Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The Best Part of The Confed Cup 2009

I have always been lucky being a girl and knowing quite a bit about football. That basically means my knowledge stretches further than the offside rule and Bend it Like Beckham but I waver on Footballer's Wives and Freddie Ljungberg's Calvin Klein adverts. So while I know who's playing in major competitions and the grounds of most of the English Premier league teams, I prefer the other aspects of the beautiful game. It's not so much as what happens on the pitch but more who's doing it.

And so I give you my Confed Cup hotties! As I'm posting this at work, and I work in an open-plan office I had to get the pictures directly off of Fifa's official site. Apparently when I google "soccer players shirtless" the boys in the office think I'm a freak. Pretending to view their club records and stats gives me some credibility. But also explains the poor photos. Clearly Fifa's photographer was not thinking when he took this picture of Fabio Cannavaro. Not that he looks bad but I think every girl's got memories of his modelling career and we'd much rather see that!

The next hottie is a Spaniard. Before I show him I just want to warn everyone my tastes differ and are not always what you'd consider conventional beauty. I mean, I had a huge thing for the lead singer of Fall Out Boy and he's no Pete Wentz. This is Fernando Llorente. His last name is Torres but due to someone being a rather famous Fernando Torres, my boy had to use his other last name. The good thing though, we can sing ABBA songs together! There was something in the air that night, the stars were bright, Fernando!



The last one is someone my age which does not bode well for my lack of sanity. It means instead of just saying he's a hottie and moving on, I can imagine a world in where we're going to get together. Because of the same age group. Jeez louise, sometimes I'm so sad, I piss myself off. But here is Jonathan Spector. You may remember him from the final against Brazil. This American defender helped setup the first goal. I was so proud!



Now don't judge my taste or my lack of important information about these boys. Rather let's just get excited about the upcoming World Cup. Think about all those hotties!

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Monday, June 29, 2009

To Make You Smile

The best part about a Monday is coming into work, getting your first coffee for the day and reading other people's blogs. On the weekends I rarely login to Blogger. Most of the time I'm watching Running in Heels or reading a trashy chick-lit book. So every Monday I force myself to work, knowing that at some point I get to catch up on other people's lives and it makes it all okay.

So today I just wanted to share some of the things I found waiting for me in my reader pane.

This is something I found on Afrigator. It's so unbelievably cute and makes me smile every time I look at it. I've already forwarded it to the peeps in my life and now to the bloggers in my life...



The next one I found over at 2oceansvibe. Apparently this was a great email but I didn't receive it :(. Luckily Seth posted it under the headline, "We All Need Friends Like Caleb"

Hope this made your day a little bit happier. And if not, it's about an hour till home time.

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Monday's Mantra

This week is all about keeping the faith.
I believe
I have a headache.
I’m addicted to
hot boys in shorts, the Confed Cup rocked!
I wish we will be accepted as tenants.
I’m jealous of the WAGs. I want a hot footballer too.
Soundtrack/Mantra for the week
It's been a hard day's night.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Every Girl Loves a Lonely Boy

After spending the whole weekend catching up on Gossip Girl (that's season 1 and 5 epi's from 2) I had an epiphany. Ofcourse with a little help from Green Eyes. On Friday night as you know we were at Neighbourhood having a heart-to-heart about moving-out, Gossip Girl and boys (deliberate use of the word boys) and I was telling green eyes how much I really like the character of Dan (she ofcourse is 100% into Chuck) and how I think he's sexy in his own right whilst my eyes dreamily went into the back of my head. And that's when she slapped me through the face.

Okay, so not literally, but she said that the character of Dan reminds me of my ex, which kind of caught me slightly off guard. And after watching the rest of the episodes over the weekend I realised it's completely true. Sure my ex doesn't live in Brooklyn and he doesn't read literary masterpieces that I know of, but his brooding, non-conformist, and introvert character definately do relate. And that got me thinking. Every girl loves the naughty boy Chuck Bass's and the hunky Nate Archibald's of the world, but we also, deep down inside, love the lonely boy Dan Humphrey's of the world.



Lonely Boys take you by surprise. They may not be model material, eloquent in nature or in-line for a trustfund, but they certainly know how to leave a small imprint on your heart. Maybe it's because they have none of the above to help them that they squirm their way in with their humour, intelligence, listening skills and undiscovered sexuality.

