let's take manhattan...

First of all, New York City is so pretty in Autumn! Oops, sorry - in Fall. All the warm shades of the trees contrasted by the crisp air.. So nice. Central Park is beautiful.

But before I delve into how nice it all is let me tell you it was not all smooth sailing getting here! Plane delayed an hour. Four gate changes. Severe jet lag resulting in a tantrum at the security check point. Disjointed sleep. Two people not experiencing disjointed sleep blocking my way to the aisle to go for a loo break. No food on a 6 hour flight. $90 cab fare. 2 and 1/2 hour cab ride! (Which consequently makes the $90 cab fare a good thing). Trouble finding the house I'm staying at. Walking into an empty house...

But then the good stuff starts: SHOWER. So effing good. 5 hours solid sleep. In a BED. Wake up to a key turning in the front door - Pat is home early from work :) And it's only been uphill from there really. I'm having such a good time. Caught up with a friend I haven't seen for about 2 years - and she is lovely as ever. Today is Halloween and I've finally found an internet cafe to kill time and catch up on this blogging while Pat is at work. Can't wait to see what happens tonight for Halloween!

Once again though, I can't upload the photos at the moment. I will have to do some editing later. Hope Halloween is roaring fun over there in Australia! All you kids are probably fairly tipsy by now. My turn soon!*** PHOTOS NOW ADDED!

source: my nikon d60.

if you're going to san fransisco...

Be sure to wear... a peg on your nose! The city is beautiful - and would keep you incredibly fit walking up and down those hills everyday. Never have I seen a city so hilly! But there is a smell like no other... I'll get to that in a moment.
The flight to San Fran was fine, but it was getting into the US that was the frustrating part! I managed to get the most thorough customs guy ever. After waiting in line for 45 minutes to get to the customs official, he then proceeded to take another 15 minutes to check everything. He was so much slower and more chatty than the others. Also, you've gotta love the whole fingerprinting and picture process: "Please place your hands on the germ-ridden piece of plastic that every other disgusting person has put their filthy hands on after being on long international flights. Thanks. Oh, beware the swine flu. Now look at the camera like a dork. Perfect. Welcome to America." Please be aware that I'm no germaphobe, but the process really is quite gross.
Once I was in the country I then managed to stuff up buying a train ticket and then passing through the train gates - despite the fact that they're exactly the same as Sydney! Big thank you to the man who helped me, even though he will most likely never see this.

Once in San Fransisco it was great. The old cable cars are a lot of fun, and the first time I've seen any manual labour in a developed country in a while! When the cars reach the end of the line they go onto a big turning circle (like the ones in Thomas the Tank Engine!) and these guys actually push bars attached to the circle to turn the car back the other way. It makes me think of a giant lazy susan. Perhaps the good people of SF can cook giant yum cha and spin it on them. No? Bad idea?
There was a terrible smell wafting about that reminded me of when my cat used to throw up. I know, it was not pleasant! Anyway, I walked down to Pier 39, which is so touristy but still enjoyable. Wandered all the way to the end to look out at the Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz, and then I saw two seals swimming around. I got so excited and kept trying to capture them on my camera (not vrey successfully). After staring at rippling ocean for about 20 minutes seeing brief glimpses of them when they surfaced to breathe, and also seeing a pelican dive into the water to catch a fish (so cool!) I decided to move on. I walked around the corner, and what do I see? An entire seal colony! About 8 pondtoons full of them! All noisy and lying about on top of each other. I couldn't help but laugh at myself. Apparently this colony is quite famous and people come down to see them all the time! Oops.

I meandered around the city for the rest of the day and took some photos of everything, but I can't upload them at this internet cafe! I will have to add them later. I will let you know. So, for now you'll just have to imagine - sorry!*** PHOTOS NOW ADDED!




source: my nikon d60.

no need to Russh

Can't wait to read this on my long-ass flight to NYC tomorrow. I will have many hours to peruse at a leisurely pace!

source: Russh blog.

halloween!

Can't wait to make some of these cakepops on the weekend... IN NEW YORK! Hopefully the boy's place has some kind of baking equipment. I'll figure out something to bake either way (most likely one of the many other gloriously festive treats on the bakerella site) - I'm really in the mood for baking right now!

source: bakerella.

girl crush

source: knighttcat.

i love summer days

For once in my life I can't wait for summer.. Usually I'm a winter girl, but this year brings old friends to a new city and I'm very excited!

source: hanneli.

polawall

I'm definately doing this with my polaroids.. Once I accumulate enough!

source: knighttcat.

swatchboard

This is about the coolest use of swatches I've ever seen. The Pattern you see on the wall covers the whole studio as well. Christoper Nemeth has an amazing space.

source: the selby.

going to accupulco

source: hobogestapo.

fur and a spike

source: live fast dress pretty.

origin of species

This pretty much sums up how I feel most of the time.

source: hedi slimane.

i'd rather be...

source: dirty little style whore.

