Posts filed under ‘Food’
Things I’m Loving Right Now
Life isn’t great at the moment. I’ve been very unwell for a while and although I am pretty good at hiding my pain, faking happiness doesn’t seem to make it go away. Luckily I have a lot of favourite things right now to take my mind off it, even if only for a little while.
Music
You’ve probably heard Mariah Carey’s newie, #Beautiful, by now. It’s been a commercial success the world over and, while it’s a different sound for Mariah, it is a good kind of different and I can’t stop listening to it.
Yesterday, after two years without releasing any music, Miley Cyrus debuted her latest track, We Can’t Stop. Again, it’s a completely different style to the young Miley we’re used to but I think she has successfully captured the sound of today really well. There’s a little bit of RnB, the catchiness of classic pop, Nicki-Minaj/Rihanna-esque attitude in the lyrics and even the bridge sounds like it could have been taken straight out a song by The Lumineers. I’ve listened to it dozens of times in the past 24 hours and it goes without saying that We Can’t Stop is going ot be a massive hit.
Food
There are already numerous great food spots in my ‘hood but in the past couple of weeks a fantastic little cafe has joined the ranks. Bus Stop Cafe is situated on Clovelly Road at the 339/X40/X39 bus stop near Frenchmans Road and, while it is very small, certainly gives some of the bigger venues in the area a run for their money. I had this mammoth iced coffee last weekend as well as a big (and very delicious) bacon, egg (2 eggs in fact), aioli and avocado roll. I’m going to live at this place, I just know it.
Bus Stop Cafe 80 Clovelly Road Randwick
Clothes
Up until a couple of months ago I was never really a fan of Witchery but I wanted to get some cheap wedges for everyday work wear as I was sick of ruining expensive designer shoes on public transport and by rolling my chair over them, so I got a pair from Witchery for a mere $129. So far they’ve been really good and I find myself going back in store all the time now and searching online on an almost-daily basis.
They have a really awesome sale on right now and I’ve picked up a few bits and pieces (it also helped that I had some reward points which can be redeemed directly for money off goods).
I think it’s really important to make an effort to wear colour in winter as it’s so easy to revert to blacks and greys. I got the orange merino knit for $89.95 $49.95 and another in purple and I love the look of the above outfit for something different for the office (although the LV bag belongs to mama bear so I won’t be completing that whole look unless I buy my own 
).
I adore this chunky knit which was a tiny $59.95 down from $149.95! It’s thick and warm and bright but has a relaxed feel and will look cool teamed with leather pants and leggings. I also love those zip front cargos but they’re full-priced right now and I have some reward dollars so I will keep a handle on my spending until after I have paid for my operation next week. Eeeep, medical epenses kill me!
So, those are just a few of the things keeping me from going completely over the edge at the moment. Hopefully I’ll have some more answers next week. Until then, I hope everyone has a great long weekend and if you’re driving out of town please be safe.
The Ultimate Wedding Planning Party
The Ultimate Wedding Planning Party From 5:30pm 8 May 2013 Point Marquee, Bennelong Point, Sydney Opera HouseI’m not exactly getting married anytime soon but I swear everyone around me has been getting engaged lately and I suspect a few more friends will be soon too. All Most people love weddings and aside from the whole ‘spending the rest of your life with the person you love’ thing, the planning is surely the second best bit.
I’m one of those people who really likes to live vicariously through the engaged and I’m constantly asking people about their plans. I know a lot of people hate this but for the most part those planning their weddings are really excited to talk about their big day and I love to share in their excitement. That’s why I am very pleased that in just under a month the fifth Ultimate Wedding Planning Party is going to take place. I will be in my absolute element surrounded by plenty of happy brides-to-be and vendors showing off their beautiful goods.
