adventures of ebony

Don't Stress, That's Dumb.

2012-02-21T05:06:00.003-08:00

Today was hard. Mark wasn't at work and Craig was being particularly un-civil. I don't think I'm asking for much; a professional manner at work. Grown ups. Shouldn't be that hard :D So I vented. To more than one poor unfortunate friend. And now I'm moving on. I'm even going to buy myself a new set of scales instead of trying to claim the ones I left behind. Yep, I'm that motivated.

Too early to tell whether moving store was a good idea. I think I'm gonna just have to settle in and get my groove back again. I just had it so down pat at Cockburn - I had my customers and a steady income. Starting over will be hard, but so rewarding when my super powers kick in!

Speaking of, I'm not eating out all week. 3 days strong! This here^ is evidence; Tandoori Chicken with an amazing yoghurt dressing <3 Now to haul my bum to the gym, hopefully that'll happen on my day off tomorrow. The plan is gym, brekkie, check out an open home, drive to Cockburn and finish off some work, get my eyebrows done and then another open home! All go on my days off! Luckily I don't have to go back to Carousel till 12:30 Thursday afternoon. Woo!

I'm here, and it's nice to be alive.

Evening on the Green!

2012-02-18T18:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of the greatest. A while back now Mark and I were discussing this amazing concert coming up featuring J. Pyke, Washington and Clare Bowditch as supports. Naturally I was over the moon. And naturally I procrastinated until tix were sold out :(

Christmas Eve I got the best news - Mark had got us tickets! Oh yeah! I had planned on going to Melbourne to see The Paper Kites (yes I am that obsessed) but it wasn't really an option dollar-wise so it all came together; I sent my tickets to my old friend Frankie and I started the mental countdown.

Mark packed a picnic, nom and I provided enough excitement for both of us. I couldn't be contained. We were in, bought merch and then Clare played. That lady has such a powerful voice! Bit bummed she didn't play 'Lucky Life' but I'm really excited she's back recording.

Josh was up next. Blew my mind. As always. (Okay, I've seen him twice. But still! Amazing!) I'm sure I annoyed everyone around me belting out nearly every song. They give me goosebumps, ah :) Best lineup for goosebumpdom and lyrical knowledge would contain Josh, Missy Higgins & Killing Heidi. Oh Australiana!

So then Washington was up and as expected (for me), a little slow to get into it. But the last three of her set were my faves so she left me bopping and full of happy feelings. We got our photos taken in a photobooth (Thanks Nissan, ha!) and grabbed hot drinks before the main act came on.

Hardly knew any songs, and yes I must admit I took a three song nap, but Icehouse's stage presence was amazing. AMAZING. Nothing like an old school band with talents on the sax and oboe to make you realise that music today is just not the same. Twas an amazing night with and amazing friend and I know I've over-used that word but seriously. Still in awe. Love me some live music :)

San Cisco next weekend! Woo!

Under Pressure

2012-02-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

So that's what happens. I set myself a "do (blank) every day on blog" and instead I do nothing. No more doing that, because it obviously doesn't work for me.

I have not bought a chocolate bar or consumed a pre-packaged lolly since starting my little challenge.
I have had 1 afghan cookie brownie thing, 4 macaroons, 7? splice icecreams, 5 slices of dessert pizza, 1 slice of nummy crumbly cake, 3 subway cookies, 2 cold milos (and you know how those things get scooped up!) and an anzac biccie. Wait, really, I mean the icecreams were bad because I had them over 2 sittings. And the pizza was all in one hit. But really? Should I beat myself up about the rest? I sort of have been mentally. But I've been drinking more water, getting more sleep and last night was the first I hadn't moisturised my feet. I'm doing ok :)

Valentine's Day was this year was my first as a free lady, but I'm also happy to say it was the best yet. Karl sending me a photo of what we're getting up to this Friday evening definitely made for a great start to the day and then I spent the evening with Sophie & her (well now I can see our! yay!) friend Zaneta. We ventured into Freo and chilled at Xwray cafe.. it was open mic night and some of the peeps that got up on the piano were amazing. So was my burger and my anzac biccie. Yes, I eat out a lot. That's one thing I wanna cut down on for monies sake. But back to the point, it was lovely to just 'be' on such a lovey dovey day. Especially in the company of good friends.

Today's my last day at Cockburn. (pronounced co-burn) I'm a little sad and a lot excited and more than I should be nervous. This place has definitely been safe for me, my comfort zone but it's time to step out. Sink or swim! :)

I Was Here.

2012-02-08T09:06:00.000-08:00

Listening to that Beyonce track on repeat.
The last couple of days I've been too busy living to document it I guess.

Happenings:
- Offered a transfer to Carousel JB Hifi, so I took it :) Booyah! Yay for making decisions for me. I'm so very excited to work with my friend Mark and meet all the wonderful people he works with.

