Neighbourhood: Banneton Bakery

Can I just put my hands in the air and kick my legs out to honour the awesome that is carbohydrates? Our neighbourhood somehow lies in the midst of a sensational array of fantastic eateries that are both luxurious and affordable. We spent our usual Wednesday date day all over the place, enjoying and absorbing the last of the gentle Spring temperatures before the heat storms into our midst. 

Banneton Bakery immediately proved itself as a hole in the wall destination for masterfully baked and epically delicious sweet and savoury goods. We'd planned a tasting visit for some time and now I've now been twice more as I sit writing this. Straight away, I'm going to suggest that you find a way to justify a visit to one of their three outlets near you*. While we sought their New Farm outlet (all products are baked on site in Woolloongabba) for an early afternoon breakfast it quickly became a breakfast-lunch-afternoon tea affair that not only compromised our dumpling date but our Very Serious Shopping Plans. Once we culled our order from six to three pastries we were able to settle in and really enjoy the beautifully petite space. In between switching one of the three Delicious magazines I'd snaffled once seated and sneaking photos of décor then food, Simon maintained a masterfully steady hold of his broadsheet and coffee, making Banneton a relaxing and inspiring nook. With our food on the table, however, we threw relaxation out the window and attempted an even split of our order of Apple Nougatine, Pear and Dark Chocolate Brioche, and an Almond Pretzel. Despite achieving this peacefully, we kept exclaiming how special the experience was and how dangerous having such a spot five minutes from our door. Needless to say, we managed to make our way back there the following Friday.

Banneton Bakery is a fantastic addition to our local food scene, and Brisbane as a whole. Our lovely friends, Kirk and Leanne (of LittleLam), informed us that Aria serves Bannetton bread. Additionally, their range of savoury products is friendly to those with more sensitive tummies or interested in a more traditional range of baked products. Our local Bannetton won us over with its special balance of food selection and the thoughtful input of both baristas. That, and the Almond Pretzel. With its lashings of praline, it was the ideal dipper for my cappuccino. 

*Outlet information here. Just you try not to run.   

Bus Magic

When I was little, one of my favourite books was Possum Magic. In between the glorious illustrations, vegemite as a feature, and the illustrations of vegemite, I was read and then read this book ad nauseum. That notion of magic doesn't haunt me, but I find myself wishing that magic was actually real. That there were unexplainable and fantastical elements in this world. That was, until the other night. Today I did an eight-hour shift and in a bizarre shift of kismet, caught the bus home because it was raining. When my bus pulled up, I was treated to the most exceptional surprise of my year thus far*: my 196 was completely decked out for Christmas. These photos really don't do it justice, but it was floor-to-seat-to-ceiling-to-window-to-bus-bell decorations, wreaths and fairy lights. In between sitting there with a goofy, open-mouthed grin and taking a million snaps, I realised that magic does exist. It exists in people, in all of us throughout this land and beyond our seas. It exists in the people that were kind enough to decorate this bus (all 20 of them, the bus driver told me) to spread joy, in the people that let you go ahead of them in line because put others ahead of themselves, in the people that want to learn and know about others so as to understand, and in the parents bringing up children and teaching them the true magic of caring about others. If we can believe in the magic in people, in humanity, that is when we will be a happy world. Right now, I am the happiest girl in the world. Oh, and when I got home to my love, he had picked me frangipanis, which were all over our house. 

*With the seven days remaining.. ;)

Sunshine Revival II

Today summer officially begins but those bright, effervescent slivers of change crept in long ago, almost blinding and at times, unbearably hot. A Queensland summer is challenging and at reliably bipolar. In between morning siestas and daydreaming of a cool change, there are surprise thunderstorms and the creamy revelation of frangipanis from once dehydrated, Alien-esque stumps. In one moment I am condemning the heat and in the next I am gleeful that I can walk home at 8pm underneath the light spatter of freed water sprinklers. Last week, my man sent me a picture of the gigantic mulberry he had scavenged from the bush in his mum's garden. Meanwhile my girlfriend's and I had been sitting in a courtyard, immobile except for the moments where we refilled our sangria mugs and took another handful of frozen raspberries. That is our summer and she deserves to be honoured with plans like this.

Rules Of Summer:

Watch the New Year's sunrise.

Swim in the dark sea.

Share hot chips and milkshakes in the park during Sunday twilights.

Enjoy late dinners on the deck by candlelight and citronella lamps.

Make green smoothies every morning.

See a movie by star and moonlight.

Travel to my family's beach house for a weekend.

Visit a coastal market every month.

Dance to our friend's band at The Fox.

Host a vinyl listening and whisky tasting party.

Draft goals for 2013 over gelato.

Capture these moments with a disposable camera.      

Most Like Myself

There are phrases and ideas and propositions that challenge you to rethink your ideals and resonate so deeply that they feel as though they've penetrated the covering of your soul. Over two years ago, I began to read blogs every day, so much so that to be grammatically correct, they became my everyday reading. I look forward to new thoughts, creative suggestions, visual inspiration, and most beautifully: the sharing of opinions that stimulate discussion, even if they happen to contrast with your own. And, in some cases -- most excitingly -- begin a discourse that reinvigorates the value of wisdom. It's in those moments that I feel most like myself. Then, when my mind is ticking over and I'm compelled to whip out a new blog tab or a Moleskine cahier so as to record those mental sparks, I know that I'm encountering a nourishing moment in my infinite pursuit of understanding everything. So, I'm grateful that I can seek some small form of enlightenment in my everyday, through the Internet, and all the ways beyond this electric cavern. Knowing and encouraging one's mind is a spectacular thing that we can undertake no matter who, what or where we are. Here's to being ourselves, and learning to love one another for it.      

