Mid Century Brisbane House Tour

My Go-Go dancing buddy, Yvette has a very cool mid century home located in Brisbane.

I asked her if I could take a few snaps of her home to show it off to you, my dear blog readers. Yvette and her husband are extremely house proud. They absolutely adore their home of nearly two years which was designed by Brisbane architect Donald Spencer in the 1960s.

My photos really do not show off the home in the best light - they didn't realise that I would be taking photos when I showed up at their doorstop on the weekend! I took some random shots from my iPhone.

I just love their front entrance with its brightest of orange doors.

Wide orange door, with Neutra house numbers and funky light fitting

The picture below is of their carport which is adjacent to their front entry. They have grand plans for a Palm Springs style cacti garden for the front yard.

Funky carport screen

Orange chair covers on white butterfly chairs in the courtyard. Yeah!

Rubber tree plant in a vintage American bullet planter. Notice the lovely Featherston in the background

Casala chair and table setting on the other side of the courtyard.

Don't they have a very groovy place with cool furniture? It is a work in progress for them and I hope to show you some more photos down the track.

Contemplating a Tuscan peach-coloured wall

This morning, I was contemplating this Tuscan peach-coloured render which adorns the exterior walls of the Sow's Ear. I was contemplating painting it but a few drops of rain on my head made the decision for me.

So easily discouraged, you say? I am very unlike Jason, who plays Russian roulette with his paint brush. He would've had a punt and painted the wall. And it probably would've been finished because the rain turned out to be a very light shower.

Sometimes it pays to gamble as I continue to contemplate the peach-coloured rendered wall.

Rendered wall in the old peach and new white. We made a start painting the bottom section of the house

We are continuing the white colour on the bottom part of the house. It's going to look schmick!

I've said it once and I'll say it again, it should be a criminal offence to paint anything Tuscan peach outside of the Mediterranean. I'm confident, the new classic white colour scheme will bring the Sow's Ear out of its early 1990s rut.

Also, thanks so much for your feedback regarding the iPhone. Your tips and hints were great - app happy I've become! The phone is easy to use and it's great for my new job. 

Brismod in the 21st Century

Although vintage is all the rage, it certainly isn't when it comes to mobile phones. You'll be pleased to learn I've made the giant leap with the acquisition of a new iphone.

My antiquated Nokia can now be retired after several solid years of service. It was still working okay but the screen was getting too difficult to read.

I probably would've kept it until it died, however I was recently offered some freelance copywriting work. Yay! An urgent upgrade of some basic technology tools, such as the phone, was essential. Being connected 24/7 seems to be a must these days.

It wouldn't have felt right to whip out the old Nokia during important business meetings. The phone hasn't reached the right age to be considered 'cool' retro yet... just sad retro. And really, image is everything...

What credibility I have would be instantly wiped if I dared answered this dinosaur at a meeting.

image from here

I was a bit embarrassed at the Apple store because the kid who served me looked younger than my mobile phone. His name was Ace, by the way. And I know that I am getting old when my mouth speaks before it ought..

"Is that your real name?" I enquired of the very fresh-faced Ace.

"Yeah. It's Ace. Not short for anything. Just Ace."

"No! That's terrible. Your parents! You're not named after Ace Ventura - Pet Detective?" I exclaimed, like an old bat with no insight. (Thank goodness, I'm not a teacher)

"Oh, I happen to like my name," he lied, as he avoided all eye-contact. "I was actually born before that movie came out."

I was going to tell him "only just" but then I remembered this kid could possess the knowledge to hack into my accounts and unleash technological revenge upon big-mouth me. So I zipped it. Quickly.

Anyway, Ace couldn't have been nicer, despite our awkward start. Apple should give Ace a brightest star award, because he excelled at fresh-faced customer service. He did not judge my Nokia. He really was his name.

Now that I'm in the 21st century what tips can you give me about iphones? And do I dare use my igranny cover?

igranny

1950s Tulip standard lamp: part two

Remember that 1950s floor lamp I bought from the very spooky Ghost Tours operator Jack Sim? You know, the one that shattered into a million pieces due to some super-natural forces soon after it came home? (as opposed to blaming myself for a rather dodgy repair job...)

Well, I found a replacement for it, thanks to the eagle eyes of a prominent Brisbane purveyor of used goods (well done Kristen!). I was actually looking for a replacement glass shade but they are impossible to find (drop me a line if you have one). So I just bought another lamp.

Australian 1950s tulip standard lamp in black

A black one this time.

It is in the most immaculate condition and I can't believe I found one in Brisbane so soon after breaking that first light shade.

It looks great in our sunroom

And best of all, it means there is a spare light shade should something happen to the second lamp. You know, like something super-natural...Boo!

Now I have a 60-year-old completely shadeless gold and chrome standard lamp under the house which is gathering dust. What do you reckon I should do with it (and be nice Anonymous Natalie)?

1950s gold standard lamp

Pineapple Series - Sweet Pineapple Omelet...and 2nd year blogiversary

Two words I've never thought of as a combination is pineapple and omelet.

1960s Queensland was clearly avant garde with unusual food combinations as I am discovering in the Golden Circle Tropical Recipe Book. And people think we're backwards up here?

After the dramas from yesterday's broken deck roof fiasco, Jason needed a bit of a sunshiny pick-me-up for Sunday brunch. So out came my pineapple bible and off to work I went to create the taste sensation that is the ....

Sweet Pineapple Omelet

15 oz can crushed pineapple
6 eggs
pinch of salt
2 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp butter

Drain syrup from pineapple. In a small saucepan melt 1 tsp butter, add drained pineapple, heat till bubbling hot. Melt remaining butter in omelet pan and keep hot. In separate bowl beat eggs lightly with a fork adding the water and salt. Then pour egg mixture into hot butter and cook quickly over high heat. When set, place half of the pineapple in centre and fold omelet over. Slide onto hot dish and spoon remaining pineapple over top. Serve immediately. Sufficient for 2 to 3 servings.

Sweet Pineapple Omelet

This was a very simple meal to prepare. But how did it taste?

Jason said it was okay. "I don't think I'd want to have this again though," he said through a mouthful of sweet omelet.

I'm not too sure it was his dour mood which gave him the dour outlook on his meal...But I have to say, it was disconcerting tucking into a what looked like a big greasy traditional omelet and then tasting that zingy sweet pineapple. This type of food plays with your mind.

I think a nice piece of crispy bacon could've worked well with it. Bacon makes everything taste better.

And on a completely different topic, it is Fun and VJs second birthday!! Who would've thought, two years today, where this first post would lead...actually nowhere really...just a lot of photos of Jason shirtless and lots of posts about the changes to the Sow's Ear.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the nice people (and not so nice, because let's face it, I really don't know who reads this blog) out there for taking the time to read the blog, leave comments or send me emails.

It's been fun and let's hope it will continue to be so!