Friday, September 30, 2011

BEST LUXURY BATHROOMS ACROSS THE GLOBE...OUR SILK ROAD SALE IS NOW ON!...FOOTY LONG WEEKEND KEBABS...VODKA MAI TAIS ALL THE WAY FROM HONOLULU...AND MORE! HAPPY FRIDAY TO ALL! XXX

'TAPPING' INTO THE BEST BATHROOMS ACROSS THE GLOBE

Ah, yes, I couldnt resist the play on words today when I decided to showcase some of the most luxuriously appointed and indulgent bathrooms from across the globe.  There is something about heading to the bathroom after a hard day at work, and either sinking into a warm bath with a glass of wine, or making a bee-line for the sink to remove the 'face' for the day.  And there are so many beautiful bathroom designs out there, so I thought it might be nice to share with you our favourites.


BALI
 Anyone for an outdoor bath?...pick me!

This combo of marble and slate is stunning.

ITALY

We think we could handle bathing in this room...tough, but we are up to the challenge.....

MOROCCO


I can see myself sipping mint tea in this bath.....

I AM NOT SURE WHERE THIS IS...BUT I AM SURE WE LOVE IT!


and....how about this one...it's a Charcoal Interiors exclusively designed bathroom!




This home in Brisbane's Western Suburbs was completely renovated and fitted out by the design team here at Charcoal Interiors.
The design girls would like to share their Number One Top Tip with you!
"For all our bathroom and kitchenware needs we always deal with the team at Christiaans"
"Whether you are updating your bathroom or creating a new home
Christiaan's can assist you."  


OUR 'SILK ROAD' ASIAN FURNITURE SALE IS NOW ON!

We have so many beautiful pieces here at Charcoal Interiors.  Our Asian furniture collection is second to none, from hand crafted Japanese pieces consisting of hand forged warabite handles and rare timbers, to intricately hand carved detail altar tables that date back to the 1900's.  Buying furniture from our showroom can sometimes mean taking home a piece of history, as well as beauty.  And so it is with excitement that I announce today our huge Silk Road sale.
Below is just a taste of what we have on offer.  We are discounting up to 50% on some items.  One thing is for certain, that no matter what you end up buying in this collection, you will be getting an unparalleled bargain.


ORIGINAL SHOP DRAWERS. ORIGIN KYOTO JAPAN.  CIRCA 1900's CRAFTED FROM KEYAKI AND SUGI TIMBERS.
WAS $1440...NOW ONLY $950!


A-LINE MING STYLE CABINET.  STUNNING RICH TONES.  3 SHELVES INSIDE.  PERFECT FOR THE HALLWAY, ENTRANCE, BEDROOM OR LIVING AREA.
WAS $1195 NOW $750!


RICH BLACK AND RED WEDDING CABINET WITH METAL DETAILING.  A STUNNING ADDITION TO YOUR BEDROOM OR LIVING ROOM SPACE.
WAS $2100 AND NOW $1100!  GOING...GOING.....


ORIGINAL OLD SIDEBOARD. SHANXI PROVENCE.  QING DYINASTY.  CRAFTED IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY FROM HONGMU TIMBERS. 2100l X 440W X 900H.
WAS $5365....NOW JUST $4500.


SHANDONG SIDEBOARD.  CIRCA 1900's. 2080L X 500D X 870W. 
WAS $2350 NOW $1625!


THIS IS OUR ABSOLUTE PICK OF THE BUNCH!...NEVER TO BE REPEATED PRICE REDUCTION ON THIS ONE AND IT HAS TO GO....
ISHO-DANSU TRADITIONAL CLOTHING CHEST WITH SECRET COMPARTMENTS.
CRAFTED FROM PAULOWNIA AND CRYPTOMERIA TIMBERS AND FORGED WARABITE HANDLES FROM THE LATE EDCO EARLY MEIJI ERA.
1000H X 960L X 430W
50% OFF!!  WAS $3700 AND NOW $1850!!...BE QUICK!

www.charcoalinteriors.com.au

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We are such fans of Jamie Oliver here.  I love the way he just throws in a little bit of 'this' and a little bit of 'that'...no specific measuring of the ingredients, and every single time I try one of his recipes it works out a treat.  We also love the way he promotes seasonal produce and healthy eating awareness.  He's an all-round good bloke in our books.  It's a long weekend in most parts of Australia this weekend (but not Brissy because we have already had our labour day holiday)...and so my big tip for the long weekend is to indulge yourselves in at least one BBQ meal.


