Wonderful weekend past..

Monday night here in Sydney and a fantastic day has passed. Not fantastic in the

sense that something truly sensational happened, but because it was just an 

incredibly beautiful day. We woke up to a spotless blue sky and lovely sunlight,
and having had a brilliant weekend the world felt a wonderful place today!

via Rise & Shine

The air was (is) cold, crisp and fresh - a day I wish I could have spent outside -

preferably doing numerous laps in the park (read on and you'll understand why..)

however this week, like the last two, is insanely busy. I say this with a big smile

on my face, because I am so excited and grateful for all the stimulating projects &

commissions that are coming my way.  I thrive on the energy and love the rush!

via Sma Kee on Flickr as seen via Matisse Color

The weekend just passed was wonderfully relaxed and we had such a great time!

On Saturday we went over to beautiful Woollahra to see a great exhibition by

legendary photographer Nick Brandt at the equally fabulous Shapiro gallery.

 LIONESS JUMPING FROM TREE, MASAI MARA 2008

I have blogged about Nick Brandt before (HERE & HERE) and am a huge fan of his work!

He has a way of capturing the animals in such a serene, intimate and tender manner.

 LIONS HEAD TO HEAD, MASAI MARA 2008

 

As with another of my favourite photographers, Rodney Smith (blogged HERE & HERE),

Nick also uses a regular SLR (i.e. not digital SLR) and does all his post-production by hand!..

 ZEBRA MOTHER AND BABY, NGORONGORO CRATER 2005

The works shown at Shapiro were huge (you know how I love big art and prints!..) giving

the stunning motifs and detail justice.  My favourite (this time) was a huge (over 2 m x 1 m)

print of buffalo shot at Amboseli in 2006 (below). An amazing piece I would absolutely love

to own, and for sure also a great investment piece! Expensive but very very tempting indeed!

BUFFALO GROUP PORTRAIT, AMBOSELI, 2006

Later that afternoon we went over to good friends' to celebrate midsummer Swedish

style. This very wonderful annual event (that exceeds our national day in popularity!) is

celebrated with a buffet of (for us typically) Summery foods like a selection of herring,

dill, new potatoes, salmon, snaps, and usually topped off with a large serving of fresh

strawberries and whipped cream. This feast is usually held outside after having danced

around a maypole at some nearby field, followed by a raft of fun games & tournaments.

via House of Philia

A real 'family celebration' that includes the very young to the very old. Such a great time!

Though it was too cold to embrace the outdoor tradition we raised our glasses with chilled

Aquavit and we sang, ate and had a terribly Swedish and great time until the kids looked

cross-eyed with tiredness and it was time to go home & to bed. Despite not being able

to adorn our Summery selves with hand made wreaths of birch tree twigs, walk silently

& barefoot over seven dew-clad meadows and pick seven different kinds of midsummer

flowers to put underneath our pillows, like the old pagan tradition dictates, we slept well..

via I See the Moon Photography

via Martha Stewart

Sunday was my dear huz's birthday, so the kids and I whisked him off to breakfast at

one of his fave cafes (Bellagio on Bronte Rd). This place not only displays the most

amazing cobalt blue & silver wallpaper (which I will snap an iPhone photo of next
time) and coolest vintage tables, but also serves fantastic coffee. Needless to say the

huz cares more about the latter.. After breakfast we set off for the ocean front, and we
spent a couple of hours enjoying the fantastic weather at a local beach and park.
Aaaaahhh.. I love this time of the year (when it's sunny like this!..) - I can breeeathe!!

 via Cox & Cox and Kim Gray


Having treated Marshall to Nick Brandt's book (gallery sold only) 'On This Earth A
Shadow Falls' (artist's edition) the day before, there were no other presents than a candle
clad home-made chocolate & coconut cake, singing by me and the kids and some divine
drawings and cards by the kids. After cake (and a rest!), we headed out to dinner at a local
Italian restaurant and even managed to top off our meal with a generous serving of gelato.. 

 A real feat after a long and needless to say, very very gluttonous weekend, I tell you! :)

via Lissy Elle (first introduced to me by my dear friend Manvi at Mochatini)

Suffice to say we had no room or energy left for anything else after this, though a couple of
already mentioned laps in the park wouldn't have hurt..  So all in all, a truly blessed weekend
and the perfect way to prepare for Marshall being away for all of this week. In fact he is on

his flight to Singapore as we speak and probably enjoying a great movie and fab service..

source unknown

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend. What did you get up to?

xx Charlotta