All rugged up

Hello friends!

Happy new year and all that jazz. I'm back, and I'm excited and I've got a spring in my step that's been missing for a while.

I have lots of plans for 2016 but am not going all gun-ho and OTT with my new years resolutions. I have some realistic goals to keep my motivated and on track, but nothing too life changing.

In the last few weeks of 2015, I started a new job in the city and I moved into a little place of my own. Life is good and I'm just focusing on things that make me happy. My little flat is gorgeous, I feel so at peace there - lots of natural light, a great kitchen, white walls and big windows. So now it's all about adding the Kate factor to it! 

I'll share some pics with you shortly as I'll be needing some support on my decorating journey, but in the meantime, I just had to post this image as I'm OBSESSED with the rug. I NEED one just like this. Like, urgently. And rugs are so expensive!

Anyone have a clue where I can get my hands on something similar? I have lino/fake floor board looking floors in my lounge room and it really needs a rug to anchor the couches.

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated!

Pic from apartment therapy

Investing in me

2015 has been a year of ups and downs. But to turn it around, I've decided to focus on me and invest in what makes me happy. And I'm having a ball.

In the last four months, I have taken conversational Italian classes, learnt how to marinate cheese, become obsessed with fit barre, started practising mindfulness, holidayed in Sydney, changed my hair colour, committed to running, adopted a new perfume and started colouring in.

Busy hey?!

But the activity I'm most excited about is coming up this weekend. I've booked in for the Georgeous Classroom and I'm like a kid before Christmas! I've long had a girl crush on the team from Georgeous and can't wait to meet the minds behind the creative.

Im posting from my phone and have no idea how to embed a link so here's the address: http://www.georgeousclassroom.com

A CLASSROOM FOR DREAMERS,

THINKERS AND CREATORS...

GEORGEOUS CLASSROOM has been a little dream of the Georgeous team for far too long now. We have decided 2015 is the year to open up our doors and to share our world with you...

I can't wait to get my creative on and perhaps take the next step in working out what I want to do with my life. Georgie is an inspiration in terms of building a small business from the ground up and it is this business nouse that I need to nurture and develop. I'm going to be like sponge and soak it all up!

Most importantly, I'm really keen to meet more likeminded friends. I sometimes feel like such a leper and don't know anyone on the same page as me, especially as I get older.  Can't wait to see who my fellow students will be and what possible friendships will form.

Stay tuned for a recap. I've got my groove back - I think - and hope my blogging mojo will follow.

Housewife

I cooked the most amazing dinner for my housemates the other night #ifidosaysomyself

Slowcooked shoulder of lamb with roast cauliflower salad and spiced sweet potato.

The lamb was on the slow cooker from 8am til 7.30pm and the sides took 20 minutes to pull together. Such an easy and relatively healthy dinner. 

The lamb was based on this Jamie Oliver recipe, but I put about 1.5 cups of chicken stock in the bottom of the slow cooker because I had it on for so long and didn't want it to dry out.

The roast cauli salad was from the Women's Weekly fast diet cookbook. It was kind of similar, sort of, almost, to this one.

And then there was the sweet potato that was gingery and delish with preserved lemon and fresh coriander. Find it here.

I cheated with dessert and picked up some absolute delights from Millstone Patisserie in Malvern. Get there as soon as humanly possible. Run, don't walk. It's phenomenal.

First position

My housemate and I have just finished a two week introductory offer at our local yoga studio. It's a five minute walk from home and has been a great way to try new classes that have previously seemed too scary or too expensive.

It's $25 for two weeks of unlimited classes so I've jumped in head first - yoga, pilates, core & stretch, fit barre.

I've even said no to social events because I've been committed to my two week program!

I've rediscovered my love for yoga. I've briefly dabbled in it before but nothing ongoing. I'm completely inflexible and have to stifle a laugh when we do any sort of bends and I look in the mirror and see that I'm towering over everyone else in the class who are all parallel to the ground or touching their toes and whatnot. I barely move five degrees forward!

But it's time out for myself when I can be in the present. Apparently that's a good thing?!

The class that has really caught my interest is Fit Barre. I thought I'd hate it but it was so much fun. It was a blend of yoga, ballet and dance and the music was modern and upbeat and the instructor was lovely. I never did ballet as a kid so it was a bit of a novelty standing at the barre and practising my plies.

