guest post by charlotta... global rambles..

Hello dear 'tranquil readers'. 

My name is Charlotta and I usually carry on over at 'Space for Inspiration', however today I am here by (very flattering & kind) invitation as my dear hostess is off taking a juicy bite of the 'Big Apple'.

To reflect my somewhat nomadic and multi-cultural background (I am a 'serial country hopper'..) Kerry has asked that my guest post is written around the topic of 'global'.

To me 'global style' is more than reclining in your Italian sofa with a glass of French red wine, whilst gazing at your fabulous Swedish 'Mora Clock', and the African Juju hat you recently bought.

 

It doesn't even make you 'global' if you to do this in some far and remote country that you happen to live in, and you share this moment with your husband that you met in a country other than your own motherland.. Though this for sure is terribly nice, there is more to truly 'global style'..

Prince Charles making an attempt to be a 'global citizen' only isn't quite up there with the Jolie-Pitts..

Being truly 'global' means that you apply yourself to life and the world in a genuine, boundless & consistently effortless (but always meaningful) manner. It goes beyond 'feeling or seeming at home' everywhere. It means you actually 'belong' everywhere and that you see the world as one cohesive place as opposed to a collection of disparate locations. You would effortlessly speak several languages but not really think about which one happens to come out of your mouth because you care more about the conversation and the person you talk to than what language is spoken.

Now if you happen to be this kind of person, your home may very well be 'culturally eclectic' in your aesthetic style (Juju hat et al..) and you probably do spice it with an array of curious and unique pieces from around the world. You probably also enjoy a wide variety of exotic foods that you may very well be enjoying with a large and varied group of friends from all corners & walks of life - including your life partner that you met on one of your adventures. You don't live like this to build an image or to deliberately impress anyone. It's just a natural expression of who you are and your thirst for knowledge and life. In fact you are innately very laid back, unpretentious and very easy to get a long with.

No interior designer would have traveled the world for you. In fact your home will be filled with objects that have been discovered and acquired by you randomly and organically, without the influence of trends or external pressures. They will have connective substance and a deep personal meaning that go beyond the fact they happened to be found in rare and disparate locations. Actually the location itself doesn't really matter because you attach these objects to the 'experience' rather than to the 'place'. They are part of your life story - and what a fun story it is!

That's all from me folks, but before I go, may I please share with you THIS marvelous (!) - though completely unrelated - video of a child that clearly has the right approach to life..!! Affirmations done by a true pro people!!

HERE

Warm Swedish hugs* to all, and thank you again to our very own globetrotter for letting me rant here today. I hope you are having a ball out there in the world. We miss you lots and wait patiently here in your fabulous Tranquil Townhouse until you return.

xx Charlotta

* I am in fact Swedish.. I don't just hand out 'Swedish hugs' randomly..thought that too would be perfectly fine in my book.. :)

guest post by kerri...coastal living

Morning all, Kerri here from Driftwood Interiors.  I’m thrilled that Kerry has asked me to guest post for her while she’s off gallivanting around the US. I’ve been a big fan of her blog since day one – her style is so funny, warm and engaging – but even better, I’m honoured to call her a friend. Thanks for the invitation Kerry, and I’ll do my best to fill your very big (as in fabulous, of course!) blogging shoes.

In the spirit of this guest post series, my theme is ‘coastal’, which is right up my decorating alley. Without a doubt, it’s my all-time favourite style. In Australia, the Northern Beaches of NSW boast some of the most gorgeous beach houses, and all have one thing in common – a relaxed, laid-back vibe. Many are more up-market now than the simple beach shacks I used to holiday in as a kid, but the best still promise a real sand-between-your-toes, drinks-in-the-hammock ideal of the perfect beach escape.   

I hope you enjoyed your trip to the coast with me today, and thanks so much Kerry for letting me hijack your fabulous blog. Can’t wait to hear all about your big adventure!

Kerri xx

guest post by tina...country...handy tips for making a tree change!

Hi everyone, my name is Tina and I have a blog called Rubies' Place, which is all about our simple life in an Australian country town.  Our beautiful friend Kerry has asked me to do a guest post for her here at a Tranquil Townhouse, whilst she is kicking up her heels (in her gorgeous, recently purchased boots)  across the US.  This is my first guest post, so I hope I do her proud and that you enjoy a little peek into our country experience.

We have not always lived in the country...no!  We were previously living in Sydney, with long work and school commutes, never sitting down to a meal together, let alone spending any quality time as a family.  So, we decided on a 'tree-change' six years ago. We moved to a fabulous country town in the New England area of North West NSW.

 Our town is full of old character filled weatherboard cottages...

 tree lined streets...

wood fires in winter, gardens full of old fashioned roses...

and  it takes us literally less than two minutes to drive out of town into the quintessential Australian countryside.  Everything we had dreamed of before making the move.

We have read so many articles on tree-changes 'that have turned to dust' and how many people regret moving from the city to the country.  Well, I have to say that we have NO regrets about moving out of the city.  Mind you, in saying that, we weren't quite as prepared for country living as we thought we were.  So here are 7 tips for you, if you ever think about moving to the country from the city.

