The Letterbox That Says Welcome Home

This might just be the sweetest little letterbox ever. It is without a doubt the best letterbox in its neighbourhood. When you consider that almost every house anywhere in the world that has home delivery post has a letterbox, there is a very small percent of letterboxes with personality and most of those are at rural addresses. They also seem to model houses or animals which is interesting. 
Mail is great, how do you feel when you get a letter in the mail? And if it is handwritten, does that feel even better?  What is everyone reading this post (excuse the pun) took the time to handwrite a letter to a friend or family member, put the letter in a cute envelope, stuck a stamp in the top right hand corner and then posted it? That would be a collective amount of joy sent out around the world and that is what I call the good stuff in life. What if we could track each of those letters, giving it a virtual ribbon asking the letter reader to repeat the action to someone new and so on and so forth? How long would it take to wrap the whole world in this virtual ribbon of sent and received love? 
And on that note for you I have linked a most beautiful Ted.com clip. http://www.ted.com/talks/hannah_brencher_love_letters_to_strangers.html

SUGARBEE XX   02/01/13

Creatures Alive And Well

Street art done right, the world is pumping with it and what a journey from the streets of New York City way back when. This piece was painted by a girl who turned up one day and kept going until it was complete, so the story goes, and I think West Preston has appreciated her efforts ever since. I certainly do and I would give you more information on this piece and the artist if I had it, but I don't so all we can do is appreciate the work together. Its dinner time as I write this and now I very much want to eat a burger, possibly due to starring at the picture for a while, infact definitely due to starring at this picture, because I never want to eat burger otherwise. But dinner aside I think there is value in knowing the history of street art, graffiti and tagging.  Without tagging there is so much amazing art that wouldn't exist at all. There are a multitude of sources you can look at, and if you have a decent library at your fingertips, start there. And if there is no decent library in your city/hometown, may I go out on a limb and say consider moving to somewhere that has a decent library, your life will be ever richer for it.

SUGARBEE XX   01/01/13

A Colour Explosion

Down at the markets is an explosion of colour happening for all to see. Wig city here we are, (that's not the store name, you can find the wig shop at the Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne CBD), and it's the way the wigs are lined up, all in an order that looks like a party is about to go down in the army barracks. There are many levels of order going on here to, attention, personality, positioning, alignment, length, style and then lack of order in the colour spectrum just to throw it all full circle. Is the store owner aware of what he has created? Its wild mathematics, because after all everything is mathematics. And my favourite, has to be the long tangerine piece first position, second row, she glows, a neon niceness that would light up any room. And so I slip it on to slip off into dreams of wearing her everywhere for just one day, carrying a walkman listening this piece of magic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE1R1FLM8iA. I would have 65 outfits to match because the outfit to the supermarket at 6am would differ from the housework outfit, the mid morning museum stroll outfit, lunch with the queen outfit, mid day ice skating outfit, high street shopping outfit, early evening cinema outfit, dinner outfit, and of course the all night party outfit, plus the many other outfits for the many other events, venues and situations I would find myself in. Awww I'm smiling.

SUGARBEE XX   31/12/12

Tick Tok Cafe

Williamstown, Melbourne is cute and village like, so it set the scene well. On the weekends it's busy with people and families who like parks, boats, fishing, markets, a sea side promenade, bars and cafes. I'm here hungry and thirsty one Sunday afternoon when I find Tick Tok Cafe, boutique and inviting and it makes Organic coffee so I decide to give it a go. As it turns out it's the best decision of the day, and here's why: Firstly the atmosphere is clean and modern with personality, but it's the service that really blew me away. I ordered, then was embarrassed to find I was a little short on funds, the staff smile and say it's okay, take a seat, I change my choice of seats 3 times, and this causes no drama, my coffee was strong like I asked and full of body and the pie came out unexpectedly accompanied with salad, served with a smile. I got the feeling they are serving people, not wallets that walk in the door, there was no attitude, the service was prompt, the coffee was right, and the food was tasty and served with a salad even though I was short on cash. I'm giving it 5 out of 5 ***** and I'm recommending it to anyone who pops down to Williamstown one afternoon on the hunt for waterside loveliness. www.ticktok.com.au.   181 Nelson Place, Williamstown, Melbourne.

