Food with a face on it is also a brilliant way to get kids to eat healthy, that’s why they have been making faces out of peas and mash for generations. Luckily for me, this reasoning comes in handy when justifying why I’ve been buying myself Christmas presents from Japan this year. Wanna see?

.

Why Hello Kitty – what fabulous task might you perform?

Ahh – turning plain old rice into a party for your mouth! The girls are going to love you.. but wait, what’s that? A Kitty-fier that does even require cooking?

.

You cut the crusts off the sandwich AND turn my lunch into a happy face?! I think even if I filled you with anchovy paste the kids would still eat this. Me, I think I’ll fill you with Nutella and hundreds and thousands.

.

But wait… Christmas morning we had a very special breakfast; a Christmas miracle if you will.

Is that the face of….?

It is! It is Hello Kitty pancakes!

Given you can only make one at a time, but they do take the time to remind you that this is “for Mama to cook”, so clearly it was meant for me. I can’t tell you just how fantastic breakfast was that morning. If you want to impress a loved one, bring them a tray of these in bed and watch the happiness quotient explode.

Of course, none of this is out of place at my house where Kitty graces more surfaces than I’d care to count. And after breakfast, bubble maker kitty is there to help with the washing up too!

So where did I find all these treasures? I took a visit to J-List which, (hide your credit cards) will have you going ‘click to buy’ happy! I found it near impossible to stop adding things to my cart, so thank goodness it was Christmas and I could justify the addition of so many of these things as gifts for other people.  I didn’t just stop at Kitty however, because as soon as I saw they stocked so much Totoro merchandise, I couldn’t help myself.  So now I am eating my Hello Kitty pancakes propped up against my Totoro nap pillow on my 1950′s couch! Yeah, that’s pretty much how my house looks – Like you dropped Betty Draper into Sanrio Land!!

]]> http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2011/01/06/making-happy-in-the-kitchen/feed/ 20 http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2010/10/13/vintage-style-icon-maureen-ohara/ http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2010/10/13/vintage-style-icon-maureen-ohara/#comments Tue, 12 Oct 2010 23:19:21 +0000 Super Kawaii Mama http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/?p=6179 Unforgettable.

This woman may be the key to understanding where my addiction to vintage began. I first remember seeing Maureen O’Hara in The Black Swan with Tyron Power, when I was a little girl.  My grandfather had a collection of VHS tapes that covered two walls of his living room and he must have recorded every Golden Years of Hollywood moment ever.

I would sit in the semi-darkness in a huge 1950′s vinyl armchair, eating jersey caramels and watching these movies with my eyes out on stalks; my feet not yet touching the ground.  I watched ‘Meet Me in St Louis’ and other little girl kind of movies, but it was these images of beautiful women with their well coiffed hair, their elaborate outfits, and tiny waists being held by dashing men that really captured my imagination.

From that first moment that Maureen O’ Hara came on screen full of fire and style, I just knew the kind of woman I wanted to become.

Feast your eyes and let your imaginations run wild….

I’d wear each and every one of these looks in a heartbeat!

There are some moments in history that you really wish you were there for. And there is a particular day back in 1956, in a small room with a few men that is one of those days for me. It was a day when the music gods smiled and placed four legends in the same room, at the same time, where they did what musicians do and had some fun playing together.

Sam Phillip’s legendary Sun Studio played host to this moment, on a day when Carl Perkins was in recording an album (that was to include ‘Blue Suede Shoes’), when Elvis Presley dropped by. Jerry Lee Lewis was also there as a session musician waiting for a chance to show off his killer piano boogie styling; the moment was completed by the entrance of none other than Johnny Cash.

In a moment of serendipity and foresight, someone thought to switch on the recording equipment as these legends jammed together, giving us a chance to hear the one and only time these four men ever played together. And it was magical.

.

.

The Ultimate Jam Session, produced by Bold Jack Productions, is your chance to relive this historic moment in all its goosebump inducing, heart stopping glory. Fronted by James Blundell, Dave Larkin, Nick Barker and Ezra Lee, backed up and held together by the versatile Sun Studio Trio – Dave Folley, Steve Hadley and Shannon Bourne. These lads put together are pure joy. Last Friday night I had to opportunity to sit front and centre as the boys kicked off their show with a bang.  Now this isn’t your ‘tribute’ style of show replete with stereo typical costumes and bad wigs, but just unadulterated, first class Rock n Roll. They keep it simple, tight and let the music speak for itself.  They shake you to your core with riffs that move your body,  vocals that make women swoon and men holler.

