tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22659121259701334802012-02-16T19:01:38.201+11:00Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.comBlogger431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-85521428167817795942010-03-04T13:03:00.000+11:002010-03-04T13:03:03.658+11:00

I've outgrown Blogspot...not in an up-myself kinda way...but in a "I need more features and better analytics that don't make my head hurt" way. Blogspot was a great introduction to the blogging world, but there are bigger and better things around the corner (I'm sure of it). So I've moved...you can now follow me at http://taragotblogged.wordpress.com Please update your RSS feeds or bookmarks..

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-66113200006360347532010-03-03T12:02:00.000+11:002010-03-03T12:02:41.993+11:00

I shouldn't be allowed around anything sharp. I was singing and dancing in the shower this morning (Maybe This Time from Cabaret if anyone is interested) and also happened to be shaving my legs at the same time. Can anyone else see where this is headed? Somehow during a particularly high note and erratic arm gesturing I managed to slash my upper thigh. Not deep, but deep enough to cause quite

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-76607748141909530692010-03-03T09:39:00.000+11:002010-03-03T09:39:59.750+11:00

So I saw that Spencer Tunick was down in Sydney for the Mardi Gras and he took a series of photos at te Opera House. I have to say, I'm fairly bummed that I missed it (pardon the pun). I would have loved to have been a part of it...his photos seem so liberating. Perhaps I'm only keen to participate now that I know I've missed my chance? Did anyone brave the elements and pose? Image from

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-29588234764275356372010-03-02T11:19:00.001+11:002010-03-02T11:20:43.955+11:00

So recently I went away up north, it was a pretty cool trip, though a lot more "rustic" than I expected. Our first stop was Kabayan, home of the Timbac Mummies. I love mummies, I think they are fascinating and the process around mummification is fascinating as well. The Timbac mummies are different from other mummies in that the internal organs were not removed and they were smoke dried with

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-7849975021582348012010-02-25T16:45:00.001+11:002010-02-25T16:47:15.122+11:00

I'm such an embarrassment. Came home from the gym today, sweaty and exhausted. As is my habit, I walked through the apartment shedding clothing, dropping it into the laundry for washing, and desperately trying to get cool. I wandered around, stripping down until I was just in my undies, distractedly thinking about my afternoon plans and preoccupied with getting into the shower as quickly as

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-47500083671174961802010-02-24T12:45:00.000+11:002010-02-24T12:45:16.189+11:00

Picking leaves and dirt from my hair I have stumbled back into civilisation with the decree that I am most certainly NOT a hiker. The occasional mountain stroll is fine and dandy, and I won't even shy away from a bit of hill climbing or caving...but an entire holiday dedicated to outdoorsy pursuits...what was I thinking? I'll post more detailed stories about my trip soon, still editing photos

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-68928005195060075962010-02-15T19:18:00.000+11:002010-02-15T19:18:27.199+11:00

I think I became a hiker when I was trying to regain my sense of adventure, which has unfortunately been misplaced of late. And when I say hiker...I haven't actually been on any hikes yet...but I plan to. My dad arrives tonight and we are heading away to check out the rice terraces and mummies of Northern Luzon. We are even going to do some caving - so of course I needed some new shoes!

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-35530900057181924692010-02-15T16:07:00.000+11:002010-02-15T16:07:54.365+11:00

Sometime down the track we will move back to Australia (some days we feel like we could be away for forever and some days I cannot wait to get back fast enough), and I don't want to have missed anything. I'm pretty on top of news thanks to smh.com.au and news.com.au but the one thing I am missing is MUSIC. So I need your help - what are you listening to at the moment? What is popular in

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-16427244705996917232010-02-12T10:25:00.000+11:002010-02-12T10:25:22.339+11:00

Sumo Sam - the restaurant where I gave the slightly bad review on the customer feedback card - has become one of our favourite restaurants. I always order the beef teppan with a side of teriyaki sauce and a coke zero. I know, I know, my creativity astounds even myself. So our waitress (yes we have a waitress) pretty much knows what I am going to order. Reece on the other hand is a wild card,

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-59637530171800478702010-02-11T23:05:00.000+11:002010-02-11T23:05:30.417+11:00

...512 illustrated pages of pastry goodness. Can I get a Fuck and a Yeah. What's your idea of heaven?