SUGARBEE XX   30/12/12

Mole Has A Name

There was a show on TV in the 1970's for kids, from memory a short show, 5 mins maybe, no dialogue and a very simple format. The mole would walk above ground, dig holes, do things, tunnel, come up and repeat it all over again. This is entranced me severely, and to this day I have it only in memory, maybe I remember it all wrong, but recently I found a jigsaw featuring the mole and I think I squealed in excitement. Now finally I am googling is and let's see what I find. First aired 1956, in Prague, and very popular in Central Europe, India, China, Russia and Japan. So now I understand why I've only ever seen toys etc of Mole in Asian style shops in Australia. Mole is named Krtek and 50 episodes were made from 1963 onwards. The production of cartoons must have been so much slower than today.  Krtex was "voice-overed" by the creator's daughters and so it could be internationally enjoyed by children the world over, only short non figurative exclamations were ever used to express feelings and perceptions of the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_%28Zden%C4%9Bk_Miler_character%29 and not a lot else is there to be found except this one gem: http://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krtko_%28animovan%C3%BD_film%29 At least I know he was real and kids half a world away from me loved him too, because I've only ever met one other person who knew Mole.

SUGARBEE XX   29/12/12

The Blue Swan

Many things in life are beautiful, and many things in life are even more beautiful when they are placed in the right context. That is the job of interior designers; they take the object and bring it to life. This is a skill I wish had more of, but alas, and then never mind, I have other talents. My friend Sarah has this talent, she always looks stunning, making things appear effortless, she is romantic, she knows fashion, she has taste and she breathes style into any environment. I wonder about the swan, I wonder how Sarah would work the swan, and I'm guessing she would take place in a white room to the side, where it sits softly singing its tale to anyone who will listen. Me, I would pop it on my desk, the far right corner, full of lollies to keep me energised while I work, too practical for my own good, although accessible to look at if I need a moments fantasy to fill my head, where I find myself riding the swans back as we fly off over the mountains and far away, and if it gets a little cold, I only have to snuggle down into the feathers. And see that is my talent, imagination.

SUGARBEE XX   28/12/12

Grange Hill Memories

If this had been my school, I would have been keen to go everyday (except weekends, I'd never have been that keen). Not sure if it is a school, it just looks like a school, it clearly reminds me of Grange Hill, and maybe that is why I'd go everyday with a smile. Grange Hill, that classic 1970-80's British kids TV show about school and if you were lucky enough to see it as a kid, then you were lucky, because you would have also see a multitude of excellent kids TV Here's a clip from Grange Hill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCPfzo0HgFs. And then there was Danger Mouse, Inspector Gadget, The Mole, Top Cat, THE GOODIES, etc etc etc, all top notch quality. Let me hunt a GOODIES clip for you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38L424Uc4BY and then I have to draw myself right off You Tube otherwise nothing else will get done all day, but I'm very happy to find out that watching THE GOODIES as an adult is as good as watching it was as a child. Okay, twist my arm, I going to watch the rest of that clip; after all I'm on holiday, hooray, hooray.

SUGARBEE XX   27/12/12

A Ride In Time

There are lots of things I've yet to do and taking a ride around Melbourne in a carriage is differently on my list, along with a Hot Air Balloon Ride, the Trans-Siberian railway trip, climbing Mt Everest etc. Dreams dreams, dreams. But the carriage ride I can do soon, any day of the week. (Multitasking, picking a date and putting it in my diary, choosing who to take . . .)  I'd love to find out where they go, is there a choice of routes, or is it where ever you would like to go? Only the other day, I saw a family out and about in a classic carriage, toasting champagne and celebrating life and I thought how delightful. But why did I take the photo? It was early evening, the time when you can feel a change is in the air, you can't yet see it, but you know the dark is not far off, and I saw the pink light, luminous and inviting, and instantly I somehow thought of Dr. Who, and imagined how incredible it would be to actually take a ride in one of these carriages and slip through into another dimension, it had been a long day, I was dog tired, very hungry and prone to fantasy.  Find a way to ride by visiting www.classiccarriage.com.au, or grab Alex on 0425 709 911

