bright star.

"I almost wish we were butterflies, and lived but three summer days. Three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain."

Beautiful and aching. It meanders a little, but Campion makes sure every scene is visually captivating.

også...

Some of my photos were put up on Random Got Beautiful. It's a lovely site and it's not difficult to submit. You should submit too! Mmm, colour. See also: white, pink, orange.

christmas.

Jeg lærer dansk! Hooray!

Hope you had a lovely day.

looming.

It's official - I'm really not a Christmas person. Probably the only thing I like about it is the joy other people get out of the whole shebang. But me? I'm not into red and green, am horrified by some of the 'decorations' and other Christmas paraphenalia that gets around, don't really want/need anything (and would much prefer to receive nothing than something I REALLY don't want/need), and find going anywhere near shops a tedious and irritating experience.

I felt displaced last year, and even more so this year for some reason. It felt odd having a northern hemisphere Christmas, but now I long for the cosiness of it all as opposed to the gaudiness that seems to be abundant here. As a remedy, I've baked some pebernødder (thanks for the recipe, Katrine! It's perfect!) and have wrapped the presents I've bought so far whilst listening to Jose Gonzales, something I used to do during the dark-at-4pm days. But I'm tired of festivity already. Oh dear.

Pebernødder were almost the death of me last year. Well, if I had no self control I would probably have died a long (but painless) sugar-and-spicey death. It is impossible to just have 'one or two'. They're super tasty on their own, fantastic dipped into tea and amazing with a warm cup of mulled wine ('gløgg'). I think they'd also make cute gifts packaged up in little bags and tied with red and white ribbon. (Just because I don't like Christmas doesn't mean I don't like making things pretty!) I'd definitely recommend them, and Katrine's recipe is spot on.

Also, my new camera is making photography feel good again. I'm very happy with it.

hair + camera + etc.

Well, I finally solved my long/short hair dilemma. I went asymmetrical. I'm still lusting after high buns, but I do quite like the boy-short aspect! I've never had it this short before. It's not quite as amazing and unruly as this lovely lady's, but hopefully as it grows out it will get there. My hair is ridiculously thick, so here's hoping!

Apparently pneumonia is the hot new illness to have (Nicole Richie, Fifi Box, I'm looking at you*). But let's get it on the record: I had it first. Including a four-day hospital visit. Which kind of gives me an excuse for not posting in a while. Sadly, I was too ill for my 'HOORAY, UNI IS OVER' trip to Melbourne with the Uni-girls... but in the meantime (and with the money I 'saved'), I think I have finally decided on a new camera:


The Pentax K-x.

It's a fairly recent release, but if anyone has happened to use it or has any other advice for a entry-level DSLR please do share. Maybe you've had a bad experience with a Pentax. Maybe you've bought a different camera and have found it's the love of your life. I'm in desperate need of a new camera though... I feel totally uninspired to take pictures, or write, or do anything at the moment. Now I have too much time on my hands, and very little to do. Oh dear.

(*I feel like any semblance of street cred that I had just vanished, but I guess that's what being laid-up in front of daytime TV for two weeks does to you.)

peek-a-boo.

I'm still here... just hiding.

I'm not really that busy, although there is plenty on my plate... something new that I'm doing is FiveThousand. It's launching properly next week. I'm so insanely excited about it, I've loved ThreeThousand etc since forever. It's pretty much my dream gig. Hooray.

I finish my degree in a couple of weeks. It's a relief to be able to put Journalism behind me, but I'm not quite sure if the big bad world is ready for me yet. (Truly!)

I have lots of things I want to do during summer. Read a lot. See a bunch of films. Give some time to the bands I always say I will, but don't. Maybe even hang around here a bit more.

And possibly build a fort. That would be a little bit awesome.

need.

It is taking all of my willpower to not spend seven hundred dollars on a raincoat. Oh my goodness.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I was technically 'working' today, when I fell in love with these. But that raincoat... ohh dear. I've never been so in love with an item of clothing.

From the totally amazing Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair.

songs.

Songs are lovely. I first saw them with Deerhunter in Melbourne; last night they came here, and played at my favourite venue in Adelaide, the Metro. I think 'intimate' is a good way to describe it. From the outside it's very unassuming, but weave your way towards the back and you will almost always find a good mix of people and highly underrated bands. Adelaide is having a bunch of great bands come through in the next few weeks... I'm looking forward to the Vivian Girls and Love of Diagrams.

In a completely unrelated matter, I am so disappointed with the grand final result. Who would ever have thought this could be a football blog? Nowadays, it's a hidden passion... I just don't have the time for it like I once did. I am so proud of the Saints though, but also so devastated that they've fallen short once again. It's a heart-wrenching ride.

the bell jar.

"I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig-tree in the story.

From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and off-beat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out.

