There's nothing like a day at The Races

Heading to Balaklava Cup today and have found my new style inspiration.

Jodi Gordon.

She is gorgeous.

If I could muster 8% of her style I'd be happy.

I live in hope!

Double your fun

Pretty cool hang out spot to indulge in an icecream, hey?

Maple walnut, and lime gelati in a waffle cone. Perfect end to my Palm Cove adventures.

That island in the distance, Double Island, is for sale apparently - a measly $8 million.

Who wants to go halves with me?!?

Flavour of the month

Considering this is supposed to be a food focused blog, then I guess it's okay to own up to my latest 'flavour' of the month.

Wallpapered bathrooms. I love them! It's all I can think about and is top of my 'next project' list.

Love the panelling on the lower half of the wall. And fab contrast.

So styley with the subway tiles and contrasting shower screen.

PINK!

More pink and white. Love the silver and gold accents.

Love how this wallpaper has modernised an oldie bathroom.

So Cath Kidston!

Beautiful.

Krista Ewart does it again!

And finally, my little challenge.

The tiles are there, so I could just go up from mid height. But how do you make brown tiles look pretty?

Remember, BUDGET friendly people! Any suggestions from the design stars within you?

Pics from here, here, here, here, here and here. 

Going to the chapel

I love a wedding like fresh bread loves real butter; like a curry craves some rice; or a Pimms makes friends with cucumber.

So it was inevitable that the romantic in me would give way to temptation and finally accept Kristie and Andy's invitation to join them in Palm Cove to celebrate their wedding. This weekend.

Yep, I had a few too many drinks at the pub on Friday and booked the trip on my iPhone. Nothing like a spontaneous decision to make you feel alive!

So it's been a crazy week of fake tans, liquid diets and searching for the perfect dress. This body ain't ready for beach weather just yet!

Just wish me luck in the bouquet toss!

xo

Barossa brunch fun

I've said it before and I'll say it again, breakfast is my favourite meal of the day.

You can have multiple courses, you can drink bubbles with it, and it can be sweet or savoury.

Breakfast in the Barossa with golden oldie friends . . . now that is the perfect day out!

Darling Jo hosted our latest "boarders" catch up and cooked up a delicious treat - egg and bacon free form pies with toast for starters.

I know these are a favourite of Donna Hay's if you're after a recipe.

And decadent berry pancakes with cream and maple syrup to finish off.

Absolutely delicious. Goody worky Joey!

And hello cheeky monkey! Lucy loved sitting up at the table with the big girls. We bonded over youtube clips - she's one tech savvy toddler!

I need to start planning my menu for next time it's at my place.

Until then dear school buddies!

Totally smitten

Totally smitten with my little niece Ruby.

She's a serious little thing, but loves tickles with Dad.

Found the most hilarious little jumpsuit for her on etsy via pinterest - don't you love the world wide web!?

A tad self indulgent on my part? Who me? Never!

Let there be light

My darling friend Jo loves a good DIY project.

I sat a mere five metres from her at my old job and we would regularly share blog finds, creative inspiration, dream homes and cooking tips.

Last year, our DIY focus was on her beautiful wedding - I was her Best Woman (a title I gave myself - Witness just wasn't snazzy enough!) and we had fun brainstorming decorating ideas.

Fast forward one year and Jo has turned her attention to redecorating their gorgeous townhouse.

Project 1: The lampshade

I see a piece of junk I'd walk past in an op shop, but Jo sees potential.

Let's go with it . . .

Good work Jo!

Fabulous addition to the black and white living room.

I hear they're auditioning for the next series of The Block, Jo!

GLEEful night out

I have a confession to make.

I think I'm a Gleek. But that's okay, because so is Emma.

I'm treating her to a  night at the movies for her birthday - Glee Concert in 3D.

So excited. Apparently this little dude makes an appearance.

Have you EVER seen anything so cute in your life?!

Signed, sealed, delivered

Never has a pink and orange parcel excited me so much before.

I, like many other bloggers out there, eagerly counted down the weeks then days then hours until the highly anticipated launch of Anna Spiro's Absolutely Beautiful Things.

And after all that waiting, I was able to get in quickly enough to secure a gorgeous vase.

Lucky for me, I was in Brisbane the weekend the online store opened, so was able to take my parcel home with me in my hot little hands.

Gorgeous packaging, tres impressed.

So, I snapped up the vintage Japanese vase from the Winter Vignette.

Gorgeous with camelias cut from my Granny's garden. Loving the pink and navy colour combo.

Can't wait til Spring!

Posh bread and butter

I love a Sunday night catch up with friends - takes the edge off having to go to work the next day.

Headed round to Pete and Michelle's for dinner last weekend with Beth and Andrew.

Perfect Sunday night menu with pizzas the order of the day.

I offered to do dessert and wanted something warming and wintery.

Settled for a bread and butter pudding - with a twist.

Chocolate croissants were on special at Woolies so I bagged four of them plus two plain and then added some orange zest to my custard sauce for a jaffa kind of effect.

Topped with flaked almonds and demerera sugar, it had a delish crunchy crust.

Served with cream, it was an ah-mazing end to dinner.

