Road Trip

It's been a week and a half since Shawn and I got back from our little road trip. It went something like this.

On Saturday we drove to Canberra and stayed for two nights. I haven't been there since I was 12 so it was kind of all new (again). First impressions: very quiet, very leafy, very suburban. Dinner on our first night was at Alto, the restaurant at the revolving Black Mountain Tower. Yummy. Dessert was my favourite. A type of chocolate pudding with a mandarin salad that was warm and spicy. Really good. Next time we'll go for lunch so we can actually see the city design a little better.



We managed to wander around Floriade at Commonwealth Park for a while, but I probably wouldn't bother again. The highlight was seeing varieties of strange-shaped tulips I hadn't seen before. The lowlights were all the people and the rather boring displays. The park itself was far more pleasant to me.

From Floriade we walked down to Lake Burley Griffin and got a half hour boat ride, which at $5 each was worth well worth it. It gave my pregnant self a chance to rest while taking a look at a lot of different landmarks and getting a commentary on them.



We also took a guided tour at the War Memorial. Guided tours in general are great. You hear a lot of interesting stories that aren't always written on the little white cards next to exhibits and tend to take in a lot more as a result. Some stories are best not heard when you have pregnancy emotions though.



We were going to drive on to Wagga to see family, but we had a call from my Aunt saying the farm was pretty much under lock-down due to Equine Influenza. Another time.

So from Canberra we drove on to Melbourne, arriving at Narelle's place, where we stayed for three nights before staying at a serviced apartment in the city for a week.



It was weird being back in Melbourne after being away so long. If Melbourne could be relocated to Sydney, I'd be very happy. I really love Melbourne, but I think the weather is better up here and it's closer to family.

Melbourne activities included:
- spending an inordinate amount of money at The Chocolate Shop
- catching up with friends (sad that I have more friends in Melbourne than in Sydney)
- a visit to the National Gallery of Victoria to see the Guggenheim exhibition
- eating great pub food in Brunswick
- driving around old neighbourhoods
- making very good use of our weekly tram tickets
- visiting the Botanical Gardens
- buying treats from the cake shops on Acland Street in St Kilda
- pointing out The Esplanade Hotel to Shawn so he could see where RocKwiz is made
- Visiting Queen Victoria Markets and buying a new wallet in a great shade of green
- Melbourne zoo
- walked along the Yarra for a bit



We did one day trip out of Melbourne to Phillip Island to see the Little Penguins. We booked a ranger talk beforehand as well. It was cold and wet, but it was very cool to see them all hurrying to their burrows in the sand. Extremely cute.

It was sad leaving Melbourne, we'd almost convinced ourselves that we lived in the apartment.


(Crappy pic, but it was a challenge getting a good shot from the car.)

We drove back up the Princes Highway. A lot prettier than the Hume. Lots of green hills, Canola fields and happy looking cows (a very different experience to seeing how cows are kept in the US).

We stopped in Merimbula overnight and by a total accident, looking for food, we happened upon the Zanzibar Cafe, just when we were thinking we'd be stuck with fish and chips. This worked out perfectly because we'd planned to have at least two high quality dinners on our trip, but after Alto in Canberra, we just didn't seem to get around to it, then we hit this place. Given a 14/20 by The 2007 Good Food Guide. We have a tendency to agree with them.

On our last day of travel we stopped at Bateman's Bay for Lunch. Fairly uneventful, except for the high winds and my fear that the poor little echo was going to end up with something punctured by the branches and twigs strewn all over the road... Did I say uneventful?



It was, right up until we hit the highway that is. We rounded a bend, to see a tree laying across the road. It must have only just come down because we were the first car on our side to come across and people coming from the other direction had just gotten out of their cars. Thankfully, one of them had one of those fluorescent road workers vests and started running past our car waving it around so no one ran up the back of us. Lots of nearby men shoved fruitlessly at the tree (which I could have told them was not going anywhere in one piece), while the slightly more practical started trying to get through to SES or the RTA. After a very short time (with the arrival of the sixth car back) a man drove up and got out of his car with a chainsaw!