I saw myself setting in the crotch of this fig-tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet."

Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

Never before has a book spoken to me like this one. It's quite depressing, but ever so enlightening.

monday.

So much to do.

words, pictures.

I have some words and pictures in a quasi-publication. It's nothing too ground breaking, but at least it looks fab. I think I have a new type crush.

I say 'quasi' because at this stage, it is not actually real and will never be printed. But fingers crossed the kids involved impress all the right people and we see their lovely-looking mag on the streets sometime soon. You can see the whole thing online, for free here.

a tiny piece of denmark.

I often ramble on about my favourite cafe in Copenhagen - Bang og Jensen - but let me elaborate a little for you.

It's in an old chemist, or in Danish, Apoteket, and in the summer it's difficult to get a table outside on the footpath. Steps lead up to the heavy double doors, and a long wooden bar greets you inside. In the front section, there are raised tables with stools, and a long red booth-style lounge along the right wall. A couple of stairs lead you to the back section, where cosy lounge chairs nestle against green patterned wallpaper, while round tables sit snugly under interesting lampshades and against big windows that let a bit of natural light in. All of the furniture and light-fittings are that wonderfully retro, typically Danish-style. The same boy sits in the back tapping away on his Macbook day after day. The same couple enjoys the delicious brunch every weekend (highly recommended - a 'must do' in Copenhagen). They have the best coffee deal in the city - 18kr for a glass of 'refill' coffee, which is still much cheaper than a single latte elsewhere. It's easy to waste an afternoon - or more - in here. A circle cut into the wall lets you see from the back area down to the bar, while finally, at the front again, the far left wall is covered in numerous pictures of the same man - an old fisherman smoking a pipe. Some are paintings, some are tapestries, some are large, some are small, some are facing left, some are facing right.

Bang og Jensen was my favourite place to be. I felt so alive every time I went there. And I was always intrigued by those funny little men on the wall. So you can imagine my delight to find, in darling Adelaide, a tapestry of the same man. It says on the back the name, address and phone number of a framing place in Denmark, so I know that he is authentic. I'm not sure of the history of this image though, or it's name - but I gather it is common in Denmark. Perhaps someone can help me with this?

He's so beautiful, and I will treasure him forever.

*The wonderful images of the cafe are sadly not mine; they are by Kieran Lynam, on flickr.

cph fashion week.

I'm not usually one for high fashion, but looking at these outtakes from Copenhagen Fashion Week has made me all nostalgic (really? that's unusual). My goodness, the Wood Wood show? What a wonderful, wonderful street. And the Henrik Vibskov show in the woods? Genius. It looks a bit like here... perhaps it was? All photos from here.

ooh, yes!

I have to do an internship in September. I will totally be rocking looks such as these.
(via Oh Joy)

ampersand.

I just bought this bag. Yay for being a typographic nerd.

julian plenti.

This is the best news I've had in weeks. A Paul Banks side project. I think 'exuberant' is a good word to describe how I feel about it.

Oh yeah and remember the zine shop I mentioned? I'm working in it. Tuesdays. And we've moved for a little bit, onto a busier strip - Rundle St, upstairs where the Gymnasium used to be. Come visit.

I went to Brisbane on the weekend but took almost no photos. I had an interesting kind-of epiphany last Wednesday and had no desire to do anything vaguely journalistic. I did go to a super exhibition which involved giant polystryene blocks in one part, and tents and a caravan filled with wonderful whimsical things in another. It was nice just to relax though, and see things without looking through a lens all the time.

one year...

One year ago today this is what I was doing. It seems ever so surreal, but I think about it every single day. I miss that funny little country and all the wonderful people within it so much.

yes please!

Bodkin Autumn/Winter 2009. The colours and silhouettes are totally gorgeous.

a little bit.

I'm not really into the whole Potter thing, but this hat was a little bit awesome.

hello.

I have a long list of things to do which comprises of 'things I always say I will do but don't', 'things I should do but won't' and 'things I shouldn't be doing, but do anyway'.

I went to Mesa Lunga on Gouger St last night for the second time in a month. So good. The 'Clara' sangria is so tasty, and I am in love with the decor - the antler chandeliers are incredible.

hair.

My hair is at this awkward stage where I want so badly to have long hair that I can pile up high, high, high into a bun on the top of my head;
But I also have strong impulses to cut it all off and go boy-short for a little while.
Dilemma.

le tour.

I've been religiously watching the Tour de France... I find it really therapeutic to watch the peloton weave around the gorgeous French countryside, and the commentators are the most enthusiastic people ever.

It's been lovely and sunny the last few days, and I've been riding around a lot. I must have looked like a goose yesterday though... my basket was piled high with things I bought when I went op-shopping!

oui, paris!

This makes me feel all light and giggly and totally ready to jump on a plane and fly away to sunny par-ee!

today is a good day.

