Organ Of Fire

After an epic 12-hour sleep, it seemed rather worthwhile to stay inside today, rather than deal with a bleak-looking sky. Returning to The English Patient, after some time apart, was the most productive thing I undertook. Although it's another one of those movies that offers something unexpected each time you watch it, it's an achievement in many significant ways. It had been so long since I'd seen it that I couldn't remember much of the final scenes, which is strange considering it's an ending that I both hate and adore*. Finding new things to love in something you thought you knew everything about is so satisfying. What's more, with the forgetfulness I've had recently, it was like being whisked away for the first time again. With it's overall tragic appeal deadly for anyone who is sadomasochistic enough to enjoy weeping in a movie**, I was further struck by the more subtle quirks that contribute to the protagonists' authenticity. Particularly the part where the lovers are speaking and he says, "What do you love?" and before she can give a specific answer he says, "Say everything." It's a question I can't resist.

Today I also love.. 

The quote above (screenshot from The English Patient):

" 'Dec. 22nd [1938] — Betrayals during war are childlike compared with our betrayals during peace. New lovers are nervous and tender, but smash everything. For the heart is an organ of fire.' For the heart is an organ of fire— I love that. I believe that." [Reading Almásy's note on the Christmas firecracker]

A breakfast bagel with a sweet half and a savoury half: peanut butter + coconut oil + honey and avocado + vegemite 

Clean sheets and a hot Milo made with chocolate soy milk

A free day and no alarms

Good morning, pre-work kisses

Celestial prints and inspiration from outer space

Jumping around inside on the first cold night, trying to stay warm

Lipstick marks on any sort of cup

That bagpipe busker in the CBD on a Friday

All the people who keep sending me pictures of puggles in the last few weeks

...

Quotes via

Screenshot by me
* I'm not very good with a 'suggestive' finish
**I had a good movie trailer cry session on Sunday evening -- no judgement 

Auspicious

Until success comes, I am trying to live a basic life that has plentiful amounts of the small pleasures I've always enjoyed. Even as those, rather uncertain, things elude me, it's not so hard when you have the distractions that are available in this small corner of the world. Things like afternoons in Chinatown, purchases of many different types of noodle, simple movies like this, songs by these delightful people, the quest for discount bread at the end of the day, and people who make you laugh and think and not want to you to pass this moment just yet. Those future times can take a bit longer coming. Today I don't mind.

Ps, for more inspiration on how to spend your time in this sometimes-charming city, I've updated my Brisbane Guide.

Momentarily

/And the hunger of those early years will never return, 

but I don't mind, I don't mind/

/All the bright lights do is bore me,

 they bore me/

...

Lyrics via

Get Cosy

Is it about time for a dance party? Surely 1.12PM on a Friday afternoon is among the best times to start such a thing. On the playlist lately, it's been a mix of things for comic relief, spirited washing up, and (only sometimes) profanity remixes. Also, a lot of Leonard Cohen. Much more than I hinted here before. Read into that what you will, but with a glass of red wine and a candle burning, yes? Everybody come together, and break it down now for a happy weekend. I hope you're up to something planned that defies all expectations.

 

...
Image for Kinfolk, via,
It's been my desktop for the last week,
and every time I see it, I want to:
1, Put on an outfit in just that colour scheme
(socks inclusive, nono-negotiable)
2, Party in the kitchen
..you know how that goes.

We Are Not New

I was so very pleased to come across this warming cover last night. The Decemberists always seem to fullfil some soul void and provide the sort of nourishment I desperately need without even realising it. Their talent combined with Leonard Cohen's unparalleled lyric poetry makes me want to crawl back into bed and get cosy for hours. The rain doesn't hurt that mood either, which in reality is not the best thing for today's panicked dulce du leche mission*. Until bedtime, I'm going to keep on with the Leonard goodness, just watch this space. 

Ps, my fingers are hopelessly crossed for a Decemberists confirmation for Harvest 2012. Put these dates in your diaries and get serious about that net bank saver -- the line up is meant to be announced, "in a couple of weeks". Happy prance!!


*more on this "in the cake line" too. I'll try to restrain myself on the pun front as well.

