Julia Child - Mastering the Art of French Cooking".

I think I might give this a go - take on what Julie did in the movie Julie and Julia (see below)

I have gradually accumulated a love of cooking, especially since Cyris and I have had our own little home in the city. I would love to try Julia Childs recipes, finding any of her books in a second hand book shop will be the tricky bit.

Ever since the book above was made into a movie, the Julia Child book prices have soared and her books have been snached up by every amature cook, who like myself, have been inspired by it to take on the challenges of french cooking.

Boning a duck, or "pate de canard en croute", (a whole duck stuffed with meat in pastry) interests me, I might have to wait untill Cyris goes out however, as the smell/ taste of duck makes him sick lol It will be a challenge but a fun one. Will post pics when I have the time to do it/ the money to buy a freash duck :)

Im getting Married!!

Wow, I forgot to blog about this! Haha

Cyris proposed on 21/12/2011 at Mission Bay Beach - it was so perfect because it was simple - on bended knee at the beach at night, just us, with a beautiful silver ring with the engraving on the inside " Life is Beautiful Together".

I said yes ;)

I wasn't sure at first when I wanted to have the wedding, and I still don't know for sure, but I'm having such a fun time so far looking at dresses and Bride and Groom magazine's, getting ideas and moping over other peoples beautiful weddings!

My parents are amazing and are going to help us with the wedding costs, but I think it wont cost very much - I love to budget lol

My favourite idea so far is a 'Vintage tea party' theme for the reception, hopefully in a lovely garden setting somewhere, vintage tea sets etc and finger food everywhere, and fairy lights in the trees in the afternoon.

The ceremony will be held in a small church or chapel somewhere (smallish, as the draft guest list is already up to 130!)  A white chapel with stained glass windows would be perfect :)

I'm torn with all of the stunning wedding designs I've seen - sadly I can only pick one hehe

I have entered a competition to win a $3000 wedding dress from Astra Bridal, so fingers crossed as I wouldn't dream of spending that much on my dress if the money was coming out of my pocket!!

As unconventional as it looks for a wedding dress, I love this gown from Astra:

It kind of looks like an Alice in Wonderland inspired dress, Love It!  :)

I have two wedding magazines bursting with post-it notes at the moment, with nothing booked and no clear ideas in my mind at all, but I will keep looking and planning :) Updates to come!

xoxox

Slouching in my desk chair, slowly and unenthusiastically slicing open envelopes at work, the pile of mail at my elbow does not seem to be skrinking. Looking outside, the sky is an ashen grey, and the rain trickling down is the irritating kind that leaves a fine mist all over you - I'm not wet through but will be slightly damp all morning from my walk to work.
Opening more envelopes...
First week back to work - disappointing so far but not unbearable.
I have started reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon - started reading them when I was younger, but never really got into the second one, but now Diana has written a few more in the series and is working on another one. I needed a new series to get into, and figured this one would keep me occupied for quite a while with 6 books so far published.

This is the first book I have just finished-

"In 1946, after WWII, a young Englishwoman named Claire Beauchamp Randall goes to the Scottish Highlands with her husband, Frank.   She’s an ex-combat nurse, he’s been in the army as well, they’ve been separated for the last six years, and this is a second honeymoon; they’re getting re-acquainted with each other, thinking of starting a family.  But one day Claire goes out walking by herself, and comes across a circle of standing stones—such circles are in fact common all over northern Britain.  She walks through a cleft stone in the circle….and disappears.  Back into 1743, where the first person she meets is a gentleman in an 18th-century army officer’s uniform.  This gentleman, Jack Randall, looks just like her husband Frank—and proves to be Frank’s six-times-great-grandfather.  Unfortunately, he also proves to be a sadistic bisexual pervert, and while trying to escape from him, Claire falls into the hands of a gang of Highland Scots, who are also trying to get away from Black Jack Randall—though for other reasons.
In order to avoid being handed over to Captain Randall, Claire is obliged to marry one of the young clansmen.  So she finds herself trying to escape from Castle Leoch and her Scottish captors, trying to get back to her husband Frank, trying to avoid being recaptured by Captain Randall—and falling in love with Jamie Fraser, the young man she’s been forced to marry.   The story rolls on from there…"
Diana Gabaldon.

I am reading the second one now, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far.

Best get back to work now <3