Puffing with pride

Hello world!

Thanks to the super kool Rachi over at le-bonvivant, I've been nominated for a Liebster Award.

To say I'm a bit puffed and chuffed would be an understatement.

What's a Liebster Award you say? Well a 'Liebster award is a blogger to blogger award, almost like a chain letter between bloggers' but waaay less annoying (quote from Rachi's blog...well you know how it is, if it ain't broke...).  

Anyway, I think it's an ace gesture and one that works on the principle of paying it forward.

 

So here's the low down, the nominee has to answer 11 questions from their nominator, plus declare 11 random facts about themselves and then nominate bloggers with less than 200 followers to win the award. Plus you gotta thank your nominator by linking back to their page (well that's just good manners!) and let your nominees know on their page.

So first here's my nominees and questions:

M at AfterLComes Mmmmm
Maadz & Mari at My Pretty Sydney
Teak at Cider Teak

1.      Favourite movie of all time
2.      Favourite song to sing at Karaoke
3.      Favourite subject in school
4.      Three ultimate dinner party guests ( dead or alive)
5.      Career aspirations as a child…when I grow up I want to be…?!
6.      Favourite item of clothing
7.      A travel destination on your wish list
8.      Sweet or savoury, and why?
9.      First childhood memory
10.  Where do you think you’ll be 5 years from now?
11.  Random deal breakers for relationships (friends or partners)

Rachi’s Questions to me!

1. Who inspires you the most? 

The Husband. Even though we disagree on stuff and always have spirited debates, he's my sounding board for most things.

2. Describe yourself in three words?

Baaah hard one without sounding like a total douche, but I’ll have a crack. I’d say I’m a…

Funny
Fickle
Dreamer

3. What's the first thing you do every morning as soon as you wake up?

Sad…check Facebook and then pee.

4. What's the biggest fashion faux pass you've ever made?

So many to choose from… where to begin?!

I was a blind trend follower until my early 20’s, so I’ve done everything from Spice Girl inspired platform shoes to J Lo inspired white pants. No one should ever wear white pants.

5. What's one skill you wish you had?

I love art, so the ability to draw and paint.

6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?

Manhattan, without a doubt.

7. What was your first ever job?

A customer service ‘consultant’ at Hungry Jacks.

8. What's your favourite book of all time?

Pride and Prejudice.

9. What's your number one guilty pleasure?

A bowl of potato mash with lots and lots of butter.

10. Which fairytale is your favourite and why?

I’m not sure I really have a favourite fairytale. I guess I grew up watching Disney interpretations, so does Aladdin count?!

11. What's your favourite song at the moment?

Retrograde, James Blake. I'm obsessed.


11 Random Facts about Me 


1.       I went to 7 different schools in three different countries by the time I was 12. My dad was an academic, so we travelled a lot.

2.       I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time when I was 13. I’ve read it every year since. I’m now 29.

3.       I am obsessed with Jane Austen.

4.       I love violent, melancholic movies. My favourite movie of all time is The Godfather.

5.       My sister and I have the exact same initials, middle name included.

6.       My sister and I sound so similar that for many years my husband couldn’t tell us apart on the phone.

7.       I wore braces till I was 21. I had no issues with vanity, but they were a total pain when it came to eating steak.

8.       I love steak.

9.       I’m kind of a neat freak, but only with certain things. Hence my hatred of unmade beds, but total disregard for the linen cupboard.

10.   I haven’t eaten cereal since I was 15. I’m now 29. Something about crusty things floating in milk freaks me out.

11.   I’d much rather nap than go out clubbing.

Well friends I hope the facts above have enlightened you all as to my person, and please do check out my nominees, cuz they're all awesome reads. Thanks again to Miss Rachi for the shout out!

Until next time...Rose.
xx

Much ado about nothing #5

Hello world!

Sorry for the delay between posts. No excuses, just been too lazy, least I'm honest eh?

Anyway, since I'm being lazy (and honest) though there's not much of a write up today, hopefully the photo recap of my weekly purchases and a plug for my new fave clothing website entertains you, even a little!

So I've been cyberstalking Pernia Qureshi's awesome online store Pernia's Pop Up Shop this week. Pernia is an Indian stylist/designer who's part of the big push of designers mixing the best of the East and the West. Her shop has some really quirky pieces which I love. Check it out!



Also, I went a bit nuts shopping for Petite Rose recently. But I had to ya'll, the kid seems to grow at the same rate as Rihanna's nude Instagram collection, which is, you know, a lot.

Plus, I 'm gonna fess, I'm one of THOSE mothers. You know, the one's that like dressing their children as much as themselves. I mean really, why else would you have kids, if not to assert full control over their wee little lives. I kid...kinda.

