DAYBREAK AT THE MARINA

Early morning at the Cullen Bay marina. Before the coffee rush.

TURKISH DELIGHT

One of nature's main signposts that heralds the onset of cool clear dry season days is the abundant and vivid florescence of Calytrix shrubs, colloquially referred to as Turkey Bush (after the bird, versus the country - despite the somewhat misleading title of this post). There are several Calytrix species across the Top End, with the larger, pink-hued flowers of Calytrix extipulata (pictured above) being the most visible. Common along roadsides in the less horticulturally manicured areas in and around Darwin, their scraggly overall appearance belies an exquisitely delicate spray of feathery blooms.

MINDIL BEACH MARKETS

Historically, markets have always been something that Darwin does pretty well. Of the 4 main markets held every week during the dry season (Mindil Beach, Parap, Rapid Creek and Nightcliff) the Mindil Beach markets are far and away the most popular with visitors. Although they rate highly on every Darwin tourism publication out there, and despite the fact that as a local I tend to only visit them about 2 or 3 times a season, they definitely still bear mentioning as a must-do for any visitor to the city.

(SP)ICED TEA WITH A CITRUS TWIST

Darwin's year-round temperature profile is essentially varying degrees of 'warm', so I'm always on the lookout for healthy refreshing drinks that I can consume by the jugful without paying a consequent small fortune in dental bills in a few years to come.

This is a recipe I stumbled across many years ago. It's an iced tea drink with a twist -  halfway between a chai and orangina. Perfect for hot weather days, this recipe also puts some of those pot pourri spices mouldering on the spice rack to good use.

A LIFE IN BOXES

miracle makeshift box!

They've arrived! Quite a lot later than originally quoted and with a whole bunch of port handling fees that I wasn't warned about, but they arrived! Even the sad, desperate makeshift box made it intact (but only barely).
Considering the fledgling state of renovations in my downstairs studio however, I suspect it will take a fair bit of time before it can be unpacked as much of it doesn't yet have a place to live.

But my stuff has arrived, untouched and intact. Aside from the final hurdle of getting myself into full time employment asap, I can finally start to relax.

POSTCARDS FROM THE BEACH

THE BOAT SHED

Good food, good coffee, great coffee art. I'll be revisiting the best in what Darwin coffee has to offer over time but for now The Boat Shed in the uber trendy Florida style marina of Cullen Bay (which, despite all apocalyptic geoengineery claims to the contrary, doesn't appear to have sunk yet after all) rates a mention simply for these barista masterpieces...

THE GIFT OF THRIFT

Op-shops, charity shops, thrift shops, secondhand shops...a vintage rose by any other name takes some sniffing out. My love for the op-shop treasure hunt probably started back when I was a poor uni student a couple of...*cough*...a while ago.