Melbourne long weekend

One thing I learnt last year (the crazy year that seemed to be all about work) was that we need to be better at planning time off and having weekends away. So last weekend we took a four day break to Melbourne. You can fit a lot into four days and we wandered a lot, visited our usual places and areas that we hadn't been to before, mostly to visit stores I've seen and read about, like Mr Kitly, the Woodsfolk, and Sedonia. We broke up the walking with eating (Hawthorn Common, Hellenic Republic, Chin Chin, Cumulus Inc, Hu Tong and the European) a comedy show (Stephen K Amos), a rugby game (I don't get the rules at all) and both Matt and I tried coffee for the first time (strange but true). I would have loved to see the Melbourne Now exhibition but unfortunately that finished the week before. All in all it was really very nice.

Caroline Z Hurley

I love the work of Caroline Z Hurley, it is so simple and yet so beautiful.

Autumn List

Back in December I did a Summer List, and now that it is officially Autumn I thought it would be nice to do another, here goes:

Making: nothing crafty....must do something about that.
Cooking: banana bread, but I still haven't found that perfect recipe, any tips?
Drinking: sparkling mineral water.
Reading: still going on the Goldfinch, I made good progress starting it when I travelled to Brisbane for work a few weeks ago (six hours return on a plane will allow that), but since then I haven't picked it up, which is sad because I was really enjoying it.
Wanting: to do a pottery class, I tried to do one last year but it was cancelled due to low numbers. I'm going to sign up again and hopefully it will go ahead.
Looking: forward to seeing the new Wes Anderson film The Grand Budapest Hotel, he is my most favourite film maker.
Playing: Billy Bragg's Lifes a Riot with Spy vs Spy 30th anniversary vinyl edition. We saw Billy again last week and he is so good. I do feel old listening to it, but that's what happens when you are over 30.
Waiting: (still) for the progression of our renovation plans...that's hard for a most impatient person like me.
Liking: Lucy's house on the Design Files, it looks like a nice small space that is cleverly set out, with some wonderful pieces too.
Considering: that I should take my knitting to the next level and learn something other than knit stitch
watching: the Block...see comment for waiting, it was originally for ideas but I think I actually watch it for more than that, as a non-tv person this is quite disturbing.
Hoping: that the weekend comes quickly.
Needing: to exercise more, I've been tired from work most days and just generally slack.
Wearing: socks again in the evenings, it's getting cooler.
Noticing: not as much as I should, I've been so absorbed in work life. I need to slow down and take stock a bit.
Thinking: how nice it is to have the Spiegeltent in Hobart, we've been twice and seen First Dog on the Moon and Tom Gleeson, both times have been so enjoyable.
Buying: as little as possible, I'm trying to be good and only buy things that I think will be long lasting, rather than trend pieces. This is hard at times and a little boring because I feel so indecisive about what side things fall on.
Getting: frustrated with how long my fringe is, I need a haircut!
Bookmarking: Melbourne ideas for our long weekend there at the end of the month, we always do the same things so it would be nice to mix it up a little this trip.
Feeling: sad that it is autumn, as much as it is a lovely time of year in Hobart, settled, warm and sunny, the shorter days are a reminder that winter is around the corner.

Pictures are from the little hut/shack we stayed in on the east coast for a wedding a few weeks ago. 

Cai Guo-Qiang at GOMA

Last week I had to go to Brisbane for work and very fortunately my meeting finished earlier than it was scheduled to. I hightailed it out of there and walked straight to GOMA (may I say that for a Tasmanian, Brisbane was particularly hot and humid and walking long distances was perhaps a little foolish!).  I've wanted to visit GOMA for ages, but recently had seen images from the Cai Guo-Qiang exhibition that is currently being held and knew it was going to be good, but in fact it was exceptionally good. There is so much there to see and to think about, I am still thinking about it, which is a very nice feeling.

my perfect escape

Our bedroom is one of those rooms that has the best view in the house, and yet we only go in there to sleep, and, dare I admit it, leave clothes lying around in. It has been pretty uninspired. Fortunately Adairs is running a competition at the moment where it is possible to recreate your perfect escape in your bedroom, and I was extremely lucky to get the opportunity to create my perfect escape for the Adairs blog. I used New York as my inspiration and wanted to create something clean but also a little bit smart. It looks so much better. I like this room now, plus nothing beats nice new fresh linen and the Mercer +Reid alpaca throw is the most lovely colour.

If you want to enter the competition you can do so here. They have some pretty lovely products to choose from, I think!

January instagrams

January always goes by super fast and this year was no different. We managed to get a few beach trips in, lots of beautiful apricots off the tree, a bit of house tidying and improving (slowly getting there), a happy dog and a mexican themed Australia day.

Kinfolk natural decor class at Ethos

One Sunday, just before Christmas, I was lucky enough to attend the first Kinfolk event in Tasmania, which was a natural decor class held at Ethos and hosted by Ethos co-owner Chloe and the very talented photographer Sarah Williams. I was a bit unsure if booking a class for a whole Sunday afternoon so close to Christmas was a good idea, particularly given how busy I had been at work. But actually going to that class was such a wonderful decision, it was the most relaxing and enjoyable afternoon I'd had in quite a while. I am still feeling inspired and motivated and I really hope there will be some new events for Tasmania in 2014.

Also Ethos is so photogenic, I love the brown bottle chandalier and that little tin on a tiny alcove, just such good colours!