Sundays...

Coffee

Couch

Toast

Eggs

Boyfriend

Puppy

Book

Sunshine

Heaven.

What I did today (yay!)

Today was the first day I felt (work-wise) like myself since I moved to Hong Kong.

And 'work-wise' is kind of a big deal to me.

This morning I went with a camera-crew to report on the brand new Operating Theatre at Hong Kong's prestigious Matilda International Hospital, which is more like a five-star hotel than a hospital.

We were putting together a video report for the South China Morning Post, which is Hong Kong's main English-language newspaper.

I was there to present the video and do interviews with the doctors and specialists involved - it was SO much fun and I have missed this kind of work so much.

While working as a print journalist is definitely rewarding and has been really good to broaden my horizons, I find print media so much more limiting. I love seeking out the great shots - the compelling vision that backs it up and completes the story.

I am not allowed to post any pics of the new OT until it is officially opened, so here is one of me in my scrubs - very cool, I felt like I was in an episode of Grey's Anatomy!

p.s. McDreamy was nowhere in sight.

p.p.s. Neither was McSteamy.

Have a fantastic weekend!!

Sheesh - tough penalties in Hong Kong

Otto Update

The tiny terror is eating, chewing, biting and attacking everything in sight.

If he wasn't so cute he'd be in BIG trouble.

But - he's just so darn cute.

A photo I love of my parents (and miss-home-Mondays)

Candid photos are the best, aren't they?

While a beautifully constructed and well thought-out photo can be visually exquisite, it's not really an authentic capture of a true moment in life unless it is unplanned and freed from the boundaries of the artist's imagination.

This, to me, is where most of the elegance in photographs comes from.

This photo of my parents was taken at a party - my mum hugs my dad and notices the photographer snapping, while their long-haired lady friend looks on (with a poster for the late 60's musical 'Hair' in the background).

I look at this photo and think it could so easily be me, holding a glass of wine and carelessly throwing an affectionate arm around my boyfriend.

I'm also in a bit of a nostalgic mood today, but then, that's hardly news as I'm a very nostalgic person.

Monday's are usually my somber, reflective days, where the excitement and promise of the weekend is over and it's back to my thoughts to fill in the quiet of space.

Usually on Mondays these thoughts involve a degree of homesickness; for my parents, for my parent's new partners, for my sister, my extended family, my friends, for my old job, for familiarly, summery beaches, cafes, and the intimacy of home.

Everything is so different here... there is so much to get used to, so many baby steps towards accepting the changes that have taken place. A new working life, a new home, new furniture, new friends, new culture, new expectations, a new relationship dynamic - and of course - a puppy to chase after.

Life is good - but Monday's are usually the "grass is always greener" days that creep in when living abroad.

Of course living away from home really is all it promises to be: a fantastic, inspired and permanent holiday, doused in the fresh air of freedom.

But even on holidays there are days where you miss home.

For me, that is mostly Mondays.

I shall christen them "miss-home-Mondays". :)

New You Tube video is up!

My latest makeup tutorial is based on Jennifer Aniston's gorgeous fresh, dewy, peachy look at this week's Golden Globe Awards.

How beautiful is that woman!

Here is the URL: http://www.youtube.com/user/natmurrayvideos

And p.s. this is what my table looks look before I shoot a makeup tutorial:

n.b. 'The Lucifer Principle' book is not mine, and looks rather creepy... I didn't even notice, I used it to prop up my mirror!

And here is what my table looks like after the chaos has struck:

I am fast running out of time to make these videos, they take A LOT of time - pretty much a whole day out of the week.

First I have to decide which look to do, then make sure I have the right products, then ensure I get the look right by doing a practise run.

Then on shooting day I have to re-organise my entire flat to create the right space and lighting, which involves the laborious task of moving furniture around, plus a zillion lamps.

Then I film the actual tutorial which takes around an hour in order to get each step right.

After that I clean up the cosmetic chaos and put back furniture and zillion lamps where they belong - did I mention a laborious task?

