Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Weekends

We shared a stand at the Benahavis Car Boot Market on Sunday and sold some Fiesta Fiesta cakes....  I think the girls ate more than we sold!  I was very happy to purchase some jodphurs and riding boots for Miss W, 2 sizes too big but she loves them!  She is going to ask Papa Noel for a riding hat.


Here is Willow earning her keep!



Had a fantastic girls night on Friday night at girlfriends villa as her hubby was away.  She cooked delicious Mexican food and did some killer flower arrangements!  Left at 1.30am and thank goodness we did as I had quite the hangover next morning!

Took my girlfriend to my favourite furniture and accessories shop the other day, El Trastero de Macarena in San Pedro (on the corner opposite McDonalds and next to Salamanca).  It is packed full of fabulous stuff .  She went crazy for it as well.  If you haven't been I thoroughly recommend it.  You need to spend an hour there just browsing (and dreaming!).  The great thing is that they have little everyday bits and pieces as well as large feature pieces.  I bought a cute pink koala for Willow, some rose napkins and a watermelon shaped rubber spatula for making cakes.


Here is Willow and her girlfriends in Puerto Banus.... 

We have decided to meet on a Thursday afternoon so the kids all stay friends as they are all going to different schools now.  OMG it's exhausting when they are all together!  Such excitement!  Notice Willow is prepared for all events in her safety helmet!  (We were actually cycling she's not just eccentric, well maybe a little...)

We stopped at the park behind Polo House after nursery yesterday.  So lovely in the gardens.  I love this bouganvillea in tree form.

Here is Willow wearing the gorgeous headband that her Auntie Claerwen from Melbourne made her for her birthday.  So adorable. 

Here are some arrangements that Claerwen has done in her house.  I just love these.


The weather is so difficult right now, it's so hard to wear the right thing.  Hot and sticky one minute then cold and wet the next.  Reminds me of home in Melbourne actually!  I think this outfit would do the trick...

Juicy Couture Dress, Michael Kors shoes and Alexander Wang bag

Thursday, September 16, 2010

I was just doing a few errands in Marbella the other day when I came upon a new little kitchen shop.  Now I love a good kitchen shop and must admit to a bit of a kitchen gadget addiction (my husband too).  So I was so pleased to enter and find all my favourite bits and pieces, inlcuding things that I usually have to buy when I am in the UK or online.  I made a purchase, a cute egg shaped rubber spatula for non-stick pans that I am very happy with.  Speaking with the man in the shop I found they had only been there 3 months and were only an online shop before this.  I told him I was very happy they were now in Marbella and that I would be seeing him again soon!  The shop is called Cuisine Paradiso and is situated just up from the corner on the right hand side of the street running between Ricardo Soriano and the Mercado (before you get to La Pesquera Old Town) Apparently the street is called Calle Huerta Chica.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Gabby's Birthday Party!
One of Willow's best friends is Gabby.  She had her birthday party on the weekend.  Hello Kitty theme...  all the girls are Hello Kitty crazy!   I made her a cake....


Willow was  very impressed!

My Hello Kitty Princess.... she had been looking forward to this party for ages!




Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Willow and Tiara
Nicola and Tiara have been in the south of France for a month, in Antibes where Livio is working as a Captain on a large boat.  They have just returned home and we went to visit them yesterday.  The girls were very happy to see each other.  It's cute to see how well they play together.  They have always clicked as friends and I am sure it will continue throughout their lives!




Grand Prix BBQ

Last weekend we were having a couple of people around for a bbq to watch the grand prix and it turned into 12 people and ended at 12 midnight with everyone dancing in the lounge! 

I would say the foodie highlight of the day was the chocolate cake.  It was a new recipe and one I will repeat often!  Called the chocolate buttermilk cake it is one of Donna Hay's recipes.  So moist.....  I will put up the recipe when I have a minute.  It's very easy too...  And of course the kids demolished the marshmallow skewers in a flash...  the big kids that is!






She's a Horsey Girl!




Willow is obsessed!  She loves everything about horses, ponys, riding hats, jodphurs (wants her own pair and riding boots for Christmas!) even loves being in the stable.  In her own words she is a horsey girl now mummy!  Seeing she is only just 3 we have a long, expensive road ahead! 

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

You may remember that last year at this time we had a very successful first trip to Portugal after living on the doorstep for 6 years.  We visited various locations to get an overview but this year we decided to head for the Algarve and stay put and have a relaxing beach holiday.  We managed to locate a wonderful sounding B&B near Tavira which is just over the border from Spain into Portugal. We booked 5 nights getting home late on Tuesday.  It was just the most lovely relaxing holiday we could have hoped for.

The B&B was a townhouse called Casa Rosada in Castro Marim, a tiny, fascinating, mediaeval town sitting at the foot of a castle and a fortress.  We actually left a day before the annual famous Mediaeval Festival.  Willow loved it.  She is going through a princess stage where she believes that she is a real princess so living at the foot of 'her' castle was just perfect.  Casa Rosada is run by Rupert and Andrew who left high profile careers in London to come and run this perfect place.  Here are some views...

Breakfast in the garden every morning, with crisp white antique linen and silverware, fresh fruit, yoghurt, muesli, honey, toast, home made jams and marmelade, and the famous Portuguese baked cream tarts when Rupert could get them at the market... we love them!

Willow loved to play ballet school in the secret room at the back of the garden...















View of the castle from the garden.  It was lit at night.














The castle of Castro Marim



The rebuilt Fortress of Castro Marim

Over the bridge into Spain

We visited Cacela Velha, a gorgeous little village on a hill, then took a boat ride to the beach.








We fell in love with Tavira, the Venice of the Algarve!

On our last morning, Tanc went fishing, as he always has to on our trips...

He caught lots of mackerel and brought it back for us to have for lunch.  Rupert whipped up this bountiful, delicious feast, only hours out of the sea...


Thanks Rupert and Andrew (and Poppy of course) for a wonderful holiday in your inspiring home!