Wine & Cheese Night!

On the weekend I decided to dedicate a night to indulging in two of the things I love most in this world - cheese and wine! Combining the two is ALWAYS a good idea. I felt like hanging out with the girls and having a few drinks without having to organise taxis and outfits ( gah, the worst part of going out!) and I have to say that being in stumbling distance to my bed was a pretty awesome perk ha ha!

Moving on, what is a cheese and wine night without CHEESE?!

Oh sweet lord, so so much cheese. But not too much, because too much cheese doesn't exist in my world. 

I bought a small bunch of these white flowers from the supermarket to spruce up the table but it just wan't enough so I went through a wander out in the garden and picked a whole bunch of jasmine, leaves, and pretty much anything else that had botanical qualities! As you can see I ended up with three vases/ jugs and added some candles to set the scene. 

Brassiere Breads' olive and rosemary loaf, the cheese pictured above ( with little flags marking which was which), quince jelly, fresh figs and sesame sticks for starters! The arrival of my girlfriends saw many other delicious goods added to the table, albeit for a short time before I devoured them!

I of course had wine too, however the stupid picture kept uploading sideways wahhhhh!

My bestie bought along some macarons and mini gelato cones! You can see why she is my BFFE right?

Such an awesome night and the best part was that there was no cooking involved so all the more time to chat , eat and drink the night away!

Do you love wine and cheese? What do you and your friends do when you get together?

Delicious Treats

I've been indulging in quite a few yummy things lately!

On the weekend I went out for high tea to celebrate my girlfriends' birthday!

What is it about crustless and cut up sandwiches that makes them so much more delicious? I always wish there were more sandwiches at high tea!

I usually go for the Russian Caravan tea ( I do love a strong brew!) however opted for the traditional Chai and my oh my it was delicious!

A glass of sparkling wine never goes astray! Such a lovely afternoon hanging out with friends and eating to my hearts content!

In fact, I loved it so much that I was equally excited to meet up with Rioters Bloc the very next day for some more scone action! Ohhhhhh they were so delicious! 

We went to The Tea Cosy  at The Rocks and it was great! Big fresh warm scones and lovely thick cream, just as it should be. You could even choose your own jam and I had vanilla and pear which was divine - as was the Madagascan vanilla tea that I paired with my scones. I recommend that you pop in here if you are in the area for perfect scones at a reasonable price.

Sadly I am having to pull back on my scone intake - it was a joy while it lasted!

Who else loves scones? I assume the answer is EVERYBODY!

Lately...

Hope you all had a great Australia Day!

Due to the weather ( Fake Summer 2011/2012 strikes again) it seemed pointless to organise a BBQ, go swimming or head to the beach. So I had a think and and decided the best course of action was to head to high tea!

As I have a large memory bank of eateries all around Sydney stored in my brain I recalled that the high tea at Lilianfels in the Blue Mountains was meant to be good so I rounded up the girls and away we we went! And by off we went I mean we took a hour and a half drive there battling blinding rains on the freeway and ominous fogs haha. It's a really pretty place though!

YUM! 

Scones with jam and double cream are so good ! My favourite! Sandwiches with the crusts cut off on lovely soft bread! 

Now the sweets were nice but personally I feel quite sickly and one or two is enough for me, I'd prefer more sandwiches!

The area where they hold the high tea is so lovely and with the rain outside it was super cosy.

Love my girls!

Pretty gardens!

Last night I had nothing to do and I was really bored so I took myself down to Woolies for supplies.

 Lychee liqueur with this raspberry lemonade and lemon slices was heavenly!

I will never knock back some camembert with fig paste. Hello dinner. 

I then settled in and watched One Day. Excellent movie! I wish I had read the book first. There were tears.....wah! Loved it!

I took today off work as leave in anticipation of the hang over I thought I would have and then friends I thought would not be working. I WAS WRONG! 

After moping about hating on the rain I decided to get my self together and took myself off to Paddington to the Acne store as I realllllllly wanted to try on some pistol boots for size. 

This is what I wore. 

This rain is wrecking havoc with my hair. I rediscovered NARS Flamenco lipstick. Still not sure about it. 

