Sharing the ‘Fifty Shades’ Love…

Tags

Bible, Books, culture, Damson Dene Hotel, England, Erotica, Fifty Shades of Grey, Hotel, Lake District, Lifestyle, News, Travel

Wayne Bartholomew, Hotel Manager & the book in question
(Image © The Westmorland Gazette)

I gasp, and I’m Eve in the Garden of Eden, and he’s the serpent, and I cannot resist. (Anastasia from ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’)

I quite like this wee story that is currently doing the rounds…

Guests staying at the Damson Dene Hotel in England’s Lake District are in for a shock if they reach for the ubiquitous Bible for solace. The hotel has replaced the Good Book in the bedside tables of its 40 guest rooms with E.L. James’ erotic blockbuster ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’.

How titillating!

TSL, Nut Balls and the Art of Zen

Tags

Breakfast, Dairy Free, Diet, food, Green Smoothie, Health, Herbal Tea, home, Lifestyle, Nut Balls, Recipe, Snack

(Image from here)

I am attempting a dairy free diet for 3 months to see what happens*. At the time of writing, I have been off dairy for 29 days**. I’ve surprised myself – it isn’t quite as hard as I imagined BUT I do miss my coffee. I just can’t drink it black. I’ve tried. And, I’m only allowing myself one soy coffee a week. So, I am becoming an herbal tea connoisseur. Not quite the same, but I have discovered the Byron Bay Tea Company have some really fab’ teas. And, they deliver to your door.

I do miss my morning coffee…
(Image from here)

After enlightenment, the laundry (Zen proverb)

Anyhoo, as part of this dairy free gig, I’ve been doing some experimenting. LM is keeping an open mind. The teenager, not so much.

The green smoothies for breakfast are a small mind-shift from my previous breakfast favourite of greek yoghurt with fruit and nuts. My current favourite is a combo’ of frozen mango cheek, banana, a few strawberries, kale, coconut water and ground chia and flaxseed. Looks like a super green fruit cocktail and tastes great (promise!)…

Green Smoothie
(Image from here)

I’ve also been making balls. Yes, I did say balls. Nut balls to be precise.

Chocolate Seed & Nut Balls
(Image from here)

LM, the chocoholic, has declared these Chocolate Seed & Nut Balls his favourite so far. They are a doddle to make and quite good for a healthy mid-afternoon pick me up (with a cup of herbal tea!)

Chocolate Seed & Nut Balls

Makes 20

Ingredients:

2/3 x cup almonds
2 x Tbsp sunflower seeds
2 x Tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 x Tbsp desiccated coconut
2 x Tbsp flaxseed
2 x tsp sesame seeds
2 x Tbsp cocoa powder (best quality available)
2 x tsp cinnamon
6 x Tbsp almond butter (I use macadamia butter)
2 x Tbsp tahini
3 x tsp coconut palm sugar
3 x tsp sugar, xylitol or sweetener of choice

1. Place all the ingredients into a food processor. Mix until the mixture starts to stick together.
2. Roll the mixture into balls approx. 1 Tbsp in size
3. Keep in the fridge until ready to gobble up

I like to think they make me a little more zen…

*I am allowed a little butter.

**It’s no coincidence I will hit the 3 month mark as we arrive in France!

Veronika Wildgruber Makes Soft Wood…

Tags

Chair, Furniture, German, Home and Garden, Homewares, Lifestyle, Shopping, Soft Wood, Tea Towel, Textile, Trompe L'oeil, Veronika Wildgruber, Wood

‘Soft Wood’ by Veronika Wildgruber
(Image © Veronika Wildgruber)

I don’t like things that can be reproduced. Wood isn’t important in itself but rather in the fact that objects made in it are unique, simple, unpretentious. (George Baselitz)

If you are a regular reader of TSL, you’ll know I have a wee bit of a thing for trompe l’oeil. I first read about the extremely talented Veronika Wildgruber and her trompe l’oeil-esque ’Soft Wood’ project at Anthony Robertson Design.