- Saw Axis of Awesome with my dear friend Ben and my fam. Always lovely catching up with that guy. We got free parking because the machine gave our money back, but then Ben got a ticket for not having a parking slip (while we were getting it! ARGH!) so that means he has to write a letter to get out of it :(
- Went to the gym this morning for the first time in 3 weeks. Killed it. Treated myself to new shoes, bras and a cute (free!) top from Lorna Jane for my efforts.
- Had my first date tonight. With Karl. Who looks like Moss from The IT Crowd. Yes, my dream guy :p I felt pretty proud of myself for speaking up for what I wanted instead of being the "Ok, I don't mind" girl that I often was. The night was truly lovely.
- Pretty much already have my budget made this week and I still have 3 working days left. Ah, relaxation.
- Found a lovely lass to move in with! Moira and her brother are looking for new rentals in the same area as me. This is going to be fun.

So yes, no dinner and whatever the photos were. I'll pick it back up tomorrow :) Because I can do that. Why fall off the wagon completely? :)

Days three through five :)

2012-02-04T21:57:00.000-08:00

The last couple of days have been hectic - and I 'was booked out' every night next week too. Then I had a little cry. Made me realise I had been putting far too much pressure on myself to see everyone and do everything when sometimes all I want to do is chill out. So I cancelled everything.

Yesterday I decided to start donating to charity through work. $1 to each organisation on this sheet. If everyone did that imagine the difference we'd all make :) I'm a firm believer in what goes around comes around. So yes, I shall be winning lotto soon.

Feelings are confusing. And I don't want to be held accountable for anyone else's right now. I just want to have fun. And meet new people. And not be held back. It's just hard for me to not get affected by others emotions. I'm often told I'm way too friendly and this was never an issue when the second sentence out of my mouth was something to do with my wonderful boyfriend at the time. But now I don't have that buffer. And the way I act can definitely come across as wrong, that's proven. I know one thing right now for certain. Distance definitely makes the heart grow fonder.

This morning, after getting 9 hours sleep (record!) I devoured some Gossip Girl and a massive breakfast of eggs, tomato & chorizo. NOM. And now I'm sitting in my clean room (another strange occurrence!) listening to Whitley. Particularly this song. Give it a listen.

Rainy Weather.

2012-02-02T16:05:00.000-08:00

Last night I showed my new friend Jay the wonderful Greens & Co in Leederville. It was also my first time there but I played it cool like I was a regular. So less jaw-dropping, more subtley snapping everything! :D I treated myself to a piece of Blueberry Ricotta Crumble and a chai tea. NOM. We played connect four and I won 2/3 times. Naturally. The first time was a draw.

It was raining by the time we left and I was hankering for a bookstore. But they were all closed! I miss the days of Planet Books being late night... it was only 10:45 and it was shut. AND Planet Video is closing down. The whole place could be, seriously. What the? Might go and check it out tomorrow and see how cheap their prices are now. Negative, meet positive.

After getting a little wet from the walking, we cruised up to Kings Park for a view of the city. Never fails to take my breath away. We would have stayed longer but we really were 'piss wet through'. Haha. Jay's from London and I'm in love with his accent. It's hilarious at times. Much like him explaining Cockney rhyming slang. Ah, good night.

Australia Day!

2012-02-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

You know when you meet someone and you have this moment where you know they're going to change your life? Even if it's just in the smallest way. Hard to explain really... I just deleted a few lines of examples because they sounded crap. But I get it. And I did get it. This feeling. On Australia Day.
ANYWAY! I had been looking forward to it for a loooong time as Jarrad had invited me to be his plus one. This is a big deal because he's dating one of my best friend's DJ, (who was away working for this glorious occasion) so I couldn't help but feel special that I was the chosen one... I love friendships that form easily. And are genuine.

The day started with anzac cookie making, while Treece & dad went for a bike ride. Yes with matching cargos, here. But back to the cooking... I still use the same recipe from the Frankie Afternoon Tea book. But I follow the instructions now instead of trying to prove them wrong. And they turned out perfect! I know this because Dion and Rob (new friends! new friends!) are fitness fanatics and said they couldn't have any, I left it at that, but after sneaking one... they had to have more. That's the ultimate compliment.

So a merry day of cider and sweet as tunes (I got 7/10 of my votes in the hottest 100!) was had. Rob and I smashed out the bbq in a million degree heat and I got to spend some quality time with Jarrad playing ping pong and such. I also I cut myself on a tree, it was quite gnarly... when my shoes come off and I'm wearing a summer dress I get all woodland-fairy, flitting about with no spacial awareness. It's ok though, another story to tell. The only real downside was the end of the avo where it was obvious relationship boundaries were being stretched due to intoxication and I just didn't want to witness it. Really hit home how crap that would feel. I can't wait to feel love and make someone feel it too. Well, I can wait. But it will be awesome when it happens!

Team Sport ftw!

2012-02-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

Ah so good. Tonight I played indoor beach volleyball for the second time and I'm proud to say I could definitely take out 'most improved' :) I've decided to stop trying to live my life both south & north of the river and focus on right here for the time being. So tomorrow I'm going to jump online and sign up for a netball team up this way too! I had forgotten how sporty I once was. Definitely need to make time for it... keep me active, meet new people AND fill my evenings so I don't have to go out and spend money. Why haven't I done this earlier?