Bad photo, but I LOVE THEM! I needed a size 38 though as the 39 was a touch too big and they didn't have them in stock. I tried on a suede pair in 38 and there were perfect. Have ordered them in but will search online for a better price in the mean time . YAY! This is the most I will have dropped for any item of apparel ever. To be honest, I think about these shoes every day. 

Had a bite to eat, read some Pride and Prejudice on the Kindle ( not enjoying) and came home. 

Tonight I am going to see Kanye West. My main objectives is to sing like I wrote the songs myself and have a child with Yeezy. Can't wait!

Whats happening with the rest of you? Do you like high tea? Do you agree that the sweet to savoury ratio is out of proportion? Anyone else feel like the rain is ruining their lives? Tell me all!

Espresso Espresso

Finally visited a little gem of a cafe before work yesterday called Circa Espresso in Parramatta.

I had heard and read good things and seeing my Twitter gal Anita visited there confirmed it must be good!

Having worked in Parramatta for a number of years, I had given up hope of ever having a coffee that wasn't bitter, made with burnt milk, or resembling the contents of something squeezed out of a dirty mop.

This place is AMAZING.

First up, the coffee is good. Not the absolute best I've had but it's actually enjoyable to drink. Big tick! They also sell Little Marionette beans which is good to know, as I really enjoyed the coffee at Little Marionette in Balmain.

I had the French toast with rhubarb, labne, pistachios and cinnamon. It was so delicious and most importantly not too eggy (vom!).

It's a small place with a very laid back vibe, and wouldn't be out of place in a lane way in Melbourne. They make the food right along side the tables , you see it all. If you are ever in the area I encourage you to pop in!

Oh I should mention the prices are extremely reasonable.

Circa Espresso - 21 Wentworth St Parramatta NSW.

In other news, check out the chocolate counter at DJ's. I picked out a box as a gift and the longer I stood waiting for the lady to tie the ribbon, the more I wanted to jump the counter and gobble them up! I managed to resist. 

YUM!

Have a good weekend all x

NoSugarVember

So if you watched my November Goals video or follow me on Twitter you would probably know that I am currently participating in NoSugarVember. Yep, a challenge to cut out sugar for the month of November. If you are interested in learning more about the finer points pop over to Natalie Carter's blog and check out this post.

I thought I would do a post about my journey so far and a comparison of the changes I have made with my eating habits. 

Breakfast:-

THEN :- Toast with  butter and vegemite or avocado, two toasted sandwiches ( with plastic cheese, the horror), yoghurt with fruit and honey, left overs!

NOW:- Grilled bacon, avocado, tomatoes, lots of rocket, small amount of goats cheese fetta, youghurt with a low sugar fruit and cinnamon. Sometimes i will have a vegetable omelette if I am in the mood. 

Before Lunch:-

THEN:- A few coffees per week on skim milk, more than occasionally accompanied by a blueberry bagel with cream cheese and honey ( oh how I miss thee!). 

NOW:- A small handful of unsalted raw nuts. As much tea ( I don't like mine with milk/sugar) as I like. 

Lunch:- 

THEN:- Most of the time I would make salads to take to work, eat fruit or tuna with biscuits. Some days I wouldn't bring anything and would get Vietnamese salads or sushi.

NOW:- Two mountain bread wraps with a spread of ricotta, sliced cucumber, grape tomatoes, rocket and some protein like shredded chicken. 

Afternoon Snacks:-

THEN:- Any form of lolly I could find in the cupboard at work ( I slayed those Minties) or a low fat yoghurt from home. There is a RIDICULOUS amount of sugar in low-fat yoghurt. Carrot sticks, salted nuts.

NOW:- Small tub of natural yoghurt with half a pear. Another small amount of raw nuts. Carrot sticks. 

Dinner:-

THEN:- Whatever we were having at home, or would make myself something to eat usually a salad or veggies with chicken etc etc. 

NOW:- Not much different, though I won't eat white rice or pasta with my meal. Instead I will have it with more veggies ( zucchini, broccoli, rocket being my favorites) or quinoa. 

What I have learnt:- 

Protein is key! I could eat enough salad to fill a swimming pool and will still be hungry 30 minutes later if I don't have some protein with my meal. 

I also don't actually miss sugar THAT much, I actually think about it less. I don't feel that I have had to sacrifice too much, and after this month's challenge is over I will let myself have a treat on special occasions. I wasn't drinking much soft drink before so not much has changed there. 