SUGARBEE XX   26/12/12

A Polar Bear

A joyous Polar Bear. A rather cute ornament. It looks functional, like it might hold something, although the paws aren't all in alignment so I'm not sure what he would hold. Maybe he holds my dreams. Maybe he holds nothing but joy, he looks very happy afterall.  I didn't name him, he is not mine, I didn't buy him, I didn't have the money at the time, but I did pick him up, I felt his weight, he was solid and heavy relative to his size, and it just came to me, of course, he is a paperweight. I couldn't own him though, I wouldn't get any work done, I would spend all my time attempting to balance things on his paws.

SUGARBEE XX   25/12/12

The Christmas Postie

How much fun is she? This is my local postie, out and about on duty on Christmas Eve, smiling and delivering the mail, keeping the wheels oiled for the rest of us. Yay for Australia Post. Yay for the postie. Yay for three among many reasons, firstly she is working on Christmas Eve, and in doing so ensuring that the many Christmas gifts I mailed will make it to their various destinations on time. Secondly my local postie is working when many cafes have shut their doors and left us coffee junkies hanging, hmmm not happy, never mind there is always at least one cafe open even if it's half a mile away. And thirdly my local postie has jumped into the Christmas spirit with both feet, creating a little piece on magic in my neighbourhood.  Full marks for effort most definitely and a rather large Thank-you! Keeping the mail about the people, this is essentially what it is all about. This reminds me of the long term postie in Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand who had for many years done his job well, always delivered on time, with personality, and dressed to bring smiles year round, a local icon. Someone a little too uptight in NZ Post decided this was not fitting with their corporate culture and threatened him with unemployment, a very poor state of affairs NZ Post, very poor indeed. Yay for Australia Post and Yay for my local postie (apologies I didn't get your name, but Merry Christmas to you all the same!)

SUGARBEE XX   24/12/12

Thank-you

Those are my legs, I'm in a car being carried somewhere by someone to do something, the details have slipped but that doesn't matter at all. I made the T H A N K Y O U laid across my legs a few months back, I sent my Mum a photo and she loved it. I'm kicking myself though for I can't remember who I made it for. I think they loved it, I'm sure they did, I hope they did, I'm sure they deserved it. It doesn't matter much now either, it's the thought that counted, to be more precise it is the genuine thought that counted and it's the genuine thought that always will. Saying Thank-you is important to me, it conveys appreciation to the other and it's always nice to be appreciated isn't it. I once worked in a boring and tiresome job, that required me to use about 5% of my mind, a job so full of silly rules and designed to wear you down, yet I always noted was the how my manager would say Thank You to each and ever one of us at the end of the day. That made all the difference, that one sentiment made it possible to keep coming back to work wearing a smile.

SUGARBEE XX   23/12/12

Be Excellent To Each Other

Exactly as it says, and I'm also going to state it in capitals: BE EXCELLENT TO EACH OTHER. This little slogan has been around for a number of years, if you activate an internet search on it you will find it in many forms and places.  As far as I can tell its origins are from the movie Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure and as far as I can make out the two characters in the poster above are Bill & Ted. The Urban Dictionary defines it as: The greatest and least heinous of all golden rules. Not very sure where the heinous fits into this slogan, but there you go, different people, different interpretations in all areas of life. Mostly though let's embrace and live by it.  As one lovely lady I had a brief encounter with on a tram recently said "Why be part of the problem?" And here for you lovely lady, I've linked a 5 minute video that perfectly illustrates today's post. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID0kgP9IVhs  May we all be excellent to each other, its also the best way to be excellent to yourself.