And here's a bit of a cop out for my photo of the day, as I only found this fun project half an hour ago. Tomorrow I'll have all day to remember to get some snaps in :)

This is the view from where I do my blogging. Which is my bed. I probably shouldn't do it because honestly I'm hunched over and my back aches if I get to into the web browsing... which happens a lot. I really do wish I had room for a desk. Ah the new house shall be glorious :)

Photo A Day: February :)

2012-02-01T07:56:00.000-08:00

Well well, I've always wanted to try something like this... and actually complete it. I tried back in 2010 with a photo a day but I got sick of it because there was no prompts. I found myself taking photos of my spaghetti bolognese arranged into a love heart. Yeah, silly shit. So here we go! Prompts and little snippet of every day life. Hopefully I don't resort to taking photos of a praying mantis. Yes, I was that cool.

If you wanna join in, please do! Let us know so I can check out your snaps every night.

High tea. Literally.

2012-01-28T09:01:00.000-08:00

A while ago now (8th of Jan to be exact) the lovely Jess T had her 23rd birthday celebrations and I was delighted to hear that they were going to involve dressing in pastels or florals (naturally I wore both!) and eating scrummy foods. I rarely get any wear out of this dress because it's a bit loose in the chest area but I got it on mega sale one day on a whim so I won't complain too much. Nothing some tape can't fix ;)

shoes/novo - dress/mink pink - necklace/house of harlow

I drove in and was quite impressed at my navigating skills. I'd never been to the C restaurant before and I have to admit I was looking up for a revolving restaurant. Yes, my information on such things comes from The Simpsons and I thought the building would be physically moving. I'm such a dork. Even more so because when I got to the building I ran into a bunch of girls dressed mainly in pastel hues. Naturally, as we all bundled into the lift, I thought to introduce myself. I didn't know that you just reserved a table. NONE of these girls were at my party. I still laugh at myself now. Like I'm cracking up.

This was the view. Well parts of it. Seriously, it was the greatest thing! It did a full rotation and a half by the time we were done with our nommy food. I don't know how I managed it but I totally over ate because everything was so delicious. My fave was probably the little tart. No wait, the scones. Oh the chocolate piece that Jess and I halved to be polite. And then halved another one between us was yum too. Okay, you get the point.

This is Jess's mum, Jess T (the birthday girl), Jess C (you already know her) and myself at the end of the afternoon. Yay for polaroids! And copious amounts of Chai. I'm rambling here but it really was a lovely afternoon and I can't wait to do it again some time. I was also thinking this place would be beautiful at night. Oh how I'd love to be swept off my feet and taken to dinner here. Maybe I'll attempt it solo. Stay tuned!

3's a crowd. I love crowds.

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

So, Selise is amazing. I love her style. I love her tude. I love her blog. (Click the link, it won't take ove the page of my ramblings) and I love that I got tagged in this little meme. Not because I have wonderful answers I need to put into this world, but more because I love feeling like a part of this community.. Without further ado.

3 goals for the new year.
- Get a passport. Even if I don't travel for 5 years. Wait, no, then I'd have to renew it wouldn't I?
- Enrol in school. I keep putting it off. GAH.
- Learn how to apply liquid eyeliner. Like a boss. Or a pretty girl. Probably the second one.

3 random facts about me.
- I've been told I look like Lisa Mitchell, Dakota Fanning and Emily Browning. Ridiculous the lot of them. I'm sensing a theme though. Pale. Chubby cheeks. Weird eyes. Yep. Thanks guys!
- I finished the 7th Harry Potter book in 7 1/2 hours. I went to the midnight screening of the final movie. In an ideal world I'd be turning 21 with a mug of butterbeer in my hand at Hogsmeade. Yeah. I'm a bit of a fan.
- I've been getting a lot more pimples on my back, ok, so the odd one or two, now that I don't have someone to wash my back in the shower. Well, it asked for random.

3 ~~style~~ obsessions. (changin it up because I'm no fashun blogga yo)
- Floral dresses. I instantly go for this pattern in stores. It's an addiction.
- Tea. T2 is heaven for me. I particularly like Monk Pear and Autumn lately. The latter being a green tea I drink with soy milk. Huzzah.
- Getting to know people. I seriously want to know everything about people I'm close to. It can sometimes be my downfall. I just, I wanna get people and their motives.

It would please me ever so if the following three would follow me... (and do the quiz, I'm just in a rhymey mood) Sara - Megan - April :)

Just the goodness.

2012-01-24T06:51:00.000-08:00

This post was originally titled the bad, the ugly & the good. But halfway through writing it, I realised there is just way too much good in my life to focus on. Not enough time for that other crap clogging up valuable head-space! :D

+ Going to Matsuri last week with Mark & mastering the use of chopsticks. The realising I had them upside down. So much easier!
+ Our experience at the outdoor cinemas. We went prepared. Aeroguard and a massive fruit salad so we didn't get bitten by mozzies or eat junky cinema stuff.
+ Finding some super cute, super comfy, super purple new shoes. Seriously, love.
+ Meeting up with my new friend Soph for an avo at Xray Cafe & running into her friends. It then turned into an evening of drinks and chat at Baby Mama's Bar until the sun went down.
+ Avoiding chocolate, pastry & Boost juice successfully. I'm still on the bandwagon!
+ Using the waffle maker Beau got me for xmas, for the first time. YUM.
+ Walking along the coast with my lil sis. It's nice just getting that time in together. And getting our move on while we're at it.

