le weekend

mum and i went for a drive yesterday. we drove to austinmer, down through stanwell park, along the seacliff bridge, which is just a gob-smackingly beautiful aspect. you're on this windy road, down the side of the mountain, surrounded by rainforesty terrain, then you come around the corner and suddenly there are these ragged cliffs on one side and a huge expanse of water on the other side, and the bright curve of the bridge just kind of suspended over the water. (i wanted to find somewhere to take photos when i was at staff conference down there recently, but it seems you have to park and walk and even then you probably wouldn't get the same aspect that you get from the road (jodi wanted to see if she could get down underneath the bridge to take photos; we didn't think so). i went for a drive one day on my own, stopped at coledale and took some pics of the rocks and the water, but they weren't fantastic and i felt like a bit of a gumby because there were these workmen across the road doing a running commentary of me getting out of the car and wandering around, so i didn't take enough time. i was also feeling kind of weird and lonely that day anyway, which may have been a contributing factor.)

anyway, yesterday the day seemed to suit our mood - kind of cloudy and cold, but with streaks of brilliant light and choppy seas. we listened to three requiems (mozart, faure and verdi) and had coffee and cake at the fireworks cafe in austinmer that stacie had tried to take me to a couple of weeks ago (it had been closed). i had an orange and almond cake with yoghurt and mum had pear and ginger cake. all very satisfactory; i would trust any food recommendations that stacie gives, by the way.

stacie came to stay on friday night as we were going to the good food and wine show at darling harbour on saturday. i came home after kids club to find her lying on the floor in the dark, huddled around my heater (my flat is very cold at the moment) and watching high fidelity. we chatted about what a good movie it is, slung a few quotes around, then went to the spot for arthur's pizza. afterwards we bought lots of gelato and returned home to watch almost famous and a couple of episodes of gilmore girls (i wasn't sure whether she was into AF or not, but when it finished she sighed and said "there are just some movies you don't want to end", which is also how it makes me feel, so that's good).

the good food and wine show was fun; we basically adopted the attitude that if they didn't have a free sample to eat or drink it wasn't worth our time. i had escargots for the first time (interesting, but nothing i'd kill for), bought some incredible strawberry and lavender jam, and finally got to taste some bluetongue alcoholic ginger beer (which is very yummy). actually it all has kind of blurred into one long day of pushing through crowds and eating random gourmet things smeared onto bits of bread. by about 2.30 i was totally over it and wandered home to watch some more DVDs, drink my newly purchased chai and eat some chocolate.

now i'm getting hungry. is it too early for lunch?