Gardens of Edinburgh

I took these photos last year while exploring beautiful Edinburgh. Definitely one of the prettiest places I've been.

Become Legendary. Or just, fit.

Like most people, especially women, in this world, I'm trying quite hard to be a gym junkie! I've never been athletic - I was the kid who got out of school sports events with all kinds of phony stunts and forged notes from "Mum". I rathered (and often did) spend my time in the library, or at the theatre, over running around on the school oval trying to compete at something I'm inherently horrible at - group sports. To me, Cross-Country or the swimming carnival were horrors to behold, probably because I was always coming last...

Since school however, I've actually kept much fitter than lots of the sporty kids from school (who tend to balloon once they get out into the world of drinking and partying at university, & those early morning training sessions & the burning desire for the "age champion" become hazy memories through a blur of never ending hangovers and late night McDonalds runs). I've had a gym membership ever since I left school (even in San Francisco where I became quite the porker regardless - all day at the gym wouldn't have burnt those California Calories). My favourite thing to do at the gym is group fitness, but I'm trying hard to get into running with the help of the new Nike APP (Nike + GPS) which is brilliant by-the-way. This is my weekly program at the moment:

Day 1: Body Step (1 hr)
Day 2: Body Step (1 hr)
Day 3: Half hour running (1/2 hour)
Day 4: Body Combat (1 hr)
Day 5: Body Pump (1 hr)
Day 6: N/A
Day 7: Body Pump OR Body Combat  (1 hr)

Before you think to yourself, "wow, what a legend," I'm not actually hitting this target as yet! I'm getting in about 3 of the classes and sometimes the run. So I need to pick up my act. I may have hated sports at school, but I think it had more to do with the peer pressure and competitiveness of it all. I love getting in a routine at the gym - there's nothing better than feeling fit and healthy.

What do you do each week for fitness?

Are you struggling? Here's a bit of run-spiration:

Of course, I prefer this version, speaking of inspiring individuals and shoes:

For cool recipes and tips check out Lee's great blog, "Fit Foodie Finds" - she is all about being fit and healthy, even on a college budget! It's a great blog, and I say it with love when I say trust an American to think putting peanut butter on everything is HEALTHY! But truely she has some great tips and recipes, her posts will motivate you.

Take a leap.

Sex AND the City

I was never a fan of Sex and the City until I saw movie 1 a couple of years ago. In fact, until LAST NIGHT I thought the show was called Sex IN the City. I'm still getting my head around this misunderstanding.

This last week or so I have been on a Sex and the City binge, and I've commited to watching the whole epic saga. Although it can be lame and the characters are self absorbed I must admit that I am loving the shallow humour and human truths of it all. It's really quite genuis, the whole premise, not to mention incredibly entertaining to watch. My favourite thing about SATC: Carrie's internal monologues. LOVE.

Here are some great quotes from my current season - 2:

• Carrie: "Miranda was a huge fan of the Yankees. I was a huge fan of being anywhere you could smoke and drink at two in the afternoon without judgment." - "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"
• Miranda: "How did it happen that four such smart women have nothing to talk about but boyfriends? It's like seventh grade with bank accounts." - "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"
• Miranda: "Whatever happened to aging gracefully?"
  Carrie: "It got old." - "The Freak Show"
• Carrie: "You've never seen an uncircumsized one?"
  Charlotte: "I'm from Connecticut!" - "Old Dogs, New Dicks"
• Carrie: "The gay straight man was a new strain of heterosexual male spawned in Manhattan as the result of overexposure to fashion, exotic cuisine, musical theatre and antique furniture." - "Evolution"
• Carrie: "Sports night: every female's fantasy. A room full of captive heterosexual men all looking to be distracted during commercial breaks." - "Games People Play"
• Samantha: "You're going to take the only person in your life that's there purely for sex, no strings attached and turn him into a human being? Why?" - "The F--- Buddy"
• Samantha: "Here's what I think. Round up all the divorced men and keep them in a pound. That way, you get their whole history before you take one home." - "Shortcomings"
• Carrie: "The Hampton's Jitney is just like the bus to summer camp. Only instead of singing songs, everyone ignores each other and talks on their cell phones." - "Twenty-Something Girls vs. Thirty-Something Women"

Carrie's quotes to live by on shopping, fashion and shoes:

He does nothin', the boy does nothin': domestic Gods.

Oh but these boys do. This made me smile. Chances are you thought you'd never see Michael Jackson scrubbing a saucepan, or Paul McCartney swinging off the end of a tea towel, for that matter - you were wrong.
 Enjoy.

Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney - washin' up.

Off the beaten track

I've been into escaping the city at weekends lately and thought I'd share some piccies of my little adventures.

I went on my first trip since childhood to Bribie Island..

Where the mummy and I feasted on Oysters, bread, cheese and wine at Blue Anchorage - BEFORE midday..

We also stopped in at a very cute little local market. This was nothing like the expensive trendy markets in Brissy - this was little old ladies selling pottery and jam, and men selling carved wood. I bought some tomato chutney and a block of wood which I'm going to make my new cheese platter. The mummy bought us both some gorgeous knitted socks!

The best thing about the market was NOBBY. Nobby was a 90 year old man who had a little stall set up of really old fashioned kids toys; hand made little wooden trucks, and aeroplane murals, all made by him and brightly painted. He was surrounded by kids, fascinated by the gorgeous little toys. It was cool to see kids fascinated by handmade wooden toys, not glued to iPads and gameboys. The best thing - Noddy didn't sell any of them he GAVE THEM AWAY to any child who wanted one. He had a little sign "If you can't afford to buy a gift, visit Nobby for a free gift". **BLESS**. I asked how he funded the toy making, and he said he buys the supplies with his pension money. Then he gave me a cute aeroplane mural and refused to take $5 for it.

I've also been to Toowoomba to visit the family - my sister & her BF have bought a house there, and their neighbour kindly gave us some oranges straight off their tree!

I took little Lily for a walk around Toowoomba and couldn't get over how pretty and autumy it was! Also, the people are so friendly. Unlike in the city where people mainly keep to themselves, everyone I passed said "hello" "good morning" "how are you going" or stopped to admire Lily. Friendliness...ahh

Someone was thoroughly exhausted after all of this excitement...

Through the Dark

I love KT Tunstall - this is one of my favourite songs of hers.