magical mont-royal run

Just a quickie! Loved the Mont Royal run path today- summer sunshine + beautiful trees = lovely dappled light covering the track that winds up and up the mountain until you get to the top for views of the city...
Then winding back down again and finding caffeine courtesy of Cafe Olympico... In my journal I wrote:
Vrai Italiano. Vrai Communite.
Dads with kids. Grandparents with kids.
Smoking grandfathers (not nr the kids!).
Philo. Convo's.
Barista pauses to embrace Mamma when she walks in- orders on hold despite the queue. How it should be!

Post caffeine I had a community moment of my own when I passed by one of the best patisseries I have ever seen. Staring in the window (drooling!) another girl came up and looked in too. We were both holding pieces of fruit at the time- obviously trying to be healthy- so she suggested we share something. Just like that! The patisseur (?!) was happy to oblige- cut an almond croissant neatly in half, wrapped each half up with paper and string and sent us on our way. Already delerious with community good faith, the chocolate and almond mix melted in my mouth and sent me to foodie heaven!
Thankyou Montreal!
 L. x

VANtastic!

So I arrived for my Canadian adventure (1 month blissful holidaying!) in Vancouver on the 15th of June- day of the famous Canucks Hockey Grand Final... and infamous Rioting that followed.

I wasn't the one to capture that famous pic, in fact I was out of downtown and safely back in my hostel by the time the rioting started. However the shame and embarassment that the city felt was very real in the ensuing days of my stay. Everytime I ordered coffee (arbutus- best muffins with coffee in vancouver!) or walked into a store and people heard my accent, they started off by appologising and explaining that Vancouver wasn't really like that. After running along Jericho Beach and through leafy Kitsilano, seeing the mountain views from every angle (they have town planning laws that protect certain mountain views!), checking out community gardens (check out the amazing pic of this luscious garden in Kitsilano above), cycling through Stanley Park and Hitting Grouse Mountain and Capilano it was clear to see the pride people took in the appearance of their city.

I ended up leaving with so many positive thoughts of this beautiful city- perhaps summed up in this picture on the left. This was a photo I took of the Vancouver wall of love. It grew organically on the hoarding put up where the glass windows of The Bay store had been smashed  during the rioting. It appears the real Vancouverites just needed somewhere to convey their emotions and express their feelings- what they created was an optimistic view of the city and positive direction for it to follow post-riots. Thank you Leafy, Liveable, Laidback (and VANtastic!) Vancouver- I'll be back!
L. x

purple dawn

So... it's hard to get up in winter... it's warm and cosy in bed. It's cold and well... cold outside.
There are good parts though! In Brisbane, it's not tooo cold! And my favourite... at the moment the sun is rising that little bit later but not so late yet that I'm running in the dark. Instead I get to see beautiful dawn skies as I wake up... Make the most of this beautiful treat before the darkness takes over in a couple of weeks! L. x

inspired by design

I tutor design at QUT in Brisbane. People ask me why I do it and if I get good money. Sure, the money helps pay my bills, but mostly, the thing I love about it is being constantly exposed to new ideas. Being able to develop these ideas and build on them and work them into new ones. This constant exposure to inspiration is why I do it. To me it is like being paid to be inspired.
Today during a studio session, it was great to see 15 students tackle the same space, but each in their own way, with their own ideas and personality. At the end of the day there were 15 different results. I think that in itself is pretty amazing. That each one reflected not just the personality of the designer, but some of their philosphies, their history, their culture as well is wonderful.

caffeine: helping designers since 1883!

Design can be great, we just need to give it a chance. We need to allow it to be all it can be. We need to focus less on the 'designer' items and designer price tags and more on the benefit that good design thinking- applied to interiors, architecture, industrial, civic- all of it- can offer our society. We need to make use of the thinkers in the world. I hope I can inspire some of them in return. For now I just feel lucky that I can spend some of my days in studio rooms with them, plotting, planning and puzzling our way forward, one sheet of butter paper at a time!

sunshine... on my window!

No matter how many times you see it, watching flowers grow, open, thrive is amazing... especially when you can watch them growing from the comfort of your bed as cooler mornings roll in!

a little rest

Today I needed a little rest! I woke up early still but instead of rushing off to netty (training cancelled) or trying to fill the morning with a replacement exercise... I chilled! It was a walk to lucky duck espresso for a caffeine hit + weekend paper in the glorious autumn sunshine + then flower power bakery on the way home for hot cross bun goodness and some much needed couch time...
The sky was just so beautiful and blue today it was great just to be in it, admiring it, at a much s lo w e r pace!
Hurrah for slow days!
L.

brightening up a rainy day

Just a quick one before the weekend... Sometimes rainy weather can get you down... I know... I lived in London! Today however, it did not! Sometimes you just have to find something to brighten your day... like the umbrella this guy in front of me was wielding against another Brisbane downpour! Made me smile :-)
L.