SUGARBEE XX   23/12/12

Lvylia An Artist

Things around me pique my interest constantly. On a tram the other day, I met Lvylia. Standing in front of me, fingers moving in a way I hadn't seen anyone ever manipulate a smartphone screen before. So I asked "Excuse me, what are you doing?" And the pleasant reply came "I'm drawing" and then I was shown the screen and then I was blown away. The drawing here was only partly complete, it was created freehand (if you can apply that term to drawing on a electronic device) and I find that worthy of Wow.  I suspect Lvylia is very good at this and has produced a number of drawings similar. But what struck me the most was how Lvylia was putting time to good use when 99.9% of the people on public transport do nothing more than stare into blank space, looking grumpy. Good on you! To you who are inspiring, talented, and friendly with a beautiful smile, I say THANK-YOU xx

SUGARBEE XX   21/12/12

Balloons Anyone?

Strolling along Swanston Street the other day I came across the happiest scene I had seen all day. This young man brings smiles to the faces of all the children and will have the greatest story to tell his grandchildren one day. Momo (shown here) and Queena travel the world making balloon animals. I think I understand jealousy now. How excellent is there gig? These two characters are particularly good at what they do, not only do they make fantastic, colourful, and happy balloons creatures as you can see here, they do it with big smiles on their faces, and leave you with the impression that they are doing it for love, not money.  Is that not the secret for great service in any industry? It is the most important ingredient for sure! I'd happily pay them triple what they ask because more than a balloon, I'm getting smiles, laughter, joy, belief and care too. Its 5 mins of feel good with a take home pack to boot, and I'm not exactly a child anymore! QQ Balloon Planet on facebook will take you into their wonder world as will booking them for a party by emailing queena.tzeng@gmail.com

SUGARBEE XX   20/12/12

The Coast And Its Wonder Path

Love to ride? Then jump on your bike one fine day, along the path between Newport and Altona and you will find this sculpture. Sculpture often offers itself up for interpretation and its here I see cowboys playing in the wind. In the background those tiny white dots are sails; this is the south west coast of Melbourne. The pathway crosses several types of terrain, so at one point you are next to a wild sea being covered in sea spray, looking out to container ships and feeling the power of the wind, a while later you're riding over wooden bridges past swans and pelicans nursing their young, and then later still you find yourself in the middle of a thistle field, big purple heads waving all around. Done solo, it fills your mind with peace, your lungs with clean air and your mind with wonder. Well that's my experience anyhow, I hope you get to experience it one day and find the same joy.   

SUGARBEE XX   19/12/12

Sharing Is A Beautiful Thing

Desserts were made to be shared.  Eating dessert alone is never as sweet. And with something like this shaved ice dessert there is plenty to share. I'll admit that I'm assuming it was shaved ice and not ice cream.  Asking for clarification on this point was difficult, way too much giggling to interrupt, as it was I resorted to hand signals to achieve the action of spooning in unison. But the whole thing was a delight to see in the minute I had to ask, prep, shoot and leave. Longer than a minute and my operation starts to feels invasive and uncomfortable. Positive the girls enjoyed every morsel, I had the impression they would easily have finished the whole bowl, but as with all sweet things, first desires are liars and I most certainly did not pick up a spoon and help them with their mission. 

SUGARBEE XX   18/12/12

The Big Birdhouse

Down on the Yarra River, alongside the City Road Bridge sits a rather large bird house. Everything in life is mathematics and this is multiples and in my mind this is a great and grand thing. This particular birdhouse houses pigeons and immediately I wonder how the park people manage to keep this as a pigeon only house. Is it safe to assume a large number of pigeons were lured into the birdhouse with delicious seed immediately after its construction and placement, following the majority rule theory. I also wonder how they care for the birdhouse, is it cleaned out weekly, are the inhabitants tagged, and why were pigeons given this birdhouse? My mind is whirling, a little internet search is in order in which the following found site which only makes my mind whirl more:  http://www.waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=a38e62e8-e084-437e-aa86-339cda4b2220&st=2  Here you will also see the Dorval Purple Martin Lighthouse, similar to this Melbourne affair along with lots of other sweet and lovely birdhouses.

