Adventure, baby!

Sydney

Guylian Chocolate Cafe, Sydney

/ Sydney Food / 0 comment

Time to try the new Guylian Belgian Chocolate Cafe on George St, in The Rocks, after a night of shopping.

It didn’t start out well – the doors slipped closed when we were about to enter, and the doors locked from the inside, causing Bev to lose the final straw after a frustrating day, and nearly break the doors trying to get in. In hindsight, I like to think it was a sign from abut trying to prevent us from entering.

Famous seahorse!

Nice decor.
Friands.

Mmmmm …

Good range of chocolate, but nothing really unique.

Desserts! Note the price is take-away – add an extra $4 – $5 to have these at the table.





We were quite stunned at how pricey it all was. The prices in the window looked OK, but when we compared them to the menu and saw the price hike, we shied away from the expensive desserts on principle. Compared to the Lindt Cafe, which is a higher quality grade chocolate, they were even more expensive, and didn’t taste anywhere near as good. Very disappointing!

Cranky Bev – with very good reason!


My classic shake – good, but not spectacular (about $7)

Hot chocolate (about $7)

Going for the money shot all at once.

Peanut and chocolate cookie – quite try and bland and cost about $3.

Chocolate cookie – same again.

Bev ordered a croissant and chocolate dips – about $7.


One chocolate was liquidy and tasty, the other like a bowl of solid chocolate.

Yum!


Guylian Belgian Chocolate Cafe
The Rocks,
91 George St
Sydney

Starbucks Free Coffee & Belle Pizza, Crows Nest

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On the way to dinner, Bev spotted a sign outside the Starbucks at Wynyard station saying “Free Xmas Coffees”. She races to the station to meet us, and we all flew back to Starbucks to line up for free beverages and gingerbread men – bonus!

The staff busily making our tasty treats.

Alec and a free gingerbread man.

With our freebies! What a score!


We then met the rest of the gang and proceeded to Belle La Pizza Restaurant at Crows Nest.

Talking about … stuff.

Garlic bread – a bit too buttery but still tasty.

Romance!

The pizzas begin!





My tomato risotto with vegetables. Very very tasty!

Nom nom nom.

Food frenzy!

Hunger satiated at last.


Completely ready to burst.

Sad thinking of our friends leaving!


Belle La Pizza Restaurant
242 Pacific Highway,
Crows Nest
(02) 9955 1113
Open for dinner seven days

Off To Newcastle!

/ NSW, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Jan’s birthday called us back north to “Poo-castle”, as Alec likes to call it, so we went on a road trip that was adventure plus, but relaxation zero!

On the way up we discovered this amazing French patisserie at Lindfield, directly across from the station on the Pacific Highway. We were were driving north when we passed it, and decided to turn around to go back for cake, we didn’t think about how difficult it is to do such a basic maneuver on the Pacific Highway. It took us about 20 minutes to get back to the store – so note to anyone going here and overshooting the store, just park the car and walk back, no matter how far it is!

Window filled with goodies.

Cakes! I want them all …

Front counter filled with tasty things.


Close-up of the tarts we ate for breakfast.



This rabbit cookie was so tasty! Buttery without being overly buttery like shortbread. It was perfect to go with a milky tea or hot chocolate.


It was storming in Newcastle, so we stayed in most of the day, and head out to the centre of town for dinner. We didn’t book a table anywhere – BIG MISTAKE! Every single restaurant was packed, and the one we wanted to go to was booked out for the night.

Strolling back down the street we passed this little Thai place. It also looked busy, but being in the mood for Thai (or at least, I was!), we gave it a go. Even though this place too was completely packed out, they squeezed us in.

Benjamas Thai Restaurant

Alec and the birthday girl.

A whole page of vegetarian options – yay!

Cute table setting.

Busy, busy, busy!

Vege spring rolls. Light and delicious!

My vege pad see ew – amazing! The best Thai I have had in a long time.

Beef pad see ew for the carnivores.

Thai fried rice.

Satisfied and ready for cake!


We bought a mango cake from the patisserie as well – thick slices of mango layered over cream and sponge cake. OMG so delicious.


Layer of cream and mango in the middle too!


Christophe’s Patisserie Francaise
364 Pacific Hwy
Lindfield, NSW
(02) 9416 3883

Benjamas Thai
100 Darby St
Cooks Hill, NSW
(02) 4926 1229

Umaimon Japanese Restaurant – Back For More

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I took Alec to experience the deliciousness that is my new fave Japanese establishment – Umaimon.

Alec randomly bought me these gorgeous pink roses. Thank you love!

They match my awesome Peter Alexander velor jacket.

Alec pulls one of many faces.

Delicious, salty edamame.


We tried the udon noodles this time – and they were amazing! The best noodles we’ve had outside of Japan.

Alec’s was with pork.

Mine with veges and tofu. OMG so perfect in every way.
Obligatory self-portrait after stuffing ourselves.


Umaimon
51 Druitt St
Sydney

(02) 9283 0606

Tiffany & Co, Why Do You Mock Me?

/ Family, Shopping / 1 Comment

I’ve had a relationship with Tiffany & Co much like a love affair. It started with instant attraction, transformed quickly into obsession, then evolved into the deep respect and admiration I have for her (it’s a jewellery store, of course it’s a “her”!) today.

