Heavy Rotation: Boredom Abounds' Mixtape

There has been a bunch of new Australian music released in the last couple of months, and for once I actually like some of it (I know, I know, I'm a terrible Australian - I don't like most of the music this country produces - FOR SHAME).


Anyway, I'm being lazy with this entry and phoning it in with a bunch of youtube videos, but these are the songs that have me reaching for the volume dial and turning it up when I hear them.


Let's kick it off with a slow one from Kisschasy called Dinosaur. It's a simple tune, but that's exactly why I like it - the acoustic guitar lets the lyrics speak for themselves.





This Sia track was featured on the TV show Spicks and Specks earlier this year and I loved the video for it. But then I listened to the song, You've Changed, again and realised that it was pretty cool too.



Seriously, how awesome is this video?


Now for a band called Gyroscope and this kick-ass tune titled Baby, I'm Getting Better. I hear this song at least once a day as I drive home from work and I love it.



See what I mean? Kick ass.

I was never a huge Powderfinger fan. I didn't hate them, but I didn't love them either. They definitely have some great tracks, but sometimes I tired a little bit of Bernard Fanning's voice. They're calling it quits now, which is sad, but their final album is definitely showing the world they're going out with a bang. This track, called Burn Your Name, is really great and it's a fantastic example of their talent and the great music they've produced over the past ten years or so.


The video is pure Powderfinger.


Finally, there's this track from ex-Australian Idol contestant Lisa Mitchell, who, to be honest, I never thought much about one way or the other. Then she released a new album and this track started playing on the radio, and then I saw the video for it whenever I was at the gym.


How gorgeous is it? While she doesn't seem entirely comfortable in front of the camera, the sets and dancers more than make up for that. The song is so upbeat and happy I just can't stop listening to it. Pin It

Boredom Abounds Loves: Food Blogs

Everyone is mad on food here in Melbourne. CRAZY for it. And you can eat very, very well in Melbourne, in pretty much any suburb. But what about those times when you cannot be bothered leaving the house because you haven't gotten out of your pyjamas since the day before, you have no petrol in your car and you just don't want to deal with all the other humanity out there?

My friends, let's talk about my latest obsession: Food blogs. 

There are people who devote their lives to food and drink, working as chefs, sommeliers, baristas, pastry chefs, bakers, chocolatiers and restauranteurs. BUT. There are also people who devote their lives to other things and just love to cook for pleasure, and they write about it on the side. These people are some of the most popular bloggers - the food bloggers.

These are some of the blogs I check out in my down time. I like to get inspiration for meals, learn about different restaurants and check out the photography. Because oh my gosh: food photography is like an art form these days.

My current favourite Australian food blogs are as follows:

Citrus & Candy is run by Karen, a Sydney girl by way of London and Perth, with a Malaysian-Chinese background. Her recipes are often simple, quick things, and the desserts she makes (and photographs) are to die for! Her commentary on the recipes is very friendly and as a novice cook, I relate to her well. She seems like a fun person to bake with.

Her photography is just stunning - so simply styled, but they look like spreads from a magazine.

I made this recipe for a flourless apple and almond cake a few months ago and it was a hit with dinner guests. AND it turned out just like the picture. That never happens to me!

Next on the list is another Sydney blog, Not Quite Nigella. This blog isn't just all recipes all the time. Blogger Lorraine has recently been featured in The Foodies' Guide to Sydney 2010, and travels to restaurants, has interviews with chefs and competitions and give-aways on her site that keep the reader interested and engaged.

Now for a couple of non-Australian food blogs I can't get enough of!

I love to bake, and Erica's Sweet Tooth is such a fun blog to read. Erica is a dental student in the USA, and she bakes just for the fun of it. Her blog is fresh and colourful, and the most appealing thing about it (to me anyway!) is that she only makes sweet things. There's an emphasis on cupcakes, muffins and cookies, but there are also some delicious looking cakes, ice creams and yummy treats. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but when I do, I think these will be first on my list (cinnamon ice cream, and chocolate hazelnut mousse).

Ree Drummond, known on the Internet as The Pioneer Woman has one of the best lifestyle blogs around. Her story is like something out of a romance novel - she was a girl living and working in California. On a visit to her home town in Oklahoma she met and fell in love with an honest-to-God cowboy. Instead of moving back to the city, Drummond married her cattle farmer cowboy, who she refers to on the blog as "Malboro Man" (seriously, go and read their love story. It's long, but it's worth it). The site has a lot of great sections on home schooling, house and garden, photography (she is self-taught and she is AMAZING) and of course, food.

