Ohhh European summer, where did you go?

I'm baaaaaaacckkkkk...and freezing my butt off! I guess the downside of escaping Adelaide winter to go frolicking in the European summer... is coming back to Adelaide winter. I know I shouldn't complain- but I have a tan and no one can see it under all these clothes! *sigh.* 

Ok I will stop complaining now and try to warm myself by uploading some holiday snaps.

So I left about a month ago. I just realised I didn't even say goodbye on here! Well here is a postponed au revoir and a brand new bonjour to get things rolling! 

The long summer days were not the only thing getting me on a 24 hour flight to Europe- I had an even better reason. I met up with my boyfriend, Philippe, in Paris, which all sounds very romantic...and in fact, I think it was! After not seeing someone for almost 5 months, where better to meet than Paris!? We saw lots of the city and sights, ate yummy food and I almost talked the poor boy's head off in the space of two days...

Breakfast in Paris. A big change from my usual green smoothies and oats... a very delicious, carb-filled change...

Duckies! :)

My favourite sights (apart from croissants and bread coming towards me) were The Louvre, The Eiffel Tower and duckies in a pond!

I was sure to wear my 'french' top for this day! I liked the Eiffel tower at night, but I liked eating lunch
on the grass underneath it during the day even more!

After Paris it was time for Philippe's hometown of La Roche. It was nice to be there again- I visited there in December last year and to be honest I didn't know I would be back so soon! It was cool to see Philippe's family and friends again, as well as meet some new ones.

I went for a few walks and runs while I was away, but not many. After I got completely lost in La Roche one morning and had to call Philippe to come and get me...I was a little put off...

Lovely scenery in La Roche though!

We were lucky to be able to relax in La Roche for a few days, because then came the drive to Spain. It took 9 hours, but we stopped overnight in Bordeaux on the way there. Even with the stop-over it was still a looooong drive. Poor Philippe had to drive the whole way because (I am ashamed to say) I can't drive a manual and I was not used to driving on the opposite side of the road! But we finally made it to our little apartment in Peñiscola- home for a whole week!

The view from our apartment on the beach!

Peñiscola was a cool little place- it was made up of two bays, which meant really still water and wide sandy beaches. In the middle of the two bays of water was the town, made up of random little buildings and tiny streets which led up to a hill with markets and a castle on top of it! We got there before tourist season so it was not too busy- just perfect.

We did a couple of day trips away from Peñiscola, including one to Valencia to see one of Philippe's friends. We only went for one night and didn't get much of a chance to explore the city, which we instantly regretted once we got there. There was so much art everywhere! The streets were so typically European in that old rustic way. It always happens when travelling- the places you don't expect too much of always end up being the ones worth seeing! Oh well, maybe Philippe and I will go back one day...

After getting extremely drunk in Valencia on our only night there, the next morning we had to wake up early to drive back towards Peñiscola because it was time for another big reunion! This one was with my two beautiful German girlfriends, Sina and Mascha! After leaving Sunderland, we didn't think we would be seeing each other again for a long time, so we were excited that it was happening so soon! After a hung over drive, some confusion with the trains and two large McDonald's meals, Philippe and I found ourselves waiting at the train station in Vinaros for two funny little German girls to arrive. Finally I saw both their tired little faces (they had a few issues with the train ride to Peñiscola) and it was like we were never apart!

In true 'Sina-Mascha-style'-- checking the photos to make sure we look alright haha!

We had a lazy day at the beach and the pool and then went to have some dinner and drinks. It was nice to catch up and spend time with all these people that I didn't think I would be seeing again for years.

This one must have made the cut! Now all we need is Beth!

The next day, we all drove to Barcelona, where Sina and Mascha were staying. We had a look around the city, had lunch and then hung out at the rooftop pool at their hotel! I liked Barcelona, but like Valencia, I didn't get enough time to really see much of it. It was a lot more modern than what I expected but still beautiful. I think one day I have to come back and explore the whole of Spain- just Spain! I loved it so much!

I had to take a photo of these Barcelona Markets to show Mum- I will admit they were a big competition for our beloved Adelaide Central Markets back at home!

Dragon Fruit smoothie... oh yes...

and a nice healthy burrito to follow... Maybe not healthy...but definitely a burrito. I rest my case.

We finished off our Barcelona day trip with dinner and drinks on the coast. 

The girls checking out the menu. I will miss them! But I was so happy to find that our friendship had remained the same despite the time and distance! Hopefully we will see each other again soon- maybe Germany? Maybe Australia? Maybe somewhere totally random- it doesn't matter, I know it will be another good time.