I'll tell you about my own Lonely Boy sometime, but until then I'd like to know your stories about the Dan's, Chucks and Nates of your world, please do fill us in.

S.B.

P.S. I lied when I said small imprint

Friday, June 26, 2009

Final 2 Contenders in our Flat Search

We've finally found two contenders for our new home after us both seeing them and discussing our decision tipsily over Cosmo's at Neighbourhood. Those 2-for-1 cocktail specials are amazing. It's our thing. Us Skinny Bitches like to hit neighbourhood where we have a heart-to-heart coversation over cosmopolitans, nachos' and hong-kong chicken wings. I don't think we could get any happier when we're doing this. But back to the matter at hand.
YES, we've found two places and we're going to essentially apply for both on monday. We've decided on the Arnold's place as our no: 1 contender and Belaza as our no: 2. They are both pretty much the same, the only difference being the proximity to Kloof St and Long St 'our hood'. So for that reason, and that reason only, we are applying for Arnold's place. Cross your fingers please because us Skinny Bitches do not need more heartache right now.

SB

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

On My Mind Today...

When I was at the hairdresser the other day, I was informed that despite using my GHD religiously I had quite healthy hair. It wasn’t damaged by the heat. I boasted it was because of my heat activated fancy products. Hairdresser’s response, “That would explain your dry scalp.” Turns out I use too much product on my hair and then I don’t rinse it all out. Which leads to dry scalp and at time flakiness. But it’s not my fault. Well not entirely. I have lots of hair, it’s thicker than Serena’s on GG and after rinsing it for ten minutes, it kinda feels like it’s clean. Luckily she gave me two options to deep cleanse my hair. I could either use another fancy product which I’d need an overdraft for or I could use a kitchen remedy. Apparently a bit of baking soda (or bicarb soda) mixed with shampoo will do wonders. So I tried it and I LOVE it. Okay it was a bit weird in the beginning and it sort of fizzes but it made my hair squeaky clean.

Literally it was making a noise. I shampooed for a second time and then I added some Redken Smooth Down Butter Treat and what do you know, my hair is amazing. It’s shinier and smoother and no more flakes! I try not to advise people on products unless I’d tried them myself but this time I strongly urge you to try it if you need it. It’s a beauty and it’s super cheap!


Okay one of these days I’ll start crushing on real people. But until I get over my fear of rejection I’m perfectly happy looking at famous boys. My new guy is not everyone’s cup of tea but that’s okay. I don’t have to fight with as much people. His name is Taylor Kitsch. You may recognize him from The Covenant or the Wolverine movie. Or hopefully the guy I’m posing with on my Facebook page. Fingers crossed!

When I saw him in the Wolverine movie, for once I was not concentrating on Hugh Jackman’s abs. Being a huge fan of the cartoon series when I was younger, I was absolutely gutted when my favourite character, Gambit, did not make an appearance. It was more painful than watching Halle Berry’s performance of Storm. All she did was close her eyes and suddenly it was misty? Nonsense. So there I was, stuffing my face with salt and vinegar popcorn, nom nom nom and suddenly someone mentions the character of Remy Le Beau (it means the most handsome in French). Now as a true fan, I knew exactly who this was and I was not disappointed. He was sexy, he had stubble and he could throw a mean pack of cards. Another reason I think we’re meant to be, he was recently in South Africa to film a movie about The Bang Bang Club, a group of photographers who worked in townships during the apartheid era. See we have lots to talk about. It’s kismet.


As frequently documented on this blog, we’re going to be big girls and move out of the house. Whilst we have many of the things we require for the other rooms in terms of colour and appliances. My new bedroom has very little going on. Yes I know I’m jumping the gun, but I am a planner. So although we don’t have a place just yet, I have already started planning what I want in there. Originally I wanted to make it sexy boudoir chic but I’m so messy and tend not to make my bed so that’s out. How does a pile of clothes on the floor equal bedroom bliss. So now I’m thinking of going for some patterned wallpaper. We’re getting a huge wall in our office covered in personalized wallpaper so it’s on my brain. The sad thing about this, it probably won’t happen as many landlords don’t allow you to paint or wallpaper. I also thought about having an all-white bedroom. But again I am messy and an all-white bedroom with smudges does not have the same serene effect. I haven’t decided on anything else new at the moment but I am spending most of the work day browsing interior decorating websites. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Monday, June 22, 2009

I Don't Like Mondays

BE WARNED: moaning and at times TMI post ahead. Am feeling pretty shitty so excuse the lack of happiness in the post.

