The First Hint Of Christmas

I went up to the Prince Edward flower market earlier in the week to get a few Orchids (way cheaper and better quality than the ones you can buy in Central). They were unpacking the first Christmas Poinsettias of the season, so I bought five to start getting into the spirit. 

I plonked them in my antique fruit basket that I dragged here from the London Columbia Road Flower Market. It's one of my favourite possessions due to its gorgeous gnarly wood. I'm not sure Australian customs will let it into the country when we eventually move back home so it's currently enjoying prominent position in Hong Kong.

A big typhoon may be hitting on the weekend which is giving the flat a wintry gloominess which is adding to the atmosphere. Here's what the living room looks like at 9:30am. It's like living in a cave. Don't be fooled into thinking its cold, its actually humid. I'll be on mould patrol before you know it.

Azure, our nemesis building that recently showed up at our boundary wall, isn't helping matters in the light department. Thank goodness we are going to Australia for Christmas and Bali for Easter.  

In other matters, I'm coveting a Heston Blumenthal Christmas Pudding and Coles, Australia is selling them this year!  

In the middle of each pudding is a whole orange. According to my research, last year they sold out in the UK by the end of November and were being sold on Ebay for up to 250 pounds! I've send Nanny PPT on a sourcing mission.

Coles will also be selling Heston's fruit mince pies which according to the Coles blog are, "Filled with rich fruit mince and the added ingredients of lemon curd, rose water and apple puree, we recommend heating them in the oven and sprinkling with the include pine-scented sugar for a unique Christmas taste!".  

Getting excited... I love Christmas!

Yours, 

Pseudo Tai Tai xx 

The best of Brisbane during the technology freeze

I'm sure a few of you are wondering what was happening at PTT's Brisbane Headquarters during my unexpected Australian technology freeze.

Here's a summary...

Princess and Princess PTT were introduced to the concept of grass without a guard standing beside it to stop interested parties (God forbid!) walking on it...

We gorged ourselves silly at that fabulous Brisbane institution The Breakfast Creek Hotel...

Prince PTT took it upon himself to gorge himself on a Mango a day...

We played tourists and went on The Wheel of Brisbane...

We dined out al fresco whenever we could...

Princess PTT turned 4...

I'm sure Prince and Princess PTT heard Santa up the chimney on Christmas Eve...

Christmas Day was fabulous...

I introduced PTT to the joys of ironing (not!)...

I snuck in a sneaky Yatala pie on our trip back from the Gold Coast...

You'd have to agree, we had a fabulous time!

Yours,

Pseudo Tai Tai xx

Yes Prince and Princess PTT, there is a Santa Claus

Tonight we went to the big smoke to see the big man himself... That's right! Santa was paying a special pre-christmas naughty or nice trip to old Brisbane town!

Here's Prince and Princess PTT checking out some mall entertainment... If you are puzzled by the costumes and think that world war three has broken out... fear not... they were Andrews Sisters tribute singers....

Here's Nanny PTT and Princess PTT - They have the spirit! Check out their festive colour choices...

The Myer Christmas Windows are a big part of a Brisbane Child's Christmas entertainment. I remember going to town all dressed up to see how they were going to decorate the windows each year.  This year's theme was Santa Claus is coming to Town....

 Prince and Princess PTT were impressed...

Here I am! I wore Juicy Couture dress, Marc Jacobs quilted bag and Witchery sandals. I smelt like a lovely vanilla perfume that I purchased in Paris years ago and keep in Brisbane. Princess PTT wore a red smocked dress from Hong Kong's Stanley Markets, Seed sandals and hair bow hand-made by me. Prince PTT wore Ben Sherman shirt, Zara shorts and Gap shoes.

Like every year since Prince PTT was born, we went to Myer to see Santa. Oddly, to see him we have to walk through his mouth...

We are also encouraged to feed him our litter?!?

And sit on his sawn off knees?!?

It was worth it in the end... Santa was lovely!

Prince PTT asked for a rubber boat and Princess PTT asked for a hand bag and lipstick.

Surprise, surprise - they made it on the 'nice' list!

Yours,

Pseudo Tai Tai xxx

O' Christmas Tree

Today Nanny PTT, Aunty J, Prince and Princess PTT and I went to pick up our first Australian live Christmas tree.

Prince and Princess PTT with Aunty J...

 Arriving at the Christmas Tree shop...

Prince PTT and I selecting...

Aunty J and Princess PTT had different opinions...

You'd be happy to note that Princess PTT had new shoes for the occasion. Ignore the nails... she's obviously in need of a pedi...

Prince PTT purchasing...

The tree arriving with assistance from Mr PTT's dad, Grand M...

Unfortunately, we were met with high drama on our first attempt at assembling the tree as it was too wonky to fit into the base. They don't make it as easy as you see in the movies... you know: cute guy arrives with tree that looks light as a feather slung over one shoulder and an elegantly wrapped gift for his wife in his other hand. He then places tree ceremoniously yet easily on a stand and the whole family decorates it whilst the adults sip glasses of bubbly...

Our tree decorating ceremony didn't go quite like that... The tree spent the night languishing in a bucket of water until Grandad PTT could put his carpentry skills to good use. Princess PTT embraced the spirit by nominating herself as "Official Cleaner of the Pine Needles". Do you like her Hong Kong Cheongsam? I thought it was cute as well!

Grandad PTT and Prince PTT made this super strong superior base...

When the tree was finally up and stable, we thought about going minimalistic this year and just decorating it with Princess PTT...

But as you know... we are never knowingly under-christmassed so we lashed out and went the whole hog...

Don't think I didn't have a Tognini's Fruit Mince Pie and admired the lights once Prince and Princess PTT went to bed. Well, wouldn't you?

The whole house now smells of pine, it's just beautiful!

Yours,

Pseudo Tai Tai xxx

Brisbane Christmas Vignettes 2011

Don't think that you are going to miss out on a swag of vignettes whilst I am in Australia... Nanny PTT and I have been decking the halls with gusto since I've been back and this is where my finest collections are kept!

Terracotta Nativity set from Marseilles, France... I know the Arch Angel's head's missing... I will fix her!

On the far right are Nanny PTT's and my German smoking men... you put scented cones inside them and they 'smoke' their pipes and let the scent out....

On the left are my hand made leather camels from Marrakesh, Morocco and on the right are my carollers from a German Christmas Market...

Here's my Kathe Wohlfahrt music box from Munich, German - probably my favourite piece...

Finally, here's some little chaps from Bath, England that I bought the first time I saw snow...

Remember that Santa is watching your every move!

Yours, 

Pseudo Tai Tai xxx