Art De Rue...Gidday Goes Walkabout

One of the things I enjoy most about living in London is the diversity of street 'art'. Whether it's from a time long gone or more modern mastery, I love the surprise of it as you round some corner and some unexpected express of imagination catches your eye.

Well, I think Paris is the same, a city where old and new mix unapologetic with effortless chic and during my recent sojourn in the City of Lights I really enjoyed walking around and discovering all of its ecclectic self-expression. If you take to the streets like I did, you might just see some of these.

Icons of design in Boulevard Raspail (left) and on the Av des Champs-Élysées (right).

The American Dream, alive and well in Rue Mouffetard (top) and Rue Daunou (bottom).

 

The body beautiful in Rue de la Paix (left) and in St Germain des Prés (right).

 

Tasty treats on Boulevard Haussmann (left) and The King of Hotpots on Rue Vignon (right).

 

Lost art: climbing the walls in Montmarte.

 Security measures near Jardin des Plantes on Rue Linné (left) and Rue de la Paix (right).

Window shopping for (clockwise from top left) wheels on Av de Champs-Élysées, literature on Rue Lepic, macaroons on Rue St-Honoré and glamour at Galeries Lafayette.

So if you are in Paris, get your boots on - you know those ones made for walking - and make sure you keep your eyes peeled. Because these moments of delightful discovery are everywhere...and finding them is like a turn of the kaleidoscope, giving you a glimpse of a different side of this marvellous city.

A Happy Little (expat) Vegemite...

There is some exciting news at Gidday HQ today.

My fellow expat afficionados over at The Displaced Nation asked me to write a bit of a travel yarn about my recent trip to The Eternal City and it's now live over there for your enjoyment.

If you can possibly bear to read one more thing about my Roman Holiday, you can meander over by clicking here.

While you are there, you might also like to have a little fossick around. I can confess to a particular addiction to the It's Fiction series, Libby's Life....

I am one chuffed expat!

ps...if you haven't been keeping up with my travels of late (and shame on you if this is the case), here's the Rome series for you:

The Gods of Rock...
A Holy Trinity...
All Roads...

A Little Tinkering...

Well peeps it's been a cosy, curled-up-indoors kind of Sunday here at Gidday HQ. I've done chores (well, some), read a little, sorted some pics I took in London yesterday, had a chat with Mum and carried out a little virtual redecorating. Yes, in the spirit of trying out new stuff and beginning a shiny new chapter, I have been tinkering away to give Gidday From The UK a bit of a lift. 

This year is about new horizons for me, whatever they turn out to be, so I wanted a 'eyes up', skyward theme. But I also like the relaxed feel of Gidday - a bit like I've invited you over for a cuppa and a chat - and didn't want to morph into something that just wasn't...well, me. So I've decided to use a picture of my very own street in Fabulous Finchley as the backdrop to all things Gidday.

Taken from the footpath right outside my front door

The last year has also seen me out and about a bit and I'm quite chuffed about this new notoriety. And I wanted to acknowledge the generosity of my fellow adventurers in the blogosphere for saying nice stuff about Gidday and for some especially brave souls, letting me loose on their patch to witter on about stuff.  So I've added a new page, Going Walkabout.

Gidday has played host to some Special Guests this year too. I love the variety it brings to the Gidday journey and so am putting this out there now - if you'd like me to write a guest post for you on...erm...something, I am completely up for it.

Speaking of putting stuff out there, I told you yesterday about another new page, Mind The Gap! designed to capture all that's sublime and ridiculous about charting one's course through the Queen's English in Blighty. Please feel free to contribute your stories - the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned (and thanks to Michelloui for her LOL tale of #expatfail on yesterday's post).

The Book Nook (previously the 50 Book Challenge until I got to 50) will remain at large and in the last few months has featured the scribblings of two of you, Charlie Wade with The Bailout (No. 51) and Jack Scott with Perking The Pansies: Jack and Liam Move To Turkey (No. 57).

No doubt there's more to come and not just from Jack and Charlie. You (well some of you anyway) seem to like my mini-reviews so I'll keep 'em coming for 2012.

As for the rest, we'll see what transpires as the year progresses. I already anticipate much travelling and a fair amount of fossicking in old London Town so some new themes may emerge on this front. In addition, the new Gidday HQ offers many opportunities not available in my previous super-small abode. I can see a few soirees of the outdoor variety taking place on the sizeable patio/in the grassy bit of the garden (which may or may not overshadow any future baking exploits). And let's not forget that Gidday HQ is guest-ready - Mum will be here in just 37 sleeps.

And speaking of Mum, she's is a stickler for manners that one - I may never meet HRH but Mum is comforted by the fact I at least know how to behave well. So thank you for all your reading, laughing, scoffing, following and commenting. Let me assure you every one of your comments is eagerly opened as I make my daily commute to and from work. This is the place where I put little old me on the page - whatever that may be at the time - and being cheered, supported and surprised by your feedback can really transform an often lacklustre commute.

That's it for now so I hope you enjoy Gidday From The UK's new duds. I look forward to more exciting travels through the blogosphere with you and if you are ever actually in London and fancy a face-to-face with an irreverent Aussie sheila, just let me know.

My Very First....Guest Post!

For the last two and and half years here at Gidday from the UK HQ, I have constrained my ramblings and wittering-on to the pages of my own blog.  But today we celebrate another Gidday First - my very First Guest Post!

Inspired by my 50 Book Challenge, I submitted my Gift of Fiction idea on Seeded Buzz and well, one thing led to another until, thanks to Gidday-from-the-UK-er, Spriteyone, and the good folk over at Aurelia...

TAH DAAAAAAAH!!

I was published!

And you can just click here to bask vicariously in my success/narcissism/nostalgic meandering through the books of my childhood...

...or for a more 'now' helicopter view, check out the latest 50 Book Challenge update here...

Published! Can you believe it?