Sunday Seven #6

After a busy week, it's nice to sit down and reflect on the little (and big) moments that made the last seven days fun for me. With only one week left of university, homework and assignments are starting to wind down, while study for the impending exams is beginning to ramp up. Here is what made my week special.

1. The rain was so lovely throughout the last half of this week. When it rains in Perth, it pours, and it really did. I don't love getting caught in the rain when I need to be at uni all day, but I don't mind it when I'm on my way home or I'm doing something outside. It's been nice sitting inside while it pours outside, and being able to wear boots and jumpers again.

2. I went out to see my friend's horse again and even though it was absolutely pouring, it was so much fun (plus, I got to break out the pink gumboots!). Poor Haze wasn't impressed that we were taking her out of the paddock but I don't think she was too upset by the whole thing (aside from Lily reintroducing her to a metal bit after her not having one for about 8 years, but she even took that in her stride, aside from some priceless faces I wish I'd captured on camera). We also went to look at horse warehouse sale while we were out there - nothing quite like brand new $70 helmets reduced to $25 to put you in a good mood :)

3. A few of my friends and I meet up for lunch at uni on Mondays, however for the last few weeks I have been busy with assignments. It was really nice this past week to catch up with everyone, including a girl who doesn't usually come. Plus, I made a really good decision with my lunch that day (cold roast beef, chutney and cheese sandwich - it was risky, but it paid off). Many more Mondays like these would be great.

4. A book I ordered for Mum for Mother's Day finally arrived - My French Table - and we have both been enjoying looking over the beautiful photographs and imaging a life in Normandy, France. Ah, we can dream!

5. Speaking of French, I received a mark I was really happy with for a French written test. I really wasn't expecting this as I completely forgot how to conjugate a verb I needed and ended up settling for "je a" (I'm pretty sure that's not even a thing) instead of "je suis". It's not a test that is worth much, but it was still a nice surprise getting a result I was happy with, especially because I was so off the mark in the grammar department!

6. My dad, sister and I went to see a school production of The Wizard of Oz the other night and it was fantastic! Toto was a real dog (a large poodle) and the whole production was wonderful. The kids were very talented. I love a good musical, and this was no exception. Apparently on one of the other nights, Toto did a runner into the audience to see his mum - the school's drama teacher. He restrained himself to one (perfectly timed) bark during "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for our performance.

7. My sister isn't really a dog person, and although she loves our dog very much, she isn't the type to pick her up and cuddle her, more give her a pat when she walks past. The other morning, I had to wake Rachel up and so I put Elsie on the bed with her. When I came back in after getting changed, Elsie and Rachel were cuddled up and it was absolutely adorable. She'd probably kill me if I uploaded the photograph, but take my word for it - very cute.

What made your week special? I hope you had a lovely weekend and a great week ahead.

Midweek Ramble/ Instagram Catch Up

New skincare in the mail/ Technology post/ Healthy snacking/ A new month/ My book pile/ Tea break at work/ Afternoon reading/ New magazines/ Hot chocolate at uni

I'm sitting here typing this with a rather violent case of hiccups and the rain pouring down outside. I love autumn! I can't believe we are already halfway through this week - the first three days of my week are always packed with uni and work so I'm happy that they are out of the way. At the moment, I'm writing a 3000 word essay for a unit at university. 3000 words is a lot, especially when I'm not 100% sure I understood the essay topic to begin with. One of my friends very accurately said something along the lines of "the problem with a 3000 word essay is that mine always seem to have the same real content of a 1000 word essay!" Too true, too true.

Over the weekend some of my parent's friends came over for dessert after they all headed out for dinner (lucky, my sister and I were left at home with only a salad for company [I love a good salad, but when your parents are out having Italian, well, you know…jealousy does tend to set in]), including a couple who they hadn't seen for 8 years. It was actually the lady of that couple who initiated the dinner, as one of her New Years Resolutions had been to reconnect with people from her past whom she missed. I suppose when you see these people again, you have absolutely no shortage of anything to talk about (not that mum ever does!). It's nice knowing that even when you haven't seen people for awhile, you can still reconnect with them in the future.