Taking place at the Sydney Opera House (imagine getting married there!?) the Ultimate Wedding Planning Party has a ‘Vintage and Classic’ theme and aims to inspire with designs from Rachel Gilbert, Henry Roth, Michelle Roth, Collette Dinnigan, Kristi Bonnici and a little Ermenegildo Zegna for the grooms.
In terms of the Wedding Planner, photographer and the all important cake, Anthony Del Col of Staging Connections, Rachel Bentick from Inlighten Photography and Sweet Art will all be on hand as well as pampering from Bobbi Brown and Jo Malone. A selection of stationery, honeymoon ideas and food by ARIA Catering will be there to spark ideas and get the wedding juices flowing so that you can tick off everything on your dream wedding list.
Tickets are still available and are $60 a pop of 2 for $100. Ticket holders each receive a gift bag valued at over $500 so you’re basically being rewarded for going and there are lucky door prizes including a honeymoon at a six-star resort in Mauritius which kind of makes me want to go out and get engaged to someone right now.
Tickets and more information are available from http://www.ultimateweddingplanningparty.com/
For those who have no weddings planned or coming up on their social calendar, here are a few wedding tid-bits:
- The Best Wedding Paula Joye ever went to
- My all-time favourite wedding dress:
- My favourite celebrity wedding fact:
Robert De Niro served as an usher at Mariah Carey’s 1993 wedding to Tommy Mottola and Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand were among the guests.
Lindt Easter Baskets
This weekend is Easter (how did that happen so quickly?!) so I thought I would make some cute little Easter treats that are very simple to create yourself and might keep you entertained this weekend.
To make these you will need:
Baskets
- 30g Chocolate cookies, chopped
- 200g Lindt chocolate. I used 70% Cocoa but you can use whichever one tickles your fancy
Ganache
- 100mL Cream
- 40g Butter
- 100g Lindt “Crunchy Caramel” chocolate
- a pinch of salt
Decoration
- Lindt “Mini Chicks” chocolate chooks in a chicken coop – cute!
- Milk chocolate coloured eggs
To make the baskets:
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of water. Add the chopped cookies to it.
Mix until well combined.
Line a muffin tray with cling wrap and place a spoonful of the mixture into each section.
Using a spoon, push the mixture up the sides to create a nest shape.
Put into the fridge to set.
Remove the cling wrap when set.
REEEEEEEEE-WIND
I wasn’t crazy about this method and in retrospect, I would have preferred to have just used Butternut biscuits. Place the biscuits in the holes of muffin trays and pop them in the oven for a couple of minutes until they soften. Push them down into the trays to form little nests.
One of my very talented colleagues, Michelle made these goodies for Christmas last year and the biscuit bases for the reindeers not only look like nests but are a lot simpler than tempering chocolate and using up more dishes and electricity. In the end it’s really up to you but when I make these again I’ll just be using pre-made biscuits.
To make the ganache:
Bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate and salt.
Whisk until melted and smooth at which point you should add the butter and and mix until it has completely melted.
Put in the fridge until it has set or, at least, looks as if it has set. It should be thick and caramel-y when you touch it.
Put the ganache in a piping back and fill each nest casing.
Decorate with your choice of treats.
Done!
So easy, and sooo delicious. I love the way the salt breaks up the strong taste of the Excellence 70% Lindt, but as I said earlier it’s up to you which flavour you use. With Passionfruit, Strawberry, Orange, Blueberry, Coconut, A Touch of Sea Salt, Chilli and the classic Creamy White and Smooth Milk on offer from Lindt there’s certainly something to suit every taste. What a great way to make a personalised gift for someone!
What will you be doing this long weekend? I’m hoping to get lots of sleep and uni work done because I am quite behind! Have a happy and safe Easter, everybody.
Yum Cha at Spice Temple
I had read a couple of good reviews about the yum cha at Spice Temple, Crown and thought a casual lunch was in order before coming back to Sydney.
The menu looked a little bit more expensive than usual but from the reviews it seemed worth it so I didn’t think twice. I was, however, a little disappointed.