For those who love a Barbie, then heres a recipe I think you will love for Jamies 'Wicked' Kebabs.  You can replace the meat in this recipe for Falafel (I like to buy my own packet mix and make it up fresh).  
This recipe makes 8 generous sized kebabs.  I find that one does me just fine.  They are healthy and delicious and this is a genuine Jamie Oliver recipe from his website.



JAMIES 'WICKED' KEBABS

Ingredients

• 3 sweet pointed peppers –
a mixture of colours is nice
• 8 flatbreads, to serve
• 4 sprigs of fresh mint,
leaves picked
• a small bunch of fresh dill,
chopped (stalks and all)
• red wine vinegar
• Greek extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, to serve
For the kebabs
• 800g leg of pork, shin
if you can get it, the best
quality you can afford,
cut into 2cmchunks
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• juice of 1 lemon
• 100ml good-quality olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic,
peeled and finely grated
• 1 tablespoon red
wine vinegar
• a pinch of freshly
ground black pepper
• a pinch of sea salt
For the tzatziki
• ½a large cucumber
• 200ml natural yoghurt
• 1 small clove of garlic, peeled
• 1 heaped teaspoon dried mint
• 1½teaspoons red
wine vinegar

METHOD

If using wooden skewers, cut 8 to fit your griddle pan and soak them in a tray of water to stop them burning. Put all your kebab ingredients into a bowl and use your clean hands to mix everything together really well. Cover with clingfilm, then pop into the fridge for 30 minutes, or longer if you want the flavours to get a bit more intense.

Meanwhile, blacken the peppers directly over the flame of your hob, in a hot dry griddle pan or under a hot grill. Turn them every so often and when they look almost ruined, pop them into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and put to one side to steam for 5 minutes or so – this will help their skins to come off.

Make your tzatziki by coarsely grating the cucumber into a sieve set up over a bowl. Add a few good pinches of salt, then use your hands to squeeze out as much water as you can. Pour the water away, then tip the cucumber into the empty bowl and add the yoghurt. Pound the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt until you have a paste, and spoon that into the bowl with the cucumber. Add the dried mint and red wine vinegar and mix really well. Have a taste to make sure you’ve got the balance right, then put aside.

Preheat a griddle pan or grill on a high heat. Thread the skewers through the marinated pork pieces, leaving little spaces between them so that the heat cooks everything evenly. Cook the kebabs on the screaming hot griddle or grill for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally until done on all sides. Warm your flatbreads in the oven or in a hot dry pan while your kebabs are cooking.

Just before your kebabs are ready, peel and deseed your blackened peppers, then tear them into strips and put them into a bowl. Roll up your mint leaves, finely slice them and add to the bowl along with the dill. Add a few splashes of red wine vinegar, a pinch or two of salt and pepper and a lug of extra virgin olive oil. Toss and mix together, then have a taste to check the balance of flavours. Cut your lemon into wedges.

Put a dollop of tzatziki and the meat from one skewer on each warmed flatbread. Top with some of your pepper mixture, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Life doesn’t get much better!  Enjoy the long weekend and think of us on Monday while you are lah-dee-dahing the day away!

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JEN'S SECRET VODKA MAI TAI RECIPE...

ALL THE WAY FROM HONOLULU!  


Hands up who likes sunshine, the beach, palm trees, surfer boys, live music, balmy nights, swimming, eating and cocktails with lots of fruit and umbrella embellishments??!!....OK...too many hands to count...hands down everyone.
Well, since you're so keen on all of the above I have the perfect cocktail recipe for you, a variation on the traditional Mai Tai made with rum...after a few dodgy experiences in my university bar days with rum, I have an aversion now in my mature years.  So, I found this great Mai Tai recipe with a Vodka substitute.  Its really delicious and refreshing.
Here's me and Pete the Greek sitting at the hotel bar straight off the plane from Brisbane sipping Mai Tais by the sea.....if I close my eyes I can feel the warm breeze and hear the gentle lapping of the waves........zzzzzzzzz



VODKA MAI TAI COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS

Vodka - 30ml
Orange Juice - 100ml
Cherry Juice (or Pineapple is nice) - 30ml
Pineapple Juice - 100ml

HOW TO PREPARE...