I've only done one class but will be back tonight for another sweat out. It's so nice to have something to look forward to at the start of the week!

It takes two to tango

In the words of my hero and Queen of colour, Kate Spade, "It takes two to tango."

And today I celebrate my two years in Melbourne.

Two crazy years scarred by two massive false starts.

I may not have found my dancing feet just yet - I've tripped up, fallen, sprained an ankle or two, been stepped on by dancing partners, been judged unfairly, ripped skirts and got stage fright - but this year, with two years under my belt, I'm ready to tango.

Yes, it takes two to tango and it's taken two years to get here. It's not where I thought I'd be, it's not where I wanted to be. But I've still got my dancing shoes on.

Maybe next year I'll be ready for a waltz. 

Rose

A weird thing has happened.

My hair has lightened. Naturally. I've done nothing to it, haven't had a colour in probably six months I reckon (and even then it was a home job) so I'm at a loss to explain how my hair looks quite light. The colour I normally go is chocolate brown and I've been known to sport a very very dark almost black colour for most of my life.

But this warmer goldy tone is working for me, I like the change. It feels more summery.

So now I'm going to take this pic of darling Rose and ask for someone to copy it. Chances of it working? Hmmm, I'm nervous. And I want more chopped off. I like it short.

Am I crazy, friends? Can someone with dark brown hair strip it and go a bit lighter? I'm not talking blonde, heavens no. Just light brown. I think my greys will be less conspicuous in lighter hair. And trust me, there are greys a'plenty.

I'm reaching out for Melbourne hairdresser recommendations - any hot tips?

Gertrude Street seems to be the go-to for stylists, but I think I'm leaning towards one in Hawthorn. Three Blind Mice. Anyone know it?

Choosing a hairdresser is hard work. Do you agree?

Lamington love

How is it the first day of February already? Seriously!

I haven't even recovered from Christmas and New Years etc and already I've been to New Zealand and back and fallen behind in work . . . only one month into the new year!

Anyway, speaking of New Zealand, on the way home I sat next to a mother of two travelling on her own back to Melbourne from Wellington. She had a four month old and a two year old and they were already settled when I got to my seat. I could see the strained look on the mother's face and instantly thought of my friends Bree and Gemma who travel with their little munchkins on their own all the time.

So I smiled and introduced myself to the two year old and offered to help out during the flight. The mother described me as a "Godsend", I think I've racked up enough karma points to last me the year!

Anyway, part of the kids morning tea on the flight was a lamington but Ariel (the two year old) had never had one before. As luck would have it, her Mum had packed Possum Magic to read during the flight so we got stuck into the picture book and discovered all sorts of yummy Aussie treats (they were kiwis but now living in Melbourne).

The timing was perfect as Australia Day closely followed so I got into the spirit and whipped up a batch of Donna Hay's cheats lamingtons. No, I didn't make my own sponge, but if it's good enough for Donna, it's good enough for me.

I took them to long weekend drinks with my friends Lill and Shuggie at the Pop Up Patch veggie garden in Federation Square. A gorgeous afternoon in the sun with vodka lime and sodas - and sexy straws. Shuggie brought Toobs and Burger Rings and a delicious beer and Lill supplied Prosecco. I was well and truly tickled by the time I stumbled home.

I love following my instagram feed over the weekend and seeing how all my friends and family were celebrating Australia Day. There were lots of pavs and lamingtons and lashings of Vegemite. I spent the public holiday at the Hanging Rock Races which felt very Aussie with kangaroos jumping past the track.

And now here we are at February. I hope it's a good month for you all.

xx

lamingtons

• 1 store-bought sponge cake or 1 quantity basic sponge cake, see recipe
• 3 cups (480g) icing (confectioner's) sugar
• ¾ cup (75g) cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup (80ml) boiling water
• 75g butter, melted
• dessicated coconut, to coat

Make 1 quantity basic sponge cake in an 18cm-square cake tin and cool on a wire rack. Cut into 6cm squares. Sift together the icing sugar and cocoa. Mix with the boiling water and melted butter. Using 2 forks to hold the sponge squares, dip in the chocolate icing and roll in desiccated coconut. Allow to set on a wire rack. Makes 9.