Firstly, the location is great. On a sunny afternoon enjoying beers/cocktails by the river was a nice experience and the usual loud, bustling, packed room you usually expect from yum cha is definitely not what you’ll find here. There are no trolleys racing around and everything is ordered in advance.
We started off with Cumin Lamb Sliders ($9 each), Boiled Chicken and Pork Dumplings ($11), BBQ Pork Buns ($12), Northern Chinese Lamb Dumplings ($9) and Spring Onion Pancakes ($8).
The lamb sliders were a waste of money. Small (too small for a slider), fiddly in their miniature presentation and not enough filling for the price. There was too much bun for me to notice if the lamb inside actually tasted good.
The chicken and pork dumplings and bbq pork buns were a highlight but mainly because I felt like I could trust the quality of the meat inside. I love me some dumplings but sometimes at cheaper Chinese joints it’s a bit scary thinking about what you’re actually eating. The spring onion pancakes were, as usual, a welcome and comforting addition to the meal and are pretty essential at every yum cha. I think this was $8 well spent as one serve was almost the size of a dinner plate and was plenty for two, with the possibility to even stretch to three or four people.
I also had a ‘Rabbit‘ cocktail from the list of Chinese Zodiac drinks (London dry gin, green apple, jasmine tea soda and salted cucumber – $18) . This was unusual and refreshing. Salty and fruity at the same time. Probably not for everyone but the ‘salted cucumber’ description sounded like a good combo for the traditionally doughy and greasy food I was about to consume so I went for it. I’m also a “year of the rabbit” girl and I would definitely recommend this cocktail and order it again. The ‘Rooster‘ sounds so delicious – Aperol, Limoncello and fresh passionfruit – yum!!
We both love spicy food so we decided to go for some more dishes marked in red (to indicate their hotness). The first few – Boiled Chicken and Pork Dumplings and Spring Onion Pancakes – hadn’t exactly left us watery-eyed and red faced so we added Crispy Prawn Wontons with Hot and Numbing Sauce (for him) ($11) and Braised Lamb Pot Stickers ($9). The Hot and Numbing Sauce was neither hot or numbing. We wondered if we are just desensitised to hot food now? The ‘crispy’ wontons were not crispy (demonstrated at the table by him as he bent them without a single crack of the wonton wrapper). The pot stickers were very tasty, though, and all things considered, worth their price.
I can’t say no to dessert and the Black Sesame Pannacotta ($16) sounded perfect to me. It was covered in rhubarb, apricot compote and walnut crumble and while I don’t think he enjoyed his one mouthful, I could have gone in for another whole dish.
For two beers, one cocktail, 7 dishes and one dessert the bill came to $154 so it’s certainly more than you’d pay for your average yum cha on a Sunday afternoon.
For all our disappointment we were, however, impressed by how ‘clean’ we felt – none of that sleazy Chinese food regret that you often get after poor quality cuts of meat and loads of oil. I know that feeling puts a lot of people off yum cha so I will definitely be recommending it to them and look, despite not being overly impressed, I probably would return. We decided that it was just ‘good’ yum cha. There is nothing really fancy about it – all the dishes still get served as is, in bamboo steamers or on plain white plates – it’s probably the ‘best’ yum cha you will experience in terms of the lovely surrounds, large windows opening onto the river and boardwalk and the fact that you’re probably eating food made from premium ingredients.
I’d be keen to hear other people’s experiences and if you arrived at the same conclusion as me.
Yum Cha at Spice Temple runs from Thursday – Sunday 12:00 – 3:00 pm
For bookings, menu and more information: http://www.spicetemplemelbourne.com/
Crown Metropol – Melbourne
On the Melbourne leg of my Mariah tour I chose the Crown Metropol. I’ve never stayed in the Crown complex before but since the concert was mere minutes away at Etihad Stadium I thought it seemed like a logical choice.