SUGARBEE XX   17/12/12

The Crossing Supervisor

You know how good it is when you see someone proud in their job, smiling all the way, friendly and finding the time to be helpful. It's simply a joy to behold and a joy to brush by. This man is a Crossing Supervisor, known as the Lollipop Man in England.  In New Zealand this roll is reduced to a teacher on crossing duty with a sash and a whistle, and school kids to help.  In New Zealand they get the kids to march out onto the road with flags and stop the traffic.  Thinking about that makes me shudder, and question the way the system is run. I think Australia has this one won by a mile against New Zealand. Some things are just better left to adults. I can't compare with the Lollipop system in England because I haven't observed it for myself, but the very handy and informative Wikipedia came up with the following link and I now have an international (5 countries) understanding of the various ways the system works. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_guard  But when all is said and done, I think it might be a safe bet that this particular Cross Supervisor is the happiest and proudest one of all.

SUGARBEE XX   16/12/12

Love

Something just so dam lovely about love isn't there. Everyone wants to be loved, even if seeing it in someone is like searching for a needle in a haystack, it's completely true, everyone wants to be loved. And love comes in many forms, love can be expressed from or to in many ways, with or without cultural boundaries, with or without money, with or without imagination etc. Love is a feeling, and true love is unconditional.  You can love someone and not like what they said or did, and that's all good, it is still love.  Love can test you, love can break you, love can make your life light as cotton candy or hard as stone, it's up to you what you do with that love. But know that if you have been hurt 1000 times in love, by friends, by society etc, whatever, etc, you can always open your heart to love again. Awwww ain't that sweet. Love is excellent, love doesn't judge, love is a beautiful expression of life and it's for everyone, from everyone.  The more you open yourself to love, the more you spread it around, the more comes flooding back to you like a raging river. And if you doubt that, maybe start with loving yourself a little more x

SUGARBEE XX   15/12/12

Hi O

Hi O, Hi O, it's off to market we go, at least that's where I was heading when I came across this little mark on the wall. Not that little actually, about a foot high.  It is painted on a fence in a laneway behind my house, for all who pass to see.  It says just what it means and makes me want to learn hi or hello in a different language each day.  And then I wonder how many languages there are out in the world, I wonder how many years it would take to cover one hello per day. Taking into account dialects, I figure many years, even 10 years would not come close.  Do I have the energy to take on this task? I think I will give it a go, whilst being ever grateful for the internet, which I feel is going to make this task far easier.  Alright, wish me luck, I will start with hello in Romanian: Buna (with accent above the a) or Salut.  I will keep a record and post my results in the future sometime.

SUGARBEE XX   14/12/12

The Bee Mosaic

It's the effort people go to, the point of difference they create, the little things done and designed with the community in mind that can make all the difference. The humble bee, a simple mosaic work in the footpath, there for all who care to stroll over it, around it, stop and look at it. This piece was approximately a foot square, and for those of you unfamiliar with the joy of imperial measurement, a fraction over your 30cm school ruler. But when I grab my tape measure to gauge if a foot is actually anywhere near correct, I find that 20 inches or half a metre is closer to reality. I can hear your minds tick over, "she's doing this by memory" and on that point you would be correct, the photo was taken on a recent trip to Bendigo, the same little town with the Blanket and Doona Machine, Australia, I Love You!

SUGARBEE XX   13/12/12

Magic Magic Magic

And before we go any further, load the link and sing along. http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=AU&hl=en-GB&v=NLxN0wpFoP8 live in concert just for the extra thrill of it all.  Then back to the photo at hand, MAGIC, its not a magic shop, its a kitchen and furniture manufacture and that's a little disappointing for me. I'm interested in the old building, the rusty sign and the bars on the windows, a piece of history. I feel like I am in The Great Depression of the early 1930's, desolation all around, a ghost town, hunger and hopelessness. Its funny, at the front of the building sleek design and modern comfort shine out from the showroom.  Two ends of the economic spectrum in one scene. After a short while I prefer to ignore both and slip silently around the back looking for a entrance to the magic show, hoping to learn some new tricks, and finally answer an age old question, "where does the rabbit really come from?"