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-22365345582943161682010-02-08T22:39:00.000+11:002010-02-08T22:39:01.936+11:00

Spotted at karaoke last Friday night... Ummm...last time I checked, the song wasn't specifically dedicated to a white boy. This country is so obsessed with whiteness!

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-72725772616069757662010-02-06T13:33:00.000+11:002010-02-06T13:33:07.304+11:00

"OMG...Hamish Blake is single!!!" I exclaimed this morning. "Yeah, I thought you already knew that," replied Reece. "No I didn't," I replied indignantly, "And clearly you kept this information to yourself to stop me from getting on a plane and flying to his side." *Sigh* My husband will do anything to prevent me from fulfilling my destiny of being with Hamish. Sorry Hamish...clearly it wasn't

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-2012552603017657172010-02-03T22:28:00.002+11:002010-02-03T22:30:27.125+11:00

More specifically, I want Shuna Fish Lydon's butterscotch whatever. Shuna writes the terribly fabulous Eggbeater blog and I am always enamoured with her writing style and immediately want to eat whatever it is she is describing. Lately she wrote about butterscotch and how to make a Pot de Creme "I worked for a pastry chef once who, after I asked nervously, "How do you know when they're done,

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-26554692029319236312010-02-02T19:24:00.000+11:002010-02-02T19:24:16.764+11:00

I think you'll find it lovely here. There's no mod cons, like electricity, the internet or automated gambling, but you and your draconian ideals should fit in well. James Packer, you are a fucking joke. As you can possibly tell I was incredibly bothered by a story I read in SMH online today. You can find it here. Among the congratulations that must be rolling in on the birth of their new baby

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-71591776179121404502010-02-01T20:57:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:20:16.083+11:00

It goes without saying that I miss things about home. My family and friends would be at the top of the list...but a very close second is a dishwand, you know one of those brilliant sponges with handles that you put dishwashing detergent in. Like this: Oh how I miss my dishwand...in fact I miss it so much that I googled it today to find out that it has a proper name, and that name is

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-74285434336943277912010-01-29T20:32:00.002+11:002010-02-02T00:19:25.016+11:00

I have many of them...they manifest themselves in many different ways and they all usually come out when I'm left alone. Singing loud showtunes is one of them. So is plucking out every hair I can possibly find with a pair of tweezers. Insanely I mutter to myself and occasionally have outright conversations with myself. When I was a tween (ok probably as late as 14) I used to dress up in my

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-57624432626006716262010-01-28T23:47:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:18:39.532+11:00

So earlier this week I booked in for a trim and regrowth touch up. And then in a fit of whimsy I decided at 3pm this afternoon that I was going in for a big change. I vascillated between excited and nervous all afternoon...seeking advice from Reece, my mother and then Reece again while I contemplated a life with a blunt fringe. Then Reece threw me a curve ball..."If you are going for the fringe

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-78216709795385378202010-01-21T20:31:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:18:05.216+11:00

Driving home the other day down the South Super Highway I couldn't help but notice the sounds of an ambulance screaming up behind us. This road is packed every day and night with cars swerving in and out, creating 4 lanes out of 3 and 3 lanes where there should really only be 1, typical Filipino driving to be sure. So anyway...the ambulance is swerving in and out of traffic, sirens blazing, and

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-66239991833515676202010-01-17T22:57:00.002+11:002010-02-02T00:17:31.015+11:00

This recipe caused an absolute storm when it was first published by the New York Times in 2006. I have made this loaf several times and have always had the same, consistently great results. This bread is, as the name implies, made with very little kneading. Time – in the form of 18 hours resting and rising – does the work of intensive kneading and also allows the bread to develop its flavour. It

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-81054000640642842422010-01-14T23:59:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:17:01.722+11:00

Have you ever been handed one of those customer surveys to fill out to rate your experience at a restaurant? Of course you have! Have you ever filled it out and wondered if anyone even bothers to read it, and more so, if anyone ever acts on your ratings and suggestions? I know I have. Well after tonight I will wonder no more...and will possibly be a little sheepish in the future. First of all,

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-89422837618833141032010-01-08T19:59:00.002+11:002010-02-02T00:15:47.053+11:00