I think it’s going to be one of those awful Mondays. You know the ones that no matter how gung ho you are, you arrive at work and it’s like the life has been drained out of you. Today’s Monday Blues have absolutely nothing to do with the grey and wet weather currently casting a shadow over Cape Town and my mood. But it’s not helping either.

The bad thing about a Monday like this is, it makes me question why I’m at my current job. I don’t have a problem with the people (well most of them anyway), or the company (it actually looks after its employees really nicely and we eat lots of cake) but I have a problem with being a receptionist when I have a degree. And it’s not an office administrator’s degree. It’s a proper, recognized bachelor’s that I earned. Most days I’m okay with this job, it pays nicely and I can go on the internet whenever I want. But on a Monday, not even watching a sneezing panda on YouTube can make up for it.

Apart from feeling sorry for myself and my Monday situation, I think I wore the wrong outfit to work today. I thought I’d rock my skinny jeans with a voluminous white shirt, you know balance it out. But then I thought the white shirt was too plain on its own. So I added a bustier-type top to wear over it. Problem was, I have not worn this bustier-type top in years and while it fits, it rides up and exposes my love handles. So I’m constantly pulling it down. And then, this is where it gets a bit personal, I wore the wrong underwear too. Instead of choosing a pair of lacey, pretty things I chose a pair of ugly, period pants that are super comfy but just degrade the entire outfit. So not only am I trying to hide my muffin top, I’m also trying to hide my knickers. I look like I’m having a spastic fit. If the people at work didn’t think I was weird before, they do now.

The only light at the end of my tunnel is a trip for a latte later. Not only do I get to leave the office but I get to surrounded by people who call me princess. You gotta love the vida guys!

UPDATE: I wrote this post around ten this morning and because I had only been at work for an hour and a half when it felt like three hours I was Ms Grumpy Gills. I am now happy to report it's Vida Time and it's only three hours till home time which means I can continue my Gossip Girl season two binge. Monday is looking better already.

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Monday's Mantra




This week
END cannot come any sooner.
I believe Chuck and Blair belong together
I'm addicted to swearing at work (That's Blue Eyes btw, Green Eyes is a lady!)
I wish just for one day that I could be Blair Waldorf
I'm jealous of students who don't have full-time jobs
Soundtrack/Mantra for the week you know you love me...XOXO

Friday, June 19, 2009

2 New Contenders

Just a quick update to say that, although we have professed our love for The Place Near Beleza, there are now two more places that we're willing to apply for.

The first one is a few minutes walk from Kloof Street, which means it shall be named The Place Near Arnolds. Kloof street also has the Lifestyle centre, Saigon and I could walk to the gym as it's advantages. Unfortunately this place currently smells like stale smoke (we're hoping that will change), only has built in cupboards in one bedroom and offers no parking. There is ample parking in the street though.

The other place is also in Tamboerskloof and is now referred to as The Place Near Liquorice and Lime. You may remember it from here. Well we had another view, it was much cleaner than before and you cannot beat that view.

So we have three places we wouldn't mind calling home. All still need a Skinny Bitches touch and some decorating. But all will suffice till we marry the boys from Gossip Girl and move into penthouses.

Have a great weekend!

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Another Flat Update

On Monday, Skinny Bitches had an impromptu flat viewing. As a result, we have no pictures. But trust us, it's a keeper!

This flat is situated in Tamboerskloof right around the corner from Beleza restaurant, the home of the cheap breakfast. Already makes it a winner in our book. It's a cute little area with other coffee shops and guesthouses. Also it's very leafy so it's all the homeyness of suburbia with the bustle of the city thrown in.

It's a ground flat with parquet flooring. The rooms have built-in-cupboards and are fairly large. The kitchen has some sort of red cupboard design-y thing going on, which isn't that great 'cause it will clash with all of our pink accessories. But we will learn to deal.

The bathroom has a shower over the bath, another item I have am dealing with, but at least the geyser is on the other side of the room. It gives the bathroom a much roomier feel. And there's this cute little cabinet which I cannot wait to put all my beauty products in.

