Malvern Star

Malvern Star

29 Oct 2010

I have a confession to make. I never learned to ride a bike when I was little and I still don't know how to ride one now. Some of my friends tried and failed to teach me when I lived in Canada.

Now that summer is on it's way I've decided it's time to get serious about my exercise regime, which means upping my gym attendance. I do cycle classes at the gym and have done so for about 10 years and I loathe every second of the experience. I start counting the minutes 'til the class is over as soon as I sit down on the bike.



If I could ride a bike, this is the kind of bike I'd like to own - a nice old Malvern Star bike, complete with basket and a flower trim. Isn't she beautiful?



Someone in the building owns this bike but looking at the cobwebs on the handles, I think it's been some time since she was last ridden.

I hope you have a great weekend and I want you to spare a thought for me on Sunday morning as I make my way to my first 9.15 a.m. cycle class in a very long time,

Jillian

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Paris Portrait Shoot

Paris Portrait Shoot

27 Oct 2010

When I was planning my birthday trip to Paris, I saw some photos on a wedding blog taken by One and Only Paris Photography. Bingo, I thought. I'll get some photos done in Paris to celebrate my birthday, which I'll make into an album for my Mum's birthday present (you know, the one that failed to arrive in time). At the same time, I thought I could get some headshots done for my blog.




I'm pleased to report the album finally arrived on Monday and now my Mum has seen it, I can share some of the images with you. If you check the side bar, you'll see I have a new profile shot.

Some of the photos were taken at Marché des Enfants Rouges, an old covered market. It's hard to get out of the habit of being behind the camera and as you can see, I had to take some photos while I was there.

I'm not a girly girl, but I knew I needed to get my make-up done, but how was I going to find someone in Paris? I contacted Fete in France and Anne kindly recommended a make-up artist, Laure Baruch. I also decided to buy a new dress for the portrait shoot, which meant I had to get new shoes. You know how it is.  

Finding those shoes was a real adventure in itself, with the search starting in Finland before finally ending in Scotland.

It was a scorcher of a day in Paris and somehow I managed to leave my hotel room without the shoes, requiring a dash back to the hotel mid shoot.

How do models teeter around in high heels all day? I could barely walk the next day.

So which side of the camera do I prefer? I'll let you guess,

Jillian

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Nonna's Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

Nonna's Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

25 Oct 2010

With a new packet of pistachios in the cupboard I wondered what these cookies would taste like made with pistachios instead of hazelnuts or pecans? if you're looking for the recipe, here's the recipe I adapted.



Well they taste fantastic.



I've just made a 'blonde' batch with lemon and pistachios which I plan to sandwich with some lemon butter icing. Once I've tasted them I'll let you know what I think. It's been another dreary weekend in Sydney again, I'm afraid, so I had to wait for the weather to clear a bit so I could photograph the cookies.



How was your weekend?

Jillian

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Food Magazines

Food Magazines

22 Oct 2010

I've been collecting recipes for as long as I can remember. I have shoeboxes in Brisbane filled with yellowing newspaper and magazine clippings and hand written recipes from friends and colleagues. I have lots cookbooks on my shelves but I haven't bought one for myself in ages. I tend to use the same books time and time again because the recipes are reliable. You should see some of the pages of my Marcella Hazan's 'The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking' - they're all brown and stained.

These days I refer to the internet for recipes or to my collection of food magazines. My friends buy me gift subscriptions to food magazines for my birthday or Christmas presents and I do the same. My good friend Nat started the trend more than 10 years ago when she gave me a subscription to Gourmet Traveller Magazine. I've kept every issue and they're stored all over my flat, in baskets, on shelves and by my bedside. It's not your every-day kind of food, though I try to make one recipe from every issue. I've referred to the Travel section frequently when planning my overseas adventures.

Delicious Magazine is my go-to magazine. The recipes are usually simple and best of all they work. Bill Granger and Jamie Oliver are contributors to the magazine and their recipes usually work well without too many hard to source ingredients. I've bought subscriptions for this magazine for many of my friends and I've also purchased a subscription for work. We all love to look through the magazine and copy out the recipes.

Donna Hay Magazine

Donna Hay magazine is a new one for me. A copy of the magazine mysteriously appeared in my mailbox a few weeks ago. I hadn't ordered it, so I went through my list of friends trying to work out who could have bought it for me. Although I have a few Donna Hay cookbooks, I don't cook from them a great deal. Most of the recipes I use are for main meals so expect to see a few more baked goodies courtesy of the magazine.

What about you? Do you have any favourite food magazines or cookbook authors I should check out?

Jillian

  

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African Violets

African Violets

20 Oct 2010

As it's Hump Day today, I thought I'd post something pretty for you. I have a confession to make - I'm a geeky African Violet grower. It started 2 years ago when I returned from my holidays. I found a purple african violet left on the window ledge at work. It was looking a little sad and lost, so I watered it. A little while later a hot pink african violet arrived and as no-one else seemed interested, I started watering it as well.

Last year a client bought me this ruffled beauty and since then I've added 2 more purple weeping african violets to the fold. I'll have to take this back to work tomorrow but in the meantime, I hope you enjoyed the prettiness.

Jillian

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A Birthday Cake and a birthday mouse

A Birthday Cake and a birthday mouse

18 Oct 2010

The 4 days I spent in Brisbane were wet, wet, wet. I didn't want to go outside but the cat did. She wasn't very happy about the inclement weather so spent the weekend either sulking or sleeping. She was so grumpy that I renamed her Grumplestiltskin.

Whilst the cat was sleeping I baked an almond cake for Mum's birthday cake. The cake is our family celebration cake and I've made it many times before - I think it's featured on my blog 2 or 3 times already. Yes you did count correctly - the cake has 8 eggs in it. I had to return to Sydney before the cake was cut but Mum assured me that it tasted fine.

I left Birthday Mouse sitting on top of the cake tin, where Mum found him on her birthday.

Birthday Mouse told me that someone may or may not have had a slice of cake for their dinner one night last week. I won't tell you who that was because that would be telling.

See you all again later in the week,

Jillian

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