1.  Practise extracting your foot from your mouth, before making the move!  Seriously...country towns are small and everyone is either related to each other, or know each other.  I consider myself to be a very diplomatic person, but have found myself with a big old R.M William's heel sticking out of my mouth on quite a few occasions ;) (oh, yeah.... R.M. Williams boots are a MUST for anyone considering a tree change).

 2.  Shops in small country towns close at lunchtime on Saturday...no, seriously, they REALLY, REALLY DO!!!   Speaking of shops, country towns are filled with amazing shops and the thing that I love most, is that you can choose to support a local family-owned business over large chain stores... my favourite shop in our town is called Kitchen Addiction, a family-owned Kitchen wares store run by my lovely friend Fiona .

  KITCHEN ADDICTION WINDOW DISPLAYS

...so if you are ever in Armidale, you really must pop in!!  Beware, you won't be able to leave empty-handed!!

3.  In the country, when a tradesman says that they will be turning up on a particular day....check which week they are talking about...'I will be there Wednesday...'  could mean ANY Wednesday in the next 6 months.  We cooked on a BBQ on our front porch for 9 months, it took that long for our kitchen to be made....but I do think it was worth the wait :D

4.  Be prepared to be dragged to a local rodeo by well meaning neighbours who have been 'country folk' their whole lives....go on, you have to do it once in your lifetime!

5.  Learn to bake BEFORE you move, otherwise you will spend the first twelve months following your tree-change, feeling incredibly inadequate ...everyone in the country can BAKE!!

6.   Old character-filled weatherboard cottages, have absolutely NO built in storage!!  so either factor that into your budget or bring a truckload of cupboards and wardrobes with you, otherwise, I swear it will drive you insane sometimes!!

7.  Be prepared to have come across whole herds of cattle in the middle of country roads....  Also be prepared to have to turn off the engine in your car and wait for however long it takes, for said herds of cattle to decide they will move off the road and let you pass...true story, has happened many times!

So now that you have these little pearls of wisdom, you are more than prepared for a tree change ...or maybe just a visit or drive to your nearest country town.  Either way, go out and enjoy all of the fabulousness that Australian the countryside has to offer, you will love it, I promise!

Tina xx

guest post by lona de anna...living in the city!

Hello fellow Bloggers...this is Anna from Lona de Anna here...filling in for Kerry while she is away.
I was so flattered when Kerry asked me to do a guest post whilst she is travelling around NYC...jealous? Aha...you betcha!
But I am hoping that this guest post will entice you all to come visit this beautiful Country/City of Sydney if have never been...or for my fellow Aussies out there who haven't visited in a long time...time to book your next weekend getaway ! :)
I decided to share "MY" favourite spots in Sydney...the places that truly make me smile and appreciate this glorious City of Ours.

A little history...Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales and the largest and most popular city in Australia. Sydney has a reputation as an international centre for commerce, arts, fashion, culture, entertainment, music, education and tourism. 

What I love about Sydney is that it is very Cosmopolitan, vibrant and multicultural, the City of Sydney itself is made up of a series of localities, each with its own unique character.

Now I could easily go on and on and take up at least 8 - 10 posts just covering ALL the amazing places to visit in Sydney...but today I am going to be covering just the City Central itself in Sydney..as to me its the heartbeat of this beautiful city.

One of my favourite places to shop is at the Queen Victoria Building in the Sydney CBD..otherwise known as the QVB on George St.

Travelling to work...I walked in and out of this building twice a day ..5 days a week.. for 5 years and I never got tired of appreciating the elaborate Romanesque architecture of this building..its intricate tiled floors and art deco-style tearoom contrast with the wide aisles and floor-to-ceiling glass of the city's modern retail centres. Originally built as a concert hall, the QVB is a beautiful mix of old and new and is now accommodated by many Designer fashion boutiques coffee shops, and a wide variety of tradespeople such as hairdressers , florists, tailors, bakeries etc....A truly unique place to visit, especially if you have an appreciation of history and architecture.

Another place in Sydney where a beautiful mix of old and new is most evident is at The Rocks.

The Rocks is located at the foot of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and is one of the oldest and most historical areas of the city. A diverse residential and business community where public housing tenants reside alongside ad agencies and historic pubs rub shoulders with modern art galleries. Every weekend the cobbled streets are filled with the aroma of artisan breads as The Rocks Market recaptures the spirit of traditional public markets.(  

This place is close to my heart as its where we lived during my teen years when growing up...and every time I go back there and visit I make sure I enjoy one of my all time  favourite things we used to do during the summer....Enjoying a delicious corn on the cob! YUM!

Now if you want to enjoy the best beer garden in the world the Opera bar offers the most amazing views of the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the city skyline itself.

For me its the perfect Sydney destination to meet friends for drinks or to enjoy a quick meal before a show, all with the best backdrop in Sydney. Adding  to the scenery at the Opera bar is the live music nightly and Jazz on weekend afternoons; it’s difficult to find a better venue in Sydney to drink or dine..I absolutely LOVE this place and have experienced some of my best Friday Nights and Sunday afternoon's here simply enjoying a refreshing white , great company and listening to smooth jazz...Awesome!

