Mish mash

Been reading...

The Civilised World, by Susi Wyss: This was a short, very moving read. It tells the story if several women - black and white - living in Africa, who's lives intersect over the course of time and the novel. At the heart of the story is Adjoa, who dreams of opening a beauty parlour and who must also come to terms with a terrible loss. I loved Adjoa because she was so real in her uncertainty - actually, all the characters were written with such realism, which is why i think such a small book ended up having so much impact. Plus, Wyss writes so beautifully, with such gentleness, that it takes no effort at all to read it in just a few sittings. Whether she's writing about the African landscape or the emotional inner turmoil of the women, she is pitch-perfect every time. Definitely recommended.



The Likeness, by Tana French: There's no doubt French is a talented writer. The Likeness is part mystery, part thriller, but its the atmosphere she creates that keeps you reading. Her characters are so well-rounded and have such depth, and her writing has a literary feel that's not typical of most mysteries, so i really enjoyed this one. The premise of the novel is simple, although you may have to suspend your disbelief temporarily - Cassie, a young detective, is called to a murder scene where she discovers she is the splitting image of the victim. I won't spoil the rest, but i do recommend it if you like mysteries with a psychological twist.


Been eating...


Orto Trading Co, Surry Hills: This place is CUTE! It's not on a main street, so we had to do a bit of looking to find it, but it seemed to be a really popular neighbourhood choice - we got there at 6pm and it was packed by 7. I could see why - it was cosy, the service was excellent and the food was really yummy. I loved the glass bottles hanging over the bar with flowers in them, and the white furniture and the candles, and i loved the free truffled popcorn we got at the start....

I had their signature pumpkin pockets to start, and then we shared a beef and Guinness stew with Yorkshire pudding and chilli-spiced potatoes - which was bloody delicious. The meat just melted in your mouth, and the potatoes was so yummy - it was the perfect wintery meal. Check it out if you have a chance.

Bruschetteria 102, Surry Hills: This is probably my new favourite place for lunch - I've already been three times and i don't see myself stopping. The first time, i dragged my old friend Turnsie along, and i was pleased that he enjoyed it as well. As you can probably tell by the name, 90% of their menu is made up of different types of bruschetta, and it. is. delicious. There's at least 12 different types, but my favourite has to be the Ragu, which is basically beef ragu with parmesan cheese on top of crusty bread, and the Alpina, which has cheese, pear and walnuts - divine. Although you probably have to be like me and like sweet and savoury flavours together to enjoy that one.



The place is really sweet-looking too, with mismatched furniture and crockery - and everything is for sale, which means the decor is constantly changing as someone buys a piece. One more thing it has going for it - NUTELLA COFFEE!!!! People, it's revolutionary. Just a spoonful of nutella in your coffee, and the flavour completely changes - it has this subtle, hazlenutty taste and its SO GOOD. That alone is worth the visit. Luckily, its only about 10 minutes from work - which could be a good or bad thing, depending on how fat i want to get after all that bread....

Been watching...


The Hangover II: OK, so it wasn't as good as the first one, but it was still pretty darn funny. My favourite character has always been Stu, and he was a ridiculous as ever in part two. This time it's him getting married, in Thailand. Aside from the location, the plot is basically exactly the same as the first - they get completely wasted, lose a member of their party and spend the rest of the movie re-tracing their steps to try and find him before the wedding takes place. Actually with some of the jokes they almost take the gross-factor up a notch. If you liked the first, I'm pretty sure you'll like the second - just don't go in with expectations that it'll be as good as the original.




YouTube: Seriously, there's some weird crap out there. And its addictive. A girlfriend and I spent three hours on Saturday night trawling through the best of the best, one bottle of wine at a time. Our favourites? In no particular order:

• Watching a bot fly-turn-maggot being extracted from human flesh
• Maru the box-loving kitty
• Dramatic Stare (chipmunk edition - just watch it)
• American Idols worst auditions

And there you have it! That's what i've been up to. Basically.