As I sat there watching tendrils of smoke curl in the spotlight and listening to my passion come to life, my heart was in my mouth.  Like that rush of adrenaline and endorphins that hit you on the first date with a big crush. And it didn’t subside, not for one second.

But it is more than just great music, it is a journey to a musician’s heart. Behind the big names, behind the hype, behind the screaming fans; just four brilliant men playing up and playing around, letting themselves enjoy the music for the music’s sake.

It was The Day the Music Lived.

Come backstage and meet the men behind the show.

What a night!

Posing around with Ezra Lee and hearing all about his upcoming trip to Vegas to play with Jerry Lee Lewis. Go Ezra!

.

Nick Barker approves of the Kitty Von Purr dress.

The show will be playing all over Melbourne and Australia regionally, before getting set for an even bigger season. You can find out when and where the next show is playing on The Ultimate Rock n Roll Jam Session Facebook page.

*Yes, I recorded this in six inch heels, with my little hand held camera in the near dark of stage side, trying not to get too distracted by lilting voices and sultry eye.. so bare with me – it’s just like being there!*

Some days are unforgettable. Unforgettable in the sense that you know you’ll be talking about them for years to come and that little snippets of that moment will colour decisions you make in the future. Last Thursday was one of those days.
Thanks to Nuffnang and Federation Square, I was given the opportunity to experience the Tim Burton Exhibition at ACMI. When they emailed to ask if I’d like to go, my response was only one word; “yes!” followed by many gratuitous exclamation marks.  Since my very first Beetlejuice Burton moment, I’ve been hooked on the colour, the style, the twisted carnival sensibilities of his productions.

So I raced around prepping up for the big night and (sadly) can only tell you what I wore as the greatest tragedy of the evening was only to be discovered the next day. Alicia and I had the unique opportunity to photograph some of the exhibition including posing with our favourite pieces, only to find that every single image was corrupted on the card! (One of those moments when you want to stab yourself in the eye with a fork.) So for those of you that care, I wore a black and charcoal striped hobble skirt over a tightly laced corset, black silk chiffon blouse and a midnight blue velvet tailcoat with silver buttons. Please engage imagination here.

Arriving at Federation Square as dusk becomes dark was an experience to behold. The pink cobbled pavement wends beneath your heels and carries you into the centre . There are students sitting close, chatting in plumes of smoke. Suit clad lads laughing over beer as a tall blonde flicks her hair and takes their order.  A crowd begins to gather in the shadow on the big screen with lap rugs and steaming coffee in paper cups, awaiting the upcoming streaming of Tim Burton’s Materslass. During Winter they are hosting a Solar Equation; a huge representation of a glowing pulsing sun, hovering in the darkness. I stood beneath it feeling like an extra in Dr. Who and wondering at the instant sense of community it created, as a crowd gathered beneath to take pictures and talk about the warm orange glow. I even videoed a little bit Fed Square Solar Equation

I had a quick jaunt around the ACMI store prior to meeting our chaperone, and found some serious reasons to take your credit card along, as they had a fantastic collection of Burton books and toys including Oyster Boy and Stainboy!

.

Upon meeting our delightful ACMI host we were invited to one of the most coveted and thrilling highlights of the exhibition – The Masterclass with Tim Burton! I don’t think I’ve ever sat so close to the edge of my seat for a full hour and a half.  It was a moment where I tried to force my brain into record mode and hung on to every word, in spite of the waves of goose bumps threatening to topple me from my chair.

Heading into the exhibition in a haze of post-Burton chat honeymoon, gave the whole experience the sense of the historical and I knew then that this was something I’d never forget. Descending the stair case in a wash of scarlet lights, I turned to see one of the first things that had my heart in a handgrip. The full sized garden topiary from Edward Scissor hands. I was glad to be there in company and half dark or otherwise the tear that sprang to my eye would have made it into a complete stream.  For me, Edward Scissor Hands was a particularly powerful film, so to come face to face with such a stunning and beautiful symbol was almost a bit much. However, being the professional I am, I composed myself and went about the business of taking it all in so I can tell you about it now.

.

.

