Bridget McNulty

Day 9: Pair of apples

// July 10th, 2010 // No Comments » // Cape Town, Decisions, food

I’ve been thinking, lately, about what I really want from this whole 29 days experiment… I don’t want to just spend a lot of money on last-minute prezzies or approach it in a half-assed way (and let me tell you, there’s a temptation to do that what with life being so busy all the time).

Ideally, what I want is to teach myself a new way of being in the world – always aware of other people and what they might need, open to the possibility that I could help someone in some small way. I want to train myself into a new habit, you know? Hence the apples.

I eat a lot of fruit, but I have a bad habit of buying large quantities all at one time (I feel panicky if I don’t have fresh fruit at all times) and then occasionally not being able to get through it fast enough. And then I’ll just sit and stare at it. The smart thing to do would be to recognise I’ve overbought, and share it with someone who might need some fresh fruit – one of the many people who lives on the street in Cape Town, for example. So that’s what I did yesterday: recognising that if I left the apples they would go off before I could eat them, I took them while they were still fresh and gave them away.

A small thing, yes. But if I could remember to do this all the time wouldn’t it be a good habit to get into?

Taking time:

// June 25th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // Inspiration, Life (and the living of it), Time

I’ve had the most delightful week.

We had to take Monday off because of the soccer game being held at the Cape Town Stadium (in our street!) It was an afternoon game, and my man and I went – very exciting. Portugal scored 7 goals! I’ve been completely soccer mad, watching games almost every day (Me? Watching sport? Hard to believe!) but yesterday, for the first time since before World Cup madness began, I had a chance to catch my breath.

This was mainly because I had a half day at work (and alll day off today, yippee!) because we’re moving offices. I hadn’t realised quite how busy I’d been until I was faced with an afternoon of nothing to do. What bliss! Nothing on my To Do list, no chores to run, no emails to answer or phonecalls to return (well, yes, there were both of those, but I chose not to do them).

So what did I do? I went shopping. Slow, leisurely, lovely and relaxing shopping. I didn’t spend a fortune, I just needed a few essentials, but giving myself the afternoon to windowshop and wander around and look at anything I wanted to without looking at my watch (or my phone, which I had conveniently left at home) was a rare and lovely treat.

When I got home I pottered around watering my plants, and then did some sewing and mending I’ve been meaning to do for weeks (or possibly months). This morning I went to a Nia class, which was simply extraordinary – a combination of yoga stretches, dance, and a little bit of martial arts. I loved every second of it!

And this afternoon my man and I are going out for soup (at a place called Soupa – ha!) and then going for foot massages, one of our engagement party presents. After that I’m going to spend some time with the cutest girl in the world (my niece) and tonight we’re going to watch a movie. I ask you – what more could a girl want from a day?
(The answer is nothing!)

What’s so interesting, though, is that every week I have two whole days to myself, but I somehow never end up just doing what I want to do. There always seem to be things to do or people to see or places to go. But when I allow myself to slow down and just do what I feel like doing, followed by a little more of what I feel like doing, and a little more, I feel so wonderful! Vital and alive and full of energy (even though I went to bed late cause I was sewing up a storm…)

Do you ever have days of doing just-what-you-want? Why don’t we have more of them?!

Photo: cavan images, via naturally nina

World Cup fever…

// June 10th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Cape Town, Inspiration, Time

… has hit, in no uncertain terms.

I’m finding it extremely difficult to concentrate on anything, or think any thoughts that don’t relate to wearing rainbow-coloured clothing and making a noise and supporting our team.

And I love – love love love love love – that all of a sudden everyone seems to have jumped on the ‘We love South Africa’ bandwagon. I’ve been on it for quite some time, and it is so lovely to have so much company…

If you want to get in the mood (or just get a taste of how beautiful and ready and waiting everything is), check out this incredible photo essay.

I can’t wait!!

Photo: Frames of Mind

And the winner is…

// May 25th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Cape Town, Competition, Inspiration

Emmanence!
With the definition below:

“Magic is a moment of glory, a gasp of joy, a clap of hands, and delight.
An indescribable feeling of witnessing something that moves, amazes and awes.
Magic is available in all moments, and more so in others.
It’s a view, a willingness to believe, a turning towards the miraculous…”

Please email me to collect your tickets. And enjoy the magical show!

PS: Apologies for the late post – we have had a very exciting and eventful week… I’ll fill you in on it tomorrow!

Win tickets to Madame Zingara!

// May 18th, 2010 // 15 Comments » // Cape Town, Competition, Inspiration

Yip, it’s true, one lucky reader of this here blog will win two tickets to the all-new, all-fabulous Madame Zingara Love Magic Tour!

I’m excited.

For those of you out of the know, Madame Zingara is (and I quote): “the grande dame of burlesque style. A dinner cirque spectacular that enchants and inspires all who pass through her stained glass doors.”
And that’s not all! The food is fabulous too: “…from superbly trained glitter dusted waitrons to the incredible acrobatics one begins to understand there are no boundaries to the night.”
Aaaaand…. “From each ticket sold 5% will again be given to our Non Profit Partners,” so you’re doing good while having fun.

You can find out all about the show at www.madamezingara.com, book tickets at boxoffice@madamezingara.com or 021 001 3366 (tickets start from R300) OR for a chance to win the lucky tickets, all you have to do is leave a comment below, with your definition of magic.

That’s it. What does magic mean to you?

I’ll choose five finalists (to publish here on Friday), and then have a winner chosen by a separate party, anonymously.
Winner announced on Monday the 24th of May 2010, which just so happens to be the first show of the Madame Zingara Love Magic Tour…

Good luck!

