Hearty

A couple weeks ago, my friend, Ann-Marie and I met up to go for a symposium on women's heart health.  I'm not usually the type of person to turn up for symposiums voluntarily (four years of covering them at 9am as a journalist cured me of that inclination), but Ann-Marie is concerned about health issues and I thought it would be a good chance to hang out with her, so I decided, what the hell.

And actually, I had a blast.

We checked our blood pressure (normal, I'll have you know), learned that we need to be doing yet more exercise and got to try out healthy food that a chef made in a cooking demonstration.  

I even made a new friend.  His name, believe it or not, is the wildly creative "Hearty".

Afterwards, we got to catch up over a not-so-heart-healthy meal at Cedele.  I know I should be grazing on kale chips and almonds, but honestly, what is the point?

I went for caramelised banana pancakes (amazeballs) and Ann-Marie had the big breakfast set with brioche.  We talked about her upcoming travel plans, her wedding (I'm a bridesmaid!) and since I'd brought my 35mm out, she was kind enough to ask me to hold forth on the benefits of lenses.  We've known each other for over 13 years now and it was nice to catch up and spend some quiet time together.

Ann-Marie is also a pretty sporting person, and after we had stuffed ourselves, she very gamely participated in photo-taking practise across the road near the Chopsticks monument.  Even though I used to admire the Chopsticks monument when I went for dinner at the old Satay Club with my family, I've never actually been to the base of it and I was surprised to see how big it was.  The top looks deceptively skinny.

She wore a printed navy dress with gladiator sandals and a coach bag, and she was a very easy model to work with!  I felt like Nigel Barker going "look here.  No, here.  Yes.  Eyes down..." and she just good-naturedly played along.  (Has anyone ever wondered whether Nigel Barker really IS a "noted fashion photographer"?  I barely see him doing anything except ogling girls from the panel.  A quick google shows me that there are more photos of him than by him and that his wife is Chinese.  Stay bald, Nigel, stay bald.)  Anyway.

I was even more casual with the tote that my friend Sook had made, jeans, sandals and earrings that my mom fashioned the night before.  She was just on a bit of a black kick, and now everything's coming up turquoise. 

Thanks for hanging out babe and I hope you enjoy the photos!  May we meet soon... maybe with healthier fare this time!