Recipe from here

Happy house

I'm a bit of a Mother Hen in my sharehouse and like to keep my housemates well fed. I just love cooking and feeding people and sharing a big feast with friends.

Christmas is a great excuse to get people together for a beautiful celebratory meal but this time . . . I put my foot down and insisted my housemates pitch in. Okay, so I was a bit of a control freak and wrote the menu and told them what they had to buy/contribute, but it all worked out brilliantly. Some couples bought and made their own dishes while others gave me the ingredients and I cooked it up on their behalf. Worked for me!

One couple did nibbles and I had to laugh - my actual housemate did nothing but her boyfriend totally took charge of the situation. His spread was quite impressive.

Then it was the main deal and my contribution - the turkey.

I did a Donna Hay recipe and it was brilliant. So so so tender and so easy and delicious. I can't believe how moist it was - I've always heard how easy it is to dry out a turkey breast, but this was perfection.

I ordered the turkey breast from the poultry man at the South Melbourne Markets. It was about 2kg for $53 and it would have served about 10 people I reckon. Recipe from here.

prosciutto-wrapped turkey

• 100g butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon sage leaves, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 2kg turkey breast fillet, skin on
• olive oil, for brushing
• sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 15 slices prosciutto

Preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF). Place the butter, lemon rind, sage, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well to combine. Gently push a spoon between the skin of the turkey and the breast meat to release the skin from the flesh. Using your fingers, evenly distribute the butter mixture under the skin. Brush with the oil and sprinkle with the extra salt and pepper. Wrap the prosciutto around, place on a greased rack in a baking dish and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the skin is golden and the juices run clear when tested with a skewer. Rest the turkey for 15 minutes before carving. Serves 6–8.

Then for sides I allocated one couple to two salads. It was really nice to have everyone get their hands dirty and feel proud about their contribution.

This Ottolenghi one was a real winner. And so so so easy. Recipe from here.

We cheated and just put the beans in a bowl and poured boiling water over them, left them for a while then added the snow peas towards the end until ever so slightly cooked, then ran cold water over them. I really like my greens crunchy and this meant the team could stay out of the kitchen. Much better!

Green bean, snow pea and hazelnut salad

You can really play with this salad, the beans make for a perfect base from which to improvise. You could add pomegranate seeds, goats cheese and/or pinenuts. Or you could replace the mange tout with chickpeas or white beans, and chop the green beans into segments to make it a little bulkier.

Ingredients
300g (one std pack) of fine green beans
150g (one std pack) of mange tout
50g hazelnuts
15g chives
1 orange
1 tblsp sesame oil
1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper

Heat the oven to about 150 oC.

Fill as big a pan as possible with water for the beans and mange tout. The more space you give them, the more they retain their vivid green colouring. I use a big old casserole pot. Bring the water to the boil.

While it’s heating up, trim and wash the beans and mange tout, keeping them separate. When the water is bubbling merrily away drop the beans in and cook for 4 minutes. Take them out, plonk them in a colander and run under plenty of cold water to stop them cooking further.

Bring the water back to the boil and drop the mange tout in and cook them for no more than a minute. Then drain them into a colander and run under cold water. Dry the beans and the mange tout with some paper towels and put in a large salad bowl.

Put the hazelnuts into the oven and roast for about 7 minutes. Remove and squeeze the skins off – they should mostly crumble away. It doesn’t matter if some bits are left on. Roughly chop with a big, very sharp knife, You don’t want them too finely chopped, there should be plenty of halves, even the odd whole hazelnut left.

Wash the orange and peel away the zest in strips, trying to minimise the amount of white pith you take with it. Slice the strips as finely as possible. Slice the chives in to 1cm lengths.

Add the hazelnuts, orange zest and chives, grind over some black pepper to the beans and toss until all mixed up. Add the sesame (or walnut, hazelnut, pecan or any other nut oil you might have) and olive oils and toss some more.

Serve at room temperature.

The next salad was one I've featured before - it's so Christmasy with those gorgeous gems of pomegranate.

See here for my previous post.

The potatoes were the stand out of the night. Apparently. They got all the attention. Such a simple thing but so hard to get right. And we nailed it (I still think my turkey was the shining light of the evening!).