Anyway here's some of the haul:

Super cute, patterned duffel bag from Seed. Buy here.

 I so want this in adult size, how cute is the Peter Pan collar? Thanks Pumpkin Patch. 

Cable knit from Witchery Kids

Well it's a Hoo Roo for now troops. Until next time...Rose. xx

Friday Face Art

Hello world!

Another quick one today.

Just lately I've noticed something very unusual about me. It appears the more craptacular my week, the brighter my lips.



That's me with the unfocused eyes and fuchsia lips.

Weird I know, but it's true. All this week, I was dreading going to the doctors, because the doc wanted to discuss the results of my recent blood tests. Turns out everything is fine, but um when a doc says he needs to see me after a test, my mind generally goes straight to the hospice.

Anyway, to cheer myself up, I've been wearing the brightest lipsticks known to man kind. I know it's totes weird, but I feel like, even if the world's falling apart, if I can manage to pull out the red lippie, I'll be ok.


Which brings me to the topic of lipsticks.

Now I know lipstick scares a lot of women, but if worn correctly, I think it brings so much femininity and glamour to a look.

I mean really, all women are beautiful, so why not enhance it with some trout pout.

My favourite lipstick of all time is courtesy of Aussie brand Chi Chi. Stocked in MYER, Chi Chi is one of few brands that still do a fantastic matte lip. I know we've been on a decade long love affair with pinky/peach lip gloss, but it's time to move on people, we're not in high school anymore! (and if you are, then um, carry on)

CHI CHI VIVA LA DIVA LIPSTICK
Brick Red / Matte

Femme Fatale

Buy it here:

Even if your lips aren't cut out for the hard stuff, try a creamy lip in a soft hue, like this Loreal Colour Riche below.

Loreal Colour Riche Toffee & Chocolate, buy it here:

Anyway, that's all I've got for today folks! Happy lip smacking.

Until next time...Rose. xx

At the talkies

Hello world!

Well I’mma get straight to the point.

As a fully-fledged movie nerd, this is MY time of the year. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but me loooove da movies.

And because of this, I also like seeing the ones I admire recognised at glitzy award ceremonies, which sometimes are hosted  by brilliant, satirical, intelligent hosts (Amy Poehler and Tine Fey, I'm looking at you) while others are ushered by a sexist, humourless, tasteless excuse of a comedian (Seth Macfarlane, I’m givin you the stink eye).

Which brings me to my take of the recently completed 2013 Academy Awards.

I gotta say, I was super bummed to see Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) lose out to Jennifer Lawrence for Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook.

Don’t get me wrong, I recommend you watch both movies, as I thought J Law was really fantastic in SLP.

The movie, which centres around the love story of two people struggling with mental illness, is beautifully told. It’s funny, quirky, and kinda in your face, and even though it has its fair share of flaws, it features fantastic performances from the entire cast (who knew Bradley Cooper could act eh?) and is filled with heart. I happily give it 4/5.

So having praised it to the hilt, why am I bummed that J Law won over J Chas?

Um cuz J Chas is like the next Meryl Streep. I’m putting it out there guys, she is like seriously amazeballs.

Based on the real life 10 year hunt for Osama Bin Laden, Zero Dark Thirty centres on the female CIA agent (Chastain) who essentially, through meticulous research, tenacity, and let’s be honest, some pretty brutal interrogation methods, manages to find and initiate the capture of the most dangerous person on earth.

The movie, brilliantly directed by Kathryn Bigelow (seriously, how she missed the Oscar nom is beyond me) is nuanced, suspenseful and just plain smart.

It’s so rare for Hollywood to release movies where messages aren’t spoon fed to an audience. Like Bigelows The Hurt Locker, there’s no long winded sequences which explain the plot, nor are there conversations on the audacity of war.

Instead, you as the audience are left to decide the meaning of the film, which is like super unconventional, esp for Hollywood.

I could seriously go on and on and on about this film, but basically I give it 5/5. Seriously, go watch it NOW!

I also watched the two of the other Best Picture nominees, the visually awe inspiring Life of Pi, and the disappointing Django Unchained.

Tarantino’s movies are always a visual spectacle, with their overt violence and exaggerated plot lines. But what makes them usually so fantastic is that along with the visual feast, he creates characters, who despite enacting heinous violence, have a story and a soul.

Unfortunately, that’s just not the case in Django, despite the emotive backdrop of American slavery and Django’s quest for justice.

Plus, even though Christoph Waltz was amazing, and truly deserving of the Best Supporting Actor, for me, Jamie Fox’s uneven performance, and Tarantino’s original, but indulgent screenplay left me feeling totally ‘meh’. For those reasons, I’m stretching to give it 3/5. 