Its easy!  Just shake it all together and pour over ice.  Decorate with a piece of pineapple, a glace' cherry and paper umbrella.

Serves 2

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Signing off on another week....wishing you all a great weekend, and for those with a long weekend, have a ball.  Here's to you favourite footy team winning!

xxxxx



Friday, September 23, 2011

TONY DUQUETTE AND HIS AMAZING DREAMCOAT...LOVING SASS AND BIDE LATEST...ANGEL HAIR AND PASTA RECIPE BUDGET BUSTER MEAL!!...AND COCKTAIL FRIDAY WITH POH'S KISS OF THE CONCUBINE....MWAHHH XXX

CHARCOAL INTERIORS - YOUR SHOPPING EXPERIENCE WITH THE MOSTEST....

We are a family business with over 38 years experience in design.

We pride ourselves on sourcing unique product from around the world...this is a 'Flat-Pack-Free' Zone.
Bringing back the romance of shopping, with our beautiful exotic pieces and a custom made service where you can order exactly what you have seen in a magazine to your specifications....we look forward to seeing you soon....
www.charcoalinteriors.com.au

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TONY DUQUETTE  AND HIS AMAZING DREAMCOAT

If a house could be transformed into a gloriously eclectic and colourful costume, then this would be an apt starting point.
The flamboyant Hollywood set and costume designer Tony Duquettes home in Beverly Hills features in this months Vogue Living Magazine and the design girls here were completely taken by it.
Duquette, born in 1914, grew up in Los Angeles and became one of the worlds most acclaimed artists and designers.  
Likening himself to the magical Phoenix, Duquette loved the combination of nature and magic, the twin sources of an "enchanted vision that we carry around in the treasure house of our own minds".  His love for the fabled bird also suggests the designer's talent for constant reinvention an creating fantasies full of life, colour and theatre.
This was certainly true of Duquette's own Beverly Hills Home, Dawnridge.  A home of delightful excesses.
Over the years, he mastered many different mediums, designing jewellery, hotel interiors and public spaces.  Yet Duquette is best remembered for the homes he created not just for himself, but also his high society clients, including Elizabeth Arden and J Paul Getty.
There is a great youtube link for those who would like to have a brief little tour through the house, now of course in the hands of a different owner.  Watch as he shows a keen jewellery designer through her idols home.  There is some great footage.  Interesting to see too that this home is arguably the smallest in swanky Beverly Hills.



Duquette added depth of colour to rooms with bright cushions and fabric.  The Biomorphic Console and mirror were designed by him in the 1960's.  All the paintings are by his wife Elizabeth who was an accomplished and well known artist.


Worked into screens made from hubcaps, Duquette called his sculptural piece above the mirrored door a fragment of priestess robe.  The Pedestals flanking the door were designed by him in the 1950's.  The two 18th Century French ahairs still have their original finish, while the orange ottoman sofa covered in Thai silk was inspired by a sofa Duquette designed for his home in San Francisco.
A feature to the right is a sculpture of the Phoenix by Duquette.  The designer strongly identified with the mythical bird, an ever recurring symbol in his work.


(Above) The Living Rooms's high ceiling, crowned with Duquette's chandelier of Venetial glass lilies, and the use of mirrors lend a sense of space to the small house.


The 'Rose Chest' in the garden room appeared in many movies, including My Fair Lady, where Cecil Beaton used it, painted white in Mrs Higgins house.


The Vestibule leads to the Powder Room through a door bearing a mural by Elizabeth Duquette.  The chair, still with its original needlepoint covering was designed by Duquette for his one man exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of art around 1952


The 'Garden Room'   Behind the sofa is a photographic blow-up of a pen and ink drawing Duquette did of Venice Circa 1947.

Hopefully, after seeing the photographs of his home, you will agree that Duquette was a true visionary and complete risk taker when it came to Interior Design, he also created jewellery, costumes for stage and screen,  and was an accomplished artist.  His home is now entrusted to his good friend and business partner Hutton Wilkinson who can be seen in the youtube video linked to his story.

Duquette left this world in 1999 aged 85.  His legacy lives on with selected furniture designs replicated, and his friend Hutton is constantly scouring auction houses for additions to the vast collection of Duquettes eclectic designs.