We're not sure what it is about the place but we both loved it. It was just an instinctive feeling. And so, we're going to go for it. Eeeek! This is a big step for us. We have seen many places and still have quite a few more to go, but there is something about this place. Wish us luck because there are a million things that are against us. Mostly the fact that I spent my deposit savings on a pair of brown boots. Also it's available for July and we only want it in August. What are the chances the rental agency will be sympathetic and say "Shame, we can lose a month's rent so they can live their dream."

We have faith! And we're lighting every candle. throwing coins in every fountain and blowing away all our eyelashes. Although we have the faith, a little wishing won't harm us.

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

A La La La La Long

As I've mentioned before, The Soapbox is a great blog where anyone can contribute their opinions about any topic under the sun. Please do not be scared away by all the political talk and real issues! I certainly am not and therefore I contribute articles about relationships and Long Street. You know, the important stuff in life. Read my latest piece here. And contribute as well!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The Inventory

I hope we don't start boring you all with our moving out tales, but if you cannot tell, we're EXCITED, really excited. This is huge for us.

Moving-out cements the fact that
1. we are grown-ups
2. we are achieving our dreams
3. we're independent, woung women
4. that we're 100% all about fabulousness.

And so we'd like to fill you in on our 'inventory' list. This is a list of the things we have, the things we need, the things we'll beg, borrow and steal for, and most importantly, the things we hope to get as house warming gifts.





Excuse the bad copy quality of our inventory list, but cheap scanners will be cheap scanners. This list was written probably 4-6 months ago...see we weren't lying, we have been planning this for almost a year. On the list you will notice ticks, 1/2 ticks as well as blanks. Ticks mean we have, 1/2 ticks means we will have or steal via a family member when we actually move out, and blanks, for no obvious reason, means we still need. You will also notice on the list that we don't mention needing bedroom or bathroom stuff. This is partly due to us sorting out our own bedrooms and the first things we bought were for the bathroom, so nothing urgently needed for those rooms.

Some things on the list that I would like to point out:

  • did you notice that a Mr Can Man and Popcorn Maker are on the list? Yes, you may be thinking we can live without these things, we however disagree. Firstly, if I am not around how will Green Eyes open a can of food? She will starve. And secondly, how on earth do you expect us to be Skinny if we cannot make fat-free popcorn.
  • you will also notcie the mention of 1 x cat and 5 x fish, if you haven't read our previous blog about this, then please do, it will explain why they are on there.
  • we have 'entrance hall table' on the list, extreme you may ask, well we can dream can't we.

If you have noticed anything vitality important being left off the list, then please tell us. We don't want to move out and find that we are missing a Fondoo set or a personal chef. We'll be too broke by then to get them, so a heads-up will be much appreciated.

Skinny Bitches out

P.S. we have not forgotten the most important thing for a Skinny Bitch to have on her inventory list, a wine rack filled with wine, we'll have to hit Bastille Day in Franschoek and gather some much needed resources.

Monday, June 15, 2009

The Forbidden Garden(s)

Friday was a great day in Cape Town. First of all, it was great weather, it was a Friday and I got to wear a dress. It doesn't take a lot to make me happy as you can tell. But apart from those three factors, I was buoyed on by the fact that the whole plan to move out was officially happening.

Blue Eyes mentioned to me that the plan started almost a year ago. In fact the day we have set aside for moving is in fact the day one year ago Blue Eyes started harassing me about moving out. It's not that I didn't want to move out but on that particular day, I was nursing the effects of a quiz night at Neighbourhood and all I wanted to do was drink lattes and read Perez Hilton. But I am so glad that she started that conversation.

In little under a week we have seen four properties. Two have huge potential to be our casa. One is a serious fall back. Like both the other places have to unavailable and our parents have to kick us out. And the last one...well it feels like our place. But we wish we had never have seen it.

It's situated in Gardens, about 5 minutes away from the Gardens Centre shopping complex. For two skinny bitches who like to spend money, this is fabulous news. It's in a cute complex; there aren't many units but there are some cute boy neighbours! Already a plus. The flat is on the back end of the complex on the second level, which means it has it's own staircase. This will be great for those days when we're having fights with the future boyfriends and we're listening from the second floor and they're grovelling at the bottom. Okay, stuff like that doesn't really happen but it would be great.

