lovegeek Blog

I got a new bike today! It was so fun to be riding again, even if the streets of Sydney are way meaner than Osaka.

Am I running late to this party?

I have only just discovered the fab NoteMaker web store, which stocks cute stationary and craft goodness. I was directed there by frankie Mag, who featured an item about O-Check’s cute as Stamp Set (below). They also have calendars, notebooks, photo albums and even a message bottle. Check out their full collection on NoteMaker here.

All images are O-Check Products from the NoteMaker web store.

When I was in Japan I spent most of my time with two super fantastic people called Ben and Amy. I didn’t really know them in Sydney, Amy worked with my boyfriend Hon, and we did Japanese lessons together right before we left. By chance they ended up renting an apartment literally around the corner from us in The Cho (Hanazonocho, Nishinari Ku, Osaka). And the rest, as they say, is history.

Ben and Amy were a great support base for me when I was living away from home, and Amy and I became BFF’s as fast as you can say Zakka Kawaii 4evs!

I am thinking of them tonight as I freeze here in Sydney, and I remember the horrible summer we had in Osaka, which would have been far worse if it weren’t for Ben’s banana chair and beer nights on the roof of their apartment.

Amy and Ben welcomed me in to their home, long after my welcome had been outstayed. We even spent a White Christmas together in the Snow where Ben spent the whole time snowboarding, and Amy and I ventured to Mon Pigeon for French Bakery Goods (in the middle of Hakuba!).

This photo is funny because I became obsessed with the beautiful golden retriever at Mon pigeon, named Koji. After viewing this Amy burst out “you look the same!” She later amended that it was because we both had shiny golden hair - but it was hilarious all the same.

Anyway, my year in Japan would have been a whole lot different if I didn’t have these guys around to do lots of fun things with, including, but not limited to:

- Okonomiyaki and Ramen in The Cho
- Bike rides to Ocat to get foreign food goods and red wine
- kushi Katsu and Yaki Niku (as much as I objected) in Deep Osaka
- Asahi Cans, Candy and Ice Cream from Family Mart
- Random DVD hires from SKIP
- HAKUBA!
- Uncle Steven’s @ Ame Mura
- Magic Candy, complete with hottie bar tender Jo Chan
- Orange St, Spinns and Lowry’s Farm
- Daily rundowns of our time at Osaka schools
- Pizza made in our mini ovens
- Ben’s home made Plum Wine
- Osaka Cafe Lunch outings
- HANAMI in Kyoto
- SUPA TAMADE
- Minoh in Autumn
- Eating in public
- Karaoke in the shotengai
- Puricura
- Giddy Giddy STEP and SMAP x SMAP on Ben’s big screen
- HUGS

So, I don’t know if I said it enough, but Thank You Amy and Ben,

Rabu Rabu

Mads Chan

xx

SCORE!

I had been reading people in Sydney were having trouble finding Pip Jane Bijkerek’s to die for book Paris Made By Hand.

Well guess what? Better Read Than Dead on King St., Newtown, has it sitting on their front counter! I just had to buy it, and picked up a penguin classic coffee mug while I was there.

This is My Creative Space for this week, drinking coffee and reading beautiful books. Join in the fun here.

xx

This is probably how most normal girls would react to Edward Cullen’s stalking habits.

Dear Sydney Winter Festival,

I have a few bones to pick with you about my ice skating excursion yesterday. Firstly, why would you oversell such a small ice rink, charging 20 bucks each so we can all trip over each other (which in ice skates, can be quite dangerous). Secondly, the ice was really wet, and small children (yes, small children) kept falling over. Thirdly, where do you suggest I leave my bag and shoes while ice skating? Outside the rink where anyone can take them? Or carry them with me so that in the case that I fall over (see point 2) I will really hurt myself? And finally, what was with the music that was blaring through the speakers. It’s Sunday, 75% of us are hungover, can we please have some Burt Bacharach or something similarly soothing?

I’m not usually such a hater, but it was poorly organised, overcrowded and annoying to go ice skating yesterday.

But regardless, here is a happy snap of Amelia and I holding on to each other so we don’t fall.

xx

Here are some photos from my first roll of film from my Holga 135BC. Sweet.

My Creative Space this week revolves around cutting out felt characters for a stop motion Hon and I are making on the weekend! FUN!

On a side note, my little digital camera is having trouble with this rainy weather light
I think it’s time for that G10 upgrade!

xx

Yeah, we live here. So do lots of other things. I intend to watch this once my new internet plan kicks in.

Yay! My Re-ment toys are finally here from Japan!

xx