So much eatiing...

It's been four weeks since the end of my Easter Staycation and the days have just blitzed by. MP and I celebrated the anniversary of our first date, thirteen years ago, with a delicious dinner at Restaurant Arras. We went on April 10th, the day after the Easter long weekend, and found ourselves the only patrons at the sleek and stylish restaurant. Alon, the Maitre d, informed us that it usually costs $10,000 to book out the restaurant. We felt very special.  

Since Justin North shipped his crew up to the new Westfield, Arras moved into the old Becasse site at 204 Clarence Street. MP and I dined at Becasse on New Years Eve 2009, and the meal was spectacular...

Arras was even better.

From start to finish, the meal was an artistic affair. Ten courses of mouth magic delivered through duck liver parfait, flavour punching clam noodles, tuna nicoise with bean puree, juicy scallops (potato and the seafood kind), tender duck, veal cooked to perfection... and the desserts! Oh, the desserts! Even with the petit fours, we were presented with a smorgasbord of peanut brittle, toasted marshmallow on sticks, jellies, chocolates, meringues and more... and we were free to take whatever we wanted! I was so taken aback by the big platter presented to us, that I completely forgot to take a photo. But you can see in the picture above, the small pink and blue platters which housed our final selections. By this stage of the meal, we were both supporting rolly polly bellies and were ready to be tipped over and rolled home, so we were conservative with our pickings.

I haven't even mentioned the wines which complemented each course perfectly. I must say that you really get your money's worth with the wine course. It was a one to one pairing and we even got a cocktail with our H'orderves!

All in all, we had a fantastic meal. The food, the wine, Alon and Ralph (our waiter) made it a very special night for us.


MP and I have been eating out a lot over the past few weeks. Yes, we're enjoying the DINK lifestyle as much as we can, now that we've seen what bubbies do to free time through all our friends who have had recent new additions to their family. Just yesterday, we had lunch at a new cafe which has opened up in Alexandria called "The Grounds". It was only it's fourth opening weekend and was absolutely packed to the brim. We had to wait 45 minutes for a table, but they had a sweet little herb and vegetable garden outside where queuers could grab take away coffees and wait. I enjoyed a rich hot chocolate and MP, a smooth, velvety cappucino, as we sat amongst aromatic oregano, adolescent aubergines... and chooks. Was the wait worth it?

"Yes" for me.
"Not really" for MP.

I'm a sucker for Ginger Beer and this one came in a rustic jar with a sprig of fresh mint. Lunch was chicken schnitzel complemented with home made coleslaw and mint sauce. The chicken was tender and the mint sauce added a unique touch to the coleslaw. MP had the roast beef salad, which was thrown together with pecorino, capers, roasted tomatoes and rocket. We also ordered a side of their hand-cut fries which came with a delicious chilli-mayo. Lunch came to around $45, including a piccolo coffee. Very reasonable in my opinion.

I really liked The Ground, but MP ducted points due to their bad queueing system. They don't take your phone numbers down. Rather, the maitre d writes down your name and a guestimate time of when he thinks he'll have a table ready for you, and tells you to come back at that time. When you come back at that time, there are other people mulling around who have also been told the same time. Then it's all down to the Maitre d's memory on who arrived on time first, as to who gets seated first. It's all a bit messy and can be unfair. For example, we were welcomed to a table first, even though there was another couple who had been told they were next.

The Grounds is a great place to go if you live in the area. The address is 7A, 2 Huntley St, Alexandria. MP thinks that the queues are just because of their "shiny and new" tag, but I think the rustic environment, the fresh food and the reasonable prices, makes The Grounds a keeper.

So yes, we've spent the last few weekends feasting. Other new places we have tried include Kitchen at Mikes (also in Alexandria) and Restaurant Sixteen in Neutral Bay. Both are highly recommended. Eating aside, life has been pottering along nicely. Our Asia Trip is just three weeks away and I very much look forward to seeing all our family and friends. I've been dreaming about all the amazing food we will be gauging on. 20 days and counting!