When you reach the entrance, there's a welcome mat, three doors and a hallway. The first door opens up into a huge bedroom with it's own balcony. The second bedroom is slightly smaller but we'd be able to fit a double bed and a desk and there'd still be enough space to perform the dance routine from Slumdog Millionaire (Jai Ho!).

The kitchen and bathroom are quite nice looking, considering it's an older place. Which sadly means another shower over bath, but I am learning to deal. With this place, we're lucky enough to inherit a stove. It's actually a stove and oven but only the hob bit is working. The previous tenants left there, the current tenants will also leave it there and we'll be happy cos at least we can make pancakes even if we cannot do a roast. The lounge has one of those warm and cosy vibes. We could have probably taken off our high heels, grabbed a glass of wine and felt right at home. And I suppose that's why we're both so in love with the place. It felt like a home. Plus it had two balconies and it looked pretty.








Alas there was some bad news to follow. According to the tenant, their rent was way higher than what was advertised. The rent for this place was basically the most we're willing to pay. Something fishy was going on. It had to be what was advertised otherwise we'd have to forgo our dream. A call to the agency only confirmed our suspicions. The rent was still to be confirmed. Which we understood as, there's a lot of interest in this place and we're going to make the most of it rent-wise. This is totally sucky for us. But we're still holding thumbs.

Good Points

- AMAZING location
- Large bedrooms with built-in-cupboards
- Hardwood floors
- Two Balconies
- Fabulous Vibe

Bad Points

- Parking at an extra cost
- Shower over bath (still a problem)
- Rent to be confirmed

More to follow on this flat soonish.

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Monday's Mantra



This week has only 4 working days! Hurrah!
I believe I'll be filthy, stinking rich one day.
I'm addicted to Milo, hot water bottles and the Will and Grace boxset.
I wish life was a little bite easier for a little while.
I'm jealous of people who can afford the good housing in Gardens, Cape Town.
Soundtrack for the week you can't hurry love, money or a decent flat.


Friday, June 12, 2009

Flat Hunting Round Two

So thursday night after work,came about round two of Skinny Bitches on the flat hunt and we had two viewings lined up.
Checklist, camera and directions in hand we were off to our first viewing in Woodstock. Green Eyes coming from the southern suburbs and me coming from Greenpoint to meet halfway was no easy feat.
Did you know how easy it is so get lost in Woodstock? I think we both must have spent an extra R20 bucks on petrol just driving around trying to find this imaginary apartment complex. Eventually (while on the phone to one another) we spotted the high rise sticking out amongst all the houses, but we couldn't seem to get to it, almost like a forbidden fruit. Needless to say, we eventually found the entrance where we were met by the estate agent and the apartment...oh wow, a forbidden fruit most definately.
Somehow I think the pictures will speak for themselves...you be the judge.








And OMG, check out the view and the roof deck area...can anyone say cocktail party?

And then came the shocking truth. Did you know that not only would we have to fork out for 1.5 month's deposit, but we would also have to salvage together a R750 electricity deposit as well as R600 admin fee. That's a lot of cash, cash we don't have lying around or growing on tree's. Now what is a skinny bitch to do, but kick up a fuss and move on to the next viewing in Vredehoek.

Here we hoped we would find another pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, but sadly no. Cheap rent, check; awesome location, check; lack of fitted furnishings, check; hidden costs, check; still wallowing over place in Woodstock, most definately a check.

See the pics below, then scroll up to the previous pics, then scroll back down, scroll back up again....and now you understand.






Let's sum this up.

Bad Points:

  • so in general there are HUGE upfront costs and deposits to be paid and making a decision is hard, being a grown-up is hard, life is hard
  • Woodstock: location (as such), not the best place to be walking around, scarce amount of local coffee shops and boutiques
  • Vredehoek: not as pretty as Woodstock, no BIC or stove, and some bad gay decor in the bathroom (orange floors, how can they call themselves gay with orange floors?)

Good Points:

  • Woostock: is ticks every box on our checklist, every one, it even has a heated towel rack in the bathroom and 2bathrooms. Skinny Bitches most definately need two bathrooms
  • Vredehoek: awesome location right in the heart of Vredehoek by trendy Derry street cafe's and bars, good size bedrooms and lounge...and I spotted a cat.

