by Coco Chanel herself.

However, as of late my adornment has been limited to a select pile of clothes that go through the wash, get ironed and worn out again. Not because they are they are the only ones I own, but for the shameful fact that the state of my wardrobe had gotten ahead of me. So much so, if I dared to open the door, I would have be met with a mess of gigantic proportions. I decided that with the seasonal change and a spare moment (all afternoon) I would begin the epic task of cleaning out my closet. 

It is only fair that I show you some before shots...

 

 

 

Realising that I am probably a disgrace to the entire female population (and maybe some boys) right now, I cleared off my bed and began to fold every single garment. 

 

Piles were set aside for clothes that needed to be thrown out, given back to their respectful owners or donated to charity. 

 

And then the hanging began! 

 

  

Accessories included!

 

 

With the mission finally complete, I only hope I can succeed at the challenge of keeping it this way. 

101 Things in 1001 Days

 
I have been thinking a lot lately. About my life, my direction, and everything else in between. In doing so, it has dawned on me that the last twenty years of my life have gone quick, and nothing is stopping the coming years from going by even quicker. Its time for me to soldier on through the routine parts of my life at the moment, try new things and arrive at a place of complete happiness.

I have decided to make a list of 101 things to complete in 1001 days. Some are serious personal and professional achievements I would love to meet. But most are weird and wonderful experiences I've done before, to be shared with people I love, or new experiences designed to "broaden my horizon". At the end of the 1001 days, which is roughly two years and nine months, I will look back and see what I have been able to check off my list along the way. Hopefully, I will know myself a bit better then.

Start: September 17th 2010
End: Coming soon...

The List

1. Graduate University.
2. Start a post-grad degree.
3. Learn another language.
4. Work/study abroad.
5. Get a piece of writing published.
6. Learn the basics of photography.
7. Live with friends.
8. Sew an outfit from a pattern.
9. Throw a themed dinner party.
10. Plant a tree.
11. Volunteer somewhere.
12. Dye my hair blonde again.
13. Ride a horse.
14. Learn an instrument - percussion counts.
15. Complete a rubik's cube without cheating!
16. Dance in front of a crowd of people.
17. Drink out of a giant novelty glass.
18. Have a Harry Potter marathon.
19. Go for a run every morning for a month.
20. Adopt a pet cat.
21. Take a photo with someone famous.          
22. Go to a wedding.
23. Give someone a present for their unbirthday.
24. Go camping. Real camping. Without electricity.
25. Road trip with friends.
26. Go to another state in Australia.
27. Donate blood.
28. Make a veggie/herb garden.
29. Hold an event for charity.
30. Renew my boat and jetski license.
31. Remember and recite a Shakespeare sonnet.
32. Make a bonfire.
33. Go to a music festival.
34. Make a scrapbook for someone.
35. Give a speech.
36. Write a pen pal letter.
37. Learn how to play poker.
38. Win poker.
39. Visit a city overseas.
40. Complete an assignment before the day before it is due.
41. Win free tickets.
42. Make a snowman.
43. Go fishing. Without complaining.
44. Eat asparagus.
45. Attempt to watch Lord of the Rings or Star Wars.
46. Be in the Q&A audience.
47. Go to the drive-in movies.
48. Sing karaoke in a bar.
49. Make new friends.
50. Buy a lottery ticket.
51. Sleep outside.
52. Stand up on a surfboard.
53. Watch a movie in another language.
54. Read someone's biography.
55. Play monopoly right till the end when someone goes bankrupt.
56. House-sit someone's house.
57. Build a birdhouse.
58. Eat vegetarian for a week.
59. Have a food fight.
60. Pat an owl.
61. Have lunch with an old friend.
62. Go trick or treating.
63. Be responsible for someone's nickname.
64. Do something extreme.
65. Learn a new sport.
66. Babysit.
67. Take a community course.
68. Listen to a CD without skipping through the tracks.
69. Use old stationary at the start of a semester, instead of new.
70. Wear red lipstick.
71. Kiss someone wearing red lipstick.
72. Make someone upset happy again.
73. Leave my phone at home.
74. Stay at a bed & breakfast in an whimsical place.
75. Clean my closet and donate clothes.
76. Knit a scarf, or socks. Either one. And give them as a present.
77. Go to the Northern Territory.
78. Watch a thriller movie alone.
79. Go on a blind date.
80. Go to a hen's party.
81. Do more than ten push-ups.
82. Make a photo album.
83. Start a new job.
84. Serve dinner and share stories with the homeless.
85. Go to a protest.
86. Dress from a different era.
87. Wear a bikini in public.
88. Learn how to moon walk.
89. Watch the sunset with someone.
90. Go to mardi gras.
91. Be called beautiful by someone.
92. Be silent for an entire day.
93. Host a tea party.
94. Read a book in a day.
95. Go to yoga or pilates, and actually find my center.
96. Win bingo.
97. Go to an amusement park, and concur all the rides.
98. Kiss someone in the rain.
99. Make a new list for the next three years.
100. List ten things I like about myself.
101. Tell someone I love them, and really mean it.