We would absolutely love to be able to share some images of his work, however it is very, very closely protected, however you can see and also find out so much more via the Tony Duquette Website and there is also a great book available that takes pride of place in our showroom.



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ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH GARLIC, CHILLI AND OIL...BUDGET BUSTER MEAL!


I love this recipe for Angel Hair pasta with Garlic and Chilli, because its simple to make and makes for a great budget meal for the family.  Usually we have 7 around the dinner table and sometimes more, depending on how many 'ring-ins' we have....boyfriends, girlfriends...just friends etc....


I also love this recipe because I can use a few ingredients from the Vegie Patch at home.  I have Australian Garlic growing at the moment...(its easy to grow too, just split the cloves and plant pointy side up about 2 inches into the ground...cover and you will know when its ready to harvest because the green shoots on the surface will die off) plus I have a fabulous Chilli plant that just produces all year.


This pasta recipe is great for a side dish, or sprinkle some fried bacon pieces over the top, plus chopped rocket and fresh baby tomatoes and you have a meal in itself.  If you dont have time, or like in our household all the bread goes in a flash so theres never any day old stuff left to make the crumbs, just use shop bought bread crumbs in a packet.
Traditionally, this is to the Italians as meat pie is to the Aussies.  Its a staple Italian recipe....so you better drink red with this one.  :-)

Thank you to our friends at Taste for this recipe


Ingredients (serves 6)


1 x packet of Angel Hair Pasta...its the thin one available in all good shops...San Remo make a good one, and there is enough in the packet for 6 to 8 people depending on how hungry everyone is.
  • 150g olive oil
  • 1/2 cup (50g) breadcrumbs, made from day-old bread
  • 6 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced widthways
  • 1 1/2 small red chillies, seeded, finely chopped
  • Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon


Method

  1. Heat 1 tbs oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes or until golden, then remove from pan. Wipe pan clean.
  2. Heat remaining oil, garlic and chillies in cleaned pan over low heat for 2 minutes or until oil is hot and garlic is light golden. Add 1 1/2 tsp salt, lemon rind and juice and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Add fresh pasta to a large saucepan of salted boiling water and cook for 20-30 seconds or until it just floats (for dried pasta, cook following packet directions).
  3. Drain, then add immediately to hot oil mixture with the breadcrumbs. Toss well to combine. Serve.
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TIME TO PUT YOUR FEET UP...ITS COCKTAIL FRIDAY!


The other night, I watched Pohs Kitchen on the ABC.  You may remember Poh as the effervescent chic from the first Masterchef series?  She is just a little pocket rocket and so inspiring to watch her cook.  With her Asian background and love of eclectic flavour combinations, she has really made a name for herself in the world of innovative cuisine.  I found a Cocktail recipe on her website that really ticked all the boxes for me, and decided to give it a go.  Needless to say, it was a hit with all of us here, so here's the recipe to share on to all of you.  Thank you Poh for being you and always bringing a smile to our faces when you're on the telly.



POH'S KISS OF THE CONCUBINE

Serves 1
  • skin and juice of 2 wedges of lime
  • 10 crushed mint leaves
  • 15ml Amaretto (for that bitter sweet almond taste)
  • 15ml of lychee liqueur (the perfect compliment for almonds)
  • 60ml lychee juice
  • 60ml soda water
Method


  1. In a cocktail shaker of ice add the juice and skin of the lime wedges, crushed mint leaves, Amaretto (for that bitter sweet almond taste), lychee liqueur (the perfect compliment for almonds), lychee juice and the soda water for a little bit of efferscence.
  2. Shake, pour and garnish with a fresh lychee....Poh shows you how to make the Lychee into a little Frangipani flower for that extra special touch to the garnish....here's the link.  
  3. Poh's Kitchen Website Link
  4. p.s to be drunk with your feet up and a copy of 'Farewell my Concubine' in the DVD player (voted one of the 100 best films of world cinema too thank you very much....)



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We have been asking our Facebook friends over the past weeks for their all time favourite quotes.  The little mantras that they live by and that help to get them through the tough times, or put perspective on situations that may be out of their control.  Here's the latest installment, this week from Maria Albiez...


