Swimming Pretty in the Glass-Half-Full 2012: Day 245 - Dinner out with the guys

Off to the Shire first up for brunch with Susie. We had a wonderful catch up, and the food at CafeNaked was divine as was the awesomely friendly service.

45 minute trip via train so needed some reading material

View from a train window

Back in Gymea - taken as I searched for a St George/Westpac ATM

And the view down to Gymea station

Then back home, a nap, some chilling and then Steve came around and we went out for dinner with the gang.

First stop Black Sheep bar for drinks - loved the funky rustic interior and the fact they serve Rekorderlig - and then Izote Mexican, where the food was enjoyable but the service was awful (we had to ask for menus, water etc, and the waitresses barely spoke to us at all). I would go back for the food possibly but that may not be enough of an inducement.

Thankfully we had a ball as friends and grabbed some gelato on the way home.

Swimming Pretty in the Glass-Half-Full 2012: Day 176 - Ellen's very late birthday dinner

After I couldn't make it to her bug party on 2 June - her birthday is on 4 June - for her 50th because of a competing birthday do for my friend Fahmi, Ellen regrouped, invited my gorgeous guy and I, and friends, John and Susie to a belated birthday dinner at The Lively Catch in Caringbah, followed by dessert at her place.

It was a wonderful night. The food was good, the company was wonderful and Ellen loved the gift we got her (a coffee table book of photos taken around the world by an acclaimed photographer).

Ellen unwrapping one of her gifts

Pretty lamp on the table

The always delightful Susie

Yes at a seafood restaurant I ate steak!

On Ellen's fridge at her home - very clever!

Eating dessert - Steve & I stopped off at Coles Caringbah where I used to shop all the time and got cookies and cream ice cream and topping to have with Ellen's bun and slices. YUM!

Hands Full of Glitter and Tofu : 2011 Day 345 (Sunday 11 December) -

First up a languid 4 hour brunch (partly due to torrential rain that arrived in the middle of it so we stayed put and ordered more coffee and smoothies) at Aromas in Gymea with Andrew and Monika who were up from Melbourne for an early Christmas celebration with Andrew's family. We saw all 2000 of their photos of their recent Japan honeymoon which were amazing since they are both very good photographers, and I really want to go visit now. It's so beautiful!

It was awesome to see them and I got a fabulous birthday present, which included the very cute Swedish Christmas decorations below...

It was so good to see them!

Then I got a photo from my sister Helen of my niece Zara and nephew Bodhi riding the Christmas train at MYER. Apparently 9 times in one weekend... too cute for words!