Something that has happened lately that completely shocked me was the kidnapping of over 200 Nigerian female students. In such a progressive world, we still hear about shootings and attacks on female schools in African countries due to the belief that females should not be educated, which is absolutely horrible. However to hear about these girls being taken from a place where they are supposed to be nurtured, safe and learning, and then enslaved as child brides to their kidnappers, definitely disgusted and floored me. It is completely undermining their ability to learn, and is just a revolting show of power. Furthermore, the lack of coverage in the news about this is pretty appalling, with a focus instead being laid upon two grown men fighting in the street and the budget.

To finish on a happier note, I've been enjoying Gretchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project". Such a great book about being happier with your life by changing little things in it, like going to bed earlier, solving arguments peacefully and how being right doesn't necessarily mean being happy about the situation (I really need to learn this). There will be a post on it coming up when I finish it.

I hope you enjoyed this rather thrown together post and that the rest of your week is great!

The Playlist #3

If you're reading this, you found Laura Robin! You may have hopped over from Laurables - if not, check it out here. I hope you enjoy this post!

Here's what I've been listening to in the last few weeks - a little different than normal and peppered with the sounds of the Fairbridge Festival. What have you been listening to lately?

1. "Come to Me" - China Doll

2. "Emily" - David Lazarus

3. "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman

4. "Stay This Way" - David Lazarus

5. "Be There Blue Eyes" - The Seals

6. "Run Boy Run" - Woodkid

7. "Paper Squares" - China Doll

Happy Tuesday!

Travel Wishlist

I was blessed with a love of travel from my mother, and after returning from Cambodia (read about it here) I have definitely been bitten by the travel bug. There is something so special about visiting a new place and learning about a new culture and I want to see so much more of the world as I get older. Here is my wishlist of travel destinations…

1. London, England
I have been to London but I don't really remember it all that well (definitely not old enough to appreciate the likes of Topshop, Zara…). I would absolutely love to go to London for the shopping, but also for the cultural aspects that I wasn't old enough to enjoy…Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and London Bridge to name a few.

2. Greece
Greece is definitely on my travel wish list, especially Athens and the Greek Islands. I'm a bit of a history lover and so I really want to see ancient ruins. Ever since I watched a special on the Athens Olympics, I've wanted to travel to this beautiful country as it just looked to beautiful and picturesque. As for the islands, I would love to see Mykanos. I'm not really a beach person (something about being super pale…) but with somewhere as beautiful as this, I'm sure I could get used to soaking up some rays on the sand - with a healthy dose of 50SPF on my limbs.

3. Dublin, Ireland
Little bit of trivia about me - I did Irish dancing from when I was 7 to when I was 15. It would be so awesome to visit the birthplace of Irish dancing and maybe see some shows while I was there. I'm half Irish (there's some more trivia) and I would love to visit the country where my family comes from. I still have some third cousins/ second cousins/ great aunts and uncles living in Ireland and so it would be amazing to meet them. Plus, I love Irish accents…

4. Copenhagen
This destination may have been inspired by the recent Eurovision song contest which was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Originally a viking fishing village in the 10th century (thanks Wikipedia), Copenhagen now has a vibrant student life and is famous for the Tivoli Gardens (an amusement park), as well as Rosendorf Castle. I'd also love to see Stroget,  Europe's longest pedestrian street and the beautiful canals. Denmark is apparently the happiest country in the world, so I can only imagine how amazing its capital city must be.

5. Vietnam
Quite a lot of the people we met in Cambodia had been to Vietnam or were on their way there and from what they had said it sounds like a fantastic country. Apparently it's quite a bit more touristy than Cambodia so I would like to visit before it gets more touristy - Cambodia was pretty touristy, but only to the extent that there was wi-fi everywhere. I studied the Vietnam War in History at school, so I think it would be quite special to visit a place I have learnt a lot about. If the Vietnamese people are anything like the Khmers, I'm sure I would have a wonderful trip.

Where do you want to travel to? All photographs from Pinterest.

Sunday Seven #5

The last few weeks have been pretty crazy with assignments flying left, right and centre and just generally being pretty busy. It's nice to look back and reflect on the things in life that have been enjoyable over the last week or so, so here are seven things that made my week special :)

1. Finishing two major assignments - freedom here I come! (After exams…)

2. Celebrating my dad's 60th with Italian food and cake. Happy birthday dad, you are fantastic!

3. Eurovision grand final - long live Conchita. I really wasn't a huge fan of the booing of the Russian contestants though…yes, I understand that the political circumstances aren't great at the moment but at the end of the day, they were two 17 year old girls representing their country (with a great song that I can't get out of my head!)

