CATH KIDSTON...FOOD...SHOPPING..WHAT MORE COULD A GIRL WANT???!!

OKAY OKAY!!  IT IS JUST ON 10.00 PM IN JAPAN...MIDNIGHT IN THE LAND OF OZ...BUT JUST HAD TO DO A BLOG ABOUT MY DAYS ACTIVITIES IN JAPAN..

MY SON AND I CAUGHT THE BULLET TRAIN FROM OSAKA TO NAGOYA..WHICH TOOK ABOUT 45 MINUTES...TRAVELLING AT ABOUT 300 KMS PER HOUR!!  SUPRSINGLY THOUGH .. IT IS A VERY SMOOTH RIDE AND ONE DOESNT FEEL LIKE THEY ARE TRAVELLING AT SUCH A HIGH SPEED...THANK GOODNESS!!

UPON ARRIVAL..CHECKED IN AT THE WESTIN HOTEL...AND STRAIGHT OFF TO THE SHOPPING CENTRE TO VISIT CATH KIDSTON'S STORE!!

I HATE TO SAY I DID SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY...COUGH COUGH!!  BUT I DONT HAVE REALLY MUCH TO SHOW FOR IT...BUT OH WELL!!  C'EST LA VIE...I BOUGHT WHAT I REALLY LIKED/WANTED...SO THAT IS MY EXCUSE...

MY SON & I HAVE JUST HAD THE MOST WONDERFUL & DELICIOUS TEPINYAKI DINNER AT A RESTAURANT IN THE HOTEL HERE IN NAGOYA...

INCLUDED ARE SOME OF THE PHOTOS OF THE DINNER WE WERE HAVING...MY STEAK IS THE LITTLE ONE....MY SONS IS THAT BIG BIG PIECE OF STEAK!!  GROWING BOY!!

THE ARTISTRY OF THE CHEF IS A DELIGHT TO WATCH.....HIS KNIFE MUST BE THE SHARPEST EVER...AND THE FLAME WHICH APPEARED AT ONE STAGE IN THE COOKING PROCESS NEARLY SINGED MY FRINGE!!

THE VIEW FROM THE RESTAURANT WAS SUPERB...OVERLOOKING NAGOYA CITY...AS WELL AS THE BEAUTIFUL NAGOYA CASTLE..

WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS CASTLE DIRECTLY FROM OUR BEDROOM WINDOW...WE ARE GOING TO CHECK IT OUT TOMORROW...

IT IS AMAZING TO SEE ... FIRST HAND...SUCH A TRADITIONAL JAPANESE CASTLE...CANNOT WAIT TO SEE INSIDE TOMORROW...

SO I HAVE JUST DONE ANOTHER LITTLE BLOG WITH PHOTOS OF CATH KIDSTONS STORE...SOME OF THE GOODIES I PURCHASED...THE RESTAURANT/CHEF/FOOD WE HAD FOR DINNER...AND THE CASTLE...

OFF FOR A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP...HAVENT WALKED SOOO MUCH IN AGES!!

XX ANDREA

konnichiwa from JAPAN!!! I AM HAVING A BALL!!

WELL HELLO LOVELY LADIES FROM MY FIRST POST FROM JAPAN...

FIRSTLY THOUGH I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A LOVELY CHRISTMAS...AND WILL HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEARS..

I LEFT FOR JAPAN ON FRIDAY MORNING...HAD TO GET UP AT 4.15 AM TO CATCH A FLIGHT FROM MELBOURNE TO THE GOLD COAST..AND THEN FROM THE GOLD COAST TO OSAKA..SO ALL IN ALL I WAS ON THE "GO" FOR SOME 18 HOURS BY THE TIME I EVENTUALLY ARRIVED AT THE HOTEL IN OSAKA...

BUT THE FLIGHT WAS TERRIFIC...CALM...GREAT FOOD...VERY COMFORTABLE..PLUS I READ AN ENTIRE BOOK..WHICH WAS A NICE FEELING SINCE I HAVE BEEN VERY SLACK WITH MY NOVEL READING LATELY..

