A new eatery, baking, and living with the seasons

 

 

Hello chic friends!

 

We found a great new bar/eatery in Napier, the town I live near, and have been twice so far since it was so good.

 

 

Gorgeous fitout, very glam. Nice staff, yummy food and who can resist a glass of local bubbles. The glasses are actually really nice too.

 

 

I'm happy that businesses are investing in Hawke's Bay and doing well also.

 

 

Cheers to a warm, sunny day too!

Have you been out anywhere good lately?

 

 

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My friend Tanya came around for lunch last week, so as usual I took the opportunity to bake something. I made Tan Square, from this recipe here.

 

Yum!

 

 

As I was leaving a review of my recipe on their site, I discovered I had used double the amount of condensed milk. And it turned out perfectly! I only realised this when other reviews said the caramel wasn’t quite plentiful enough and they would use the whole can of condensed milk next time.

What a lucky mistake!

I would make it the same way next time, but would probably cut the sugar in the base from 1/2C to ¼C. I usually halve the sugar in any baking recipe but since this only used ½C I didn’t. Next time I will! I used gluten free flour too, like I always do.

I made it the day before, which worked out well, because it was very soft and pudding-y that night (yes we had to taste test it :), but leaving it overnight in the fridge allowed me slice it into lovely neat pieces.

My husband Paul said ‘Do not make that again, it’s TOO nice’ and I agree! It’s not something I’d make every week, but it was a nice treat which I will make for entertaining occasions.

Oh, and I also used dark chocolate sharded with a sharp knife instead of chocolate chips. I like to use what I have, and I think proper chocolate is nicer anyway (Whittaker’s all the way! If you have tasted it, you will know.)

Plus, I used honey instead of golden syrup. Also using what I have. I wonder if there was anything left of the original recipe now that I think about it!

 

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🍇🍇🍇 Winter vines in our street 🍇🍇🍇

 

It's so cool to see the changes of season as we drive or walk past these grapevines. Here they are all pruned back and have been hunkering down, bare, over the winter.

And just in the past week or two there are little green shoots popping out (it's called 'bud burst'). Of course in the next month or two over spring there will be an explosion of green.

There is something relaxing and magical about the changing of the seasons. We can forget that human beings are part of nature too - I do. Springtime really does feel like a time of 'waking up'.

In the northern hemisphere you will be looking forward to slowing down and snuggling into autumn and winter :)

I love thinking about the changing seasons. Do you? What fun things do you have planned for your spring or autumn?

Mine are to write another book after the one I've just finished (which will be out soon!), keep my office admin in check (it feels SO nice to have everything completed and filed or binned), and enjoy fresh fruits of the season.

 

Let me know yours, and if you've found anywhere new to visit lately.

 

xx Fiona

 

 

PS. If you need something inspiring to read over the weekend, my latest book '100 Ways to Live a Soft, Calm Life' is still available on Kindle Unlimited, for only for another week or so. You can see it here on Kindle, in paperback, and on Audible.

 

(My Amazon links are affiliate but the price doesn’t change for you, thank you if you choose to use my links!)choose to use my links!)

How to be calm, AND get things done

 

 

Hello chic friends!

 

I had a great question from reader Rozen in Melbourne:

“Fiona I am probably too soft and calm and taking it too easy. Do you have a suggestion for me to get going, doing a bit more and not dawdling and wasting my days.”

I can so relate to this! Yes, I adore living a ‘soft, calm life’ as in the title of my latest book, but I also like to get things done. As much as I’d love to lounge around reading a novel all day, it just wouldn’t feel good because I haven’t achieved anything.

I truly believe life is a balance of rest, play and work. And we can gently motivate ourselves if that’s what it takes. Here are my best tips on taking it easy and still getting things done!

1. Set up your environment for success by not having a lot of clutter around. Clean out what’s not important to you so that there is less to organise and clean, and you only have your favourite things surrounding you (Currently I am working on decluttering by using things up in my kitchen and bathroom, and reading books and magazines then donating).

2. Work out your priorities so you don’t waste time on ‘dumb stuff’ (For me it’s spending too much time at the computer browsing rubbish, then I tell myself I don’t have time to sit down and read a book).

3. Adopt healthy habits so you have more energy to get things done (I always feel better with less sugar and processed foods. I sleep better and have more oomph the next day).

4. Give yourself a pep talk each morning (I like to write in my journal with a steaming hot tea first thing. It might be an inspiring list, a letter from my future self, or a ‘Wouldn’t it be nice’ goals list).

5. Make a really short to-do list with three things or less on it. Not laundry or groceries, but rather a few vital tasks (Whenever I find myself drifting during the day I go back to that list and just Get The Things Done).

These tips aren't meant to be bossy, they are just what personally work for me. I hope you find something of use in this list, and please let me know which one is your favourite!

 

 

 

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:: Springtime in Hawke's Bay ::

Look at that sky! And the white blossom on my walk the other day 😊

One of the days this week was cold and grey though, so I am set myself a mini-goal to get all my tax information together to give to my accountant - within the day! It was cozy in my office, the perfect day to do such a thing.

 

I didn't get it 100% done, but I did most of it and now I'm excited to tidy up the last few things and send it all to my accountant. Often it's starting that is the hardest part, don't you find?

So, what's one big thing that's been hanging over you and can you dedicate a day to sorting it out?
 

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This week I’ve been recording the audiobook version of my book ‘A Chic and Simple Christmas’. So today I thought I’d share an excerpt from it. I know it’s too early to think about Christmas, but it’s not too early to consider how you might like to do things differently this Christmas. Zing it up, or simplify, your choice!

 

 

The excerpt I am sharing is from Chapter 1. ‘Choose what a chic Christmas season feels like for you’:

 

 

:: Christmas style versus your personal style ::

“Personally, I love the thought of Christmas and a beautifully decorated house, however in my own home I become claustrophobic with too much stuff around me. I love an elegant and simple decor style and I also like to make things easy for myself (spending days decorating our home only to take it all down a month later does not sound like fun to me).

I had a fun thought on how best to describe my approach to holiday decorating (and to put it in the best light, not just ‘Fiona’s lazy’).

You know how in Paris; most people live very centrally in apartments? Sure, they might have a window-box or two or even a small terrace with potted red-orange geraniums, but Paris is famous for her residents enjoying public parks almost as their own back yard as they read, lie in the sun, play and kiss; enjoying their own company in the company of others.

Well that’s how I feel about Christmas decorating. I love to read the glossy magazines with heavily decorated homes. I love to watch holiday movies with the perfect family home decked out entirely in a store’s-worth of beautiful and perfect Christmas décor. I love to visit neighbourhoods that are famous for their homes being decorated and all lit up on the outside. I love the feeling that all these things give me.

And I love going home to my own chic and simple lightly-decorated house.”

 

 

Maybe this is you as well? Let me know how you like to decorate for the holidays 😊

And happy weekend to you too!

xx Fiona

PS. You can find all my books on Amazon here, in Kindle, paperback and audiobook. Or visit my Linktree for other options.

 

 

 

 

(My Amazon links are affiliate but the price doesn’t change for you, thank you if you choose to use my links!)