A day in the life: 2.03.12

Yesterday, I had lunch at a friend's house at Palm Beach. She's thinking of starting a blog (to document her and her young family's renovation in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs) and wanted to pick my brain. This beautiful little arrangement is one of many she had in the living area. I could have gone mad taking photos, her style is out of this world. 

Meanwhile, at Casa Tonic, the Breeze Block wall is up! Finished! Painted! All we need now is to plant  something along the base of it (we're thinking of a long grassy type plant).

Fancy "career clothes" are no longer a part of my life (phew!), so I tend to dress for comfort (hello Bassike!) and accessorize until the cows come home. And sterling silver anything will always have a place in my heart. So if you haven't heard of Cool Baby Cool? Run, don't walk! Johsi is a creative Goddess and these little beauties are my newest obsessions (L-R): Peace Beads Bracelet, Silver "Mother Anklets", "The One" Bead Necklace.

Wednesday' night's dinner: DIY Rice Paper Rolls! Prawns, Mint, Capsicum, Cucumber, Carrot, Lime, Toasted Cashews and (my newest discovery) Slim Pasta! It's "naturally made of a vegetable called Konjac" and is gluten free, fat free, low carb... the list goes on. The best bit? To prepare, you simply pop it in hot water for 1 minute then drain. It's actually marketed as a pasta type product, but I'm calling it the new vermicelli, people... PS Find it in the health aisle at Woolies.

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Table Tonic orders patiently await dispatch to soon-to-be-colourful-corners, worldwide! PS Don't forget to shop the 25% off everything sale!

New mag alert! Belle March/April 2012.

New mag alert! House & Garden April 2012.

Anoushka started ballet yesterday! It's just too sweet for words. I can't get over the cuteness... Or those long legs! They give me flashbacks to the ultrasound I had when I was pregnant with her - the lady doing it turned to me and said: "Is your husband tall? She has very long femurs...". Clearly not my femurs. Hmph.

Happy Friday Tonic-ettes! And PS Thank you doesn't even BEGIN to cover it for all your comments (and emails!) on the Byron Bay or Bali post. We've just about totally settled on Bali, although we'll most likely go in September, due to the climate/schoolies factor. Oh, and wait, it'll be my birthday! Woohoooooooooo! Happy weekend! x

Table Tonic's weekend in review

Friday morning: This is the little ray of sunshine that greeted me when I got home from Pilates on Friday morning - the January/February 2012 issue of Vogue Living! Yes. The weekend was off to a flying start...

Friday afternoon: Powerballs just got... SQUARE! So fun. Buy your Rice Cube here and find the recipe for my "Sunday Night Powerballs" (they're a little bit famous) here. There. I just made your day. 

Friday night: Friday night came in the form of a couch, Aussie Vogue's January 2012 issue (it's great one), ugg slippers and Green & Blacks organic dark chocolate (it's better than Lindt, I'm not even kidding).

Friday night: Mr Tonic, *cough* award-winning residential Architect *cough* received the following text message from one of his clients on Friday night. They are about to move back into their recently completed home and are (clearly) a little bit chuffed with Mr T:

Saturday morning: I made a batch of my favourite "My New Roots" Raw Brownie powerballs on Saturday, only I made the following modifications: Added 1/2 cup of organic coconut, added a big handful of organic rolled oats and reduced the cacao by about 1/4 cup. They are su-PERB.

Saturday afternoon: I took this picture of Anoushka shortly after she devoured a bowl of frozen berries (frozen berries = nutritious + convenient + delicious + affordable + kids love them). If there was ever one photograph that sums up my three year old daughter, this is it! Cheeky and dirty, mainly...

Sunday morning: Had a beautiful walk/run on the beach, a dip in the ocean pool and came home and made a green smoothie. Love Sunday mornings. I later threw on my Bassike dresses (I'm wearing two here), Spell Byron Bay wings necklace and Havaianas thongs. PS The Spell babes have got a fresh new website - check it out, your inner gypsy will go nuts for it! PS On my wishlist? This and/or this. Mmmmm. PPS Wearing zero makeup here. Healthy food-slash-exercise gives you killer skin, people!

Sunday morning: I keep meaning to show you Noushie's new Castle + Things pillowcases... Aren't they way fun?! Click to buy.