SUGARBEE XX   12/12/12

The Wedding Party

Simply wonderful. As I recall that day I saw 3 weddings in and around the town that day, this one being the most fun. I have no idea what they were talking about, an eavesdropper I am not, and it didn't matter, because grabbing my attention were the colours, the movement in the girls, the infectious laughter. On a little street with a high amount of foot traffic, a lot of coffee houses, and a general air of excitement, this scene raised the bar 10 fold. I imagine the party that followed, a symphony of joy and I'm happy I was part of it, if only for a fleeting moment as a passerby.

SUGARBEE XX   11/12/12

Something Scary In The Night

This could be a cover to a Hitchcock movie. I can see the birds circling the tower now. A night scene, around midnight or a little after when all the suburban streets are abandoned, the winds softly blow a chill over everything and if you do see a crow fly past, you might burst into a fast pace; fighting fright all the way home. This photo like all my photos is not retouched, the tower is lit blue at night, yet again another example of Melbourne giving attention to details.  And as I'm talking of details a phenomena strikes, where you look at an object or an image 100 times and then on the 101st time see a detail you haven't before. I've just noticed the power lines and how the closest one intersects the base of the tower spike. Suddenly I see 27 big black birds sitting on the wire, one lifts off, heading my way but by now I am safely home, with the door closed to all the scary things outside.

SUGARBEE XX    10/12/12

The Phoenix Twins

Sometimes I'll opt to use a photo I took a while back and if you are visually savvy you might have noticed that this is a photo snapped 5 yrs ago. I have a moment’s recall of all that has happened in that time, how much I have grown, the maturity that I now wear, the lack of care for so much that used to fill my mind. Give it a go, back to 2007, what were you like? ___________. How was that little exercise? And then the exciting realization that I have another 5 yrs to fill starting now. 
Back to the brothers in brown, I remember sitting on the 2nd floor of a concrete construction shell as they strolled past. Positivity, rhythm, and unity in one hit, so I grabbed my camera and took a photo. We were at Phoenix Fest, an Auckland event that celebrates people, music and all things natural, hosted by Phoenix Drinks, who make sparkling organic juice for a mindful in New Zealand. http://www.phoenixorganics.co.nz/ It was a fun day, is it still in existence? I'm not sure, but if you do visit Auckland one day and want to meet a lovely crew, it is worth finding out. I can't find evidence of it after 2008.

SUGARBEE XX   09/12/12

The Red Umbrella

The simple things in life add colour to your day, like this big red umbrella. The perfect umbrella. The kind that keeps you dry on a wet day, cool on a hot day, just stepped out of the salon on a windy day. Seeing as I love to travel light I might get a fright if someone gave me such an umbrella, or I might burst into song and dance feeling a lot like Fred Astaire. Who knows what would happen? But from the outside looking in, the image appeals to me completely. We are at the local train station and I have a love affair with trains, it's the excitement of going somewhere, the big engines, the romance, a childhood fantasy never out grown. And it's the colours in the photo that set my heart on fire, the brilliant escaping the heavy dull like a prisoner wrongly accused just set free and then all those straight lines everywhere, which throws my attention straight back to the umbrella, the big red round umbrella.

SUGARBEE XX   08/12/12

The Little Lady Of Delight

Many words come to mind and I'm choosing adorable to start off the alphabet, followed by beautiful, charming, delicate, elegant, fantastic, gorgeous, handcrafted, imaginative, and joyous, every one appropriate. The detailing has been executed with the consideration, the skier skis and the dog can run. I look at the little skiing lady and I'm in heaven until I notice the many drawers of delight all around me to be found at LoveHate, www.lovehate.com.au a complete world of wonderful in West Preston, Melbourne. A shop where the staff are pleasant and welcoming, a shop where purchases satisfy long after you leave, and where you may say awww, that's so sweet more than you imagined possible. I made it home, my head in the clouds, I think it's time for a nap and to process all I just saw.
Please note SUGARBEE on the photo does not relate to the product, it is a mark on all the blog's photos. 

