On this beyond hot day, Alec and I took a trip to Narrabeen to cool off.
Afterward we meet Matt and Lisa for dinner at Counter Burger, Crows Nest.
We ended the night at Matt and Lisa’s place watching Scrubs.
food
Max Brenner Chocolate Cafe
After watching Gran Torrino at Bondi Junction on Australia Day with Alec, Jan and Uncle, we stopped in at the Max Brenner Chocolate Cafe.
I had a hot chocolate with waffle balls (delightfully sweet and milky with crunchy waffle balls) in a Hug Mug, and shared strawberries and chocolate with Alec. All I can say is yum, yum, yum!
How cute are the Hug Mugs? I bought a pair to take home with me so we can enjoy hot chocolate in them next winter.
So many lovely chocolatey things!
See, chocolate is good for you! Max Brenner says so 
The Counter, Crows Nest: A Final Farewell for Beverly
Pics from one last lunch with Beverly and Lisa before Beverly takes off to Shanghai. We had to check out a new place at Crows Nest, The Counter – custom burgers.
Lots to chose from!
’50s style diner.
Sweet potato and onion rings.
Most awesome shakes ever!
Fries with cheese – a bit oily and could do with more cheese.
Lisa’s burger.
My vege burger – dissected.
Beverly’s burger.
My final Tokidoki bag! I got it for a great price on eBay.
Adriano Zumbo – The Wonder Years
Back again for more food! This time Lisa and Matt came with us, as did Buffy and Kahlua.
We decided finally to order proper food at the Chocolat Cafe, and it was fabulous!
Buffy drove us there. She is an excellent driver.
Ricotta pancakes. Yuuum!
Matt and multiple quiches.
My bircher muesli. Awesome!
Lisa ordered the Paris.
A little cuddle from Dad.
Buffers loves the attention.
They make awesome coffee.
Hulk hug!
I am trying one new dessert each time we visit. This time it was The Wonder Years.
It arrived in a kidney dish!
Interactive dessert!
Molten chocolate! Yuuum!
Khacha Thai and Catch-up
Beverly and Chris arrived home from Singapore this morning, so we met up for ferret handing over and lunch at Khacha Thai in Crows Nest. It was also the last time that we would all be able to get together until Bev and Chris’ wedding in August – I’m going to miss you guys!
Khacha Thai is a great little place with very large portions, making it a good value place to eat.
Soft-shell crab I think. The boys loved it.
Mixed stir-fry vegetables with soy bean sauce.
Prawn something.
The boys looking grim.
Aww.
Lastly, vegetarian Pad Thai.
Finally, today I got my new watch, which is my birthmas present from Alec. I lost my previous one when I fell over somehow, and I have been watch-less ever since! I love love love my new Tag, particularly the pink mother of pearl face. So pretty!
Close-up!
Khacha Thai
308a Pacific Highway
Crows Nest
Ph: (o2) 9966 8444
Monet Exhibition, Lindt Cafe & Kirribilli
A rare day out in the city with Alec, his dad and his dad’s wife, Lisa.
We started out at the Monet exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
I love Monet, particularly his waterlilies that he painted at his house at Giverny. Alec and I are planning to go there when we are on our France trip in 2009, so it was great timing!
The exhibition only had a few waterlily paintings, but had a range of works from Monet’s early career as well as some paintings by his contemporaries and artistic influences.
After the Monet exhibition we also dropped in at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition that was on at the Sydney Museum. I love, love this exhibition and look forward to it every year. It’s my dream to take photographs of nature like the ones in the exhibition – up close yet in the wild, and so amazingly unusual.
Next stop was the Lindt Cafe in Martin Place. I haven’t been to this outlet before, and was happy to see it was more like a real cafe, where you sit down and have your order taken at your table. So civilised! I just love their chocolate shakes and crave them frequently – just the shakes, nothing more!
Chocolate dream come true.
Their gourmet chocolates. I had a few, including a caramel one, and they were divine.
Alec’s dad and Lisa.
Happy as can be – chocolate has that effect!
Driving back to dinner in Crows Nest, we took a detour through Kirribilli. We came across this amazing spot – what a view! Sydney is such a beautiful city to live in, particularly on days like today when the sun is shining, not a cloud in the sky, and we’re on holidays!
Tourist shot!
Lindt Cafe
53 Martin Place
Sydney
Ph: (o2) 8257 1600
Google & eBay Day Out
My team took out the eBayers for a day on the harbour for our end of year do. The day was perfect – warm without being boiling hot, and not a cloud in the sky. I’ve lived in Sydney all my life and have been on harbour countless times, but I just love it.
With Cheryl and Olah.
Skyline from the back of Sydney.
Being such a tourist.
Captain Cheryl!
Afterwards we set off for dinner at the Gazebo Wine Gardens.
Wearing the awesome tee Beverly gave me – it says “Kiss me, I’m a vegetarian”.
Funky interior.
