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安咕媽媽

安咕媽媽

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網誌區塊

20 ways to simplify your life

2010年07月15日
公開
25

1. Avoid amassing clothes. Give your credit card a break. Women tend to wear only 20 percent of their wardrobe 80 percent of the time. If you find an item that really suits you and makes you feel good whenever you wear it, go back to the shop and buy it again in another colour. 2. Only ever bake one cake. If you must bake a cake for your child's birthday, just use one tried-and-tested recipe. Remember, most children probably prefer a made-to-order novelty cake. 3. Don't "work through it" when you're ill. Just because you are still standing doesn't mean you should force yourself to go into the office. Take a day off and switch off the BlackBerry. You'll get over it quicker and you won't infect your colleagues. 4. Stop looking at models. Studies show an immediate depressive response in women who have looked at models in fashion magazines. After just three minutes, all women felt a drop in their self-esteem and felt less attractive, regardless of their own height, age, shape or size. 5. Buy clothes for the size you are. Don't buy clothes that are slightly too small in the mistaken belief that it will spur you to lose weight. There's no faster track to a day-long grump than a waistband tha digs in, a zip that keeps creeping down and sleeves so tight that you can't reach for the Tim Tams. 6. Cull arfter-school activities. There's lots of evidence to show that overscheduled children become burnt-out teen who are less able to amuse themselves. My stress levels halved when I dropped any afterschool commitments that involvede driving. 7. Pep up your child's lunchbox by dropping into a foodhall. Drop into a David Jones food hall or a supermarket on the way home from work rather than spending hours marinating chicken. Choose a wrap, fruit salad or pasta for your kid's lunch the next day. 8. Get out of the kitchen. If you catch yourself creating a smiley face on top of a cottage pie with carrots and peas, pour a glass of wine and leave the kitchen immediately. 9. Stop tidying your house. Don't tidy the house just because the cleaner is coming. Cleaners can pick up empty mugs-and you're paying them to do this. 10. Cut down your to-do list Restrict your daily to-do list to three tasks only. Don't try to tackle your entire mental" master"list. Pick three things that are achievable in a day, including one easy one that you can cross off straight away. 11. Get everything you can delivered. Order in everything -food, clothes. toys, dvds, even haircuts(mobile hairdressers will be a lot more tolerant of your childrens nits). 12. Arrange regular breaks from the school run. Escape the pressure of the ticking clock and the fact that you've only got mascara on one eye. Organize swaps with neighbours, find a bus route or rope in your husband or mother. 13. Make it a rule not to look in the mirror. Never glance in a mirror when you're out unless you have a specific reason to suspect you have something on your nose. 14. Stop clean your child's room. Stop cleaning the kids' rooms as soon as they turn eight. Make them tidy their own rooms' from time to time., But make it easy- no bedroom should be without under-bed storage drawers. 15. Don't ignore tiredness. Take a rest. Tiredness is not something that should be dismissed as part of a busy life. Lack of energy is one of the symptoms of depression. Seek help before you crash. 16. Stop waxing all year round. It takes valuable minutes from your day, costs an (under)arm- and a leg- and it hurts. Save it for holidays and dates. 17. Don't plod on with a book. Don't persevere with a book just because it's on the Booker shortlist or it's your book club choice. If your mind constantly wanders off the page, give up. Reading shouold be a pleasurable escape route. It's ok to pick up Agatha Christie instead. 18. Examine your motivation before you step up your career. Take time to evaluate whether you really want that promotion at work, whick will mean longer hours and more stress. Studies routinely find that, once we have our basics- a home, food and a livelihoood - our happiness level are not boosted by a higher income. In most developed countries, happiness levels have remained static over the past 50 years, even though we have more money and a lot more stuff. 19. Don't worry yourself with the idea that everyone but you is having a great sex. Who cares what anyone else is doing? While researching her book Sizzling Sex(JR Books), Dr. Pam Spurr found taht 90 percent of us probably won't try antying new sexually after our first anniversary. And, once past the two-year mark, you can forget it. Bear in mind that even Modonna lived for a time in a sexless marriage(to Guy Ritchie). Apparently they were both too tired-which surely lets the rest of use off the hook. 20. Choose an extra holiday over a new kitchen floor. Children couldn't care less if the floor is vinyl or limestone, but menories of holidays will stay with you all for a lifetime.

