banana meet-cute

Jan-Feb Books

2012-03-09T14:03:00.001+11:00

At the start of the year I was so inspired by this post by Mallory I decided to try and read at least two books every month this year. Maybe this seems like I'm aiming low but I'm not a fast reader, so this has been enough of a challenge for me! I've managed to stay on track so far though. Here's what I've been reading this year.

The Marriage Plot, by Jeffrey Eugenides

Because they are both set in American colleges I was hoping this would be similar to The Secret History (which is my fave book ever and everyone should read it). It wasn't all that similar, but still an enjoyable read, although I didn't really love any of the characters.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, by Jonathan Safran Foer

I loved Everything Is Illuminated, and I loved this too. I wanted to read it before the film came out, but I then I saw the trailer for the film and found it so off putting that I will be steering well clear of it!

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë

Another one I wanted to read before seeing the film, though last year's Jane Eyre film adaptation looks wonderful. And I loved reading this… until I had about a quarter of a way to go and it seemed like it was taking me forever, "WRAP IT UP BRONTE, I'M ON A SCHEDULE"!

A Visit From the Goon Squad, Jennifer Egan

After finally finishing Jane Eyre I managed to squeeze in A Visit From the Goon Squad in record time! It helped that I had almost 10 hours in planes and airports during my recent travels, so I got a lot of reading done then. Looking back I think I'm the most excited about this book. Though I was pretty into all these books while I was reading them, so it's possible I only feel that way because it's the one I most recently finished. Anyway, it's a good start to my new 2012 reading regime. I'd like to share what I've read every couple of months, as a way to keep myself motivated. And if I don't, well, lets just never mention this again :-D

Pantone noms

2012-03-08T11:14:00.000+11:00

Food as pantone swatches, yum. { via here }

NZ Part II

2012-03-07T13:57:00.001+11:00

More NZ! These photos are from a day trip to Queenstown.

I know, a photo of ducks, how exciting! But how clear is that water? I can't get over it.

These are from a lakeside market. I didn't buy anything though.

Breakfast at Joe's Garage. I'm trying to overcome my feelings of awkwardness when taking photos in public. Being somewhere away from home seems to help, but when I was taking this I heard the guy at the next table say "Better hurry up before it gets cold"! I know he was trying to be funny, but I felt so self conscious that I pretended I didn't hear him!

Vesta is one of my favourite shops in the world. If you ever find yourself in Queenstown you have to pay them a visit.

And on the way home we stopped here, 'The Vege Shed' which is in the tiny town of Athol.

NZ

2012-03-05T15:24:00.000+11:00

I just got back from a glorious week of food, family and friend(s) in New Zealand. I mostly stayed with my parents in Invercargill, which is right down the bottom of the country, and is where I grew up.

Vogels toast with tomatoes, aioli and pesto. I had this for breakfast a lot. Vogels is the best bread in the world and as far as I know you can only get it in New Zealand.

I was home when the Oscars were on. Best. Day. Ever.

One of my Dad's blingin' fishing flies.

My Mum's shoes are pretty blingin' too.

I made this pavlova with help from my Mum. Looks pretty good but it didn't rise like it should have and was only about a centimetre high. Pav fail. It still tasted damn good topped with cream and fruity yumminess.

I went to Dunedin for a night to visit my friend Shells. The weather was drizzly but the view was still gorgeous!

Shells has lots of nice things like this owl vase.

I stopped at this shop in Clinton on the way to Dunedin and picked up some good bargains. There was a taxidermy place next door but I was too scared to go in, even though I was pretty curious about it.

I had lots of barbeques during the week. This is my Dad's special oil that he brushes onto meat or fish when it's grilling. I'm going to make some, it's just oil, lemon rind, lemon juice, crushed garlic and fresh herbs.

Real NZ food! Paua (or abalone) patties.

My Dad's potted herbs. So jealous of this! My herb garden has been a dismal failure!

I always demand these when I'm at home - Cheese Rolls are an Invercargill speciality. How can you go wrong cheesey grilled bread smothered in butter?

Local Ladies

2012-02-23T16:45:00.001+11:00

Three clever Melbourne-based ladies who have caught my eye this week. All the Melbourne ladies (put your hands up).

After reading this post I had to find out more about sweet label Frances Baker. These photographs from their summer lookbook were shot around Brunswick and Coburg - pretty near my own neck of the woods! So nostalgic and familiar, designer Josephine Frances and photographer Hannah Kelly have totally nailed the feeling of a hot summer in the suburbs.

'Broga' is a new venture undertaken by my pal pikkujen. After training in Thailand last year she returned to Melbourne full of yogic energy, and started her blog aswell as giving private lessons. Aimed at the dudes, but ladies are welcome, which means I've partaken in a class or two. Afterwards I feel relaxed, clearheaded and have the best sleeps ever - so important. Her enthusiasm for yoga is contagious and her blog is hilarious. You heard right - it may be about yoga, but it is an hilarious and entertaining read. It always has me LOL-ing it up! Bromaste Bishes!

Another Melbourne lady doing amazing things is Kristy Barber, with her label Kuwaii. These behind the scenes stills shot by Lizzie Hollins are from their upcoming film which is screening at the No Home Film Festival, as part of the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival.

"Our director Tim White captured a feeling of a haziness; something’s not quite right. There’s a notion of just off-ness which perfectly embodies our clothing and footwear, and portrays the Kuwaii woman as having a tough and irreverent femininity."

I'm bummed that I'll be out of town when the film is being screened, but I'll be keeping an eye out for any news of it popping up online. If you are based in Melbourne you can find out more about the screenings here.

A Bumper Crop

2012-02-21T16:02:00.000+11:00

As part of my scheme to quit spending precious weekend time at the supermarket, I have been trying out having vege boxes delivered. I chose this company, as they deliver right to your doorstep, and we've been getting a seasonal fruit and vegetable box. The produce is all organic, and locally grown - another win! Though this means you don't know what you will end up getting, which is an exciting surprise, but can also be a bit challenging when you end up with an abundance of silverbeet that you're just not that into.