‘Soft Wood’ is a series of chairs (limited to 250) that appear at first to be made in fabric with the soft appearance of pillows. In reality they are sculpted in solid wood. Veronika says, “The chairs trick the mind because the surface and texture connotes the opposite of what we think and know about the characteristics of wood.”  She has created her ‘Soft Wood’ chairs to illustrate how wood can usually not be both soft and comfortable. The concept plays with reality and shows that you cannot always rely on your perception.

I think there’s a slightly retro-feel to these fabulous chairs…

‘Soft Wood’ Chairs by Veronika Wildgruber
(Images © Veronika Wildgruber)

I also like Veronika’s very German (in my opinion, at least) approach – her design aesthetic is both clean, practical and efficient; while at the same time a little idiosyncratic. That appeals to my German half!

Check out a couple of her other “simple and surprising” designs:

‘Hand Towel’ by Veronika Wildgruber
Inspired by the habit to use a dishcloth as an oven cloth. This cloth combines both functions. Produced by Raumgestalt. (www.raumgestalt.net)
(Images © Veronika Wildgruber)

‘Colino’ by Veronika Wildgruber
Grandma`s Tea Colino is a tea strainer with a blossom pattern woven in the metal wire structure. -prototype-
(Images © Veronika Wildgruber)

Veronika was born in Germany, and currently lives and works in Berlin. She studied product design at the Faculty of Design and Arts in Bolzano, Italy.  Her work has been exhibited in Milan, Paris, Berlin and London, and she was awarded with the Silmo d`Or in 2010 for her sunglasses VW02 design and the IF Product Design Award 2011 for her seriously cool ‘Wardrope’ design.

If you would like to see more of Veronika’s work, or sign up for her newsletter, you can do so here.

Colporter – For the Opera Lover in Your Life

Tags

Alfie Boe, Art, Arts, Barber of Seville, Bryn Terfel, culture, Georges Bizet, Interior design, La Danza, Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Lifestyle, London, Music, Opera, Sheet music, Shopping, style, Sydney, The Pearl Fishers

It’s a universal truth, I reckon’. Boys are hard to buy for. I will grudgingly accept that some are more-so than others. LM is a ‘more-so’. He may even take the prize. It’s a heavy cross for me to bear.

So, when I first read about Colporter’s vintage opera scores at the very lovely [JustALittleJoy] blog, written by the talented Tessa, I was just a little excited.

Colporter’s Framed Vintage Opera Scores
‘The Barber of Seville’ and ‘La Danza’
(Image sourced from Colporter)

LM is a mad keen music buff and an opera lover. What if I could find the sheet music  for Bizet’s “The Pearl Fishers”, containing his most favourite aria in the universe – the show-stopping duet “In the Depths of the Temple”…?

I went off to the lovely Catherine at Colporter in London and she worked her magic for me. She found the sheet music for “Les Pêcheurs de Perles”. She accommodated my desire to have it framed in white. She lovingly packaged it all up and sent it to Sydney. Thank you, Catherine.

Professionally mounted and framed with the sheet music still intact within the frame, these scores make for really unusual wall art. They are perfect for the growing collection of bits ‘n’ bobs we have on a wall of our bedroom. Best of all, LM loves it!

LM’s framed sheet music for “Les Pêcheurs de Perles”
(Poorly taken image by TSL)

And, for those of you who are not familiar with Bizet’s arguably most famous aria, or if you just want to listen to some lovely music, here are Alfie Boe and Bryn Terfel performing it for you…

Colporter have lots of lovely goodies on their website. You can have a look-see yourself, right here.

Postscript: I have been told that if you are to be introduced to this wonderful aria, it must be the Jussi Björling & Robert Merrill version. I stand corrected. Enjoy!

Jonathan Adler – fabulously fun but perhaps not quite quirky!

Tags

Arts, culture, Cushions, Design, Dogs, Furniture, Homewares, Interior design, Jonathan Adler, Lifestyle, Peru, Rugs, Shopping, VAses

I know – his work is perhaps a tad too mainstream to be considered quirky, particularly for you Northern Hemisphere dwellers, but hear me out… I spotted these Jonathan Adler Williamsburg vases the other day and added them to my wee list of ‘things I like’.