Sunday morning: Pesto is my new favourite thing to make - I took a bunch of organic basil, threw it in a food processor with a chunk of parmesan cheese, a big handful of pine nuts and a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of celtic sea salt.

Top it up with olive oil to prevent oxidization.

Sunday lunch: Salad! Baby spinach, tomato, avocado, quinoa, preserved lemon, walnut tapenade (recipe here), basil pesto (see above!) and Rich Glen Poppy's salad dressing. Ate it to the sound of two children frantically and relentlessly squirting each other with the hose pipe. #indigestion

Sunday afternoon: Mr Tonic continues to fix up the deck... See the strip down the bottom. Yup. New.

Sunday afternoon: Yes, you read that right! On Sunday afternoon, Mr DHL pulls up with a Shopbop parcel for me! Yay! T by Alexander Wang Cotton Knit Sweatpants in "Zest". And they are excellent! Click to buy.

How was your weekend? What was the best thing about your weekend?

A day in the life: 14.12.11

The renovation update: So, today is a biiiig day at Casa Tonic as our new balustrade is being installed! Mr Tonic took much delight in disassembling ripping down the current wire and timber number, despite the fact that it took 5 times longer than he anticipated and resulted in him using "every bloody tool in my tool shed!":

(below) No balustrade! I could get used to this...

The hat stand: Yes it's true! Table Tonic Moroccan Leather Pouffes (shown in Caramel) make a nifty side table-slash-hat stand!

The salad dressing: Thee salad dressing, actually. And I never, ever use bottle salad dressing, but the only ingredients in this little beauty are olive oil, vinegar, sugar, onion, mustard, poppy seeds, turmeric, salt and pepper. The lovely Rich Glen Olive Oil people were kind enough to send me their "Poppy's Salad Dressing" and some beautiful oils, and my goodness it's delicious! And a little bit sweet, which I love in a dressing... Hooked. PS I've had it all of a week and look - it's half empty!

The C-bomb: The green smoothies are still going strong, as is my new Vitamix (beg, borrow and steal Tonic-ettes) and these days, I'm fortunate enough to be enjoying them with a carton of C Coconut Water thrown in (it's "Australia's first 100% pure organic coconut water"). I normally buy mine from Thomas Dux, but...

... (enter blogging perk number 2) A case of C Cononut Water arrived last week and I've been downing it like there's no tomorrow! Hot tip: It sounds obvious, but drink it ice cold. Refreshing and rehydrating (something about electrolytes) on a grand scale.

The bedroom makeover: See the inspiration behind the makeover and get the deets here!

(above) I bought the cotton blanket on our bed from Anna Spiro's very first Black + Spiro "vignette". I absolutely adore it. Way punchy.

The Tonic's tree: Mr Tonic spent the better part of Saturday morning yelling obscenities after the local servo sold out of trees by 9am. A trip to the next suburb proved fruitful and I, in turn, spent the remainder of the day yelling obscenitites. The tree was big and our existing decorations were measly. Off to the local $2 shop I went and $34.50 later, it started to resemble a Christmas tree. One that drops needles and baubles and requires sugar water every freaking day. But damn they smell good!

The instant updater: We're having 21 (or was it 22?) for Christmas lunch and I was delighted with the Christmas-y effect a couple of these Table Tonic "Marlon" buntings had on our dining room! It's instantly 110% more festive, and to be honest, I may just keep them up permanently (I just used pinboard pins, pressed into the top of the timber panels)!

Happy Wednesday Tonic-ettes! Only 11 more sleeps!

Mr Tonic's birthday present(s)!!!!!!!!!!

So it's Mr Tonic's birthday today (Happy Birthday Mr Tonic!) - and his presents just arrived! We are both smitten on a grand scale (you can buy them here)...

(above) Next time you see our front deck, it will have a new, 50's style white iron ballustrade(!). We were hoping it would be ready by Christmas, but alas... PS I must fill you in with the renovations soon. So much to tell!

They match our yellow front door perfectly and have you ever sat in a Butterfly chair? They're SO comfortable! The covers are pre-scotchguarded, although it's advisable to bring them indoors when not in use. And let's face it, if you have a lot of birds in the area... Mike from 506070 is just lovely (and delivers for free in Sydney metro area). He also supplies Rose Seidler House with the covers for their Butterfly Chairs! PS Make sure you visit Mike's 506070 eBay shop.