Pi was just beautiful, and confirms why Ang Lee remains one of my all-time favourite directors. I fell in love with him after watching Sense and Sensibility and Crouching Tiger, so a well-deserved Oscar for this mercurial, genius of a man.

My next movie on the list is the other Oscar nom, Beasts of the Southern Wild. As most of you prolly know by now, the star of the movie, 9 year old Quvenzhane Wallis became the youngest nominee for Best Actress this year, and having already cried while watching the trailer of the movie, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Doesn't this image make your heart sing?!

Plus Miss JJ, Teak and Miss A and I are also catching the 2013 Alliance Française French Film Festival later next month. As lovers of France, films and food, we’re super excited to combine all next month. Will of course post on our adventures as it happens. See more info on the Festival here.

Poor Lilz is still without the interweb at her new home, so not sure when we’re going to hear from her. As for me, I’ll catch ya ASAP.

Until next time…Rose. xx

A hairy situation

Hello world!

Quick Monday wrap up, slash, whinge session about the bigger things in life, my hair.

Basically, I am really hatin on it at the mo. It's not a new sensation as I tend to experience this hair angst at least twice a year.

Normally, it results in either talking myself out of doing anything crazy, and sticking to a trim and conditioning session...or losing my mind and chopping it off.

As I have amazingly fast growing hair, I have literally gone from elbow to chin length hair at least three times since 2008, and I think I'm going to do it again.

And before you ask, of course I have a celebrity hair cut in mind, which I will of course show to my hairdresser, who will no doubt tell me that it's impossible, and I will insist she does it anyway, then it will end up looking horrible and I'll end up in tears.

So basically it's on. Wish me luck!



Until next time...Rose. xx

Flowers on the wall

Hello world!

This week’s post is all about flowers, both literal and metaphorical.

I love flowers, I like them in the garden, freshly cut in a vase, I like them on fabric, and I like being one.




Cue screech to a halt noise. Say what?? She likes 'being' a flower, lady be cray cray.

What I mean in my own weird way is that I like being a wallflower.

Wikipedia defines wallflowers as people who are inherently shy but once you get to know them, they are like the definition of awesome...

And even though many people, including some of my closest friends are still shocked by my admission of wallflowerness, it's how I've always rolled.

Like I said, it's not like I'm a total anti-social pariah or something, it's just I'd much rather stand back against the wall and observe people than be the female incarnation of Redfoo, know what I mean?

Anyway, all this talk of walls has reminded me that I recently papered one. You know so that I could stand against it, being a wallflower and all.

 The Husband doing the leg work.

 The result.

Even though I have no segway, here's some snapshots of my Birthday.



I gots me a coffee machine from super store Aldi. Now I get cafe quality coffee right at home and get to be even more manic. Yaya!

The Husband took me to the Nishi building at New Acton. Check out the amazing wooden frame that envelops most of the multi story building. It's so post modern and awesome, I really love it.

 We also went to Lonsdale Street Traders, a unique warehouse space that houses a whole range of groovy pop up stores.

 Cute vintage clothing store Hipsley Lane  is one of the many groovy stores in the Traders. I would have bought a dress had I been able to try one on. It was 38 degrees (again) and none of the stores had air conditioning. Stinkin summer!

  
On that happy note, I'mma say Sayonara.

Until next time...Rose. xx

Much ado about nothing #4

Hello world!

Firstly, no photos this week, cuz I'm working off my tablet and the uploady thingie sucks.

Well what a week it's been. I've had a totally crazy, but incredbly satisfying week at work.

Even though work can sometimes be a total drag, I do actually get to do some pretty kool stuff.

I work in a policy area that focusses on young people, and this week I got to meet some amazing examples from rural and regional Australia (check out their stories on the ABC's Heywire website) and the 2013 Young Australian of the Year, Akram Azimi, who is like a social justice warrior, slash, poet, slash, ball of awesomeness.

Plus, I got to hang out at Parliament House and score free food all week, so yeah, it was the shiz.

Oh and the other thing, I turned 29...which I am like totally kool about...:-S

Ok it's not that bad, and before any of you get all "age is just a number, you're only as old as you feel" my freakout isn't so much about the number, as it is about what lies ahead.

I know I said in my earlier posts that I would  learn to 'chill', but dammit I still like to plan!

It's really hard to go with da flow when you're a born control freak. But whatevs.

I'm not going to turn vegetarian and save the world before I turn the big 3-0 but it would be good to accomplish something (anything!!!) in what is officially, according to the Commonwealth definition, my last year of youth.

So, with that sobering statement, I bid you adieu. I will post on actual happenings next week, and Lilz has promised to post on her move as soon as she secures the net in her pad!

Until next time..Rose. xx