For the location, amenities and luxury feel I thought the room was fairly inexpensive. I paid $250 for a standard room and was inexplicably upgraded to a City Luxe King room which is valued at $310 per night. This price did not include breakfast but a full buffet brekkie (including coffee) could be purchased for $38.50 extra. I did have breakfast and thought it was fairly good value. The food selection looked small on first inspection but with fruit, pastries, three types of eggs, hash browns, sausages, bacon, pancakes, mushrooms, cereal, cold meats and cheeses and toasts there’s really nothing I can think of that was missing.
The room was really spacious and had a table, chairs and a chaise lounge. The layout of the bathroom was a bit annoying, with a large panel obviously vacant from the room divider. I prefer the whole bathroom section to be separate in hotels, but that might just be me. Also, the view was nothing special but I think that’s Melbourne in general. Sorry, but it’s not the prettiest city from up high.
The bed was sooooo comfortable. I just melted into it and I found it really difficult to get up in the morning so don’t stay here if you have an early flight!
To be honest the reason I even knew about this hotel was because Kim Kardashian tweeted about it on her last visit here and I then later saw pictures of the pool on Melissa Hoyer’s instagram account.
I rarely make use of hotel pools unless they’re really spectacular and I think that, even though indoors, the infinity pool overlooking Melbourne city fits into this category. There is a ‘plunge pool’ (actually a spa) or a large pool if you prefer to do laps and plenty of big day beds to recline on. The hotel’s day spa is interconnecting, as is the gym, but I didn’t have time to check it out. Maybe next visit.
My only qualms (apart from the open bathroom area) were the fact that I was referred to as “Mr” and the $8 water in the mini bar. I pretty much ‘had’ to buy it since the tap water in Melbourne sucks.
Those minor issues aside I will most definitely be back. In fact, I already have a trip planned for later in the year. Later I will be putting up a post on Spice Temple, which is also within the Crown complex. The close vicinity to the river means easy access to some of Melbourne’s most popular restaurants; Nobu, Rosetta, Rockpool Bar & Grill, Guiseppe Arnaldo & Sons and Bistro Guillaume – so this is another big selling point for the Crown Metropol.
For packages or more information, head to the Crown’s website: http://www.crownmetropolmelbourne.com.au/default-en.html
Palazzo Versace – Gold Coast
On New Year’s Day I flew up to the Gold Coast for the first Mariah Carey concert and was very much looking forward to my stay at the Versace hotel at Broadbeach. I’ve wanted to stay there for quite some time but every time I am up that way I usually have to stay near Coolangatta, so I was very thankful for ‘needing’ to stay in this area of the Gold Coast.
I started off my visit with a Fashionista high tea in the Le Jardin bar. Long time readers of my blog will know how much I enjoy high tea (I’m off for another one this weekend, in fact) and I make a point of having high tea at each hotel I stay at, availability and time permitting.
I was extremely impressed with the Versace’s offering. For just $45 per person, the Fashionista high tea includes scones, sandwiches, cakes (macarons, pastries, cake pops, fruit tartlets and cupcakes) and savouries and I loved that instead of regular, potted tea I was able to substitute for an iced tea (mine was Turkish Apple). So many establishments will charge you extra for that, hot chocolate or iced coffee which I think is just rude – so that’s the first thumbs up from me.
The staff members were excellent. Very attentive but not at all in the way and it was most relaxing sitting in the coral-pink chairs bathed in sunlight from the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the lagoon.
Aside from the Fashionista High Tea, Le Jardin also serves:
Sparkling High Tea
$55 per person
Includes a glass of Domaine Chandon Sparkling Wine
Champagne High Tea
$70 per person
Includes a glass of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Brut Champagne
Couture Champagne High Tea
$110 per person
Includes glass of Dom Perignon Champagne
from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm (booking required for parties of 8 or more) and a great selection of drinks and food from morning until late. We had a drink here again later in the day again.
