Family Archives - Page 40 of 53

I Am Not A Nugget! Chicken Are People Too

July 27, 2008 / Animals / 1 Comment

I’ve been thinking a lot about chickens lately. I stopped eating them a long time ago, but recent reports and Jamie Oliver’s Fowl Dinners program has made me want to do more to help the poor little things.

I’ve read that about 50% of eggs labeled as “free range” are actually from caged birds because there is apparently no legal definition of “free range” that the egg farmers have to comply with, so they charge more for the eggs that caring consumers are buying, and still give the chickens a terrible life.

This weekend I have been trying to contact people whose job it is to handle these issues – the government. I have emailed the Hon Ian Macdonald MLC – Minister for Primary Industries NSW (macdonald.office@macdonald.minister.nsw.gov.au) and the Hon Tony Burke MP, Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Tony.Burke.MP@aph.gov.au). I have also contacted the Department of Fair Trading in the hopes that they will care that consumers are being sold eggs that are labeled in a misleading way.

The next step is trying to find out which eggs are actually free range. I can’t find a list anywhere, except the recommendation to buy from grower’s or organic markets as they are more likely to be eggs from small local farmers.

I have also bought Alec, his mum (who is a chicken lover) and myself tees from PETA that have a chicken friendly message on them – “happy families, not happy meals”. I thought it was about time that I started to wear my heart on my sleeve about the animal issues I’m really passionate about. I also bought the PETA black singlet top, shown below – if the tees are nice and fit well, I am considering buying more.

In the past I haven’t spoken up much about the animals causes I’m interested in out of a concern that I would make other people around me uncomfortable and have them then either avoid me or make fun of me because I haven’t been a vegetarian for a very long time. I realised this week hat what matters is that that I speak up for those who can’t, so expect to see more post like this on my blog in the future.

You can read more about the short lives of chickens at the Animals Australia site Free Betty, or on the RSPCA website.

DinTaiFung

July 25, 2008 / friends, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

Several work colleagues have been raving about the DinTaiFung dumpling house for weeks and I finally organised to go with a few friends.

Lisa got there first and was lovely enough to line up while the rest of got ourselves there. It’s super popular and Lisa had to line up for about 30 mins. By the time we got there Lisa was at the front of the queue and we didn’t have long to wait – thanks so much Lise!

While we were waiting to get out table, the staff gave us the entire menu on a tiny form so we could order in advance. We also were given a huge menus with pictures on them – very helpful for first timers like me to know what to order!

The queue out the front.

Happy diners inside.

Poring over the menus. Too many choices!

Boys socialise. And Alec pulls a face.

We’ll take one of everything!

Lego-tastic!

So much fun it’s all a blur!

Pretty pictures in the menu.

Awww.

Nice condiments. Umm … what are they?

Some vege combination of mushrooms, seaweed and beansprouts.

Directions for newbs on how to eat dumplings without making a fool of yourself. Very helpful!

Packed!

Silken tofu topped with Pork Floss and Century Egg.

Spinach in garlic. Very tasty!

Lesson on how to eat dumplings.

Pork with fried rice.

Pork and prawn dumplings I think.

Pork and shrimp dumplings.

Food shoveling begins! The food comes out ultra fast and we literally shoveled to get it all in while it was hot. It was also very tasty so it was hard to not keep shoving it in! I keep saying shoveling … hmmm.

Lone vege dumpling for me – filled with mushrooms and green veges. It was a thick, breaded dumpling. I just couldn’t eat it all, it was so big!

My vege fried rice. It was my fave dish and was so light and fluffy I could have kept eating it all night.

The inside of the huge vege dumpling.

I have no idea what’s in this. Pork perhaps?

My vege version – also filled with more mushroom and green things. Very light and tasty. Even the non-veges liked them.

Extreme close-up!

Roar!

Sweet!

Halo!

Smile!

Being a weirdo. I think I started doing this in Japan. I am so easily influenced by those around me!

More posing.

No idea what Alec is doing here.

Group shot taken by the waiters. Happy diners! The service was amazing btw. Very smily faces and fast service.

Dessert – cookies and cream ice-cream, Asian-style. Interesting! The others laughed at me for being such a “whitey” and ordering this, and it was pretty average to be honest!

Golden taro bread. The bread bit was tasty but the rest was pretty average.

Poor Alec, I couldn’t stop taking photos!

Red bean dumplings. The inside was nice but would have been nicer in the bread that the Golden Taros was in.

Black sesame. Not to my taste at all, but very entertaining to watch Lisa try to cut with her chop sticks!

Bev tries to fit Chris’ entire hand in her mouth. Good party trick!

Modelling my new coat from the Alannah Hill 50% off sale.

Ohhh watch the little men make dumplings! I felt sorry for these guys being on display for everyone to watch them work.

Busy workers.

Chris loves pink.

I don’t know what’s going on here.

Or here …

Yes, posing again.

And again! This time in height order so I don’t look like such a giant.

Good men-folk.

Alec touches the scale on the symbolic dragon. Aparently it’s sharp!

This is the rest of the “dragon”.

Walking down to George St.

On the train coming home – Chris and Bev open their present, and play with the ribbon as they do so. Uber-cute couple.

“Oh hai!”

Bev is detained.

Excited faces opening their gift.

“Pointy!”

Lisa and I and our Tokidoki bags… Do we have a problem?

Home time!

DinTaiFung
Shop 11.04, World Square Shopping Centre,
644 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
TEL: +61 2 9264 6010

Bev & Chris’ Engagement Party

July 20, 2008 / friends / 2 Comments

The city is empty this weekend thanks to the pilgrims, so it was quite a surreal experience being at a bar on a Saturday night and to have no one around.

Bev hired a room at Cruise bar, so we had an amazing view of the harbour.

The happy couple.

“Excellent…”

Posers.

Goodnight!

More Doggy Bliss

July 17, 2008 / Animals / 0 comment

Juuuust more pics I took on my iPhone this time. Aren’t they super cute?

Dog or bear?

Lightening fast tongue.

You can almost hear the snore.

The Girls Like To Sleep & Play

July 17, 2008 / Animals / 1 Comment

I spent today out west working and watching my munchkins. They are so cute, they make me melt every time I see them.

Churros, Noodles & Panda

July 5, 2008 / friends, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

The release of Kung Fu Panda sparked excitement. Panda! Kung Fu! Together at last!

We gathered at San Churros for pre movie snacks. Hot and Cold Hot Chocolate, churros and a white hot chocolate … so basically sugar and milk I believe.

Yum yum yum … the best hot chocolate ever.

Chris: “What do you mean white chocolate isn’t actually chocolate?”

Churros with chocolate.

My fave – churros with caramel.

Lisa – times three Tokidokis.

“There can be more Tokidokis?”

Chocolate is not something to be laughing at.

After the movie we needed noodles. Badly. You need to watch the movie to understand why. We set off to our fave Vietnamese place in Chatswood – Golden Bo.