It’s funny……

…..well maybe not funny, haha but funny how when we live in the moment we don’t really think about how much changes over time but then we have a look back and all of sudden it is almost hard to recognize that person and what was happening at that time.

The last couple of years have been a whirlwind for me and while some days seem to creep by, for the most part time is just flying by.  I mean, can it just slow down a bit?! So let’s see, what has really gone on……

1. I moved from Perth to Melbourne.  I know many of you who know me personally already know that but I’m not sure I ever really said that I had moved.  What a wonderful decision.  Melbourne is one of my most favorite places on earth.  A really great city and I absolutely love my current neighborhood.  I suppose I could also mention that I, more or less, live in Airbnbs.  Well currently it is really just a furnished apartment and not technically an Airbnb but I’ve been fortunate enough to live without leases or long term commitments and pesky bonds and quarterly rental inspections.  Life is grand!  My current place is small but it has absolutely everything I need plus some outdoor space.  Best of all, it is close to everything!Melbourne

Melbourne

2. I cook nearly constantly and I don’t eat all of it.  I’d be the size of a house if I did!  Not sure if anyone else agrees with me but I’m completely on board with the art of making homemade pasta.  It relaxes me.  Especially when I make ravioli or tortellini.  I always joke that making pasta is cheaper than therapy, but let’s be real here, I’m not really joking.  There’s something about it that makes you focus and zone out all at once.  It is simple and repetitive; like my own version of meditation where I can solve problems or simply recenter.  My friends certainly don’t mind when I “meditate” because I end up stuffing their freezer with all the finished products.  Some weeks, it’s almost as if I’m a grocery store but just with an extremely limited product list.  IMG_5066

Pasta

Tortellini

3. Dinner parties are the norm.  I belong to the most awesome tribe, squad, crew, whatever you want to call it.  It is a small group of women who are quirky and fun and beautiful and absolutely as crazy as I am.  They are just so lovely and they let me be a complete nut and host these dinner parties in my tiny little apartment.  I can literally only fit about six people in my place at a time, though the party coming up in November will be 8 people.  It will be crowded and considering my dining room table is also my kitchen island it presents a unique challenge for prep and plating but we make it work.  The idea is seriously good food in a completely relaxed environment.  I’ll have to write a separate entry about the menus and process but they are anywhere from 5 – 9 courses.  I’m pretty sure I overdid it with the 9 course comfort food menu last month.  I don’t think any of us ate for days afterwards.  So two takeaways here: 1 – if you don’t already have a squad, you need one, find one.  If you aren’t sure whether you have one or not, you likely don’t.  Find one.  Create one.  They will be responsible for both your sanity and your insanity and it is the most fun.  2 – dinner parties, supper club, whatever you want to call it, however you want to structure it, they are a good idea and so much fun.  Fancy or casual it really doesn’t matter.  All that matters is good people, good food, and good conversations.  These are the times you’ll remember.  You won’t always remember the conversation but you’ll remember how it made you feel.  Do yourself the favor and create these memories.

4. Self-help or perhaps self-improvement; dreaded buzz words if you ask me.  An entire genre of books cover these topics, but if we really think about it these are things we strive for almost regularly, or at least I think we do.  I won’t get into the touchy feely part of the past two years and those types of self-improvement things I’ve worked on but I will mention two things I’ve done.  Firstly, I took a continuing education course at the local university.  I took a food styling course.  It was meant to get me out of the house and make me be a little more social with like minded people.  It really was good fun and as you can see it helped me produce a couple of really cool projects.  I was thrilled with the final project.  The idea I had was “food as art” so I took a painter’s pallet and covered it with colorful food.  A professional photographer took the photos.  The course did help me to think of things differently; how to set it up, what props add or detract from my food scene, light source and position, and really just sparked some good ideas for future projects.  I hope to share some of those with you here.  That was a certificate of completion course.  I’d do something like that again.  It was very worth it.  The second thing I’ve been working towards is a diploma in photography.  I’ve wanted to improve my photography for a long time and it is nice to be enrolled and working towards that.  It also connects me to a whole community of photographers from around the world who range from mind-blowingly amazing to beginners.  It’s pretty cool.  I still have a lot of work to do but I’m plugging away.Food Styling Project 1

Photo Credits: Ryuhei Tsukamoto
Photo Credits: Ryuhei Tsukamoto

5. Traveling has become an obsession for me.  I’m off and about as often as I can be, though I wish I had more adventures to tell you about.  Over the past two years I think I’ve been back to the US five or six times for a combination of work and family and friends.  I visited a very good friend in Colorado and saw a great college friend get married in Hilton Head.  I’ve also been to Mexico twice and spent my 40th birthday (yeah, right! How’d that happen?!) in Italy with my mom and sister.  We were there two weeks and it was absolutely awesome.  I don’t have too much on the books at the moment but my sister and I are talking about an adventure trip to Scotland.  I had better start walking and hiking a whole lot more if I’m going to survive that one!!  I think travel changes you if you let it; changes the way you think and the way you view the world and your place in it.  I think you should let it. Colorado

Mexico

Italy

Italy

Italy

Italy

So there you have it!  A few things that have been going on with me.  I hope you’ve all been well.  I promise I’ll try not to be a stranger…… xoxo

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