May. The month flew by in an absolute blur. The kind of one that at the end of the month has you feeling shocked that it's almost June, and where has the year gone? Surely I'm not the only one who feels this way?
The last month of autumn was surprisingly warm, allowing us Sydneysiders to hold onto those warmer days before the damp cold sets in. We have finally settled into our new apartment. I'd forgotten how long it takes you to settle again after a change until you've had time to process and reflect - this always takes me around three months. Some things you just have to give time.
We had friends over for dinner parties to show off our new little home. We put a white table cloth over Levi's desk and used it as a dining table, and surrounded it with the chairs we bought from Lunatiques. I broke all of the rules of cooking for a dinner party and made dishes I'd never made before like whole roasted cauliflower, tomato and eggplant rissoni and a rhubarb and pomegranate tart.
Then there were the events: seeing Meg Wolitzer speak at the Sydney Writers Festival, attending the P.E Nation fashion week show through work and being invited to the RUSSH magazine F*ck Fashion, Let's Dance party at The Lansdowne by our dear friend Victoria.
I was also incredibly lucky to be visited by my best friend Ashleigh, her partner Adam and baby Evie. We went to The Grounds of Alexandria on a Saturday morning (and survived to tell the tale). Despite the chaos that is The Grounds, we had an amazing catch up over coffee and pastries in the courtyard, lots of cuddles with Evie and took some freshly fried doughnuts for the way home.
Finally, my sister Ruby came to stay with us for a few weeks as she does one of her uni pracs in Sydney. I was apprehensive at the thought of having to share my space with someone other than Levi after so long living in a share house, but after Ruby arrived it was like we were teenagers again living at home. We are so similar and familiar with each others dispositions and nuances that very little is hard work between us. In fact it's so easy. I'm really going to miss having her here when she leaves.
May was exactly the month needed after April. It was and is everything I want from life; focused on the people, the places and the memories created from time being well spent with one another. And good food, of course!
~ New In - The Secondhand Edition ~
I’m on a roll! There is nothing to add here this month! Although I am starting to feel the “just buy something” itch. I want to buy something, anything, but I don’t know what so I’m just observing the feeling and hoping it will pass, or that I find the something I’m looking for (a ‘going-out top’ and a weekend cross body handbag).
~ Read, watched & listened ~
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer – Like most good things I come across, I found out about Meg Wolitzer through The High Low (aka my favourite podcast in the world). Pandora and Dolly speak about Meg’s writing all of the time so I knew it would be amazing and worth checking out. To be honest, I haven’t read a lot of ‘feminist’ reads so I was a little unsure what to expect her but once I got started, I couldn’t put this book down. I loved the characters so much (one of those ones where you wonder how they’re doing after you’ve finished) and also how the novel explored feminism in all different ways. It was both educational and an enjoyable read.
Killing Eve Season 2 – can I please have Villenelle’s wardrobe! Didn’t love the season as much as the first. Wasn’t sure about the ending, but will keep watching because I love the characters and the humour and spy drama/thriller shows!
Highly Enthused – a much needed breathe of fresh air in my podcast line up. Although it’s a female duo, they have not blatantly ripped off The High Low’s structure and content and tried to make it their own, which so many other have done and it really makes me mad! Highly Enthused is the kind of podcast I have been looking for. I really wanted to listen to something different but still about books, recommendations and maybe even food, and I’ve found it in spades with these two girls! I love how passionate they are about the little things that make life richer, that’s exactly what I’m trying to be more about!
Joe Rogan’s interview with Russell Brand - my first time listening to Joe Rogan and he wasn’t what I was expecting. Throughout the interview Joe and Russell would often differ with their views but managed to stay so respectful of one another and have a healthy, and insightful, conversation. It goes for about two hours but it’s worth it.
~ Eats ~
As mentioned above, the Good Food Rhubarb and Pomegranate Tart was so easy to make and heaven with some vanilla bean ice cream!
x.