What luck!.. or do a lot of people around there carrying a chainsaw with them? So the tree was dismantled and the pieces pushed off the road in no time. Interesting experience.

During all our driving we stopped approximately every two hours so I could stretch and I have to say that on the way back it was definitely needed. My growing uterus is now pushing up against my ribs causing me a lot of discomfort. By the time we got to Nowra my ribs were killing me so we stopped at this park. We happened to have some bread in the car so we spent some time sprawled on the grass and feeding ducks.

We arrived home and enjoyed a 3 day weekend before work again on Monday. I was even relatively chipper on my first day back at work... weird.

Centennial Park

On Saturday, Shawn and I went to Centennial Park for a picnic. It couldn't have been a better day for it. Sunny and nice and warm. A little respite from winter. I think the key to a really good picnic is going well prepared. We had a picnic blanket, two pillows, lots to eat and drink and a book. Just being outside was really nice, watching the different birds flying around together, chasing each other away from their nests and hopping down to chirp at us and see if we'd feed them. I think the best thing about this day, other than just getting out, was the fact that I got to eat a sandwich. I don't get to do this a lot these days. Being pregnant, I can't eat cold deli meat or salads that haven't been freshly washed. This rules out most places that serve sandwiches. So for this day we bought a cob loaf and stuffed it with cooked chicken, Swiss cheese, semi dried tomatoes, artichokes and various other salad bits and pieces. I loved it. So nice to eat just a simple sandwich again!

19 Week Ultrasound

Yesterday, I had my 19 week ultrasound. They took a look at all the organs and did lots of measurements. Everything is going fine and best of all (although they say "No guarantees") we found out the sex. It looks like we're having a girl. Both Shawn and I were positively giddy about finding out. Now we just have to warn people against buying overly pink, frilly stuff for her. Not sure how successful that'll be. I really enjoy going for ultrasounds, actually seeing the baby moving around, looking at it's little feet, but I think this is the last one, unless they decide they didn't get a good shot of something or something needs to be checked further down the track.



To celebrate the ongoing well-being of the little one, we went out to Newton's Cocina for dinner. The food was fresh, cooked well and in good (large) portions, but sadly very bland. Great for someone who hasn't been well or has morning sickness and can only eat bland foods, but not great if you're after great Mexican food. Also? A little expensive. We'll give it a miss in the future I think. Baja Cantina tastes better and is cheaper.

Baja Cantina

Last night I took Shawn to Baja Cantina in Glebe. He has been missing Mexican food big time, my favourite Mexican place had closed down (Why? Why?! Hot Salsa Mexican Kitchen, you were so good!) and I wasn't really motivated to take him to a mexican place that just wasn't to his Californian-Mexican standards. Since we were going to be over that way I decided I should bite the bullet and suggest we go to Baja Cantina. So glad we did this. Shawn loved it. Not in a: "This is good for Australian Mexican" way, but in a "This is some of the best Mexican food I've ever had" way. I've always thought comments like "Oh, we only have crap Mexican food in Australia" were misguided, ok just plain wrong. I've had Mexican food in several places in California and several places in Sydney and I really think that we rate pretty well. I mean, I guess they could be more "authentic" (in both places), but then I'm just not that big on offal. It should also be said that I've had what I consider to be bad Mexican food in California. They aren't immune!

Sunday, 29th April 2007

Our first wedding anniversary was on Sunday. Yay us! Everything is good and it just doesn't feel like a year. We're both much happier people to each have the other in our lives.

To celebrate we went to The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay for lunch. Yum. I love that place. Perfect seafood, great views and to top it off, it was a beautiful, sunny day. I had steamed John Dory with Yabbie Bourride, Potato and Saffron. It was amazing. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Then I tasted Shawn's Snapper Pie... Wow. We shared a large side salad of Rocket, Pear and Pecorino Salad with truffle dressing. Also, fantastic. For dessert we shared a Hot Chocolate Pudding with Strawberries and Chantilly Cream. LORD it was good. They served up the snapper pie and the dessert with some flare also. I was contented beyond belief.



We then ran up to Janny's Cakes in Chinatown and got some dumplings to steam for dinner so we weren't doing much of the domestic on our first anniversary.