Easter Break - Day 5

Eek! I blinked and five days went by... can't believe that I'm half way through my Easter break!

I'm currently sitting at the hairdressers, waiting for all the smelly chemicals in my hair to do it's thang. After two years of having wild, kinky hair (and getting away with calling it my "messy look"), I'm bringing back some order into my hair (life?) by getting it chemically straightened. For those of you who know me, you may be thinking "What the heck? You're Asian! You already have straight hair!" Yes, that is true. My hair is relatively straight. But I am gunning for the Head and Shoulders, hair-like-a-waterfall straight. The Salon Selective "look like you stepped out of a salon" hair. This special treatment is meant to give me that after every wash, for three months! I have big expectations for this hair. Fingers crossed.

In other news, lots more tick, tick, ticks (off the Staycation To-Do List) over the last few days. Got the car headlight fixed, booked Tokyo accommodation for our upcoming trip, and finally got all the forms signed and sent off to Anglican Retirement Village. No, we are not sticking our parents in homes.... yet. (hehe Just kidding mum!) MP and I are wanting to start volunteering once a week at the Retirement Home up the road. Just reading to residents and helping out where we can.

I did have a thought this week which I've been mulling over. It's not a great insight, but it is how it is.

When a person doesn't work, they lose power. Power in a relationship. Power to do what they want, when they want, and sadly, power over their subconscious demons. The ones which preys on all our inner insecurities.

Work provides a framework to our sense of self. It forms part of one's identity and for many (me included) it is a quantitative measure of one's self worth.... I HATE that, but I admit that it is true.

I'm not even unemployed (just on a break!) and already I feel it. The loss of power by not being at work. I don't want to go into all the details. But this insight has definitely added another pro to the list of reasons for working.

Ok, Hairdresser has started bantering. Time to go.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Easter Break - Day 2

Four glorious days of annual leave, coupled with the Easter long weekend, means 10 work free, staff free, stress free days of nothing but me! Yes, my long awaited Easter Staycation has finally come. 

Today is Sunday, day two of my break. Yesterday, I went back to the Hills and spent some time with my mum and dad. I love going back to the Hills. It's my safe haven. My rejuvenation sanctuary. My Matrix reset. Whenever I go back, I get reminded of all the things that are important in life. Family. Nature. Me. Have to endeavor to go back more often...

I know people have mixed thoughts about To-Do Lists on holidays, but there's just so much I haven't had a chance to do, I've had to write it all down. Last night, I organised the printing of my wedding thank you cards (yes, six months late but better late than never!) and today, I finished picking out pictures for the wedding album. Tick! Tick! Two things struck off the list.

One of the things I promised myself that I will NOT do, is think about work over the next ten days. So far it's been pretty good... barr the occasional moments when my subconscious though drifts. However, without work consuming the majority of my thoughts, it's surprised me how little I have to do. I've suddenly discovered all these pockets of spare time simply because my mind hasn't been running on work overdrive.

So I've decided to put these pockets of spare time into good use. There are all these things I have always wanted to learn, but I've never had the time to. So I'm picking three simple things, and I'm going to endeavor to do them every day -

1) Draw something - whether it is a masterpiece or a little doodle, I'm going to draw something every day. I was a great drawer as a kid and I loved it. But somewhere along the way, I stopped and now I can barely muster stick figures. I'm going to start again. Whether it be just penning a doodle or tracing a picture, I'm going to pick up a pencil and draw.

2) Practice Wolf Whistling (in the shower) - I've ALWAYS wanted to be able to hail a cab with a whistle! This needs to be practiced in the shower as my attempts have always lead to sprays and showers of spittle.

3) Learn Chinese - My Chinese is really bad and it annoys me that when I go back to Hong Kong, I can't even read a menu. So I'm going to learn one Honkie Menu item every day. MP and I have an Asian holiday planned in May so hopefully, I would have a few dozen dishes up my sleeve by then.

And that's my plan.

We'll see how it goes...