We're still on the hunt for the perfect Skinny Bitch bordeaux and the 1 August is fast approaching. We're getting really excited and feeling really nervous and crossing fingers that all will come right. We'll keep you posted on the viewings.

Skinny Bitches out

P.S Did we mention that estate agents can be crooked people sometimes. The low down on that story to follow.

(Fashion) Rant For The Day

I was browsing Fashionista for my daily fashion fix when I came across this quote by Andre Leon Talley, Anna's No.2 at Vogue:
"I, for one, am over the mania for the high, high heel. Too many career women look like a herd of fashion beasts, aping one another in impractical shoes.”


And while I agree with him on the imagery, I will certainly not give up my high heels. I am short. Like super tiny and without my heels I just look like a teenager who's trying to get into a club. Hence the numerous times bouncers have stopped and asked me for my ID. This is usually followed by a long hard stare at the date of birth, a moment to work it out, a puzzled double take look and then finally resignation as they have to let me into the club. So as a proud high heels wearer, let's do away not with the ridiculously high works of art. Instead let's get rid of those girls who make the rest of us look bad. And I'm not talking about the people who only wear high heels on weekends. You're forgiven for stumbling. I'm talking about the girls who wear high heels day in and day out and still look silly. And to one of these girls that I know personally, still trying to wear high heels, even though you can't, while having a broken toe is not brave. It's dumb and all the fashionistas of the world would agree.

That's all!

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

I Love You Like A Fat Kid Loves Cake


You know when Oprah is moaning on and on about her weight and you wish it was a Favourite Things show. I used to be like that. But I was avoiding the issue. You see Oprah mentioned countless times on her show, that she had a food addiction. And the reason people don't loose weight or eat when they are not hungry is because they are addicted to food.

And so I stand up, Hi, I'm Green Eyes and I'm a food addict. Actually I'm not just an addict, I'm a Fat Kid.

The urban dictionary defines a fat kid as any person who, regardless of age, sex or stature, adores food with every fiber of their being. Note that being a fat kid does not imply anything about a person's weight; it is purely a state of mind.

So instead of just being a fine connoisseur of worldly cheese, I'll eat it like it's my occupation. But let's be honest, a little bit of cheese on something tastes amazing. Which is probably why my diet hasn't been much of a success. Initially I was all about sticking to the diet and losing weight. After the first four kilos and being able to fit into my skinny jeans again, I got a little sidetracked. I struggle with discipline so cheating on a diet with me is a prerequisite. And the way I justify it is pathetic.

After a 45 minute cardio session, I think I deserve a cheeseburger. If I've managed to stick to four, even five gym visits a week, I have a slice of white bread or even better feta. I'm a whore for cheese! When it comes to work, a snack will help me through the day. Dinner should be followed by dessert which is why after a completely healthy and balanced Low GI dinner, I'll try not to open the freezer and steal some ice cream without making a sound. I've almost mastered it.



And now, my fake diet and constant cheating have caught up with me. Although I'm short and it's harder for me to lose weight, I should not be doing it so slowly. My dietitian did some calculations and I should be without a couple more kilos than I currently am. So I decided to get tough on myself. Otherwise I'm just wasting everyone's time and my own money seeing a dietitian.

So the month of June was decreed No Cheating Month. This way at the end of the month I will be able to determine whether I'm not losing enough weight because I have a slower metabolism or whether it's the countless cups of milo or salt and vinegar lays. It is now day 11. So far I have managed to not fall into temptation and it's taken what little willpower I have to do it. It's getting harder with the constant stream of birthdays we have in the office. And let me tell you, if at the end of this I am not at least two kilos down, I will attacking the next birthday cake. Seriously they're going to have to bring in security after I'm done with it.

20 more days till my next weigh-in. Wish me luck!

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

The Flat Hunt Begins

So Blue Eyes and Green Eyes are finally starting to become grownups. And by grownups I mean we are foolishly leaving the rent-free, heating-provided, free-meals-and-satellite-TV arrangement of our parents homes to live on our own.

