BB and the City...

We visited Brisbane on the weekend...

Our visit was 72 hours of full-on action, gastronomic over-indulgence and a salient reminder for me in many ways of something you might not have necessarily picked up if you don't know me outside of this blog:
I love the city.
Startling news, I know...
How can someone who deliberately chose to leave it all behind and live in the bush, who ran away from suburbia (or even urbia?) still adore this kind of busy man-made skyline?

I don't know, but it's totally true.

Bush Babe hearts 'Urbia.

And I love this city in particular.

Brisbane (or 'BrisVegas' to those of us who love her) for those unfamiliar with Aussie cities, is the capital of my home state of Queensland, and home to almost two million people.
Mr Incredible and I were among that two million up until two and a half years ago.

BrisVegas is a wonderful place.

She is a character. A fine old lady.

I grew up visiting her (and my maternal grandmother) regularly as a child. She has welcomed me warmly through the years .... from my wide-eyed visits riding escalators with my 'zany Grandma' as a little one; through my tertiary education years as I dithered over my studies and earned an 'B+' in Life 101 'working my way through uni' as a waitress, as a young adult with a penchant for nightclubs and Irish pubs (and a certain ex-footy player now known as Mr Incredible), as a bureaucrat and almost-married Cue-suited woman striding through the subway and mall; as a new wife attempting to make the transition from career chick to stay-at-home mum to a newborn; and then as a new mum with an ill child, desperately leaning on the healthcare resources this city offered.
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Brisbane was pretty much always good to me.
She too has grown and matured and learned to make the most of her assets.
Her old and her new blend with a kind of Aussie-flavoured pizazz.
She is no longer big country town, she is CITY with a big 'C'.
Laid-back but with spark, warm with a little flash....

We stayed right in the heart of Brisbane - something we never did as residents.
We chose accommodation built right on the site of Festival Hall. The exact place where I took Jeanie (as a whipper-snapper fresh out of boarding school) to see Paul Young in concert (she swooned big-time), where I was first wowed by John Stevens in Noiseworks. Images in the foyer of the sparkling new apartment tower show some other Festival Hall performers - The Jackson Five, Diana Ross, the Beatles.
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After riding the lifts with two very over-excited children ('my turn to push the button...no, MY turn!) we hurled our bags onto white bedspreads and took in the views.
Right out the eastern window of our apartment I spied...

the very hotel where we spent the night after our wedding... Hello Heritage Hotel!

(Now Stamford Plaza).

And then as the sun set over Mr Coot-tha, out the eastern floor-to-ceiling glass wall of our dining area, I locked my eyes on this...

Yes indeed.

The very place where I gave my daylight hours to the Department of Innovation and Information Economy as a communications officer at the start of this decade (seriously - I had to market 'DIIE' to the world!).

My life as a city slicker was coming back to me hard and fast... there were memories at every turn. And most of them were fond recollections. But in an echoing kind of way, as if from a long time ago - somehow the seven-and-a-bit years since I worked in that building has stretched into a veritable lifetime.

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Of course while I was reminiscing my stiletto years, Mr Incredible was freaking out at the image of our youngsters pressing their faces against the glass... I did my best to reassure him (and myself) that all safety requirements would have been thoroughly met in such a new building, and that the glass would not give way to their enthusiastic embrace, and allow them to plunge to their deaths....
I am a cruel woman and I do not suffer vertigo...

Our offspring are wired like me and enjoy the giddiness that looking down from great heights induce in our bellies. Mr I? Not so much...We ended up compromising with Dash and Violet being allowed to gaze upon the lights of BrisVegas while lying on their tummies.

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But back to our mini city tour...

This is the freeway on which I travelled as a uni student, and upon which a nice but slightly frazzled young man (running late for his plane) ploughed into the back of my darling Mazda 626 wagon as we waited in stationary peak-hour traffic and gave me whiplash.

(He missed his plane, but I continued to love this piece of city road art).
You can see the Old Treasury building to the left - it was transformed into a casino and was a favourite very-late-night haunt of my hubby and his mates ... before he was my hubby.
Heh.

Hello again Treasury Casino ...

and 'G'day' odd modern art golfball thingy.
Nice contrast in styles.
Is the ball a play on 'high roller' d'ya think?
Art confuses me sometimes.

You know, I decided this visit that I even love the buses. Not that I rode them much when I lived here. I like my personal space. I was more your 'give a workmate a ride to work in the car' kinda gal, with some rail commuting thrown in.

What can I say? I have a keen sense of smell and like to choose my travel partners or at least be able to move away when their hygiene is questionable!
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And then of course there is the wonderful South Bank...