I HAVE BEEN HAVING A FANTASTIC TIME...SHOPPING...SHOPPING & MORE SHOPPING!! NOT BUYING HEAPS AND HEAPS...BUT JUST ENJOYING THE MASSIVE..HUGE..UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT OF SHOPS HERE IN OSAKA...

PLUS THE PEOPLE....THERE ARE JUST SOOOOO MANY PEOPLE!! IT IS AWESOME...

THE WOMEN ARE ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.....PERFECT SKIN..SOME WITH LONG HAIR (DYED MY TYPE OF COLOUR)...AND THEY ARE NOT AFRAID TO WEAR GORGEOUS & CUTE CLOTHING....SMOCKS...BOOTS...BERETS..SOO FASHIONABLE..

THEY ARE ALSO MAD ON THEIR MOBILE PHONES...AND HAVE "BLING" ALL OVER THEM...SO I HAVE FOLLOWED SUIT AND BOUGHT SOME LOVELY PINK/SILVER DIAMONDS TO PUT ON THE BACK OF MY PINK NOKIA PHONE...WITH A PINK DIAMOND IN A CROWN TO DANGLE FROM THE PHONE..(SHALL SHOW SOME PHOTOS OF ALL THE STUFF I HAVE PURCHASE WHEN I GET BACK HOME)..

I HAVE FOUND SOME GORGEOUS "HOME" MAGAZINES...PLUS CRAFT MAGS RE SEWING GORGEOUS DRESSES ETC..

THE FOOD HAS ALSO BEEN YUMMY...
LAST EVENING MY SON & I WENT OUT TO DINNER WITH LONG TIME FRIENDS OF HIS...AT A WONDERFUL OLD RESTAURANT...(PHOTO IS INCLUDED ......MY SON & I ARE EVIDENT I THINK??!!)..

OUT SHOPPING TODAY WE CAME ACROSS A COUPLE WITH THEIR FOUR POODLES...I JUST HAD TO INCLUDE THE PHOTO OF THEM....THEY WERE BEING STOPPED BY EVERYONE FOR A PHOTO!!

OH WELL...I GUESS YOU CAN TELL I AM HAVING A FANTASTIC TIME...WE ARE HEADING OUT TO DINNER IN A MINUTE....AND OFF TO NAGOYA TOMORROW...AND SHALL VISIT THE CATH KIDSTON STORE....YES!!

SO SHALL KEEP YOU ALL POSTED...

WITH MY JAPANESE ADVENTURE..

XX ANDREA

OH WELL!! I JUST HAD TO DO ANOTHER POST PRE CHRISTMAS!!

I KNOW I SAID I WASNT GOING TO DO ANYMORE POSTS..BUT I THINK SOME THINGS IN LIFE ARE KIND OF ADDICTIVE..AND EBAY & BLOGGING ARE TWO OF MY ADDICTIONS..!!
ANOTHER OF COURSE IS MY 3 X TIMES A WEEK ONE HOUR TENNIS WORKOUTS..BUT I STILL HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO PLAY FOR ABOUT THE LAST 5-6 WEEKS WITH MY PERSISTENT TENNIS ELBOW..SLOWLY GETTING BETTER..

I HAVE JUST BEEN SO BUSY WITH MY EBAY SELLING..I FEEL LIKE I KIND OF SHOULD SET UP CAMP AT THE POST OFFICE!! HOWEVER I AM NOT COMPLAINING..THAT IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THINKING OF WHAT NEW & BETTER THINGS I CAN SELL NEXT YEAR..

I AM A TOTAL MAGAZINE "ADDICT"...AND BUY PRACTICALLY EVERY HOME/HOUSE DECOR MAGAZINE AVAILABLE!! I ALSO AM QUITE PARTIAL TO A GOOD COOK BOOK AS WELL....AND I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST SHARE WITH YOU TWO (2) LOVELY MAGS I BOUGHT YESTERDAY...