Sixties

It's been an uneventful couple of weeks. In between a lot of cooking, and not a lot of creating, I've been relishing the moments that truly make me happy and bring direction. This Fuck Yeah 60's Fashion tumblr was such a incomparable discovery earlier this week. After many hours spent on there, if it's the closest that I ever get to a time machine then I will be somewhat sated in that department. Without question or competition, the 1960s has been my favourite decade for as long as I can remember. Fostering a sense of the period with adjectives such as swinging, psychedelic and groovy, doesn't remotely get close to the multitude of characteristics, moments, and moods that encapsulated such a short time span. It's impossible to be so succinct. What's more, it's hard to believe that ten years could result in significant and swift change in every dimension of the world. It seems that every time I return to research everything '60s the surface has barely been scratched. This infinite density, is more than an enduring resource of inspiration (and favouritism) for me. The lack of boundaries somehow cause it to eclipse my daily obsessions of music and fashion, and it has simply become part of how I think about myself, and who I am. Every facet explored reveals yet another nugget of information that inevitably becomes another goldmine treasure trove in itself.  While it is reliable for anything sartorial and visual, it is the more obtuse categories that continue to revitalise and reinvigorate my imagination. When I apply this to my everyday life, it's obvious how my love has grown even more intensely in the last couple of years. From the pastels dominating our bathroom, to the winged cat eye I'm constantly striving to perfect, to the amount of Bob Dylan we've been playing, and then to the long discussions about creativity since the radical way that politics and society escalated in this time, I know this love affair isn't going to fade. I could go on, but until next time, these are just some of the images that I've been cataloguing in my digital scrapbook of jpg files. At the moment, I'm particularly enamoured with films made in the '60s, and contemporary cinematic and television incarnations.*  


Ps, That tumblr definitely accommodates the nostalgic appetite -- for a little while at least.
*Oh, Mad Men. Only two episodes left.

 ...

Images via

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
3 is an original screenshot via

Glory Box

And don't worry about losing.

If it is right, it happens -- The main thing is not to hurry.

Nothing good gets away.

- John Steinbeck

I've got to remind of this. To take each day as if it's the only day. To give myself wholeheartedly.To breathe in the moments that are pure happiness. I can understand why I've been fearful and tentative in the past, but truly being a part of something irreplaceable is too precious to run away from. Time doesn't matter, mistakes don't matter, forgetfulness doesn't matter. It is warmth and courage that define this sort of bravery. 

...

Words via

Image by, via

Lucky Dip

While these shoes certainly made my heart beat fast with how gorgeously wearable and quirky they are, the Little Tuna Etsy shop they came from is equally special. I've found that the eternal conundrum of a unique piece versus quality core essentials is largely solved with a spot of vintage shopping. Though it can take a long time to pan through a shop, whether online or in store, I adore sifting through beautiful items from decades ago. The added bonus is revisiting trends from long ago. This season I am enjoying the mix of soft pastel palettes, earthy colours and textures, plus metallics, and direct references to the '50s, '60s, and all-things animal. From the selection here, my current favourites would be the '60s white leather clutch or magazine-friendly purse and the terrier brooch that reminds me of my preferred Monopoly pawn. I should also mention how that pink snakeskin belt, with its suggestion of flames and the ice-cream colour, reminds me of the chaotic muscle musings of Prada's SS12 collection.           

I thought I'd introduce a mini feature that curates pieces from stores whose aesthetic I am loving. The notion of a 'Lucky Dip' reflects the appeal of all the stock -- no matter what you procure, you're sure to be satisfied. I look forward to hearing whether or not you enjoy it.

...

All images via 

Definitely worth checking out! 

