A few things I’m thinking about right now…
I’ve been looking for a small bag to go inside a bigger tote. Could this be the one?
I love these luggage tag save-the-dates.
These quinoa breakfast bars look yummy and hearty.
If they made this tea towel in a card, I’d be ready for Valentine’s day.
When we were in Australia over the Christmas holidays, we were lucky enough to take a side trip to Newcastle and visit this perfect little shop that recently opened.
After reading Naomi’s blog for years, drooling over her beautiful cakes and cookies, it was such a treat to try her goodies. And believe me— they were as good as they are cute!
And we got to meet Naomi herself! It was a bit like meeting a celebrity– I’m sure my face was bright red. But she couldn’t have been nicer. It may have been one of the highlights of my trip!
If you are nearby, you must visit Naomi and her bakery. I read her menu to my husband daily (it changes regularly) and even he has pondered when we are going back– or if we should move closer. 🙂 And if these cupcakes aren’t enough, the town of Newcastle is full of wonderful delights, definitely making it a must- destination.
If you go, tell Naomi I say “hi!”
A couple of girlfriends got engaged recently so I thought I’d put together a pre-drink and snacks before our brunch plans. Since this set-up was intended to celebrate love, this could easily be used for Valentine’s Day.
As we were headed out for a meal directly after, I kept the drinks and food light– but big on style and theme. 
I used my favorite gold polka dot plates with gold napkins tied with red twine and created seating cards with a “lucky in love” motif.
I added a little guava juice and a mint sprig to the prosecco to freshen it up a bit, and give it that “love” color. Some chocolate heart shaped cookies in a gold polka dotted glass added to the fun.
Apparently, finding flowers after CNY is an impossible task, so I went with the edible centerpiece instead. The cookies were really tasty with the strawberries and raspberries from red striped and polka dot bowls.
Lastly, I put together little take away {with little chocolate} that fit the theme.
The girls were really touched and after some snacks we took off for a yummy brunch. Maybe I’ll have to recreate this in a few weeks! 🙂
This weekend we are celebrating lunar New Year, or, as we call it here, Chinese New Year. It’s one of the best times of year– and not just because we gets days of work. There are decorations, red packets of money are given, and lots of eating to celebrate the coming year.
This year is particularly fun for me, as I am a horse, and it’s year of the horse. {And this description probably fits me better than my western zodiac.} And look at this gorgeous display. A fun way to celebrate, right?
Lai See, or red packets, are given out to younger colleagues and people that help you, like doormen. Similar to a tip at Christmas, you put clean, crisp bills in envelopes for a better presentation and hand them out the day of or after. I got these beautiful envelopes this year that I can’t wait to give out.
And this map helps you know who to give packets {because it can be a bit confusing}.
Not to mention, there will lots of fireworks and food– dumplings included. Check out my instagram for updates through the weekend. It’s so fun to join in the cities celebrations!
Kung hei fat choi! xoxo
One of my favorite parts of living overseas is getting to celebrate more holidays. Â I love exploring cultures through their important traditions. This week is a big week in China– but more on that later. Tonight we were lucky enough to join in an Australia Day dinner at a proper Ozzie restaurant.
Similar to the 4th of July, Australia Day includes meat cooked on barbie {I love how they served it over grilled herbs}. My favorite part of the menu was kangaroo pie. Â Rich and yummy, it was was delicious. And, naturally, the meal ended with a traditional lamination.
The restaurant also had an Aussie comedian, which added some entertainment to the evening. Good food, good fun, good cultural experience, good company! xoxo