Another beautiful spot to visit is the Royal Botanical Gardens; just south of Sydney Harbour lies a sprawling 30 Hectares of green.

A place of such natural beauty where people come to visit for peace and relaxation during their lunch break..or to learn more about Australian plants and horticulture. The gardens are often a very popular place for hiring for weddings ceremonies, filming and photography, indoor and outdoor events etc.

Another spot that is close to my heart as it is where Mr White and I shared a romantic picnic, at Mrs Macquarie's Chair.. a rock formation on the point of the harbour ..one of the best spots to take a picture of Sydney if you want to have breathtaking views of the Opera House and the harbour Bridge in one.

So there you have it...my favourite parts of Sydney! 

Of course I could go add so many more to this list...but to me ..these beautiful spots really encompass all the things I think Sydney is all about..Buzzing with Natural Beauty and History.
Thank you Kerry and fellow bloggers for having me..this was a fun post to do...and now has me craving corn on the cob again ; )

see ya...I'm off!

Well bloggy peeps...today is the day. Hope it's a flight in this groovy one...but I suspect not :)

And depending what time you're reading this...I'll either be:
a. running around like a chook with its head cut off trying to get out of the door and make it to the airport on time;
b. rummaging in my bag making sure I've got the essentials: passport, credit card, phone and iPad...because after all what else could I possibly need where I'm going;
c. in the air on planes of various types and size;
d. navigating my way around different airports...two out of four that are completely foreign to me (pun intended!); or
e. several of the above.
This first week, while I'm working in Washington...(and earning my right to the second week swanning about in NYC)

...I won't be posting but I've left the virtual townhouse in the very kind and capable hands of these lovely people:

• Anna (Tuesday)
• Tina (Thursday)
• Kerri (Saturday)

City girl, country girl, coastal girl...clever travelling metaphor huh? Thanks. I thought so :) Watch out for their posts. I'm so grateful that they've taken time out of their very busy lives to do this, and you'll be pleased to know I've resisted the urge to throw in a few wisecracks in their posts...they would have been at my expense of course, but still! I'm sure you'll be as lovely to them as you always are to me. Hopefully I'll have some time this week to pop into your blogs...but it sort of depends on how hard the Yanks make me work :)
See you when I get to New York (in my head it's always, but always said like Oprah would say it!)

soul food friday...an extraordinary woman

When you come face to face with magnificence and extraordinariness (I don't care if that's not a word, I like it!) you realise, with stark reality and a great big 'coming back down to earth' jolt, how very insignificant you are...in the big scheme of things that is. I don't say that with any sense of regret or yearning. I say it with a sense of awe for those who are indeed extraordinarily special.
Last Friday I attended the International Women's Day lunch put on by the Canberra chapter of UN Women (previously UNIFEM). The key speaker was this woman...

Princess Kasune Zulu. Very beautiful and amazingly articulate. From Zambia, she lost both her parents and a sister and brother to AIDS. She is HIV positive herself, and she's a fighter. Her book Warrior Princess (co-written by Melbourne woman Belinda Collins) is the account of her life so far. I will be honest...I've only just begun to read it, but I'm going to try very hard to finish this weekend before I hop on a plane on Monday...given that long distance travelling is now to be an ibook only experience :)

image from here...and yes, thanks to my very kind colleague Tania who stayed and waited in line when I had to race off to a meeting...I have a signed copy :)

Listening to Princess Zulu speak I was inspired, amazed, saddened by the horrendous statistics and moved by the heartbreaking stories. I wanted to leap up and say 'what can I do to help?' But of course I didn't. In a room of just over 1000 women, you tend not to do stuff like that :) Not unless you're very brave. And I can't say that I am.
But it made me wonder...what do you have to go through to become someone who is truly capable of changing the world? Changing it in a good way that is. Becoming, as one book testimonial says "a voice for the voiceless". What characteristics do these amazing people possess? After all, sadly, lots of people have lost parents, siblings, children, husbands, wives to this most indiscriminate of diseases. What makes one person take on the fight (not just for themselves but for a generation), persevere, triumph, and another succumb? 
I have lived a pretty fortunate life. I've not been touched by tragedy and I've never had to fight like Princess, and to be honest I hope I never do. But it makes me wonder, if placed in her position, would I be a person who could be a champion for others, a justice fighter, a spiritual example. I suspect not. And that's ok, but gee...the world needs more women like this don't you think? And importantly, it's made me think about what small contribution I might be able to make. I'm investigating some options here and here.
Something to think about in this privileged world of ours.

my creative space: a future date between...

...this fabric from Simone's place...

and this otto-person made years ago by me and my good friend and chandelier fairy Chris...

and some other yet to be discovered fabric because when I bought the yellow and grey I had no intention of using it here, and therefore...of course...there is not enough! But now that I've thought of it I can't think of using it for anything else! So, what should I match it with...any ideas?
There's probably an answer over at Kirsty's...but just in case there's not, what do you reckon?