GIRLS' DAY OUT AT MORNINGTON : BAY HOTEL : POMME: MORNINGTON ANTIQUES CENTRE

Herself and I had a girls day out to-day. We drove to Mornington. First of all, we stopped for lunch at the Bay Hotel.  You can see the bistro section - which was beautifully warm and toasty - on the right of the collage above.

We checked out the menu:

We had certainly picked our day because we were able to avail ourselves of the Monday/Tuesday Special which meant that if we picked a "starred" item we got it for $15 with a complimentary glass of wine.  I know I don't dine out often these days, Trad Padders, but I hadn't come across a cleverly marked menu such as this.  Along with the stars, the menu sported tiny 'v's for vegetarian and 'gf's for gluten free.  I am vegetarian and I appreciated this thoughtful touch and I am sure the gluten free brigade would too.

I ordered Mediterranean Pappardelle which, ordinarily according to the menu, has chicken.  I asked for the dish without the chicken and they were happy to oblige.  So my pappardelle came with roasted vegetables, pan seared with olive oil, tossed through the pappardelle and sprinkled with feta and toasted pine nuts.  Herself - who is a carnivore - ordered the Hopkins River Beef Burger.  I didn't have the wine.  Herself had mine and I had a coke.  She seemed well pleased with her vino.  I noted that The Bay promotes local Mornington Peninsula wines with other Australian wines bringing up the rear.  So, as you can see, we had good provender.

Our real purpose for the day was to visit the Mornington Antiques Centre.  But before we set off for there, Herself wanted to make a visit to the local Bed Bath and Table.  We couldn't find close parking in the main street and had to turn out of the main street only to find ample parking and more shops, including major chains like Target, behind the main street shops.  We got out of the car and Pomme caught my eye.  I figured in could do BBT back home any time.  And off I went to Pomme...

The chairs at the front of Pomme are bright and cheery

and the store will cover these chairs to the fabric of your choice.

 Display of art and design, jewellery and homewares

is beautifully done at Pomme.  Go see for yourselves.

 These delicate hanging pendants are filled with tiny treasures.

Behind them, are enchanting artworks of Belted Galloway cattle.

I purchased something for my sister's forthcoming birthday -

but I won't let out the secret here.

Then we were off to browse the Morninton Antiques Centre...

And we did walk away with some goodies.

Herself bought a beautiful print of pink roses.

I brought home a chest of drawers which I hope to transform

and two wooden cutlery holders for pens & scissors & etceteras.

Perhaps that will be the subject of the next post.

The Glitter Fairy casts her spell.

Herself has gone all a-glitter. She has fallen under the spell of the Glitter Fairy. Miss Eagle may have to watch out - if she stands still for too long it will be a spot of glue and a sprinkle of glitter!

Herself had previously painted the A, B, and C this lovely warm pink. The paint had been on a special at the paint shop.

I had picked up some sprinkly glitter at the last visit to the craft shop.

So, this afternoon was glue and glitter time.

Here they are. All done and all a-glitter.

And then they made their way into the styling of this corner!

Colours of Provence

Miss Eagle, dear Reader, in a previous incarnation owned a gift, homewares and decorating shoppe. One of her suppliers, sending their wares thousands of kilometers to the tropical north, was Colours of Provence. To-day, your correspondent discovered that she is still on the e-mail list. CoP has written informing, nay bragging, that they have six containers arriving at their Southbank showroom between February and April. Not only did they write, they sent pictures. Needless to say, their usual beautiful stuff. Decorating porn!

Miss E informed Herself. Herself only hissed one word - "Drugs!"

And indeed. Such promotion to addicts. Smack for addicts. Total abstinence required - but can we make it? Will we resist temptation - or will we pay it a visit???

The Lady has left...

On Thursday 8 February 2007, the light and life of Trixie went out -

after a twenty-four hour illness.

Princess Trixie Wigglebottom of that long line of Wigglebottoms mentioned in Debrett's.
Trixie on her cushion with Rose the SpartaCat
Trixie in her Christmas jewels.
Trixie lying in her basket.
Trixie playing one of her games - Beyond the Fringe
Herself with FootFoot on the left and Trixie on the right.

Trixie was an indulgent woman. Think the Queen Mother without the G&T. She was a not-quite-fourteen-year-old Miniature Fox Terrier. She loved the good things of life: sitting on the couch beside Herself and drinking tea from her cup; checking out everyone's food. And Trixie and bones: never such demolition since the world began.

Miss Eagle and Trixie had their own special game, Trixie Tipping, in which Herself would frequently join as well. This meant tipping the rotund Trixie over on her back, head resting on a cushion, and tickling her tummy, under her arms, under her chin. She loved it and would beg for more. Our last game was the night before she became ill.

