Been awhile

My last post was exactly a year ago. I am not going to try to recount that full year. It has been good and some parts have been very hard.

I really enjoyed my birthday lunch with my mother and sister last year at a great restaurant called Sean's Panaroma at Bondi. I then headed to a shared birthday celebration with the fabulous Milli at the Cricketer's Arms Hotel in Surry Hills.

I got to work on a couple great TV shows, Rake, East West 101, Tough Nuts 2 and The Kangaroo Gang.

I have met some great people, have some wonderful friends and am reconnecting and catching up with old friends.

Most of all, I am so grateful that my mother has made it through some very difficult medical issues so far.

And that brings me to roughly today, which is my three year mark in Sydney. This move was much harder than anticipated. But there is no doubt that I am so pleased to live closer to my mother and sister, am thankful for the support that they and friends have lent.

new macbook!!!!

after 7 years, i finally found it in my heart to put my old powerbook to pasture. it will be grazing at home. tomorrow, i will take my new macbook to work. and i think i might be in love.

Longrain and beyond

Beautiful meal at a restaurant last Friday called Longrain in Surry Hills to celebrate the end of production of a TV show I worked on.

We then mosied over to the Hollywood Hotel for a drink, great art deco not renovated with a disco ball.

Up the road to an Irish pub then to the Wine Garden, which was so beautiful and so packed. It is on the site of a former water station and the result is stunning. And then home.

Updates on the banana in Sydney

Since my last post, I have had foot reconstruction surgery on my left foot to remove a bunyon inherited from my father's side of the family that I have had since I was little. It has healed remarkably well but I was not able to walk on it for 8 weeks, wore a funny clog like shoe for longer and still have a bit of pain. I was incredibly lucky to have a wonderful family who took care of me during the healing period.

I thought about posting photos but thought this might be a bit too much. But I did document the process starting prior to surgery through to just recently.

I have also immersed myself into TV production - which is hilarious as in my former job, I led teams building software for film and tv production. Two shows in now. Strange and fun to start doing something new. More on this later.

battlestar galactica in my closet

My very infrequent blogging might be excused with this post? Sipping my tea on a rainy day, cleaning out and reorganizing my closet, I found 4 "baseball" cards from the original battlestar galactica show. I loved that show though had no recollection that my obsession extended to collecting cards. But there you have it. Geek from a young age.

I have in very good condition the following cards:

#17: Blasted by the Cylon Warships! On the back, there is Character Profile #10 of 12: "The Imperious Leader" (uncredited). Vile. Malevolent. Unearthly. The horrifying head of the Cylon race. Determined to wipe out the human colonists and all who aid them. Resembling a boar's head flanked by medallions and royal attire, this nightmare intelligence is the single mind behind the Cylon war machine. It is a mind dedicated to unrestrained evil.

#27: The Colonial Battlestars.

#30: Fleet of Colonial Vipers.

#93: The Colonists' Counterattack!

Having just watched the final episodes of the final season of the new show, this was a nice find.

julie and julia inspired french cooking - first result is pear tarte tartin!

After seeing Julie and Julia with Mum, we have both been inspired to cook, all week and ala francais!

First, we both enjoyed the movie so much. Mum is an excellent cook and loves cooking. She regularly has two dishes on the go in the mornings before 8 am. She relishes feeding people and finding the ingredients they love.

So, seeing this particular movie with her was a delight. And seeing her laugh so hard she was crying was contagious.

Mum has cooked up some goodies this week, and purchased a cast iron french oven. She got a great price at Victoria's Basement. Her fist creation was from the north eastern region of France, with chicken, mushrooms, pale ale, cream and was light and lovely.

And, she helped me make a delicious Pear Tart Tartin, surprisingly easy. It was lovely warm and is good cold with a bit of yoghurt accompanied by French press coffee for breakfast.

Bespoke Press

Exploring the web for inspirational design, I happened upon Bespoke Press, located in Brisbane Australia. They have the most beautiful things and are true craftspeople.

They are having a Giveaway raffle and the winner will receive 10 amazing prints designed by young illustrators from around the world and printed on their 1857 letterpress.