FIRSTLY IS THE WONDERFUL "AUSTRALIAN WOMENS WEEKLY EASY CUPCAKES BY COLOUR" COOK BOOK...I AM JUST TOTALLY IN AWE AT THE BEAUTY OF THE STYLIST'S CREATIVITY RE THE PICTURES/STYLING...

THE IMAGINATION WHICH HAS GONE INTO THE DISPLAY ITEMS HIGHLIGHTING THE CUPCAKES IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL...IMAGINATIVE..AND I ACTUALLY LOVE THAT MORE SO THAN THE CUPCAKES THEMSELVES!!
THIS IS A FANTASTIC AUSSIE BOOK FOR JUST $12.95...AND WELL WORTH A LOOK..

THE SECOND MAG I PURCHASED YESTERDAY...WAS THE JANUARY ISSUE OF AUSTRALIAN "NOTEBOOK"...

I LOVE THE COVER IN PARTICULAR...BEAUTIFUL CATH KIDSTON TYPE MATERIAL/GOODS ON THE COVER...
WITH GORGEOUS ARTICLES AND PHOTOGRAPHS ON CREATING A NICE HOME..ETC ETC..

IT ALSO HAD A WONDERFUL ARTICLE ON THE ICONS OF THE "BEAUTY" INDUSTRY..FROM COCO CHANEL..HELENA RUBENSTEIN..ELIZABETH ARDEN..ESTEE LAUDER...
WHAT WONDERFUL/IMAGINATIVE/CREATIVE WOMEN THEY WERE..ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR TIME..AND WITH WOMEN NOT BEING AS WELL "RECOGNISED" (IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN)..BACK IN THE EARLY 1900'S....VERY INTERESTING AND QUITE INSPIRING READING..

OKAY..JUST THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THESE LITTLE BITS WITH YOU ALL..
AGAIN THANKS TO EVERY ONE OF YOU LOVELY LADIES FOR PUTTING UP WITH MY LIMITED BLOGGING ABILITY!! (PS..I MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A WRONG PHOTO TO START WITH IN THIS BLOG..AS I GET CONFUSED RE THE PICTURES UNLESS I HAVE LISTED SOMETHING ON EBAY...A LONG STORY!!)...

I HAVE JUST LOOKED AT MY BLOG..AND SORRY I HAVE INCLUDED SOME PHOTOS SEVERAL TIMES...OOOPS!! I DONT KNOW HOW TO DELETE THEM..SO SORRY ABOUT THAT..SO JUST ENJOY THEM TWICE!!

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS...(I AM HAVING ABOUT 10 FOR XMAS EVE DINNER)..SO GETTING READY FOR ALL THAT STARTING TOMORROW...OF COURSE AFTER I HAVE HAD MY HAIR DONE!! WELL I HAVE TO LOOK GOOD FOR MY TRIP TO JAPAN!

AND SHALL BE PACKING AND CLEANING THE HOUSE CHRISTMAS DAY..AND THEN OFF ON BOXING DAY..

SO I SHALL GET MY SON TO HELP ME LIST SOME BLOGS FROM JAPAN...SHOULD BE VERY INTERESTING...I JUST CANNOT WAIT TO GET TO SEE A CATH KIDSTON STORE IN SITUE!!!!

SO KEEP LOOKING...YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MAY SEE!!

XX ANDREA

LAST POST BEFORE CHRISTMAS..LITTLE PEEK AT MY PRESSIES..AND ASKING A QUESTION??

WELL I ACTUALLY WENT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TODAY.....JUST A LITTLE BIT..AND BOUGHT SOME LOVELY FASHION BOOKS FOR MY MUM..ALL ON VINTAGE CLOTHING AND SHOES...PLUS A DELIGHTFUL PAIR OF VINTAGE INSPIRED EARRINGS..

GOT MY HUBBY A FANTASTIC SURFING BOOK..ALL ON VINTAGE 60'S SURFING ITEMS..FROM ADVERTISING TO SURFBOARDS..ETC..AS HE LOVES HIS SURF!!

