Christmas Fest at Work ; Take Two

Since the work Christmas lunch was usually on the last work day before the Christmas break, the staff decided to have another Christmas lunch.

There was a huge broth bowl of seafood delights and spinach, served with noodles.

 

 

A delicious chicken curry, served with naan.

 

And when I got back to the apartments there were Christmas bags on each apartments door.

Inside were a collection of candies and a card from the management.

Very sweet. 

Christmas Haul;

So it was Christmas!

 

My Aunt hosted mum's side this year, on the weekend before Christmas each year.

We pick names out at the end of every year for the next.

No one ever seems to know what to get me, but this year I did pretty well.

I got 2x $20 ITunes gift cards, for me tunes!

 

 

The boyfriend did pretty well this year, though we both broke the budget

I got a T2 iced tea jug, some tea to ice and a Marvel monopoly game 

Very cool!

 

 Random gift from work colleague; T2 teas and chocolates

 

And MORE tea from my brother

 

My Dad sent me $50 for Christmas so I headed to Target and bought a Novi Star Doll and a Little Black Dress with the money.

 Sister in law sent me a Gift Card for The Body Shop

 

 

Made some iced tea, so yummy!

 

Christmas Day we went to his brothers place for dinner and played a secret Santa game for mystery prizes.

At the end of the game, I had won a Touch Sudoku and some scratchies.

The scratchies gave me a $12 win.

 

And this year the Land Down Under Hangout bookclub decided to also do a secret santa.

We were given names in October and the rules were simply to buy a new book and have it there by Christmas.

This is the book I got.

 book review to come in the new year.

From my mum I got a huge selection of jewellery and bath products including a bottle of one of my favourite perfumes. Black XS

Christmas Feast at Work: Take One

My current day job has a tradition of having Christmas lunch, where all the staff brings something and we feast all day on delicious food.

This year as one of the staff were leaving early for holidays in China, Christmas lunch was held on Friday 20th instead.

 

Since we reached some goals the boss bough lobster;

 

The table was full of food, I brought cheese, and cold meats, olives and stuffed eggs.

We tucked in and ate our fill.

 

 

3 whole chickens but into quarters, salads

 

Only 11 staff members

I was so full when I went home I skipped dinner. 

Confessions of a Flower Eater: Chowards

I don't recall how I came to find these little gems, but find them I did!

With serious vintage candy wrapping these mints are just adorable!

They come in peppermint and lemon as well as the violet.

The mints are delicious and pretty strong, the packet boasts that its for smokers and after meals.

The flavour is pretty strong and floral.

 

 

They are also available in gum!

Tiny little squares of violet gum (much like the ones you use to be able to buy from the candy dispensers when I was young) that leave a burst of energy but don't last too long.

Best for a quick breath refresh after a meal (or a smoke if you are so inclined).

The Arrival of the Valkyries

Back in November we saw the beginning of The Ring Cycle

" Opera Australia performed three complete cycles of the four mighty operas which make up Wagner's epic vision. Leading an inspired cast of outstanding Wagnerian artists from around the world was conductor Pietari Inkinen, director Neil Armfield and designer Robert Cousins. International singers including Terje Stensvold (Norway), Susan Bullock (UK), Richard Berkeley-Steele (UK) and Stefan Vinke (Germany) joined the stellar Australian cast including Stuart Skelton, Daniel Sumegi, Miriam Gordon-Stewart, Jacqueline Dark, Judd Arthur, Graeme Macfarlane and Warwick Fyfe"

- http://opera.org.au/whatson/melbourne_ring_cycle

Tickets are pretty impossible to get and hugely expensive anyway, so I had to settle with the opening ceremony and watching the arrival of the Valkyries to Federation Square instead.

I was not there nearly early enough to get a good spot to watch what was actually going on around the corner, but I did get in at the side and took these photos of the pretty Valkyries instead.

Enjoy!

Confessions of a Flower Eater : Monin

Ok so this is my first Flower Eater Confession. I've wanted to do these for awhile now.

At some point in my life, last 2010 I think, I became interested in flowers as a flavour and in food.

 

So my first post is about flower syrups.