Luckily I have plenty of foodie resources for inspiration, such as this magazine from Mr Jamie Oliver. Lots of delish ideas are within these pages! I think I love the design of his publications as much as the recipes.

I'd love to hear what other vege box users think of the whole arrange. Or if you have any other ways for getting food that avoids tedious supermarket trips I'd love to hear them too!

Final Image

2012-02-17T16:03:00.000+11:00

Via this post on A Glimpse of Glamour, I was led to spend many hours trawling through the Final Image. As the name suggests, it's a huge collection of last scene stills from a number of films.

The Royal Tenenbaums, 2001 (dir. Wes Anderson) // Trading Places, 1983 (dir. John Landis) // Lost in Translation, 2003 (dir. Sofia Coppola) // 9 to 5, 1980 (dir. Colin Higgins) // National Lampoon’s Vacation, 1983 (dir. Harold Ramis) // Office Space, 1999 (dir. Mike Judge) // Teen Wolf (1985, Rod Daniel) // Leon: The Professional, 1994 (dir. Luc Besson) // This is Spinal Tap, 1983 (dir. Rob Reiner) // Easy Rider, 1969 (dir. Dennis Hopper) // Heathers, 1988 (dir. Michael Lehmann) // Wet Hot American Summer, 2001 (dir. Davin Wain) // Rosemary’s Baby, 1968 (dir. Roman Polanski) // Napoleon Dynamite, 2004 (Dir. Jared Hess) // One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1975 (dir. Milos Forman)

All pics from The Final Image

V.Day B.Day

2012-02-15T11:38:00.000+11:00

These are some instagram pics I took yesterday during Valentines Day, which was also more importantly my birthday! I received some lovely birthday prizes, such as the small grey mountain cushion by Hilary Grant, and an awesome Calourette necklace. I'm trying not to freak out too much about the wrinkles in my forehead in that photo above, which even the instagram blur function can't hide. Old-timer alert, Eek!

Dogs Inside

2012-02-13T16:23:00.000+11:00

Dogs Inside is my 'tumblr on the side'. If you like interiors and/or dogs then please take a look. I always think I'll run out of good photos of cute dogs in interesting interiors, but of course I never do. The internet - there's quite a lot on here.

Here are a couple of my recent favourites.

{via theselby}

{Truffle, Stitch and Sunday from brook&lyn}

{via alvhem}

{Rico from design*sponge}

Loving Lauren Moffatt

2012-02-13T13:20:00.000+11:00

I hadn't heard of designer Lauren Moffatt until I saw these images of her Fall 2012 collection, taken by Erin from Calivintage. That dress on the left is the one I want, or perhaps the shirt done in the same print. Navy and yellow have never looked better!

Also: CAPES!

More awesome images of the collection are here on Calivintage.

A bit of Alex James

2012-02-06T14:24:00.000+11:00

Seen via Miss Moss, I am loving these photos of Alex James from the Aubin & Wills spring lookbook. I'm a little bit infatuated with Mr James after reading his autobiography A Bit of a Blur. I love music biographies and his is one of the best I have read. It's such a great read, and quite surprising following his life from rock star playboy to married country gentleman and cheese monger.

I've also been swooning over this behind the scenes video of Alex and Irina Lazareanu, larking about in London and the country side and stuff.

Song for Saturday

2012-02-04T16:12:00.000+11:00

Happy Weekend everybody! Here's a sweet song by Charlotte Gainsbourg and Connan Mockasin - two of my favourites!

Bat Country

2012-01-31T17:04:00.000+11:00

Visiting the bat colony at Yarra Bend Park has been on my "Melbourne Bucket List" for some time now. Every evening at dusk the bats migrate over the city, and the park is where these leathery beasts hang out during daylight hours. Thousands of them! They make quite the freakish spectacle.

While we were there we saw this guy who had been found in a suburban garden. Luckily Wildlife Victoria could come and pick him up, and he was reunited with his batty pals. Our visit was at twilight, and there were some bands playing while we watched as the bats got ready for their evening adventures.

And we saw a cookaburra! He was unusually quiet - perhaps he was in awe of the bats too.

It's quite hard to capture on camera just how many bats there were, so I took some video footage! Check it out below for more bat action, peppered with some choice kiwi accents, marvelling at these amazing creatures.

I Love Tray

2012-01-27T12:55:00.000+11:00

I'm in love… with a tray. The 'How Wonderful Life Is' tray to be exact! Made in Sweden and decorated with a hand drawn image by Hanna Melin. I spotted this beauty on Hello Polly and fell head over heels! I'm not sure if it was the "Your Song" lyrics that got me, or the thought of the tray laden with tea and cakes, or breakfast in bed. Anyway, I am smitten!

Hamuary

2012-01-20T13:50:00.000+11:00

I love the idea of starting your own traditions. For Mr Meet-Cute and I, our Christmas tradition is to get a massive ham which we eat for weeks afterwards. The first two weeks of January we were eating variations of ham for pretty much every single meal. Hence, the season of 'Hamuary'. After way too many meals of ham and quinoa salad I tried to get a bit more inventive.

We finished up the last of the ham with Nigella's homemade oaty rolls and a platter of cream cheese, cornichons, and these marinated mushrooms from foodie blog Hungry & Frozen. So. Good.

See you next year, Hamuary!

{recipe video here}

{recipe here}

New year, fresh face

2012-01-19T14:35:00.000+11:00

New colours! I have decided that my love affair with pastels ends now! Kinda… I'm trying to move on by embracing these bright, tropical colours, which lately I have been becoming more and more drawn to.

