A Shopping Weekend

Posted on by ghotiindustries

In the age old, grand tradition of Giftmas, we spent the weekend shopping. After searching fruitlessly for gifts we stopped off in the Bazaar for a bite to eat.

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Before heading to Duikelmans for some baking supplies. It’s a pain when what I have brought with me doesn’t fit in my makeshift oven! *pouts*

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But I have no trouble finding everything I need,

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and a few things I can convince myself I need, in here!

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The lights are hung in all the streets, and Amsterdam is becoming fairy town. This bodes well for the opening of the Festival on Lights on Thursday night which I hope to go to!

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Conveniently for the lights, darkness is complete by 5pm here, and we’re not yet at solstice!

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The pastry shops and confectioners are wringing out everything they can get from the last few weeks of Sinterklaas.

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And the local equivalent of Bunnings is about to take a chunk out of my wallet!

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How are your end of year preparations coming along?

I found it!

Posted on by ghotiindustries

In a quaint little deli on a busy street,

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I found vegemite!

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I’d been missing it you see. Just a convenient spread that isn’t chocolate or jam to smear on a sandwich.

But for this price …

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I can wait for someone I love to send me a care package 😉

Shopping

Posted on by ghotiindustries

I have been checking out some of the local shops, as I am want to do, and discovering that I could spend an awful lot of money here, and need a residence ten times what we’re looking at living in!

We shall begin with de negen straatjes, the nine little streets. These are located on the West side of the Dam. And check it out!

One for Nita.

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One for Naomi.

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One for the fun.

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And one for me!

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Then, just as you find ducklings in the canal and think it can’t get any better …

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you see that the canal is full of floating Nemos!

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Damn I love this city!

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I may have to go back and buy this little girl. She looks so lonely!

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Neighbourhood walks

Posted on by ghotiindustries

It’s a beautiful day in my neighbourhood!

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Oh my! Where have we ended up?!

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A patchwork fabric shop you say?

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I may have finally realised that I could goggle “patchwork fabric Sydney” and discovered two of the best and most amazing shops are in walking distance of our house. I may have asked Himself if he wanted to go on an adventure. I may have walked away with quite the stash of new and exciting fabrics … But I’ll leave those for another post!

One of the things I love about where we live is the diversity of the street art. This piece has been moving me for quite some time when I see it on my walks, and today I had the time to photograph it and share it with you.

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We tried out a new café. One again it was one which I had been wanting to try for some time, and today it was not only open but we managed to walk in at a point where we could have eaten from the breakfast or lunch menus! (handy!)

I ended up with roasted field mushrooms, with sautéed spinach, Persian fetta, dukkah, on toasted olive bread…

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And Himself went nuts and had the French Toast, with grilled banana, bacon, and maple syrup!

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I can’t walk past the local nursery without going in and having a quick wander and a browse of all the plants that are flowering.

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It made me wonder if hanging my plants would protect them from wayward kitties who like to eat my beautiful plants and then barf everywhere! (*looks at Oscar*)

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Just so you’re aware, we made it into two more fabric shops before heading home. But I’ll spare you those details and instead share with you one last piece of local street art.

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I know they’re fighting each other. But did you notice that they’re watching you?

*grins*

When was the last time you walked around your neighbourhood?

Busy

Posted on by ghotiindustries

It feels like giftmas and the end of the year is just around the corner!

The day job is ramping up in a way that at this time of the year always makes me wonder if others have some inside information about the new year being the end of the world, and they need to get everything wrapped up before whatever it is befalls us all! *cue flailing*

But in amongst it all we’ve kept a sane grasp on reality and managed to fit in a few cocktails,

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do some giftmas shopping in the new Pitt St Mall (food court is to die for!),

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I began a new cardigan (because that’s what you need in Summer),

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and there has been much waking up late and snuggling with the kittuns on weekends.

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Priorities, people! We have them!