Hello There

Hello. My dinner last night went really well. Everyone had fun and my colourful table Challenged the Paradigm and was much admired. Do you not love this vase? It's a ginger jar. I was traveling up the escalator from Central in Hong Kong and saw a shop selling beautiful porcelain and so I leapt off walked back and bought this. Wheeled it out last night. Visionary really.
My Mum gave me these beautiful plates last year for my birthday from a shop at Paddington. I used them for dessert which was quince tart.

I used my beautiful Villeroy and Boch "Shantung Silk" plates for dinner. They are so Visionary and colourful and attractive. I only had 4 and one day my friend ZZ called me really excited because she'd found more on sale at a seconds shop. She bought them for me. It was a Happy Day.

In case you were wondering what we drank, look:

I'm worried there aren't enough gold medal whatsies on the 1st bottle. Mr FF arranged our snacks platter, but I didn't get a photo of any of the food. It had my salmon pate, Fancy French brie loving made by artisan style peasants with love ( I made that up but it was Fancy), stuffed high end designer olives and some sort of fancy cured meat product whose name I've forgotten. Oh and bread and cracker things. For dinner I made cannellini bean puree with garlic, green bean salad and a roast vegetable salad (pumpkin, capsicum, zucchini pine nuts) oh and I made a red onion confit arrangement for the chicken. Wish I'd taken a photo.

Today I had to meet clients so I dressed conservatively in this Shoshana frock thing from bluefly.com

Mr FF rocked this high end designer Tie. It's Pucci.

People on Low Carb Diets Look Away Now!

At the Farmer's Markets today I stocked up on fancy artisan style pasta made lovingly by someone's Nonna. Allegedly.

Forgive me Dr Atkins.

I didn't post yesterday's outfit so here it is:

It's Pucci. It's silk jersey. I love it. The necklace is Little Bow Peep from Red Phoenix Emporium. Love that too.

Are you eating easter eggs already? I am. I favour crunchie eggs sourced from a High End Designer Emporium called Woolworths. For those who don't know crunchie bars they are honeycomb swathed in chocolate. I recommend the eggs and the bars.

I've pulled out the Easter decorations. They're from all over the world- Crabtree and Evelyn in London, the Louvre in Paris, and the lamb is from New Zealand. Mr FF got it on a golf tour.

I used my Dior show today but I think it is causing what can only be described as SMUDGES yes SMUDGES under the FF eyes where my bags and concealer live.

Is this normal????

Challenging the Paradigm and Being Visionary

Yesterday I did something I do about twice a year. I pulled out my special copper cleaner and cleaned my copper pot products. I use them to cover a damaged old wall and they work a treat. I'm particularly fond of the small butter pan because I carried it back from Macys in New York. The funnel makes me happy too because I got it in Dubai. The big fat whipping bowl makes me happy because Mr FF gave it to me to whip egg whites in. Maybe it's a dated look but frankly, I like to Challenge the Paradigm decor wise.
I wore a plain navy silk dress today to to Coalface. I usually embrace prints but today in the spirit of Challenging the Paradigm I went for a solid dark colour. These are the risks I am prepared to take People. I was totally Visionary. Don't let my spooky eye throw you in this photo:

I'm having High Profile Important Dinner Guests Tomorrow. I've already set the table.

Say what you will about my table, but it's colourful. And challenging the Paradigm like no one's business.

This is Mr FF being Visionary in a Lacroix tie Sweetie. Which is Challenging the Paradigm.

We went to lunch at Korean bbq. We ran into Karl's Gold Party Jacket there. It was acting Visionary and sends it's love.

We walked home from work. Look how Visionary the Sky looks.

When I got home I made a Visionary salmon pate for tomorrow night and this quince tart. This is before it's baked in case you are wondering about its blondeness. It's baking in a Visionary Fashion as I type.

My to do list for tomorrow goes like this: Pound out chicken fillets and marinate. Put sauce ingredients into blender for chook. Make white bean puree. Make green bean salad. Make roast pumpkin and pine nut arrangement. Slap on makeup and put on hostess style frock arrangement. Feel nervous because Mr FF keeps going on about what superior cooks these people are ( and they are !) Righto I'm off to watch Four Corners about how Gypsies make their kids beg.

What are you doing? And off topic , I am loving that Nigel Slater show on Lifestyle Food where he interviews people about their food memories and cooks with them. Thank you to Sarah from Semi Expat in Oz for wording me up.

I also need your help re eyelashers curlers. Who's a Fan? I've never used them.

Keep Challenging the Paradigm because frankly you'd be mad not to.

Let's Challenge the Paradigm People

Doesn't this 11/10 breakfast product look delicious? I ate it this morning at Eurovida, my new favourite place on Given Tce when I met my girlfriends ZZ (my Favourite Hungarian) and M (all round Great Friend). The staff are lovely and the cooks will help you if you have food allergies. Kathy who runs it is lovely. Run Don't Walk. You've been told.
I know navy blue stripes are everywhere about the traps which suits me because I own this little Chloe frock. I got it from Jean Brown. It's Visionary.
You know how I love using Our Nonsensical Fashion Word Visionary? Ok well I found an even more ridiculous Nonsensical bit of Fashion Speak in April's $20 American Vogue. Ready for it?
"Challenging the Paradigm"
As far as I'm concerned, It's everything a Nonsensical Fashion Phrase should be.
Here's my Chloe frock Challenging the Paradigm likes No One's Business
When I got home the Universe told me to sort out the FF Garden and give it a Good Hard Prune. I do as I'm Told.