Our gifts to each other for our first anniversary were the dinner, and also to finally get a nice dry mount photo album for our wedding photos. I've started putting the album together, starting with our wedding certificate (the one from the celebrant, not the extra-official one from Births, Deaths, Marriages) and a few things from the table settings at the wedding: the menu, name tags, the order of service. I should make up an invite and put it in as well. Next is to get the photos developed.

Anzac Day 2007

I made Anzac Biscuits for the first time ever. Wanted to introduce Shawn to a bit of Australian history.

A relaxing day spent eating and watching dvds... ok, fine, they were Stark Trek: Next "Gen. episodes. Nerdy enough?

Valentine's Day

(Yes, yes, I know this is a little late.)

I've not been that big on celebrating Valentine's Day, but I think that when you're in a great relationship, it's worth celebrating that. People say that this day was originally started by greeting card companies to make money. I would suggest not buying cards if it makes you feel better. These days I think it's worthwhile celebrating whatever love you have for someone. It's too easy for all days to be the same and to not take some time to actually think about, celebrate and appreciate love.

So on Wednesday night we went to Elio for dinner. I had roasted veal rolled with buffalo mozzarella, spinach and pancetta on balsamic button mushrooms and Shawn had venison with an au jus and pumpkin souffle. Really, the best dining in Leichhardt. So we ate, chatted about our days, celebrated this being the second Valentine's Day that Shawn has been in Australia and sampled some boutique beers. So a really nice night was had by all... except the couple we saw on the street, arguing and having a struggle over a bunch of roses... but that's another story and someone elses to tell, I'm sure. Glad it wasn't us though!

Visits

This last weekend we drove up to Newcastle. We had lunch with Dad and Donna, then went to a friends house for dinner. It was really nice to see everyone.

Both Dad and friends plied us with DVDs to watch this Christmas. This is great, we love nothing better than to sit around watching DVDs, but I also want to get out of the house and take Shawn some places he hasn't been yet. We aren't going away anywhere so it'd be nice if we could inject some holiday feel to our Christmas break. We could go to a museum, to the aquarium, the new city zoo, or perhaps catch a ferry to Manly.

Shawn and I made some chocolate orange triangles to take to our friends place for dessert.

FRIEND: "Is this a specialty of yours?"
ME: "Ah sure... in that it only consists of store-bought puff pastry, cooking chocolate and orange zest, is really uncomplicated, but tastes great and so I make it when I cook for other people because it can be made ahead of time so I can socialise or transport it to other places for dinner, then it just needs 15-20 minutes in the oven... Life is too short to make your own puff pastry."

Really, these things are very yummy and I recommend them to all and sundry.

Birthday 2006

Yesterday was my birthday. I had a really good day.

Work organised a cake which was very tasty and very filling.

Shawn organised a picnic at home by buying all my favourite stuff from Relish. Relish is my favourite healthy takeaway place... although I suspect the potato salad is laced with some sort of class A drug, because it tastes so good! He also ordered this amazing and gorgeous little triple chocolate torte from Mezzapica. So good. The choux pastry, of the profiteroles that were on top of the cake, was ultra fresh. So impressed.



This was all very well, but the weirdest thing about my day is that I got a phone call from the person who became my best friend at my second high school. Unfortunately, I hadn't seen her for ten years though, so this was a complete shock, but a most welcome surprise. When someone who you haven't seen for ten years says "So, what've you been up to?", it's just plain funny. Neither of us had any problems deciding where to start though. It was great to talk to her and I'm looking forward to catching up with her in person next week.

AGNSW

Yesterday Shawn and I went to the Art Gallery of New South Wales. On this occasion we didn't actually go so much for the art as for the food. We don't normally choose somewhere quite so swish for lunch, but we have been married for six months now and felt that although it wasn't a yearly anniversary, we still felt it to be a milestone. So the Art Gallery Restaurant is where we chose to celebrate. The views over the Domain and Wooloomooloo where great, but the food was better. We had barrumundi on lentils with a mild curry sauce with a glass of semillion sauvignon blanc, followed by a mango custard with sliced mango and lime. The wine is not expensive, but it did not, I repeat, did not cause an adverse reaction on my skin. So I had a great lunch.

