My journey back to France today involved, in the following sequence, a taxi, a train, a bus, a flight, another bus and then a final train for good measure. All due to Ryan Air’s out of the way airports and less than convenient flight times. Granted, for a 9 euro flight from Italy to France, I shouldn’t be complaining. So I won’t.

Moving on, I am now back in Montpellier after an amazing ten days exploring incredible Italy. When walking through the Place de la Comédie tonight, I welled with sadness and nostalgia. It’s the last time I will return here after a short trip, that is, the next train trip doesn’t have a return ticket. No matter how many times I say it over in my head, it remains difficult to believe I’ll be on that plane in less days than the fingers on one hand.

I have imagined that beautiful moment when I will walk through the gates and all the beautiful people in my life (or the few who will get up at 7am for me) will be standing. I’m torn between happiness and sadness about leaving.

But back to Italy – it was glorious.

Rome is such a juxtaposed city of past and present, with hectic, modern life playing out amongst marvelous ancient ruins (and skipping heartbeats worthy paper shops).

Florence stole my heart – I think I lost it somewhere between the cobbled, lantern lit streets by night, Brunelleschi’s Duomo and the pink sunset skies. Or maybe it got wedged in a mound of raspberry gelati, I can’t really be sure. The rhythm of Florence is beautiful – calm but buzzing, alive but not overbearing. And cliché tourist or not, strolling the Ponte Vecchio was magic.

I day tripped through the Tuscan countryside, visiting idyllic Siena (the Duomo must be one of the most elaborate interiors on earth), San Gimignano (referred affectionately as ‘SanG’ by me because the ~imignano part is ridiculous, but more commonly known as ‘Medieval Manhattan’ due to the tower houses that were built for better protection back in the middle ages. And it’s true – from a distance it does resemble the New York skyline), enjoyed a beautiful lunch and wine tasting with lovely Americans at an organic winery on the outskirts, before making it to Pisa to climb the (impressively wonky) leaning tower by sunset, overlooking the Field of Miracles. Yes, it is really called that, and yes, it was really that miraculous.

Then I moved on to Treviso, to stay with beautiful friends Bri and Chris. Bri and I had the perfect day in Venice – involving a gondola ride (worth every cent), climbing (taking the lift up) the St Mark’s Campanile bell tower to see a breathtaking view of Venice (but surprisingly, not the labyrinth of canals), a fizzing spritz on a Piazza, my first glass of Prosecco wine (it’s delicious) followed by a delicious dinner at La Zucca (that means ‘the pumpkin’) and after that, a bar to see live music.

I also had a tour of the infamous Fabrica and got to see an amazing documentary screening about Antipodes + the Q&A afterwards with its Russian film director, and Bri gave me a crash course in bookbinding (thank you!)

My final stop was Verona for a chilled day and a half wandering the gorgeous streets and taking a peek at Juliet’s house/the famous balcony (which was painfully touristy, but I guess still worth seeing). And a final cup of gelati just because.

In other significant news, I discovered what ‘Cibo‘ means in Italian (‘Food‘). How unremarkable… here I was thinking it meant something a little more fancy and essencish of coffee.

Love x x

PS – some photos from Venice.

Although these photos were snapped and footsteps walked a little over a month ago already, I want to share some happy memories and beautiful scenery from my time in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Scottish Highlands, Windsor, Bath and Stonehenge.
xx

LONDON:

EDINBURGH & GLASGOW:

WINDSOR CASTLE:

BATH:

I know I’m putting myself out on a limb here, but I think I’ve decided this: The English can cook better than the French.

I love you, thrice-weekly (daily of late) flaky, gooey, elastic croissants, but I’ve got to be honest: you’re nothing compared to the delights of this tiny shop in Notting Hill. If you have not heard of Ottolenghi, it’s time you do.

I recommend the lemon & mascarpone tart, the lentil salad, and the hummus of hummuses (all pictured). They were my picks and were all super delicious.

My lovely travel buddy Becca and I also dined at Jamie’s Italian, in Covent Garden (my favourite place in London). Ahhmazing.

Another little part of my french life is fresh flowers.

When I first settled into my house, the first thing I bought to make it feel like my home, was a fresh flower and single-stem vase. It brought life and colour to my unlived-in room, it made the space feel like it was mine. And it has become a bit of a habit.

Whenever i’m not travelling, I always go to my local florist Les Floralies par Muriel et Bernard (14, rue du Fabourg de la Saunerie) and pick a fresh flower for my room.

Oh, and i’ve made friends with Bernard.