Gorman Astrid cardigan in electric lime // "L.O.V.E. Banana" video João Brasil feat. Lovefoxxx // Emily Green's colour pop necklaces // Cheap Monday Alex Stripe Moss tee // the Taco Truck bold lettering & aztec colours // Gorman Ring bikini top and high waisted bikini bottom - trés tropical.

Moonrise & Hische

2012-01-17T10:01:00.000+11:00

Wes Anderson's just released trailer for Moonrise Kingdom has been spreading like wildfire on the internets! I'm particularly enamoured with the typography used, which was created by Jessica Hische in what she has described as "a life changing project". Hische is an inspiration to type nerds everywhere, so I would say it's a match made in heaven.

Christmas Prizes

2012-01-13T15:06:00.000+11:00

I did rather well for myself – present wise, this last Christmas. I must say my 'Books I Want' post really paid off! And I was absolutely thrilled to recieve this Pentax camera – a lovely and unexpected gift from Mr Meet-Cute. I'm picking up my first 3 rolls of film taken over the Christmas break later today. Fingers crossed they turn out okay!

Keke

2012-01-12T10:33:00.000+11:00

All photos from Keke, seen via thedesignfiles.

Keke is a beautiful food blog created by Kirra Jameson (who also happens to be an incredible artist). There's a lovely 'unfussiness' about the photographs and personal stories accompanying each recipe. I'd like to try my hand at this one: Chèvre Soufflés.

Dark Crystals

2012-01-10T14:25:00.000+11:00

I'm so into these paintings of semi-precious gems and minerals by Carly Waito.

Crafty New Year

2012-01-09T14:34:00.000+11:00

Something about this new year has made me want to start getting a bit crafty. I'm even thinking of buying a new sewing machine, to replace the one I sold before I moved to Australia. Or perhaps I'll take up needlepoint, with a super awesome project such as this Rob Ryan for Emily Peacock Tapestry Kit.

Brooklyn Digs #2

2012-01-06T16:15:00.000+11:00

When I saw this photo of artist Johanna Burke on freunde von freunden there was something awfully familiar about it. That view and those windows …

… her apartment is in the very same building that I stayed at in New York! That I blogged about here!

Years ago the building was a pasta factory, and now it's home to a bunch of New York creatives. Honestly, everyone we ran into in the elevator was so cool, good looking and friendly - I felt like such a shy country mouse in the big city!

These photos and more (including Johanna's amazing work-in-progress sculptures) from freunde von freunden.

New York Parks (and Recreation)

2012-01-05T15:55:00.000+11:00

Mr Meet-Cute and I ambled along the Highline Park on one of our last afternoons in New York. It didn't seem to be as crowded as some of the other more touristy places we visited, which added to the relaxed afternoon vibe.

See that cape that girl to the left is wearing? I want one like that.

I also loved the surrounding neighbourhood of Chelsea. It's where I'd want to live if I had riches to please a King.

Instagrams '11

2012-01-03T17:00:00.000+11:00

Bye bye 2011, the year of instagramming everything.

Holidaze #2

2011-12-24T18:18:00.001+11:00

It's going to be a toasty hot Christmas in Melbourne this year. Today I have been a sweaty beast cleaning and preparing food for tomorrow (I'm actually in my togs right now because it's way too hot to do this wearing normal clothes) And tonight I am going to cross off one of my 'Holiday to-do-list' items by going to the Rooftop Cinema to see Elf. Can't wait! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! xx

Holidaze

2011-12-21T12:03:00.000+11:00

{All images via f-yeah christmas}

I'm spending the Christmas holidays in Melbourne this year. I've got 11 days off to spend being a tourist in my own city, which is one of my favourite things to do. This is some of the stuff I hope I'll be doing:

See a film at the Rooftop Cinema
Have lots of picnics in the gardens
Try every single flavour of Rekorderlig cider
Spend an afternoon swimming and lounging at Fitzroy Swimming Pool
Get the train to Balaclava and stock up on bagels
Go to St Kilda for yummingtons on Acland Street, or as a friend calls it "The Street of Cakes and Creams"
Go shopping at the new Topshop store
Lots of hogging out eating bad food and watching movies!

Christmas Craftanoon

2011-12-13T13:24:00.000+11:00

After being inspired by this cute blog I spent the other afternoon making homemade stamps for Christmas giftwrapping. Super easy and super effective = my kind of craft project!

New York Snapshots

2011-12-13T13:23:00.000+11:00

The Top of the Rock

A Slice of White

Panna II. We ate here on Mr Meet-Cute's birthday. I got pretty excited the other night watching Bored to Death and there was a scene which was filmed here.

"Crack nuts". Not their real name, but these sugary cashews you can buy from street vendors became a serious addiction.

Rainy Central Park on our first day in New York

We went to the The American Museum of Natural History and sheltered from the rain

All the books

2011-12-11T21:16:00.000+11:00

When Mr Meet-Cute asked me what I wanted for Christmas I was all "ummm, aaaah… I'll make a blog post about it!" Then I started thinking about all the books I'd like, though I'd also like lots of free time to read them in (hurry up hols!!) Perhaps you or a fellow bookworm need some Christmas/holiday reading inspiration? Here is what's on my 'to read' list.

Funny Lady books:

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling & You'll Be Sorry When I'm Dead by Marieke Hardy

There's something so relatable about Mindy Kaling. I've been enjoying her blog and am sure to enjoy her book too. Same goes for Marieke Hardy's writing in Frankie, and her book sounds hilarious.

Bossypants by Tina Fey & The Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman

These have both been out for a while now. I guess I've got some funny lady reading to catch up on.

Then Again by Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton is such an icon, but I really want to read her memoir for the stories about working with her friend (and ex) Woody Allen.

Crafty Books:

Make Hey! While the Sun Shines by Pip Lincoln & Design Sponge at Home by Grace Bonney

Crafty home inspiration from a couple of super blogging ladies.