My first Tiffany purchase as made on eBay. A second-hand Elsa Peretti Open Heart charm and necklace. Over the years my collection has grown, and my love for each piece has matured into a life-long passion that I fear can’t be abated.

Why Tiffany’s? Who knows. Could be the Audrey factor, could be the adorable little blue boxes, or it could be, as said by Holly Golightly about the iconic store on Fifth Avenue New York, “(Tiffany’s) calms me down right away… nothing very bad could happen to you there”.

Tiffany’s have recently opened an Australian online website that is e-commerce enabled. I’m not sure if I approve! While it makes it easier to look at prices and impulse buy a pretty piece or two, it takes away from the buying experience that is what I love about Tiffany’s – the calm, elegant store with its graceful, polite attendants and row after row of sparkly jewels.

However, the new website is how I have ended up falling in love all over again with their new range of delicate pieces. Pictured below is a bracelet that I am lusting after to be the next token of my long-term relationship with Tiffany’s – another Elsa Peretti piece coincidentally. As it’s quite $$, I think I might either save up for this one a little at a time, or wait until I feel I can rationalise taking my relationship to the next level … is it delusion that comes next?

New Boulevarde Hotel, Strathfield

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After meeting our broker we stopped off at the New Boulevarde Hotel, Strathfield, as we were starving and it was the only place we saw open on the way to the station late at night.

It had a very unassuming front – some unkind people might say “run down”, but when we went inside it smelled amazing and had a reasonably priced menu with items to suit us both.

Scary-looking facade – housing tasty food!

Very old-school pub dining room.

Garlic bread – yum!

Bruschetta – perfect tasting mix, just a little too much oil.

Penne pasta with napolitana sauce – my favourite!

Alec hoes into his giant steak.

Perfectly cooked and very tasty from what Alec says.


The food was also extremely reasonably priced – highly recommend if you are passing through Strathfield. The pub is at the Boulevard crossing – I couldn’t find the address!

Rahmen Genki & San Churro

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A Friday night catch up with Alec and Daniel took us to Rahmen Genki Japanese Noodle at Artarmon. I tried to visit this place a month or so back with Bev and Lisa, but it was randomly closed on a Tuesday night.

On a Friday night, it was packed out with a queue to order food – which leads me to one of the quirks about the restaurant, you order at the door then wait to be seated.

Lots of locals pack this place out.

The menu at the door and instructions.

Boys chatting and gossiping.

It was great to see Daniel. Loving the new hair and change in his wardrobe.


Despite being super busy, the food came out relatively quickly. It was super fresh and was served in very good-sized portions, for a very reasonable price.

Terriyaki chicken.

My stir-fried vegetables and rice. Delicious and cost under $10.

Alec’s noodle soup.




After eating we were peckish for dessert so head off to San Churro to introduce Daniel to their tasty treats.

San Churro change their menu frequently – and not for the better. This time they had changed their shakes and gotten rid of the milk chocolate shake that I craved. I orderd the only alternative, a dark chocolate shake, but it was far too bitter and strong. I stirred the cream into it and it was much improved, but not nice enough to order again. Very disappointing – not sure I will be heading back any time soon!

The shake in question – “Classic Cold”.

We ordered churros to share – Daniel highly enjoyed his first churros treat.

Alec in action.

Close-up of the delicious churros.

Rahmen Genki
6 Wilkes Ave
Artarmon

(02) 9410 3777
Closed Tuesdays

San Churro
Shop 609, Chatswood Westfield
1 Anderson Ave
Chatswood

(02) 9412 2276

Sanctuary Hotel

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On a whim, we all met up for dinner at the Sanctuary Hotel for a quick meal. Bev was out with her parents so we finally got to meet them! It was lovely to be able to get to know them – we could definitely see where Beverly inherited a lot her looks and personality!

The Sanctuary Hotel opened this year in the spot of the famous old Don Quixote Restaurant. It’s a very bright open space, very different to most pubs, and the food is super fast and fresh. meals are also very reasonably priced – between $11 and $14 for a main.

Alec’s burger.

Fish and chips.

Spicy linguine pasta.

Steak sandwich.

Steak with mash.

My margarita pizza – very tasty but not very filling.

Group shot!


With Bev’s delightful parents!

Pretty girls 🙂


Sanctuary Hotel
545 Kent St
Sydney

(02) 9264 1119

J.P.Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge

/ Sydney Life / 1 Comment

I haven’t entered a running competition since high school and haven’t run in anything over 200m since primary school cross country, so I can only think I was attacked by lunacy to decide to enter the J.P.Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge. It’s a 5.6km run in Centennial Park – not a long distance, especially since I run further than that every day when I jog, but I forgot how different it is running in a race, even if you’re only running to have fun.

Team with their game faces on.

Me and the girls, numbered and ready in matching outfits.

The boys – including two marathon runners – insisted on wearing the “Noogler” hats – they did get a lot of attention!

Vin had the best number of all.

Team stretching.

Ready to run!

Waiting to start – many many people!

Moving towards the start line – go time!


I found the run harder than I thought I would. I got a really bad stitch after the first km mark, which then kept coming back for the rest of the run. Despite this and having to stop a few times when the pain got too bad, I still managed to run a pretty good time of 32 mins – so around 5.6 mins per km. Not an awesome time for any serious runners, but I was stoked! My goal now is to be able to run this speed regularly over this distance in preparation for future runs!