Weekend Getaway; Brisbane

As much as I love Sydney, I also love getting away for the weekend. So recently I ditched the very boring Friday afternoons at work and jumped on a flight to Brisbane.

We stayed in Fortitude Valley in a serviced apartment, Miro Apartments, the best thing apart from the location was the internal courtyard the apartments all opened up to.

An obligatory trip to South Bank was in order, it is also home to one of my favourite spots in Brisbane, the Nepalese Temple, a little oasis of calm in the crazy.

A new addition to South Bank since amy last visit is epicurious, fantastic produce gardens in the middle of the city, a real inspiration.

The poor day trip weather was being well utilised by Kite Surfers when we made it up to Sandgate.

And no weekend away to Brisbane is complete without a trip to the Antique Centre in Teneriffe.

However I think the best thing about weekends away is dining out.
(I don't really like taking photographs during romantic dinners so the restaurant photos are from the social media sites of the restaurants)

Hubs's favorite watering hole on the river is alchemy, we both took the staff recommendations, Duck for Sir and Quail for Madam, both very good.

The new Brisbane favourite is gordita, amazing food, knowledgeable and friendly staff, we will most definitely be back when next in Brisbane.

And back to Brisbane we will go, I mean how can you go past this view?

AA xx

Summer Food

One of the things I love about summer is the opportunity to experiment more in the kitchen, there is just something about long hot days days makes me want to be a little more creative with the menu, light, fresh, healthy.

(Disclaimer; none of the photos below are mine, food normally doesn't last long enough to be photographed in my house)

Prosciutto, Fig & Ricotta Salad with honey

Watermelon, Pinenut & Feta Salad

Traditional with a twist, Salmon Nicoise Salad.

Jamie Olivers Carrot, Beetroot and feta salad.

How about you cooking up a storm? trying any new ideas? what are your go to's in the warmer months?

AAxx

Inspire & Desire

Funny I never noticed how similar those words are, want and motivation,  intrinsic, basic, it shouldn't surprise me they are so close.
But enough of my rambling,  I wanted to share with you a few of the things that are making me smile as I travel the wide world of the web.

First up, Citizens of the Word; part candle store, part interior inspiration, part travel wish list. I can vouch for the candles, we are currently burning "Native Gardenia" and I love it, will need to stock up soon before this very limited production run is sold out, I think I will also pick up some "Dweller" for winter.

Next up, more interior inspiration, by way of …focus..damn it! ; a beautiful mix of Victorian, Luxe, and Bohemian, Exotic all wrapped up in faded grandure.

The final piece of inspiration, who's haunting edits make me smile, make me think or move me to feel that I look forward to when they pop up sporadically on my instgram feed is dinglemousebarlo

We are stardust
We are golden And we've got to get ourselves 
Back to the garden…..
















Thanks for stopping by lovelies, till next time

AAxx

Sculptures by the Sea

With a move away from the "real"* Sydney pending, we have been trying to take advantage of the most of it as we can, so this weekend it meant the beautiful bay walk from Tama to Bondi that makes up Sculpture by the Sea, I have made this pilgrimage  almost every year I have lived in Sydney, both this time and previously and every year I look forward to it, a beautiful day walking along one of the best coastlines in the world with the added bonus of interesting art to discover and a multitude of people  to observe, life doesn't get much better.

I loved how the exhibition began and ended with a multicoloured banner attached to the railing at Bondi and Tama. But I didn't love all the people, potentially it would be better if it ran for any extra couple of weeks so the crowds were not as intense, so we did have to finish up with a very relaxing vino and a couple of beers in Bondi before heading home.

AA xx

*the term real being completely subjective for me it is the city, inner and eastern suburbs, other may have their own definition, don't shoot me because I have been spoilt

Food Coma

It has been Good Food Month in Sydney which means Night Noodle Markets, i.e. lots and lots of little plates of yummy washed down with beer or wine, or both, what ever floats your boat.

My favourites would have to have been East Ocean I have a weakness for Dim Sum and they do fantastic pork buns as well as duck pancakes & calamari, mmmmmh yummy, my mouth is watering just thinking about them (food photos from East Ocean)

The other standout was Bao Stop sweet potato chilli fries, you have to try them, so good, and lobster, pork belly or chicken rolls, it was too hard to decide on just ones so we had them all, I was seriously waddling by the time we left. (Photos from Bao Stop)

There was a fair amount of corporate sponsorship  but as they provides places to sit and eat and sip I didn't mind too much, and it did look good.

Thank god they finished today otherwise I might have put on too much weight popping up on my way home after work, trying to work my way through everything, too many choices, so much yummy food, mmmmh.

Please excuse me while to go back for a final visit, there are some duck pancakes calling my name and if I can't smuggle out a chef or two I might be able to snag some lanterns, umbrellas, or a strand or two (or three) of the origami birds in the final photo

AAxx