Scene of World Expo 88 (yes, I am that old!) and since transformed into a park/eatery/cultural/playground... this is where Mr Incredible and the kids spent some serious bonding time as I did a marathon stint at the Gift Fair (searching fruitlessly for the ultimate photo frames and packing boxes). You can also see that big Ferris Wheel (or as Violet calls it: The Big Fairy Wheel) offering visitors more extreme heights and superb views of BrisVegas.

If you like I might share with you a little of it's magic the next 'BB and the city' instalment...

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So... what do you think of MY city?

Did you enjoy the contrast to Granite Glen as much as we did?

And please, share with me a snippet about your town/city.

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PS Our 'city people' stories also coming up... Rhubarb Whine, I am looking at you!

She's the Voice

A funny thing happened eight days ago, on the other side of the world...

A few minutes of something special was recorded, giving the world a clip that should inspire people from all walks of life, all backgrounds, anywhere.

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This woman happened.

Have you seen her yet?

If so, you are probably among the more than 30 million who have watched her on U-Tube. I don't actually watch that much TV anymore - a few hours a week really. But I caught this clip from Britian's Got Talent about four times on various talk shows this week, and then searched for it today on U-Tube. And every single time I watch it, it moves me.

Alright, I admit, I cry.

Every. Single. Time.

Why?

One middle-aged woman making strangers on the other side of the world weep with emotion - seems bizarre. I guess she touches me because she utterly transforms from ordinary, from so-called 'ugly duckling' - as seen through the eyes of a critical audience whose reaction to her was recorded - into powerful, beautiful woman. Because, Lordy Lord, this girl can SING.

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She bursts forth with this unexpected voice from heaven ... a voice I always wished I had, kinda imagined I might have had with all those hours of practice in the hairbrush and behind the wheel of the car. But alas... my darling husband always wonders aloud who is standing on the cat's tail when I try to get melodious! (I am hoping my talents lie in other areas!)

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But back to this amazing amatuer singer who has so gripped the world. The Britain's Got Talent clip is amazing for the shift in attitude that happens in an instant.

This single 47-year-old from a small Scottish village, with barely any singing training

wiped this nasty eye-roll from Simon's Cowell's face...

And replaced it with this slightly gobsmacked look...
And halted this unkind mimicking of her dancing ...
Into this shocked appreciation...
If you have not yet seen Susan Boyle in action...
Do yourself a favour:
click here.
You MUST...
And you will do this...
I promise.
On her already-erected Wikipedia page, Susan is quoted having no idea who twittering supporter Ashton Kutcher was, before going on to star beside him on American TV show Larry King Live. How refreshing! (I wonder if Ashton thought so too?)

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She is also reported to have observed
(referring to BGT audience's initial reaction to her on stage):
Modern society is too quick to judge people on their appearances. ...
There is not much you can do about it; it is the way they think; it is the way they are. But maybe this could teach them a lesson, or set an example.

Well I think she looked beautiful...

especially when her confidence rose alongside that soaring voice...

and I hope she never gets a makeover.

What a marvellous gift she has.
Her voice, her story.
What a woman.
What an inspiration.
Wouldn't it be great if all the Susan Boyles of the world find their voice, their gift, and share that beauty with us.
We should be so lucky...

Favourite things... RM Williams catalogue

I got my hot little hands on this yesterday...

It's a catalogue.

But not just any catalogue.

It's a new, glossy, fabulous RM Williams catalague.

I love sitting down with a tall coffee and flicking through the pages of a publication like this.

It takes me away from the laundry and dirty fingernails and kitchen chaos for 20 minutes or so. My getaway.

Wanna come?

Hello RM.

You old devil.

Hope you don't mind me putting your image up unannounced...

I promise I won't take your name in vain!

(Check this earlier post for a mention of this Aussie icon).

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Wanna see what what is on offer in this lovely shiny mag?

Coffee at the ready?

Let's go!

Firstly, there are lots of cute men.

(Not that Mr Incredible should be remotely concerned. He knows I like a little catalogue browsing! And he is secure in the knowledge that I think he is a hottie!)

I couldn't see any price tags for these guys. But I suspect I could not afford any.

Heh!

And there are lots of gorgeous photos of gorgeous blue-eyed women.

This one frightens me a bit.

Very Stylish, and Preppie and Icy all at once.

Of course I could be jealous that I have NEVER been able to wear a scarf like this.

And my eyes are muddy brown and not icy blue.

*sigh*

There are gorgeous items of clothing for people who have not yet lost their waists.

