Good Things...

Some things that happify me right now:

- The September issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.  Yes, yes - the recipes are drool inducing as always, and they have a feature on Korean food (about time!), but this month there is also a heap of really great writing.  There's Kelly Eng writing about the traditional Chinese Battle of the Bills and Frank Moorhouse musing on a perfectly made martini in Shining Water.

But my favourite is AA Gill writing about airports, and - of course - it's the one article I can't find on-line.  Maybe it's because I also spend a bigger-than-average percentage of my life in airports, or maybe it's because I just got back from a trip to my hometown, but his writing on departures and arrivals; on the 'tug of home' and the 'itch and excitement of getting away'; on the 'velcro rip of affection and connection', really struck a chord.

- Starting to build a winter wardrobe.  After a few years living in Hong Kong and having a winter that lasts for around two weeks I am now gearing up for a proper, icy, hovering-around-zero winter in Seoul.  I am loving trolling through Etsy's vintage shops for coats and boots, and the handmade shops for gloves and other knitwear.  My absolute favourite purchase so far are these boots, from this shop.  Plus the AUD$20 winter coat I bought from a Melbourne op-shop that looks like it was tailor made for me - score!

- Having our first visitor stay in our new home in our new city!  There's something so very fun about sharing your 'hood with someone, and for some reason it kind of makes it really feel like the place we call home.

- Re-reading Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder.  Do you remember this book?  It's basically an easy to digest history of philosophy, and it was huge when it first came out.  I read it then, but I think most of it went way over my head.  I think more of it's sticking the second time around.

- So You Think You Can Dance (Season 7).  I possibly may have mentioned this before but really, it's very good.  I've laughed, I've cried, I've been humiliated by my husband for liking such a silly show.  If you're in the mood to watch a bit of dance, these performances are especially good: this one, this one, and this one (you can skip through all the intro and judges bits if you want, it's the dance that matters!).

- Being home again and finding the time to get creative.  Holy cow I have so many ideas at the moment, so many things I want to try and projects I want to start, it's almost overwhelming.  I wonder how on earth do you prioritise these things?

[The photo at the top is of a bunch of Persian Buttercups and it's taken by me!  If you like it, have a look at my shiny new Etsy shop for notecards featuring some of my all-time favourite photos.]