SUGARBEE XX   07/12/12

Why Mow When You Can Have Flowers?

One must ask why mow your nature strip when you can create a flowerbed to welcome the bees, a flowerbed that scents the air in perfume, a flowerbed that would be considerably less work and definitely more beautiful than a strip of short grass.  This is a nature strip that welcomes you home after a long day. This is a nature strip that's says HELLO, I MISSED YOU ALL DAY. Most nature strips are like a tidy trim on a sensible dress, the finishing touch to the lawn, a gift from tradition. And while tradition is great in that it gives people unity, placement and community, by nature it does not welcome in a new way. There is a soft wind of change blowing though; I have seen a couple of landscaped nature strips that match the house and garden, but none of cheery as this one.
Before I go, I would like to mention a related interest, the idea that some people are turning their entire lawns into vegetable gardens, and that is simply smart and wonderful.

SUGARBEE XX   06/12/12

The Love Of Monkeys

Now aside from Planet of the Apes, I'm not sure if I had ever seen such a happy couple of monkeys before. This is a very special book; it gives me hope in a dying world. I can't tell you exactly why, it's just a feeling I get, maybe it's saying there will always be love, maybe it's saying, no matter how bad things get, we the monkeys of this book will always be here for you, always have a smile for you and as this book will always live on my bookshelf, that's a grand thing. I can only hope looking at the cover of this book brings you a little smile too. There is not a lot more I have to say about it, I'm strangely at peace right now.

SUGARBEE XX   05/12/12

Yay For Mickey

Don't tell Disneyland, Mickey has run away and found a stylish home in the Block Arcade, Melbourne. He is hiding out as a handmade beaded bag, certainly a crown jewel in the dressing room, no longer trashed by the multitudes, instead adored by the discerning few lucky enough to encounter him here. The bag being beaded has a shine that catches your eye, a certain heaviness giving it presence; it's tactile and even a little exciting. When I hold a bag like this, I feel like a small child shopping, looking in every window, lost in dreams. The best moments at the sweet shop purchasing different coloured gobstoppers, one little hand sliding in the bag, grasping coins, and placing them on the tall counter. It is the joy of childhood, free of responsibility, moments when everything is possible that I am remembering. And then back to my adult life, as I notice the shop is Hunter Gather, run by the Brotherhood of St Laurence, so all purchases contribute to the welfare of those in need. If you live in Melbourne, go check them out: http://www.bsl.org.au/hunter-gatherer.aspx

SUGARBEE XX   04/12/12

The Blanket And Doona Machine

Bendigo, VIC, Australia.  Brilliant.  To be honest it took a while to click that I was looking at a laundry, and that's because I was quite involved in the visual before me.  To many this may hold no appeal or interest, for me I was transported back to 1940, a small country town, in the heat of summer, farms across the road, a tough life full of hard work, with sandwiches for lunch and meat and 3 veg for dinner every day. Scones and cream and cups of tea a treat every so often.  Are the components of my fantasy correct with history? It doesn't matter, it is fantasy and that's okay. A shake of the head, blink my eyes and click my heels like Dorothy, I'm back living in 2012, here to see the Bendigo Art Gallery, perhaps a treat to beat scones and cream and cups of tea any day unless of course Nana is serving them.
Be sure to visit if you are ever in town: www.bendigoartgallery.com.au

SUGARBEE XX   03/12/12

Top Hat Magic Rabbits

Hands up who doesn't love rabbits. I search the earth and with my bunny rose coloured glasses I see not a hand go up. This lady loves 3 and all the stars to her! Some t-shirts are adorable, this is an adorable t-shirt. This lady was adorable, one of my many favourite people. "Excuse me, can I take a photo of your t-shirt?" met with the reply that always brings a smile to my face "Sure." Me being me, of course I want a t-shirt like this. I need only to go to Threadless, hunt through the thousands of designs available and purchase one. But what I want more than that is to know if the middle rabbit jumps into the top hat where does it go?