Miss Jane Marple

Today marks the 120th birthday of one of Britain's most celebrated crime fiction writers, Agatha Christie.

Geraldine McEwan playing Christie's Miss Marple!

With classics starting in the 1920's such as The Murder of Rodger Ackroyd, And Then There Were None and The Body in the Library, Agatha Christie is the best selling writer of all time. She has become the world's most translated author, and has sold more than four billion copies of her novel's globally. Most of us will know Christie's work from many of the film and television adaptations, like Murder, She Wrote or Innocent Lies. But I highly recommend to anyone craving a little classic murder mystery to head to a second hand bookstore and dust off a copy of Christie's Murder on the Orient Express.

Happy 120th Birthday Agatha Christie. 

"Everything that has ever existed, lies in eternity."

Those Who Don't Believe In Magic Will Never Find It...

When I was a little girl at primary school, I spent every spare moment in the library. Mornings, afternoons, in between classes and lunch times. What started as reading quietly in the corner soon lead to bigger and better things. At the beginning, I would perform tasks like contacting new books, processing the returns, rearranging the shelves. After a while, I was given the privilege of selecting "Book of the Week", and writing a short review on it. Call me a nerd, I don't mind. Because in the end, not only did I win Library Leader of the Year three years running, I was lucky enough to attend several meet the author days. Here, I was able to put faces to so many of the names that feature down the spine of some of my favourite books. Duncan Ball, author of 'Emily Eyefinger' and the 'Shelby' series. Emily Rodda, the genius behind 'Ronald of Rin' and 'Deltora's Quest'. And Morris Gleitzman, the funny man behind comic novels such as 'Toad Rage' and 'Gift of the Gab'. It was a pleasure meeting these wonderful people, but for each that I met, there were others which I never would. Aside from my love affair with J.K. Rowling, there was only ever one other author who held such a special place in my bookshelf...

Roald Dahl, one of Britain's most famous novelist's for children. What I loved most about Dahl's stories were not only the marvelous, mischievous and magical settings of chocolate factories and giant peaches, but also the bunch of quirky characters that came with it. Looking back, I think what captivated me the most was the way in which Dahl used unsentimental black humour to cast vengeance upon the child-hating adult villains, most notorious being the fall of the evil headmistress Miss. Agatha Trunchbull in Matilda. That and, the list of quotes that have stayed with me for years, "two rights don't equal a left".

So, with today being the official 'Roald Dahl Day', I will dust off my copy of The BFG, and pay homage to a man who saw me though some of my best childhood years.

Blood, Bohemian & Burleqsue

Bursting up from the underground today in our city's inner west is the Sydney Fringe Festival. Originally designed around 150 events, the alternative festival has doubled to include a record 53 venues in the Newtown, Enmore and Marrickville area. Along with the multitude of scenes there is a multitude of shows. Ranging from theatre, comedy and dance to music, arts and film, Sydney Fringe promises to be a spectacle of weird and wonderful wherever you go. Director Kris Stewart says that "the Sydney Fringe has got it all... it's an environment for artists and audience to take risks on things, to just say 'fuck it' and catch a show they wouldn't otherwise see".

After pouring over the festival's event list and various "guides to", I decided on three standout shows that I would love to attend.

