some food inspiration

As much as I adore beautiful food blogs, I have never harboured much of a desire to join their realm. For one, I am a terrible cook. I am not just being modest - I am truly bad at anything food related. (Kimberley will be able to attest to that, after I took three attempts to heat up her lasagna before my younger brother had to take over.) Secondly, what I actually can cook generally belongs on the "what not to eat" list. Or, I cook relatively healthy meals so badly that they look as though they belongs in that category. Not wonderful material for food inspiration.

Nevertheless, I have decided that I will start writing some food-related posts every now and then. As I have said, I have no special food knowledge or cooking talent that qualifies me to write about food. I have just noticed that the reason I don't take pride in my cooking or choose particularly healthy options is not purely because I have no cooking ability (there may be some, buried deep down inside of me!) It is mainly that I am not inspired or motivated. Every now and then I will read a book, blog post or watch an Oprah episode that persuades me to try a new recipe or two, but, on the whole, I have no desire to make much of an effort. (Living with my parents and having a chef as a boyfriend doesn't help any.) Hopefully, by foraging into the food world via this blog, I can help to inspire you a little and, in turn, I hope that you will inspire me! Please feel free to share any feedback, food knowledge, recipe ideas, your favourite new ingredients, etc in the comments section.

So here are a few things I made today. I did take pictures, but ultimately decided not to post them because they looked utterly unappetising. Thankfully, the sites where I found the recipes have absolutely lovely photos for you to fawn over!

Chile and Lime Roasted Pepitas, via The Brassica Diaries

These are so quick and easy to make, and a delicious snack. I made a bowlful for my family this evening, as a pre-dinner appetiser, and they all disappeared! I will be making some more over the weekend for me to snack upon between meals during my study break next week. Yum.

Homemade Paprika Roast Potato Chips, via The Good Mood Food Blog

I made these for my brothers as an after-school snack today, using a mix of potato and sweet potato (the latter for me, which is nominally healthier). They were very tasty - my brothers even complimented them, which is very rare (considering my cooking prowess). I have to add that Donal, the Irishman who writes this blog, is very cute.

Laura's Summer Juice

This is my own recipe, so it is lucky that this picture did not turn out too badly! My love for juices stems from my years working at a juice bar during high school. After every shift, we would be allowed a free juice, which means that a long, draining day always triggers me to have a craving for juice. This one is all fruit, so more of a treat than an everyday snack. Perfect for hot, summery days.

Half a banana

Two oranges, squeezed

Two strawberries

One teaspoon of chia powder

6 iceblocks

Blend in a blender and voila! One tall glass of delicious, thirst-quenching, pick-me-up juice.

Beauty Food: Eat Well to Look Beautiful by Marie Claire

If you are, like me, in need of some food inspiration, I would highly recommend this book. Since it was commissioned by a magazine which tends to advocate fad diets, I didn't have high expectations when I picked it up at Borders, but it is really good. It consists of scientific, expert advice from world-class nutritionists, shedding light on how to eat well, with practical tips that are easy to implement. The overall message is that we should be eating a balanced, fulfilling diet designed to nourish our bodies, rather than denying ourselves from sustenance with punishing weight-loss regimes and unnatural, processed foods. Overall, a refreshingly positive, educational book about food!

"If we can't, as artists, improve on real life, we should put down our pencils and go bake bread."

— Barbara Kingsolver

apologies

I am just writing to apologise for my recent lack of blogging. I blame it on an inscrutable case of writer's block! (Again.) Thank you so much for your patience.

In the meantime, you may like to skip over to The Diary of a Homeless Romantic, a beautifully written, eye-opening new blog by Andrew Lake, a homeless man living in Melbourne. It breaks all the stereotypes.

some things I'm loving this week

Just a few this week...

1. This interview with Vincent Kartheiser, who plays Pete Campbell in Mad Men. He seems a touch dotty, in the most endearing way.

2. By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon. This cream eyeshadow on a stick is absolutely beautiful, and looks a little something like the lovely Diane's eye makeup in this picture.

3. Niotillfem - quirky Swedish blogger Sandra's life is particularly enviable of late. She and her stylish, fun-loving friends have just returned from New York and are currently holidaying in the archipelago in Stockholm. I can't read Swedish but her beautiful photography speaks for itself.

4. Sarah Wilson's touching blog post on "7 nice peeps you should know about"... in which she mentions me, of all people! It's no secret that I adore Sarah and her blog, so naturally her praise and encouragement is so uplifting!

the beauty philosopher

I did this interview with The Beauty Philosopher a few months ago, but, in my ever-disorganised state, I completely forgot to post a link on here, until now.

I absolutely love beauty, which I'm sure comes through on this blog, but I made a conscious choice not to be, exclusively, a beauty blogger. The main rationale is that there are a lot of other things I love writing about, but there is also the fact that there are so many amazing, talented, passionate, knowledgeable beauty bloggers out there who I just cannot compete with! The Beauty Philosopher is one of them. She is also a beautiful, romantic wordsmith with amazing style.

So here is my interview, in which I chat indulgently about my love for cosmetics, where it originated and some of my all-time favourite products. Enjoy!

“People often say that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder,’ and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves.”

— Salma Hayek

some things I'm loving this week

I am toying with the idea of doing a few recurrent series of posts. Some of my favourite bloggers do it (Sarah Wilson, Yasemin Turker, Sarah Ayoub), so I thought I would shamelessly imitate them. I'll start with "10 day cycles" (every 10 days, just to be clear) and weekly "some things I am loving", every Sunday morning. I stole the latter from Primped, because I love Yasemin's weekly "5 things I'm loving this week" posts. Of course, mine will be a little different because there will be no video (I'm sorry, I'm just not technically savvy enough to figure that out) and I won't be showcasing (just) beauty products... plus I'm not going to restrict it to five things. I hope that this consistency will make me a more reliable blogger while I'm busy with uni, which starts again tomorrow. Even if I don't have the time to update as frequently as I'd like, at the very least I'll have those posts up regularly.