I use to get Sence Rose Nectar delivered by the carton to my work, it was such a delicious rose drink which you could have straight or watered down. I use to add soda water to the nectar as it was rather expensive and sometimes add vodka for a drink that felt very girl and a bit posh.

Then Brisbane flooded, and the importers went silent, I mean the website was still up and running but no one was manning it. Its all a bit of a mystery.

 

So I've spent about a year trying to find a substitute. The only one I have found that comes close is the Monin Syrup.

 

Monin Rose Syrup has a strong rose flavour and can be easily mixed with soda water (my preference) and vodka when wanting a more adult drink, but its also a syrup so you can pour it over your ice-cream or make a rose milkshake with it.

 

 

Perhaps the best thing though about Monin is that they have a huge range of flavours.

This is the first Violet Syrup I had come across, and also makes a great flavour to add to soda water or any of the ways discussed above with the rose syrup.

I have a bottle of each of these in my pantry for when ever I want a fizzy drink with flavour.

 

 

There are many more flavours of Monin Syrup that I haven't yet tried.

Somes of the flower flavours included are; Elderflower, Cherry Blossom, Hibiscus, Lavender, Jasmine, 

Back Issue Sale At All Star Comics

 

Ok so I'm getting bad at blogging again, but I will get back on track.

Early November All Star Comics had a big back issue sale on their comics.

Of course, I could not pass this up!

As with anything All Star Comics does, they had to make this sale a proper event, so they had Dean Rankine along doing sketches for people and face painting.

 

I went fairly late, I know that's not ideal for getting the best choice of comics, but I like to avoid the majority of the crowd.

I hit the comic boxes first; each load was clearly labelled (DC, Marel, Image, etc) and came away with a pretty good load

 

 

I picked up a few comics for my Bro as well (Army of Darkness), but got a heap of Vampirella vs Dracula, Fathom, Grimm Fairy Tales and Catwoman, as well as a couple of Morning Glories, a Lenore, a Mouse Guard and a cute little Houdini mini book.

 

Then it was time to join the queue and get a sketch from Dean Rankine.

Happily chatted to the people in the queue while I waited and it really didn't seem that long.

I was the first one to ask for a Rigellian sketch of myself, most people seemed to be going for heads in a jar or simpsonised zombies.

 

I was very pleased with my sketch, collected my comics from the guys (who held them at the counter so I didn't have to hold them while waiting.) and called it a day.

 

 

Yep that ones going straight to the pool room!

 

Book Review:

Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I dove into this and submerged myself in the life of this wolf pup. A strong female lead that just happens to be wolf.
I have never read a novel where the main character was an animal before, but I love wolves and loved travelling on this journey with Kaala from her point of view as a wolf. Beautifully written and a really fun read.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Part Three in the White Trash Zombie Series

White Trash Zombie Apocalypse by Diana Rowland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Angel really comes into herself here, only 10 months since she was turned from a white trash no future junkie to a more than capable woman with actual friends and plans for her future.
Angel is working hard at the morgue and studying hard for her GED, its been 10 months since she was turned into a zombie. She's delt with a lot in that short amount of time but things seem to have settled down, but now there is a zombie movie being filmed in Tucker Point, High School Zombie Apocalypse!! (yes that's with two !), but things are not as settled down as they seem. Uncle Pietro's Zombie Mafia is still in serious opposition to Saberton Corp and they are both up to something new. Is it possible to make a brain alternative that will satisfy the parasite? And what is Angels Zombie Baby, Philip, doing back in town?
Loved it from the get go to the very end.

View all my reviews

Graphic Novel Review: Mouse Guard

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, Vol. 1 by David Petersen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG! Cute and epic!
Mouse guard is about little mice and their epic struggle to survive in a cruel world where they are at the bottom of the food chain. The amazing Guard protect the other mice from the most dangerous of enemies.
Legends of the guard takes us into a tavern where the hostess is running a competition, the best tale wins his debt cleared. Guard mice tell tales of heroism, romance and mystery.