The rest of Le Jardin and the surrounding lobby…
The room, of course, was incredible. I paid a little extra and opted for the Deluxe Suite which had a separate toilet and dining/lounge area.
The bed was SO comfortable and the couch transformed into a bed also. The parquet flooring and the mosaic-tiled bathroom floor gave the room a very summery feel.
We ordered room service for dinner and I was pleasantly surprised with the prices. Most hotels will rip you off, particularly on in-room dining, but while the food wasn’t *cheap* it was way less than what you would expect to pay in your luxury surrounds.
The next morning we enjoyed a huge buffet breakfast (this was included in the price of my package but please check when you book so there are no surprises!) and then wandered around the pool a bit more. The weather was stunning and the lagoon looks even more striking when the sky is clear and bright blue. I was so upset we didn’t have another night here because I could have easily spent all day swimming and sun baking. I only got to have a short time by the pool and one thing I noticed were that it was lovely and quiet – even despite having a number of kids in it. I think the sheer length of the lagoon (65m) means that it feels very private whether or not you’re sharing or in there alone. That’s a pretty valuable commodity when you read so many reviews of hotels where people complain that the pool area was too noisy.
Even without a day by the pool, though, I still felt extremely relaxed and after only spending one night away it was as if I had enjoyed at least a long weekend at the Versace hotel and for this, the reasonable pricing and lovely staff I will definitely be back!
Pricing varies greatly depending on room and the time of year you stay. I paid $829 for a deluxe suite (and breakfast for two) but if you wait until February or March you will see a big decrease in price. Bookings can be made via www.palazzoversace.com.au
For The Person With Everything
Christmas is supposed to be a happy and joyous time of the year but often it’s just so damn stressful. These days people usually have everything they want so thinking up something special and unique can be really difficult.
I’ve thought of a couple of things – which hopefully you haven’t – to try to make this arduous task that little bit easier.
For the Corporate Type
It’s pretty hard to buy someone a suit and unless the recipient is useless at shopping for themselves buying ties, shirts and cufflinks can get old really quickly. Fortunately, Herringbone has a bespoke service whereby the client can choose their new suiting from a range of the finest wool, linen, cashmere and cotton or shirts from 150 fabrics with individualised embroidery, collars, cuffs and buttons including mother-of-pearl. The initial service from fitting to final product takes just four weeks and, of course, is quicker for each design after that. With bespoke shirts starting at $179 and suits from $1395 this is an interactive, personalised and luxurious gift, perfect for the Scott Disick in your life.
Herringbone bespoke shirting is available at all Herringbone stores across the country and bespoke suiting is available by appointment at selected Herringbone outlets.
For the Legend With Awesome Taste in Music and Stuff
Obviously if you know someone who only listens to the best music – that is, Mariah Carey – then they will probably already have tickets to the biggest show of 2013, but if you’d like to convert someone into a Mariah fan you might be able to nab some of the last remaining ones off Preferred Seating, Ticketek, Ticketmaster or eBay.
If that fails, Legally Blonde the Musical is almost at the end of its run at Lyric Theatre at The Star and will begin a season at Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane from 12 March 2013 and Princess Theatre, Melbourne from 9 May. Legally Blonde the Musical is fun, light-hearted and quite hilarious and is, from memory, suitable for all ages. Hey, it might even teach your kids something about acceptance and strong work ethic! Tickets for Sydney are going cheap and Brisbane tickets are on sale now as are Melbourne.
For the know-it-all who you’d love to school
I meant to blog about this book a few months ago but with Christmas mere days away and the time you have to think up clever presents becoming less and less you’ll be thankful that I’m telling you now. Zombie Tits, Astronaut Fish and Other Weird Animals, the debut from Bec Crew, is the most unique, adorable-yet-intelligent, imagination-invoking book I have ever read. As a child I had a fascination with stories in which animals talked; Brambly Hedge, Animals of Farthing Wood, Blossom: A Fairy Story, and anything by Beatrix Potter or Enid Blyton so for me this was a journey back to happier times with some actual education thrown in.
