We watched the sun rise over the South Pacific Ocean at the most Easterly point in mainland Australia....
Pretty groovy, huh?
Friday, April 25, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Ricotta Cakes and Sticky Dates
Yesterday was a big day. A big food day.
Justine told us last week about Virginia's famous Sticky Date Pudding as well as her to-die-for Ricotta Hotcakes. We asked her to make them for us, expecting that they might come a couple days after one another. Instead we put all the eggs in one basket and had them both yesterday. It was Alex's 20th birthday and we had a breakfast with the fam. We had eggs, bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms for the first course, and then out came the ricotta cakes.
OK, let me just explain to you that this dish is perhaps the best thing I have ever had for breakfast (outside anything eaten at Soundbites). The cakes are fluffy and light, yet terribly filling and moist! We topped them with this special chocolate honey butter Virginia makes:
One chunk of butter
2-3 Violet Crumbles chocolate bars, crumbled
3-4 TBSPs honey
mix all ingredients. freeze. serve.
So that butter was the first layer. Then some fresh berries. Then a scoop of ice cream. Then some Canadian maple syrup. Then more berries. Then more syrup. This was the second best meal of the trip, hands down (the first was the burgers). I had seconds.
Then later that night we had the sticky date pudding, which was topped with the most insane toffee, buttery, sugary sauce in the world! Serves with vanilla ice cream I couldn't pass up a second helping.
What does all this mean? Well, first of all it means I have some killer recipes to bring back to the Northern Hemisphere. It also means our diet's gone to shit and we'll have to get back on track with Natalia as soon as we hit Melbourne.
It also means I still love fatty foods!
Justine told us last week about Virginia's famous Sticky Date Pudding as well as her to-die-for Ricotta Hotcakes. We asked her to make them for us, expecting that they might come a couple days after one another. Instead we put all the eggs in one basket and had them both yesterday. It was Alex's 20th birthday and we had a breakfast with the fam. We had eggs, bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms for the first course, and then out came the ricotta cakes.
OK, let me just explain to you that this dish is perhaps the best thing I have ever had for breakfast (outside anything eaten at Soundbites). The cakes are fluffy and light, yet terribly filling and moist! We topped them with this special chocolate honey butter Virginia makes:
One chunk of butter
2-3 Violet Crumbles chocolate bars, crumbled
3-4 TBSPs honey
mix all ingredients. freeze. serve.
So that butter was the first layer. Then some fresh berries. Then a scoop of ice cream. Then some Canadian maple syrup. Then more berries. Then more syrup. This was the second best meal of the trip, hands down (the first was the burgers). I had seconds.
Then later that night we had the sticky date pudding, which was topped with the most insane toffee, buttery, sugary sauce in the world! Serves with vanilla ice cream I couldn't pass up a second helping.
What does all this mean? Well, first of all it means I have some killer recipes to bring back to the Northern Hemisphere. It also means our diet's gone to shit and we'll have to get back on track with Natalia as soon as we hit Melbourne.
It also means I still love fatty foods!
Friday, April 11, 2008
SINGLETS!!!!!
After so long we've finally purchased some bona fide Aussie singlets! We've been searching high and low for some funny ones, but whenever we find them they are like $60, which is ridiculous to pay for a piece of clothing that is made of literally the minimal amount of fabric you can have for a top! We even saw one that was $100!! Believe it.
But today we walked in to General Pants for about the seventh time to find they were having a 2 for $30 sale on all selected men's tops!!!
Once I told him about the crazy singlet style here my friend Greg, the King of Tanks, asked that I acquire some for him. This was perfect because they were SO CHEAP (relatively) and all in crazy flouro (neon) colors! I got him three and me one because, let's be real, only one looked even remotely flattering on me. Patrick bought two.
Mine is purple gingham with a drawstring along the bottom hem, Patrick bought a drawstring one that's red and also one with these crazy neon paint bursts on black. Its totally ferocious!
Here's to bringing back some true Aussie style!
But today we walked in to General Pants for about the seventh time to find they were having a 2 for $30 sale on all selected men's tops!!!
Once I told him about the crazy singlet style here my friend Greg, the King of Tanks, asked that I acquire some for him. This was perfect because they were SO CHEAP (relatively) and all in crazy flouro (neon) colors! I got him three and me one because, let's be real, only one looked even remotely flattering on me. Patrick bought two.
Mine is purple gingham with a drawstring along the bottom hem, Patrick bought a drawstring one that's red and also one with these crazy neon paint bursts on black. Its totally ferocious!
Here's to bringing back some true Aussie style!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
We Are Famous!
OMG OMG OMG!!! This is perhaps the best thing that's ever happened!!
Apparently there was some sort of video crew filming the crowds at V-Festival and they FILMED ME AND PATRICK DOING A ROBOT DANCE OFF!!!! I came across it in the middle of the night on some website and I feel soo famous right now.
Here's the link. Enjoy!!
