When Joyce came to town

Hello! It was nearly a blogging-free weekend as I've had one of my nearest and dearest in Sydney town for a few days and happily devoted every spare minute to her. As she's based in Brissie we don't see each other that often so when we do time is of the essence. Sadly, she's jetting home now but while she's in the air and Miss I is having a nap, I'll fill you in on my lovely friend and our weekend of fun.

Aside from being a very loyal friend, Joyce is a very loyal commenter on NABM. If you've read her comments you will know she's a very funny girl. I always read them and laugh, then feel lucky to know that in real life she's every bit as amusing as her words. Joyce is not her real name but, in grade nine, for reasons her parents have never quite grasped, we began calling her Joyce in favour of the perfectly chosen name they designated at birth.

This weekend was a particularly special treat for Joyce and her lovely husband, Mr Joyce. Not because they got to enjoy the company of the NABM household but because Mr Joyce's parents looked after their beautiful baby boy in Brisbane. It was their first baby-free weekend in ten and a half months. After their recent trip to Sri Lanka (read Joyce's summary here) a few days footloose and fancy free was just the ticket. Of course this did mean I missed out on some quality time with their little man but I was willing to let that go. I would never stand between the parents of a small child and some free time.

On Saturday morning Sydney put on its best display of torrential, miserable weather so we shelved our tentative beach plans in favour of a trip to the Eveleigh Markets. Being undercover, away from traffic and stocked with delicious food it's an ideal wet weather activity for small children and adults alike. Mr G and I hadn't offloaded Miss I so we plied her with yoghurt and cupcakes while we devoured coffee and crepes. We tasted everything on offer from rib eye steak to olive sourdough with hummus, to goat's cheese to handmade ravioli. If you haven't been to these markets in Redfern I'd highly recommend a visit. Wet or dry I promise you'll enjoy.

After that we brought the Joyces back to our apartment for a tour. That took thirty seconds and we then lounged around briefly before heading back out. The rain had dried up and our next stop was the Paddington Markets where Brisbane label Alexis Dawn was hosting a stall. I didn't buy anything despite a strong urge to whack down my credit card. If I had splashed some cash it was going to be for the Gaya jumpsuit here in coffee and white. Pretty isn't it?? We met up with some other friends and then meandered our way down Oxford street popping into the various stores. I should add that Miss I sat out this activity. Despite my best efforts she is yet to demonstrate any real aptitude for shopping.

We had a late lunch at Fiveways before going our separate ways. Once home I lay down to read the paper and woke up TWO WHOLE hours later when Mr G and Miss I arrived home from their afternoon activities. Night-time called for a babysitter and dinner out. We picked a popular spot in Potts Point called Ms. G's, which despite its uncanny similarity with my husband's pseudonym on this blog, bears absolutely no resemblance to our house. Which is lucky because why would we pay a babysitter to go somewhere that's anything like our own house?!?

Ten of us feasted on plate after plate of yummy, yummy, food. My personal favourites were the prawn toast (ridiculously good), lamb ribs, barbecued corn cobs with parmesan, coriander and chilli, and pork belly sliders. Throughout the evening we caught up on all the big issues; motherhood, quirky office politics, upcoming weddings, work wardrobes and plenty of everything else in between.

This morning before the Joyces flew back home, we met at Nielsen Park for brunch. It was, as it always is with close friends, great fun. We drove away very sad to say goodbye but who am I to stand between a bouncing baby boy and his beloved parents?? Hopefully our next catch up won't be too far away. For now the friendship bank is well and truly flush.   

What did you get up to this weekend?