But when you live in the unfashionable parts of town and all you want to do is live in the CBD what's a skinny bitch to do. Let's not forget about the other fun things too...no more mothers complaining at you because you wanted to stay in your pajamas all day, no more making the bed, no more fake-smiling at annoying relatives and more importantly no more dubious and disapproving glances when you stagger in at 7 in the morning with your makeup all smudged and your top the wrong way around. Also we can eat what we like, listen to 80s music all night, dance in our knickers, drink and cry when watching The Notebook (my dad complains when I scream at the TV) and have boys stay over. We could probably do the the latter in our current situation but this time they wouldn't have to sign a no-touching contract for our dads and we would be in the same room.

And so begins our flat hunt.

We are planning to move out in August into the cheapest 2 bedroom place we can find. (Skinny Bitches note: If you hear of anything please let us know!) There are many things we're willing to forgo in order to have our own homely bliss. We don't mind sharing a bathroom, we don't mind parking in the street and we don't mind ugly wall paint. We do however require decent size rooms to fit a double bed and side tables, some built-in-cupboards, and preferably an oven. Otherwise we'll be confined to cooking in a microwave. A view of our fabulous city wouldn't hurt either.

Last night we began the flat hunt with a viewing at a place in Tamboerskloof. It's up a scary high road and my poor little car was struggling. If we do move there, I'll have to drive with my choke permanently on.
The place from the outside was not looking too pretty. But at least it has this view:
(Excuse the bad quality of the pictures, I was trying to remain inconspicuous whilst actual residents were entering and leaving the premises).

And that view is only from the outside. Inside it's much better and both bedrooms have huge windows. So that's a definite plus. The entire flat is 84 metres squared. And there's ample space in both bedrooms. Below are some pictures of the bedrooms. This is so clearly a boy's apartment.


Next onto the lounge and sitting area This is also quite big and there is a balcony. So more chances to enjoy that view. The tenant forgo painting the place so the decoration is hardly Queer Eye style. But there's a lot of potential. we're thinking the right colour and accessories and tada! A palace fit for two skinny bitches.



The next picture is of the kitchen. It runs along the passageway of the building. So other residents will breathe in the aromas of your cooking. It's a good thing Blue Eyes can cook otherwise the only thing they'll be smelling is my world-famous-burnt-chicken. It could also use some fixing-up but otherwise it looks good and it's big. I couldn't get a full length picture. The tenant was following me everywhere and I felt more like a stalker rather than a future occupant.
Last and by all means least is the bathroom. It's not even nice. firstly it's got pink tiles. And it has a shower over the bath and even worse, it's got a shower curtain. I don't like to gossip, but mildew anyone?! This is definitely the place where good taste came to die. Also there was a leak in the ceiling which still needed to be seen to. We'll need it fixed and it has become a serious black mark against this place.

So there you go, there is option number 1. and apart from some decor problems it's really good for a first viewing.

Good Points:
- The size
- The view
- One bathroom and seperate toilet
- Secure complex
- Balcony
- Entrance hall

Bad Points
- Only one parking space
- Leak in bathroom ceiling
- No oven/hob included
- Shower over bath
- Needs sprucing up

Keep reading for more flat visits.

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Fabulous New Blogs!

When you have nothing better to do at work because your job can be so tiresome and some of the people you work with have not developed social skills you ... read more blogs!

These are some new additions to the Skinny Bitches archives:

Babalub.com - Hot Mama is someone I work with and someone I mention frequently when discussing my work life. Luckily for her, she doesn't have the same problems I do. Mostly because she's on maternity leave. She started her blog when she had her first child. But returning to work, having another baby and then taking care of two boys under two means very little time to blog. Luckily she's started again and now we can all read about being a young mom of two in the city.

Hele Says
- OMG! I am a beauty slut. Actually I am a wannabe beauty slut. Mostly because my budget does not allow it and also I am too scared to try new trends. That's where this amazing beauty blog comes in handy. Hele gives great reviews, does fabulous makeup and studies at the same time. She's one of my heroes!

Juz, Jax & El on Planet Capri - Three hilarious, creative flat-mates, who drink too much and then draw about it. What more do you need.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Monday's Mantra

This week we view our first potential property!
I believe we will find an amazing flat.
I'm addicted to the series Dirt.
I wish it was August.
I'm jealous of Courtney Cox's attitude in Dirt.
Soundtrack for the week I got my mind set on you!

Friday, June 5, 2009

It's Friday! I'm in Love (with lots of guys)!