I was catching up on posts I missed from The Bloggess today and came across this gem on her sex column about 10 gifts that are probably worse than anything you got this Christmas.. Among other things, she lists the Artificial Virginity Hymen which is a truly ingenious hideous invention and the Giant Uterus Snuggle Pillow. While perusing the VulvaLoveLovely Etsy page (purveyor of the Giant

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-29476101206906498612010-01-05T13:46:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:14:59.827+11:00

I have had to adjust to many things over here...too many to mention really...and not having a career has been a big one. It has been a great opportunity so far to step back and re-evaluate where I am heading and what I really want. I had an interesting year last year...lots of ups and downs and decisions made and then abandoned as I tried to work out what I really want. I knew I was tired but

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-28119549290630057222010-01-05T11:01:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:14:13.633+11:00

So I'm going to start chronicalling all of those little moment that make up life in the Philippines. I decided to make bread, very basic bread with only 4 ingredients, one of which is yeast. The recipe is so simple that any yeast will do, it doesn't matter what kind. So off I went in search of yeast. After scouring the supermarket shelves with no luck I decided to ask. After much

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-62383430532052275582010-01-02T23:48:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:13:44.517+11:00

Let me say first up that this is a retrospective...it is going to be a long self indulgent post about the last ten years of my life...so if that kind of thing bothers you then its probably best that you turn away now. So clearly I am now writing for myself. On my recent trip back to Australia I caught up with a friend I hadn't seen for ages. It was a great catch up and in the course of the

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-76262853215703477592009-12-14T19:42:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:11:29.304+11:00

So my darling husband has been incredibly sick battling a hideous throat infection. Being the super wife that I am* I have been taking care of him. During one particularly strained moment he told me that if I misrepresented him on my blog and make him out to sound pathetic without ensuring that everyone knew how horribly sick he was then he would sue me. He claims he was joking, but just in case

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-16640830814215243472009-12-06T22:15:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:12:29.134+11:00

Filipinos LOVE Christmas...this much has been confirmed by me in the short time I have been here. The streets, shopping centres and even high rise buildings are literally covered in lights and decorations. These decorations start appearing in any month ending in -ber, which means Christmas trees in September are not an uncommon sight. I really like their commitment to Christmas here...it is very

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-14034727141328850782009-11-25T17:45:00.007+11:002010-02-02T00:08:19.159+11:00

So yesterday Reece and I had been married for a month! And what a month it has been! I still cannot quite believe I am here in Manila, and that this is my home for the next 2 years, but indeed it is. To celebrate (and to sneakily get out of planning our 1 year anniversary cos we take it in turns) I decided to cook a really simple meal hopefully using the freshest ingredients possible. Of course,

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-27507129957631400562009-11-23T20:54:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:09:23.454+11:00

So I celebrated my day off today by taking myself off to the movies (I am constantly impressed with how grown up I am when I manage to do that). I had settled down in the comfort of my own home this morning to watch my 90 cent copy of new release 2012 and being the clever shopper I had asked the lady at the shop to show me the quality of the copy and was impressed to see that it was a DVD copy,

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-24442052308136109202009-11-17T22:47:00.003+11:002010-02-02T00:10:15.872+11:00

John Coates you make me so mad. I understand you have a job to do, but you are being utterly ridiculous and I believe that you are wildly over-exaggerating the importance of Australian gold medals to the Australian people. We are a country of 21 million people, we frequently punch above our weight in the Olympics medal tally and now it is being predicted that we will finish eighth in London. Now

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-49045491910746128712009-11-16T22:28:00.001+11:002009-11-16T22:34:38.120+11:00

Ok so this is what I do...I get energised and feel the need to write everything down and then have periods of nothing at all. Our wedding was amazing...the ceremony was brilliant and the reception was smashing. I am so lucky to have so many amazing friends and family and Reece and I were truly touched and grateful for all the love and good wishes we received. I'm still going through the wedding

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-8236321001142765992009-11-16T22:15:00.000+11:002009-11-16T22:15:04.272+11:00

I really feel like I should say something hideously cliched to mark my tentative return to the world of blogging, but really, the 5 people who read this blog are also frinds of mine on Facebook and read my 10,000 status updates and are therefore well aware that life has been a little hectic. I do have stories, but I am wrestling a litte with homesickness and husband-sickness (he's in the US, not