Reading like a (non-heavy) text-book mixed with something by Kenneth Grahame, you will be swept away to a world of crude monkeys, socially awkward newts and lonely, pensive spiders. There is some mention of masturbation and a couple of penis jokes but otherwise it’s totally tame, wholly informative and nothing short of entertaining. With most book sellers pricing this under $25, it’s the perfect gift for the person who needs to learn a thing or two, thinks they already know everything and needs to be brought back down to earth or just anyone who appreciates all that is weird and wonderful in this world. You will not be disappointed with this one.
Zombie Tits, Astronaut Fish and Other Weird Animals by Bec Crew available from Booktopia and Abbey’s Bookshop.
For the health nut…or the person who needs a little nudge in the right direction
Picture from Urban Remedy
Wouldn’t you love to give the gift of health for Christmas? Well, if you’ve been reading my blog for a while now you will know that I love me a bit of an Urban Remedy cleanse. I recently tried out a ’6 pack’ which is not a detox as such but 6 lemon, cayenne pepper, stevia and water drinks which I had 1 of each day (I had mine in the morning to kick-start my metabolism). I also tested out some ‘Amazeballs’ which are a new addition to the Urban Remedy brand and each contain almonds and mixed nuts, cacao, spirulina powder, sesame seeds, vanilla and coconut. A box of four will cost you $10.95 and take the hassle out of finding healthy snacks while you’re trying to cleanse. The Amazeballs come in three flavours: Green, Chocolate and Almond and while they were very delicious, extremely filling and obviously beneficial to my health, if I have to give some criticism, they were a little bit crumbly and a tad too expensive.
They are free from sugar, wheat, dairy, gluten and yeast so if you find yourself having trouble getting an allergy-free, tasty snack then you might be willing to pay ~$2.75 for each one but I’d like to see them come in a pack of 5 or 6 for the price.
Amazeballs are not available for sale on their own but order any juice pack at www.urbanremedy.com.au and create an add-on to sample these tasty treats.
It might be a bit tricky to order an actual detox for someone over the Christmas period, but a voucher for post-holiday season when it’s time to kick-start the year and get back into work mode won’t go astray and vouchers start from $75.00 so it’s well within most people’s budgets.
For the neat-challenged
You would have also seen me talk about Borne Naked bag liners in the past and more recently take part in Borne Naked’s Bagvember. The party season means smaller, clutch-style bags and Borne Naked have come up with a mini liner for your favourite party bag so you don’t ruin the delicate lining with sharp keys, sticky lip gloss or soggy chewing gum. The Borne Naked bag liners are also perfect for any impending travel over the Christmas break and customs/security will love you for having a clear toiletries bag when they search your luggage.
The new mini liners also have a pretty silver trim and are priced at a tiny $19.95 and comes with a free makeup brush set. Stuff their stocking with something they’ll actually use, why don’t you?!
Of course there are a gazillion other things to buy your loved ones this Christmas but for something a little bit different, go for one of the above. And for those smart asses who are wondering, no, I didn’t get paid to suggest any of these, they’re just products and services I like and are so handy and neutral that it’s hard NOT to please someone with them – I sourced them all on my own. Ha!
What’s the most unusual gift you’ve ever received?
10 – 16 November
On Saturday I spent most of my morning at the hairdresser. I hadn’t been in so long and I love spending a few hours at People in Surry Hills catching up on the glossies and putting some life back into my hair. I had a few inches cut off, too. It’s so long that I’m one of those people who has to stand up to have their hair cut. Anyone else?
On Sunday I went for breakfast at Top Hat Coffee Merchant AGAIN. The ‘Tokyo’ jaffle was even better than the week before and I’m trying to give up coffee (at least for a little while) so I had a juice instead. Perfect brekkie!
