Marimekko Cushions

How do you get me out of bed before 7am on a Saturday?  Promise of a sample sale including lot's of Marimekko product.  Arriving at the warehouse (location to remain undisclosed) sale just before 8am, we realized we weren't on the ball enough as there were about fifty women ahead of us.  Fifty prepared women, mind you.  They had large Ikea bags and were stuffing them full of anything they remotely liked, to decide later if they wanted to buy or leave behind.  Yes!  These women were organized.  (So will I be... next year!)  I happened across a set of napkins that someone had tossed back onto the display.  (I'm not proud... I walked around looking for discards!)  The napkins fit perfectly around some cushions that I had found at the sale as well.

Some unpicking and sewing machine work later, the napkins were transformed into a pair of pillows, the green matching the new desk chair perfectly.  Now for some wooden buttons for the finishing touch...

Coffee Break



Mecca Cappuccino

In 1917, following the introduction of the Literacy Act to curtail the flow of immigration into the US, Italian immigration to Australia increased.  Along with this immigration, they brought their tradition of coffees, which were adopted by the Australians. Living in Australia as a young girl, I recall my mom always enjoying a cappuccino when we were out shopping at the mall, or such.  I remember her commenting on the lack of decent coffee in White Rock (BC) when we moved there in the late 70s.  Dad had often thought of opening up a decent coffee store back in the early 1980s.  If only he had of... ah... hindsight!

I was remembering mom enjoying a daily coffee, over my own cappuccino the other day.  Sydney has a wealth of coffee bars and cafes... it is hard to find a bad cup of coffee here.  I have found myself craving that coffee break in the middle of the day... time to sit down and let your world stop while enjoying the thick foam and caramel-y espresso if a yummy cappuccino.  Out and about on errands most days, I wonder where that day's coffee break will find me.

Photo above - afternoon coffee at Mecca... 1 Albert Street, Sydney (various locations)
Single Origin - Surry Hills. Side note: jam-filled Lamingtons are a must, but you have to get there early.
Utopia - 2/7 Macquarie Pl, Sydney
Klink Coffee - 281 Clarence St, Sydney
Europan, Newcastle St, Rose Bay
Zubi Espresso Bar, Newport Beach - Beautiful garden out back where you can sit and relax.

To name a few...

The Boathouse, Palm Beach

Way up north... at the top of the Northern Beaches lies Palm Beach.  The point the beach sits on is sandwiched by the Pacific ocean on the starboard side and Pittwater on the port side.  The Boathouse sits on the Pittwater side.  It's a gorgeous spot for a long lunch on a sunny summer afternoon; a deck out the back with water views or a spot at the tables and chairs scattered in the garden out the front.  Meal service, take away service and flowers for sale are on offer.  Fresh green succulents in white pots dot the interiors and lawns.  Short of moving in, you can take away inspiration for your own garden design.

Riverside Park

A busy morning shopping at the DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) at Homebush required a refuel of nourishment and nature.  Enter Blaxland Riverside Park.  Set on the banks of the Parramatta River; within the park you can lunch at the Armory Cafe right on the water while the kids play in the park (just out of hearing distance) and watch the ferries cruise up and down the river.  Take your bike and cruise along the bike path.  While we were there, we sat and watch a wedding being photographed.  That is the wedding car you see above.

Update

Big changes in the past few months!  I moved my father and I to Sydney, Australia at the beginning of November.  I has been pretty smooth, settling into a new life in our old stomping grounds (we old dual Canadian/Australian passports)... but certainly not without it's stresses... he suffers from late-stage Parkinson's disease.

This morning I was feeling pretty down about things... even though he's in a care home, there is still a lot to deal with.  Without going into it all, there are a lot of serious responsibilities and decisions to make... and the burden gets heavy at times.

I had been invited to a friend's house for a morning of sewing and creating things.  A few conversations in, and I was feeling inspired by talk of knitting, sewing, paper crafts.  I got to work on a very simple, basic sewing project... but it was so therapeutic.  Creation lifts the soul! What's more, I am now in possession of fat, loaner knitting needles for a brand new project.  And a list of knitting/sewing shops around the city!  Black mood lifted.

So in light of all this, I am going to try and keep this blog updated a little more regularly.  Outside of caring for dad, I have done a few, fun things around town and I don't want to forget them!