Great Fiction:

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides & 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Two novels that would be perfect for holiday reading.

Photography/Music/Coffee Table books:

Autumn De Wilde's book Beck is beautifully designed and has a foreword by Michel Gondry.

George Harrison: Living in the Material World by Olivia Harrison. I bought this for my sister for her birthday and it was quite hard to part with. The dvd of the film the book accompanies would also make a great gift.

And then, how is this for a gift wrapping idea? Would be perfect for a mix of books, cds and dvds.

Cheeseburger wrapping paper. So delicious. More info here.

I'd love to hear your reading recommendations too. Or are there any books you're dying to get your hands on? Let me know bookworms!

Brooklyn Digs

2011-12-08T10:55:00.000+11:00

I can't believe I've been back from my USA trip for a month and am only just starting to post New York photos now, Eek. We stayed in a Williamsburg loft that we booked through airbnb (you could stay there too!) It was fantastic and I couldn't get enough of that view. Or Simone the cat, our new furry friend.

I would have loved to have spent more time exploring Brooklyn, but with only a week in New York our touristing schedule was pretty intense. I'm glad I got to hunt around the Brooklyn Flea and Bedford Ave though.

I'm in love with a Nerd

2011-12-06T10:11:00.000+11:00

Nerd Boyfriend fans, say Hello to Nerd Girlfriend! This site is so brand new there's only one post up as of right now. I'll be checking back regularly to what is bound to be my new favourite place for classic fashion inspiration.

Weekend Gardener

2011-12-03T17:35:00.000+11:00

{top image by me, from tumblr and last two via freundevonfreunden}

My weekend project is to add to my tiny herb collection. I don't have a garden but have pots with basil, rosemary and mint. I'm planning on adding parsley, coriander, and some fancy mint varieties - vietnamese perhaps?

Happy December

2011-12-02T16:17:00.000+11:00

Am sharing this ace drawing by Gemma Correll to mark the start of the silly season. It's December already, bloody hell!

Disneyland Adventure

2011-12-02T14:30:00.000+11:00

I finally fulfilled my childhood dream of visiting Disneyland. We went on all the rides, ate a tonne of junk food, and I wore my mickey ears the whole day like a massive geek!

Cute goat friends. These guys were so mellow. I'm scared to think exactly how they were kept so placid with all the crazed children around.

Apologies to anyone grossed out by the in your face turkey-leg close-up (though I'm sure some would appreciate it. I sure did when I was tucking into it like a cave woman).

Market Buys

2011-11-28T13:53:00.000+11:00

After declaring a month ago that I would be hand making all my Christmas gifts, I've now decided to buy handmade instead! Christmas is just creeping up too quickly, isn't it? Over the weekend I went along to the Christmas Design Mini Market and Markit @Fed Square hoping to make a start on my Christmas shopping. I did find a few special gifts, but mostly just came away with stuff for myself…

Above: Beci Orpin bear print, Dawn Tan for Douglas and Hope Happy Fries cups, Cecilia Fox potted succulent and bouquet.

Tonight…

2011-11-23T14:19:00.000+11:00

… I am going to see this legendary lady.

{all images from Dolly Parton, Queen of the Universe}

Three Milk Cake

2011-11-21T10:54:00.000+11:00

Though I love cooking, I'm generally a pretty lazy cook. I like quick, uncomplicated recipes - anything that takes longer than an hour tops and I'll start to get angsty. However, now and then I feel the need to challenge myself by trying something new. I usually make some kind of huge deluxe cake for Mr Meet-Cute's birthday, but seeing as we spent his birthday in New York this year I really missed not being able to make a cake for him. When I came across this recipe for Nook Eatery's Pastel Tres Leches cake, I decided that a belated birthday cake was exactly what was needed.

Things you need to know about this cake:

It contains a whole tin of condensed milk. I have been obsessed with condensed milk since childhood when my best friend and I would buy tins and consume the whole thing a spoonful at a time. We also may have done this a few times as grown ups… you could call it a tradition.
The cake itself wasn't really that complicated to make. I found the meringue topping to be more of a challenge.
You use 3 egg whites to make the meringue topping, and then you can use the leftover egg yolks in this recipe for Nook's Perfect Hollandaise.
The recipe is described as being "So rich that small portions are key", which sounded like a challenge if ever I heard one.
They were right about it being rich. The cake needs to set for four hours, or overnight, so after all that waiting when I finally had a slice I cut myself the hugest piece ever, and ate it with cream… and it was amazing. But I did need to lie down and not move afterwards.

Get to the Getty

2011-11-17T10:59:00.000+11:00

I'm so glad I got a chance to visit the Getty Museum during our time in LA. The grounds and building are amazing, and I saw one of my favourite ever paintings in the flesh.

LA Bishes!!

2011-11-16T16:50:00.000+11:00

This is going to be another super-photo-heavy post, so hold on tight for Hollywood Boulevard, Venice Beach (on a weird overcast day), cupcakes, margaritas, flea markets, and the Chateau Marmont (crappily photographed from the window of a moving tourbus).

Calendars (already)

2011-11-15T11:05:00.000+11:00

Two new and pretty calendars, both produced in Melbourne.

The Design Files 2012 calendar. I got last years Neighbourhood's calendar and will probably be getting this one too, seeing as some of my favourite artists such as Dawn Tan and Becky Orpin are involved. This years Creative Clutter calendar comes out next week, but you can pre order here.

Trotski & Ash's 2012 calendar has recipes for seasonal yummies for every month. Last years calendar sold out within a week! Get in quick with ordering here.

Día de los Muertos

2011-11-11T14:48:00.000+11:00

Just a day into our trip we found ourselves at the huge Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) event at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This colourful, surreal celebration was one of my favourite experiences of the whole overseas adventure. Hang on tight because this post is about to get super photo heavy!

I'm Back!