+ Coming second in the country for connects last week! Yeah, ok, it's not all about the money. That shit feels good :)

+ The hope I still have for my lotto tickets that I have not checked although it was drawn on new years eve. I like feeling I could be a millionaire :D

Listen Up v1.

2012-01-21T21:41:00.001-08:00

So I listen to a fair bit of music, in fact I have it playing constantly... When driving 500km every week to and from work and only being able to claim one room in the house as mine, it's an escape that I value more than I ever had. It never occurred to me to share my passion before, but now it has. So without further ado I give you album number one in what is to become an eclectic collection. Listen up!

This album opens with the perfect minute-length song; soothing and anticipatory. I dunno if that's an actual word but there that is. Each track flows from one to the next with such ease, it really is a masterpiece worth investing in. This has everything from the slow bath-soaking track 'Smoke and Mirrors' to the upbeat summer driving song 'In Your Light'.

To me this album symbolises the loss, gain and confusion associated with losing a love and gaining another, whether it's with yourself or another. It's sort of been my feel-bad/feel-good anthem the past few months... When I bought it in late September I never would have guessed the lyrics could perfectly reflect how I was feeling.

Must not miss: Seriously, the whole album is necessary to get the full 'story' that is Making Mirrors. Although I never normally get a chance to listen past track 8, so start with that.
Time for one track: 'Somebody That I Used To Know' because it's a shoe-in for number 1 song on the Triple J's hottest 100 and if you don't know it by now (wait, have you been living under a rock? Only excuse is not being Australian.) you soon will. I can't believe such a simple concept has never hit home so hard in a song before. Amazing.

You know what? I'm so keen to share the love on this one, that I'm going to give a copy away to one of you guys :) All you have to do to enter is follow along these dandy adventures of mine and leave a comment relating to this post, whether it be your fave Gotye track or maybe an unmissable album you'd like to share with me?
Entries will close 29/01/2011 AEST.

Bring it on,

2012-01-21T21:02:00.000-08:00

1. Drink more water. No set amount, just more.

2. Exercise for 40 mins every day. Whether it's a walk or smashing it out at the gym.

3. No pastry, Boost juice or chocolate. Cake? For sho! Baby steps, baby steps.

4. Moisturise my feet every night before bed :)

5. Try my hardest to get 7 hours sleep a night.

6. Pack more snacks from home and eat more meals there too.

7. Fruit or veg with every meal. Easy!

Megan has inspired me. And although these little goals seem pretty easy, I'm just working on forming habits right now. I'm 3 days in but just posting now. So far my feet are grateful and my arms & abdominals hurt in a good way. Can definitely work more on the sleep thing, I was up until 4am blogging last night. Hahaha. I love when I'm inspired though. Worth the bags.

Something to remember..

2012-01-21T11:30:00.000-08:00

Taken 20/01/2012. Perfect end to a perfect day.

Mmmmaylands.

2012-01-21T10:45:00.000-08:00

Seriously, this suburb never ceases to rock my jocks. Yep, that's the phrase I'm going with :D Friday started with a 40 minute walk along a beachside path (yay for views without having to touch the sand!) and then to Vic Park for a squiz at a rental property. It was slightly more than B & I want to spend and although it was secure and modern it was pretty teeny tiny and I dunno, didn't give a homely vibe. Not enough to wanna put down a deposit and risk losing it if we choose not to say definitely yes ya know?

After a sticky-hot stroll along Albany Hwy, stopping in at The Good Store and Revive Day Spa for a looksie, I remembered where I would most like to go for lunch. Mrs S in Maylands. Yes that tricky little place had been closed the last two times I had intended to go, but it turns out 'today' was the day! And man, did I fall head over heels in love...

The menus were pegged to oldschool Golden Books and contained unique scrummy delights; Treece and I settled on a Manwich (yep, it really was called that!) and a Peach, Hazelnut & Ricotta Salad. My God. Yum! There was just such a funky vibe about the place, it was all in the details... Gotye playing in the background, gorgeous graph and handing plants, funky lighting, a huge wooden communal table, the Beatrix Potter themed chalkboard drinks menu and the little table 'numbers' that were actually letters. So cute! The drink Petreece is holding was delish too; Abbondio pink grapefruit soda. I will definitely be on the look out for it to stock up. And I will definitely be back. I want to take everyone here.

After our lunch had settled we browsed the little Maylands strip. I got some Body America body butter to assist with my 30 days challenge goals (more on those later) and some gorgeous new purple ballet flats. It's happened. I'm a size 10 ladies. That said, I tried on another pair in the same shop but a different brand and we came to the consensus that I needed an 8 1/2 in that style, which they didn't have in stock. *sigh* I wish everything had to be standardised. After sorta shopping ourselves out we stopped by my favourite bakery in the whole world.

