These blue days from the hills

I was looking at Urban Outfitters Summer catalogue this morning. While it’s drenched in spectacular snapshots of sunshine and positively zesty with the promise of good times and divine outfits, it didn’t sit well.

It’s cold in Sydney. I want to reveal in the gorgeous winter weather of the place I call home. So with my scarf wrapped around me and I turned on the wintery sounds of Mumford and Sons and sunk into a stupor of delight for all things blustery, folksy and blue.

[Letters from the hills]

Have a lovely day folks.

If you’re not enjoying the weather as much as I am, then you may enjoy this. I laughed so hard I may have a hernia.

Slap dash, colour splash

[Via: Joy the Baker]

Sydney is a wash with rain, rain, rain. If I can't bathe in sunshine, the next best thing is to eat sunshine. Soup anyone?

Decent shot

It's raining outside. Torrents of water lash against the windows and weigh the guttering down.

It's shaping up to be a day of reading, eating, writing and sleeping. But first, I'm going to just sit and listen to it fall. It's been a while since we've had a decent shot of rain in Sydney.

[via: the personality girls band]

House party

An artist I know became so frustrated by being “constrained by the parameters of canvas”, she started experimenting with light installations. It seems that most people present at Garden Music on the weekend felt similarly frustrated They didn’t start brandishing light bulbs, but they did ditch the free canvas on offer, in favour of slathering their limbs in paint.

Floral sundresses, high waisted short shorts, hula hoops, trilby hats, bare feet, parasols, suspenders and rockabilly attitudes were also favoured attire. All of which are not befitting the typical standards set by Government House.

Needless to say the Historic Houses Trust can throw a heck of party.

The Trust kindly opened the doors and grounds Government House, for a Sunday afternoon Garden Party. Constructed between 1837 and 1845, Government House “is the most sophisticated Gothic revival building in the state (NSW)”. To put it plainly – it’s jaw droppingly beautiful. The cavernous rooms are lit by natural sunlight from enormous bay windows and lined with bespoke carpets, so soft it puts my new sleeping mat to shame. The furniture and textiles throughout are a delightful blend of contemporary and Victorian styles.

When you’re having a house party it’s important to get the right vibe. To achieve this, there were garden games including croquet and badminton.

For the less competitive there were hula hoops, free newspapers and ‘Art en plein air’ (free art supplies so you could capture your impressions of the day). To keep the energy levels up, after lounging in the hot afternoon sun, a selection of French pasteries, tea and iced coffee were available.

This was all lovely, but what is a party without music?

There were performances throughout the day by – Ngalire, First Flight Crew, Lanie Lane, Deep Sea Arcade, Jinja Safari and Jonathan Boulet. In between sets, the very witty Gramophone Man kept the beats going on his beautiful brass gramophone.

This is a shot of one of the blokes from Jinja Safari scaling the scaffolding - gosh they are the bees knees and cause me to dance with wild tribal abandonment till my heart aches and my arm pits are swimming in sweat. Not the most attractive of descriptions, but look in the mirror if you happen to listen to their music - chances are you be throwing around moves that would make the Governor General blush.

The sunniest ideas

If I were Cockney I would be telling every man and his dog that the Currant Bun was hotter than hot today.

Unfortunately I’m not cockney, but I do wish I were in England as the sun (ie. “currant bun”) has beating down on Sydney this week. It’s making me cream crackered (“knackered”) and a little bit barmy hence the cockney rhyming slang in this post.

I’ve been trying to use ‘mind over matter’ techniques to glide through this spell of hot weather without whinging too much, so I’ve been obessed with finding a winter coat. Thoughts of tweed, wool and brass buttons have danced through my head. Modcloth is a minefield of lushy outerwear.

[Sally Jane Vintage]

Unfortunately my meditations on overcoats has yet to chill my core temperature, though they have been tremendously successful in lightening my purse.

The next sensible option is to wallow in a lovely cool cave – the cinema.

I'm also peachy keen to catch Beginners and Tamara Drewe.

Community service announcement

Boy oh boy it was a scorcher today! It hit a sweltering 32 degrees, which is usually quite pleasant - but the hot, dry wind bustling through the streets, caused a wicked sense of malaise.

For those rugged up in mittens and ear muffs at the moment - today's weather would be the equivalent of this picture of Mr Patrick Swayze.

[Mr Swayze]

It's enough to make you swoon.

Sweet Sydney

[beach time]

Two consecutive days of swimming, snoozing and running at the beach.

The rain of Brisbane feels a million miles away.

Sydney I could hug you and smother you in kisses, unfortunately you're going to rain on my parade this week ahead.