Darren Hanlon at the Famous Spiegeltent, playing a ukulele.

 
I usually detest gig photos, but I only mildly dislike this one because I consider it to be more a photo of the Spiegeltent, which makes all shows more intimate and lovely. If you are in or near Melbourne and haven’t been to the Spiegeltent, please go — see something, anything — before the season finishes. It really is a gem of a place.

It felt like there were only 20 people at the Darren Hanlon gig last night (yet it was sold out), and the acoustics were amazing. He was funny and charming as usual and sang a new tune without a name, along the lines of All These Things Will Follow You. It had H-I-T written all over it and is still stuck in my head the next day. Can’t wait for the new album, even if it is at least a year away, so I can get the song out of my head and into my iPod.

 

At night you can’t tell that our river is murky and brown.

 
The other nice thing about the show was its early start. I was out of the gig before 8.30, snapped the above photo and was home in time to see Enough Rope on TV. Awesome. Next week I’ll be in the studio audience for a live taping in Sydney. Awesomer.

The boring dress, front and back. I feel like I’m in a J. Crew catalog.

 
I bought this dress at the Kinki Gerlinki garage sale on Sunday, for $20. It was a bit chaotic, with loud music, no change rooms or proper lighting and a bunch of women sharing two full-length mirrors, so I only tried it on over a high-necked T-shirt and jeans.

When I got home and tried it on properly, I thought it looked nice but boring. If it was a different colour (the dress also came in bright green and red, but they looked as cheap as they were), or the fabric had a texture or sheen to it, it might be different. It looks shiny in the photos because of the flash, but it’s actually a thin, dull cotton.

On Monday I discovered Spotlight was having a 20%-off-everything sale, so I bought three metres of some wide curvy lace that I thought would look good in lieu of the current ties. I think I was inspired by the faux-lace blouse in Blueprint. Then I got home and tried it on.

 
It’s hard to see any lace detail on the left (front) because of the flash - it more closely resembles the ties in the pic on the right. Bear in mind that I would sew on the lace and trim it so it’s not so long.

I still can’t decide. The lace is nice and gives it a more designer look, but it’s not necessarily what I would pick if I was dress shopping. But without the lace I think it just needs… something.

I bought some thin lace to line the v-neck, but it looks a bit too French maid with all the lace at once. Spotlight also had a wide fuchsia-coloured lace I liked that I could attach to the existing ties, but I don’t know if that would solve the problem. Another Spotlight option was some wide, cream-coloured, linen tape with scalloped edging, which I could embroider with birds or something. But I thought it might make this dress too hippie-ish.

Kristy came over today, so I made her take a look and give me her honest opinion. She was tied between the two options, too. I also tried a bit of Specklefarm striped grosgrain ribbon but thought it looked just a bit too preppy casual. I want to be able to wear this dress to work and not inadvertently proclaim, “I’m the fun boss!”

It seems like the perfect basic dress that you could enhance with accessories, but it doesn’t go with any of my necklaces, and none of my scarves, really, either. (I tested these options on Kristy also.) I’ve also narrowed down its cardigan compatibility to one option, which is roughly the same colour as the lace.

So if you’re out there, dear readers, could you please cast your vote in the comments section? Much appreciated. Or if you live in Melbourne and know about some amazing wide trim that would suit better, please let me know!

Ed: Ha ha, look what I just found on J. Crew: 1 2 3. Even more boring than my dress! (And much more expensive, albeit in nicer fabrics.)

view from the Giant Sky Wheel, in Birrarung Marr

 
It’s been a glorious weekend, thanks to fabulous weather. Two 25-degree days in a row and I don’t have to go to work!

We ate out three times, which was pretty surprising given my new dietary restrictions. But we managed, and it was mostly all delicious. I also discovered that Brunetti in the city makes a spectacular soy chai latte, with foam so thick you can almost eat it. Extra points because it was made by a man wearing a bowtie.

 

I love the letters on the old Herald Sun building.

 
On Friday we saw Kagemi for free. I adored the costumes and the giant paper flowers, but the rest was a bit tedious at times and slightly creepy. Perhaps a bit too highbrow for me. And Sparky.

Yesterday we saw Daniel Kitson’s show C-90, for which we’d secured tickets ages ago. I think it was the first time I’d ever sat in the front row for anything, unless you count the time I saw Jurassic Park in the cinema because they were the only seats left.

Daniel Kitson is a genius. The show is like a short story read aloud on a small stage and is both heartbreakingly beautiful and funny. I can’t recommend it enough. It is hard for me to believe he’s nearly the same age as me, because he hides behind a giant beard and is such a gifted performer already. What will he be like at 40 or 50?