A example of her photography, just because I love it so much:

Let me know if you you have any food blogs you love to read, and in the meantime, enjoy browsing these sites - you'll find lots of treats to keep you inspired!

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Channeling Joan Holloway

On a recent trip to Sydney for a friends' wedding. I wore what I refer to as my "Mad Men dress" (because it's totally something Joan Holloway would wear - the colour, the collar, the style). While I may not be the thinnest person in the world, I figure if Joan Holloway can get away with a slinky dress, why can't I? If only I had the skills to style a super retro up-do I'd have the look complete.

Worn with a black belt around the waist and some cute black patent heels. Pin It

A splash of colour in Winter

It's always nice to have fresh flowers in the house, and we picked up some tulips at the supermarket a few weeks ago. I love tulips when they're just about to open, but we left them in the vase for quite a few days and I noticed how pretty they are when they've opened all the way.

The only bad thing about tulips is that they open so quickly, so you can't keep them for as long as other flowers. Still, the colour is just gorgeous. Pin It

Adventures in Cooking: Pear Gingerbread

I made this a few weeks ago and it was delicious. AND it was super easy. It's nice to serve to company or just to have in the cupboard to nibble.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup golden syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar 

100 grams butter

3/4 cup self raising flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 large ripe pear

Total prep and cooking time: about 1 hour

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Winter treats

Jammy tarts - perfect bite sized treats!

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Boredom Abounds loves: Fashion

I've been meaning to do this for ages, but time got away from me. Anyway, when I'm bored there's nothing I love more than playing around on the internet. So, here is Boredom Abounds' list of stuff to keep you occupied on the web when it comes to all things fashion:

Love retro stuff? Take a peek at ModCloth, a haven of retro and indie clothes for girls interested in unique items that can't be found in shops. Their sizes run a little bit small in my experience, so order a smidge larger than you would normally wear. My current desire? This super cute navy cinched waist dress.

Ok, you all know about Anthropologie right? No? I'm not surprised, they've been relatively off the radar in Australia until recently. They finally started shipping internationally, and although their shipping rates are a little steep, one look at the website and you'll be in love with their gorgeous, feminine fashion. These are clothes you definitely won't find in Australia. They tend to use unique prints and styles, some modern, some retro, and buying a few pretty pieces is definitely an asset to any girl's wardrobe. These two items are my current faves:

For cute clothes that are a bit cheaper, check out Urban Outfitters and Forever 21, which, like the above two brands, are American, but they have tons of cheap items and seem to have sales quite frequently.

There's also UK website Asos which has about a million different dresses, tops, coats, shirts, accessories, bags, shoes, and most of it is quite affordable. I love these items:

All of these companies ship internationally, and their rates vary, but it's worth checking them out periodically to pick up key wardrobe items you won't find here.

Plus, there's nothing better than having people compliment you on your outfit and ask you where they can find it!

Now, when it comes to actually dressing yourself, you may need a little bit of inspiration. These are the blogs I enjoy looking at for ideas on what to wear:

Possibly my favourite blog at the moment, What Would Emma Pilsbury Wear is a spotlight on Miss Pilsbury, the uptight OCD guidance counsellor on Glee. I adore her clothes, and this blog focuses on every outfit in every episode and lets you know where you can purchase her wardrobe items. They also feature cool reader submissions where people submit ideas for similar outfits. Again, the key selling point is that the clothes submitted actually link to the company's details and you can go out and purchase it yourself.

They use a great site called Polyvore, which is sort of like a virtual mood board. You can mix and match clothing items and see where they can be purchased. An excellent source of inspiration (and a great time waster!).

This little blog I stumbled upon is wonderful - Academichic is run by three female PhD students in the States. They have set out to challenge the idea of "the ill-fitting polyester suit of academic yore", and basically take photos of themselves in their everyday work wear and casual wear.

A lot of their outfits can be translated into pretty much any office atmosphere (provided it isn't too corporate), and they give me great ideas for mixing and matching pieces, as well as spotlighting particular styles they love.

And when I want to check out the latest high fashion and celebrity looks, I turn to Red Carpet Fashion Awards. They feature the latest celebrity looks every day, runway looks and best dressed reader polls.

It's a great source for looking at the latest designer stuff and celebrity styling.

Until next time, peeps. Enjoy! Pin It