They were a Gordon Ramsay recipe without all the trimmings - we didn't do the turmeric rub that's recommended, just simple salt and pepper and olive oil. The key is the hot oil on the tray, and roughing up the potatoes after boiling. And turning them during the cooking stage.

It's so worth the effort.

Recipe here - but ignore the chilli and turmeric. Unless you want to be a bit adventurous.

Dessert was an age old favourite - sticky date pudding. I did my Mum's sworn winner - the Masterchef recipe that I featured a few years ago. I cooked it in a spring form tin the night before then just heated it up after main course. Served with vanilla icecream.

The praline was a winner. I doubled the recipe. Boom.

And I tell you what, I could eat that butterscotch sauce 'til the cows come home.

Here's the recipe.

I have raved about the whole night non-stop so Mum has said I have to roll it out again for Christmas Day at home. Suits me just fine, I've had the dress rehearsal, I'm ready for the real deal now! We're currently sitting on the couch watching Maggie Beer's Christmas special and flicking through Christmas cookbooks looking for 'entree' inspiration. Christmas lunch deserves a more decadent starter than just nibbles, so we're tossing up different versions of prawn cocktails. So retro. So cool.

I'll be sure to post about our feast soon!

It's good to be home x

Laneway Learning

I took myself out on a little solo Kate date tonight and treated myself to a Laneway Learning course. Have you heard of them? Brilliant, I tell you!

Lill put me on to them after she and Shuggie signed up for a Bollywood class. They're cheap and cheerful tasters of new skills and hobbies.

I found 'posy up my jar' listed for December and signed myself up - for only $25! That included an hour with an instructor, and a bunch of flowers to play around with ... and take home! You just had to BYO jar. Easy!

The instructor was @tweedtwigs and he was very helpful, I am no longer baffled by what goes where and how to start from scratch. It's just a kind of formula, I can work with that!

One friend laughed that I paid for such a course, but I'm not one of those naturally gifted people who can just pull things together effortlessly (yes, I'm looking at you Tina!). It's another feather in my bridesmaid cap!

It's coming!

I can't wait for this fabulous little taste of Adelaide to hit Melbourne town in January.

The Royal Croquet Club was 'it and a bit' in Adelaide last year and I'm so proud the team is sharing the love beyond the city of churches.

I only saw it in its infancy during the cricket on the banks of the Torrens, but people tell me it was fab in Victoria Square during Mad March.

Melbourne folk, get excited! It'll be better than Night Noodle Markets, fo shiz. (I just hope it's not as hectic.)

Read more about it here.

Happy days

Have you ever had one of those ultimate weekends? Where life just can't get any better and you thank your lucky stars for all the good?

I just had one. And I'm tickled pink.

It all started on Friday night when I went to my first soccer game at AAMI Park. I'm not really into 'football' in this form, but being the sports fan I am and living in the heart of Melbourne's sports precinct, I was keen to give it a go. And Adelaide United was playing, so happy to jump on that bandwagon.

We won.

Then Saturday morning I got up bright and early and took the dog for a walk - I was housesitting in Hawthorn East which is a lovely suburb not far from my house and I cherished the opportunity to have a furry friend around. We went to get a coffee and kick start our day at 7.30am before heading over to celebrate my precious Goddaughter's first birthday with breakfast.

Love her to bits.

Her Mum Bree is a superstar and whipped up a gourmet feast to line my stomach for the day ahead. Eggs, chorizo, avocado, tomato and feta. TDF. So much fun with the kidlets.

Then it was back home to prep for Derby Day. The weather threw things into a bit of a spin and I had to rethink my hair style, but we got there in the end - thanks to a YouTube tutorial on how to do my makeup! 

Looks terrible in the pic below, but it was so much fun to do and I'm led to believe it looked better in real life (albeit not much like a Victoria's Secret Angel!) . . .

Didn't Em look hot? I have such pretty friends!

Derby Day was great, we were based in The Nursery and gorged ourselves on chicken sandwiches and champagne all day. We were hosted by the gorgeous McKinnon family and I was over the moon when Clare told me her cousin reads this little old thing. Who would've thought?! I have a reader out there who isn't a blood relative or friend of my Mum's!?