Our last look at Barcelona

For our last day in Peñiscola, we finally explored the castle on the top of the hill- something that we kept meaning to do from the first day that we got there (but all our relaxing and living the good life got in the way).

Philippe's friends came to visit from Valencia, so we all walked up there to check it out. Of course, it was amazing and there were a million little cafes and restaurants overlooking the ocean that we should have gone to during our stay- but it's ok, another time!

It was a cool place- history mixed with beautiful ocean views, so we couldn't really go wrong there!

Finally, after a week in paradise, it was time to leave our little apartment on the beach of Peñiscola. I was sad to leave, but not too much because I was still happy about having another week left in France. We spent it in La Roche, just relaxing and seeing Philippe's friends. My favourite day of the last week was when we went to a lake to have a picnic and hire an electric boat. It was my idea of a perfect day, but I will admit that my sadness and anxiety about leaving soon was starting to creep in. 

My new favourite beer! I wonder if we can get this in Adelaide. I know we have the brand, but not sure about this specific flavour...

Sunny days in France are the best days!

Take me back! :(

Now I am back in Adelaide and I can't pretend to be 100% positive about it. I love Adelaide and coming home to it is always a good thing, but missing somebody is not. There are a lot of things I would do to be back on this balcony in Peñiscola with this funny Frenchman, but that isn't how things are for the moment! I had such a great time with him and I will always remember it, but I hope there are a lot more memories with him to come...
:)

Gilles Street Markets & Creative Spaces...

Welcome to my revamped blog! I finally took the time to make it a little more 'darling-esque.' Admittedly, I despised the last background/layout that I had, just because it was a generic one that I knew would be used by thousands of other people. But these are baby steps- I have never been very techno-savvy, so even setting this blog up with a generic look was a challenge for me! After much tweaking and copy-pasting of widget codes, I finally have this new look! I'm proud!

Choosing my new background was pretty easy, because I have done lots of art in this style lately. I love the convenience of my little kid's watercolour palate (yep, just add water!)- I even brought it to uni with me last week! It is handy because I can paint something, and then after a couple of minutes I can pack it away in my uni bag because it is already dry! I really like the style I have been working in because it has basically no structure and is very therapeutic! The peices don't take much time so I am starting to get a little collection. It is one of the only collections of my own art work that I have actually liked- I am usually just annoyed by the final products... but these ones can stay! If I make enough, I think I am going to finally set up an online Etsy store (something I have been meaning to do for a loooooong time). 

But the watercolour palate is not the only place I have been getting my creative juices flowing. My kitchen has also been a place of creation lately! I have been working on perfecting a few recipes. The first one is The Cauliflower-Base Pizza! This recipe has been circulating around the health blogs for ages now, and I have always wanted to give it a go. Last Friday night I had a drinks-thingy to go to so I seized the opportunity (and a large cauliflower) to make the pizza! 

For something so simple, I was amazed and pleased at the results. The base was just steamed cauliflower, two lightly beaten eggs and a bit of parmesan cheese (which I think would be optional). These ingredients are blended and then the mixture is spread out on a baking tray (I added a sprinkling of oregano) and baked for about half an hour. And there you have it- a flour-less pizza base! I covered it with whatever ingredients I had in the fridge- tomato slices, olives, onion and parmesan. It was sooooo tasty (and my friends agreed!)

Who says my favourite tea cup is just for drinking purposes?

I have also been creating some more complex recipes. The first is homemade CoYo. Anyone who has tried this will understand my recent addiction to this coconut milk-based yoghurt (as seen in the photo above), and will also understand my horror when I saw the price of a tub! So, my clever Mum suggested making it at home. We have some experimenting to do, but I will be sure to post about it once we have mastered the art of making CoYo! 

With all these creations- homemade skincare, new recipes and artworks- I should start up a market stall...

Oh wait, I did! Last weekend myself and a few lovely lady friends ran a Gilles Street Market stall. The Gilles Street Markets are Adelaide's top fashion/craft markets and attending them always means you are in for a fun and funky day. 

We were only selling clothes this time, but when I get back from France I want to do one selling art and/or my skin care products! 

We had soooooo much stuff to sell. Between five of us, we managed to fill more than 6 clothing racks and took up the space of a double stall site! 

The Gilles Street Markets are a fun day out whether running a stall or buying from one! I was selling clothes that I just wanted to get rid of, so I was pricing them at about $5-$10, and I still made a profit!

But apart from that, I had so much fun running the stall with some close friends. We just hung out there all day, chatting and eating yummy market food. 

