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Day off and other pleasures

Today I had a lunch date with Susan and Tamara from work. We went to Baroque in the Rocks, which I'd heard so much about and always wanted to check out. The open kitchen bistro also had a dessert and macaron bar (so that we wouldn't have to walk all the way to its famous sister La Renaissance for a guilty pleasure), but we weren't paying so much attention to the chefs as we chose to get warm and cozy in the funky dining area further inside. We just fell in love with the blackboards, lamps and surprisingly comfy pink plastic chairs.

 The menu

But it got even better when our food came out. The plat du jour today was "Nose to tail", a lamb dish with tomato, zucchini and olives - and was an absolute bliss. The tender meat harmonised perfectly with the vegetables and tasty jus, and the potato puff was a delicate little surprise. Even the baby tomatoes were still on their stalk!

And of course, how could we not have any macarons for dessert. Like little lip balm tins, they're so cute and colourful that you could just sit there and look at them all day. But then once you've had a taste, there's no turning back.

The only (sadly not very pretty) way to share. 

After the overly satisfying lunch, I went for a stroll with the two pretty ladies. I could feel the summer come a bit closer today - the weather was just absolutely fabulous.

How cute are the claws beneath Susan's Ferré bag?

I myself was sporting an outfit from my recent wardrobe - I'm pretty glad about how I've been able to mix and match my new pieces I've bought for this spring and summer. As I was going out with two fashionistas I felt like I had to dress the part,  but to keep the chill look I matched my dress pants and wedges with an airy boyfriend shirt.

Sabre sunglasses, Subtitled two-toned shirt, Witchery dress pants, Mooloola bag, Rubi wedges (yes, Rubi!), Diva giraffe necklace (worn as a bracelet), handmade bracelet from Manly market.

*Big thanks to Suze for understanding and taking pictures of me. ;)

Spring in Summer mode

The sound
(Note: The artists and songs below aren't necessarily fresh from this year - they're just who/what I've been listening to this spring and think that they're perfect for this season!)

Ingrid Michaelson

This is the voice you wanna wake up as well as go to bed to. Ingrid's music sounds so effortless, cheerful, warm and next-door-ish, and her voice is so raw and cute that they again make her so distinctive. I'm saying soon she's gonna become the female Jason Mraz. Maybe I should grab tickets to her upcoming concert in Sydney.

Recommended for: lazying in bed and a long brunch after

My picks: Giving Up, You And I (she's performed this song with Jason Mraz at a few concerts too, make sure you youtube it), The Way I Am, Maybe, Be OK

Florence + The Machine
Nomadic. Gypsyish. Indie. Golden afternoon sun, long wavy hair flying in the wind, running through fields. That's what pops up in my head when listening to Florence. Her grand voice and beautiful, theatrical style makes me feel alive. And jump around the place.
Recommended for: a windy, sunny late afternoon
My picks: You've Got The Love, Dog Days Are Over, Rabbit Heart, Drumming Song, Howl, Kiss With A Fist, Girl With One Eye (which surely reminds me of My Chemical Romance's "Mama")

Mark Ronson
This name might not tell you too much, but if I tell you he's Samantha Ronson's brother, or that he produced Amy Winehouse's "Valerie", it probably rings a bell. I consider him as the Santana of pop: anything labeled with his name screams best quality tunes and collaborations, although he never makes any vocal appearances. Producing a highly dangerous and sophisticated cocktail of pop/funk/hip hop, this (very handsome!) man definitely knows how get the party started.
Recommended for: evening drinks and mingling with a bunch of cool people
My picks: Valerie ft. Amy Winehouse, Bang Bang Bang ft. Q-Tip & MNDR, Just ft. Phantom Planet, Oh My God ft. Lily Allen, Stop Me ft. Daniel Merriweather, The Bike Song ft. Kyle Falconer & Spank Rock

