Lauren Mangioni

Sydneysiders (and the rest of the Southern Hemisphere) are saying goodbye to wearing next to nothing, summer salads and what has been a very humid summer. Despite Autumn making itself known with this sudden cold snap, reminding us that it’s all over, I have my fingers crossed that there will be a few more beach days still.

Maybe I’m being a bit dramatic because it certainly it won’t be as cold as the recent winter Europeans have just suffered. So looking on the bright side, it’s time to start purchasing cozy coats and scarves, settling in with warming, hearty soups and getting under the covers rather than (if you’re like me) kicking them to the floor each night.

What are you looking forward to most this winter?

(From Top to bottom: Chloe Fall 2010, Burberry A/W 2010, Marc Jacobs A/W 2010)

All is quiet here down under (everyone is asleep but me, including Sookie, the kitten that never stops) but in a few hours most Australians will be in full Australia Day mode; the one day a year where you can’t go anywhere without seeing an Australian flag, Australian flag singlet or my favourite, the Australia flag-covered blow-up beach/pool lounge.

So stick a snag on the barbie, crack a cold one, set your radio to Triple J for the Hot 100 countdown (my vote goes to Florence + the Machine who I will be seeing this Wednesday!) and jump in the nearest ocean/lake/river/pool to celebrate our great country – the home of rugby league, barbecues, thongs (that’s right, the footwear), beaches and that laid back attitude I love so much.

Happy Australia Day!

Here we are folks.

It’s that lovely albeit hair-tearingly frustrating time of year when the department stores have Christmas carols on repeat, the word ‘turkey’ is thrown around often and on a personal note, when Love, Actually finds a home for 30 days in my DVD player.

This year my sister, boyfriend and I are hosting a small Christmas Day gathering at our apartment in Sydney’s stinking hot summer, unlike my previous Christmas which was spent building a snowman in the Swiss Alps. I love Christmas, despite the commercialism; being a Sydney girl I love the heat and the late dinners and unwrapping a few (I’m not greedy) heartfelt presents with a chilled glass of wine by my side.

So what’s on the menu this year readers? A late afternoon roast? A BBQ by the water? Or a picnic perhaps? The wonderful thing about Christmas is that every family does it differently…

After stuffing myself silly and swearing I’ll never eat again, the boyfriend, a few good friends and myself are heading off to spend the New Year in Fiji. With a couple of buffets and all you can eat feasts, I doubt my resolution to be sensible around food won’t stick. But really, when do resolutions really stick?

Can you believe how sour the weather has become Sydneysiders? First summer gives us a taste after a cold winter and then pulls it away from us quick smart leaving us with this rain, wind and jacket-weather. I blame the weather on my lack of updates, it’s been keeping me indoors and very dull.

Anyway, last night we escaped the cold and the rain for my darling Johanna’s 24th birthday at The Flinders Inn in Paddington/Moore Park. From the moment we walked through the unsuspecting bright orange door into the small restaurant, I could tell we were in for something different and very special. Everything from the bread and butter to the dessert was absolutely delicious (and well worth the price tag, let me tell you). I was won over by my braised tomato gnocchi; J wasn’t lying, they were like small clouds that melt in your mouth.

Tonight the boyfriend and I are going to see Vince Vaughn’s new film Couples Retreat. I wish I had something more interesting to tell you readers; at the moment my life revolves around Glee, food and hibernating until this horrible weather takes leave of us.

Hands up who thought the apocalypse was coming when they peeked out the window this morning?

I’ve browsed through so many photos of Sydney’s dust storm and I have to say, had I been getting up for work this morning (day off!) I probably would have thought the same. It looked incredible and I’m disappointed to have missed it; all I have to show for the worst dust storm in, well however long, is a bathroom covered in dust.

So as you can tell, it’s not beach weather. Thanks, Mother Nature.

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