Despite the fact that my day hasn’t been going so well, I want to keep this blog a positive space. What better way to do this than by focusing on what has made my week a lovely one?

Throwing a fantastic party
Last week, Andrew and I (with the help of the wonderful Max) threw a party for Jenny, who has just returned to Malta after spending a year studying in the UK. We all ended up dancing to Beyonce’s Single Ladies, and we were fabulous. Here’s to friends.

Cooking
I’m back on my healthy eating diet this week, following a meal plan and everything, which means I prepare all of my meals now (even lunch – peanut  butter and jam on wholewheat bread, followed by a low fat white yoghurt and a banana). This means I cook quite a bit. It’s a good thing I like cooking. I find it therapeutic. Made a fantastic broccoli and mushroom pasta last night. Will post the recipe later.

True Blood
Yep, still watching. We’re on season two now. Still enjoying it a lot. I look forward to it every day. After work, and after everything else that needs to be done is done, I make dinner and Andrew and I are glued to the screen for an hour or two. Oh, Sookie.

The Bed Intruder Song
I was only introduced to this meme last week, but I’ve been in fits of laughter over it all week. If you don’t know what I’m on about, watch this first, then this. Once you’re done laughing, have a look at the cover versions of the song on YouTube. You can also buy a bed intruder t-shirt or, better yet, get an Antoine Dodson tattoo! Run and tell that, homeboy.

Hyperbole and a Half
Definitely one of my favourite comics/blogs in the entire internets. Allie Brosh is awesome and all her posts have me literally falling off my chair, laughing.

What’s been making your week special?

You must excuse my recent lack of posting. I was in Gozo for the weekend, soaking up the sun, splashing about in the pool and being generally lazy. Of course I’m paying the price now as it’s taken me the whole week to get back on track. And now it’s Thursday again, so here’s what’s I’m loving this week.

Hobz biz-Zejt
Pronounced ‘hops bizz zeyt’, this means ‘bread with oil’ in Maltese, but it’s so much more than that. Most Maltesers will tell you there is nothing better than Hobz biz-Zejt. Just picture this: you are sitting at a table by the pool surrounded by family. In the centre of the table is a large bowl full of slices of freshly-baked Maltese bread. It’s so fresh it’s still warm from the oven it was baked in. You take a large, thick, crusty slice and pour some olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper over it. You could eat it as is and it would taste fantastic. Resist the temptation; rub a large, juicy tomato over the bread, add some tuna and chopped olives, maybe even some fresh basil and capers. Eat. Wash down with a tall glass of ice-cold water. When you’re done, get back to sunbathing.

Maxokk’s Torta tag-Gbejniet
This one is pronounced ‘torr-ta tag gbey-neet’, and the Gs here are soft, like the J in ‘jeans’. This translates to cheeselet pie, and that is just what it is: a crusty but soft pastry filled with Gozo cheeselets. And the ones made by Maxokk in Nadur, Gozo, are divine.

The Moulettes
Last Friday, The Moulettes played a gig at Madliena Cottage, supported by Plato’s Dream Machine. To be honest, I hadn’t really heard of the band before them but I was pretty impressed. They’re a cross between folk music, pirate-inspired music and humour (as evidenced by their Cannibal Song – a song about ‘unrequited love and eating’, as they described it). They play a mix of instruments not usually found in contemporary music, like the cello and the bassoon, and they are musical storytellers. They’re sometimes melodramatic, but mostly fun. I’ll be watching out for them.

The Eames Lounge Chair
A classic design which I’ve rediscovered and am lusting after. Can’t you just imagine yourself sitting on this in the middle of winter, by a roaring fireplace, doing crossword puzzles and sipping coffee? I wish I had the place for it in my flat (and I also wish I had the funds to buy one).

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Sims 3
I go through phases when it comes to the Sims, but I’ve recently picked it up again and am enjoying it immensely =D

How’s your week been so far?

This is a new regular section for this blog. It’s a meme I first discovered through Livejournal where, on Thursdays, many of my friends would post things that had made them happy that past week – or just in general.

And I think we all need a little something to brighten up our day sometimes, so here are the things that have been making me feel warm and fuzzy this week.

HBO’S Hung: Alright, so maybe ‘warm and fuzzy’ may not be an accurate description of how this show makes me feel. Andrew and I started watching it last Sunday and we’ve already devoured all of season 1. It’s lovely to discover another TV show which keeps me wanting more, especially now that all my favourite shows have taken a summer hiatus. Hung is about a man who loses everything – including his house in a fire – and decides to make a living selling his one huge, er, asset – or tool, if you will =D It tackles the subject of male prostitution – which is a topic people usually steer clear of. It’s also interesting to see the tables turned for once: male prostitute, female pimp, female clients. Apart from the fact that the actor who plays Ray is very, very good looking, the script is pretty good and mostly quotable.

My upcoming holiday: Tickets are booked, leave is booked, passport is ready and I am excited. In a couple of months I’ll be flying to Amsterdam to meet a couple of friends and watch Tori Amos play, accompanied by the Metropole orchestra. I’m grinning just thinking about it. I went to watch Tori Amos play in Como five years ago and it was one of the absolute best nights of my entire life. I can’t wait for that again. I might even decide to wait outside the venue for a meet and greet so I can talk to her again. What would I say? Not a clue. Maybe I would gush about how much I love her, like I did last time. Me? I’m the epitome of cool. The day after the concert I’ll be hopping on another flight to Dublin, where I’ll spend a couple of days with Hannah, who I miss so very much, and even meet up with my uncle (who is moving there soon) and his wife Debbie. I can’t wait to get away from Malta a little. God knows I need it. I’ve never been to Dublin so I’m pretty excited to discover a new place too.

Alexis Mabille: I only discovered this young French designer last week and I am hooked, man. First of all I love him because, well, look at him! That is one good-looking man! Secondly, his puts little bows on most of his clothes and his collections are made of dreams and lace and silk and other lovely things. They remind me of playing dress-up when I was a kid. I want to play dress-up again (which is probably why I’m an actress).

Moleskine: I love Moleskine. Really, I do. I’ve been a fan since I bought my first hardcover, plain, black reporter notebook. And today I received my very first soft cover notebook. I haven’t taken it out of the plastic yet – I don’t think I will for a while. I’m on a black hard cover lined notebook at the moment and it’s serving me just fine. Next, I’ve got the Sketchbook Project notebook to work on (my very first Moleskine cahier!). Still it’s nice to know there’s a lovely pad of empty pages just waiting for me to write on them. Now, to buy the perfect pen…

Tribal Belly Dance. I’ve not been to classes in a couple of months and things kind of fell apart for a while, but now the girls and I have figured something out and it looks like we’ll be starting again as of next week. I’m pretty excited about this. I love tribal belly dance. Been doing it for three years. It’s a great workout and it’s also masses of fun.

What has making you feel all better this week?