In other news, MAGAZINES! Just droppped: Lucky (USA), Australian Good Taste, Real Living, House Beautiful (USA) and House & Garden. Consider them inhaled!

And a late addition from today's mail, Elle Decor!

Happy weekend Tonic-ettes!

Kid's room of the day: Flouro pink & grey

Flouro pink tulle over a dove grey day bed. Surprising. Modern. Easy! And if I'm not mistaken Do-it-yourselfers, that would be the Ikea Hemnes day bed ($599), painted a warm grey. Best thing about this room is that the pink is easily "removed". But why is this important?
 

procrastination mama

People keep telling me girls go right off pink when they hit 5 or 6, so I was reluctant to feature it too heavily in Anoushka's room (below), which she adores regardless. In the case of the above room, simply substitute a different colour piece of tulle or even a patterned fabric, and change blankets/throws. This is a good kid's room "formula". I'm giving it a gold star.

A day in the life: 11.07.11

The Sunday threads: 

Jac + Jack knit, Bassike tee, Nudie Thin Finn Jeans, converse sneakers. Also known as "the outfit that ticks all the boxes".

The online mags: 

Happy days - the July/August issue of Lonny is live!

As is the July issue of Matchbook!

The mags: 

Woohoo! The August 2011 issue of Aussie InStyle is on sale today! Knew I ducked into the newsagent this morning for a reason!

I also grabbed a copy of June 2011 Whole Living. Who have a fab website, by the way.

The websites: 

After months of appalling eating habits, I'm back on track - all thanks to a bunch of absolutely phenomenal human beings, blogging about wellness and food, all for the love of it. I have the following to thank (and on my daily reads list): 
1. Stephmodo I've had this one on my Table Tonic blogroll for yonks, but do I ever get a chance to read my favourite blogs? Not really. I randomly clicked on it the other night and landed on this post. The post that started this beautiful ball of healthy eating rolling for me.
2. The Wellness Warrior Fellow Aussie (and ex-mag chick) Jess spends her time juicing, meditating, practicing Bikram yoga and "learning everything I can about healing".
3. My New Roots An award-winning blog, written by Sarah, a holistic nutritionist and Vegetarian Chef in Denmark. I have learned bucketloads from this one.
4. 101 Cookbooks Heidi Swanson has written 2 cookbooks since starting this popular food blog. That's how good she is.

(above) My New Roots Ob. Sessed.

The bar: 

From healthy eating to alcohol! Ha! Mr Tonic has finished painting/fixing/restoring the "Madmen Bar". Check it:

 (below) The "before" shot...

The dinner: 

The "Prawn & Chorizo Gumbo" from the current (July 2011) issue of Real Living magazine is to die for. And it was so quick and easy! Try it. Tonight!

(below) The recipe, which I hope you can read! 

Click to enlarge (I made it with brown rice).

The Tonic: 

New ink for the trusty TT swing tag stamps = Happiness!

The breakfast: 

I've gone from virtually skipping breakfast to these. And they're as quick as they are delicious, as they are nutritious. Remember to keep servings small (this is high energy stuff) and buy organic whenever possible. Now, pay attention: (below) Rolled oats (just a sprinkle), pear, banana, raw walnuts, plain yoghurt (full fat), cinnamon sugar, soy milk.

(below) Rolled oats, strawberries, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, chia seeds, plain yoghurt (full fat), soy milk.

(below) Cooked brown rice (trust me), dried apricots, banana, raw walnuts, plain yoghurt (full fat), shredded coconut, chia seeds, soy milk.

The Etsy buy: 

You might remember this post when I first bought them, and they arrived on Friday! Handmade friendship bracelets from Etsy seller The Cat Paradox (aka Kirsten). So gorgeous. And cheap as!

The obsession:

After seeing Sabrina of After DRK's, I had to get my mitts on a (giant!) crystal pendant necklace from Fashionology. I went with the Smokey Citrine (shown here on my Tiffany & Co. chain) and adore it. Cost around AUD$55 all up, including delivery. 

The end! Happy Monday friends!