澳洲墨爾本》尋訪南半球英倫玫瑰

2010年07月13日
公開
20

澳洲墨爾本》尋訪南半球英倫玫瑰 最後更新: 2010-07-12 16:06:53 撰文˙攝影�陳慶祐 抵達墨爾本市區已是黃昏，到民宿將行李放妥，沿著高低起伏的緩坡街道散步，往亞拉河（Yarra River）的方向走去。沿途經過幾個公園，間或有幾幢巍峨的英式老建築，就連街道兩旁的行道樹也都看得出年歲地張著綠蔭；馬路上有軌電車來來回回地奔走，還有幾個帶著耳機的慢跑者經過身邊，眼神相互對上的瞬間，他們微笑點頭。 友善城市 英國味道濃 這是墨爾本給旅人的第一印象─多麼祥和的一座城！綠樹成蔭，街道起伏，還有熱愛運動的人們。這座城市對觀光客十分友善，免費的有軌電車City Cirtle在市區裡繞成一個長方形，讓旅客與市民任意上下車；若不想坐車，想安步當車看看市容，這個市區也小巧得剛好適合散步。 亞拉河從墨爾本市區的南方經過，河上有幾條步行橋被夕陽照亮，只見一群又一群打扮入時的青年男女紛紛步行過河，走進亞拉河南畔的時尚餐廳。而亞拉河畔最著名的，當然就是 Crown Hotel。Crown是澳洲最大的博奕飯店集團，走的是奢華設計風，墨爾本Crown Hotel大廳刻意降低照明，突顯黑色、金色的主色系，加上特別的噴水設計，更顯得富麗堂皇，就算不賭博也值得走進去瞧一瞧。 墨爾本Crown Hotel最出名的，就是每晚天黑之後、整點演出的噴火秀。時間一到，沿著亞拉河畔的那一排行人道上，會噴出高聳的火炬，煞是壯觀。尤其第一場秀都在天將晚未晚時，晚霞滿天搭配噴火秀更是美麗，讓亞拉河上的步行橋站滿圍觀的人群。 至於天黑以後的亞拉河畔，就是街頭藝人的天下，他們就是有能力讓人們聚攏到身邊，沿著亞拉河的美景看街頭藝人演出，晚風徐徐，甚是舒服。而墨爾本的地標，福林德斯火車站（Flinders Street Station），百年老建築的穹頂在天黑點亮燈火之後，黃顏色牆面更是閃耀，彷如宮殿。 澳洲最早的發展是從雪梨開始，然後將孤懸南方的塔斯馬尼亞島當成種植糧食的穀倉，墨爾本就位於塔斯馬尼亞到雪梨的船班航線上，才形成聚落。1850年，墨爾本發現了金礦，淘金熱帶動了這座城市的富貴與發展，英國人在這裡蓋起了一幢又一幢維多利亞式建築，據說數量僅次於倫敦，也讓墨爾本成為英國以外，最有英國味道的城市----維多利亞式的公園、維多利亞式的教堂、維多利亞式的市場，還有維多利亞式的購物商場。 澳洲墨爾本》多元文化之美 民族大熔爐 最後更新: 2010-07-12 16:07:04 撰文˙攝影�陳慶祐 墨爾本是朵盛開南半球的英倫玫瑰，但居住本城的人，卻是來自全世界各民族。 澳洲本來就是一個靠移民人口興盛的國家，在墨爾本更可以看到各民族不同的文化與建築。中國城就在市區最好的位置上，與巴黎區相連一氣。琉璃瓦牌樓的中國城可說是全城最好購物的地方，最便宜的維他命、最實惠的餐飲價格，在這裡都可以找得到。中國城裡也有幾家日本壽司、韓國烤肉，對於白種人來說，都一樣具有異國風情吧？巴黎區其實只有幾條巷弄，卻也忠實呈現了法國的優雅風情，幾家甜點店舖的櫥窗，勾引著愛吃甜點的旅人。 越南區的建築不明顯，但沿著維多利亞街（Victoria Street）有許多賣牛肉河粉（Pho）的店家，隨意走進一家試試，果真道地呀，連吃河粉特有的各種香草，這裡也一應俱全。 