Au revoir, année magique!

I'm not ready to say goodbye to the good times that were 2010! Achieved so much in respect to my education, work, personal relationships and growth. I feel so grateful and full of joy. Thank you to all my wonderful friends and family for all the love.


Starting 2011 off at a sprint: new car, new job, overseas holiday. Watch the weeks fly by.....


Happy New Year, Sequin Kittens!

Cull

This is my second wake-up for the last day of the year. My first I spent going through the address book on my phone, deleting unwanted numbers. People from work, the past, France. Numbers I have no use for anymore, or can easily retrieve. I only call the same few people these days. It felt good.

via

Manfriend cross

The Manfriend looks a bit like a cross between Mork (80's Robin Williams) and Teemu (lead singer of amazing Finnish band The Crash).





Maybe it's a hair thing? Who are your looky likeys? I mostly get Amélie.....

Daily Outfit: Black Leather

Out to dinner and watching bands at the pub.



Loving my candy stripe bag this summer!

Yesterday I...

• Bought a car


• Did loads of washing


• Rode one hour under the hot sun


• Met about 30 in-laws


• Played backyard cricket and scored catch of the day


• Flew to Perth

Looks like there won't be any wrap-up this week!

Daily Outfit: Merry Christmas!

Hot Australian Christmas. Just the way I like it! Much different from my snowy celebrations in Paris last year (and working at Eurodisney on the big day!)




Hope you all had wonderful days surrounded by friends and family, and that you were filled to the top with food, wine and Christmas cheer.

Daily Outfit: It was the Night before Christmas...

Look how excited I am this year!

Daily Outfit: Pre-Christmas lunch

Good food, good wine, good times.

My karaoke song

Empty orchestra... The first time I sang karaoke was in Finland last year!

Daily Outfit: Sweaty Cyclist

My advice? Don't kiss me!

Daily Outfit: Darts and ale

Pre-Christmas cheer!



This outfit started off Chanel in my head but ended up more Moschino... and that's ok!

Happy Christmas Darlings!

I'm absent at the moment and I hope you'll forgive me! Life is good and crazy and busy and I'm enjoying festive cheer. Much love to you and your families. See you when life cools down a bit, yes?!

Daily Outfit: Christmas Catch-up

Catch-up dinner with the girlfriends. WONDERFUL!

Nearly stepping on my boyfriend's dog. Oops.

Daily Outfit: Repair Shop

Look at this! It's the middle of summer and I'm in jeans and a (faux) leather jacket. Ridic.



Taking the computer to the repair shop. Nice day for a walk and problem solvered!

Daily Outfit: Sunday Seuss

After waking up late we raced around to his parents' place for Sunday lunch. After a hearty meal the children's books came out!




Many thanks to Anna for the sunshiney photo.

Wednesday Wrap-up

It's been a good one! I'm very tired though so I'll keep it brief. Too much Christmas cheer this week, perhaps?


It feels like I haven't been home at all. I'm staying with the manfriend most(every) nights and riding home for costume changes before we head out again. Spending time with his family as his brother and sister are here from overseas, united. It's lovely!

So... metal gig, folk gig, rooftop party, dinners out- five times in a week (!!), testing a new car, Sunday lunch, cycling, computer repairs, Christmas decorating, present buying (and making!), early airport run, late-night movie watching, beers and darts at the pub, Christmas biscuit decorating.

Last week's Wrap-up is here, if you're after something more colourful!

Happy Christmas tout le monde.

Daily Outfit: Indian and drinks

Another dinner out with friends: Indian restaurant then cosy club for drinks after. Wobbly ride home!



PS. Look how many layers I have on! No warm summer nights here.

Daily Outfit: Test-drive

Sensible clothing for testing a new car at the weekend.



I'm thinking about the VW Polo!

Happy 800th post, Sequin Cat!

What a whirlwind! I was looking back over photos from this year and smiling at all the great memories. I've had such adventures and so many many good times with friends.





I neglected to celebrate my 700th post but my 600th was back here.

How to celebrate our successes? How's red wine and cheese for something different?!

Daily Outfit: Amongst Bikes

Headed to the five thousand Christmas party on Friday night. Much festive cheer. Thanks, everyone!

My ridiculous green jacket was a hit!

Daily Outfit: Samson & Delilah

Blissful tunes at a cosy pub.

Such a grimace! Just sleepy after riding home in the cold, promise.

ETA: Found some happier photos and here's a link to the band.

Daily Outfit: Metal Madness

I saw GWAR and Megadeth last week! So. Good. It's been a metal-heavy year, hasn't it?

2010: A year in books

Well here we are at the tail end of 2010. It's been a momentous year! I returned home from France in February and since then have been studying my brain off to become a teacher (success!), in between many interstate trips and local adventures.

So far this year I've read 54 books (but who's counting?!) and have a few more on the go so I thought I'd give you my view on the hits and misses of my bookshelf for 2010.