Then comes the editing: ingesting the vision; editing it all together; adding music, titles, graphics and subtitles; recording a voice-over; tweaking it; and then publishing it to You Tube.

And to think - all this time I could be playing with new puppy, cooking duck a l'orange, working on something that earns actual money, going for a walk, writing a love letter to my boyfriend, or reading "Committed" by Elizabeth Gilbert.

What am I thinking??

Please excuse my blog's current appearance...

My fab blog designer Aqua Poppy Designs is currently helping me re-sort out my page design, as I wanted larger photos! I'm such a visual person...

I'll keep posting in the meantime, and promise it will be neat and manicured again soon!

Great name for a restaurant (not):

Tee hee... only in Hong Kong.

My two new favourite things

1. Otto... averaging 30 pees a day, and 1-2 paper towel rolls

2. Japanese Crispy Seaweed in Wasabi flavour... I'm average 1-2 packs a day

Please check out my new blog!

http://sequinsstillettosandsparkle.blogspot.com/

A joint venture with the lovely Mrs Kypo: http://cupcakesfrocksandpink.blogspot.com/

It's a daily photo diary of our very different lives; me in Hong Kong, and Belinda in Sydney.

Our baby pee machine!

Here is a link to a 1-minute video of our gorgeous puppy... I tried to upload it here, but it wouldn't work!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywUt_9UKHMA

I have had about 4 hours sleep. And that's being generous.

But it's a 'happy fatigue'... Sort of like when you fall in love for the first time and you can't really sleep or eat, yet you can't stop smiling... :)

Mini-pooch is strategically being kept up all day today - we need to tire him out a bit so mum and dad can get some z's tonight!

But he is so much fun to play with, and pees every 20-minutes (everywhere but where he is supposed to)...

Latest pee score: Natalie-0, Puppy-15

Our new baby boy

I am in the honeymoon phase of parenting!

He is 7 weeks old and so teeny tiny. He shook like crazy from fear when we picked him up, but he's already bonding.

Cuuuute!

I shall post lots of updates soon...

p.s. the little one is yet to be named!

Confession from a Clothes-Trying-On Addict

So it happened again... I went clothes shopping today and ended up with a washing-size basket full of clothes to try on. They didn't even bother giving me the hangers.

And that was just the first of many stores I savaged.

I see it, I like it, I have to try it.

I'm one of those crazy women you see bulldozing her way through the racks, arms piled high with dresses, shirts, skirts, leggings, scarves, etc, trailing behind her - while the more discerning shoppers politely step through the mess, neatly carrying just one carefully thought-out item.

The sales girls look at me with glee, thinking "wow, she's going to buy all that!?" - and if they're on commission, they suddenly turn into rabid dogs feeding on their last meal.

Of course, I can't afford to buy 20 garments from one store, I just like to try on anything that looks cute, in the hope that at least one thing will look fantastic. Which I may or may not buy.

Poor sales girls.

If only they knew my intentions were never good.

But, thanks to some Christmas money from my pa, today turned into a bit of a haul:

2 dresses

2 shirts

1 skirt

1 pair of shoes

Face powder

Makeup brushes

False eyelashes (AGAIN - but these were a different size... good enough?)

Have a lovely Friday night!

New You Tube video is up!

This one's an easy peasy makeup look using fuschia pink + gold... I love colour!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMnqet7Zpvg

Another brilliant Hong Kong sign

Some things just don't translate.

I'm back!

So the experience of Vietnam is over... for now.

I will most certainly go back. The Vietnamese people had a real effect on me, more so than some of the other Asian cultures I have been privileged to spend time with since moving to Hong Kong. The Vietnamese are survivors, and have resisted every crude and naive attempt that has ever been made to conquer them. And there have been many.

But they have recovered with such grace and hospitality.