9 days.

Elope with me Miss Private and we’ll sail around the world
I will be your Ferdinand and you my wayward girl
How many nights of talking in hotel rooms can you take?
How many nights of limping round on pagan holidays?
Oh elope with me in private and we’ll set something ablaze
A trail for the devil to erase
San Francisco’s calling us, the Giants and Mets will play
Piazza, New York catcher, are you straight or are you gay?
We hung about the stadium, we’ve got no place to stay
We hung about the tenderloin and tenderly you tell
About the saddest book you ever read
that always makes you cry
The statue’s crying too and well he may

I love you I’ve a drowning grip on your adoring face
I love you my responsibility has found a place
Beside you and strong warnings in the guise of gentle words
Come wave upon me from the family wider net absurd
“You’ll take care of her, I know it, you will do a better job”
Maybe, but not what she deserves

Elope with me Miss Private and we’ll drink ourselves awake
We’ll taste the coffee houses and award certificates
A privy seal to keep the feel of 1960 style
We’ll comment on the decor and we’ll help the passer by
And at dusk when work is over we’ll continue the debate
In a borrowed bedroom virginal and spare

The catcher hits for .318 and catches every day
The pitcher puts religion first and rests on holidays
He goes into cathedrals and lies prostrate on the floor
He knows the drink affects his speed he’s praying for
a doorway
Back into the life he wants and the confession of the bench
Life outside the diamond is a wrench

I wish that you were here with me to pass the dull weekend
I know it wouldn’t come to love, my heroine pretend
A lady stepping from the songs we love until this day
You’d settle for an epitaph like “Walk Away, Renee”
The sun upon the roof in winter will draw you out like a flower
Meet you at the statue in an hour
Meet you at the statue in an hour

- Belle & Sebastian; Piazza, New York Catcher

umbrellas

Just a couple of brolly snaps from Sydney-town.

source: my cameras.

the time has come, the walrus said.

"Why yes, I would love a chip, thank you!"
Hungry Jacks has been haunting me lately, I believe it's time to cave-in to the cravings.

source: hobogestapo.

only have eyes for you

source: etc.

the new surrealism

To me, this is like a modern reworking of Dali's "Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate".

source: knight cat, artwork by cai guo-qiang.

open sesame

source: mr. newton.

swoon...

Ah Jared, my heart is all a flutter.

source: the cobrasnake.

press play for happy ending

play-mation

source: gofugyourself (for the record, this was not dubbed "fugly").

rad

source: arabparrot.

Miranda July for Etsy

Want this pillow so bad! DIY?

source: dirty little style whore.

travesty

The latest news is that the director of Transformers is remaking Bonnie and Clyde, with Hilary Duff to star as Bonnie. I do not even have words to discribe how offensive this is. Seriously, Hilary Duff? To play one of the most infamous outlaws of all time? And to replace Faye Dunaway? To quote Faye, "couldn't they at least cast a real actress?"

Thanks to Tavi of Style Rookie for the tip off.

dear andy, love mick

source: stellavista.

ashley simko

Take a look. You'll thank me. No, don't ask questions, just go.

ashely simko's blog.

hot fuss

source: marry me.

le soixante-six, champs-elysees

Everyone goes on about how great Colette is (I even mentioned it in the previous post), but while I was in Paris I found another little gem: LE66. It's on the champs-elysees, but it's tucked away in an arcade, and it is amazing. Stocking brands such as Acne, Helmut Lang, Sass & Bide, JBrand, Rick Owens, and Alexander Wang, and with a playlist including La Roux, Cut Copy, and Empire of the Sun, I guarantee it will put a smile on your face. But if you can't get to Paris (or even if you can), check out their blog.

source: le 66.

mini rodarte

Rodarte are doing a collection for Colette, which includes these cute little dolls complete with the infamous wool-web tights! So adorable, now all I have to do is jet off to Paris to get one...

source: Carolines mode.

how the hell do you say chlumsky

I don't think I've met anyone who didn't love My Girl. So glad Anna Chlumsky has returned to acting.

source: le love.

peanutbutterjelly time

Metric were easily my favourites of Parklife 2009.

source: hobogestapo.

all is love

Love Karen O so much. Love even more that I will be in the US soon after the release date over there and won't have to wait until December for its Australian release! (Sorry, I know I post a lot about this movie, and have done two video posts in a row. Yes, a little repetitive).