The Bohemian Masquerade Ball 

Saturday 25th September - The Factory Theatre

Neo-vaudeville. Masquerade. No holds barred performances. Beautiful fleeting burning birds. 
Take me to the ball.

Burlesque Assassin

Saturday 11th September - The Red Rattler

Femme-fatale "burlesque assassin" punishes her betraying lover with nunchucks, dirty tricks and seduction.

Molly - A Tale of Blood and Guts and Giants and Weddings

Tuesday 21st, Wednesday 22nd, Friday 24th & Saturday 25th September - Carriageworks

Three sisters, three Princes, one Giant, one Kingdom & the curse of a dead mother. A disturbing tale about marriage. 

Oh and if that's not enough, there is also the Sydney Rock 'n Roll & Alternative Markets on Sunday 19th September, featuring a collection of rock 'n roll, vintage and alternative stalls, plus a ska vs. rockabilly lineup of bands and DJ's.

Click HERE for Complete Showlist 

Music Washes Away From The Soul...

... the dust of everyday life - Berthold Auerbach

I received some wonderful news this week. I was lucky enough to land an additional job. As of Tuesday next week, I will be paid to lose myself amongst some of my all time favourite artists. As well as the ability to discover some new lovelies if I can find a spare minute or two.

With this new found record store job, I intend on making some timely purchases. The first three will have to be First Aid Kit's debut album The Big Black & The Blue, Little Red's latest Midnight Remember (on sale tomorrow!!!) and Blue King Brown's massive release Worldwize Part 1: North and South.

Thoughts will be documented shortly!

Bluebird

Bluebird - Charles Bukowski

there's a bluebird in my heart that

wants to get out

but I'm too tough for him,

I say, stay in there, I'm not going

to let anybody see

you.

there's a bluebird in my heart that

wants to get out

but I pur whiskey on him and inhale

cigarette smoke

and the whores and the bartenders

and the grocery clerks

never know that

he's

in there.

there's a bluebird in my heart that

wants to get out

but I'm too tough for him,

I say,

stay down, do you want to mess

me up?

you want to screw up the

works?

you want to blow my book sales in

Europe?

there's a bluebird in my heart that

wants to get out

but I'm too clever, I only let him out

at night sometimes

when everybody's asleep.

I say, I know that you're there,

so don't be

sad.

then I put him back,

but he's singing a little

in there, I haven't quite let him

die

and we sleep together like that

with our

secret pact

and it's nice enough to

make a man

weep, but I don't

weep, do

you? 

Photo Cred 

Little Bit Of Something

 
These days, hardly anything comes for free. Unless of course you get it illegally. But, Melbourne based rock band Little Red have made an offer I just couldn't refuse. For the simple exchange of a facebook "like", Little Red have made their track Little Bit of Something available for free download. The track is an accomplice to the pre-released Rock It, and has been a great way to get excited about their new album Midnight Remember, set to hit the shelves of record stores in three days time! This gives me approximately a month to fall in love with their new beats and melodies, just in time for their show at Sydney's Metro Theater on October 8th. 

Click HERE for 'Little Bit Of Something' Free Download

Hello Boots

I found this pre-loved pair sitting on the dusty shelf of a Sydney op-shop. I glanced once and looked away, but shortly after I glanced back. I tried them on for size, and they were the perfect fit. I took them home and placed them in my closet. I am waiting for the day to pair them with a lovely dress for a perfect spring time outing.

The Nanna & The Nerd

On Saturday night I went to one of my dearest friend's 21st birthday celebrations, a joint party shared with her boyfriend of many years. The thing with this lovely lady is, when she does something, she does it so well. The community hall was transformed into a party palace, with handmade banners, table decorations, and a thousand and one balloons. On top of this, she themed the party according to the initials 'T' or 'N'. Ideas were in abundance, but I eventually decided that going as a Nerd would suit me best. My best friend was also invited, and she decided to channel her inner grandma and dress up as a Nanna. Each of our outfits were styled using pre-loved clothes and accessories, some of our own, some borrowed and some thrifted on the day of the party. Overall it was a wonderous night shared with great people, creating even greater memories. Oh and if thats not enough, the night turned extra magical when he popped the question and she said yes!