Friday. As there ever been a better word said to a person who is continually bored at work and wasting away her talent. By talent, I mean being Queen of the World.

Whilst I've been answering phones, booking lunches I'm not invited to and organizing board meetings the world has been mismanaged.

One nice thing about my job, the internet. At the moment we have no restrictions which means I can listen to Youtube whilst I type out letters. I can read stress-management blogs while my desk neighbour irritates the crap out of me and I can browse gossip sites. For me, this is the reason the internet was invented.

And this week, I have fallen in love. If we were counting my celeb crush total and the number of times I have fallen in "love", I would be a virtual crush slut.

These are the hot men I have been salivating over this week:


Mark Ronson is an old favourite. I'm a huge fan of geek chic and I think he personifies it well. One of his little sister is a designer. The other dates Lindsay Lohan. If there was a burning building and he could only save one of his sisters, I know which one I'd vouch for. Luckily is family hasn't come between us yet.


Ed Westwick. Ah, Chuck Bass. I don't think I need to go on. But in case you still haven't been convinced, here he is at the Glamour magazine awards in London earlier than week. Tanned, stubbly and utterly jumpable.


The last thing I'm in love with is not a guy. More than two crushes a week is even enough for me. It's this fabulous primer from Mac. It's called Prep + Prime and retails for R250.00. I haven't bought my own yet. I'm saving my money for the big move. But I have tried it out and it's amazing. It makes your skin feel silky soft and foundation just glides on. No more blotchy patches.

To end this Friday off, here's one of my all-time favorite songs. It calls for singing horribly off-key at the top of your lungs.

Enjoy!

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

New Moon Trailer

I know I'm a little delayed and lots of people have already seen it. But I've just downloaded the trailer for New Moon and I loved it. Even though Bella is seriously bugging me. Edward is still a total hottie. And Jacob is also looking mighty fine.

While I cool myself down, here's the trailer in case you haven't seen it.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

A Few Of My Favourite Things


I'm a huge fan of musicals. Particularly The Sound of the Music. I have found that when I'm down, they make me happy. Not sure if it's the overly camp dancing, or lyrics or even the cheesy storyline. Things are enjoyed best when they are immortalised in song.

But that's not what this post is about. It's about the simple things in life. Those little, insignificant items or occurrences that make you smile without being part of the big picture.

Here is a list of my favourite little things:

Wearing my black wrap dress


There's just something fabulous about a dress that hugs all the right places and skims over the bad bits. It's versatile to wore to work and out for cocktails. And it's black which means it'll remain effortlessly chic and stylish. Plus I always dress it up with colourful shoes or a bright scarf.

Having a latte from Vida


At heart I'm a Seatte Coffee Co. girl but considering I work in an office park with not one, but two Vida e Cafes, I don't feel the need to be proud and righteous. Besides the I drink my coffee at Seattle is tres different to the way I drink it at Vida. I suppose what makes it even more fun is that on a boring work day, a single latte with one sweetner, makes all the difference. And taking the walk to the coffee shop is great exercise and a nice way to kill some time!

Hearing Blue Monday


My brothers and sisters grew up in the 80s. I was born in the late 80s. I may not have been there but I know all the songs. Which is way whenever I hear New Order's backing track, I instantly start singing "How does it feel to treat me like you do..." It's one killer song. So imagine my happiness when I turned on the radio on Monday and it was playing on 5fm. Good times.

Having an illicit packet of Salt 'n' Vinegar chips

I know S&V is not a flavour for everyone. These people (including Blue Eyes) are what I refer to as insane. The tangy the better. And do not even get me started on S&V popcorn. A movie is not complete with so much S&V flavouring until your popcorn has changed colour and you cough when you eat some. These delectable and mouth-puckering treats are best enjoyed when you're on a diet and need to take a break. Hence illicit. But as I have discovered, too much of these, won't only make your tongue numb, they'll make you wonder why you're on a diet in the first place.

Jim from The Office



I'm currently rewatching the american version and as much as my heart belongs to Tim, Jim is just so loveable. I'm not sure who I want to marry more. Considering they're both fictional characters, I don't have to make this decision just yet. Not sure if it's his pranks on Dwight, his love for Pam or just his Jim Face when he looks at the camera. But watching him makes my heart sing.

Ex-Oh! Ex-Oh!