View all my reviews

Growing Up Blonde

One day a little blonde girl found out she was actually a stupid blonde slut.
She found this out through her father who delighted in telling everyone he knew
Then one day one of her dads friends cornered the stupid blonde slut
He wanted to know what colour her pubes were and knew a slut wouldn't mind
But stupid blonde slut did mind and dodged the man and ran away
The man made one more attempt at stupid blonde slut that night but she stayed safe away
The next day stupid blonde slut fled out of reach, her virginity intact
Stupid blonde slut knew she'd been lucky but needed to loose her virginity before it was too late
Eventually stupid blonde slut lost her virginity willingly
Which was lucky as inevitably with all stupid blonde sluts she didn't always get away

The World of Steam : A Clockwork Heart - Ep One

Book Review:

Batwoman: Elegy by Greg Rucka
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm pretty sure I'm in love with Batwoman.
Kate's had a pretty hard life, being the sole survivor of the abduction of her, her twin sister and her mother. The fact that even though she knew she would loose the one thing she has ever wanted to do in life she stuck to her the virtues her parents taught her and would not lie to save herself is just goes to show she should be out there with Batman.
Her first meeting with Batman was rather moving and the call to arms at the bat signal had me tearing up a bit.
Batwoman is a great character and this story is a rollercoaster ride introduction to her continuing story.

View all my reviews

Innocence of the Apocalypse - Art

As part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival we got the chance to attend an art show

Innocence of the Apocalypse

about what it would be like for children after an apocalypse

It was held at a secret location somewhere in Collingwood.

It was held over two days with time slots given to a limited number of guests

This arrived in my inbox the day before our time slot:

 So at our appointed time (8.45pm Saturday 28.9.13) we found the park where a dead bird had been painted on the wall of a building.

We were led inside a 2 storey building and headed upstairs to the instillation

 Real children acted out parts of children of the apocalypse

 The windows were covered with cardboard, haunting sounds played.

Birds flying over head and huge fans working to keep what little of the world there was left working.

 Children played with a tyre tied to the ceiling and drew on the walls with old pencils

as the world outside burned

 TV's flicked on and off and alternated between static and news reports of the last days before the world as we know it ended.

 A strobe light flickered in the bathroom as the sound of the leaking tap echoed.

Sounds of children running and playing could be heard throughout the building

Noise built as our time was nearly up.

 

A haunting reminder of what may occur and how would the little ones survive in a harsh new world.

Reminisce of Mad Max: Beyond the Thunderdome where we witness the children surviving on their own in the wilderness or Waterworld's Enola a child in a world reclaimed by the sea.  

DC Villains Month

Some of you may already know that this month was Villains Month in the DC world.

All month they have release comics depicting each villain and what would happen if the hero was to suddenly disappear.

At All Star Comics they gave everyone the option of pre-ordering the issues they wanted or the whole lot. DC were also releasing special 3D covers, though they underestimated the villains appeal and could not meet demand, so people missed out on 3D covers on some editions or completely.

 

I of course ordered the Gotham ladies, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, but also got a Jokers Daughter and Killer Frost.

 

 Killer Frosts story is rather unique in that she needs the hero Firestorm to keep her from dying of the cold that is trying to take over her body.

While the stories themselves aren't the best work to come out of DC they are still a pretty cool collectable item for DC comic fans and if you are lucky enough to get a 3D cover it certainly adds a perk to your comic collection. 

Let Them Eat Cake!

My sister Sarah's birthday was a few weeks before she came to visit me and one of the things she wanted to do while here was have cake together.

She wanted to have one of the Celebration cakes at Draculas' but I thought that would be too much food in one night, and it ended up we booked too late to order one anyway.

Well I told her I knew this place that we could get some really lovely desserts, and I would take her there instead.

 I had been to Burch and Purchese once before, when we were heading out to dinner with family and wanted to bring dessert. I googled dessert places near their house and bought a few of their Meringue Clouds to take over for dessert.

So Sarah and I headed there for lovely little single serve cakes.

 

 I bought this mandarin flavoured mousse goodness.

 Sarah bought the explosive choc and raspberry dessert

I promised great desserts and Burch and Purchese delivered!

They were so good, Sarah wanted to go back again straight away.

Mine tasted like a Jaffa, and I shared with my boyfriend because I am nice like that. Its made mainly with mousse and is rich and fluffy.

Sarah loved hers though there was a very sweet layer she took her time with straight underneath the crumble layer.

All in all they were great.

Burch & Purchese

Chapel Street, South Yarra Victoria.