4. My gorgeous Irish grandmother arriving from Melbourne to spend 10 nights with us. She's adorable and so much fun to spend time with.

5. I went out for some drinks last night and it was really nice. It was at a bar walking distance from my house which was handy, drinks weren't as expensive as I was thinking, and it was a nice way to celebrate a friend's birthday and meet new people.

6. I got into the car after work and the car parked in front of me had left so I didn't have to reverse out of my spot (which I usually do really awkwardly). The intersection where I have to turn right coming out of my job is usually so busy and takes about 5 minutes of waiting until I can leave, however I got straight through on Friday. Plus, one of my favourite songs was on the radio. Life's little wins :)

7. My dog got a haircut and usually she looks a bit ratty after a clip, but she looks pretty darn adorable at the moment. Especially when we put on her jumper - I wouldn't say this is her favourite activity ever…

What made your week special?

I hope you have had a lovely weekend and are having a relaxing Sunday.

Sunday Seven #4

1. Fairbridge festival! It was an awesome weekend (albeit the camping/ rain situation…) - read about it here.

2. Although that said, my second favourite of the week is autumn sort of starting (and maybe here to stay, fingers crossed).

3. A new month starting and getting all inspired to be a better person with my my May Resolutions (let's see how long they last!). Read about them here.

4. Downton Abbey and So You Think You Can Dance finales begin on during last week - I'm sad they're both over, especially because I don't religiously watch any other TV shows, but I really enjoyed the final episodes. I do love a bit of historical drama and dancing (although my choices are question by my friends). Now what to do with my Sunday/ Thursday nights...

5. Meeting my friend's horse and having a bit of a ride - this was such a highlight of the week as it was great to spend time with her and I love horse riding and horses. My legs are so sore today though!

6. Eurovision starting this week!

7. Being told that my back rehabilitation (be careful when rowing everyone!) can go down to once a week - there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel!

What made your week special?

Fairbridge Festival

Forgive my absence over the last week - I was being held hostage by a Politics essay but now that that is finished, hopefully I will have some more time to update. Over the weekend I attended the annual Fairbridge Festival, held in Fairbridge, a small town just outside of Pinjarra.

Going to start this off honestly - I wasn't really sure how Fairbridge would be. It was a camping festival, and aside from school camps, I've never been exposed to the world of the great outdoors by sleeping under the stars. The festival also has the reputation of being quite "hippie" - although my trip to Cambodia taught me that I can rock loose, floaty pants just as well as the next gal, I don't tend to get out my inner wild child/ flower power all that often. However, doubts aside, I packed a (hugely, massively, over the top excessively full) bag, and drove down to Fairbridge with a group of friends on Friday morning.

After setting up our tent and dying in the heat (we were all in jeans, super hopeful that winter was going to arrive), we headed off to grab some lunch - crepes may have made an appearance - and then back to the tent for a quick afternoon siesta. Waking up newly refreshed (although still feeling the effects from our early start/ massive food binge - no Laura, you don't need to eat a packet of shapes at 9am and then just keep snacking for the rest of the day), we headed off to Youthopia, where we watched the Formidable Vegetable Sound System. If you want to listen to songs about permaculture and saving the planet (and even if you really don't), this band is for you - very upbeat, very happy, and something very (very) different to enjoy.

After that, we wandered to the main stage area to enjoy a performance by Himmerland, a Danish multicultural band. Once again, this group was definitely a bit out of what I'd usually be drawn to, but with beautiful vocals and violin by Ditte Fromseier (even though I couldn't understand a word of the songs) and incredible percussion by the wildly energetic Ayi Solomon - to name only two of the five musicians - it was impossible not to be foot tapping and hand clapping along to this group. Not my usual cup of tea, but I would definitely see them again.

A nice long sleep and a few inflatable (really, deflatable) mattress issues later, we were up for the first full day of Fairbridge. Some highlights of the day included a ukelele workshop (turns out if you're rubbish at any sort of string instrument, by having one person strum and the other deal with the chords you can get by), an Irish dancing workshop (very fun to go back to my old dancing days!) and the Scotch College Choir. However, as for my favourites, there were three standouts - China Doll, David Lazarus and The Seals.