2011-11-09T14:00:00.000+11:00

Let the post-holiday depression begin! Though, I must admit it is nice to be home and have some 'down time'. The last two weeks in the US of A have been full on and packed with touristy excitement, and boy do I have the photos to prove it. Honestly, a ridiculous amount of photos were taken…

What I LOVED about the USA:

Cheap filtered coffees from everywhere. This is probably just me, but I do love filtered coffees. Downunder it's all flat whites and lattes, I love them too but there is always a place for a good honest cup of filtered coffee!
Taking photos willy-nilly and not being self conscious about it because there are so many other tourists doing the same thing.
Mexican food from everywhere.
Pizza by the slice. Especially 'a slice of white'.
It snowed!
Watching tv and movies from now on and recognising places I've been to. (Does anyone else watch Parenthood? So good, on last night's episode they were in Haight Ashbury - I was just there three days ago!!)
The drugstores and cheap makeup (seriously - Kiehls products here are 3 times the price, and OPI nail polish is $20 a bottle here compared to $8 in the US. I wish I'd stocked up more but I was freaking out about my luggage being too heavy).
Cheap magazines. I guess it's because most mags arrive in Australia having been freighted from the US. I couldn't resist buying more and more and hauling them back in my carry on luggage.
So I keep mentioning the word 'cheap', but you know what else is waaaaay cheaper - movies! We saw Contagion and Drive (both excellent).

What I didn't love - not seeing any celebrities! And let me tell you - I was on high alert the whole time. We even went on the TMZ celebrity tour in Hollywood, which was quite the experience. I thought I was excited by the prospect of celebs but the other people on the tour took it to another level. Our tourguide spoke about working at the Oscars and someone tapping him on the shoulder, and he turned around and it was Natalie Portman. Just as I was thinking 'Is that the whole story then?' (it was btw) the woman behind me screamed 'OH MY GOSH!!!' Part of the tour is stalking celebrities and I am actually thankful that we didn't spot any as that would have involved pulling over to harrass them from within the huge tour bus!

We visited the Statue of Liberty on the last day you could visit the interior. She's now shut for a whole year while she gets spruced up in there.

United States of colour blocking.

It was the 125th birthday of the Statue of Liberty. Free icecream for all!

USA is A.OK

2011-10-20T23:01:00.000+11:00

Tomorrow I leave for a whirlwind American holiday! I'm calling it a whirlwind because this will be my first time visiting the States and I have so much to cram into a two weeks holiday. I need to visit Disneyland, get my head around 'tipping' and I also want to eat all the food. I have just 4 days in LA, 6 days in New York, and then 2 days in San Francisco - crazy, right?!

Do you have any tips for me about how I can make the most of this trip? Any places that I must visit, or things I really should do, or food that I have to try? Let me know!

Bookish

2011-10-20T10:33:00.000+11:00

Don't you just love checking out people's bookshelves? They tell you so much about a person. These are my sisters books and it's pretty obvious what her interests are - music, art and fashion! It's her birthday today, so I just wanted to say: Happy Birthday Loulou Blue!

Times Square

2011-10-19T14:37:00.000+11:00

Reasons why blogging is awesome: After I wrote about the Times Square soundtrack a while ago, and the fact that none of the dvd stores round these parts have the film, I heard from Jess who offered to send me copy!

I'm a huge fan of eighties teen films, and I absolutely love seeing anything that's set in eighties New York - it just looks so dirty and exciting! So this film ticked a lot of boxes for me. Plus, I am counting down the days until my own trip to New York, though I realise Times Square looks nothing like this anymore…

Thanks so much Jess for the Times Square hook up!

In the Woods

2011-10-18T14:05:00.000+11:00

Dreamy behind the scenes photos by Clever Nettle's Anya Verdugo, taken in the Washington woods during a photoshoot for Portland store Eden. I love all those friendly dogs hanging round, just chillin'.

More of Anya's amazing photos can be seen here on Clever Nettle. I can't wait to see the official photos once they're released, there is something really magical about those woods.

Melbourne Weekend (…again!)

2011-10-17T16:23:00.000+11:00

Once again, the weekend has gone by too fast! It was a good one though, my Mum was in town so we did a lot of eating yummy food, and wandering round the city.

It was my Mum's birthday on Saturday, and we started the celebrations with delicious breakfasting at the new Monsieur Truffe chocolate shop and cafe.

We had croque monsieur, and eggs with brioche soldiers and smoked salmon. I struggled a bit with the 'egg cracking' tool - see below. Also had to have hot chocolates, which were like little pots of chocolate syrup.

We went to Prahran Market and stocked up on more yummingtons.

And had a visit to Heide Museum of Modern Art.

These photos were taken around the sculpture park in the Heide grounds, and the last two are of Sunday Reed's kitchen gardens. This was the second time I've visited Heide, but I can't have been paying much attention during that first visit because I feel like I learned so much more about the history of this place. Definitely recommended to anyone who is after a relaxed Melbourne outing.

They Say it's Your Birthday #2

2011-10-12T11:10:00.000+11:00

It was one year ago today that Banana Meet-Cute was born! Woweeee!! I have had so much fun over the past year with this silly lil' blog. Starting out I decided my blogging philosophy was that it didn't matter whether anyone out there was reading my blog or not, because it was something that I was doing for my own enjoyment … but I still get so excited and am so chuffed by you blog visitors! And comments or links back here are just the icing on the cake. So thank you so much all you fantastic and good looking readers out there!

In honour of this occasion, I thought I would re-post these photos from one of my favourite, and very first blogposts. (Have just realised this is a bit of a sad note to end this Birthday Blog Post, le oops.)

"On October 9th, 1980 Yoko Ono organised this skywriting for the joint birthday party of John Lennon (who was turning 40) and Sean Lennon (who was turning 5). The party was held at the Tavern on the Green in New York City."