I HAVE BEEN WRAPPING MOST OF THE STUFF THIS EVENING AND HAVE PLACED UNDER THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE DOWNSTAIRS..(ON TOP OF THE PROVERBIAL TABLE TENNIS TABLE!!)...BUT I HAVE ADDED A FEW BOWLS OF LOLLIES..TRADITIONAL COLOURED BON BONS..SOME TRADITIONAL DECORATIONS ETC...
AS EXPLAINED IN MY LAST POST..THIS DOWNSTAIRS AREA IS KIND OF LIKE "THE MEN'S AREA"..WHERE I HAVE MY PINK GIRLY CHRISTMASY THING HAPPENING UPSTAIRS IN THE KITCHEN!!

MY YOUNGER SON ALSO WENT OUT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING WITH HIS NANNY (MY MUM) TODAY...HE DROVE HER INTO THE CITY WHERE SHE BOUGHT SOME LOVELY THINGS...AS WELL AS MY SON BUYING THESE GORGEOUS CHIC HIGH HEELED SHOES FOR HIS GIRLFRIEND..!! VERY SNAZZY!!

I HAVE PROBABLY GONE A BIT "AWOL" RE THE COLOUR OF MY GIFT WRAPPING...RED/WHITE/SILVER WITH BLUE RIBBON?? A BIT OUTSIDE THE SQUARE..BUT I THINK IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD ...

SOO THIS WILL BE MY LAST POST FOR A LITTLE BIT...AS AM OFF TO JAPAN SOONER RATHER THAN LATER..
AND JUST WONDERING IF I SHOULD DO SOME POSTS FROM THERE?? WOULD YOU LADIES BE INTERESTED??

APART FROM THAT..HAVE BEEN FLAT OUT ON MY EBAY SITE...I HAVE BEEN TO THE POST OFFICE NOT ONCE..BUT THREE TIMES TODAY!! I AM QUITE LOOKING FORWARD TO MY EBAY BREAK!!

THE LAST THING I WANTED TO BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT IS HOW I JUST "LOVE" MY LOCAL "BLUE ILLUSIONS" SHOP...NOT ONLY ARE THE STAFF JUST THE BEST EVER..AND THEY GAVE ME THIS GORGEOUS FRENCH CHIC MUG AS A CHRISTMAS PRESSIE..AND YES!! IT IS PIN AND WITH A POODLE!! BUT I FIND THAT I JUST ADORE THEIR CLOTHES...

BEING 51 YO..I REALLY JUST LIKE TO WEAR SIMPLE LITTLE SUMMER DRESSES/SMOCK TYPE COMFY CLOTHING..
HAVE INCLUDED A FEW PHOTOS OF MY LATEST PURCHASES..WHICH I AM WEARING EVERY SECOND DAY!! WITH MY ONCE A WEEK SPRAY TAN...AND THESE NICE CLOTHES..I FEEL PRETTY GOOD!! LOL

HAVE A LOVELY SAFE HAPPY CHRISTMAS/NEW YEARS EVERYONE..

XX ANDREA

GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS..LOOK AT TEDDY!! & MY ROSES!!

OKAY!! I TRIED TO WRITE THIS BLOG 4 X TIMES LAST EVENING..AND NOT BEING A COMPUTER LITERATE PERSON..IT ALL WENT INTO CYBER SPACE...I BECAME QUITE ANGRY..SO MY HUBBY TOOK ME OUT TO DINNER...SO SHALL TRY AGAIN TODAY!!

THEY SAY TIME FLIES..WELL IT IS LITERALLY FLYING IN MY HOUSEHOLD...I AM GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS...WHICH I STILL FIND DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS HERE YET AGAIN!! ANYWAY..NOT PUTTING UP A BIG TREE..BUT A FEW LITTLE ONES AROUND THE HOUSE..