Jaffa bread and butter pudding

Ingredients

300mL thin cream

300 mL milk

4 eggs

1 tspn vanilla essence

1/4 cup caster sugar

4-6 croissants (choc are best)

1tspn grated orange zest (optional)

1/4 cup flaked almonds

1 Tbspn demerera sugar

Instructions

1. Lightly grease a 5cm deep, 17cm x 26cm ovenproof dish.
2. Tear croissants into large chunks and place dish.
3. Whisk eggs, cream, milk, zest, vanilla and sugar in a jug until combined.
4. Pour over croissant pieces.
5. Cover and stand at room temperature (if it's a very warm day, place in the fridge) for 1 hour.
6. Scatter almonds and sugar over top of pudding.
7. Preheat oven to 180°C. Bake pudding for 40 to 45 minutes or until custard is set. Dust lightly with icing sugar. Serve warm with cream. 

All aboard!

So excited to be hitting up some art tonight.

We're off to depARTure at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

The Saatchi Gallery is in town. Excited much?!

How cool does this sound . . .

"Get on board the London underground and get up close and personal with the hottest British contemporary art in the blockbuster exhibition Saatchi Gallery in Adelaide: British Art Now. Join co-curators Jane Messenger and Maria Zagala on guided tours through the biggest exhibition ever staged at the Gallery as they take the pulse on the ‘right now’ of contemporary art."

All this with some yummy snacks, interesting drinks and a very cool crowd . . . plus a virtual trip back to old London town. Oh how I miss thee!

Bang!

I had high expectations of the gunshop cafe in Brisbane's West End, and it delivered on all fronts.

I went for the potato feta hash cakes, and they were out of this world. Seriously, one of the best breakfasts I have ever eaten. Or nearly eaten.

Such a shame I was so hungover and only managed a mouthful. What a waste!

Chick chick chickpea

Pumpkin. Vegetable. Chicken noodle.

Been there done that.

But Moroccan chickpea soup with spinach and . . . apricot?

Now I've never been there.

Had a lovely day in the kitchen on Sunday, cooking up a treat for the week ahead. Made a delicious choc croissant pudding (recipe to come later this week) and a yummy batch of soup for lunches at work.

It's a very sweet soup, I'm worried I'm going to be over it by the end of the week, but the first bowl was absolutely delicious. Quite unexpected and refreshing, I loved the lemon kick.

Moroccan chickpea soup with spinach and apricot

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium brown onion, chopped

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 tsp Moroccan seasoning

1 Tbsp Paste, tomato

270 g diced apricots (canned)

2 tsp grated lemon rind

 ¼ cups lemon juice

4 cups vegetable stock, liquid 
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 3–5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and spice mix and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
2. Add tomato paste, undrained apricots, rind, juice, stock and chickpeas. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add big handful of spinach leaves and stir until wilted.
3. Serve with a dollop of low-fat natural yogurt.



Quote of the year

"You're in the vignette!"

Words from my friend Carla who spotted my Brisbane pics on Facebook. Hilarious!

She could tell from the iconic surrounds, that I was indeed lapping it up in the Black & Spiro studio.

Or as Kimberlee said . . .

"You look like the cat that got the cream!"

So many pretty parcels, all bundled up ready to be sent out from Anna Spiro's Absolutely Beautiful Things.

Emma and I enjoyed a gorgeous afternoon tea with Anna at Black & Spiro in New Farm.

Thanks to the fabulous Gill (friend from London), we knew who to turn to for delicious treats that would knock a local's socks off.

Jocelyn's Provisions in Fortitude Valley.

Apparently they're an iconic local bakehouse.

So good in fact, that we turned up with the passionfruit orange cake . . . while Anna surprised us with a bar of their chocolate cake.

Talk about good taste!

Cat on a hot tin roof

Time for some Radelaide love - I've neglected this fab city of ours while I've been having an affair with Brisbane, but I'm back on track.

Caught up with a long time friend on Sunday for brunch at Tin Cat Cafe in Kent Town. It's an old favourite of mine, I've organised my fair share of hen's days there and love their breakfasts.

Also great for an art exhibition launch - it's a cute little gallery with a great retro vibe.

Pressed tin bar, vintage lamps, accents of hot pink. Right up my alley.

Tin Cat makes its home in a gorgeous historical building only a few streets outside the CBD. It's like walking into someone's house - quaint little rooms make up the restaurant which is renowned for its vintage fitout and mis-matched furniture. The walls are lined with quirky artwork and the staff are friendly and helpful.

Then there's the food.

Kate and I were lucky to score a seat near the fire, perfect for a wintery Adelaide morning.

We started with hot chocolates and cappuccinos, then went for freshly squeezed juices - apple for me and orange for the newlywed.

I settled for "The Sausage"

house made pork & fennel sausage braised in tomato & chilli with baked polenta

and Kate chose "The Beans"

cannelini, borlotti & lima beans in a tomato & basil sauce with grilled ciabatta

It was gooooood.

The people at the table next to us indulged in "Bloody Meelys" - the Tin Cat's take on Bloody Marys.

They looked awesome.

Definitely worth the visit if you're down in the Rad - cosy in winter and fabulous in Summer - the courtyard out the back is perfect for little partays.

Safe travels back to Canberra, Kate x