John Lennon would have turned 71 on October 9th of this year.

Easy Decor

2011-10-12T10:53:00.000+11:00

There is a big empty wall above my couch. I think I've found what I want to do with that space.

Photo from pinterest.

Melbourne Weekend

2011-10-11T13:43:00.000+11:00

So I went a bit cray-cray taking photos of those demon-bebehs this weekend. The sculptures by Russian visual arts collective AES+F are here as part of the Melbourne Festival which just started last week.

Spendy Spenderson

2011-10-07T15:45:00.000+11:00

I know everyone keeps saying this, but this year is FLYING BY! Seriously. For me this means that my overseas trip to the US of A is even closer and I really need to tighten my belt. My great plan of saving before I leave has not been going well at all. Probably something to do with all these things I keep 'accidentally' buying online…

Twenty Seven Names for Glassons sunglasses (that I wrote about here) and floral print trousers. It was quite tough only ordering these two things - Glassons online is looking so good! Not to mention that money raised through purchases from their Cure Shop Collection goes towards the Breast Cancer Cure Research Trust.

Nature Baby Hei Tiki t.shirt. In LA I'll be catching up with some old friends, and meeting their new baby, who judging from the photos I've seen is the cutest baby ever! And, seeing as he is half kiwi, he will need some Aotearoa inspired baby-wear. This is actually quite organised of me to have this sorted already *pats self on back smugly*

In even more smug forward planning, I have ordered this to be blasted this year on December 25!

Dawn Tan's meaty pillowcases - I saw these at a market Dawn was involved with earlier in the year and couldn't stop thinking about how awesome they were. So I had to get in touch with her to see if I could order my own - and I could! This photo is from Dawn's blog, but once my own pillowcases arrive I will very likely be sharing them here!

Photography Lessons #3 (Zoo Edition)

2011-10-06T15:00:00.000+11:00

Mr Meet-Cute and I went on a photography excursion to Melbourne Zoo a while ago. This was one of the first days of post-Winter sun and it seemed like everyone in the city had decided to make the most of it by heading to the zoo. Not pictured above are the crowds of families and crying children - at one point after watching the elephants I turned round to find myself hemmed in by pushchairs. Eek!

Cute Stuff #3

2011-09-30T14:13:00.000+10:00

Hola ! The following is a bunch of 'cute stuff from around the interwebs'.

Vanessa from the Velvet Bird has started selling her supremely cute designs, and this Lola Sings the Blues dress is the one I want. AND she is donating 20% of her profits to Love146, an organisation that fights Human Trafficking. Pretty amazing.

Not so much 'cute', but I can't wait to see this film.

Baked camembert, Oh my goodness YUM! Seen via Miss Moss.

Outdoor movie party in the best backyard I've seen in ages. From Lilys Make Believe, photos from here.

Mickey watch! Seen on It Will Stop Raining. I am going to Disneyland this year. Yes I am.

Love these keys.

House of Maryanne's new lookbook photos were taken at one of my favourite Melbourne places, the Abbotsford Convent.

Love these guys! I posted a different picture of these two a while back which I found on tumblr. Then recently I came across the New York Times article the photos are originally from, and was able to learn more about this amazing dream house.

Soups Season

2011-09-30T14:06:00.000+10:00

When I realised that Winter was coming to an end I started to panic about not having made the most of the cooler weather, which is perfect for making and eating one of my favourite foods - soup! During the height of summer Melbourne gets so hot that I can hardly bear to be near a hot oven, so I was determined to get my fill of soup appreciation before the end of the season. Here are a couple of my favourites from the ensuing soup binge.

Ripe Recipes Curried Parsnip & Apple soup.

Birthday Borscht from Trotsky and Ash (my favourite).

And this roast cauliflower and chickpea soup was a delicious, cosy delight.

And speaking of foodie deliciousness, this week on Where the Lovely Things Are it is Food Week! There have been lovely yummy food posts every day, and I was rather chuffed to be asked to participate by answering some foodie questions. Thanks Mallory! I've really been loving all the food content this week. Yum!

Plantlife Loft

2011-09-28T14:33:00.000+10:00

I so love that plant covered shelf, cleverly used as a room divider in the LA loft of Adam Pogue and Daniel Aston, who are pictured above with their dog Otto, looking like the cutest family ever!

Seen via apartmenttherapy.

Amy Poehler Girl Crush

2011-09-28T14:16:00.000+10:00

These are quite terrifying and hilarious, and make me really love Amy Poehler. Polaroid test shots taken during the taping of the Upright Citizens Brigade 1998 television series. Seen via Got A Girl Crush, with more info here.

Monday Music - St. Rupertsberg

2011-09-26T10:10:00.000+10:00

Happy Monday everyone! I've been listening to these great ladies from St. Rupertsberg all weekend. After seeing these photographs taken by Misma Andrews of The Make Believe Sea I was led to find this video, which is a great introduction to the bands sound. You can purchase their Seasonal Glimpse ep here.

I want to run away and join this band now, though they probably don't need a ninth member…

Hello Tree Face

2011-09-23T14:40:00.000+10:00

"Oh haaaaai !"

The Glazzzz

2011-09-22T14:28:00.000+10:00

Kiwi chain store Glassons have just unveiled their new 'Cure Shop' and I just placed an order for these: Mon Coeur Sunglasses by Twenty Seven Names.

For the past eight years Glassons have sold their Breast Cancer Awareness tees, which are designed by top New Zealand designers with a cut of the sales going towards the Breast Cancer Cure Research Trust. This is the first year that they have had a range of different products available, and with free shipping to Australia, aswell as it being such a worthy cause, I could not resist nabbing these sunglasses.

Now, I also have my eye on this Karen Walker designed tee…

View the whole range online here. Go The Glazzz!