I AM SATISFYING MY "PINK" FETISH..WITH THIS CUTE LITTLE TREE IN MY KITCHEN..SURROUNDED BY THE LITTLE PINK/BLUE/SILVER DECS...ALL BY THE WAY FOUND IN SAFEWAY (WOOLWORTHS INTERSTATE)..
PLUS I FOUND THESE GORGEOUS PINK FRENCH CHIC NAPKINS..DONT CARE THAT THEY ARE NOT CHRISTMAS..THEY ARE FRENCH!! AND THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS!!

JUST HAVE TO FIND SOME NICE COLOURED PINK/SILVERY BON BONS..MAY JUST SETTLE FOR SILVER AND TIE A PINK RIBBON AROUND..

SO THAT IS MY BIT OF THE HOUSE COVERED..BUT TO SATISFY THE "MEN"..AM JUST GOING TO GO TRADITIONAL GREEN/RED FOR THEM..PROBABLY IN THE TV ROOM NEXT TO THE KITCHEN..AND ON THE TABLE TENNIS TABLE DOWN BELOW...WHICH IS CURRENTLY TOTALLY FULL OF MY EBAY STUFF I AM SELLING..SO THAT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS..

I HAD THE WINDOW CLEANER HERE YESTERDAY...CLEANING ALL THE WINDOWS...UP HIS VERY BIG LADDER...BE CAREFUL!! WHAT A DIFFERENCE CLEAN WINDOWS MAKE..FEEL A BIT HAPPIER FOR THAT TODAY...

SOOTY HAS BEEN SITTING IN HIS USUAL POSSIE...ON THE TOP OF THE COUCH JUST KIND OF WATCHING WHAT I AM DOING..HE BANGED HIS HEAD A BEAUTY YESTERDAY..RUNNING AROUND IN HIS PSYCHO MOOD..AND WACKED INTO THE TV CABINET..SO I WAS TOO SCARED TO GO OUT ALL DAY IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HIM...BUT THANKFULLY HE IS FINE!! WELL HE IS MY BABY!! EVEN IF HE IS NEARLY 10 YEARS OLD..

ALSO GOT A PRESSIE FROM MY SON IN JAPAN YESTERDAY..MMMM WONDER WHAT IT IS?? STILL HAVENT OPENED IT AS TOO BUSY DOING OTHER THINGS..

okay...have edited my blog..and opened up this box...full of JAPANESE CHOCOLATES..KIT KATS..POCKY!! YUMMO!!

I JUST HAD TO SHOW YOU MY 19 YO SONS TEDDY..(SSSSHHHHH!!) HE WOULD KILL ME IF HE KNEW I WAS WRITING THIS...BUT I HAVE FOUND THE TEDDY HIS FATHER BOUGHT FOR HIM BEFORE HE WAS BORN..20 YEARS AGO...I WASHED HIM IN THE WASHING MACHINE YESTERDAY (THE TEDDY THAT IS..NOT MY HUSBAND)..HUNG HIM ON THE LINE TO DRY..AND HAVE PLACED HIM IN THE MIDDLE OF MY SONS ROOM ON HIS BED...!! (HE IS AWAY AT THE MINUTE COMING BACK TOMORROW..GAVE HIS ROOM A GOOD CLEAN..)..SO I WONDER WHAT HE WILL THINK??

OH WELL...I REPAINTED THIS ROOM FOR HIM A FEW MONTHS BACK..BOUGHT ALL NEW FURNITURE..SO A LITTLE BIT OF "CHILDISH" INDULGENCE FOR THE MINUTE FROM HIS OLD MUM IS OKAY .. I HOPE??

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...HUBBY CAME HOME WITH THE MOST GORGEOUS LOT OF 24 ROSES..(AND A BOX OF NEW SEASONS CHERRIES)..JUST BECAUSE!!
SOOO GUESS WHERE THEY WILL END UP...YES..HANGING UP TO DRY OF COURSE..
THEY ARE STUNNING..

WELL ENOUGH FOR NOW...SHALL DO ANOTHER POST WHEN ORGANISED ALL MY CHRISTMAS DECS..ETC..

XX ANDREA