I'm avoiding chocolate and pastry for the next 30 days, but who said anything about red velvet cake? :) We sat down and discussed the upcoming Fringe Festival for a good part of an hour and I was amazed we stopped ourselves at full with our yummy shared slice. We took a little trip to Karen's to pick up some folding chairs for the outdoor cinema before checking out another rental 10 mins away from the first. This one was much more spacious and a little cheaper but it had a lot of interest. I couldn't help but feel a little disadvantaged never having rented before. Hopefully mine and Bec's work and personal references are enough :)

When we got home we made a ridiculously huge fruit salad and packed some dippies for the outdoor cinemas. The movie showing was New Years Eve and it was a part of my friend Jess's 'Students Go Global' fundraising so we got to skip the queue and get an awesome little position for my group of friends :) The Aeroguard was a lifesaver and I'm quite proud I stuck to the stuff we packed to eat, besides Danni's cabanosi which I'm a sucker for. I'm such a grazer when I'm bored and movies really do my head in if they don't keep me guessing. Not saying Zac Efron wasn't a treat to watch ;) I really do love days with my lil sis Petreece. I think this little sign hanging in Mrs S says it all. Quirky little cafes, gorgeous shops with friendly assistants, balmy nights at outdoor cinemas, what's not to love? :)

Astro Girl

2012-01-17T05:40:00.000-08:00

These photos are from last Thursday and the point of them is to brag about my awesome shirt and skirt as well as my work-in-progress badge collection on my lanyard :D I've always been fond of the astral trend but this is the only spacey piece I've ever owned... I found it at Jeanswest early last year and I remember fondly the last 2 times I've worn it. The first time was when I went to see Death & A Cure at the Jazz Ellington Club with MatD. Aaaages ago now. And the second was to see Darwin Deez at The Bakery with Craig. Both amazing music-filled evenings. Thought it was about time it got some daywear too!

Every Wednesday I come back from my travels with a new badge! My clock is the newest addition; I got it from a lovely little store in Atwell Arcade, Fremantle. The name of it escapes me at the moment but it's a lovely little haunt full of retro clothes and handmade goodies :) The lightbulb is probably still my favourite.. I got it a few weeks back at The Butcher Shop in Northbridge. Such funky pieces of art plus the supplies to graff your own canvas can be found there. Then there's my 'hello' badge that gets the most comments right now. I got it with impatient customers in mind; it reads "Hello, I'm Doing My Best" and I picked it up after falling instantly in love at William Topp.

shoes/betts - skirt/fate - singlet/jeanswest

My sister always needs to be recognised for being a little trooper taking my outfit shots for me. We seriously only take 1 or 2 more than I show you. Hell of a team I say :) This is my swishy maxi skirt I got on sale the day I dated myself in Maylands. I really can't get enough of it, even in this heat. It makes my waste small and instantly dresses up a singlet and thongs. I definitely want to invest in a variety of these babies.

They're kind of perfect when I cbb shaving my legs too. Can I get an amen?

Command + Z

2012-01-16T06:40:00.000-08:00

"If only life had an undo button." It was brought to my attention this evening that my attitude can often be pretty offensive. I like to think I'm upfront but sometimes it's unnecessary. I don't know when it became this way and why no one really had the balls to say it to me previously but I'm glad someone did. The boy I'm crushing on lately no less.

I think it has something to do with not wanting to be vulnerable, so I'd say it started when Dad left. And has slowly worsened. I fall into habits and it's time to fall out of this one :)

I wish I had a tumblr like photo to accompany this. You betcha if I find one I'll add it. Haha

Reflecting

2012-01-15T06:12:00.000-08:00

{via}

Today I was going through old emails and I stumbled across some love letters between David and I in the first few weeks of our relationship. I couldn't help but smile at how in love we were :) I learned a lot about myself in that relationship, and it helped shape the person I'm ever-evolving into. We both know we're way too different now to be best buddies, we just don't have enough in common. That said, the time we do have together every now and then is lovely :) Just hanging with the furbabies and watching movies. Today I messaged him about my find, and it was an immediate response. I guess my point is, I would do anything for this man because I love him as a human. It was just a nice realisation.

Oh and do check out my friend Alana's tumblr. It's a gorgeous little collection she has there, including this photo.

The 4 Fs.

2012-01-14T20:46:00.000-08:00

Friends. Family. Food. And Fremantle. :D Is there any recipe for a better rostered day off?

I started the day with a gym trip and then headed into the city with my lil sis to drop off a customer's computer at the Apple shop. We were a little early (and hungry!) so we stopped in at the sushi place Beau and I had lunched at a week prior. I finally got to try that curried egg sushi; they made it fresh for me and it was BRILLIANT. It was also a nice touch that I found my Dad's name on the Coke bottles displayed. Best advertising campaign ever! Speaking of best... look at this sweet as clock! I can only imagine how much something like that would cost, but boy is it cute! Everything went swimmingly at The Apple Store and the Genius that served us even suggested I get a job there. I don't think they'd pay enough :D

Then off to Freo we went to meet up with our Dad, Craig :) Yeah, that was a bit confusing in convos when I dated someone with the same name. Treece and I already had this place in mind from a previous Fremantle trip pass-by... definitely right about this one. The food was sublime AND reasonably priced. Crazy right? Treece and Dad got the battered fish & hand-cut chips, I got a chicken panini. The aioli was perfection. The food was actually such a high-standard that I didn't even acquire the bottle they served us water in, even though it was gorgeous. I didn't wanna risk not being allowed back. Yeah, for those that know me in real life this is a big deal. Bellies full; we pottered around Fremantle for a bit (I got a gorgeous vintage dress and a couple of badges) and then I went to check out and chill at The Attic for a iced chai tea. So relaxing.