We were really lucky to get such a nice bout of weather for our market stall. It was not too hot, not too cold, just right for selling our unwanted clothes to bargain hunters! 

Mum and I cannot wait to get our hands on a soy candle-making kit! Finally, an excuse to buy all the
cute tea cups that I see during my op shop raids!

I even picked up a few bargains myself- including these amazing white-framed glasses that I cannot wait to wear in Spain with my new bikini (which I bought with my market profits!). Our market day was a big success, I had a lovely time with my girlfriends and made enough money from my clothes...to buy more clothes! Haha! I can't wait to do a craft/art based stall in the summer...

Greens, Yoga and Uni Assignments: My countdown to Paris!

Yep, it is official- at this time in exactly two weeks I will be on a plane touching down in Paris, in a very anxious, nervous and excited state knowing that I am only minutes away from seeing a boy that I have missed so much for so many months. Because I have been so excited to see him, I have barely even thought about the travel side of things- like the fact that I am going to see the Eiffel Tower for the first time, or the road trip to Spain that we have planned. But now that it is so close, I have started to prepare for all that. I think that being healthy and fit is so important for travelling- especially if you have a GIANT backpack like I did on my last trip! I will have a suitcase this time (phew!) but I still want to be fit and feel healthy. When I am away, I think the most handy thing to have is clear skin. This way, I don't have to worry too much about makeup when I spontaneously decide to go for a swim or end up doing something strenuous. For this reason, I have been really focused on my skin lately.

I have a green smoothie everyday, not just because I like them, but because they give me clear skin. All the greens are full of fiber and nutrients (especially when they come from Mum's garden!) and whenever I don't have one for a few days I notice the difference in my complexion. 

This tea by Pukka was recommended to me by Soph. It is a peppermint tea with added nettle and dandelion, which are both really good for digestion as well as keeping the skin clear. I have been drinking it for a couple of weeks now and I am liking the results. Not only does it settle my stomach, but it also seems to keep pimples away! Plus it is a really nice tasting tea (unlike some health teas that taste like mowed grass steeped in boiling water).

Please excuse my paleness- unfortunately I still have to rely on makeup if I want to have any colour in my complexion! But at least it is clear!

But the winner of all my skin remedies has to be the Hot Yoga. I have always said that this kind of yoga does wonders for my skin, and this time round I have found the same results. It is not so much about it creating clear skin, it is more about the texture and complexion. After a Hot Yoga session my skin feels really plump. A couple of hours later it always has a nice glow about it that I have never got from any skin products.

Buuuuuutttttt..... I am not always so kind to my skin! Especially when there are chocolate treats about! But hey- yoga also teaches balance in life, which is always my ultimate goal! The chocolates above are from a date I went on with Beth a couple of weeks ago. We always go to Bracegirdles (the BEST chocolate I have tasted in life so far!) for our little dates. But there is also a new chocolate shop in Rundle Mall called Koko Black... good chocolate and I like their slogan!

Since being back at yoga I have been able to run again! I have always suffered from really tight and sore calves, which is such a shame because I love to run. Before starting hot yoga I could only run for about 10 minutes before my calves would feel like they were about to explode, and for the rest of my run I would be in pain. But now I am running about 8km without any pain whatsoever! Perfect timing, because I want to look and feel as fit as possible before I have to wear that bikini in Spain! Eeeek!

I leave two weeks before my Uni semester ends, so I have less time to hand in all my assignments. It has created a little bit of pressure for me, but nothing I can't handle. I actually really look forward to Thursdays because I spend the whole day studying and doing assignments in the sunshine...

 ... and it is especially fun when a little Koala friend comes to watch me study! Hello, Mr.Koala! Haha, I felt like I was in an Australian tourist advertisement when I looked up and saw him!

Just before I went on my big trip last year, Mum and I went to my favourite Adelaide cafe- Horner and Pratt. It seems to have been the start of a travel tradition because we also went there yesterday (I am going to be so busy leading up to the day I leave, so we had to get a little lunch date in!) As usual, I got the Halloumi and Tabouleh wrap with side salads.... To.Die.For! Hands down my favourite Lunch in Adelaide! Mum and I had a very pleasant time eating our lunch and watching the world go by from the cafe's upstairs window (and the parking inspector giving out about 10 parking fines!). I think we will have to continue this tradition and go back to Horner and Pratt before Mum leaves for Hawaii later this year!

There are no words that I could punch out on this keyboard to describe my excitement for this trip coming up. I can't believe it is only two weeks away now... I see it this way- 14 more green smoothies and I will be on that plane! Woo!!

:)