It is sunny outside.

I went for a walk and saw some horses galloping over the hills.

I realised that there are a total of 3 grand old mansions within 1km of my house that have been here since all of this land was for horse-galloping-purposes only. I would very much like to pop on a lacy white dress and prance around on their verandas with tea cups and parasols.

I started sewing and now have the best black double breasted blazer I have ever seen.

I have been looking up recipes for glogg (Scandinavian-style mulled wine)and pebernødder (the best Danish Christmas biscuits ever) and plan to make both later this week.

I begin volunteer work in a local op-shop this afternoon.

Yay!

hottest 100.

Starts today (full countdown will be over the weekend. Party time.)

I kind of rushed my votes and should a) not have voted for more than one Interpol song and b) should perhaps have rethought Maps, and even Caring is Creepy.

Interpol - Obstacle 1
Interpol - PDA
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
New Order - Ceremony
New Order - Crystal
Peter Bjorn and John - Young Folks
Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
Cure, The - Inbetween Days
Shins, The - Caring Is Creepy
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

It's very difficult to vote for the best songs of 'all time'. First, who has actually heard every song ever made to be able to make an informed judgment? Second, do you vote for songs that are brilliantly crafted, or songs that are simply your favourites? What happens in the case of a band (say, Joy Division) where your favourite song, or their best, may not be the most popular but you want them to receive the accolades of having a highly ranked song? What happens if you can't separate the majority of songs a band (say, Interpol) has ever written? Further, it's fairly easy to pick two or three 'best songs of all time', but when that number is stretched out to ten, you inevitably start forgetting and including songs that do/don't really deserve to be there.

I think I have over-thought this too much.

melbourne, film.

Melbourne through my lovely film camera. (My new header was also taken in Melbourne). I'm still learning what everything does, but I am having a lovely time playing with it. And I love waiting for film to be developed. Is there anything better than receiving your prints over the counter, not knowing if your pictures even worked, and not really remembering what you had even shot in the first place? It's such a thrill to flick through the collection for the first time!

This is my post for 'today', seeing I would like to have an internet free day 'tomorrow'. We'll see how that goes.

nine things i need to do.

1. Get myself some loose-leaf tea and one of those nice tea-infuser things.
2. Copy some cupcake recipes out the boy's mother's recipe book.
3. Pull out mum's sewing machine and finally start altering the stack of clothes that have been piling up (first up: a totally hideous black and gold kids party dress that will make the most fabulous skirt ever.)
4. Send some mail to my overseas darlings.
5. Figure out if it's worth selling the results of my wardrobe clean-out on ebay.
6. Stay up late to watch the Tour de France.
7. Take more opportunities.
8. Stop getting restless with my blog design, and definitely stop changing it every few months.
9. Write here daily with more regularity. It doesn't matter what, just as long as I do.

want.

Can't decide between the teapot and the teacup.

PS I'm really really impressed with tumblr. Impressed enough that I almost want to move over to it... but I'd hate to leave my little old blogspot behind. I've tested it out with visual melodies (which hasn't been updated all that recently, unfortunately) and it works a treat. I'm getting itchy feet with this layout... maybe I just need a change of scenery (again). Maybe just a change of direction, too. I don't know what to do... thoughts?

super-stylish.

I don't usually like taking photos of people, especially if I don't know them and without their permission... but this super-stylish dear I spotted in Melbourne was too good to be true. Bright pink trench, leopard print hat, white tights and a wicker basket. Amazing. I hope when I reach that age I will just as fashionable.

melbourne.

Oh goodness. The past few weeks have been busy, busy, busy. Assignments, exams, working, doing stuff for the band... but now I'm free for a week or so before winter school starts. (Yes, uni in the holidays. Fun times.)

Anyway, Melbourne was brilliant, I had the best time. I spent a fair amount of it just doing what I do best - wandering around in circles looking at this, going to that, ducking down an alley, stopping for a coffee - with a camera (or three) in tow at all times. I took my Grandpa's old 35mm with me and (hopefully) took all the best shots with that, but I still have to get the film developed.

Melbourne in 25 words or less: Federation Square, Journal, bruschetta, Sticky, shops, alleys, Swensk, Don't Come, photographs, laughs, Section 8, Brunswick St, galleries, galleries, galleries, pizza, cocktails, Deerhunter, vintage, coffee, Horse Bazaar ♥

But seriously, if I lived in Melbourne I would be even more stressed than I am now. So much to do! So little time! My entire pay would go on lattes in cafes before I even got around to spending it on art and clothes and books and zines and other crafty little things. Not to mention food!

Adelaide is just-right sized, methinks. (PS we have a zine shop now! Get there! 23 Peel St - although I'm not sure if it's still open or not... it was kinda a trial thing/kinda not... try anyway!)