Ps, I'm adoring these three blogs: 

In Spaces Between -- a dense and fascinating blog that encourages you to find magic everywhere.

Reading My Tea Leaves -- feels just like a cup of tea on a rainy day: a wondrous and never-ending indulgence.

Explore. Dream. Discover -- is like a postcard scrapbook of travel and living outside your comfort zone.

Are there any others you can recommend me? You know how I love reading!

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Image via 

I'm going to try to stick to that from now on.  

Lowdown

I've come to rely so heavily on these lists as a record of my daily affirmations and to chart what really matters. It's fair to say that even when I've prioritised other activities or writing, I know that this will be an accurate insight into the bits and pieces that make up the bigger picture. It's the closest thing that I have to a journal and it's also my own 'lowdown' of pure joy.

One, these gulls, and how they merely shuffled out of the way as I ran through their prim group.

Two, we're onto BIRD collective nouns! At the moment, I really like a wake of vultures and a storytelling of crows. More here.

Three, my travel containers of almonds and green tea.

Four, chronologically organising my Frankie magazine stash.

Five, whipping out my new pizza stone for incredible pizza, ready in ten minutes. Try the Arriva-inspired: gorgonzola, Italian sausage, sundried tomato and mozzarella.

Six, drafting our Brisbane Bucket List over morning coffee.

Seven, temperatures that encourage an afternoon siesta.

Eight, holiday countdowns.

Nine, reading through blog archives. A Beautiful Mess is giving me great ideas for Christmas DIYs like this.

Ten, writing letters and cards to say, I love you.

 What's on your happy list? Tell me all about your weekend! 

Hometown Flora

When I think of my hometown, it's nothing about the town and more about the landscape and people. My parents chose to bring my brothers and I up in a valley on the New South Wales' mid-north coast. In between fields and fields of evergreen trees, saltwater pools, donkeys and goats, we grew up outside with an intimate knowledge of our childhood territory. Not only am I so lucky to have always known such visual diversity but it always makes me want to explore every place I visit. Despite how infrequently I manage a run when I travel, it's always a treat to fit one in and discover my surroundings. Even though the neighbourhoods were familiar and the sights don't scream adventure, I can tell you that at 5pm on a Wednesday evening in Grafton, you will see lush gardens and a wise old river* that will impress you with their universal beauty. Oh, and spring! It's definitely sprung.

*The Clarence River features heavily in local Indigenous Dreamtime oral tradition.

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Post title inspired by Adele's Hometown Glory.

I love that her hometown inspired her so.

Photos by me with Instagram filters.

I'm evawithanf, if you care to see

all the food I make and/or eat..  

   

Bloom

This new Beach House album has caught up and grown exponentially on me since the first few listens. Their third offering retains the ethereal styling of their previous releases while conjuring up an even more atmospheric rhythm romance. Rather fittingly, I always look this up in my iTunes as 'Swoon', somehow mistaken by the effect or rhyme I've associated with it. Even better, with the announcement of their Falls Festival sideshows, it's become a glorious reality that I'll be experiencing just this live in 2013. The prospect of hearing this album in the lush surrounds of The Tivoli further heightens my anticipation and gets me excited for their live interpretation. In the past, I found that their artistry came together onstage in a breathtaking execution. In between uniting the dips and swirls in sound, their instrumentation and vocalisation was exquisitely dreamy. I may misremember the name of this offering from time to time, but it's fair to say that this swoon-worthy act will be unmissable, yet again. And if in doubt, they're just right for any time of day or venture afield, too.

Try New Year for its haunting, somewhat celestial opening and reminder that the best is yet to come: wherever you are or however many times you've listened to the track.

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Image via

Weekend Enumeration

Nearly every day since August, I've repeated to myself a phrase that has helped make sense out of things that don't yet have quite enough positive upsides. This phrase, "never doubt in the darkness what you know to be true in the light.", seems to have been both a guide and direction. As you can see, I've been putting glass dishes of plain and vanilla-scented tea light candles on any available surface in our home, somehow trying to up the warmth factor when things are so decidedly frozen in time. Despite the fact that we seem to be emerging from the worst of it, these are two habits I want to keep up. In both creating extra light and remembering the truth in those words, I'm remembering to be patient and hopeful. Finding that one beacon of certainty is a comfort that I'm so glad to share.    

Some other things that 'warm the cockles'..
1, showers by candlelight. Again with the candles.
2, plotting movie dates. I can't hype this and this forthcoming release enough*.
3, refining our plans for when we have a car. Aldi and Bunnings lead alphabetically/are an unashamed primary priority.
4, an update on our current word of guaranteed hilarity.
5, frangipani buds. They started out Alien-esque, but have since brought through yellow-cream-white ombre goodness that stretches sunwards.
6, the combination of dumplings and Tokay.
7, album launch parties. After all the hard work, the shared smiles said it all.
8, this recipe. Thyme! Sun-dried tomato! Brie!
9, animal collective nouns. Particularly, a llovely of llamas.
10, dreaming of making this necklace and otherwise admiring rose prints everywhere I see them.

*obsessive trailer love strikes again!

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Links:

8, via Sterling Style

10, via Cheetah Is The New Black