Apparently there was some sort of video crew filming the crowds at V-Festival and they FILMED ME AND PATRICK DOING A ROBOT DANCE OFF!!!! I came across it in the middle of the night on some website and I feel soo famous right now.
Here's the link. Enjoy!!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Strikes and Gutters
Tennis Tuesday didn't work out for us because of the rain. We had cocktails and watched La Vie En Rose instead. OMG it was beautiful. I loved it!
Pat's making a plate of roasted vegetables to snack on. The weather outside is what he describes as strikes and gutters - sunny and warm one moment, cloudy and rainy the next. Boys can't get a break out here in Wahroonga.
I wrote, addressed and stamped my first round of postcards today. If you want one from me (or pat, but i don't think pat is sending any out, but by request I'm sure he would) send me your address and you can expect something in the next couple months.
I don't know if I mentioned it but we booked our flights south and north. We're going to Melbourne on the 17th and then to Byron Bay on the 22nd. None other than Tommy "Showdog" Wong will be joining us up north. It'll be a blast. Can't wait to see his stinkin' mug!
I think I am going to start a Mansing Manifesto (a Mansifesto if you will). If anyone has any fond memories of the Manse or ideas send them my way.
Here's to another lazy day in the suburbs!
Pat's making a plate of roasted vegetables to snack on. The weather outside is what he describes as strikes and gutters - sunny and warm one moment, cloudy and rainy the next. Boys can't get a break out here in Wahroonga.
I wrote, addressed and stamped my first round of postcards today. If you want one from me (or pat, but i don't think pat is sending any out, but by request I'm sure he would) send me your address and you can expect something in the next couple months.
I don't know if I mentioned it but we booked our flights south and north. We're going to Melbourne on the 17th and then to Byron Bay on the 22nd. None other than Tommy "Showdog" Wong will be joining us up north. It'll be a blast. Can't wait to see his stinkin' mug!
I think I am going to start a Mansing Manifesto (a Mansifesto if you will). If anyone has any fond memories of the Manse or ideas send them my way.
Here's to another lazy day in the suburbs!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Tennis Tuesday
Today is Tennis Tuesday. I don't play tennis, and whenever I have it's usually a joke because i have no control. But I love the idea of it, as I love the idea of all things WASPy. Sophie has a tennis court at her house down the road, so we're going to play and then have cocktails.
Except its raining. On and off. And I am not impressed. It may just turn out that we'll have to go over there and break right into the cocktails without playing. I guess that's pretty waspy too!
Except its raining. On and off. And I am not impressed. It may just turn out that we'll have to go over there and break right into the cocktails without playing. I guess that's pretty waspy too!
Monday, April 7, 2008
The Beautiful People Eat Honeycomb
We have arrived at the wonderful Cobb family's wonderful home in Wahroonga. It's surprising to me how generous this family has been with us and I am very very grateful for that. Nick's sis Justine will be taking us to the nearest mall as we are in the market for some singlets (aka tanks) of various bright colours and patterns. We haven't had a lot of luck, but hopefully we'll come across some choice pieces.
I went on a bit of a candy binge yesterday. I bought gobstoppers and I couldn't really stop. Then we met up with Soph and Nick and Soph had bought all this candy this weekend too and she gave me a pile of taffy and some COCONUT FUDGE!!! And I s0rta couldn't stop. It was rough. I still have 3 gobstoppers left and I don't know what to do. Like do I get rid of them all right now or do I have like one a day or just save them for next week? I DON'T KNOW! I think I am going to have one now.
But seriously, Pat's new nickname is Pooh-Bear and this is mainly because he has become obsessed with honey. We bough actual honeycomb this weekend and it is SO GOOD. I mean who eats honeycomb really? The answer, simply, is The Beautiful People. It's so good. It's like wax candy covered in honey, but better. It's reeeeal! I love it. Try it!
I went on a bit of a candy binge yesterday. I bought gobstoppers and I couldn't really stop. Then we met up with Soph and Nick and Soph had bought all this candy this weekend too and she gave me a pile of taffy and some COCONUT FUDGE!!! And I s0rta couldn't stop. It was rough. I still have 3 gobstoppers left and I don't know what to do. Like do I get rid of them all right now or do I have like one a day or just save them for next week? I DON'T KNOW! I think I am going to have one now.
But seriously, Pat's new nickname is Pooh-Bear and this is mainly because he has become obsessed with honey. We bough actual honeycomb this weekend and it is SO GOOD. I mean who eats honeycomb really? The answer, simply, is The Beautiful People. It's so good. It's like wax candy covered in honey, but better. It's reeeeal! I love it. Try it!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
A new culture...
came across some interesting folks today in the mountains.
Link to the tale.
Made one of our best meals tonight!! Carrot-Ginger soup and sandwiches. Had Gruyere, Emmental, Ham and Salami to choose from, with grilled onions and marinated eggplant, rocket, grainy mustard and balsamic and oil to dress. It was divine. Purely divine!
Link to the tale.