The Pool House on Essex Street was my next stop. To meet this lovely chap out and about for the first time. He was a customer of mine and we quickly realised that we were into a lot of the same music so should probably just become best friends as quickly as possible :) Naturally, I won the first game of what I like to call 8ball. Then we had two very close games. I just like the fact the place had a jukebox - I chucked on some classics I hadn't bothered listening to in ages!

Our delicacy of choice was frozen yoghurt from this funky looking place.. I'd seen it on the beach in Cottesloe ages back and had always wanted to go. I'm a sucker for good type. While the aesthetics of the joint were pleasing, the food was kind of a let down. There were only 4 flavour choices to choose from (maybe I'm just so used to being spoilt for choice at places like Froyo and Tutti Frutti) so I went with white chocolate. The size pictured set me back $4 and then I had to pay .50c extra for each topping. WHAT? I got the equivalent of 2 strawberries and the smallest dollop of passionfruit sauce for my money. Humph. So like I said I dunno if it's just that I'm one of those consumers that loves huge servings, wait, no, I do know that. Ask me if I want an upgrade for $1 more and I will always take it. Value for money right? Haha.

The evening was spent at Tyson's with home made pizza, cider and episodes of The Inbetweeners. Which is hilarious btw. Perfect end to a perfect food-filled day. Man Perth has some awesome places.

A Little Dinner Date

2012-01-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

Tonight Jess and I caught up and enjoyed two of my favourite foods at two places I'd never been before. First up was Pasta Cup, which was delightful! I got a Broccolini pasta and we found a random park bench to sit on and discuss The Sims among other things until the mozzies came out to play.

We made a beeline for The Chocolate Lounge after that... just look at all the little treats I had to choose from! I tried the blue diamond, the red rose and the chocolate spoon; paired with a white chocolate mocha. I can't help but compare all chocolate eateries (I'm kind of an expert) and this one was a little lacking in the atmosphere department. Definitely needed more funky music or something, but the goodies were so good.

And I think my chocolate spoon idea was genius. Had to include a shot of me enjoying it so much. I love when good plans come together; I'd wanted to visit this place for some time so when Jess suggested it (we'd decided on it before we'd decided on dinner, haha!) I was more than happy to oblige.

Now I feel like playing The Sims. Eating an abundancy of chocolate and working it off in simland means heaps less sweating for me :D

Christmas in January!

2012-01-08T05:26:00.000-08:00

Last night was one I won't forget in a hurry; we finally had our christmas party and I danced the evening away afterwards with some great people at Canvas. I remember thinking "So this is what 20 feels like Eb. Remember it." Lame I know :D

I was pretty happy with how my outfit turned out. The red jacket was a last minute purchase and addition because I wanted to be modestly dressed during the first part of the night... it has little cut outs and is pretty much backless so I think my plan worked. But most things do when I wear this necklace; it's House of Harlow and definitely my favourite. I've worn it with three different outfits in the last 24 hours. Cost per wear is less than $13 already :D

shoes/mollini - dress/bettina liano - jacket/staple - necklace/house of harlow - bracelet/sportsgirl

(ps. these all sound crazy expensive and they kinda were. rare for me i know!)

This is obviously a terrible shot of Ms Liza but it was classic so I had to share; these are some of the beautiful girls I work with... Siobhian (the gorgeous tanned lady on the left) and I don't always see eye to eye but I think working more closely together in Telco will be good for us :) She is such a down to earth lady and her relationship with her man Damien is actually the cutest thing. Liza (bahaha at her current state) is so sweet. She loves cute bags and pens and we share so many common interests, I'm really excited about spending some quality time with this pretty girl this year. And then there's Bianca. I dunno what I would do without my working B. She listened to me vent about boys, she shares her cookies and m&m's and she is one of the most lovely people I now know. And the sad thing is I almost judged her before I knew her.. I think I was intimated by her beauty in all honesty. But all that changed when I realised it was inwards too. <3 She's leaving for Melbourne in less than 2 weeks but I know we'll keep in touch and moving there myself will be so much easier with an ally like her.

There was another JB Hifi party on this same night. Cannington and Carousel joined forces, and stole our 2IC (He only transferred from Caro a couple of months ago but still!) and music co-ordinator. But something they didn't have is Danni our office administrator and her amazing cake skills. I mean look at this! It tasted amazing, a little cream on the side would have made it perfection. Naturally I stole the first piece that was being cut in this photo. By Danni's awesome bf Marcus, just to make the hairy arm owner clear.