If anyone finds mine, could they please post it to me?

Thanks.

Appreciated.

And there are lots of gorgeous photos of gorgeous bridles and other leathergoods.

Like this AUSTRALIA-themed 'Drovers' leather jacket.
I won't tell you the price.
I will say that I needed a good scotch after I read it!
The cost of looking like Hugh Jackman is stiff.
Like my drink!

I totally heart this belt.
It's a divine hand-plaited 'Overseer' belt.
If Mr Incredible is reading this, my birthday is coming up!
*wink*
Now is it just me, or does this guy look totally like George Clooney?
In an Aussie, RM Williams kinda way?
Yum.
Or if you need something a little younger and less mature and experienced-looking,
how 'bout this dude on the right...

Nope. I agree.
Our George lookalike on left still wins.
*sigh*
I love catalogue browsing.
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If I have whet your appetite for eye candy of the mankind, apparel or leathergoods kind, and you want to peruse some more RM offerings,
click here...
But have your coffee ready.
And a cinnamon roll.
And maybe a bottle of Glenfiddich.
Don't say you haven't been warned.

Favourite Things: Filthy Rear View

I snapped this photo as we drove home from our trip last week.

The ingredients are kind of ordinary:

Dusty road.

Blurry green grass.

Peeling old horse float.

Dirty car.

And yet...

This shot makes my heart sing!
I know not why...
Life is just chock full of little mysteries, isn't it?
BB

Mystery photo/Favourite Things answer

How are you all feeling after the amazing Life's Funny Like That Virtual Party we had here yesterday?

Hangovers anyone?

I do, mostly from all that uploading...

but gosh it was fun!!

Who'd have thought virtual could be so ...fun?

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Alrighty then...

where were we before the place got overrun by cats, dogs and wellwishers galore?

Oh that's right...

You were getting stumped by the mystery Christmas gift...
No, it's not a pencil holder, a peppermill, or AI tube holder...

All intriguing answers though guys!! It's a game...

A game based on a kids game, but slightly more challenging...

A simple, fabulous game of three-dimensional noughts and crosses...

Well, 3D coloured marbles tic-tac-toe!! Two players get a bag of marbles (in our case, yellow or blue ) and they take turns at placing them one-by-one in the holes of the three level game 'board'. You play till all marbles are used, and then count the rows achieved of your colour...

See there is a blue row along the left of the image above?

And down the right hand side too..

You get rows not just along each plane, but down and diagonally too...

It works your mind

(well it does mine anyway, the lazy thing!)

tests your strategy

and

if you are a bit competitive

it can test your friendships too!

Not that I would know... I'm not competitive at all.

Well.

Not much.

I love it.

But Jeanie won't play it with me - she's a cards girl.

And she doesn't like losing, let me warn you!

Something in the blood, you think?

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What's your favourite family game (boardgame or other)?

Favourite Things: Clouds of imagination...

On our flying trip to the semi-Big Smoke last week, Violet and I played games. We have managed (so far) to resist the whole portable DVD players for the kids - although we aren't exactly techno-phobes. The i-pod does get quite a workout with music through the stereo and has been know to play Kung Foo Panda on its tiny screen to calm the little beasts on occasion.

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But mostly, we talk or sing and play games. I figure it's the only time I have their captive attention - and all too soon they'll be teenagers and waaaay too cool to talk to us at all! Anyway, as I was saying, Violet and I were playing one of our favourite games, spot the cloud shape.

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Suddenly she called out: Mummy - there's a horse! I'm looking in the roadside paddocks for a flesh-and-blood version when she (using a very exasperated teenager tone): No Mummy - in the sky!

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So I looked up.

Ummm.

Where Violet?

THERE, she yelled, little index finger jabbing impatiently in front of her face.
Can't you see it?
It's looking right at us! Oh yeah.

Leaning down from the top left.

Nose down low.

Ear shooting off to the right.

Wow!

Great mustering eyes, little girl!
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The things you'd miss if they were just watching movies in the back seat!

Holy Giant Zucchini!

Have I mentioned before that we have a vegetable garden flourishing in our backyard? Considering how bad my repuation is as a gardener (can anyone say black thumb?) I am outrageously proud of the produce being, well, produced by my little bit of tilled soil. Because I have done NOTHING to this garden since it was planted a couple of months ago. Organic to the max, that's me! (Some might say 'lazy'... I say 'to-mate-ohs, to-mart-ohs!')

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Sure my capsicums are a little slow in making it to the table... but the fruit is there.

