Occasional stories, food and travel inspiration
The other day, my boyfriend and I went to see British comic Chris Turner in his show, Observational Tragedy. Alternately witty, moving, and thought provoking, it prompted both spontaneous laughter
A little secret about dinner parties: while the food and wine you offer your guests is important, they're not nearly as important as the mood you set. As a dinner party veteran I've hosted plent
When I was younger I thought of life mostly in terms of goals. Everything was about achievements and new experiences. "Live overseas." Tick. "Get a great job." Tick. "Be a published
As the Australian Summer continues so does our love affair with fruit: we're spoilt for choice at this time of the year so my fruit bowls are overflowing. The other day I had a glut of peaches in
Regular readers may remember my grouchy Valentine's Day post from a few years ago, when I was newly separated from my ex husband and in no mood for romance. Back then, the very thought of being with
I recently met up with friends for our regular Cookbook Club lunch where we share dishes we've cooked from a selected cookbook. If you're anything like most people, you'll have a number of cookb
A couple of weeks ago my boyfriend and I attended a special Jacob's Creek dinner in Melbourne with Novak Djokovic, the world's number one tennis player. While I played tennis all through high sc
My baby recently turned six so to celebrate we had some family and friends over for a relaxed lunch. Deciding what kind of birthday cake to make J was easy as he is mad about chocolate. So I cam
I'm a Summer gal so I love this time of year - the baking heat, the endless blue skies and the regular swims automatically put me in a good mood. But even I can get testy after a run of 40+ Ce
I'm a little obsessed with Summer fruit at the moment but can you blame me? This time of year is when my kitchen is overflowing with beautiful berries, stone fruit, cherries, grapes, mangos, kiwi fru
We're a mere seven days into 2016 and I'm wondering how many of us are actually sticking to our New Year's Resolutions? And how many of us are already mentally consigning them to the trash? Well,
Christmas day lunch in my family is not a small affair: each year around 24 people sit down at one long table at my parents' house to celebrate Christmas together. The Christmas day table is mad
Sex and the City was addictive, must-watch TV back in the late 90s and early 2000s: millions tuned in every week to find out what Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda were wearing and who they we
This recipe came about when I offered to make a dish for a weekend brunch at my BFF's a couple of months ago. With four kids in the house that morning -- my young niece and nephew had slept over t
I'm dating a man who is racist against salad and most fruit. His deep and abiding hatred is incomprehensible to me because I happily eat both every day. "It's the texture and feel of them," he s
While I love catching up with chums at restaurants, markets and bars, it’s always nice having people over to my home. Having people over doesn’t mean a lot of faffing around on my part thou
I have such happy memories of boisterous house parties when I was a child. There was always plenty of food and drink and laughter, everyone pitched in to help and we kids had the run of the house and
After a particularly long, cold and tedious Winter, Spring has finally arrived in Australia. Hurrah! For me, Springtime is about enjoying the sunshine, catching up with the friends I've neglecte
Last year, my lovely friend Sky asked me if I'd be interested in doing a shoot with Aspire, the excellent lifestyle magazine that she edits. "What did you have in mind?" I asked. "How about you
I've always been a fan of the unami-rich mushroom. So I’m delighted to be sharing this original mushroom recipe for the the Australian Mushroom Growers to tie in with their Mushrooms Go Pin
Vast blue skies, gently undulating land and ancient mountain ranges. In terms of magnificent scenery and great bushwalking trails, the Flinders Ranges in outback South Australia sure does deliver.
Redesigning a blog is like renovating a house. Or getting elective plastic surgery. You start off thinking that you're just going to make a few minor cosmetic changes and you end up with a ho
It's always nice cooking for someone who really appreciates your food. My 5YO niece, Leela, is beautiful inside and out. She's generous, kind, strong-willed and intelligent. She's also, a
A month ago my ex husband had a vasectomy. When it was over and he was half the man he used to be -- his words, not mine -- I picked him up from the hospital and drove him home, teasing him onl
Over the years I've learned that regular exercise is not an indulgence but a necessity for both my physical and mental health. So every week I practise hot yoga, a type of yoga based on Hatha and
I had just dropped my son at childcare and was driving my daughter to school. "Book Week is coming up again," my 7YO told me. "This year I want to dress as Sleeping Beauty." "Sleeping Beauty?
I lied to my son the other day. I don't usually advocate lying to small and innocent children but in this case I felt it was justified. You be the judge. My son is four and a half. I've blog
"Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world,” Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables As busy as life is, I try to hav
'I ate a whole 200 gram block of chocolate last night," my friend told me recently, shaking her head. I laughed and then sympathised with her. Like my friend and many women, I'm an emotional
Happy Birthday to The Hungry Australian! It was three years ago that I tentatively hit publish on my first ever post, my dad's Chinese Sausage Omelette. For any aspiring bloggers or photographe