It's a beautiful place, and the people's passion for life and independence makes it shine even more so. It's also extraordinarily cheap - a few US dollars for a meal, and I was able to squeeze in more spa treatments and massages on my final few days than I have ever had in any one year!

Most of all, it was incredibly special to see family again and meet up with my dad and his girlfriend in Nha Trang. Living abroad is strange thing... while family are always missed and on your mind, when you don't see them you come to accept that you won't for some time. But when they are right there in front if you again, and it comes time to leave, it's heart crushing.

So after time in Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang beach, here are my top ten Vietnam moments - in no order!

1. Seeing and spending time with my dad, I love him so much!

2. Vietnamese food... milder and less complicated than Thai and Chinese, just simple, gorgeous, fresh flavours

3. The prices... while it's not good for the Vietnamese, when you are paying as a tourist, it's certainly a help to know your hard-earned pennies go far

4. Discovering the spirit of the Vietnamese people - they are friendly, sweet and quietly strong

5. Getting five spa treatments in three days... heaven

6. Walking through a 'couples' park each evening, where young lovers cuddle away from their parents in secret... so cute and so old school

7. Learning how to bargain at the markets and actually getting a good deal... by the last day!

8. Early morning walks along Nha Trang beach followed by a glorious hotel breakfast buffet

9. Being only a 2 hour flight from home... never had that luxury whilst living in pretty Sydney!

10. After-dinner drinks and laughs each night at the Sailing Club, with candlelit tables right on the beach... the way every evening should be!

I hope you had a wonderful week...

Another holiday...

I find living abroad makes me take a looooot of holidays... this is definitely one for the plus column. I think I am happiest when I am travelling :).

Tomorrow I am off to Vietnam to meet up with my dad, take some time out, and no doubt cry like a baby at the war memorial.

Have a fantastic week, check ya when I get back!

Comfort food...

I had to post about my lunch today, because I NEVER get to eat this sort of food in Hong Kong.

We took B's Canadian family to Bubba Gump Shrimp for something that didn't include noodles, rice or pork.

I never knew this place existed!

I had fried shrimp, a BBQ cheeseburger with fries, and a soft chop chip cookie with vanilla ice cream for dessert that came on a plate as big as my burger.

I am SO sick of noodles, rice and pork.

And I am so very, very full.

Welcoming 2010 with open arms

2009 has been a massive year for me.

As it began I was blissfully living in my own apartment in Sydney's Inner West, working as an entertainment reporter in a job I loved (hello perks, how I miss you) and falling in love with Mr Marvellous.

By the end of 2009 I had moved out of my apartment and rented it to a Brazillian couple (I'm sure there's a green and yellow flag proudly flapping in the window), quit my amazing job through floods of tears, packed up my life, kissed my family and friends goodbye, and followed Mr Marvellous to Hong Kong.

It's been a year of extreme highs, lows and some middles.

I have surprised myself at how excited I was to leave all that was most comfortable to me, and start again with a clean, unplanned slate. I haven't felt that free and refreshed since I was an 18-year-old backpacking around the top end of Australia.

I surprised myself at how quickly I warmed to Hong Kong. I only just arrived, and I already know in my heart that I will shed a tear one day at how much I miss this place. It's made a significant impact.

I was thrilled to discover that living with B in a small city apartment in a brave new land has been nothing short of a pleasurable experience. I feel closer to him than ever, albeit a few couplish clashes here and there during high stress times.

I have been disheartened to find out that there really aren't any television entertainment reporter jobs in Hong Kong, and that finding job satisfaction that matched what I had before is most likely not going to happen anytime soon. That has been an extremely difficult adjustment for me and is still a work in progress.

But, I was given the rare chance to work freelance and have more time to smell the orchids, start my own business franchise, and return to the opportunities of university.

Highs, lows, or middles, I feel incredibly positive about what's to come this year and I welcome 2010 with open arms.

I am glad I am in Hong Kong.

I am glad I am with this man.

I am glad my family and friends are healthy.

I am a lucky girl.

Happy New Year!