Made one of our best meals tonight!! Carrot-Ginger soup and sandwiches. Had Gruyere, Emmental, Ham and Salami to choose from, with grilled onions and marinated eggplant, rocket, grainy mustard and balsamic and oil to dress. It was divine. Purely divine!
Friday, April 4, 2008
And we're back!
Ladies and Gents, we're back online. After a period of time spent living without a free flowing stream of pure internet, we have dipped our cups back in the cyber well! A house/dog sitting gig in the Blue Mountains finds us in the home of Judy Kell, the mother of Pat's aforementioned friend Tom. Abby's the dog; a beautiful black lab. The mountains are cold, but the sun still shines and we're going to get some good fitness (via hiking) in while we take a break from yoga (due mainly to the fact that we won't be in Neutral Bay for maybe a whole month).
So Patrick and I have come up with what I find to be a brilliant little scheme. Early on we both expressed an interest in delving deeper into the realm of Alfred Hitchcock. I've had my share of Hitchcocks, but aside from a recent viewing of The Birds Patrick was pretty green. So naturally we decided to just start making our way through the list. Not in any particular order, but going at it as we saw fit.
Now, although they are great, and usually make me totally freak out we didn't want to tire of ol' Hitch. And we'd also been coming across favorite movies of our own in conversation only to realize the other hadn't seen the flick. So we started our own lists: movies we love and think other people should see!
So now we go Hitchcock, Pat's choice, my choice, etc, etc. Let me tell you this list of movies is getting better and better, learning more, seeing so much, and of course getting a deep look at someone else's movie taste. Wanna know what we've gotten up to?
Hitchcocks (in viewing order)
Strangers on a Train
Rope
Psycho
Dial M For Murder
Rear Window
Vertigo
Marnie
Notorious!
I looooooved Marnie, it's completely off the wall, and Tippi has a wonderful vacancy that really lends itself well to her insanely flawed character. Patrick has Psycho at the top of his list. You should have seen his face when the mother's corpse turns around in the cellar and then Norman comes flying in in a dress and wig wielding a knife. He had no idea. It was priceless.
As for Pat's movies he's shown me The Goonies, Top Gun, Gangs of New York and The Last Samurai. Loved them all immensely. I have shown him Sunset Blvd, Young Frankenstein and MirrorMask. I really need to track down a copy of Interstella 5555 though. I hope that they have that shit in Australia.
You may be wondering why we've traveled half the world to watch movies we not only could see at home but in fact HAVE seen at home. It's all just part of living the dream. There's nothing wrong with taking in some entertainment. And besides, at $11 for 5 weekly rentals (which our all-time fave's will naturally be) it's cheap as chips!
Keep you posted as our movie list grows (coming up are Team America, Dogville and Torn Curtain) and we'll keep on blogging now that we're in the flow.
kudos!
Pictures are being organized for facebook albums, so keep a look out for those.
So Patrick and I have come up with what I find to be a brilliant little scheme. Early on we both expressed an interest in delving deeper into the realm of Alfred Hitchcock. I've had my share of Hitchcocks, but aside from a recent viewing of The Birds Patrick was pretty green. So naturally we decided to just start making our way through the list. Not in any particular order, but going at it as we saw fit.
Now, although they are great, and usually make me totally freak out we didn't want to tire of ol' Hitch. And we'd also been coming across favorite movies of our own in conversation only to realize the other hadn't seen the flick. So we started our own lists: movies we love and think other people should see!
So now we go Hitchcock, Pat's choice, my choice, etc, etc. Let me tell you this list of movies is getting better and better, learning more, seeing so much, and of course getting a deep look at someone else's movie taste. Wanna know what we've gotten up to?
Hitchcocks (in viewing order)
Strangers on a Train
Rope
Psycho
Dial M For Murder
Rear Window
Vertigo
Marnie
Notorious!
I looooooved Marnie, it's completely off the wall, and Tippi has a wonderful vacancy that really lends itself well to her insanely flawed character. Patrick has Psycho at the top of his list. You should have seen his face when the mother's corpse turns around in the cellar and then Norman comes flying in in a dress and wig wielding a knife. He had no idea. It was priceless.
As for Pat's movies he's shown me The Goonies, Top Gun, Gangs of New York and The Last Samurai. Loved them all immensely. I have shown him Sunset Blvd, Young Frankenstein and MirrorMask. I really need to track down a copy of Interstella 5555 though. I hope that they have that shit in Australia.
You may be wondering why we've traveled half the world to watch movies we not only could see at home but in fact HAVE seen at home. It's all just part of living the dream. There's nothing wrong with taking in some entertainment. And besides, at $11 for 5 weekly rentals (which our all-time fave's will naturally be) it's cheap as chips!
Keep you posted as our movie list grows (coming up are Team America, Dogville and Torn Curtain) and we'll keep on blogging now that we're in the flow.
kudos!
Pictures are being organized for facebook albums, so keep a look out for those.
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