~ Curious Charlie ~

Birthday Week! @ Saturday, January 21, 2017

Monday 26th December

The Night, or Two Before the Rush

Lines... nope.

While the shops open at 7am, eager shoppers get there well before then. Arriving at 7.30am there was barely any parking Chadstone was packed. Lines around the corner with shops asians love (must be all about the brand name, there should be a tumblr about that). Jurlique's line was an hour long so we skipped buying the $14 roll-on perfume on the list.

Over at L'Occitane there's often good deals to be found in terms of stocking stuffers. We came across those mini travel size hand creams (that I always have in my bag) 3 for $7 in a tin (floral scents) or 3 for $9 classic scents. As I still have plenty of stock at home we only bought one, I also have no female friends.

The Body Shop is discontinuing their Summer Italian Fig perfume! $10 off the original price so we bought another one.

Dotti was packed! Among the piles and closely packed racks were some gems, $20 skirts (30% off sale) Forever New style, which is nice but still not the best quality. We picked up a circle skirt and a heavier lined one, blue floral water paint.

By lunch we'd covered the top floor, it was 12pm and we were exhausted. But first $2 earrings from Lovisa! Not sure what to do with them, but shall incorporate them into headpieces and brooches. Also found $4 snowflake brooches.

Fergason & Plarre offered $2 vanilla slices, they're good though nothing amazing. The pastry was a bit dense.

We bought something from Typo, a lemon keyring and stocked up at Lincraft.

On our way out we picked up a cheese tart, the fame ones! It was pretty good, savory or very lightly sweetened. Served warm in 30 degree heat, 30-40% crust. I need a big one, a naked pie. :P Cash only unless you spend over $10.

Lunch on the go from Sumo Salad, it was good and green but a bit sandy? O.o

Home for a nap then cake! A cream cake.

Tuesday

Day two of the shopping marathon. This time in the city. But first a local most-definitely-not-a-dollar store was closing down and we bought a few thing for $20.

At Lincraft we scored 10x packs of 7D Dried Mango at $1.75 each! Damn should have bought more, because I love this stuff!

Over to Teds, we did it. We finally bought a camera. Was it on sale? Not really, we are getting $100 cash back though from Sony.

At Witchery we picked up a couple tassel keyrings, an xmas craft book from Kikki K, then lunch break at SpudBar.

Another stop by Typo before buying a $20 dress at Dotti! An old style though we got lucky, last one, last one in my size!

All the things we bought.

More cakes (mini cakes) for my birthday, this time from Luxbite. My favourite, and a new mango dome. Thoughts? Not sweet enough. The pink is my all time favourite!

Stopped by Boost before heading down to Terra Rossa for dinner.

Funghi $24 - Wild mushrooms, black truffle paste cherry wood smoked mozzarella, rocket. I love mushrooms! Truffle is always welcome with cheese. It was good though nothing amazing, later one we'd have the chili prawn and that, was amazing.

Wednesday

It's that time of the year, between Christmas and New Years

where you're not sure what the date is, or what day it is...

It's my birthday week, so we went out for dinner as a family (a terrible idea, the idea of us all being together, for both us and people around us). Grandpa had a good time though, with his hearing aid turned of.

Mother is a complainer, it's too hot/cold in here, people/music too noisy, food to sweet/salty. You can see why she is not invited places. She doesn't even try the food before declaring it wrong to her tastes. Her motto: If it tastes good, spit it out!

Father likes one type of food: American. He won't even try tex-mex. Burgers, meatloaf and home cooked roasts are his thing. While open to trying new things, he loudly declares his displeasure that we didn't go to a steak house. Occasionally he'll have Japanese food, but that's the only cuisine he'd consumer other than American.

Grandpa meanwhile does not like burgers or anything fast food, he's never had thai before but he liked it. Note that grandpa like mother doesn't like anything and think life is fattening.

Friday

A visit to the physio confirmed that the pain in my ankle is very real, I sprained my ankle two moves ago, falling down the stairs at the North Melbourne house. He's really nice, and so unfortnately we won't be seeing him again - because he reminds me of an ex. Nothing personal.

Things from Aldi - We loved the fresh berries/cherries. The vanilla and snaps

we've yet to experiment with. The snaps we'll probably eat without the cream.

Saturday

Usually there's a good movie on after the fireworks though not this year, Andre Rieu has also been moved to xmas rather than NYE. So we saw Flubber.

We watched the fireworks on tv, then ran uphill, to see them live (we're that close to the city!) and had an allergic reaction. I've put it in the diary to be on that hill before it starts next year. :P Though my lease expires in Oct, so I don't know where I'll be next year.