"You cant discover new oceans until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore"

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Until next week!  Enjoy your weekend and do something nice just for you!  Thank you to everyone for their contribution on our facebook page over the past couple of weeks too...we love hearing from you and really appreciate your input!

Cathie, Colette and Jen...The Charcoal Team xxx

www.charcoalinteriors.com.au

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Friday, September 9, 2011

INDIAN ENVIRO BEACH HOUSE....CREATING THE PERFECT OUTDOOR ROOM SPACE....OUR READERS RECIPE FOR CHOCOLATE FUDGE PUDDING...OVER INDULGE IN OUR MARVELLOUS MOCKTAIL...AND OUR FACEBOOK FRIENDS SHARE THEIR FAVOURITE INSPIRING QUOTES...HAPPY FRIDAY!! XXX

PALMYRA HOUSE


One of the perks of the job here is that I get to flick through all the glossy design magazines that we subscribe to.  It's really inspiring at the best of times, but this week whilst 'flicking through' my eye hovered over the pages of Vogue Living (September issue) a tad longer than usual at the article on Palmyra House, an elegant pair of buildings that open out to the Arabian Sea. An idyllic 21st century beach house blending the old, new and enhancing natures beauty.


The walls and floors were built with basalt in the area, covered with plaster sand and pigmented.
The structure is made from Burmese Teak and Ain Hardwood with flexible louvred shutter walls.  The Pool, with fresh water from the plantation Aquifer (natural spring) is edged in local stone.


Far removed from the big bunkered modern influences of the west, this Indian beach house simply drips with peacefulness with the crash of the waves, balmy air flowing through the louvres and the shadow of light and shade through the hundreds of palm trees that envelop the property.

Looking at the property from the ocean end, it is designed to open out at the front revealing the bedrooms on one side and bathroom, living area on the other side.



The two-storey home, built as a weekend retreat lies near the fishing village of Nandgaon, south of Mumbai.  The home consists of two oblong buildings, slightly offset from one another.

Created by Studio Mumbai Architects
(We would have LOVED to have included photos of this amazing home, but after contacting the Architects were advised that they didnt wish to give permission....free exposure??...go figure...still..instead of removing the posting you might like to have a look at their website yourselves.)

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BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR ROOMS AND SPACES TO RELAX

We have been watching the Channel 10 show The Renovators when we can spare the time.  Some of the challenges are really tough!  Last week, the outdoor space challenge really got us in.  
When I was a girl, the closest thing to having an outdoor room or space was gathering around the family BBQ and sitting on one of those fold out picnic tables.....remember the ones that came in like a suitcase form and they unfolded to a connected table and chairs, with a weight restriction of around 40 kilos!
So, with the weather really warming up, especially here in Brisbane where we seem to have just two temperatures with the seasons (hot and coolish) we have started thinking about cleaning off the cobwebs on the deck at home, getting stuck into the garden and what little extras we are going to need for our outdoor spaces.  Here are a few great suggestions, focussing on comfort, creating space for group get togethers and also solitary spaces, so you can curl up with a book and indulge in a little bit of 'me' time.




A gathering space with plenty of room to stretch out and relax by the pool.


Credit to epitomized1 via 'flickr'

There's nothing more simple than stringing up a hammock between two trees.  I love nothing more than whiling away the hours taking in the dappled sunlight and getting lost in a book.




How about this for a grown ups version of the outdoor cubbie house?  Remember grabbing one of mums good sheets from the laundry, a few strategically placed chairs and instant cubbie!  
This more sophisticated version is just as easy to create, with 4 poles, a crisp white sheet, your favourite outdoor lounger and all the essentials at arms reach...ie...water, book, sunnies, mags and perhaps a nice cool glass of sauvignon blanc if its a Sunday and you can just chillllll.......zzzzzzzz


FATHERS DAY


I hope that all the Dads enjoyed their big day on Sunday!  Ours started interestingly enough with a visit to the emergency room to pick up one daughters boyfriend with a badly cut finger at 6am, and then home to make breakfast for 9....we had pancakes, bacon, sausages, eggs...the whole heart attack.  Was loads of fun.  Then a big drive in the country with music blaring and then off to the Father-in-laws place for the big Rugby League game and a couple of glasses of the red wine we gave him for a gift!...he's a great sharer :-)
We are all family here at Charcoal Interiors, and the gatherings are always loud and there's loads of food and wine on offer.