Cheese to start with.
A huge sausage roll.
Yum!
Salad – an effort to be healthy. I don’t think I actually ate any of it.
Crab pasta with chilli.
My risotto. Very nice!
Pulling faces with Phuongy.
In the lift going to the rooftop bar in the Kings Cross Hotel, site of many adventures in my teens.
My camera died, so I have hardly any pics from the rest of the night, just this one of Sam in the Piano Bar in the Cross. Sadly I missed taking pics of him krumping to Elton John songs.
Gazebo Wine Gardens
2 Elizabeth Bay Road
Elizabeth Bay
(02) 9357 5333
Adriano Zumbo Chocolat Cafe – Revisited!
I took Alec to enjoy the fabulousness that is Adriano Zumbo. We started out buying some savouries at the Pattisier, then wandered down to the Cafe Chocolat to eat and order drinks.
I forgot that the Cafe also has a menu – next time, we will just order there!
Alec’s quiche – Nancy I think.
My potato and rosemary pizza.
Alec’s ice coffee – blended like a frappachino.
The glorious interior. Love the lights.
The menu! I want everything on it.
Paris – La Vie En Rose – rose creme brulee, raspberry sorbet balls, fresh lychees, petit rose macaroons & coconut strawberry tapioca shake
Completely amazingly divine!
Eating is a very serious business
Happy full-of-food face
Nom nom nom.
We love you Adriano, and will see you again soon.
Adriano Zumbo Patissier
296 Darling Street,
Balmain
(02) 9810 7318
Mon – Sat, 8am – 6pm
Sun 8am – 4pm
296 Darling Street,
Balmain
(02) 9810 7318
Mon – Sat, 8am – 6pm
Sun 8am – 4pm
Adriano Zumbo Cafe Chocolat
Shop 5, 308 Darling St
Balmain
(02) 9555 1199
Open 7 days, 7am – 6pm
Mario Brothers Pizza & Pasta, Crows Nest
On a whim, we joined friends for dinner at Mario Brothers Pizza & Pasta at Crows Nest. I’m always willing to try new pizza in the quest to find the perfect slice.
Garlic bread – completely awesome.
My Margarita pizza. Perfectly cooked.
Clan Cooper!
Alec and Daniel shared a super supreme.
I loved that the bases were so crisp. They were much better than the soggy ones we get from our beloved LCC (I’m sorry LCC!). My only criticiscm was the cost – my medium plain cheese pizza was almost $17!
Nomming away.
Red with a good red.
Red with a good red.
Note the matching crazy looks on the faces of Alec and the woman in the picture.
Tired and full of glorious pizza.
Mario Brothers Pizza & Pasta
314 Pacific Highway
Crows Nest
(02) 9966 5551
Adriano Zumbo Patissier & Cafe Chocolat
Searching for the perfect chocolate on a Saturday, we drove down to Balmain to try Adriano Zumbo Patissier and Cafe Chocolat.
Quite simply, I’m in love.
The two stores are located within metres of each other, and both serve glorious things that will make you swoon. Our advice? Visit the patissier first and pick up savories and cakes, then take it to the Cafe Chocolat to sit down and order drinks. The patissier doesn’t actually serve drinks or have tables, so if you do it any other way, you will be in a bit of a mess, like we ended up in.
All of the cakes at the patissier look so amazing we don’t know what to try.
We settle on a Charles de Jour to share, and two quiches ($5.20 each) and a sausage roll to get the savory stuff in before the sugar overload begins.
Back at the cafe, the patient staff have our drinks on hold. We score a large table – and begin the feast.
Old school drinks menu. I had a butterscotch shake. Totally delicious, but not big enough.
Inside – the chocolate.
I took a few home for Alec to try, but the consensus was while they were lovely, the big draw card here is the desserts.
Macaroons – I tried Chocolate Orange, Chocolate and Chocolate Caramel – the Chocolate Caramel was by far the best. I will get it again! ($2 each)
Cute interior at the Cafe Chocolat.
Food – ready for go time!
Lisa’s cherry hot chocolate. It was far too heavy and sweet – it didn’t help that the day was about 30 degrees either!
Happy girls with the nom nom food.
Love the chandelier.
Finally – the Charles de Jour! Tart pate sucree, vanilla ganache, vanilla creme chantilly, vanilla water bursts and vanilla glacage.
One of the most amazing things I have tasted in my life.
For some reason we ordered a chocolate brownie as well ($6). In retrospect we should have ordered something more exotic, but we lost our heads for a few minues.
Leaning tower of chocolate! Nuts, chocolate, mirangue.
Adriano Zumbo Patissier
296 Darling Street,
Balmain
(02) 9810 7318
Mon – Sat, 8am – 6pm
Sun 8am – 4pm
Adriano Zumbo Cafe Chocolat
Shop 5, 308 Darling St
Balmain
(02) 9555 1199
Open 7 days, 7am – 6pm