In pursuit of food and travel

New magazine Cereal Milk is so beautiful I want to climb right in and get lost inside its pages. Preferably sipping on actual Momofuku cereal milk (if his cornflake ice-cream is anything to go by, combined with my craving for full cream organic milk, this could easily develop into an addiction).

Guest post: Painting

I am going to paint my workspace at home. No more debating, it is going to be done. I a a bit nervous because the room is so small but I am desperate for a very dark wall in the house (and the husband is having none of it in the bedroom!).

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PS. I think Ill post some pics once it is done, so look out. 

Love what you do

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"Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do." Rumi

a guide to getting lost

A little reminder to self that adventures are waiting to be had just outside our doorsteps into the city.

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Hi Friday*

Hello lovely readers. The end of another week and we find ourselves in the latter half of February. It was a tough week at work for me (and is not over yet!) - which involved, among other things, a trip to Roodepooort (oh gosh!), damage control, and 4 big business proposals. So I am pretty pleased it's Friday. This weekend I am spending time with family and friends and getting my hair done (long over due!) and taking time to be thankful for all the blessings around me.

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Here are some good links from around the web if you feel like a bit of browsing:

Cheska's beautiful wedding invitations featured on Seven Swans blog today

Live feed of tweets around the world. Fascinating to watch (but exhausting)

How the languages we speak change the way we think.Something to keep in mind in this melting pot we live in.  

I am a sucker for old fashioned romance

Foods you should never eat (and which are pretty easy to avoid)

Hair inspiration (since I am long overdue for some expert help (hence my weekend activity), I find braiding a great solution)

I need to cook some fresh new things

Now that two babes are on the way, babe things have found themselves onto my wish list - how lovely are these clothes (the French really know how to dress kids)

Back to adult stuff - I heart Marc Jacobs

xoxo

A sister thing

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"A sister smiles when one tells one's stories - for she knows where the decoration has been added." ~Chris Montaigne

Guest post: Because I am a aunt-of-twins-to-be

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On love

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"You are the finest, loveliest, tenderest, and most beautiful person I have ever known—and even that is an understatement." F. Scott Fitzgerald

Wow. The man knew how to say it...

Two tiny bits of news

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Tiny bit of news1: Three and a bit months of keeping this wonderful little secret, I can finally tell you that I am pregnant.

Tiny bit of news 2: With twins.

!!!

For over two months I thought it was just one, but then we went for our first scan...

I had tears in my eyes as we heard the heart beat for the first time and saw this tiny creature (I think it was a little lime at that stage) - it is very moving hearing that sound. Of life inside of you.

Dr: "So there's the heart beat"

Me: Teary eyed staring wistfully at this hard-to-make-for-anyone-but-the-parents-blob

Dr: "And whose heart beat do we have here?"

Me: Thinking "Oh that must be mine"

Dr: "There's a second heart beat"

Husband: "Are you joking?" (Thinking "He probably does this to everyone on their first visit")

Me: " Doctors don't joke"

...And the rest is kind of a blur. A sudden new wave of excitement and fear and emotion. It is quite overwhelming to find out your simple family of two will become four in six months.

I phoned my mom as soon as we left the doctors room to tell her she was getting two more grand babies. Silence followed. And then elation. However I was still on the phone with her when we were trying to exit the parking and counting out loose change to make out R5. My mother, upon hearing me say to the husband "I have three" thought for a moment it was triplets. So more silence ensued until I reassured her it was two heart beats but I had three rand. 

And that was pretty much the start of my journey, as far as I was aware, with these two little tiny blessings.

Have a glorious weekend

The sun is shining outside and it's Friday. Pretty good start to a day. And weekend. What are you up to this weekend? I have a rather busy one full of celebrations - baby showers and birthdays. Fun.

On a not so fun note, the news of Oscar Pistorius has really saddened me - what a tragedy. It makes me take a step back and be grateful for all the beautiful fragile beings that are in my life.

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Here are some little links from around the web:

Some lovely inspiration

This pouch

Perfect weekend breakfast

I am long over due for a hair appointment so this has become my staple

10 travel websites worth bookmarking

An online shop full of pretty things

Create your own terrarium

xoxo

happy birthday to my love

"If you knew you were going to meet the love of your life in one year, how different would that year be?"

Would you want to know?

I think I knew that I was going to meet the love of my life the year that I met him. I didn't know who, I just had a feeling the stars were aligned. Although that could be the romantic memory of retrospect....

The husband (then the boyfriend) in 2008, date #3

Yes I do!

Happy Valentine's Day to all you lovers out there!

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Any plans for today? The husband and I are going for a picnic while we watch Love Actually under the stars. Let's hope these massive thunderstorms we've been having remain at bay this evening.

PS. Whenever I was single on Valentine's Day I always used to imagine (hope!) that some handsome stranger would send me a huge  bunch of flowers to my office and leave me guessing as to who it was. Blush**

Guest Post: Little Lies

I love this site: Daily Dishonesty, showcasing all the little lies that we tell ourselves everyday.

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pretty dresses

I want one of each please.

ASOS Collection Maxi Dress perfect for a romantic dinner at home (because it's fun to get dressed up and stay in)

Free People La Boheme Ruffle Dress - so cute for anything and love the colour

Gig Brasil Fit and Flare Gold Lurex Tank Dress - did someone say picnic darling?

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wish list

These could make nice Valentines gifts. Or just nice for-no-reason gifts.

Love letters of great men - because we all can do with a bit of romance in our lives.

A Morihata - Binchotan facial puff. I use a similar one on my body and it is a delightful addition to your shower. It leaves my skin glowing (and is great for circulation around those pesky areas). So I imagine the face version works wonders too.

This good looking blanket in Scandinavian soft wool is cool. And warm. And I would love to add it to the pile on my couch.

 

Downing sunglasses pay tribute to the best of British style—think quirkiness and tradition.

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Guest Post: Clown Ninja

NY snaps on this stormy Tuesday evening

 Liberty in paper art

 Central Park and the city

 5th Avenue strolls

 Mast Brothers chocolate

 Williamsburg wanderings

Spot on graffiti in LES

 China town (outside a little store in which I had the silkiest, most delicious dim sum. Ever)

 Late night jazz at Smalls

 Colour + wood at Future Perfect

 Serious ponderings at Anthropologie

 City icons in one snap

Home made apple pie for my birthday