So here are my lovable things of the moment...

1. Mad Men Season 3

The fourth season of this brilliant series goes to air tonight in the US, so my brother and I decided to reacquaint ourselves with the show this weekend, in anticipation. Mad Men is just so irresistible – it is such an elegant, slick show with a subtle richness and depth. Tom and Lorenzo do fantastic recaps after each episode, as well as gorgeous "Mad Style" posts.

2. Rise of the Ruddbot by Annabel Crabbe

This collection of political commentator Annabel Crabb's funny, insightful columns is essential pre-election reading. It's so compelling that I've abandoned my planned reading list for it. Also worth watching is Annabel's interview with Julian Morrow on The Monthly's Slow TV.

3. "Not the Messiah" by Alain de Botton, New Statesman

I read this article by my favourite tweeter Alain de Botton the other night and found myself nodding along vehemently. As an atheist, I often feel a little dejected. After all, we don't have our own schools, congregations or meeting-places... A little unfair, no?

In this article, Alain explores the ideas ruminated by 19th century French sociologist Auguste Compte. An atheist himself, he proposed a "religion of humanity", involving secular churches, sermons and art, the essence of his philosophical-religious world-view being "connais-toi pour t'ameliorer" or "know yourself to improve yourself". Unfortunately, poor Compte was largely ridiculed and ignored, and he died without seeing any of his proposals take hold, which is sad. As Alain concludes, Compte's thinking "attempted to rescue some of what is beautiful, touching, reasonable and wise from what no longer seems true"... which is beautiful in and of itself.

4. Cannelle et Vanille

© Cannelle et Vanille (reproduction only permitted upon request)

I was directed to this beautiful site by Sarah Wilson. Aran is a food stylist, photographer and trained chef who utilises her talents to share mouth-watering gluten-free dishes and their recipes on her blog. She truly embodies the "mindful eating" movement – savouring not only the meal itself, and the nourishment it provides our bodies, but also the art of creating and sharing it with others. I'm so excited to try some of her recipes next week.

5. Eve Lom Cleanser

I have been using this luxurious cleanser for the past month and it is magnificent. Described as "possibly... the best cleanser in the world" by Vogue UK, it leaves my skin feeling balanced, nourished and silky soft every night. A cleanser/toner/exfoliant in one, this is now a staple in my beauty regime. I don't think I'll ever let this gem go! Available exclusively in Australia at Mecca Cosmetica.

6. "A Pictorial Guide to Avoiding Camera Loss" by Andrew McDonald

Kimberley at Glued to My Chest pointed out this whimsy, witty photo story by cute Melbourne author Andrew McDonald... you can click on the link above to take a peek.

7. Joseph Gordon Levitt's interview with Rolling Stone

I think I'm in love (the suit! the smile! the face!). Sorry, Andy.

l'art

So I have been in Paris for four days and it is still irresistable.

On my second day I visited the Louvre, which is magnificent. I am not an artist and haven't been educated (or educated myself) in art history or appreciation, however I was awed and fascinated by the amazing artworks. Panini's Galerie de Vues de la Rome Moderne and Galerie de Vues de la Rome Antique, Caron's The Massacres of the Triumvirate and Reni's The Abduction of Hélène were some of my favourites. The palace itself is so lavish and grand, like nothing you would ever see in Australia! I loved the way the artworks gave insight into the way people lived their lives throughout history (although, of course, it was restricted predominantly to the elite, ruling classes and how they wanted the world to be portrayed). I also loved the way that some of the artists, commissioned by rich aristocrats, secretly added their own subtle messages to the paintings and sculptures.

The Massacres of the Triumvirate by Antoine Caron

The Abduction of Hélène by Guido Reni

Galerie de Vues de la Rome Moderne by Giovanni Paolo Panini

Yesterday I climbed the Eiffel Tower and visited Musee D'Orsay, which I loved even more than the Louvre. I found it easier to connect with the modern art (particularly since I knew of a lot more of the artists!), and I adored the museum itself, which has been converted from a gorgeous old train station. The Impressionist paintings were amazing especially, of course, Van Gogh and Monet. My favourite was Monet's Femmes au Jardin, which is just so pretty and elaborate. Of course, like all the paintings, you have to see them in person to truly appreciate their mastery!

Femmes au Jardin by Claude Monet

With all this talk of female body image lately, I have to say that visiting these art galleries has been eye-opening. It is only in recent times that the portrayal of women in the media has been restricted to those who are thin, with symmetrical features and strong bone structure. Countless artworks I have come across on this trip - the majority of which, of course, were created by men - have depicted women, who are not at all "beautiful" (at least by today's standards), in such a celebratory, yet frank and sincere, way. The curves and softness of a woman's body is emphasised, and they did not shy away from depicting exposed breasts, legs or stomachs. Breastfeeding was also painted beautifully and lovingly. Hair is natural (frizzy, mousey-coloured hair was common), skin is pale and faces are often not what we would consider "pretty". I suppose the message is twofold: premièrement, beauty is subjective and our perception of what is beautiful has shifted dramatically across time and cultures; ensuite, perfection has not always been - and should not be - revered and aspired to despite what contemporary media would have us believe. These tender, honest depictions of women looking beautiful because they are real is so enlightening and reassuring to me.

"It's on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly."

— Claude Monet

P.S. Two of my favourite bloggers, Tom and Lorenzo, have just posted Elle Canada magazine's stunning editorial featuring the beautiful Crystal Renn: http://is.gd/5ONzd. Please take a look :)