We followed this with a walk through the 2006 Dobell Drawing Prize exhibition. This exhibition kind of makes me want to draw again.

Yum Cha

Last long weekend was much appreciated. So glad to have the extra day off. Shawn hasn't been on the Light Rail here so we caught that to Chinatown to buy some Yum Cha (Xiao Cha for those from Beijing. It's morning tea/brunch for them. Dim Sum for Americans and possibly for those in the south of China who speak Cantonese).



I will share a secret. If the massive weekend queues for Yum Cha put you off, go buy prawn dumplings from Janny's Cakes in the market place in Chinatown and take them home and steam them. So good. Oh, and for dessert, get some of the custard buns. *purr*

Biscuits or cookies...

depending on where you're from.



Yesterday I baked some chocolate biscuits from a recipe book that my sister Robyn gave me. So good.



Many didn't make it to the filling stage and were eaten straight off the cooling rack.



Despite our most valiant efforts to eat all of them, we couldn't manage it, so some will have to wait until next weekend to be filled, because today I'm going to make some wholemeal apple muffins.

Long Lunch

What nice up-turn my day has had. I met Shawn in the CBD for lunch after he went to see his employment agent. I decided we should eat somewhere a little nicer than the average sandwich shop for once, so I took him to Chinta Ria Temple of Love. I love that place. It aways feels like summer inside, even when it's winter. Shawn then tells me that he got a three month contract. So we definitely had cause to have something nicer than a sandwich. The food was delicious, the colour inside made me happy and the massive, smiling stone Buddah that greets you when you enter is awesome. I challenge anyone to eat at that place and feel cranky. I wish I'd brought my camera!

Backyard Visit

This beautiful red cyclamen grows between the pavers and a brick wall in our backyard. If I have to have weeds, this one rates pretty highly with me. If only it'd grow in place of all the other weeds in our courtyard.



I let Kimba join me since, sadly, she's only allowed in the backyard when accompanied. If we let her out by herself, she tends to get set upon by some cats that live two doors down. This has at least twice resulted in visits to the vet. Physically, she isn't the tough young thing she used to be, but she still won't be run out of her own backyard (and fair enough). There are pros and cons about Kimba staying indoors most of the time. One pro is that the vet told me she probably shouldn't sit outside in the sun any more due to being all white and having some sun damage on her nose (which thankfully went away after a winter indoors). Pro #2: other cats can't attack her while she's inside. Pro #3: no unnecessary vet bills! Con: she loves it out there and doesn't get all the same catty stimuli inside. As the weather starts to improve we'll spend more time out there with her.

I haven't been out into the backyard for weeks. Too cold at this time of year to spend any great deal of time out there, but I noticed the cyclamen flowering and had to get a better look. I took a look around at how all the plants were going while I was there. The Parsley was going nuts, as was the Lemon Thyme so I used both in a massive Shepherds Pie I made last night. Looking forward to the weather getting warmer and doing some general gardening, as well as repotting some bonsai and giving them some love and much needed attention.

Away

Yesterday we drove up to my Sister's place at Port Stephens. Shawn did the driving so my eyes could have a rest. This meant I got to take a few photos. I also got to have a good look at the things around me whereas I'm normally in driver-mode.



The F1 was very wet, sometimes misty and always hard to see the turns of the road.



We were very happy to get out of the car and inside to a wood fire and welcoming family.

Today, after a sleep in and coffee, we picked some fruit from their mandarin tree and were sent on our merry way after being fed some pizza. I was just in the mood for pesto and cherry tomatoes too.

Happy...

Birthday to Narelle. Happy thoughts to you today.

Today I had a sleep in after staying up late to work on some code (C) for Ancient Anguish. For those who don't know, this is a text based RPG (Role Playing Game) that I program on. Sleeping in is great, at least right up until the impending caffeine headache.

This morning I went to our local growers market with Shawn. It was raining so we both just dropped in to buy tasty turkish Gozlemes. These are a dough filled with either organic honey, bananas and chocolate, mince and spinach and various other things. All very tasty with some lemon.