FIJI ISLANDS

Am off to my old island home of Fiji this Sun eve and can't resist posting this Fiji Teal Airlines poster. Why is travel advertising now so boring? I could be swayed to sojourn pretty much anywhere with this sort of campaign.

PASSOVER

It's Passover, which is a special time particularly for my Mum. She's home from work right now, busily preparing a ton of dishes for tonight's seder. This Yehuda Amichai poem is for her, but also all of you.   

My father was a god and did not know it. He gave me
The Ten Commandments neither in thunder nor in fury; neither in fire nor in cloud
But rather in gentleness and love. And he added caresses and kind words
and he added 'I beg you,' and 'please.'
And he sang 'keep' and 'remember' the Shabbat
In a single melody and he pleaded and
cried quietly between one utterance and the next,
'Do not take the name of God in vain,' do not take it, not in vain,
I beg you, 'do not bear false witness against your neighbor.'
And he hugged me tightly and whispered in my ear
'Do not steal. Do not commit adultery. Do not murder.'
And he put the palms of his open hands
On my head with the Yom Kippur blessing.
'Honor, love, in order that your days might be long
On the earth.' And my father’s voice was white like the hair on his head.
Later on he turned his face to me one last time
Like on the day when he died in my arms and said
I want to add two to the Ten Commandments:
The eleventh commandment – 'Thou shall not change.'
And the twelfth commandment – 'Thou must surely change.'
So said my father and then he turned from me and walked off
Disappearing into his strange distances.

PEONY MELBOURNE

Another Auburn village find at the weekend was Peony Melbourne: the best parfumerie I've yet to visit in Oz. They've Keiko Mecheri (how I heart her Ume), Carthusia (Fiori di Capri is super Summery), L'Artisan Parfumeur (a fragrance called Timbuktu!) and more. Click here for a full list of Peony scents, and here to view owner Jill Timms' blog - she even offers fragrance consultations using Michael Edwards' Fragrance Wheel (divided into floral, oriental, wood and fresh, take a squiz here).

I'd send anyone to Peony (107 Auburn Road, Hawthorn) for Christmas presents - their Agg Tval Egg White soaps (above) and Carriere Freres Industrie candles (below) would make perfect stocking fillers. On my list for Santa is Florence by Tocca: 'An alluring combination of Italian Bergamot and crushed violet petals. Blue iris and bottom notes of blonde wood add a sophisticated and feminine scent that's reminiscent of old world Paris.' Mais oui, Peony.

MELBOURNE CUP

Good luck and ganbatte ne to all the gamblers out there today - Australia's most famous Tuesday, of which there have now been 150. Check out a clip of an early Melbourne Cup Fashions on the Field here. My Tarot card reading Mum says: 'So You Think or Shocking will probably win, but I would go for anything with a two or seven in it: 2, 7 and 16.' That last bit relates to numerology, and means you should pick Campanologist, Shoot Out or Profound Beauty.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I don't have the nostalgic childhood memories of trick-or-treating my born-and-bred-in-the-US friends have, and I hate dressing up. But I like the symbols of Halloween - the elements of Autumn like scarecrows and pumpkins; the monsters and magic seen in the greeting card above. Want to celebrate, like me, without dressing up as Snooki? Then whip up a batch of the lovely Chanie's Halloween cupcakes - they are frightfully delicious.

PENGUIN PINATA

Could you bring yourself to bash up Icecube the Penguin Pinata? If so, you're made of stronger stuff than me. Learn how to make your own papier mache penguin pinata here.

LAKE TYERS

We celebrated my Dad's sixtieth birthday with a long weekend at Lake Tyers, where he used to holiday as a child. The area was super nautical - check out the octopus on the roof of Griffith's Sea Shell Museum and the trawlers at Lakes Entrance. 

I hope you had a happy birthday, Dad!

CHOCOLATE PANDA

Who in their right mind would choose a chocolate bunny over a panda? Haigh's has welcomed Wang Wang and Funi to Adelaide Zoo by creating delicious treats in their likeness, yum! Just $8.50, and a percentage of the proceeds go to the Zoo's Panda Nutrition and Reproductive Programs. So help baby pandas get made this Easter and buy a Chocolate Panda from Haigh's! Locate your closest store here.

BIRD AND BANNER VALENTINE

I am totally one of those girls who, when Valentine's Day rolls around each year, loudly pronounces my disdain for the holiday (it's commercial, it's American, shouldn't every day be about love?), but when the BF responds by ignoring it, gets upset. Idiot! You can avoid this stupid situ by purchasing one of these Bird and Banner Think of Me Handkerchief Valentines from Anthropologie (no two are the same). Believe me, it will be worth it.