I love the pruning bit but I hate and loathe the cleanup.

I love cordylines. You should get some. Their foliage gives you colour if your flowers aren't blooming

Hello maroon cordyline

Hello canna lily

This is my neighbour's plant growing over my fence. I don't know what it is but I like it a lot.

And let's hear it for Mondo Grass. I know it's an 80s landscaping cliche but I love it anyway.

Meanwhile my nails are wrecked from all the Gardening plus I have scratches on my legs Dammit.

I am actioning domestic tasks-washing, braising quince, vacuuming and watching tv. What are the rest of you doing?

Hope there's something good on tv tonight.

A few days ago Kate from Make Do Style sent me an award whatsy where you have to say 7 things about yourself so here goes:

*I don't use eye cream or moisturiser on my face

*I am a big believer in writing thank you notes for everything and it annoys me that people don't send these after weddings/engagement parties for gifts I gave

*Sometimes I mix vaseline and moisturiser and use it as hand cream because my dermatologist said that this is what Creme de la Mer essentially is

*I love faux orchids (Forchids)

*I would never front up to the Coalface or any social event with wet hair

*I love Gardening and especially love it that you can't eat while doing it

*I think Single Women get a raw deal in society and often get patronised or pitied or misjudged by their Smug Married Counterparts in a way Single Men do not

I pass this onto Catherine at Little House of Style Blog I found her blog when she commented on Judy's Atlantis Home. She was wearing her Grandma's vintage dress from Henri Bendel. She designs book jackets and has very nice clothes.

I also gift it to That Not My Age who has a beautiful English blog and makes me laugh.

And she is a regular commenter here, so I love her! I've got the Brits and Yanks covered.

Go forth and read.

So then I went to a High End Designer Clobber Garage Sale

This photo shows 5 of my favourite things: my new pink parlux hairdryer (Exult the New God), my pink camera, my Red Phoenix necklace, my bedroom and my Pucci drop waist silk jersey frock.


This is Mr FF. It's an Etro tie.

Someone asked how he stores his ties. He's got this wooden chest of drawers thingamy where there are tonnes of drawers and drawers are small and you can fit lots of rolled up ties in it. We bought it at auction in 2004. We had to call my friend Mark who owned a ute to get it home. It was always my dream to have a friend with a ute...he's sold it now though, so I am Ute-less. More's the pity.

I forked out $20 for American Vogue (Kate please remind me where I can buy a subscription on line!)

I see Target's got Liberty whipping up products for it. Naturally this hasn't arrived in Australia. I love Liberty Department Store in London and my mum sewed me Liberty print dresses as a kid so I wish this would come here. I like those pink cushions.

And just look at all this leopard print! I knew I was Hardcore capturing the Zeitgeist in this regard.

Yesterday my friend A told me she was having a garage sale on Saturday morning and I should pop round to her place on Friday night to see if there was anything I wanted. A regularly makes Australia's Best Dressed lists so Mr FF and I went over there before dinner. People. The quality of the stuff she was selling was amazing. I'm talking Chanel ballet flats never worn for $70!!! Pity she's about 3 shoe sizes smaller than me. Pity too that she is about 2 dress sizes smaller. Just look LOOK at these bargains:

Miu Miu, Scanlan and Theodore, Chloe.....all too small for me dammit

I called Willow and told her to make sure she got there early on Saturday (because she's the same size as A). I didn't come away empty handed though-I bought these Killer Missoni tortiseshell sunglasses, never worn for $50. I love them 11/10

Vegetarians Look AWAY!

Then Mr FF and I went and had some pub grub

Today I ran into Willow at the shops and she showed me her haul from A's High End Designer Clobber Garage Sale: Behold these Louboutins, worn once, $70. Can you believe it?

Anyway, their soles aren't red but here are Mr FF's golf shoes at the front door. He's a bit sad because he almost won the golf club monthly medal today but then didn't. Poor Mr FF.

The FF Garden continues to shine despite constant neglect

And in other exciting news I got my 'do cut and coloured today by my brilliant young whippersnapper hairdresser H. I noticed he used a parlux dryer too. He's the one who got me onto M Moroccan oil. They make shampoo now, but I didn't buy any.

I am loving myself self sick in this New Dyed Blonde 'Do Arrangement

Controversially I'm spending Saturday night in. I know, I'm shocked too but I still have a hacking cough and a slight fever from my swine flu injection so it's for the best really.

I wish Niece FF lived here. I spoke to her the other day when she called me from her bright pink Old School Phone that my Mum gave her. We had a fascinating conversation about what she was wearing (pjs) her polish (pink) where her Barbie Girl was and what's she was doing. She's getting her waist length 'do cut into a shoulder length bob at Trotters in London when she flies in. Can't wait to see it. They put the kids in front of a fish tank to distract them. She's really excited about it. I have a very funny photo of her getting her hair cut there when she was only 2.

Meanwhile, I've ordered Diorshow Mascara from strawberrynet.com (the dollar is so strong). Is everyone in agreement that this is the right choice?

What are your weekend plans?