Trixie, with FootFoot, have been part of Herself's life for nearly fourteen years and part of Miss Eagle's for the last two and a half years. FootFoot has lost a lot of his bounce since Trixie has left this world and Herself and Miss Eagle are finding out the changes in life that no Trixie brings.

To remember Trixie and remind everyone who and what a canine friend can be, the piece below seems fitting.

Tribute To The Dog
George Graham Vest (1830-1904) served as U.S. Senator from Missouri from 1879 to 1903 and became one of the leading orators and debaters of his time. This delightful speech is from an earlier period in his life when he practiced law in a small Missouri town. It was given in court while representing a man who sued another for the killing of his dog. During the trial, Vest ignored the testimony, but when his turn came to present a summation to the jury, he made the following speech and won the case.

Gentlemen of the Jury:

The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us, may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog. A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer. He will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings, and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth, an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even in death.

George Graham Vest - c. 1855

A corner of the Trad Pad

Herself has taken the Laundry in hand. At the Trad Pad, as in most homes, the Laundry (apart from the Loo) is the least room in the house. But at the Trad Pad, it not only serves as Laundry and Mud Room but it is the entry to the house for Miss Eagle and Herself and most of the visitors. You see, there is no road in front of the Trad Pad. Only a footpath. The only house in the street without a road. This is very confusing for first time visitors. They get confused in spite of clear instructions and directions and finish up all over the neighbourhood. So the front door is little used and entry for most is from the side street. So here is the newly styled laundry.

The indulged and indulgent

A chilly Melbourne Sunday morning.

Time for cozying up on the couch.

This is Herself with FootFoot on the left of picture

and Trixie on the right.

Sheer indulgence, Miss Eagle says!

A darling daughter and a best friend

Miss Eagle has mentioned Martin and Vonnie's Melbourne visit. Martin has sent me his photos of the visit and Miss Eagle, the proud Mama, loved this photograph of Herself and Vonnie taken at Avec Amour. Pardon Miss Eagle's indulgence.

Book shelves

You, dear Reader, will have noted that Miss Eagle questioned Herself's colour preference in the previous post suggesting it was influenced by the classical book covers on the bookshelves.

Here is Herself's idea of a bookshelf.
This one is in the sun roomwhich looks out on to a courtyard and across to the Dandenong Ranges National Park.
Another corner - of bits and pieces

Classic colour choice

Herself has let it be known that these are her favourite colours.

Miss Eagle wonders if the colour choice has been influenced by the surroundings

- particularly the bookcase of classically bound books.

A Tailor of Gloucester mouse

Recently, Jane over at yarnstorm mentioned The Tailor of Gloucester. Miss Eagle thought it should be known that one of those nimble fingered mice lives at The Trad Pad. You see, Herself has a soft spot for the Beatrix Potter story. As a little girl doing speech classes, she had to learn The Tailor of Gloucester for an exam. So it has a special place in her heart and her home.

Skinny and white

Maybe I'm the last person to know about this, but I was gobsmacked when Herself brought home to-day White Glo toothpaste. The front part of the package, the one you see on the supermarket shelf, makes no claim about what this toothpaste does to and for your teeth - but it has two names because it is also referred to as Crave Away appetite control toothpaste. It claims to help "suppress appetite and reduce food cravings" through a homeopathic formula. Apparently, the formula works because it

is absorbed into the bloodstream through the lining of the mouth as you brush your teeth. The unique ingredients send a signal to your brain indicating "fullness" and assisting in suppressing appetite and good craving! After brushing, you don't feel the urge to eat as much!

If this really, truly works we will have to change our habits.

Don't brush after meals, brush before.

La Coupole is just her cup of tea

Herself is an out-and-out Francophile and has a couple of trips to Paris under her belt and, of course, visited La Coupole. La Coupole was at its height between the wars when Hemingway and Picasso were habitues just to name two. But the souvenir Limoges cup and saucer were brought back for her by a friend who knew how she loved the place.

The pen from Il Papiro

Herself indulged this week and left a goodly sum behind at Il Papiro in Degraves Street. For those who have not discovered Il Papiro, stepping through its door is like stepping into a shop in an arcade in Florence. She purchased a quill pen with nib and some little business cards blanks which she has me putting the details on in my best calligraphy. Anything to do with paper is there in the most wonderful Italian designs. Just the place for the purchase of a special gift!

Art, pain, and the voyage

I love the painters of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

This one reminds me of my daughter, Herself.

It is a painting by Rossetti titled The Blue Bower.

The piece below is by the Afro-American poet, Gwendolyn Brooks.

I have snitched it from Gregg over at Speed of Life.

"Art hurts. Art urges voyages -
and it is easier to stay at home,
the nice beer ready."

Art

Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

Gwendolyn Brooks

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Avec Amour and the Christmas Angel

Herself has a beautiful shop at Knoxfield
- Avec Amour -
The Christmas Angel lives there