Kozakura.. a dream begins

I have just come back from spending the weekend with Amanda and Jess in Newcastle, some of my best pals on the planet.

Good news is... they are trying to start a business, by selling beautiful handmade items they brought back from Japan!

Jess and Amanda are super special people. They are the kind of people that make friends wherever they go, and bring back and share outrageous stories. They amaze people with their talent and their courage. Their life together is a work of art. They bought bikes on Ebay and rode from the North to the South of Japan, because other people said it was not possible! And they met all these artists along the way, and now they are trying to sell their stuff back in Australia.

Anyways, they are going to be selling their stuff at Bondi Markets next weekend. If you are around you should come and have a look. And in the meantime, have a look at the website Jess built all by himself! You can always place an online order...
http://www.kozakura.com.au/index.htm

Some places to stay and weekends away...

I just love the thought of going away! Amongst other things, 12 weeks of holidays a year makes the teaching worth it, and isn't it great to have something to daydream about! Anyway, lately I have booked two short holidays and wanted to share the wealth.


In early September Mark and I are heading up the Blue Mountains for a weekend away and to purchase a very special gift for an upcoming wedding! We will be staying at Bower Studio, a little artist's retreat in Katoomba (single people, start vomiting now!)
www.bowerstudio.com.au


And in November I am very excited to be heading back to Byron Bay for my friend Bec's 30th Birthday. Now, as you know, Byron Bay is out of control as far as value for money is concerned. But check this place out, It's right across the road from the beach, and is small and quiet! It's quite basic accommodation, but is a nice step sideways from that early-twenties backpacker madness we all so hazily remember.
www.tallowbeachmotel.com.au

May we all go forth and holiday!

Hello Byron Bay!

It's lovely to have time to stretch and relax properly into your holidays, so here I am in Byron Bay enjoying the fine hospitality of old flatmate and friend Bec Olive!
Just like me, every time I visit Bec she is living in a different house. And this one is the best so far! I am in a huge house near Suffolk Park with sounds of the ocean and a balcony bigger than my entire place in Newtown...
I must report that visiting Byron in the Wintertime is beautiful. Town is not packed with affluenza-ridden Sydney families and whingeing teenagers, the sunlight is strong and warm, and you can smell logfires after sunset.
During the daytime Bec and I have driven up to the hinterland, and this morning we visited the local farmer's market. I had fresh organic coffee and a rasberry and white chocolate muffin, still warm and melty from the oven.... bliss!
Most nights we have been cooking together and quaffing a bottle of red, white, or champagne. Then we have been watching DVDs of The Mighty Boosh, my favourite new show, although I don't quite understand it! (Feel that alot of people wouldn't...)
I have been indulging in a few more ciggies than usual (called 'going out on the balcony to take in the view') and purchased a one-piece cossie for my 'age-appropriate waistline' (read: don't look that good in bikini anymore.) But hey, I've never felt healthier, so who knows which direction my body is headed!
It was Mark's birthday last weekend so we celebrated over two or three days with lots of food, ocean views and sleeping in. I took him to a Mexican restaurant in Glebe called 'Baja Cantina' and I would happily recommend it to all Mexican eaters! There were presents and a visit to Balmoral Beach with his family, wow you just gotta stare at those houses and wonder where all the money is coming from! (Banking and imports mainly, if only I knew this as a teenager..)

I must also invite you to look at the fabulous clothes Bec's friend Noe is making up here, she is retailing all over Australia now and has recently been dressing stars such as Kate Hudson. Cheers to you Noe! http://www.livenoe.com/

Well I'm heading back down the coast tomorrow in my car, and back to work Monday. Only another 10 weeks til more holidays!!
Laura x

Kitty Hawk comes to Sydney

Last Friday morning I was on the Manly Ferry (of all places) when I noticed a huge aircraft carrier ploughing up the harbour, what a sight to see! There were news helicopters buzzing round like flies and excited sailors were waving at our ferry from the ship, as well as flying past in helicopters at close to sea level, yelling out. When I arrived back at Potts Point I realised that the USS Kitty Hawk had pretty much parked in Mark's backyard! You can visit the Kitty Hawk's website by clicking here.
We took this photo yesterday morning before heading off to the Art Gallery, the image doesn't really do justice to the size of this ship! But she has 5,500 staff on board, and something like 80 aircraft.
Since arriving, the neighbourhood has been thrown into a flurry with lots of clean-cut, freshly ironed sailors wandering about; every prostitute in town is minding their turf, and every night at about 4am there is one fight or another with people yelling about 'Americans' or 'Sailors.' in the meantime, it's taking us anything close to half an hour to park our car within a kilometre of Mark's place. Sigh.
It's been some visit!

Killer Recipe - Weet-Bix Slice

(Updated 2013!)

As you know I am a fan of the kitchen, and I'm a little surprised that I haven't added a recipe sooner! This recipe is more Australian than Anzac Biscuits (Well almost).... Try this Weet-Bix Slice on for size, best thing is, all you need is a stovetop and an oven! (No heavy mixing and very quick to cook...)

WEET-BIX SLICE

1 cup SR flour
3 or 4 crushed Weet-Bix (take out your anger and punch them to bits in a plastic bag! ~or~ blend with a food processor)
150g butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
1 tsp vanilla (I use Ovvio Vanilla Bean Powder)

- Melt butter, stir in remaining ingredients. 

- Press into shallow tin lined with baking paper (I use a lamington tin)
- Bake at 160C for 15 mins. 

- Once cool top with chocolate icing (1 cup icing mixture, some water, a few tablespoons of cocoa) and sprinkles.

Hassle free, stores well, and YUM!

MORE FANCY ICING

1 cup of icing sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

50g butter

1-2 tablespoons of hot water

1-2 tablespoons of cream (optional, I just had some in the fridge)

- Melt butter in saucepan, heat and whisk through remaining ingredients for a few minutes

- Pour over slice, spread evenly
- Decorate with coconut or sprinkles.

Mark's portable oven in the Potts Point kitchen, thanks to mum Jan!

Out of the oven, cooled with icing and sprinkles!

Apologies for the greasy hair but I've just got over a bout of headlice.. not nice xx

(2013 note: I'm embarrassed I added the comment above back in 2007, but I'm keeping it here anyway;)

Take the test!

We've seen em all before, but this personality test is somethink different! Thanks for sending on the link Kristyn!

Go on, waste some time and learn some more about yourself...
http://dna.imagini.net/friends