SUGARBEE XX   02/12/12

If You Need A Little Love

 

The writing's on the wall, if you are in need of a little love, this ones for you.

SUGARBEE XX   01/12/12

5 Hours On The Lost Side

Take a look, see Time, beautiful precious time, tick, tick tick.  What's a minute mean to you? How about 30 minutes, an hour or more? Sure time is relative, but what if I give you an extra 5 hours today? How would you spend that time? _____________  _____________  ____________ (fill in the blanks with your wonderful mind).  Now imagine you are locked out of your house with nothing but the clothes you are wearing, no watch, shoes, keys, phone, money, pen, paper, bag, anything to read, eat or drink, no access to your car etc etc.  What will you do? That was my fate today and this is how I filled in the hours: meditating in the garden, strolling around the neighbourhood, chatting to strangers, smelling flowers, eating fruit hanging from trees, staying calm, refusing to think about the things I had planned to be doing, making daisy chains, having a wee in the garden and finally finding a place to lay my weary head and dream. 
I am grateful for my long afternoon of forced relaxation, and am awakened to the reality of modern life's need to accessorize itself with lots of lovely useful things have and do.

SUGARBEE XX   30/11/11

There Is Only One Way...

And that is how you do it! You smother on Nutella, you don't hold back, you wreck havoc on the bread with the sticky chocolate spread. Toast is good, hot or not, little bit of butter, followed by many spoonloads of that sweet brown chaos.  Really any chocolate spread will do, as long as it's quality. The trick is to keep the spread strictly on top of the bread, because if this yummy excuse for breakfast is not handled with care, it is likely to be one messy affair. Consume with a large chocolate milkshake. Mine was raisin toast covered in butter and submerged in Nutella. I'm proud to say I scored an A, clean fingers and clean face!

SUGARBEE XX   29/11/12

The Cutest Little Taco Truck In Town

This is without a doubt one of the nicest things in my neighbourhood. Cornutopia, come here to indulge in super yummy Mexican tucker. It's inexpensive, delicious and topped off with personal service that puts a sparkle in your day.  To experience this treat, you will need to make your way to the Preston Markets, which I have to say are excellent all round, just like one big family. Situated in Melbourne, Australia, but even if you're living in Japan, it's worth the trip. This little Taco truck offers organic fresh fare, with lots of gluten free, it's hmm hmm tasty and satisfying definitely. Best bet EVER.  Okay okay, you get the point, I love this little taco truck, but be assured, I wouldn't rave if it were not deserving. I will link the website and let them speak for themselves. http://cornutopia.com.au/Cornutopia/CORNUTOPIA.html  Yay Cornutopia, you rock!  

SUGARBEE XX   28/11/12

Tug Tug The Tinfoil Monster

"I am Tug Tug, Tinfoil Monster Elite.  If you can see me, I will send you a whole packet of Norwegian Breakfast Biscuits to munch on and you will gain secret powers. Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom." 
I heard him first, a voice from the ground, initially a low growl, developing into pronounced words delivered with depth and conviction. I turned to face the footpath, I saw him shiny and moving ever so slightly, a kind of shake, a kind of shimmy, an invitation to believe. I made a snap decision. I chose to believe in this low growling, shaking, shimming, tinfoil creature. Bang, like a flash in a pan Tug Tug was real, I snapped him with my camera, looked at my watch, turned and ran, I was late for a date. That was Saturday. On Sunday I opened the front door of my teeny tiny apartment, and waiting on the porch was a whole packet of Norwegian Breakfast Biscuits. I have yet to open them, something is telling me I'm better savouring rather than gobbling this delivery.

SUGARBEE XX   27/11/12