Since I started at Cockburn we have had 28 staff leave/transfer and I'm not one to deal well with changes like that. Luckily this time I feel I've really forged a friendship that is entirely separate from work in Ms Sally Ann. This lady gets me. I'm a regular on the couch at her flat, so much so that is has become known as mine :) I'm going to miss seeing her around the store; our girlie evenings will definitely have to become more frequent to make up for her absence at Cockburn. The funniest thing is that Sal is another one of those "wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for my break-up" friendships. Yeah, I win.

After the Belgian Beer cafe closed (at 11:33pm mind you, weird) Ben and I toyed with the idea of home vs. Bar Open (where some of the cool kids had apparently taken off to earlier in the eve.) We ended up paying to get into the wrong club where I ran into my mate Mat (and Ben saw a heap of people he knew, he knows everyone.) before making our way into the line for Canvas. This is where Ben bailed but I stuck it out and had an awesome couple of hours dancing with Bianca, Cahal, Peter and his mate Brody. There was a photobooth and I was hell excited to see the shots we took until Pete said that only the first 200 get uploaded to their fb group. I have half a mind to see if I can't email them and get copies anyway! Hehe! Other points of note in the evening: I kept my heels on ALL night. (win!) I almost resisted early morning maccas, until we found out that although it was 3am, they had switched to the breakfast menu. My weakness! (not so win!) Just a good night. A great night. I love the people I'm surrounded by.

Candy Colours

2012-01-06T15:07:00.000-08:00

shoes/novo - skirt - sportsgirl - belt/frankii - top/sass - badges/the butcher shop & william topp

My sister Petreece took 6 photos of me yesterday morning. As you can see, I used 5 of them. Yeah, who needs a boyfriend taking awkward outfit shots? Not this girl. I've never been truly comfortable in front of camera posing, but I feel completely at ease with my sis. Yay! We've become fast friends as of late :)

I must seem like a dweeb to some people when I go out so matchy-matchy but I honestly love it. And the colour scheme I have crankin' here. I feel like I should be posing in front an icecream van or something. Mmm, icecream.

The last two days I can feel my motivation slipping away. I keep thinking to myself that I'm lucky that 'eating well' wasn't one of my resolutions... when I see junk I consume in mass amounts. Chocolate mainly. But I've also had a hotdog for breakfast and keep an assortment of macaroons in my fridge. Eep! But ah well, I won't fall off the bandwagon all together. This is not the year for throwing the towel in.

This is the year for getting what I want. And rocking cool hair I never thought I could pull off ;)

Topp Of The World

2012-01-04T08:22:00.000-08:00

Today really was one of the best days I've had. This is the best year ever. Oh and this is my friend* Beau. First up we went to the licensing centre so I could renew my license and I found out that as a reward for being such a good driver and not gaining demerits, it was going to cost me nothing! :D Booyah!

Then we headed into the city to have Iku Sushi for lunch. I picked up their menu on a random expedition once and it was so cute we had to go see it in person. I was tempted to grab the curried egg sushi, but stuck with Katsu Chicken so I could compare it to the one I have at work. It was fast and it was fabulous. I love places that are Asian-cool without being tacky. This place had fake grass and little benches on each table storing utensils and condiments. The cuteness astounded me! Especially when I opened my napkin to see it was designed so that you were wearing a tie.

I wish I worked in the city just to eat here every day. We then took a little trip to T2 (Beau had never been before! The horror!) and I picked up a box of Autumn and a tower of tisanes that are going to be perfect for my iced tea addiction. I say addiction in anticipation of one developing because Mark and I pretty much aced making it first time round and now I have 4 flavours to choose from! Anyway yes, moving on.

The highlight of the day was probably stumbling upon The William Topp Pop Up Shop! I named it his after having a lovely little chat with the guy behind the counter. It's only on trial in this area for the summer apparently. I'm not complaining, I've never made it to their base store but it's been on my list of things to do.

And these are some of my favourite things in the store. How cool are these canisters? It's $90 for 4 or 5. Only problem being that they come with coffee in them. Bleh. I wonder how I'd go gifting them to someone who appreciates coffee (yes I'm thinking of you Nathan!) but then asking for the containers back. Haha. They're so kitschy and would look awesome in my imaginary colourful kitchen.

This store also reminded me of my unusual love of tea towels. I think I'm going to start a collection and frame them. Yes, I'm a little weird like that. This one is classic and so me; I constantly exclaim "I could do that" and never even attempt it. Hmm, that's an idea I might get back to. Taking photos of modern art and actually using them as a basis for inspiring home-made prints :)

There was so many things I have my eye on, I might make up a gift registry for future present-recieving occasions. Starting with a house-warming. Eeee! I settled for a badge that resembles a name sticker that says "Hello. I'm doing my best." I'm going to wear it proudly on my lanyard at work. Maybe cough and point at it when customers get antsy about having to wait for a sales person. After leaving this magical store we cruised to Belmont forum and after some essential shopping, stopped by Kustom Cupcakes on the way to dropping me home. As always, they rocked. They are seriously the best cakes you can cup I've ever tasted and if you're geographically-able but haven't already been to their new store on Orrong Road, you are missing out. Look at this selection...