A sugar free diet isn't as boring as you think it would be. You can still enjoy two pieces of low sugar fruit a day. 

The hardest part:-

 Hidden sugar in sauces and condiments is something I need to remind myself to check for. 

Going to events like birthdays, parties etc is a challenge because that is when those little treats you never really get to have come out! No one likes passing up that kind of stuff, it's hard to resist.

Getting over the urge to get a coffee in the morning ( and sometimes a treat...). I don't dwell on it, just make a tea instead. Surprise surprise, life goes on without coffee! I am not a must-have-coffee-or-i'll-die type but I do enjoy it and this is the longest I've gone without any in a while. 

My tips:-

BE PREPARED! 

I like to do a small shop on Sunday night to get some things together for the week. I just take it all to work and leave it in the fridge and put it together for lunch each day. So much easier then getting up a little earlier in the morning to make something. 

Drink lotsssssss of water and tea. I find a lot of the time this helps kill cravings and gets you through a little longer to the next meal.

Use lots of herbs and spices to make your meals interesting. Nothing like some basil with tomatoes and avocado with breakfast, makes me feel like I could be ordering out at a cafe!

And now for the BEST PART EVER.

Since starting this challenge my stomach has been FLAT. HALLELUJAH! Since taking refined carbs out of my diet  ( white bread, pasta and rice) I have lost that bloated look and I am loving it sick.

ETA: I feel like I have lost a little weight, but I haven't weighed myself consistently as that hasn't been my focus. 

I also feel a little less sluggish, but my energy levels have not improved noticeably. Sleep and low iron is probably to blame for that. 

Well that was a bit of a long post, but I hope you found it interesting. If you've got any tips to share please do!

I'll do a quick update at the end of the month to let you know what a month without sugar feels like. 

Now and Then

Can't believe it has already been a year since my 21st, how time flies!

I was just looking at this post on my old blog, ah memories! 

With the lovely K on my 21st!

I had a very low key birthday this year, just the way I prefer it really. Took myself out for some pancakes and widow shopping on my lunch break yesterday and spent the evening on the lounge with T watching movies in between stuffing myself with all the delicious food my dear mum cooked up for me!

Pancakes!

Mmmmmm crumble, it was all I could do not to eat some for breakfast this morning.

T is taking me out for a nice dinner at Rockpool Bar & Grill tonight which was my one and only birthday request! I love the dining space , its just beautiful. Last time we went was for our 4 year anniversary, I have such fond memories of having to wait at the bar whilst they got our table ready. Long story short, it was a long wait and we accidently got kind of hammered ha ha!

Yessssssssss!!!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend, and thank you for your comments on my last post !

Weekend Wrap Up

I am loving that Sydney is slowly easing its way into the warmer months, it's so lovely this evening which is helping to dull the pain of the fast approaching Monday morning. 

I had a pretty nice weekend, although I am certain I have never consumed so much sugary junk in such a short space of time!

It started when I got home on Friday and my sister was holding a Girl's Night In to raise money for breast cancer. So many delicious things! Like these pink cupcakes for example. 

T took me out for a nice dinner on Friday night , we ended up going to a Lebanese restaurant that I adore. I ate so much lebanese bread and labne ( my favourite!) that I practically had to be rolled out of the place. 

Despite this feeling of being about to EXPLODE, I still managed to suggest we go to Cold Rock for ice cream. Clearly my stomach knows no bounds. 

They have a Red Bull flavoured ice cream, can you imagine how horrific that would taste?!

I discovered that orange juice with frozen ice cubes made with pureed strawberry is really yum. 

I got my first film developed that I took using my Fish Eye 2 camera, some of them look really good! Others, well I forgot to take the cap off the lens.....duh. Looking forward to experimenting further.

I saw my Aunty who gave me an early birthday present, a cute little coin purse she brought for me when she was in Spain recently. I haven't heard of Loewe before, but apparently they are known for their excellent quality leather. I like the little 'L' on the zipper as my family nickname is Lila, cute!

Today T and I went on a bush walk, it was such amazing weather for it! It ended up being pretty challenging! I love getting out and enjoying nature every now and then, so invigorating.