After breakfast I headed to Spotlight, Bondi Junction to gather supplies to make my costume for my work’s Christmas party. The theme is ‘Enchanted Forest’ and it’s mere weeks away so I don’t have much time to design, sew and create! The marketing team make the parties so amazing, I’m so excited to see what they come up with this year. When you go to a lot of events for product launches etc you can become really jaded and I must say that the girls who put these work parties together are doing a mighty fine job. I’ll show you my costume when it’s all done but at the rate I’m going that is a while off. Wish me luck!
Monday night I spent a bit of time working on the costume again. Every time I put the materials down on the ground I couldn’t help but laugh at Louis running around on the fabric trying to ‘help’ me. I then spotted him later sitting in my room – alone – at the end of my bed just waiting. He creeps me out sometimes! Earlier in the week I also walked in on him watching CSI on his own. He certainly enjoys his own company (and I’m not sure how he turned the tv on. haha)
On Tuesday I spent the day at a community legal centre where I volunteer once a month. I love being able to do as much community work as I can, but with full-time work, full-time study and then fitting in a social life and down time (which you really need in order to balance everything out) it can be hard to find the extra time so it’s great that I can commit a full day a month to a really worthy organisation. The dream would be to be wealthy enough to just do charity/community work – hhmm maybe if I’d won that $100 million in the Oz Lotto last week?
Tuesday night brought some of the most exciting news of my life. It was announced that my idol, my queen, my all-time favourite singer, Mariah Carey would be coming back to Australia for the first time in 14 years (well, 15 by the time she actually gets here in 2013) to perform on the Gold Coast on New Year’s Day and 3 January in Sydney. I am absolutely obsessed by her and I will do almost anything to meet her while she is here. Hence, I have set up another blog: MarloMeetsMariah.
Wednesday saw me frantically booking pre-release tickets (looks like I’m somewhere in rows 2-15 since I missed out on front row), flights to the Gold Coast and a hotel for the night. Normally when I go to the Gold Coast it’s for uni workshops so I’m thrilled to be going up there for leisure for once and I’m so happy QANTAS is servicing that route once again.
On Thursday morning I was up bright and early for a bloggers breakfast for skincare brand, La Mav. I hadn’t heard of this brand before but it was so great listening to the founder speak about her own skin condition and how she used her background in veterinary pathology to come up with a natural, organic range of products. I’m SO excited to test it out and of course I will let you know how it goes. I might even if have a giveaway if you’re lucky 
The breakfast was held at The Wharf Restaurant at Walsh Bay and we were absolutely spoiled with yummy pastries, yoghurt, granola and fruit compote and the main – pancakes with caramelised bananas. Suffice to say I broke off my health kick that morning.
Friday was another busy day at work and then home to catch up on the million things I’m organising right now. One of them is planning my parents’ 30th wedding anniversary holiday to Vietnam. The itinerary is really taking shape and I’m so jealous of how incredible their trip – the hotel they’re staying at in Da Nang is so stunning. Thinking of planning my own trip there for late next year. Hmmm…
Happy weekend, everyone!
3 November – 9 November
I wrote this on the weekend but completely forgot to post it!
On Saturday morning I went for breakfast at a new joint in my ‘hood. Top Hat Coffee Merchants has been getting some good reviews on twitter for its awesome coffee but the ‘Tokyo’ jaffle is my fave. The egg is fried into the bread and with the ham and tomato chutney it’s so delicious and I’ve never had a jaffle like that before. Might go back for another on the weekend!
On Saturday night I was re-united with a friend who I’ve known for 60% of my life who has just moved back to Sydney after living in London for two years. We had drinks at hers in Bondi and then headed down to Paper Planes for dinner. I can’t believe I hadn’t been there before! Paper Planes is owned by the same people as LL Wine and Dine in Potts Point which I love but don’t get to much any more.