And sure, my silverbeet has more holes in the leaves than actual leaf (this is where 'organic' kinda falls down in my estimation!) but the bits we have been game to eat have been delicious.

But the cucumbers and zucchinis... little did I know what these gorgeous yellow flowers would really transform into.

Oh baby! I have harvested dozens of the suckers.
Dozens I tell you!

If you run into me, you are not getting away without some form of long green vegetable in your handbag (or man bag, as the case may be!). Please keeps your minds out of the gutter at this mental picture...

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As Jeanie has been visiting me, the mistress of Excel and all-thing-computer has whipped up an entire cookbook of zucchini recipes - and whipped up some of the dishes too. zucchini bread, zucchini biscuits... it's been fantastic. Our salads have been outstanding and jars of pickled cucumbers now line my pantry!
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I have been trying to keep ahead of the offerings from my vege patch, but sometimes (eg when we whip off for the weekend to catch the Cirque du Soleil) it gets a bit rambunctious and produces intimidating items like this...
Zucchinis the size of a man's forearm!!!

(And a very nice forearm it is too!)

What to do with such a monster?

(The vegetable, not the bloke!)

Mr Incredible's favourite way to eat his favourite vege is simply steamed with a big dob of butter...

But I said STUFF IT!

So I did.

With meatballs!

(And yes, the kids had meatball spaghetti this night... see how I can plan so beautifully for our meals... variety without too much extra washing up, that's me!)

You will just have to trust me that it tasted waaaaayyy better than it looked!
(You will note that I was not nominated for Best Food Blog in the Bloggie Awards! Go vote for PW or Smitten Kitchen now guys! I admit I was a bit torn over this one.)

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The baked giant zucchini recipe (if you are interested) went something like this:

1. Wash giant zucchini

2. Show off giant zucchini to anyone within calling distance!

3. Split giant zucchini in half.

4. Scoop out seeds and some pulp to make a decent 'dished' area for stuffing the stuffing into.

5. Place veges upside down on a cake cooler set into a baking tray with about 5mm of water, place in moderate oven to steam.

6. Grab whatever takes your fancy (husbands included!) - but if you are still talking about stuffing vegetables, try something like: meatballs, chili con carne, or diced bacon and corn.

7. Add a little breadcrumbs and cheese to your stuffing mix. If it needs bulking up, add in some shredded zucchini.

8. When giant zucchini halves are slightly soft, remove from oven, turn over on rack and empty water from baking tray.

9. Stuff zucchinis (with items from # 6).

10. Sprinkle with some more breadcrumbs and cheese before placing tray back in oven.

11. Bake for about 15 minutes or until top is browned. A nice touch with the chili con carne version is a dollop of sour cream... depending on what your New Year resolution was!!

12. Devour!

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Man, it's lucky I love zucchinis and cucumbers... and anyone with a recommendation of what to do with them should feel free to leave it in the comments box.

Thankyou in anticipation!

Favourite things begins... Bloggers

I am planning a new section here called Favourite Things...

I know it's not a totally unique concept, but it will give me a great chance to do something a bit more succinct, with a nice photo or two.

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I'm going to start off with reminding everyone that the Bloggies Award nominations are now open - I have just spent 15 minutes frantically typing in a few of my favourite bloggers to the horizontal form (which works surprisingly well - once you get the hang of it!). Main issue: not enough space to nominate everyone!

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Among those I have noted (and there were many more) were:

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Jeanie in Paradise

(my slightly neurotic but totally talented & beautiful sister who was born to write)

.

Life's Funny Like That

(the wonderful Deb, wielding the written word to take us all on the rollercoaster of her life. I just love her and never miss a post!)

.

The Pioneer Woman

(who inspired so many of us to have fun & be positive... and feel shockingly lazy with the number of posts she maintains with four homeschooled children!)

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The Redneck Mommy

(shocking, heart-breaking, funny, amazing)

Kaleidescope

(Leslie's amazing scrapbooking takes my breath away... and makes me want to travel again!)

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And the fabulous Bossy

(dry wit and Great Danes - what a combination!)

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As I said, there were many more (actually, quite a few from the other favourite thing mentioned below) ...I encourage you all to get on over here (Bloggies site) and nominate your favourite reads.

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I so wish I had more time to check out more blogs, but that would mean I would have no life to blog about. And my family would go hungry. And the yards would be overgrown and my zucchinis would start climbing in the windows.

You know how it is!

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I leave you all today with a photo of another of my favourite things:

Of course one of my NOT SO FAVOURITE things is that I can't show all 39 of you... anyone know how to fix that yet??

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Hope your 2009 is going great guns so far...

Hugs