I can't wait for this week to be over, I am expecting exam results on Thursday ( after waiting for nearly two months!) and am so nervous. Fingers crossed for me please!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend, now excuse me while I attempt to shake myself out of this sugar coma x

NYC Part Two ft. Food glorious food.

It's no secret, I love to eat. There are frequently days in my life when what I had for lunch determines whether it was a good or bad day. I JUST LOVE FOOD ALRIGHT!

Surprisingly I didn't really eat any stereotypical American food. Not a bite of McDonald's, Burger King or even a hot dog passed my lips. I can tell you what did pass my lips often, bagels with cream cheese, each and every day. Bagels are amazing and I sob and weep that they are not more freely available in this country. 

I did have a burger from the Shake Shack which I had heard was amazing. Best. Burger. Ever. Bun was sooooo soft oh my goodness I am drooling just thinking about it. I went all the way to the Upper East Side with about a billion shopping bags in tow and sat surrounded by gaggles of private school girls who were like 8 and trapeze the city without adult supervision apparently ha ha. The peanut butter milkshake was amazing but I'm pretty sure it gave me a coronary. YUM!

Pretzel from Battery Park. Tasted like sand, and upon one bite I became instantly dehydrated. I don't know if  it was stale or just meant to taste like crap, but it was instantly binned.

Behold the greatness that is Pinkberry! I didn't even know it was possible to love frozen youghurt this much. Once I discovered it in Soho, I went back three nights in a row just for another hit. Pomegranate flavour with fresh rasperberries and these amazing mango flavour ball things. I don't even know how they make those balls, but they are delicious and I want more. Bring Pinkberry to Australia!

This is the first thing I purchased in the U S of A. I asked for an iced coffee and got this. I was young, I was naive, and I didn't know you had to ask for it sweetened with milk. I soon learnt the error of my ways. 

I was really really really REALLY looking forward to going to Momofuku! There are a few different Momfuku joints around the city, I went to Momofuku má pêche. I had this sandwich which blew my mind. It was called the beef & pork belly hero – crab mayo, green papaya. It was so freakin' good. 

Momofuku Milk Bar is right outside and I got a slice of their famous Crack Pie, which was a fitting name for the level of deliciousness the pie delivered. 

It taste of heaven and diabetes, and I loved every bit of it. Recipe here if you are interested in butterscotch/oatmeal goodness. 

I see Momofuku is opening in Sydney soon, rejoice!

I'm not going to lie, one of the best things about the whole trip was discovering Whole Foods, which I can only describe as my personal heaven. It's a massive supermarket with a HUGE array of fresh produce, ready made meals, deli items, cheeses, breads, pastries, coffff.....OH MY GOD I WANT TO GO THERE RIGHT NOW!

You could see the ladies who lunch type buying not ingredients for a lasange, not even a whole lasange, but slices of lasange for their families dinner. Mind boggling. 

I often went there and bought fresh raspberries ( for like $2.50 a punnet !!!!) etc etc and ate lunch in Central Park. 

These veggie chips were so good, devoured them on the plane.

When I wasn't single handily buying out Whole Foods I was enjoying cocktails and dinners at random restaurants all over the place. I was initially worried about eating alone but I used the time to write in my travel journal, or cry in relief over the fact I was no longer walking and could feel my feet again.

Plus you can eat at the bar at heaps of places, which is good if your on your own, so don't be afraid to go eat out!

Don't be afraid to drink alone either, I went to Gilt Bar at the New York Palace Hotel and it was amazing. I didn't get a picture but here is a visual cue sourced from the internet.

Amazing right? So were the drinks. I don't know if they do responsible service of alcohol over there because I only had 3 and was stumbling on back to the hotel ha ha. 

You may recall my post of excitement about the fact that Laduree had opened in NYC. You better believe I went there and waited 40 minutes in the line outside. I only wish I had my driver to stand in the line for me, as one Upper East Side lady had done whilst she sat in her luxury vehicle. 

The line was totally worth it. I got salted caramel, rose petal (my favourite!) and a few others. The box was so  pretty I brought it home with me, wish I had a photo!

The shop was gorgeous, just so lovely. A little bit of Paris in NYC!

Sheesssh that was quite long wasn't it? And I just made myself hungry.

What's every one doing this weekend? There is a 3 day long weekend here, and I plan on drinking a lot of cider whilst pretending to care about football grand finals.