I don’t wish to spoil the magic of the exhibition so I won’t tell you all the surprises and highlights, but I have to tell you that there is something so extraordinarily inspiring about this exhibition. Seeing the evolution not only of Tim’s work, but of the man himself- his life, his journey both emotionally and professionally, leaves you wanting to sketch till daybreak.  You don’t need to have an artistic bone in your body to appreciate Tim’s work, he’ll provide plenty of bones for you! (Ha!) It is music, song, touch, tears, dreams and nightmares.  It is all those parts of yourself that exist to give you a unique sense of self, and as such you’ll each take something different away from your experience.
Overwhelmingly, the first thing I wanted to do was arrange a date to take my daughters back to see it for themselves. At nearly three and just turned six, they already appreciate the humour, the dark and light, the love and tragedy of a Burton film. (Nightmare before Christmas gets great airplay at my house). It may be difficult to stop them from wanting to touch and feel, but the pay off in feeding their imaginations and letting them walk into a living fantasy is too great to deny them that opportunity.
To top off this amazing experience was a moment in which many of you will kick me over. Actually meeting Tim Burton and having not one memorable thing to say! I don’t often have fan girl moments, but this was something else. Other than saying something like, “I’m honoured”, was about as far as I got, as my brain lit up like a firecracker at the momentousness of it all. In fact, I am going in again tomorrow!  I took a little video snippet inside the Burton club to share with you, (it seems to be the only image of mine that survived!)

The Tim Burton Club at ACMI Fed Square in Melbourne from super kawaii mama on Vimeo.

Both ACMI and MoMa have done such an outstanding job putting this exhibition together that you MUST go and see it. And like I said on Twitter, even if you have to sell a kidney to get there – go and see this! After all, that would be a rather Burton-esque way to do it!

Awesome stuff-

Do you want to go to ACMI and see the Tim Burton Exhibition for yourself? Of course you do!!
I have 2 for 1 passes to give away! Just leave me a comment telling me why you need to go and see this for yourself – the best entries will get a 2 for 1 pass. ( Open to Australian Residents only)

I believe that all the best stories have a sound track and without music, life is only a life half lived.  Yet, until now I’ve had to contend with playing my sound track in my head at most times as I moved from place to place, inside outside, in the car etc..  Then someone came home with a Sonos. I hadn’t even heard of these brand new fangled inventions, but I knew someone would get their act together and figure it out one of these days.  So what is it?  Without being a big promo for Sonos, (as I really don’t know or understand all the tech details) it is basically a wireless speaker system that I can move to any room in my house, my garden my porch.. etc.. and keep on adding speakers without having to wire anything in!

So now when I choose a soundtrack for my day it follows me everywhere! The whole thing is driven by my central music catalogue kept on my iPhone, so even if I leave the house and drive away I can still keep on listening and keep the same groove. Anyway, this means I am falling in love all over again with my favorite artists and getting goosebumps over new ones.

So what am I listening to this week?  Quite a lot of the amazing Johny Cash and his back catalogue.  His website actually has a radio station that is all Johnny all the time (which I’m listening to as I type this).  I’m also listening to the soundtrack to Walk The Line, which has become a staple for my drive time I just can’t get enough of that one.

I’m also getting goosebumps over the music (and moves) of Nick Willett who I was privileged to see perform live at Wintersun. I cannot tell you what an experience that was. Nick is one man that could have stepped directly out of your favorite 50′s rock ‘n roll movie – A voice that rolls over you in waves, moves that should be illegal and a first class gentleman.

.

.

.

Ms Carly and I snapped having a word with Mr. Nick Willett

I’m also very eagerly awaiting the first full album release of our very own (that is Victorian) Scotty Baker, as his fantastic music and highly amusing lyrics have been stuck in my head for the last two weeks.  But until then I have to content myself with his singles..  Go here and listen to Scotty Baker - he’s full of awesome! (And he’s also seriously stylish!)

The Re Chords are also particularly fantastic and are Melbourne based too!

Check them out here.

.

Anyway, what has become abundantly clear is that I need to update my music catalogue with a whole lot of new stuff , (particularly each and every band I saw perform at Wintersun and will link you to as soon as I can) so even though I’m no music reviewer I’ll be telling you about which sound track is playing in my life at any one time. A word of warning though, it may be classic Rock n Roll, it may be new local Rockabilly or just as likely, a little bit of mad J-Pop! Just like my wardrobe, my music is all about what moves me that day – so let’s see if we can give your day a new soundtrack too.