Alexa-Xine

2011-09-22T11:29:00.001+10:00

Alexa Chung (with some help from her creative pals) has put together a zine which includes these cute images. It will be given out to those buying her Madewell collection. Images and more info from Madewell's tumblr here.

Pretty Pastels and a Pug

2011-09-21T13:54:00.003+10:00

More Fashion Week pastels, this time from Kris Atomic seen at London Fashion Week.

And a trés fashionable pug! Many more photos can be seen here.

Small Things #2

2011-09-19T15:30:00.002+10:00

I am really bad at buying plants and then not getting around to potting them for weeks and weeks - I'm such a terrible plant mother. These are some new guys that I finally potted properly. I'm keeping them all lined up in the sunniest spot in the house, now to be known as the 'plant nursery', until they get settled.

This is a pile of nearly 200 photographs I recently had printed (9 cents a print = bargain!) Now I need to find time to put them all nicely into a photo album.

Kuwaii kicks I wrote about here arrived a few weeks back and have barely left my feet. I love them so!

Lost + Found

2011-09-13T16:03:00.000+10:00

This past weekend I ventured out to the new Lost + Found Market in Brunswick. The Smith Street, Collingwood branch of Lost + Found is a well established haven of vintage amazingness, so I had been itching to go and explore their new premises.

I was very happy to come home with this copy of Marianne Faithfull's first biography. I read this years ago after getting it from the library and I've wanted my own copy ever since!

Pastel Pretties

2011-09-09T14:02:00.000+10:00

Street Peeper's Phil Oh, by Isaac Likes.

Last week it was this picture taken during New Zealand Fashion Week. This week it's this one from New York Fashion Week. The pastels. I loves them.

The New Smith

2011-09-08T12:19:00.002+10:00

I was very happy to get my hands on a copy of the new Smith Journal, from the makers of Frankie magazine. It seems that everyone wants to know why the new magazine isn't named 'Frank', seeing as it's a more masculine version of Frankie - this is what editor-at-large Rick Bannister had to say about that:

"…even though Smith Journal was created by the Frankie team, it’s not simply a male version of it. It’s not the brother of Frankie. It’s different. It’s more like Frankie‘s guy friend. A guy who’s interested in a lot of different stuff to Frankie. (Smith Journal and Frankie would definitely want to hook up though, I reckon, so they had to be from different families, otherwise that would have been weird and wrong)"

Photography Lessons #2

2011-09-06T15:10:00.000+10:00

From top: jasmine on my street // hangover breakfast // Melbourne laneway // Smith Street // Collingwood Children's Farm // goat! // Abbotsford Convent // Abbotsford Convent Slow Food Farmers Market

The photography lessons continue! These were all taken using a Fujica camera with a Super Takumar Lens.

Good Times Mix Swap

2011-09-02T14:18:00.000+10:00

A while ago I participated in the mix cd swap that Mallory from Where the Lovely Things Are proposed to readers of her excellent blog. There's no better way to discover new music than receiving a handmade mix, and this particular mix swap had the added bonus of getting paired with an awesome new bloggy friend. This is what I received from my mix-swap partner Helena, of The Herbarium.

I was extra chuffed when I received this beautiful hand knitted bow with my mix - so sweet! The theme for the mixes was GOOD TIMES, and though we both chose some similar artists, all the songs we picked were different - surely this equals a musical match success!

Thanks to Helena's mix I am now totally obsessed with this song:

Metronomy - The Bay from David Wilson Creative on Vimeo.

Thanks again Helena, and thank you Mallory for coordinating it all!

Shoes 'n' Socks

2011-09-02T13:46:00.000+10:00

{pics from top via aucklandstreetstyle, foureyes, madebywhite, browndresswithwhitedots, louderthansilence, herecomesthesun}

I'm loving these cute shoes and ankle socks, socks layered over tights, and socks and sandles - lets definitely bring that look back.

Georgemania

2011-09-02T11:15:00.000+10:00

I can't wait to see Martin Scorsese's George Harrison documentary.

Photos via Fuck Yeah George Harrison

Pastel Perfect

2011-09-01T13:25:00.000+10:00

I've been glued to katherineisawesome.com this week, her New Zealand Fashion Week coverage has been freaking amazing. This shot of off duty model Rosie is one of my favourite things of the week, I'm so blown away by those pastel shoes!

I Can't Wait to See…

2011-08-31T16:32:00.001+10:00

… all the buildings in New York!

All the buildings in New York by James Gulliver Hancock.

This has to be one of my favourite buildings in New York (though I haven't actually been there … yet!)

Photography Lessons

2011-08-30T09:36:00.000+10:00

Mr Meet-Cute has become obsessed lately with buying old cameras online, and I really want to learn more about photography, so he has been teaching me all about F stops, shutter speeds, and getting that needle thingy you see through the lens to line up in the middle. These photos are the results of one of our 'photography class' excursions, taken on a gloomy Winter afternoon at the Melbourne Botanic Gardens using a 1970s era Praktica camera.

I got a bit snap-happy and finished my roll of film within 20 minutes! Luckily we also had a digital camera with us - no film required for that.

Got a Magazine Crush

2011-08-26T11:16:00.000+10:00

Got A Girl Crush has introduced me to so many talented ladies, and I've just discovered a whole bunch more after perusing their brand new magazine. I just ordered a hardcopy which is going to take 3-4 weeks to arrive in my mailbox in Aussie, so I have already read most of it by downloading the free pdf - you can do this too, or order a lovely printed edition right here.

A Few More Film Gems

2011-08-24T10:21:00.000+10:00

I really enjoyed reading this guest post by Danica, from Oh Hello There for See Hear Say. In Danica's words "Few things are better than receiving a recommendation for a good film", and after reading this well thought out post about little known film gems, I couldn't help thinking of my own recommendations to share.

Each film has a link to it's trailer, so click on through if you'd like more of a taste of these gems!

THE CLASSIC // Eighties movies count as classics, right?