Randomly bumped into my dear friend Alice on the train platform on the way home which was a gift from the Gods - I was worried we'd never manage to catch up that night. 

Obligatory train selfie below . . .

Rocking the red lips, Acey! 

Then Sunday was a day of rest - of sorts. I was still housesitting so indulged in a Foxtel marathon (Say Yes to the Dress is my new fave!) and then went shopping with Lill to soothe the hangover. Thank goodness for burritos.

Caught up with Alice again Sunday night for drinks at City Wine Bar then dinner at Lucy Liu's followed by nightcap at Eau de Vie.

Wow, we look tired (but so brown and gorge, Acey!)

Monday morning saw Alice get up with the sparrows at 4.30am to catch the red eye back to Brisbane and I managed a few more hours sleep before dragging myself out of bed for a run. Good girl, Kate.

Such gorgeous (and rare) weather called for lunch outdoors so Melissa and I treated ourselves to a couple of hours at Porgie & Mr Jones whilst debriefing the races. Monday night called for some serious couch time and a Breaking Bad marathon (I'm hooked - half way through Season 4. It's so addictive!).

Tuesday was a bit manic preparing for a Melbourne Cup Day BBQ with new friends - made my new favourite Ottolenghi salad (recipe to come) and drank far too much champagne. Retired to the couch for more Breaking Bad last night. I can't help myself.

And that's it! How good!? A seriously fun weekend with seriously fun people and events. Lots to add to the gratitude board.

 Thank you Melbourne for your glorious public holiday (and work for the free day off on Monday!) How did your (long) weekends fare?

And what are you grateful for?

xx

The cat that got the cream

Then this happened, people!

I am in hysterics, can't stop laughing.

I may not not a THING about finance or economics, but I do know about food. Or I pretend I do.

After the excitement of yesterday's post, the Fin Review got in touch and used some quotes from me for a story about The Fat Duck ballot. I was like a kid at Christmas, talk about media hussy!

Lucille Keen has a way with words, she's a cracker! And she's partial to a strand of pearls, a girl after my own heart!

I'd better just make sure I get picked in the ballot now, that would be totes awkies if I don't make it through! Imagine the follow up story then (although that's more a Today Tonight expose!).

Read the full article here.

Am I daft?

So I did it, and I'm so nervous!

I entered The Fat Duck ballot and am sick with fear that I'll be drawn as a lucky winner.

I'm also like a kid before Christmas - can you imagine if I get picked?! It will be the most exciting day of my life (so far, of course).

The $525 (without beverages) pricetag scares the life out of me, but as my friend Em pointed out, it's 12-15 courses which breaks it down to about $35 per dish. Okay, it's still expensive, but it's also a lot of food and 4.5 hours of pure entertainment.

This article from Good Food justified it for me - I know where my tax return will be going this year!

Has anyone actually dined at The Fat Duck before? I'd love to know if you think it's worth it!

Gulp. It's A LOT of money.

On the hunt

Thank you Leo, yes I do. 

And so do all my single lady friends* who are still holding out for that guy. 

Instead of crashing on the couch in front of Offspring tonight, we're interviewing for new housemates. It's exhausting. I think we're up to about the 20th candidate. Where are all the awesome people!?

Between that and dating, I feel like all I do is talk about myself and ask the same questions! Favourite one is 'What are your social habits?' It's a tricky question to answer - you don't want to sound like a party animal, but you don't want to sound like a stay at home nerd.

Wish us luck!

I'm looking at you Alice, Phoebe, Kimberlee and Em xx

AFL done good

Sport is such an important cultural force that can unite people from all over.

It has its haters, but you can't deny the role that sport plays in bridging gaps and building teams. 

I love that sport is a language in itself - everyone can speak it. Whether it's dressing up for a day at the races (and not even seeing a horse run!) or sipping Pimms with your friends at on the banks of the Thames during the Boat Race - you could be standing next to someone who doesn't speak a word of English, yet still communicate with them through sport.

I LOVE what the AFL has done with its multicultural round ads for this year.

They're a bit tongue in cheek, they're fun and they're warm. I applaud the light hearted nature in which the topic of multiculturalism has been tackled. So often we tiptoe around these issues and try to make political statements out of them, but at the end of the day, it's just a game of footy.

Check them out below . . .