For Mother’s day in May, not long before I left for France, Dad and I took Mum out for a nondescript Sunday brunch. Mum opened and enjoyed her less-than-exceptional presents, we ordered our not-so-out-of-the-ordinary food and unremarkable coffee.

Except, when the coffee was delivered, a little Eiffel Tower was perched on the tray. The waitress insisted that Mum keep it, and she was totally (rightfully) stumped. Mum held this peculiar object in her hand awkwardly, not quite sure what to do with it, and not quite sure what it really meant. She was even more confused as to why neither Dad or I found this whole scenario even a little bit strange.

Then, I handed Mum her final present. Now really confused, Mum unwrapped the plain brown paper with caution. Inside, there was shock, there were tears, there was total disbelief, laughter and possibly the most significant surprise that had ever been sprung on her: one plane ticket to Paris and a three week Mother-daughter adventure planned for September, to coincide with her 60th birthday.

And as it turned out, Denise, one of Mum’s dearest and oldest friends (the friendship is old, not Denise) was also going to be in Paris at the same time!

And what an adventure it was. It’s something I don’t even have words for – but I do know that incredible Europe aside, our time together was priceless, and even more magnificent than the beautiful glittering La Tour Eiffel by night. I also know it’s not something we could have done a few years ago. We ventured harmoniously and side by side as travel partners through Paris, Montpellier, Nice, the Cinque Terre and we ended up in Milan, closer than ever before.

It was more than I dreamed it could be.

Love you Maman x

Highlights from Leg 1: Paris, below (the rest to come).

I am still floating on a cloud from an absolutely enchanting, magical experience last night: seeing my favourite dreamy duo, Angus & Julia Stone, perform in the ruins of the ancient Théâtre Antique d’Arles.

I purchased this ticket many months ago when I heard they were touring in France when i’d be living there, and I realised that Arles is only about an hour’s train trip from where I would be based in Montpellier. To be honest, I expected it to be a pretty small event, in a tiny theatre or bar, in a regional, non-descript French town. I clearly had absolutely no idea of the treat I was in for!

The even better thing – Arles is a tiny town, and the Théâtre Antique is outdoors, so not only was I privileged to see the show, I actually listened to and watched them warm up in the afternoon. I had just checked into my hotel and made it to my room, when Julia’s sweet melodic voice swirled right in through my window. I wandered across the road to investigate, and sure enough… there they were! Julia started to sing the first lines of Hollywood, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with such an intense, beautiful sense of familiarity. Her whimsical voice reminded so much of everything and everyone I love and miss so much back home, and while i’m not usually a crier, suddenly the tears were flowing! I have never before been so profoundly moved by music.

Aside from that, I have absolutely loved my short stay in Arles. Forget being fascinated by the fact i’m surrounded by the streets, cafes and nature that inspired Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings; I have become completely transfixed on every single window and door here. Odd? No! Everything is so old, so decayed and i’m totally enamoured. There’s such an understated beauty to decay, and it is all I want to photograph. Every single window shutter tells me a story.

Gotta catch my train back soon, had better post this and pack up.

Bisous xx

PS. Am realising i’ve got commitment issues when it comes to blogging. And it’s usually all or nothing with me, so maybe posting this will inspire me to upload the million photos from London, La Cote d’Azur and the many wonderful weeks in-between.

Or, maybe some lovely comments would inspire me too. Hint hint. Yes, you!

Favourite places so far:
1. Place de la Comedie (main city centre square and Opera)
2. Promenade du Peyrou
3. Porte du Peyrou (for picnics/study in the afternoon sunshine)
4. School: Accent Français (pretty sweet building, huh?)
5. Narrow streets and cafe terraces
6. Favourite alleyways (in love with the ribbons/coloured flags everywhere… makes me happy)
7. Local florist (where I treat myself to a flower for my room each week) and boulangerie patisserie (more of a daily treat)

If a picture tells a thousand words, then prepare yourself for a visal thesis documenting the springtime colours of Monet’s Garden.

I dedicate these photos to Maman, always the avid gardener… you would fall in love with this place xx.

Things have been very busy and artful behind the scenes at Emma Kate Creative.

A new creative venture has involved collaborating with the lovely Julie Parker from Beautiful You in the publication of our first e-book. This is going to be the first of a number of e-books Julie and I will publish, bringing to life areas we are both passionate about, including self esteem, body image, life inspirations and helping you be the best person you can be.