I guess the point of this post is to point out how brilliant William Street is, and just to boast about this year being stellar so far. Every time I say that to someone they laugh and state "yeah, so far." but I really am committed to making this my year. I deserve it :)

*I underline this because NO ONE seems to get that we're just mates. People behind counters always ask if we're paying together even when we clearly order separately and I don't hear the end of it from my co-workers. Even the guy in William Topp today asked "Where did you guys move from?" after I mentioned I had only been in the city a year. Beau and I have a theory that people are scared to think and act like we're not a couple in case they come off as racist. Haha.

Take a Moment: New Years Eve.

2012-01-02T06:51:00.000-08:00

This is the first photo of many taken in the wee hours of New Years Day. Twas a slightly messy night with a smoke-filled loungeroom, cigars (not for me, no.) and party poppers 20 minutes late. It was a completely random chain of events that caused me to end up at the '360 Huntriss Dance Party' with Ben, but I'm glad I was there dancing, making awesome friends and taking ridiculous photos when the new year began :)

Hi, My name's Ebony.

2012-01-01T05:19:00.000-08:00

Woo! First post on ze new blog. If you've followed me here through the link I left behind, thanks for the support. I'm so happy to have you here and am going to be much more active in this space and yours this year. I guess that's my first resolution. Blog more. Because I want to have a record of all the fun times I have in 2012 and to share them with all the friends & family that can't always be a part of them.

I also want to get my bum into gear & do the following things in the upcoming new year. Some of them will be easy, others might not get done at all. But I'm one of those list makers that feels a sense of accomplishment just getting things down, so I've already won.

+ Sleep. 8 hours. A night. Try it.
+ Make more time. Limiting facebook will be the first step. Wish me luck!
+ Get my sewing machine out of the box and sew something. Anything. Probably a pillow case.
+ Pay off my credit card. It's only $900 or something worth of debt and it's not gaining interest but I want in gone asap.
+ Enrol in Shillington College. And go to Shillington College. And enjoy it.
+ Start making more choices for me. Saying yes for myself, and no for myself. And stop thinking so damn much about other people. And their wants. Put myself first for a change.
+ Get a library card and read more.
+ Start a savings account for a house.
+ Get out & about in Perth with my SLR and write about what makes this city my favourite :)

All this should keep me busy, and it's 9:30 at night so I'm gonna wrap it up and hopefully be inspired to write again tomorrow! Here's to a year full of adventures and surprises! Happy 2012.

Oh and if you've just stumbled upon this space, who am I to deny you a stickybeak into my past? Old blog (the design is a bit out of wack btw) can be found here. Enjoy.

2012-01-01T04:39:00.000-08:00

Who?

2012-01-01T04:11:00.000-08:00

My name is Ebony and I'm a year into my city adventure. When I first got here I was happily 'married off' with two furbabies and a secure future ahead of me. But boy was I unhappy. And I didn't even realise it. I met a boy, who made me feel worthy of living the life I want to. And ultimately it wasn't with him either. It couldn't be. It has to be a life for myself right now, and by myself. I've never had that before. It's so refreshing.

October last year, my life changed. I was on my own and adult in so many ways, and back to being a kid in so many others. I moved back in with my parents and I will hopefully be moving out soon. But who knows what is going to happen, only time will tell. So this is me. A girl. Who loves her job. And has re-connected with her family. And has so so many amazing people around her, supporting her. Who has dreams. And insecurities. And memories that need jotting down before she forgets them. These pages are all that. And I'm glad you found me, so you can know me, and I can get to know you right back.

I don't need to be friends with everyone, but I do want to know everyone, because that's what it's all about, isn't it? Connecting with people. If only for a moment.

I want to own a little store with cute & edible things. Perfect gifts and yummy snacks. Filled with music and laughter and colourful cushions. A space to read and listen. To learn and fall in love. I want my own stationary line. And to work for an inspiring magazine. I want to record a song. I want to learn a language. I want to make a difference in the lives of people around me. I want to see as much live music as possible and travel to places to collect things for my own little nest. I'm a relationship person. And I'm a homebody.

My favourite song is 'Don't Panic' by Coldplay. Grease will always be my favourite movie, the classic Leo flicks come in second and so on. I used to play a lot of sport and I'm slowly getting back into it. I love local music; The Paper Kites are my favourite artists. I believe everything happens for a reason. My favourite lyrics right now are "Try not to be careless or jealous with hearts, and try not think of the end from the start". I eat out too much and I'm over-emotional. I take criticism personally and always find something to compliment someone on. I generally love people. Making new friends and sharing smiles is the best! Sophia Bush inspires me so much. I go for probably the worst AFL team right now, but I'm all about the under dog, as is the Australian way. I get goosebumps when crowds cheer, or melodies hit home, or someone tells me sad news. I collect 8+ magazines a month, totally research. I get so bloated from dairy products, yet continue to eat them :D I can't wait to fall in undisputed, unselfish, trust-filled love. I have so so much love to give. Right now it's all focused on me, friends and family but I long for the day that my heart is big enough for one more :) That and a dog. I can't wait to have a dog.

Where?

2012-01-01T03:45:00.000-08:00