David Lazarus is a singer songwriter with a captivating voice and the ability to turn simple experiences into enchanting songs. We enjoyed songs such as "Stay This Way" - a song about our reluctance to change, and "My Best Girl" - a catchy anthem dedicated to his five (!!) sisters, and my personal favourite "Love Me With Your Eyes" (which sadly, didn't make his EP). My iTunes library tells me that he's in the 'pop' genre, but I'd classify him more in the singer/ songwriter or easy listening categories. A definite must see.

After watching parts of Morgan Bain and Ami Williamson's acts (she was absolutely incredible, very clever with her lyrics and incredibly versatile [I wasn't expecting a requiem about old food and a beautiful rendition of Hallelujah in the same set]), we headed back to the Youthopia stage for The Seals. Without a doubt, this group was the highlight of the weekend for me. With vocals by all five of the incredibly talented band members, as well as a mix of guitar, mandolin, banjo, violin, double bass and an impressive harmonica solo, the crowd went absolutely wild dancing to this group. ITunes describes this band as a mix of country and folk, and they'd have to be spot on there. Easy listening was peppered with catchy hooks and super danceable music. Absolutely loved this band, and I think we'll be seeing a lot more of them in the future. While I do love my music, I wouldn't be able to say I've had a grin on my face for a whole set before, but with The Seals, I couldn't stop smiling. Also have to say that the guy were lovely - we met them later to fangirl get them to sign some CDs and they were very friendly.

Following The Seals were China Doll, a Perth based band with tap dancing, fantastic vocals, and catchy tunes. So popular that everyone stayed for them in the gushing rain (with no lack of apologies from the charismatic lead singer, Karan Page), China Doll were a definite highlight. Something else that was special about this gig was the protective outside of a tent being thrown over the crowd to keep us dry. Hopefully the tent was not in use at the time, but it must have been a great sight for the band to see a moshing orange blob! I'm glad I got to catch China Doll before Karan heads off for 18 months. I'll definitely be purchasing their music of iTunes.

After a quick stop to watch the Formidable Vegetable Sound System again (arriving just as Ami Williamson was finishing her next performance - so glad we caught this!), we headed back to the tent for another night of inflatable mattress issues (got a lot closer with my friend Rebecca than usual due to the huge dip that appeared in the middle) and gumboot issues - if they are a size nine, they are a size nine, not a size ten. Subsequent use will result in you laying spread out through the middle of a car with one friend holding your arms while the other four try to pull your gumboots off.

After an early wake up to head to the chapel for the annual "Singing the Spirit" to catch The Seals again, we went to watch the acapella group Ballpoint Penguins before packing up the tent. We watched David Lazarus again - he rounded out his set with a great mash up - before packing up our tent and getting absolutely soaked when the heavens opened just as we finished started the car!

It was such a great weekend and I would have to say, don't knock Fairbridge before you've tried it - I will definitely be back next year.

Sunday Seven #3

With the Easter long weekend upon us, I hope you had an enjoyable (short) week and that you've had a lovely weekend. Here are seven things that made my week special:

1. My break from university starting…a whole 10 days off! Very happy.

2. Reaching almost 800 blog views! Thanks to everyone who's had a look into my little part of the Internet - I hope you've enjoyed reading :)

3. A lovely breakfast with my dad yesterday morning.

4. Sharing a lunch with two of my good friends. Over chips and lemonade, with a lovely view of the river, we shared a lot of laughs and it was an awesome way to end the first half of the semester.

5. Ordering some new skin care items online - can't wait for them to arrive! Online shopping is very much like receiving a present "to me, from me."

6. My mum was away all week for work and it was so lovely to have her walk in the door yesterday afternoon - I missed her so much and it's been lovely having her back!

7. CHOCOLATE this morning! I had a lovely Easter Sunday and I hope you did as well.

What made your week great?

Sunday Seven #2

1. Heading out for a friend's birthday afternoon tea: post coming soon! This cake was what dreams are made of...

2. Committing to going to the gym a few times…we'll see how long this lasts.

3. Although the warm weather has been driving me up the wall, I've really been enjoying the afternoon sun and being nice and warm in the evening. The weather has stopped the awkward dressing that usually accompanies this time of year: wearing jeans and then being boiling by 2pm, or wearing shorts and freezing all day. No, just assume that it's going to be ridiculously warm and you'll be right.

4. Enjoying my new Nike trainers…I'm absolutely obsessed! Read some more about my "accidental" shopping trip last weekend here.

5. Easter is coming up in a week and I can't wait to spend time with my family. Plus the chocolate is always well loved too.