The ‘Be Yourself, Be Beautiful’ E-book has given me the joy of ink-stained hands and hours tucked away in my little studio (or afternoon sunshine when the weather was nicer) illustrating imagery to pair with 30 inspirational quotes written by Julie, a counsellor, life coach and positive self esteem activist, to inspire you to love and honour the most important person in your life… You.

Each page is lovingly illustrated in bright colours and can be easily printed, laminated and even framed. Your favourite quotes will be a gorgeous addition to your vision board, desk or special space. This is going to be an e-book you will likely want to print and keep forever.

The ‘Be Yourself. Be Beautiful’ E-Book is available online for $15.95.

See below for a sneak peek of the pretty pages inside.

You can purchase the E-book here.

xx

Oh Melbourne, how I love you.

I have just hung out the washing and unpacked the last bits of my suitcase, reminiscing over a fairytale week and feeling just a wee bit glum at the thought of returning to reality tomorrow morning.

But wow, what a week it was: Early morning coffees and french toast on Degraves street, getting lost in the bustling, teeny tiny city alleyways, a spectacular night ride up 88 floors to the Eureka Skydeck, dining in style at the exquisite Bistro Vue, bookshops, shopping, exhibitions (Tim Burton at ACMI, and a little bit of Monet, Picasso and Van Gogh at the NGV’s European Masters exhibit), and finally, a touch of luxury with an extravagant last night at the Langham hotel. To be honest, I was just as enamoured by the foiled and lined Langham envelopes as I was by the hotel foyer’s waterfall and marshmallow pillows… a telling sign of a tragic stationery addict.

But the week wasn’t all about opulence and holidaying, it was also a hugely important week Australia wide, as we recognised National BIEDAW (Body Image Eating Disorders Awareness Week). I was thrilled to immerse myself in a number of events during the week with The Butterfly Foundation.

THE BODY OF ART EXHIBITION

On Tuesday night was a special event organised by The Butterfly Foundation and fashion label Violet & I, from Melbourne-based designer Anna Linklater. As the winner of a design competition they ran a few months back, one of my artworks has been printed onto notebooks, which are given as free gifts with purchases of the Panacheya Camisole from Violet & I’s Spring/Summer 2011 range. I put on my guest speaking hat and had a lovely night chatting to other Melbourne based artists and the Butterfly community. Thank you Tor Designs for snapping some beautiful shots of the exhibition atmosphere.

{The gorgeous Port Melbourne exhibition space, Mars Gallery}

{My winning artwork, Violet & I camisole and Cocktails}
{photos above courtesy of Tor Designs}

{Speech time, and speech from The Butterfly Foundation CEO Christine Morgan}

{Myself and Anna Linklater of Violet & I}
{Photos above courtesy of Julie Parker}

THE CHRYSALIS BALL

On Friday night, I volunteered at the annual Butterfly Foundation Ball (newly renamed the ‘Chrysalis ball’… yes, ironically the same name as my own exhibition) The highlight was definitely getting the chance to reunite with founder Claire Vickery, who is the incredible visionary woman behind Butterfly! I first contacted Claire back in 2006 when I was in Year 12, and over a coffee together at the Adelaide art gallery cafe I shared my dream to do creative work with Butterfly in the future. I was pretty stoked that Claire remembered me all these years later, and suddenly that dream of mine feels a little closer. Friday was an incredible night and it was so wonderful to see the passionate and progressive work that The Butterfly Foundation do.

BEAUTIFUL YOU HIGH TEA

On Saturday afternoon, I hopped on a train to Highett and found myself surrounded by cupcakes, pink champagne and cucumber sandwiches, at a gorgeous event organised by counsellor and amazing Beautiful You blogger Julie Parker. I was also interviewed by Julie, Oprah-style in front of the high tea guests, having the opportunity to talk about the work I do in Adelaide and the Chrysalis book.

Phew. All in all, it was one hell of a week.

But with all of this Melbourne gallivanting and speaking and awareness creating, I could not neglect my own town of Adelaide and continued mission to create awareness in South Australia. I am thrilled to announce the Chrysalis exhibition has just been installed at the Women’s & Children’s Hospital of Adelaide. Arranged through the Arts in Health team at the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation, the exhibition will be up for the months of September and October. This Wednesday afternoon, the exhibition will be officially opened by Gail Mondy, Chief Executive Officer of Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service.

If you’d like to come along, please shoot me an rsvp and i’ll add you to the list. There’ll be special people and yummy treats!

Well, it’s definitely time to go iron some clothes and fold some undies, so i’d better leave it there.

Goodnight x