Sam Sparro
How much fun is it to listen to this fantastically talented gentleman? Funky house beats plus amazing vocals guarantee a sexy time on the dance floor, even if it's just your living room during another house party. Such a shame that Aussie-born Sam isn't excessively celebrated at Aussie bars - but at least Nic Henstridge knows how to appreciate his music and plays his "Black & Gold".
Recommended for: good times shaking your booty
My picks: 21st Century Life, Black & Gold, Cottonmouth, Pocket, Sick, Can't Stop This, Sally

Other summerly spring songs:
Jason Mraz - Anything You Want
Angus & Julia Stone - Paper Aeroplane
Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars
Beirut - Postcards From Italy
Beyoncé - Ego
Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream
Justin Timberlake - Senorita
Ne-Yo - So You Can Cry


The food
Waking up to a sunlit apartment on a day off simply makes you want to lie in bed for another while to enjoy this soothing little luxury, and then indulge yourself with a big fat brunch after finally kicking the sheets off. You just have to admit that munching together from late morning until early afternoon in a warm living room is the nicest meal you could have this spring. Polly and I agreed the brunch we made the other day was the best we'd ever had - with ricotta pancakes, crunchy yoghurt trifle, toast with sunny side up egg, salami and vegemite (our current favourite!), apple mango juice and English breakfast tea.

The activities

Beach volleyball
You know how unathletic I am, but I do enjoy playing/trying to play volleyball down at the beach with my friends every now and then. It's not too hot at the moment, so the spring weather saves you from fainting after getting hit by a heat stroke and too many sun rays while playing, which would most likely happen during summer time. Also you can reward yourself after with the next activity.

Spring swim
You can't imagine how nice the sea water is in spring. Of course it is pretty fresh (especially around your legs), but the surface water is surprisingly warm; once you fail to escape a huge wave, nobody will be able to drag you out.


The magazine cover

It just caught my eye - the colours, the hair, the pose, Gisele's wonderful beauty. Although the colours are a little bit too cool for spring, the photo gives off this really vibrant, lively feel that is so rare on high fashion covers these days. Feeling the new spring glam.

Chocolate, flu and sunnies

I love bakeries, and I love leaving a bakery with a bag full of goodies. Not just the pastry inside, but also the crisp paper bag that crinkles in your hands gives me this warm, homely feeling.
Last night after work I felt like treating myself to something chocolate-y, so I went to Guylian Café. I went home with a big peanut chocolate cookie for Polina and a chocolate pistachio muffin for myself, in two white Guylian paper bags, and felt like being little again.

My breakfast this morning - the choc pistachio muffin and a cup of green tea with milk, on my favourite magazine.

I also couldn't resist ordering a new pair of Sabre shades on BrandsExclusive today. I got terribly sick (Polina also), so I spoiled myself a little, even though I still need to renew my health cover. Makes the process of getting better more exciting. Though I hope getting rid of this cold won't take as long as my sunnies to be delivered.

Way Kool.

Spring fling

Yesterday I woke up at around 8 in the morning and the apartment was flooded with sunlight. We opened the windows and were greeted by a lovely warm breeze. I remember spring in Germany: fresh, green, flowers, but also wet, colds and runny noses. Here in Sydney, spring is the beginning of summer. I've been in such a good mood and can't wait until it gets really hot so that we can hit the water again.
A summerly spring day had to be started with a summerly spring breakfast, so we made ricotta pancakes and a brekkie "trifle", with layers of fruit (mandarin, banana, pear) and crunchy cereals, topped with organic yoghurt. It looked and tasted very, very summerly springish. I got this idea when I was craving for David Jones' food court yoghurt the other day, and I gotta say my version can definitely can keep up with it.

I went for a walk with Benny, and I got to say Manly is the first class summer beach, and we're really lucky to be living so close by. The water was in an unusual blue, and the sand was much whiter than most days. I just wanted to call sick at work and crash at the beach. Just kidding. ;)