6. And, along with Easter, I get a week off uni. Time to relax and catch up on some sleep…or time to do that 3000 word essay, due the week after our break, that I promised myself I'd finish in March...

7. And finally, this post from From Roses made me feel all gooey inside. Impeccable photography, as always. But I am a bit jealous about the Harry Potter studio visit.

What has made your week special? 

The Playlist #2

I've been listening to music a lot more lately while I've been exercising (what, me never…) and so here are some of my new and old favourites.

1. My Love - Sia
After seeing Maddie and Chris dance to this on SYTYCD AU I fell in love with this song. So gentle, so beautiful and quite a nice meditation song, if you're into that. It's really nice listening to a song about unconditional love, instead of something focusing on the negatives of relationships.

2. Scrubs - TLC
A bit of a throwback to the 90s, I vaguely remembered the tune of this when Lily and Anna started singing this in their 90s kid video. So catchy, and a nice flashback to the past.

3. Strong - London Grammar
Although this song has been hitting the airwaves recently, it wasn't until I heard the orifinal version that I really fell in love with it. Check this out, especially if you've been enjoying the remix but prefer something a little slower.

4. Youth - Foxes
This song has a fantastic beat, with great electro undertones. It sounds like a slow song mixed in with a fast song… sounds ridiculous, but have a listen, you'll get it.

5. Air Balloon - Lily Allen
I do love a bit of Lily Allen and this song is no exception. Upbeat and catchy, for me, this song doesn't hold a candle to her "Hard Out Here" but it's very poppy and nice to listen to when you're in the mood for something energetic.

What have you been listening to lately?

Monday Inspiration

Something to make you smile this Monday afternoon! I hope you have a good week.

What quotations make you smile? All photographs are from Pinterest.

Sunday Seven #1

These are some things and moments that made me smile during the week:

Sorry about the (very) average quality photo but my brother took it and sent it too me - too cute to resist! I guess one of the problems of being a dog with a beard is that everyone can tell when you've been fossicking through the garden, looking for food...

1. My beautiful dog, Elsie, being so ridiculously photogenic (and always having a huge amount of sass). The poor thing has had a bit of a limp the last few weeks. We took her to the vet and he said it was probably just because she's knocked it but it hasn't got better since. We've been giving her lots of colours, hopefully it gets better soon.

2. Finding some wonderful new blogs - Like Neon Love, milkteef and Bonjour Luce were some of my favourites. I also loved this post from Parisian to Be. I was delighted to discover that one of my university friends has a blog as well - check it out here.

3. Skipping out on study and enjoying a wonderful lunch (read about it here)

4. Discovering that I actually enjoy some aspects of exercising... like being able to (mostly) guiltlessly enjoy chocolate after!

5. This video of the cast of the Lion King singing "Circle of Life" on the plane trip from Brisbane to Sydney.

6. The weather cooling down a bit, and actually getting a chance to wear jeans to uni! Although the temperature has shot back up again this weekend, with temperatures this week looking to be around the 27 degree mark. Come on Autumn!

7. April Fools Day pranks such as Ikea advertising pet minding services (like the child minding services) and the Fitzy and Whippa radio show prank…I didn't enjoy as much being tricked into thinking Wills and Kate were making a stop off in Perth on their Australian tour!

What made your week special?

Lunch Date

After planning on spending the afternoon at university studying, I naturally ended up at the Atomic Cafe with my boyfriend for an late breakfast/ early lunch. I've always loved Atomic because the prices are reasonable and there is a huge variety of choices. The food is always served very quickly and the staff are bright and friendly.

I had the Avocado Bruschetta with a side of bacon. I do love my brushettas and this one was no exception - crunchy ciabatta break, topped with olive oil, avocado and tomato. The bacon was really well cooked, with some bits crispy, and some bits a bit softer. It was quite a decent serve of bacon to have on the side (definite points from me!) I also had a chocolate milkshake (I swear I'm older than 7) and it was delicious. A nice big container, nice and chocolatey, perfect.

He had Eggs Benedict - 2 pieces of toasted ciabatta with ham, poached eggs, spinach and Hollandaise sauce. I can't speak for how it tasted (although the sauce was quite nice) but it looked incredible. He also had an iced mocha which tasted lovely (and this is coming from a non coffee lover!)

Definitely better than an afternoon in the library!