Flicks, eats and plans...

Boring stuff first... the Renos:

So today I had a meeting with my architect and the Council about my renos. They sound like there shouldn't be too many problems, other than MY problem with having to pay for my architect (fair cop, she is pretty good and a good architect too, boom tish - nope, he ain't lost it), a structural engineer (again ok, since I don't want the pile to fall down after dumping cash into it), and now apparently an arborist (dude, I know they are trees, and I know you don't want me to cut them down. As for not using machinery within a certain radius, does a CHAINSAW count?), not to mention Council's fees. And this is before I actually pay for any work on the house.

Why would you bother?

In the time since I last updated you all, I have vacillated (it isn't a act of self abuse, look it up) over putting in a polished concrete floor or floorboards, and I haven't even begun to try to decide what finishes I want in my joinery, bathroom, kitchen, wall colours, blah blah blah...

Ok, enough of that, flicks:

You may or not recall my enthusiasm for a movie called Nightwatch (alright, I know you don't recall that at all, but humour me here please). I went and saw the sequel called, astonishingly, Daywatch. Yes, it was also a movie about good and evil vampires set in modern Russia (NOW you are interested, I know), and it is also visually AMAZING, with a nice combo of hot Ruskies (not the drink), great action, and even a plot. It is out on DVD early next year, do yourselves a favour. Oh, and the subtitles rock.

Hmm, so maybe that should have been headed 'flick'. Numbers were never a strength...

Alrighty then, the fun stuff... Eats:

I may or may not have gone on a date on the weekend. A lovely girl, very smart, good conversation, did I mention that she is into food and wine, and she is very pretty (dark hair, pale skin, gorgeous blue eyes, you get the idea). I took her to a restaurant in Leichhardt called Bistro Ortolan. French style food.

Wowzer. It has a hat, and largely very good reviews, but I hadn't been before, so you never know. Then again, that is the sort of crazy risk taker that I am.

The food was awesome, Australian produce but prepared with a strong French influence. Good flavours (I had a salmon nicoise with quail eggs that was to die for, followed by Barra with marron tails and yabbie bisque), let's just say this place was serving up sex on a plate. Then again it has been a while, so the location of said sex would be the least of my concerns. The wine was nice (a Vouvray from their interesting wine list), the company was very nice indeed - she was backing up from a 3am finish the night before, so I was lucky she even made it - all in all a good night.

There has been talk of a follow up date. Why do I feel like I am 16? For that matter, why is that such wishful thinking (actually 25 is more wishful, more appealing and equally as impossible, dammit).

Oh, and work sucks the big one, although I was away on an executive management team conference last week, so I am equal parts inspired, informed, and behind on all the crap I need to get done by Christmas.

Speaking of which, I am taking weeks off over Chrissie, so how cool is THAT?!

So what is news kids? And no, it doesn't count to tell me the crap that is on your blogs...