Okay, so my love of eighties teen flicks is no secret, but the original Fame (1980) is not your average teen movie. Following the lives of a group of students through three years of study at New York's High School of Performing Arts, Fame shows what may now be cliché or cheesy in an original, heartfelt way. Plus, eighties New York looks like an amazing place for leg warmer clad, singing, dancing teens.

A FOREIGN FILM + A COMEDY // A classy french take on the rom-com

An updated Breakfast at Tiffany's, Hors de Prix (Priceless) (2006) stars Audrey Tautou as career gold digger Irène, with sad eyed Gad Elmaleh as the penniless bartender she accidentally gets involved with, before he learns a thing or two about playing the young gigolo himself. Despite the morally questionable storyline, both leads are so perfectly charming, and the luxury trappings of champagne, designer clothes and deluxe French Riviera hotels are so captivating that you just won't be able to help enjoying this film - promise!

THE DOCUMENTARY // So much more than a 'fashion film'

I have a bit of a thing for frail old men… Er, that sounds a bit wrong, but there's just something that breaks your heart about those oldtimers, and Bill Cunningham: New York (2010) stars the most heartbreaking of them all! This film was marketed as the new The September Issue, so when I saw it I was expecting it to be about fashion. I was not expecting to be so inspired and moved by Bill Cunningham, who at 80 plus years is still on top of his game as a street photographer for the New York Times.

THE FOREIGN FILM // Spanish melodrama at it's best

Pedro Almodóvar's prolific output of films similarly feature complex narratives with strong women, LBGT themes, and boldly colourful locations. All About My Mother (1999) is perhaps his most successful film, and features one of his long time collaborators, a young Penelope Cruz as a tragic young nun who is pregnant, and Cecilia Roth as a grieving mother. Full of unexpected twists and turns, this film will keep you entertained right until the very end.

THE INDIE FILM // Acerbic and funny, bickering in Paris

Written, produced and directed by Julie Delpy, 2 Days in Paris (2007) stars Delpy and Adam Goldberg as Marion and Jack, a couple at the tail end of a european vacation spending their last two days visiting Delpy's parents - played by Delpy's real life parents - in Paris. Rather than revelling in the 'city of love' this dialogue heavy film has the couple arguing as Jack gets increasingly more agitated by the number of Marion's ex boyfriends they run into, while Marion tirades in furious french at bigoted cab drivers and former acquaintances, adding to non-french speaking Jack's paranoia. Despite the neurotic chaos both Delpy and Goldberg are so charismatic and witty, that every scene is a hilarious delight.

THE COMEDY // British political satire

British film In The Loop (2007) is comedy at it's blackest. Loosely based on the backstage machinations during the lead-up to the war in the middle east, this serious subject is given an absurd comic treatment by the ruthless politicians and media spin doctors who populate the film. The fast paced dialogue and extreme swearing, which includes the most genius put-downs you'll ever hear, make this an absolute must-see comedy.

Do you have your own must-see film recommendations? I would love to hear them!

Wardrobe Fix

2011-08-23T14:20:00.001+10:00

When you realise that you've been throwing on the same thing every day before work (like I have) then it's time for a wardrobe shake up! Unfortunately I can't afford one of everything from twenty-seven names Still Waters Run Deep range, but I will take some fashion inspiration from their cute culottes, skirts, and shirts combinations.

From top:
Tabitha Culottes // Beatrix Lace Dress // Georgia Lace Shirt // Heartbreaker Culottes // Lily Pleat Skirt

Happy Friday Photos

2011-08-19T13:53:00.000+10:00

These are some instagram pics I snapped in the grey drizzle this Melbourne morning. That sign above sure made me chuckle. Yay for Friday Lols!

Disney Dreams

2011-08-18T14:27:00.001+10:00

Disneyland photos by Autumn De Wilde (top three), Anja Louise Verdugo (bottom three) and Unknown (right).

Juicebox Spycam

2011-08-18T14:08:00.000+10:00

I really want to practice my photography 'skillz'. I have so much respect for people who take beautiful photographs - they make it look so easy, but I know it's not! However I can get a bit awkward pulling out a huge 'in your face' camera… which is why I want one of these cleverly disguised drink box cameras. Perfect for snapping sneaky photos when you're out and about! To take a photo you just press down the straw - a feature which makes them EVEN CUTER!

These are available through Four Corner Store, where you can also get chocolate bar and lego cameras - what!?!

p.s. There is a good post on taking photos in public here.

Stämpel

2011-08-16T13:33:00.000+10:00

I'm still a sucker for any kind of macramé, like these beaut examples from Stämpel. Andrea Shaw creates these hand knotted teacup sized hangers, and a range of stunning original pieces made from found and upcycled materials. See more here!

Snow Time

2011-08-15T20:09:00.000+10:00

Snow on Cuba Mall in central Wellington (HD) from Ro Tierney on Vimeo.

I lived in Wellington for 8 years and it didn't snow once, so I'm rather jealous of the snowy action over there right now. Build a snowman for me Welly peops!

Sunny Sunday

2011-08-15T10:45:00.001+10:00

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend! The sun was out yesterday, so I wandered down to my favourite neighbourhood cafe for breakfast noms, and dog watching.

New York Bananas

2011-08-11T09:47:00.001+10:00

{top photo Hilda Grahnat // bottom photo Tim Barber}

New York! I am going there! In a few months time I am travelling to New York, via LA for a few days and even less days in San Francisco on the way back - a whirlwind visit!

It is my first time visiting the US, and aswell as seeing New York I will be fulfilling my lifelong dream of visiting Disneyland. Growing up in New Zealand it was always a big deal if anyone you knew got to go to Disneyland, and I guess I never grew out of wanting to go too! Apart from that I am looking forward to wandering, shopping, and eating my way round. Does anyone have any recommendations for me? Any tips would be gratefully received!