The rest of the weekend has included a small nap, lots of walking (and smelling the honeysuckle and jasmine), browsing in op shops and a ride on the Giant Sky Wheel. And to think there’s still 12 hours of weekend left! Must stop typing now so I can enjoy it.

I wish I could say I took this photo. But it’s a self-portrait by the lovely Tracey.

 
Birthday celebrations are starting early. Yessssss.

I decided to have a Movember-themed party this year and have asked those who can’t attend to photograph themselves wearing moustaches. And today the photos started arriving from overseas, more than three weeks ahead of schedule! I just had to share a few.

 

Three out of four of these creatures are past housemates of mine.

 
I am so pleased, not only that I have fun friends but that they are willing to play along. I can’t wait to see what the others come up with.

 

If Lola can go to the trouble of taking a moustache photo, so can you.

 
My birthday package from the family arrived weeks early, too, the contents of which were kept secret by my mom with a bit of deceit. Good one, Mom. The box itself was decorated with moustaches, in keeping with the theme.

My brother and sister-in-law sent the best birthday card ever, which quoted Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything. Awesome.

Good thing the party isn’t until 9 days after my birthday, or I might have nothing left to look forward to!

Boris the cow. He likes to lick things. And eat fingers.

 
We went to Yarck this weekend, population 200+. We were there for less than 24 hours, but it was still nice to get out of the city and be someone’s guests.

We got to visit Boris the cow, who was raised by Sparky’s friends but is now too big to be a pet and lives on a farm with his own kind. But he still remembers his time as a pet and was all too happy to show his affection. He licked the car we drove in. He licked me. His tongue was so strong, it felt like a vacuum cleaner was sucking up my clothes. And he licked a strange dimply shape into my jeans leg. Fun.

 

Oh Boris.

 
We saw all sorts of Australian wilderness-y things, including a dead wombat on the side of the road and cockatoos in trees and fields everywhere, eating and squawking. Unfortunately I couldn’t get close enough to get a good picture for you. And I didn’t think you’d want to see a picture of roadkill.

 

Betty (black spot) and Ooshi (brown spot, just behind and to the right of Betty) at Coomaroo

 
I’ve been working on a few projects. The Cleaning Project is going very well, and my apartment looks so much nicer already. I’m not finished yet, but I’ve made some good progress. The bedroom is spectacular and all the cat hair has been vacuumed out. Most of my crafty stuff is now stored away, and everything (fabric, felt, stationery-making supplies, etc.) has a special place. It’s a nice place to come home to.

Then there’s the Things to Take Care of Before I Turn 30 Project. Last week I saw a new doctor, who thinks he might have some answers about chronic fatigue etc. and has ordered heaps of bloodwork. He also asked me to stop eating foods rich in vitamin D, which means all dairy products and egg yolks. Which makes me essentially vegan by default. All I can seem to think about is goat cheese.

But last night I made chilli with cornbread, which I veganised by using soy milk and powdered egg replacer. Delicious, and it tasted just like the cornbread from Marie Callender’s, which it was attempting to copy. The recipe also calls for honey butter, but I used margarine instead and it came out fine. If you are truly vegan I’m sure you could use maple syrup and margarine and it would be just as delicious.

I was planning to eat a fancy vegetarian five-course dinner for my birthday (less than three weeks away), but I don’t think I want to do that as a sort-of vegan. Not because I think vegan food is inferior (which I definitely don’t — my favourite cookbooks are vegan and I cook 95% vegan anyway), but because I’m worried that $100 worth of vegan food at a restaurant that’s not even exclusively vegetarian might be disappointing. I’d rather eat at a vegan restaurant, something slightly less fancy (and expensive).

As part of the Career Project (a sub-category of the Almost 30 Project), I’ve been scouting out other work opportunities. And I’ve been to see a career counsellor, which was helpful. I forgot how much time it takes to craft a good cover letter and to update a resume. Each time I revise it I see a few things that make me think, “Why did I put that in there?” It feels good to delete them, and to add new things that make me realise how much I have accomplished. Or maybe I just look good on paper. In any case, it’s good to stand back and see where you’re at and how far you’ve come.

On the crafty side of things, I’ve made a few bits and pieces, but none of them for sale. I made a fuzzy hottie + cover for my sister’s birthday, and I’ve nearly finished a shift dress made from a tablecloth, stolen from my brother while I was in the States. I’ve made a few alterations and just need to clean things up and hem the bottom. But it will be fabulous and should be wearable for racing season. Photos to come.