šuti

Šuti means "shut up" in Croatian and I heard it a lot on Christmas day. Uncle Ivan, seventy-something and rather tipsy, was explaining in detail how to tell if your fish monger is ripping you off (there's a complicated equation with the price of a fillet versus the price of a whole fish). His son, Stefan, bounded upstairs with a present: "Šuti!" he shoved the present into Ivan's lap, "Open this, old man!".

In between talking about fish prices, Dalmatia and the act of being Dalmatian (if you get a bunch of elder Dalmatians together, I swear, its all they talk about) I ate a pile of kroštule, otherwise known as hrvoštule. They're little pastry bows, deep fried until just golden and dusted with icing sugar. My Aunty Marlene is the only person in our family who makes them and has promised to teach me the recipe before she dies. A cousin said I'll only receive it on Marlene's death-bed because "Marlene wants to be the only person alive who knows the recipe", which I think is true! There are recipes here and here but I doubt they are anywhere near as good as the one locked away in Aunty Marlene's head.

a little hiatus

happy holidays you guys! Han and I probably won't be around for a couple of weeks because after christmas, she's coming to Melbourne and we'll be too busy lying next to the pool to post... See you in 2011! xx

This photo is by mädchen, via Lolita

stars in my eyes

I like this print too. I don't know where it comes from or I would try to buy it, I found the picture in a folder of mine called 'space is the place', which is a fact. I would like the Nasa Hubble book that Zoe brought to my attention. I saw Hubble 3D at the Imax when my mother was visiting and it was so good I hyperventalated and almost spilled my giant coke. It was so good I'm going to go again.

I'll send you a postcard from space/the future, suckers.

chrismukkah, oy humbug!

I've watched: 

The Shop Around the Corner, Bad Santa, Home Alone 2, Love Actually,the Melrose Place Christmas episode,* both of the Chrismukkah episodes from the OC and the episode of Seinfeld where Elaine accidentally slips a nip on her Christmas card. Two words: SETH COHEN.

I've eaten:

Steamed Czech dumplings filled with strawberries, doused in melted butter with a dollop of cream cheese. Roast wild boar, covered in a rosemary and thyme herb oil, served with whipped potatoes and red cabbage, followed with licorice ice cream and fra angelico on ice. A burger with bacon and cheese, also a sausage pizza, cheese pizza with extra mushrooms. Frozen coke. A suspicious tasting "ginger bread" frappaccino on the most humid day so far. I went to Winehot with my Pa and had a simple pork belly with new potatoes and (more) cabbage. At flat christmas, where several of the movies above were watched, I ate mushroom and ricotta empanadas and drank horchata for the first time (delicious!)
*"Does this gift cross the line between friendship and...romance?"

picket fence

wood floors // white walls // natural light // outdoor space // a window seat // glass fronted cabinets // tiled bathroom // one or two or three bedrooms // gas stove // window seat // fireplace // built in shelves // a pantry // pot plants // bathtub // a name at the top // art on the walls // a shelf in the kitchen for cookbooks

the pictures are all from Convoy

edges

I've just given myself a modified version of this spiky manicure (with paint, rather than clippers), and would do anything right now for that sweet, scalloped bedspread.

Not sure where the nails are from but the bed comes from this tumblr which I'm currently obsessed with.

a good thing to do

Is to go to Empress Garden chinese restaurant on Jervois Road, pre-order two Peking Ducks and then bring ten of your friends along to eat them with over three courses. You need to drink lots of Tsing Tao for optimum results. Empress Garden is in a pretty villa and has Lazy Susan facilities(messy as!)

underthings

I got my first ever strapless bra today*. Han and I are both 'lucky' enough that we can go without whenever a bra's straps might cause issue, however the Lonely Hearts dress I just bought has these lovely lacy ladders up the bodice which show a little too clearly any lack of support or, ah, coverage. So the very helpful girl in the shop pointed me towards cotton on body as the best place for 'a good cheap strapless bra' and I got one. That's all.

*I technically already owned one but it was a hand-me-down from my mother from about eight years ago and besides being not my size, it features scraggly lace and no padding (which I understand is kind of a useful reinforcement in strapless situations), instead it just has elastic along the top which creates a boobtube-like sausage breast effect. This is not desirable. I should have thrown it out a long time ago.

all i want for christmas is my two front teeth

I've never done a 'gift guide' before. And this is hardly a very helpful one, but I was inspired by this I'm Revolting guest post on Etsy, particularly this line This is for the one whose absence is keenly felt in those moments when the only sound is the city traffic beyond your window and you need to talk to someone and be understood. Because it made me think of you han, and made me want to get you the rug. And so here:

 

For the one that I admire from afar, compose text messages and emails to in my head when I'm walking, chat to all day, every day, about nothing. The one who loves all the best and some of the worst food, who can pull off every style, trend and item I never could, who calls me when she's drunk, high, and screams down the phone, who calls me sober, from work, to play me the carols being sung in her office (it'll be a tradition). The one who once called me her heart,  the one who I get to see in 14 days and counting. If I could I would buy her a pair of Opening Ceremony shoes, some Arnsdorf Jeans or this Navajo bag from Need Supply but I'm far more likely to give her a Trotski and Ash calendar, a candle from Lover, or, realistically, a bucket of gin and tonic and my bed.

Christmas is not for spending on onesself. If someone else wished to spend on me though they could get me some pretty jewelry like the smokey quartz on silk cord from Vamoose or the beautiful Morse Code necklace by Coatt (it spells 'love me do' in morse code!), or if they were feeling very generous I would accept the gold, diamond and turquoise ring by Mociun, from Magpie and Rye (I would accept anything from M&R, or Mociun for that matter, thanks). Even though it's kind of similar to one I got from Ruby in October, I would still love the Viva Vena Mustard Seed t shirt, because I have already worn the Madame Hawke one to death, and the back is special! It's sold out (probably thanks to I'm Revolting) but I would have love love loved the Moon print and lastly, I am actually considering buying the smokey quartz in geode for myself, because who doesn't love a chunk of rock?

oldies but goodies

Look at this collection of behind the scenes photos of old hollywood. I love how in most of them people are just hanging out, smoking, playing miniature board games, reading books, looking like I would like to be friends with them.

acting

The internet has gone crazy for James Franco pashing himself in a series called Fourteen Actors Acting. And rightly so! You'd think the moustache would detract from his handsomeness but, astonishingly, it just makes him better looking. The NY Times hooked me with Franco + mirror but reeled me in with Vincent Kassel + chair. What a graceful man!

bikini babes

Man, it is H.O.T here. I've been frequenting the beach and the Parnell Baths, which makes me think about swimwear. My current bikini is a black number from Glassons, it has little frills and cost me $20. It's fine, but is made out of quite a thick, cheap fabric, and I think the ties are a little short. I don't really "get" spending lots of money on bikinis. I mean, I would love to, just like I'd like to spend lots of money on everything I buy. But bikinis are just so unsubstantial and small. Like you're paying $20 per square inch of fabric, if not more.* And yet, I imagine having a really nice one would probably make me feel sassy and confident. Maybe one with an underwire? A pattern? Perhaps Tigerlily, or Insight have good ones?

This is an unrelated picture because its hot and I can't find any photos of nice togs that aren't from Lover.*

*I'm sorry Lover, but I'm not spending AU$350 on a bikini. Thank you, and good night.