The other thing that got me thinking on the day was how many of our friends had lost their Dads over the past year.  I found myself thinking of my friends and wondering how they were feeling so I sent out a blanket text to everyone to say Happy Fathers Day, but also to say that I was thinking of those whose Dads were no longer with us.  It was very well received, so I highly recommend getting in touch with your mates on days like that...ie mothers and fathers day, just to let them know you are thinking of them, as a happy day for some can be a debilitatingly sad day for others.






KELLIES MUMS CHOCOLATE FUDGE PUDDING


This week we have an extra special recipe for everyone.  One of our readers, Kellie Layton has made us aware of the publication of her Mums favourite dessert recipe - Chocolate Fudge Pudding....anything with the words Chocolate and Fudge in it, and I am all ears!
Anyway, this recipe is so good that its been chosen for publication in the Australian Womans Day!
Kellie tells us that "she made this pudding for her and the siblings when they were kids.  Now she makes it for all her grandchildren and her children as well as all 8 of us!"
Congratulations to Lorraine (Kellies Mum) from all of us here.  As usual this recipe ticks all the boxes as far as flavour, simplicity etc...which does not reflect the end result at all which is just pure indulgence!  We had ours with some fresh strawberries that are delivered to the showroom every week and some sprigs of fresh mint from the herb garden in the courtyard out the front of the showroom...oh and some icecream...which we just bought at the shops :-)


Thank you to Kellie, and Lorraine for allowing us to share this delicious family favourite (soon to be one of our own now I think) with all of us!








Serving size: Serves 8
Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes



INGREDIENTS

1¾ cups self-raising flour
1/3 cup cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup caster sugar
90g butter, chopped
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPING
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
11/3 cups boiling water


METHOD


  1. Preheat oven to moderately slow, 160°C. Lightly grease a 2-litre pudding basin or casserole dish.
  2. Sift flour, cocoa and salt together into a large bowl. Stir in sugar.
  3. Combine butter and ¼ cup milk in small saucepan. Heat on low until melted. Cool slightly, then add rest of milk and vanilla. Add liquid to dry ingredients, stirring until smooth. Pour into prepared dish.
  4. TOPPING: In a bowl, combine brown sugar and cocoa. Sprinkle evenly over pudding, then pour boiling water over.
  5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until cooked when tested. Invert pudding onto serving platter. Serve with ice-cream and some fresh strawbs and mint as mentioned above.


FRIDAY COCKTAIL TIME


SPRING FEVER MOCKTAIL!  (Have as many of these as you like!)




The transition from winter to Spring is one of the most anticipated times of the year.  The ground comes to life with green, the smell of Jasmine is in the air and the sound of lawnmowers cuts through on a Sunday morning sleep-in (I know there's a lot of keen gardeners in our area, so all I can say is 'Sunday Noise Curfew'...) but I digress...back to sunshine and lollipops.  As you finish up your spring clean and plan your gardens, take some time to sit down on the deck or verandah with a refreshing drink that awakens your taste buds from the winter blues with this Spring Fever Cocktail.  Its OK to down as many of these as you like because its alcohol free and very, very refreshing.  

INGREDIENTS

35ml lemon juice
35 ml mango juice
60ml apple juice
60ml orange juice

PREPARATION
1. Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice
2. Shake well.
3. Strain into a tall glass half filled with crushed ice.

To be imbibed out on the deck or verandah whilst wearing your fave Spring Bonnet with the tunes of Doris Day or similar light, girly tunes in the background....no Spice Girls please.

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OUR FAVOURITE QUOTES


We asked our Facebook followers for their most inspirational quotes.  The saying that you keep in your head for when the times get tough, or you lose control and have to just succumb to the forces that be.  We all have a little mantra that we inwardly recite that brings a sense of calm or perspective.
Over the next few weeks we wil be sharing some of the inspiration and helpful quotes from our Charcoal Interiors Facebook friends.  There are also a few funny ones to share too, just to balance it out a bit and remind ourselves not to take life too serious.
Thank you everyone for your input!

This week from Fiona Rowlands:

"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes"

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And so to the end of another week.  We wish you a wonderful weekend.  Enjoy the beautiful Spring weather if you are lucky enough to have some sunshine in your part of the world.  Life is good....enjoy!


The Charcoal Team.  Cathie, Colette and Jen xxx