朗斯黛街（Lonsdale Street）是希臘人的地盤，據說是全世界第三大希臘人口聚集地。義大利人住在市區北邊的卡爾頓（Carlton），一家接著一家開的義大利館子，每家都強調自己是媽媽的味道。小義大利旁邊則是最時尚的（Brunswick Street），開了許多波希米亞風情的小酒館與咖啡店，很多藝術家與服裝設計師也以這裡為據點，展示自己的作品。 至於雅痞都愛亞拉河南邊的南亞拉（South Yarra），這裡有連綿不絕的商店街，可以讓人逛到腳痠；沿途都是好看的男男女女與店家，也確實讓人賞心悅目。 因為都是移民人口，因為都是把異鄉當成故鄉，澳洲可說是消弭種族歧視的示範地，也造就了澳洲人天生開朗的個性，無論來自哪個民族，都成了笑口常開的澳洲人。 澳洲墨爾本》最熱門海濱小鎮 聖基達 最後更新: 2010-07-12 16:07:09 撰文˙攝影�陳慶祐 逛完墨爾本市區，不妨往郊區去。澳洲大城市多濱海而建，市區旁邊往往有幾個精彩的臨海小鎮，而位於市區南方的聖基達（St. Kilda）就是墨爾本人的最愛。 位於聖基達海灘邊的Luna Park，大門就非常笑臉迎人，走進這個樂園是不收費的，要玩遊戲機才須付費，園區內雖然不大，但他們的吉祥物是海鷗，看幾個大男人扮成海鷗的模樣，還一直喊著：「啊！啊！啊！」還是讓人覺得挺有趣的。 聖基達最著名的是艾蘭街（Acland Stree），這裡有許多優閒的小酒館與咖啡廳，從早到晚彌漫著度假的優閒風情，就連路上行人穿著的衣服，也比市區更隨意，臉上掛的笑容，也比市區更放肆。 這條街還是墨爾本最出名的糕餅街，開了許多東歐與猶太的特色糕點店舖。其中最老的一家店舖Monarch Cake Shop，開於1931年，許多附近開店的師傅都曾是在這裡學藝的學徒，這家店最有名的是東歐甜點「Chocolate Koogelhoupf」，濃濃的巧克力裹著肉桂與藍莓，恰好搭配一杯不加糖的熱拿鐵。 據說聖基達海灘是可以看到企鵝的，但海風確實不小，走著走著，我就放棄了等企鵝回家的計劃，跳上電車回市區去找一碗溫暖的熱湯了。 澳洲墨爾本》南半球最大公眾市場 維多利亞市場 最後更新: 2010-07-12 16:06:59 撰文˙攝影�陳慶祐 在眾多維多利亞風情中，最吸引我的是以維多利亞命名的公眾市場。維多利亞市場（Queen Victoria Market）位於市區北側，包括了4個市集、上千家攤位，自1978年3月20日開業以來，已然成為南半球最大的公眾市集。 維多利亞市場的精華地段在兩個相連的室內市場，一個賣生鮮肉品，一個賣熟食，後者尤其有特色，從大量玻璃採光的建築、到各家祖傳事業的店舖，讓人逛得不亦樂乎。市場外還設有座位，買了食物、點杯咖啡，就可坐下來輕鬆享用。 另外兩個市集，一個以蔬果為主，一個則賣衣飾藝品。澳洲人很講究有機種植，市場內的有機蔬果攤位更是不少，那些看起來不一定最美觀的蔬果，往往是最甜美的；至於想買實惠的蔬果，不妨找找亞洲人開的店，他們就是有辦法用最便宜的價格，銷售高品質的青蔬水果。 衣飾藝品的那個市集賣的東西比較雜，很多家賣的都是大尺寸的衣服，但我也在那個市集裡，遇到一位來自紐約的年輕老闆，開店賣著澳洲原住民的樂器，只是他似乎都沒在做生意，自己非常開心地一直吹奏喜歡的樂器。 維多利亞市場從早上6點就開始營業了，過了午餐之後，攤位就會開始休息，想逛市場的旅客，不妨將這裡當成早上第一個景點，順便到這裡吃早餐。