tea time

I fell in love last year, in a shop in Curtain House that isn't there anymore, with a blue and white zig zag printed bathing suit. I never got it, and to be honest it might not have been zig zagged, or even blue and white for that matter, but it's likely-altered memory has lived on... Now it's the middle of winter and bikini bodies, bikini lines, and bathing suits in general were the last things on my mind until a couple weeks ago when Rittenhouse announced their mid-year sample sales.

I feel a little bit of the same way for Rittenhouse as I do for APC, but in a more local way. The impression I've had until recently has been that their clothes are simple, clean, sophisticated, and a little bit preppy, though on closer inspection I've found that they're also detailed, clever, and beautifully made.

For their last collection, the couple behind Rittenhouse collaborated with Swiss artists Michael Husmann and Pasquale Tschaeni, another creative couple. The result was an explosion of playful colours and textures that surprised many of their followers, and enticed me. That bathing suit that I loved last year was Rittenhouse, though I'd forgotten they even make swimwear until I was browsing their website and came across this. Which I love even more.

They're bringing the sample sale to Melbourne next Friday and Saturday, at Misty Bar on Hosier lane from 10am-4pm.
For those of you who aren't in Melbourne (or weren't in Sydney last weekend), today they announced reductions at their online shop, yay. After discussion with Han I think I'm going to go bikini, despite how beautiful the one piece is, now I just have to figure out how to justify buying a swimsuit in Winter (as if being on sale isn't enough).

Pictures are all from Rittenhouse

squinting into the sunset

Last weekend we gave each other boys names, such as Keith, Bruce, Garth, Oliver and Darren. Mine is Rupert, which is, in fact, what my parents were going to call me if I was a boy.

My mother dressed us all as very eclectically and I imagine that as the only boy in the family, little Rupert would have had extra attention paid to his wardrobe. I see Mum dressing Rupert in a Croatian patchwork poncho over a Batman t shirt and raspberry coloured woolen cardigan, tucked into olive coloured corduroy pants held up by patterned suspenders with shiny little red gumboots. I envisage tiny John Lennon glasses, too.

Rupert probably would have been a bit reserved and shy, as you would be after being teased so mercilessly about your clothes at school. I think would have grown up to be adorable to the girls he tutored English Lit 101, especially when he took off his glasses to clean them during class and had to squint a little.

having such trouble

Pictures, all of them, from Wild at Heart

the prettiest star

I think well-cut white suits are my kryptonite. Especially if worn by someone playing The Prettiest Star or This Will Be Our Year for me on a white baby grand. I love the subversive decadence of louche men with shaggy beards and long hair wearing pristine, narrowly cut white dinner jackets. A white suit states an intention to be entirely impractical and a willingness to get very messy. They make me think of doubtful Graham Greene heroes sweating in the tropics, or Sebastian Flyte spiralling ever-downwards in Morocco. White suits don't denote innocence or purity, but the total opposite. Wearers attract trouble. Sweat, dirt and bloodstains are bound to sully an expensive white suit.

high achiever

This will probably come as a surprise to none of you, but I've recently discovered that setting goals works. Well, at least helps. Example: I am trying to save money and I recently drew a little thermometer and stuck it to the wall and I'm filling it up with red as my bank account fills up with money (slowly). Visual aids!! Another example: I go to yoga about once a week but I decided recently that I might try the '30 day challenge' sometime in the next few months, so this week I'm going every day to see if I'm up to it. If I do it, I'm going to make a calendar that I can mark the days off on with big red Xs. Red is motivating!!

I'm sure I thought of more (and better, more creative) examples of goal setting and achieving on my way home last night, but I can't remember them now.

Anyway, and telling other people your goals is good because then you have to answer to someone when you don't do it. Set your intentions!!

These lovely collages are from ffffound and I don't know who did them, if you do please tell me!

you rock

Sometimes I wonder why people invite me to things, because you can count on me to always say the wrong thing. For example, if you bring me along to your group exhibition, I'll be the one who loudly says that everything in it is a bit shit apart from your piece. This is because I think that my friends are much more talented than people I do not know. This also goes for your play, and your band. I just think you're the best, better than all the rest.

Photo of École des Beaux-Arts, Paris from National Geographic

can't see the wood for the trees

I love these photos, by Amira Fritz, and the beautiful forests they're taken in.

I first saw them on Oh Joy

Joni Mitchell in peasant dress with guitar

I love Jack Robinson's photos of Joni Mitchell. I seem to listen to Blue when I'm feeling any strong emotion. Doesn't matter which one!

aubergine

I was going to write a post about a conversation I had on the weekend. But it had a slightly depressing undertone and since I slammed my finger in the door this morning, have misplaced my keys since arriving at work, and have a dentist appointment this afternoon, this day feels negative enough already so I'm going to leave that out and just write a list (or three).

In response to Han's things she loved/hated as a child and now hates/loves, here's mine, but food:

Foods I hated as a child but now love:
Zucchini
Stinky cheese
Spicy things

Foods I loved as a child but now hate:
Goody goody gumdrop ice cream
Mint chocolate chip ice cream
Omelettes
Canned spaghetti

Foods I still hate:
Eggplant
Green lollies

when I was a young warthog!

