Death to the Vuvuzuela

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU3F8iE1mxg

I love this dog.

Push by Sapphire

A while ago I saw a movie called Precious at the Luna on SX, it was a very hard movie to watch, and it's the kind of movie you can only see once because it's so heartbreaking and tragic. It was adapted from a book called Push by the author Sapphire who has also published a book of poetry. I don't know why I read the book, it was just as hard if not harder to get through than the movie. But I was glad I did it because I learnt something from it, if Precious can go through all the things that she went through and still be OK, and ready to live her life then I have no reason to complain, about anything.

The story is based around a 16 year old girl named Claireece Precious Jones, and it is narrated from her perspective. She is pregnant for the second time by her father, who she never sees anymore, lives with her abusive and obese mother who only wants Precious to go on welfare and stay home because 'the bitch it to stupid to do anything else'.

However through all the abuse, rape and poverty Precious endures there is an under current of hope. She is determined to finish high school and get her G.E.D so she can provide for her children and be a good mother. It's very funny at times which is refreshing especially after all the heavy issues of rape, oppression and AIDS. I don't know if this is a book I would recommend to people because even though the overall message is hope it is very depressing at times, and people choose to read because it's an escape, and why would you want to escape to 1980s Harlem where everything looks bleak and tragic? You can't help admire Precious though, if you're brave enough to read it, read it to enjoy her character. She's unlike anyone else.

Poached Pears in a Red Wine Sauce with Orange and Pistachio Cream

Monday was a very relaxed and easy, my mother and I have a very similar sweet tooth, we both like chocolate but have a soft spot for fruit desserts. When she did her grocery shopping on Saturday they had this promotion going on, if you bought three Philadelphia Cream Cheese products you got a free cook book, of course every recipe has cream cheese in it, but that's the catch I guess. So we since we had pears, cream cheese, pistachio's and cream cheese we decided to make this recipe. http://www.philadelphiacreamcheese.com.au/recipes/Desserts/Poached-Pears-with-Orange-and-Pistachio-PHILLY.aspx It's fairly easy, and quick, although you need to keep an eye on the sauce because it can catch and you don't want it to burn. Here is the red wine sauce simmering away, it smelt delicious, the star anise has such a distinct sent. I hope someone makes a perfume out of this, I'd love to smell like it! The pears have the most amazing colour when they come out of the sauce, such a rich fragrance too. This is the end result of mine and mum's attempt, think ours looks better :)

Adventures of the Weekend

Saturday

During the long weekend of Foundation Day I tried to take advantage of the free time I had and actually go out and do things, for example on Saturday I enjoyed a busy afternoon in the city by myself. I went to the Gallery of Western Australia to see Patricia Puccini's exhibition called Relativity, having to do with genetic mutations, stem cells, cloning etc. Her goal was to try and get a picture of what the future would look like and this is her interpretation http://www.artgallery.wa.gov.au/. It's quite disturbing and a bit creepy to look at, but I couldn't look away, they were so life like I expected them to start moving any second. My favourite was the two scooters and how she manipulated them to look like deer with side view mirror's as antlers, it's amazing. I had more of a look around, saw the 2009 Year 12 Perspective's exhibition, which is a showcase of different pieces of art done by Year 12s from different schools. Sadly my old high school wasn't represented. There were quite a few other interesting exhibitions, after I walked around for quite a while I went to the gift shop and they were having a 20% of everything sale. I decided I really liked this brooch of an outline of a branch, and thought $10 wasn't a bad price, I went to pay for it and was politely told that it was $100 not $10. I was embarrassed to say the least and beat it out of there fast. Lunch was Caccitore pizza at Deliciozo upstairs in Carillion, which is very yummy and I highly recommend it. After that I was off to catch my bus and stopped by Pigeon Hole http://www.pigeonhole.com.au/ to say hello to my friend Bobby Von Baker http://theboygeniusacademy.com.au/home/ who is a very kind and wonderful gentlemen. Back home Iwent, to spend a cold winter evening curled up on the couch with my honey-bunch :)

Sunday

I spent Sunday roaming the city and Northbridge, I was supposed to go to a 'HUGE VINTAGE SALE' http://www.facebook.com/notifications.php#!/event.php?eid=11014531569688745315696887 but I got there too late and there was a gigantic line-up and the lovely ladies I was with and I decided to hit up Northbridge for some Op-shopping and lunch. Almost all the Op-shops we went to were closed as was Turnstyles so lunch it was before we headed into the city. We had a Dim Sim lunch at the Chinese Red Dragon Restaurant, I couldn't eat much of it because I don't like seafood so pork (I hope) spring rolls and pork buns it was. In the bustling metropolis that is Perth CBD we headed to a shop called Ally, which is very much like Valley Girl or Dotti, these stores aren't my favourite to shop at, but once in a while you can find a gem. Like this shirt which was $20, and very billowy, I'm going to wear a little cami underneath it of course, but I love the pattern on it, it's very feminine and pretty. One of my lovely ladies, Adri, suggested it because she she said they had some good stuff. Chic and Chic was next which is a small little Japanese store with lots of little kitchy things but like the other store you can find some good cheap things that you like. I found myself these gorgeous brown leather shoes with a low heel and Velcro strap for $15. I can't wait to wear them to a gig or something. After adventures in shopping and eating, we bade good-bye and I made for my bus stop. When I got there the other lovely lady, Lisa, gave me a ring and invited me to a Gyroscope concert for that night. Now Gyroscope is a Perth band that have reached national fame, they have never really been my sort of thing, I was more into Karnivool and Birds of Tokyo. But since the ticket was free I decided it would be better than sitting at home and doing nothing. So off we went, to enjoy a night of WA music. I came home very tired and sore, and slept in until 11. http://metrocity.com.au/index.php?option=com_phocagallery&view=category&id=23:gyroscope&Itemid=53

I'm in the bright blue stockings :)