As with so many things, when you change the context, you introduce a new perspective.  Forget they are a fabulously-fun-yet-not-quite-quirky Jonathan Adler design… NOW, might they look the teeniest bit quirky?

Jonathan Adler Utopia Williamsburg Vase
A little bit of whimsy for US$38 for the pair
(You can buy them here)
His and hers, no less!

Following on from that find, I thought it only reasonable to take a decent squizz at the flamboyant Mr Adler’s site.  You know what? – he’s got some funky stuff. If its been a while since you popped your head in, let me share a few things that tickled my wee fancy….

Jonathan Adler Zebra Rug - in orange
Hand loomed llama's wool rug from Peru at US$995
(You can buy them here)
Who knows where I would put it but its ORANGE!!! (or black, pink, red, turquoise, green...)

Jonathan Adler leather Terrier
Handcrafted from full grain leather at US$695
(You can buy them here)
Or, maybe you'd prefer a hippo' or pig or elephant or rhino'?

Jonathan Adler embroidered 'Specs Case' - in green
Handmade wool needlepoint for US$42
(You can buy them here)
I suspect it makes me officially old that I even need to consider a specs case...

Jonathan Adler Walnut Claude Special Edition Gossip Bench Set
You can stack or reconfigure to your hearts desire. This one for US$1,890
(You can order one here)
These are limited edition collectors editions and - forget the exorbitant shipping costs - I have no-where in my home to put one. DAMN IT!!!

Jonathan Adler Mod Love Cushion
Spread the love with needlepoint at US$175
(You can buy them here)
This design is also available as a footstool. Perhaps not together, though... too matchy, matchy, matchy!

I even quite like the Jonathan Adler manifesto.  Who doesn’t appreciate a brand that has the audacity to state, “We believe that when it comes to decorating, the wife is always right. Unless the husband is gay.“? Or, what about, “We believe tassels are the earrings of the home“? What do you reckon’?

Aesop – Smells Great & Looks Good

Tags

Aesop, Australia, Balanced Life, Bathroom, beauty, Brand, Cosmetics, creativity, culture, Gifts, Homewares, Lifestyle, Merchandising, Product Design, Retail, Shopping, Sigmund Freud

Aesop Advertising Header on Seek.com

I’m a girl. That means I like things that smell nice and look good. Stands to reason, really. I’m also quite a loyal customer. I’ve worn the same perfume since I was 16 years old (but that’s a whole other story). When I find a product I like, I tell people about it. Sometimes it’s the little things that make you happy.

I wish we could see perfumes as well as smell them. I’m sure they would be very beautiful. (L.M. Montgomery, ‘Anne of the Island’)

Today, I’m telling you about how much I like my Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash and my Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm. They both smell nice and they both look good. They sit side by side in my bathroom. I cannot remember how many times they have been replaced.

Do you know the Aesop story? Founded in 1987 by Aussie entrepreneur Dennis Paphitis, grooming brand Aesop has gone from strength to strength over the past few years. Aesop has signature stores throughout Australia, as well as in Paris, London and Zürich, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, with outlets in Europe, Asia, Canada and the United States. They have lovely androgynous apothecary-style packaging, very clean brand identity and beautiful smelling botanical products. The Resurrection range features anti-bacterial mandarin and rosemary. It is truly yummy.

I quite like the Aesop philosophy to a balanced life – “We advocate the use of our products as part of a balanced life that includes a healthy diet, sensible exercise, a moderate intake of red wine, and a regular dose of good books.” How much red wine do you think constitutes a moderate intake?

And, you gotta’ love an organisation that puts a quote like this on their website:

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. (Sigmund Freud)

Oh, and their retail shops are g o r g e o u s. Seriously. Worth a visit if you haven’t already been.

If you would like to know where your closest Aesop stockist is, or perhaps buy some of their product online, head to their website here.

