hello world!

It's been sometime since I've been here. What can I say, but that I'm slack??

And I'm going to blame it a little on getting my bearings in a new country, and a new stressful job... is that fair enough?

London is good, life is good.

I've just been for a quick shop down Oxford and Regent streets - I try to keep away, but there were some art shops close by that I needed to get some supplies from. And of course, sorry simon, I couldn't stay away from the clothes shops!



Christmas lights on Oxford Street, originally uploaded by Mister-E

Christmas lights are out down central London. I'll have to go back to have a better look at night - there's some real pretty ones down Regent street, that our strewn above the street like big cobwebs!

In the meantime, thanks to Fran's reminder about yummy macarons (not to be confused with macaroons which I learnt in Paris!) and having admired them so much in Paris - I finally have purchased some from Yauatcha in Soho. On Fran's blog she has a good link to making macarons - which Simon and I will have to do soon.



Waiting for Simon to get home so we can devour them together! He's been working today...on a Sunday!

I'm trying to get back into some kind of craft - just a touch. I wanted to buy a packet of pencils (so I can scribble), and found these at Muji, along with some other Christmas presents.



And also, am very inspired by this scrabble board idea, that I bought some fimo. I haven't used fimo since I was 10! So many things my mum got me into, thanks Mum! So now to tackle my own scrabble board :)



Next weekend consists of a Herbie Hancock concert at the Royal Festival Hall, and finishing our Christmas shopping and making!

It's never too early to start those Christmas carols.

Travels

So three months later here I am! Drafting this post in flight to London via Zurich. And I'm very excited to say that my second ever international flight, we were upgraded to business class - how cool is that?
Although feeling a bit awkward, not knowing what's what, is there some kind of business-class etiquette?

Tokyo was amazing - overall hospitality is superb, everyone is so friendly. And I'm sure they thought we were just clueless westerners! We had a few words worked out - by a few I mean probably around 4.

Highights:

Arazni Aronzo shop

My first ride on a ferris wheel (apparently the world's biggest, big web)

Shibuya crossing

Shopping in Ginza

Itoya - 9 floors of stationery!

Ordering our first Japanese meal and struggling to read Japanese!

Sky line of buildings and lights - great view from Roppongi Hills




(photo taken by Simon)

Being able to navigate our way daily through the subway and train networks (well mostly Simon)

all the yummy, delicious food

Tempura!

Our first awkward experience of ordering at the sushi bar

The little streets, the shops and the people


ooh, maybe not so much a highlight - but pretty much ripping off my big toe nail - ouch! And my gosh, next time I need to pack much more comfortable shoes - we walked pretty much all day every day. Although what's comfortable to wear in hot hot weather?

Next stop - London. And then Paris in 3 weeks!

Can you tell I'm excited??

Holga

My clever husband took these shots of Kadel (favourite nephew) with our Holga a few weeks ago.






He doesn't have a skateboard, but did insist on taking Luke Skywalker and some Transformer along for the journey. I wonder if he shared any of the chewing gum he found on the ground with them? Eww I still can't believe he ate it. It must be a boy thing....

random things...

curlypops has tagged me to tell you 6 random things about me (rules below)... it's a tough one! what do i write?

-+- my favourite ice-cream on a stick are Golden Gaytime
-+- i can't get to sleep when i can hear noises, from noisy neighbours to simon's eyes blinking! (Although rain on the roof and fan/airconditioner are the exceptions)
-+- my childhood dream careers consisted of: archaeologist, business woman, fashion designer (doesn't everyone?), inventor, school teacher, museum curator, librarian (all very geeky!)
-+- cream doesn't go well in my stomach
-+- i like computer games
-+- 'little miss sunshine' is one of my most favourite movies of all time!




Here are the rules:


1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website

And I will tag the following people (not necessarily selecting random!):

tam
nat
fran
bridget
lorraine
brierley & clover

thanks tam!

my big sister, tam, sent me this cute softies magazine last week - i was very excited when i opened it to see what it was!

"The Toy Book: In fabric oddments or felt" (no. 524), 1976, England. (by the way, toys are by Anne and Barry Morley - another couple!) can't find anything about them on the inter-ma-net though...



I really like the tiger and the owls -- now to think who i could make them for!





the images remind me of vintage swap cards

this is ... the contents of my handbag

contents of today's sunday handbag (after breakfast with my husband down the street looking at tokyo lonely planet guide's)





i like to be streamlined and that includes the contents of my handbags. i can't stand huge handbags, and i can't stand taking excessive, unnecessary stuff. so my contents are quite bland unfortunately! I can't believe I'm already carrying around gloves - haven't used them yet, though.


But i've always been curious to see what others carry with them, so thanks Sharon for this week's this is!

vintage take 2 - mittens for kittens!

Mittens for Kittens and other Rhymes about Cats, chosen by Lenore Blegvad and illustrated by Erik Blegvad. (1974)

I love the pics but also the old cute rhymes and poems! Lucky my mum is a poet :)











I wonder if there are many husband & wife writer/illustrator combo's today for kids books?