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-8527091875694083512009-10-09T21:01:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:07:33.652+11:00

So I'm taking inventory for our impending Manila move and am pondering to myself how I ever managed to get through life without knowing how much a good queen sized bed costs. For thos of you who are astute, you will realise that I have never parted with my hard earned cash for something so monotonous as a bed. Now the baking goods and pots and pans section I could name down to pretty much the

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-18631185680087132282009-10-09T19:04:00.000+11:002009-10-09T19:04:34.186+11:00

I had my second last dress fitting today and my dress needed to be taken in 2 inches around the waist and 4 inches around the hips! Very exciting!

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-58462268774199493682009-10-09T19:03:00.001+11:002010-02-02T00:05:59.271+11:00

Wow...what a week! I have finished work for the forseeable future and was so lucky to have a fantastic send off...much better than the last job I left! It hasn't quite sunk in yet that the last pay check I received yesterday could be my last for some time. It is truly terrifying to me to be relying solely on another person for my upkeep! Luckily it is Reece and he is fabulous and makes

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-32411878479860014892009-10-02T10:09:00.001+10:002009-10-02T10:10:37.102+10:00

So I lost another 1.3kg and 1% bodyfat and to celebrate I am eating Lindt for breakfast. Don't worry...I shared with my office. I want them to miss me when I am gone.

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-59504909787241530822009-10-01T21:42:00.002+10:002010-02-02T00:04:50.999+11:00

So you might have seen my irate tweets and facebook status updates over the last few days. In the interest of sanity, I thought I should elaborate. I have absolutely no issue with aid going to Samoa, American Samoa or Sumatra. I think that it is horrific what is happening to each of these nations because of national disaster and want to help everyone! My issue is that because no Australians

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-40492354117869115732009-10-01T15:16:00.001+10:002010-02-02T00:03:53.561+11:00

Ok so the wheels are in motion...and my trip to Taren Point last Sunday was a superb success. Next stop...Cake Decorating Central in Castle Hill for further supplies. I can't do much on it at the moment...but am going to rip it up when I finish work next Thursday and need something to fill my lonely days. For those of you playing at home...the baking project includes these in numerous

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-12189542514323542582009-09-23T22:13:00.002+10:002009-09-23T22:13:47.945+10:00

I have a new baking project brewing...not quite sure what direction it will take, but I'm bloody excited about it!

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-89089867629671914132009-09-21T22:42:00.001+10:002010-02-02T00:02:25.004+11:00

***Disclaimer. Despite what you are about to read, I can actually be trusted with expensive pieces of jewellery. Please don't confiscate my shiny ring...*** FUCK! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. It was like that scene from Four Weddings and a Funeral, only slightly less British. Only it wasn't a movie, this was me at 7.15am this morning as I tore the house apart looking for my engagement ring.

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-38315422282171872912009-09-19T12:14:00.001+10:002010-02-02T00:01:21.665+11:00

So being a typical bride I am in wedding countdown (5 weeks to go, today) and I'm stressing about how I will look on the day. I've been on Lite n Easy now for a total of 9 days and I'm very impressed that I've made it this far to tell you the truth. My record with sticking to diets is not great...I'm very good at the first two days and then the Toobs call to me and I go running back. Lite and

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-23588603766515922192009-09-19T00:00:00.001+10:002010-02-01T23:59:53.191+11:00

I've been playing around with this blog for like 4 hours now...so much fun! I'm hoping this will become a long-term thing, but those who know me will attest that I tend to burn brightly and fizzle out quickly. I think this is going to come in handy over the next 16 months, what with the move to Manila and all. I'll try not to rant too much...though ranting is something that I hold near and dear

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-91567673161869410032009-09-18T22:13:00.002+10:002010-02-01T23:58:56.197+11:00

I'm practicing my photo uploading and thought I should show some of my baking projects...in future I will try to post recipes as I bake.

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265912125970133480.post-513810366164579452009-09-18T21:20:00.001+10:002009-09-18T21:21:43.519+10:00

So, clearly I'm blogging. And I've avoided my existential crisis nicely by not including my surname in my blog title.Stay tuned...who knows what the fuck this blog will end up being.

Tara Mahoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803767702249418538noreply@blogger.com1