Paper Planes is bigger and louder but perfect for big groups of friends and the food is absolutely beautiful. One dish that’s been playing on my mind is the duck ramen. But we also had plates of sushi, scallops, gyoza and chilli edamame. The cocktails were very good and I was paying for it the next morning.
I don’t even remember going to sleep but I woke up in my friend’s little sister’s bed (she wasn’t there!) and found myself cuddling this little teddy bear. It’s so well loved. Aawwww!
Sunday was a complete write off and I just went home and lay in bed all day.
I didn’t do anything of note on Monday but Tuesday was Melbourne Cup day and I had a lovely lunch at the Opera House.
Melbourne Cup hair and makeup
Did not win any money in the Cup or the $100 million lotto. Seriously bad money mojo right now.
On Wednesday night the Big Brother finale was on. As a staunch Layla supporter I was very excited and watched it from the comfort of my bed with Count Louis Francois Von Trapp (that’s his full name. His father was Austrian, I’m sure). We were really pissed off when Ben won because we hate bullying.
What? No Layla?!
Thursday and Friday were another two very busy but very uneventful days. Hopefully next week will be a little more interesting!
ARIA Catering Melbourne Cup Lunch
Today I went to the ARIA Catering Melbourne Cup lunch at the Sydney Opera House.
I think this might be the first year they’ve offered it but it was very well done. The lunch took place in the northern foyer and began with canapés and Tattinger champagne and then continued with a three-course lunch on the lower levels.
Mum and I were supposed to go together but she was really sick and despite trying to enjoy herself, left before 1:30 pm – essentially before the lunch had begun.
I stayed on as I had a really lovely couple next to me at the table to talk to and mum said she was well enough to make it home alone.
The room was set up beautifully and on the way down you could pick up a bouquet of flowers or a corsage from Boo Shi, a flower arranging business.
The canapés to begin with were pea cigars with pecorino foam and steak tartare but I didn’t mange to take photos.
Entree was a choice between:
Fillet of smoked ocean trout with cauliflower puree and grated fresh horseradish
Crisp skin pork belly with red onion jam and fennel
Main was alternate serves of:
Pan fried snapper fillet with tomato, roma beans, black olives and rouille
Roast rack of lamb with minted peas, gnocchi and grain mustard
and dessert:
Chocolate delice with fresh raspberries and poppy-seed tuile
or
Vanilla panacotta with strawberry and honeycomb
followed by:
Petit Fours
Pressed plunger coffee, teas and infusions
I had the pork belly, lamb and chocolate delice and couldn’t rave more about my meal. The portions were large, the meat was perfectly cooked and the flavours were strong and plentiful.
I didn’t drink too much because it’s only Tuesday and there’s another three days of the working week to go but I did enjoy some Tattinger and then sparkling for the rest of my meal.
Unfortunately I didn’t win anything in the sweeps or from my bets or any of the prizes for Best Dress, Best Shoes, Best Hat, Best Table and Best Dressed Male (seriously, how did I not win Best Dressed Male?).
The table that won best table got a magnum of Tattinger. The girl who opened it was having a bit of trouble. I also think she should have won Best Dress – hers was really amazing and very flattering and her head-piece was beautiful.
I left shortly after the race because I wanted to make sure mum was ok and it was probably a good idea to leave early anyway. Day time drinking takes so much out of you, right?!
I wore a dress by Erdem, bag by Prada, shoes by YSL and hat by Piers Atkinson for ASOS.
The hat was very silly so I had to tone it down with a conservative dress.
Overall I was really comfy and happy with my outfit choice as it was very ‘me’ but still something a little different to what I’d normally wear.
The ARIA Catering Melbourne Cup lunch was $160 p/p for a glass of tattinger, canapés, a three-course meal with matched wines (which were topped up liberally), petits fours and coffee/tea. Very good value and I would definitely consider it again for next year’s lunch.
What did you get up to today?
