Adventure, baby!

Sydney

Peace Harmony

I tried a new vegetarian Thai place for lunch today with some friends from work. It’s super close to the office, and is really cheap – it cost me $10 for a can of Sprite, spring roll and fried rice. The food was a bit oily, but it was really tasty. Anything deep fried is tasty!

My very tolerant friends.

My fried rice.

I don’t remember what it was, but Isis loved it.

Alice had this – I don’t remember what it was either, but it has crushed cashews on top.

Curry puff.

A great way to end work for the year! I’m looking forward to Christmas and a holiday.

Evening in Chatswood

L and I took to Chatswood for some late night shopping. We ended up eating more than shopping, but oh well!


The night markets were on.

Japanese pancake-type things with cheese in them.


Bloggers and their cameras 🙂


Strange balls with crabs legs sticking out.


Mmmm praline nuts.

Cute stores like this one.

I want it all!


Then it was off to San Churro to introduce L to the best hot chocolate ever.

She becomes a convert.

Mmmmm healing elixir.

Nove Cucina

After a week of being sick, it was lovely to get out of the house and go to a lovely lunch at Nove Cucina at Woolloomooloo for Luke’s farewell.

My plain pizza – could have done with more toppings!!

Another pizza – hidden in a forest of rocket.

Yum yum yum.

Heirloom tomato salad.

With Lukie, the farewell boy.

Affogato.

Peach cheesecake and baked peach. Mmmmmm.



Self-portrait. I look pretty tired!

Into The Wild – Spoiler Alert

Into The Wild is based on a book by Jon Krakauer, written about the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man who, in the ’90s, gave all of his savings to charity and vanished. He trekked across America and into Alaska, where he lasted for about 100 days before dying of either poisoness berries or starvation, it’s unsure.

While the movie portrays Christopher as some kind of free-spirit on the search for wisdom, the facts of the story seem to indicate that he was more of a fool than tragic hero. He took nothing with him into the wilds of Alaska, such as a compass or map. He was rained in to the area he was camping in, and hence starved to death. However, there was a crossing only a few miles down the river. Oh, for Google maps!

What I did like about the movie was the documentary tone of it – very well directed by Sean Penn. He captured the young man’s will to be at one with nature and to be free from society’s trappings of wealth and expectations. It was a very poignant story too – Chris meets all kinds of people along his travels whose lives he effects in positive ways. Each of these people ask him not to go, and mourn his leaving, yet he seems to have no care to be around people, and dismisses their affection for him, choosing to be alone. He even says to one that you don’t need to have other people to enjoy life and experiences. However, during his three months solitary confinement in Alaska, he seems to get the wisdom that he is seeking. He acknowledges that he is lonely, ans his final act is to write in his journal that happiness is when shared. Pity it took dying alone in the wilderness to discover what most people instinctively just know.

The movie has some great wildlife scenes, and the lead role is acted very well by Emile Hirsch. His physical transformation alone for the role was quite remarkable, added to which his happy-go-lucky character who changes from a boy to a man throughout the movie, is a touching journey to watch.

Atonement

I read Atonement, by Ian McEwan, while I was in Europe. It’s an older book that is being made into a movie, but I hadn’t heard of it until recently. I hadn’t read any reviews so didn’t know what to expect. What I found was a delicate, sensitive book with divine storytelling and rich characters.

Atonement tells the story of Briony, who, as a child, tells a lie that ruins the life of Robbie, a family friend and her sister, and for which she spends the rest of her life atoning for.

It’s a simple story, told in three parts. The first part takes place in a few days and is concerned with the family home. It has a languid feel to it, highlighting the lazy days when the family had few worries. This all changes the night of Briony’s sin, and the pace really picks up in the second part of the book. The scene changes to several years in the future, and is set against the war. The tone changes completely, and there is action on all fronts, both literally in the front lines in the war and back in London where Briony has followed her sister Celia’s footsteps to become a nurse. The final part of the novel ends again even further in the future and sums up the story nicely – ending with Briony’s gaining of wisdom, and eternal feelings of regret for the life she has lived and those she had ruined.

Not a particularly cheery book, but so beautifully written. I can’t wait to see the movie!

Beowulf

I’ve been really lazy and haven’t posted about the movies and books I’ve seen and read lately. It’s so much easier to simply post pics of pizza.

Alec, Alec and I saw the 3D version of this retelling of the old Scandinavian folk tale. It was an interesting blend of animation and what I think were real people and scenery, but it was hard to tell. In some places the people in particular looked really fake, but then in others looked quite amazing – the monsters in particular.

It was a really grisly story – lots of blood thirsty hacking off of limbs and so on, tempered by a naked Angelina Jolie.

The 3D was pretty great, and really unobtrusive. It felt weird wearing the glasses, but technology has improved dramatically since the days of red and blue cellophane, and I didn’t even notice after a while.

DIY Pizza

I’m officially insane. I’m posting photos of the pizzas I made. Why? Who knows, other than that it’s my favourite thing to make an is a food group all of its own.








30 Days Meat Free

This weekend makes a full month since giving up all meat. I won’t lie, I miss chicken. I miss schnitzel.

I also wanted to make mention of the excellent LCC pizzas that Alec and I are addicted to. We always get the same, bocconcini, basil, tomato. It’s a classic.

Jeff de Bruges Chocolates

Alec and I discovered a new chocolate shop while walking to Wynyard station, Jeff de Bruges chocolates. I think it’s a French chocolate shop – it’s delicious! On the expensive side, but really, really lovely.


Harry’s Cafe de Wheels

Alec had an offsite at Woolloomooloo yesterday and asked me to join him when I could escape from work. We went to the Tilbury Hotel, and popped out to Harry’s for a pie. I haven’t had a pie at Harry’s in years, and was pleasantly surprised with how good they are!

Ibises cooling down in Hyde Park.

My vege pie with mashed potatoes, peas and gravy. SO delicious and cheap – around $5.50.



Nice place to sit and eat pies.

The original famous Harry’s.



Alec was kind enough to post with his pastie.