Things I hated when I was little but love now:

1. Olives

2. Seafood

3. Skincare

4. Boys

5. Knickers (wearing of)

6. Hand-me-downs

7. The taste of beer

8. The smell of antique stores

Things I hate now but loved when I was little:

1. The thought of becoming a teenager

2. Playing the recorder

3. Talking on the phone for ages

4. Bike pants

5. Hawaiian pizza

6. Indeed, pineapple on anything savoury

7. Cross country

8. Wearing zinc

In all other areas, my tastes have remained remarkably similar.

'69

I love these Life images of American students in 1969, which I pinched from today's This Recording. My parents have quite a few old Life Magazine books which enthralled me when I was little.

i'm in the money

Oh my, it is pay day!

TOP 5 MUNDANE THINGS I NEED TO BUY:

1. Hair brush

2. Black tights

3. Razor

4. Toilet paper for my flat

5. Some food

I'm quite exited about numbers 1,3 and 5.

I'm also getting my eyebrows threaded tonight for the first time ever. I have lived to almost 25 without ever having a professional look at my eyebrows. I have this image in my head of a Princess Diaries style makeover which transforms me from dull, boring Han into spectacular, perfectly browed Han, with eyebrows to rival Rachael Weiz or Jennifer Connelly. This probably won't happen.

Today I am going to listen to Roller-coaster by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Band of Gold by Freda Payne and There She Goes by The La's. Band of Gold is my dream kareoke song and is about the worst honeymoon ever. Lou, I'd like you to listen to this song carefully and then give me feedback (if you don't like it I'm not sure if we can be friends any more and this blog and all that goes with it willend).

slow life

I love Saya's blog, Life in the Slow Line. She has beautiful taste and has introduced me to the work of architects, Japanese artists, photographers and illustrators all who I've never heard of before. I don't 'follow' the blog (the pictures don't show up in my reader) and so sometimes I forget to visit for a while and then I have lots to catch up on... She makes wonderful looking breakfasts, which you can see more of on her flickr.

All these photos are from Life in the Slow Line, but not all of them are by Saya.

things to do*

1. Join a gym
2. Do a nightclass
3. Get license/learn to drive
4. Go to a 'footy' game
5. Spend a day in the botanic gardens
6. Have a stoop sale
7. Join the library
8. Hair painting
9. Work through a cookbook
10. Grow my hair past my shoulders
11. Learn to play the Arrested Development theme song on the ukulele
12. High tea at the Windsor

I crossed two of these off this weekend.

*while I live in Melbourne

and here he is buying a plant, I think

Dustin looks concerned.

that is dustin hoffman having a nap

Just because. From life.

just another day at the office

Friday morning at the Opera: "Hannah, do you ever take off that hat? You have wet hair? Did you take it off in the shower? Some of your hair is poking out of it, you'll get hat hair - does that concern you? Is THAT why you're wearing the hat? Its quiet in here on Fridays, so you could take the hat off and expose your hat-hair to the office. Do you realise you're wearing a beret AND a t shirt that says "France" on it? You didn't? Perhaps we should call it "Francais Fridays" and I'll bring in my carpet boules set? Sound good? A Baguette? You listened to Lakmé? Why ever would you do that...? Listen to this one, its about a French monk and a prostitute, yes, its message is very "be pure but show me your breasts", we should put it on one year, update it for a modern day audience and set it on K Road." FIN.

chop chop

Hey Melbourne ladiessss..........

Chip Chop is having a massive clear out this weekend, along with the good people of Lenko and Tiny Dancer.

Their studio sale is on tomorrow from 10am-5pm and Saturday from 10am-7pm at 169 Johnston Street, Collingwood and online.

My favourites from their archives unfortunately are all sold out but there will be loads of clothes, bags, fabric, samples, etc. etc. from all three labels.

in the snow

Auckland's winter just doesn't cut it. I want a Russian winter again. One with snow, bare trees, inconvenience and romance.

The bottom photo is mine, the other is a we heart it one that I lost the name of, sorry.

oh happy day

Ben and Yvonne: 2010-2010

My most hated storyline on Shortland Street is almost over. Ben is brain-dead! Thank god I don't have to watch him pash Yvonne anymore. On his deathbed, she said: "Careful driving that mustang - you've been working on it for too long. Farewell, my love, farewell".

in betweens

The Land Between Here and Mountains is a simple, beautiful blog run by two friends (like us, and these two too.) and contributed to by many. Photos are captioned and contextualised with a sentence about the journey they were taken on, the places they were in between and little import is placed on the destination.

I feel like a road trip, a walk in the bush, an adventure with friends. But it was seven degrees outside last night, and that makes me feel more like soup and socks and not going outside.

Han I want the Wellington town belt. With you, the Mein/Hawker crew, lots of layers and hand holding.

All these photos come from the blog and are credited there...