{belated} birthday love

there's nothing quite like getting a parcel from home. it reminds you that even though you are far away, you kind of never really are too far from people who love you. 

so i have some birthday love from johannesburg and cape town, south africa. and the words in the cards were so special. despite the delay in postage, the timing could not have been better than today x

cheese in a can: austin edition

oh my hat! it has been far too long since i added austin to my "cheese in a can" list of observations and experiences. it's a long list, hope you find it an interesting read -- you may have to take a break half way. can you believe i have been in the live music capital of the world for three months? what a ride. i love this city. full of art, music, culture and yes, weirdness. the city's motto is "keep austin weird". and people really, really do.

enjoy :)

giant guitars on the baggage carousel. welcome to austin!
quality time with my mad awesome cousin.
true blood at jo's on sunday nights.
willie nelson blvd.
free itunes downloads from starbucks. i heart freebies.
new music -- cold war kids, motopony, airborne toxic event, boxer rebellion.
taking the bus.
crazies in the bus :(
keep austin weird {word!}

lake travis.
40+ degree heat everyday.
long hot days at the pool.
volunteering.
colleagues who are now dear friends.
info sessions with prospective clients.
butterflies and accelerated heart beats {you may or may not be in on the secret}
press releases.
rain! {for 5 mins}
don't mess with texas.
greyhound. meh.
half a kings of leon gig. so, would that be 500mb?
dallas cowboys stadium. wow.
amazing generosity from strangers who are now friends.
partying on sixth street.
$5 pitchers of alcohol.
international students from paris, copenhagen, turkey, mexico and sydney.
amazing boutiques on 2nd street.

fredericksburg.
blisters :(
sunny, the amazing nigerian cab driver and my new homey.
kabomba -- awesome band who jammed at stubbs.
henry and the invisibles. also at stubbs, a one man band. cool name :)
networking. networking. networking.
whole foods. closest thing to woolworths. ahhh happiness.
starbucks and frapps in the morning. makes up for waking up at 5:30am.
waterloo records -- amazing music store since 1982.
the international food aisle at h.e.b is awesome -- marie biscuits and cadburys.

 such awesome fellowship and soul-refreshing worship and teaching at grace covenant church. it really feels like home, far away from home.
green.
organic.
old classic movies.
hopdoddy {organic} burgers with asal.
packages from home. mama sunshine you bring light into my life.
annie's cafe and free groupons.
art cinemas.
outlet malls -- 60-70% off designer brands. eeeep!
tax free weekend -- yes please!
the coolest skype call to a certain barndance with a front row view :)
austin city limits fest 3 day pass! i have amazing parents.
bon iver tickets!
loving that all the rad bands come to austin, don't have to go anywhere for cool music
drive thru starbucks. drive thru atms. drive thru post office. drive thru laundromat. drive thru pharmacy. sheesh. 

san antonio and the alamo. kind of haunting, really.
"pumped up kicks" -- my song of the summer.
watching world cup rugby at fados.
wishing more than anything to be at the johnston's wedding :(

jadey sending photos of everyone at the reception and making me feel a part of it :)
flags at half mast for 9/11 ten year anniversary
humbled by generous friends. speechlessness.
bon iver!!!!! ahhh, so much of amazingness.
so much birthday love -- too blessed for words.
flowers delivered to the door, all the way from maritzburg. thank you nancy and dean barber :)
birthday dinner at sandra bullock's restaurant. pity she wasn't there ;) but the company was still a-class!
austin city limits: three days of music, flu and oh maybe a billion people.

meeting a professional festival photographer -- and getting to use his super cool lens :) {it was the size of my arm and weighed a ton but so much fun to play around with}
coldplay! eeeeep!
stevie wonder. meh.
fleet foxes. eeeeep!
gillian welch. meh.
cold war kids. eeeep!
so homesick :( and fluish. pity party deluxe.
seeing 6 weeks of planning and team work come together for the 20x20 event. so much fun and so proud my girls narda and asal. go team austin!
publishing clients stories and seeing their gratitude, one client was moved to tears when he read what i wrote. wow. what an honour.
pecan street festival and buying amazing artwork from the artist himself.
more world cup rugby.
editing pics for photo comps. hold thumbs!
bonding with the p'nut {pronounced puh-noot} the audacious {it's a black cat for those who may not be acquainted with his winning personality and loving charm. he sometimes sleeps on my bed}
so grateful for good things happening in the lives of those i love. much to rejoice. 

x

quotable quote

{source}

lavaca & 6th

i am a recent hipstamatic app convert and took some of these pics while waiting for the 935 bus, on a corner in downtown austin. here are some things that caught my eye.

be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...

i will be here very soon...

{source}

{source}

and i cannot wait :)

what awesome days are made of...

i have incredible people in my life. fact. 

today i received the most wonderful package in the post. it took a long time to get to me, but the timing could not have been better {i needed this today of all days}. all the way from cold, wintery south africa came a "getting ready for winter love box" from my "other mom", whom i fondly call mama sunshine.

it includes a south african flag beanie and scarf, knitted winter socks {not just for me but for my cousin and her daughter}, a local magazine featuring the wedding of a south african to a royal {such a nice touch!} and of course the best chocolate in the whole world -- peppermint crisp, cadbury's and aero. oh yum! but the loveliest part was a letter and a hand made beaded bookmark for my bible.

here are some pics :)

wow, i am so loved.

x

quotable quote

my wonderfully talented friend meg {whom i love and miss dearly} told me about the coolest site pinterest.com. i can't stop looking at the amazing and inspiring things on the pin board and am waiting for my invitation to be approved to have my own pin board. oh if i were cool enough. in the meantime i am collecting things i love and this is one:

gotta love them rolling stones 

x