You Are Home

"Let us be lovers we'll marry our fortunes together". As a lyric for both music and life, I feel like Simon and Garfunkel couldn't have captured the potency of youth, love, or adventure in a more passionate or emphatic way. Cameron Crowe's use of it in Almost Famous embedded the song in my own history, and ever since it's appeared time and again, reinventing the meaning into adulthood. Starting with the movie, its ideas and artistry wove through my teenage years and it remains a foundational reminder of the things I truly love (though not exclusively) today. Music is both a theme and character of the movie, interacting with the protagonist, charging his actions, and characterising relationships. Off-screen, the soundtrack has a similar effect, to the extent that I know the words to each track and have memories that are attached to those years. Each time I watch it, single notes of music seemingly add to the dialogue, even where there is none and these interactions are of powerful significance. On a personal level the film seems to tell my parents' story too. The early seventies is when they met, with my mother hitchhiking with a friend in the Irish country, only to be picked up by two young Australians in their tiny rental car. Their romance took them to Glasgow, where they lived together, and Mum describes their weekends visiting different parts of Scotland, with Simon and Garfunkel one of their albums of choice. Every time I hear 'America', I imagine them driving, my mum sitting with her toes against the dashboard and the window down. Decades on, in our era of air-conditioning, 'America' carries on the journey of young lovers again. When I think of how I met my man in a similarly random series of events to my parents, the song is still a core reference. Even as things have been creatively lacklustre the music and the movie have returned again. Simon had never heard the soundtrack so last month we began listening to it each night. Now there's another layer of memories furnishing the home we make within ourselves, decorated with music, and with us for life. And here, in our physical home.

...

Images

1 and 2
and post title via Almost Famous 

Fortunate

On a Friday afternoon, a couple of weeks ago, I walked to Chinatown from Brisbane's CBD for some shopping. Located in Fortitude Valley, the ten minute walk is short but the scenery changes quickly. Referred to as The Valley, the clichéd and somewhat folkloric appeal is best understood on foot. Away from the styled city centre and in between Asian grocers, cheap eats, pigeons, and boutiques, I easily got lost. The streets have distinct individual characteristics that make me happy to be swallowed up. Despite the seediness and prevalence of law enforcers it's a place where I feel safe and inspired. On this day I collected Indian honey, bok choy, oolong tea, and my new favourites: soup spoons with a carp print. While I sat beneath the lanterns of the mall, the red globes both reflected and enhanced the setting sun. These fiery hints are part of the architecture of the space, and on that afternoon it seemed to glow on each awning and stone. Regardless of red symbolising fortune, what I experienced as I drank my tea - the sunset, the families heading to an early dinner, the smell of gardenias in the air - made it a particularly lucky evening.

That night we christened our new chopsticks and soup ladles with Beef Pho. Every time I eat this soup I'm reminded of how badly I want to visit Vietnam. While this recipe isn't as epic as the lush restaurant versions I've had, it satisfies my Pho, and to a certain degree, travel, craving. As much as I love trying traditional breakfasts from other countries, I don't think I could be bothered making this in the AM (regardless of how light but completely satisfying this is). Until we visit and enjoy it for breakfast, I think that we'll keep making it every few days as it's spicy and fresh, but not as heavy as most winter foods. I also think it's best with buckets of herbs, though it's fair to note that a quantity of that sort isn't quite pictured here.

Beef Pho, for two

2 x 500ml Cartons Continental Beef Consommé

500ml water

3 x star anise

2 x cinnamon quills

2 inch piece fresh ginger, diced

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 brown onion

1 lemon, juice and lemon zest

2 teaspoons brown or palm sugar

1/4 cup fish sauce

100g rice stick noodles

250g beef fillet, diced

1 bok choy, sliced lengthways

1 lemon, quartered

1 celery stick, sliced thinly

1/2 red onion, sliced

2 x red birds eye chilli, diced

2 x shallot, diced

1 handful each basil, coriander, mint

From list above, combine consommé through to fish sauce in a sauce pan. Bring to boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and season depending on preference. Make sure soup is simmering for serving.

In the meantime, boil water and rehydrate rice noodles. Cook until al-dente (almost completely soft), and drain.

Take two bowls and divide noodles between them. Place bok choy, then raw beef on noodles*. Pour over stock and serve.

Squeeze over lemon wedges and top with herbs, celery, red onion, and chilli to enjoy.

*the broth poaches the beef, so it needs to be boiling hot.

 Recipe via Continental magazine ad, but tweaked a fair bit.

 

Ps, our Chinatown is full of fusion restaurants, so I can justify sharing our recipe for a Vietnamese soup. It's kind of too good not to pass along.