Some reflections on driving…

// May 4th, 2010 // No Comments » // Cape Town, Life (and the living of it)

So last week I bought my first car! What a day. I managed to go twenty-seven and a half years without owning a car, but the threat of a Cape Town winter with only my scooter for transport was enough to get me to succumb…

This morning I drove to work for the first time. Outside it was cold and drizzly, with a wind blowing and freezing cold drops of rain hitting the windshield. Inside the car, I was warm and toasty, listening to classical music and entirely at peace with the world.

And it made me realise that I have a unique perspective on driving, from not having done so much of it. People cutting in front of me, bad drivers, super-slow crawlers, sure I find them irritating. But not extremely, gut-wrenchingly annoying. And I think this is because I haven’t been exposed to them that much.

I actually found my slow drive to work (in morning traffic) extremely restful. Warm interior! Classical music! Not getting wet!

These are things to be grateful for.

How do you feel about driving? (How long do you think I’ll feel this Zen about it?)

If you’re in Cape Town tomorrow morning….

// April 9th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Blogs, Cape Town

You HAVE to go to the Skinny Laminx Sale.
There’s just no two ways about it.

I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview at lunchtime today, and let me tell you, it is a TREASURE TROVE! So many wonderful things, all close to half price!
Mugs and keyrings and fabric and bags o’ scraps (yes please, I’ll take three) and wall decals and tea towels and aprons and cushions and napkins and bags and badges, oh my!

For those out of the know, Skinny Laminx is the incredibly talented Heather Moore, a Capetonian designer who makes THE most beautiful printed fabric wonders, as well as other assorted marvelous knicky knacks.

She’s about to go to New York for 6 weeks for an artsy sabbatical with her husband, so she’s selling off all her old stock, for one day only, at realllly cheap prices.

Technically it’s supposed to be slightly damaged, but I didn’t even notice, I was too giddy with delight at all the treasures on offer.

The sale starts tomorrow at 9am.
Go on time.
Go with twice as much cash as you think you need.
Go with a large empty bag.
Don’t go with a friend – you won’t want to share!

Here’s the invite. Now GO!

Home!!

// February 11th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Cape Town, Life (and the living of it)

What a pleasure.

We arrived home late yesterday afternoon, and I’m jetlagged and exhausted and so deeply happy to be back in South Africa.

I’ll be blogging regularly again, now that life has returned to semi-normal (still homeless till the beginning of next month, and interviewing for jobs in the next couple of weeks – I’ll keep you posted!)

Mostly, though, just happy. Happy to be home. Happy to not have to live out of a suitcase for much longer. Happy to see family and friends.

*Sigh!*

The end of an era.

// August 21st, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Cape Town, Life (and the living of it)

It’s 6am, and I am somehow wide awake (and have been for the last hour).

It’s still dark outside, and rainy, and it seems as if most of Cape Town is still fast asleep…. I have a cake baking in the oven (for our Indoor Yard Sale tomorrow – we’re selling off anything we don’t love for R2, R5 or R10) and, just for now, it seems as if all is at peace with the world.

I had a tough day yesterday. A check-up at the dentist (my worst thing to do!) revealed that my last dentist was a monkey, and that I had to have EIGHT fillings (my absolute worst thing to do!) I got five of them out of the way yesterday afternoon, but I was filled with dread all day about it. Silly, isn’t it? An hour and a half procedure, but from 10am to 5pm I was dreading it.
I’m going to get the last couple on Tuesday, but all of a sudden it seems more manageable… I’ve conquered the beast (of fear), I think. I also came up with an ingenious trick – I took my iPod in with me and listened to Oprah and Eckhart Tolle in conversation, and that took my mind off what was going on inside my mouth!

Today, though, everything seems much clearer, and calmer. And it feels like the end of an era. I was just standing on my balcony, listening to the rain, and it occurred to me that in a little less than a week and a half, I won’t be standing on that balcony any more. We’re packing up our lives, and the familiarity we’ve known for the last year and a bit, and venturing off into the unknown.

And it is WILDLY exciting. I’m so ready for it. But at the same time I would like to say a fond farewell to this life of mine, because it has been a good one. Living in Cape Town with my man, eating good food, watching lots of movies, taking long walks around the reservoir, chasing our dream… It’s been wonderful.

But now it’s time to end. It’s the end of an era.
Have you ever felt like that?

The Blue Train.

// August 4th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Cape Town, Time, travelling

Tomorrow morning, first thing, my man and I are heading off on an adventure, by train!

We’re catching the Blue Train, a ‘five star moving hotel’, as they like to call it, from Cape Town to Pretoria (near Johannesburg).

Here’s what they say about our trip…

“The route between Pretoria and Cape Town is a 27-hour journey of 1 600 kilometres (994 miles), through some of the most diverse and spectacular scenery offered by the African sub-continent.”
Sounds lovely! And it looks like a pretty incredible experience… Check out their website here.

It’s technically for work, we’re writing (and photographing) a review about it for Just the Planet, but it’ll be a mini-holiday too. We are really in need of a break! We’ve been working at breakneck speed to get everything organised for our trip, and we really need some quality time with each other where we don’t have to talk about work…

Once we arrive in Pretoria we’re getting our Mexican visas (woohoo!) and then spending a night or two at an as-yet mystery location, before spending two days with my man’s brother in Joburg and six delicious days in Durban with my family. Lovely lovely lovely!

If you want to follow our travelling route, I’ll be blogging from Sweet Life for the next couple of days (I need to get into practice for next month!) but I’ll pop in here next week too, never fear.

Now it’s time to tie up a couple of loose ends, do some final work, pack, and hopefully get a good night’s sleep so we’re bright-eyed and bushy tailed for our train trip in the morning!