(Images sourced from here)

Spotlight on the Brussel Sprouts Umbrella…

Tags

Brussel Sprout, Colour, Fashion, food, Humour, Lifestyle, London, London Undercover, Rain, style, Travel, Umbrella, Vogue

The very stylish Ms Dolly Decorator first introduced me to the Brussel Sprouts umbrella from London Undercover when she blogged about it back in February.

What can I say – it was love at first sight for me.  I’m a bit of a sucker for a funky brolly at the best of times, but this one took the cake. It had everything I look for in a brolly – style, functionality, sufficient quirk-factor to readily identify it as mine (when thrown in amongst a sea of black umbrellas).  I ordered one and it duly arrived a couple of weeks later, all the way from London-town.  I was a happy wee camper.

Then, last week my Vogue Living arrived in the post. Oh, happy day! Imagine my surprise when I spotted THIS on page 84…

I would like it to go on record that (thanks in large part to the lovely Ms Dolly Decorator) I am, for once in my life, ahead of the Vogue Living stylist pack… Woohoo!

If you decide you would like one of these fabulous brollies, head on over to London Undercover and order one for £28.00 (+ postage to your wee corner of the world).

Banjo & Matilda’s First Class Jet Set Package

Tags

Australia, Banjo & Matilda, Bondi, Cashmere, Design, Fashion, Gift, Knitting, Lifestyle, Shopping, style, Sydney

Sometimes the perfect gift just jumps out at you. I have a very good friend who is not the easiest girl to buy for. She’s fabulously talented, has a great career and if she wants for anything, she usually buys it herself. This buddy of mine, she travels a lot. So, when I saw this wee number at Banjo & Matilda, it had her name written all over it.

A travel sized pillow and co-ordinating sleep mask in cashmere no less!!! How gorgeous is that? AND – how to feel like you’re (almost) up the pointy end of the plane when you really aren’t…

Here’s the front of the blue set:

and, (just when you thought it couldn’t get any better) here’s the back:

For those of you (like me) who like to have your deluxe cashmere fly incognito, so to speak…

Ooh la la!  It comes in black (and a series of other colours), too:

And THEN, (if you are a better friend than me!) there is also…

The matching travel blanket. Hoo-ha!:

Headquartered in Bondi Beach in Sydney, Belynda Macpherson launched her Banjo & Matilda business in 2008. With its philosophy of low maintenance style and comfort – but always in luxe cashmere, mind you – it resonates strongly with the relaxed Aussie lifestyle of sun, sand and the surf.

For those of you who may not be aware, the Banjo & Matilda brand is a lovely Aussie success story.  Currently they have a great womens-wear selection, with plans to extend their range into mens and baby.

I can say from experience that the Banjo & Matilda customer service is fantastic.  Truly – and, I don’t say that lightly. For those of you outside Australia, they conveniently ship their cashmere worldwide from their on-line store, delivering it in custom-made brown boxes to their customers’ doorsteps. And it arrives fast.

If you have a few minutes, have a squizz at the Banjo & Matilda website here.

(All images sourced from Banjo & Matilda)

Are Flight of the Conchords flying to Sydney?

Tags

Academy Award, Auckland, Australia, Bret, Concert, Flight of the Conchords, Humour, Jemaine, Kiwi, Lifestyle, Muppet, Music, New Zealand, Performance, Photos, Sydney, Tour, Travel

It’s confirmed!  Hot on the heels of Bret’s Oscar win, Flight of the Conchords are going on tour…  in New Zealand (sigh!)  As yet, no Australian dates confirmed, but a girl can hope…

Bret and Jemaine – are you coming across the ditch to visit your many fans over here? Pretty Please.

{Seriously considering flying to Auckland to see the boys…}

While we wait and see if Australian tour dates are to be announced, a wee something to whet your FOTC appetite:

(Top image sourced from FOTC website here)

Breaking News (10 April 2012): Confirmation of July tour dates out today. The boys are coming to Australia. Jemaine says, “We are finally returning to Australia. Mostly to apologise.” Check out the FOTC website for details.