Popular titles that I gave a chance (and sometimes regretted): New Moon, Stephanie Meyer; One Day, David Nicholls; The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak; Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk; The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin; The Nanny Diaries, Emma McLaughlin.




Read the book, then watched the movie: The Golden Compass, Phillip Pullman; Atonement, Ian McEwan; He Died with a Felafel in His Hand, John Birmingham; The Devil Wears Prada; Lauren Weisberger; Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson (superb book, disappointing film); Breakfast at Tiffany's, Truman Capote.




Finally got around to reading: Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe; Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne; Perfume, Patrick Suskind (wonderful!); Franny and Zooey, J. D. Salinger; The Big Sleep, Raymond Chandler; Great Expectations, Charles Dickens; The Day of the Triffids, John Wyndham; The Hobbit, J. R. R. Tolkien.




Loved: Amongst a year of mediocre - good reading, there weren't many standouts. I did, however, majorly heart Perfume, Patrick Suskind.




Did my usual Frenchy thing: Les Cartes-exercices du guerrier pacifique, Dan Millman; How Proust can Change your Life, Alain de Botton; French Revolutions: Cycling the Tour de France, Tim Moore; French Trysts: Secrets of a Courtesan, Kirsten Lobe; Robert des Noms Propres, Amélie Nothomb.




and.... some fashion books, biographies, non-fiction, contemporary classics, general fiction, short stories.

I'm looking forward to whatever reading adventures 2011 brings. Hope it's as good as 2009!

Happy holiday reading, everyone.

Daily Outfit: Unruffled

After wearing this shirt the other day, I thought I might see how it behaved for work.



Verdict?

Teacher's Pet

To celebrate my new job, my aunt gave me a little teaching gift: Apple stamp and whiteboard eraser! So cute.

Daily Outfit: Cathedral Clothing

Inspired by the beautiful colours of summer, I put these colours together to watch the mother-in-law sing at the Cathedral. Glorious!

Attempting to pose with animals is hazardous at best.

I love my new vintage bag!

Daily Outfit: Cocktails!

As mentioned in my Wrap-up, Sunday night was a bit of a triptych. Went from venue to venue to see different friends and had lots of fun.

I was asked whether my tutu was Alannah Hill; I proudly responded that my friend had made it for me! The tag says "To one homie, from another". True story.

Daily Outfit: Art Show

Supporting the wonderful artist, Ruby Chew.

Aren't these girls peaches? That's Ruby on the right, Sarah in the middle and the girl on the left.. Prue?

Colours of Summer

I've really been enchanted by the beautiful colours that nature is displaying at the moment.






Aren't the red, blue, purple and green gorgeous together?

Daily Outfit: Mom's Birthday

I'm a good daughter, aren't I?!

Volunteered with mom on her birthday at the local library before taking her out to lunch and a movie. That night, the family came over for a knees-up and consumption of the two cakes I made.

Green is her favourite colour. Hence the ridiculously short skirt.

Beautiful day too.

A gift: Mixing bowl, homemade card, chocolates and Vogue article on buttons, a word she hates.

Daily Outfit: Gorillaz

I saw Gorillaz play last Wednesday night as part of their Plastic Beach tour. It was such a party!

I wore a peacock blue jumpsuit.....

The food was fabulous.

Wednesday Wrap-up

Afternoon drinks in the sunshine. I love Summer!

A most enjoyable week with a bit of time off to spend with friends and family after last week's hecticness!


Spending time with

• Mom for her birthday. Cooking two cakes! Volunteering at the library! Going out for lunch! Seeing the new Narnia film in 3D! Hosting a birthday party!


• Ruby to celebrate her artistic fabulousity! Attended her graduate show on Friday night then went out to dinner with her friends after. Wonderful! Champagne all round.

Ruby is insanely talented!

• Manfriend for a cosy night in. Rode to his place on Friday and found him almost asleep. Pancakes and port on Saturday and watching Harry Potter in bed. We're trying to catch up with the whole series before seeing the most recent one at the cinema.


• Myself. A much-needed Saturday night in, although it did feel a little strange.


• More talented friends! Attended the MAPS advanced diploma graduate screening at the Mercury. So enjoyable watching the short films. Then it was half-price cocktails at the Sceptre to celebrate teaching success and birthdays. Last stop for the night was the pub, which is a bit like Cheers.


• The inlaws. Spending lots of time with UK based sisterinlawish and her husband, who are in Adelaide for Christmas. It's lovely. Eating good food and drinking fine wine. On Monday night we attended a choral performance at the Cathedral.... amazing. My own mother came along too so now all parents have met...

• The Doctor. Hopefully the last travel health check we'll need before we head overseas early January.


• My very own Samantha Jones. Cinema and wine date last night with lots of girly gossip. Just what I needed.


• Staff at my new school. Popped in today to fill out some paperwork and have a tour of the historical buildings! Everyone is so friendly and helpful.

I say it was a less busy week but it sure doesn't look like it! Summer holidays are a wonderful thing.