op shop findings

A lovely little collection of shops along Ipswich Road at Annerley is just a short skip away from our new home. The boys and I went for a Saturday morning excursion. We had brunch at Groove Cafe which is going to be a new favourite and then checked out the 2nd hand book shop and a wonderful shop full of handmade goodies. We pressed our faces against the glass of the huge aladin's cave of an antique shop and I made plans to return later without the youngest of the boys... and then the op shops, this little strip at Annerley is famous for them. It was fun. I found this lovely vase!        
These are all places I've ventured out to before but it kind of feels different now that they are in my own neighbourhood, do you know what I mean? We are enjoying exploring our new surrounds.

A Day Out In Paddington

Was probably, what felt like the hottest day so far this year and last year too.

My sister and I had our first Work Free & Child Free Day, {and by "Day" I mean approx 5 and a half hours} in a LONG  TIME  so we thought..... coffee..... and why not make it in Paddington!

First stop was coffee, we chose a cool looking little place. 

Upon ordering we went to pay with our cards and the lady said ~ sorry it's our very first ever day and we aren't fully set up yet, you can bring along the cash later if you like. 

I was suitably shocked at this free thinking!  We had our very well made coffee and dropped off the cash later on during the morning. She gambled with trust and won our respect!
URBAN GRIND  review on fourthousand

*Picture below is NOT the coffee shop ~ just a house I liked.

Monty's Chocolate ~ we stopped in for another coffee and a chocolate as we were getting a little 

weary from all the looking at shops AND power walking combined with hill climbing up and down Latrobe Tce. As we couldn't decide which chocolate to taste with our coffee no.2 for the day we sensibly chose the chocolate tasting plate. It came with a lovely thick hot chocolate and we thought a very generous selection of chocolates including chocolate coated nuts, chocolate coated salted caramels and chocolate coated cocoa beans and nibs dusted in chocolate ~ 

I can't even begin to explain it correctly so I suggest you go there yourself! 

We had to stop at about the halfway mark and got the remainder wrapped up to take home.

                            

Had to sit down for a bit during post chocolate mini coma ~ comfy, 

not exactly as it is made of mosaic tiles! But it did have a lovely view of the city!

We redeemed ourselves at lunch with rice paper rolls and a cold bottle of water

Op Shopping!

A colour for every day plus a beige for weddings and a black for funerals ~ everything you need!

Oh dear! ~ Not For Sale!

Happy New Year!

Happy end of 2010 and Happy New Year for 2011 - I can't believe it! 2010 was meant to be my year - it was the year of the tiger but nothing was blowing me away... I didn't win lotto and I didn't meet the man of my dreams, however on reflection and in summary a lot of good, life changing stuff happened and a few crappy things too. Best wishes for the year to come!

We in Brisbane have managed a few rain free days and we have been making the most of them.

The minute the rain stopped there was a chorus of lawnmowers across the neighbourhood singing out to me to add mine to their droning. I was only too happy to get stuck into my lawn that had grown about 20cm in a week but the dratted mower wouldn't start so I had to be contented with the weeding. 

The weeds in this humid, wet weather are having the run of the place and kept me busy for a while. 

The backyard has enough mud to fill a mosh pit, sadly without the cool music and scantily clad 19 year olds but with my ipod turned up loud enough and squinting my eyes at the right angle at the large stinky ibis haunting my yard I can almost pretend...

We ventured down to Wynnum with friends on the first afternoon of no rain although it was still overcast. Not too overcast to get saturated in the sea pool and water park. I love Wynnum and as I like to recall my oldest son announcing when he was 5 on a trip there, "I love Women".

There is some pretty good op shopping to be done there - I found these sweet pineapple plates, some books and these shot glasses which were a timely find because I was presented with a trusty "cowboy" drinks kit for my birthday ~ so that's YNE sorted! 

 {*please note ~ I cannot, to save my life, get the one mix 

to float atop the other ~ but it all tastes the same in the end}

The boys and I and our visitors have been having fun with 

this stick-on blackboard frame on our fridge - my New Year Resolution! 

{which fittingly, is written in chalk and will be replaced by a drawing of Ben 10 by tomorrow}

hold on tight for the new year is coming fast or maybe... let go!