Snapshots 20.08.15

Luna Park

Daytripping – Luna Park fun

 

August so far has seen hot weather hopefulness with trips to the beach, lots of good reads, much picture book love and some delicious Sydney food finds for good measure.

Kids’ books

We are fully aboard the Andy Griffiths train in this house, with the obligatory purchase of the latest Treehouse book (made all the more exciting after meeting Andy at the Sydney’s Writer’s Festival this year!). Here are a couple of great articles post 65-Storey Treehouse release: the importance of humour in kids’ books, and why Andy Griffiths thinks many children’s stories are boring.

Other favourite kids’ reads right now: Lulu by Georgie Donaghey, Lisa absolutely loves art by Sophie Norsa, The Cleo Stories by Libby Gleeson, The Colour Thief by Gabriel Alborozo and Why I love Australia by Bronwyn Bancroft (you can read my review for Buzz Words here).

 

Kids books we love - August

 

Lulu author Georgie (who signed her book for my kids at the recent CYA Conference) sent us a lovely package of Lulu-themed craft and fun things (like chocolate) – the kids were super impressed to receive something in the mail from a real-life author!

 

All things Lulu

 

Other reads

I recently devoured Bejing Tai Tai by Tania McCartney, an expat memoir of the now kids’ author (and brains behind Kids Book Review, one my favourite go-to kids’ book sites) on her expat years in Beijing. I felt swept up in her story as it was so relatable, There were many things that mirrored my own time living in Asia in the late 2000s – everything from maid dramas and navigating expat friendships, to cultural differences and bringing up kids ‘elsewhere’. It’s humourous, warm, insightful – a bit like reading someone’s diary. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of expat or travel non-fiction.

Current reads

I’ve also just read Motherhood and Creativity by Rachel Power, a collection of stories by Australian women who grapple with juggling motherhood with a creative career, whether it be acting, art or writing. It was so interesting to read insights into these women’s lives, especially admired writers like Sally Rippin and Nikki Gemmell. Such a great read for anyone balancing all things kids with a passion pursuit.

Now, I’m reading Emily Bitto’s The Strays (loving so far), with a side detour into YA for uni (Risk by Fleur Ferris and Just_a_Girl by Kristen Krauth – both engaging yet chilling in their own ways).

 

Weekend wanderings // Sydney

Smalltown

 

Daytrips, food loves and fun things of late have included:

+ an exploration of the far northern beaches (winter denial), including a pitstop at a great Avalon cafe, Smalltown (like a slice of the inner-west, transported to beachland)

+ Luna Park on a blue sky day, with a side serve of Americana at Batch burgers in Kirribilli

+ a sushi train restaurant with iPads for ordering (new favourite city sushi)

+ oysters at The Gretz and dinner at Hartsyard (balancing all the ‘heartiness’ – ahem, fried chicken – with their amazing broccoli dish)

 

Wanderlust wishlist

+ this cafe

+ this hotel

+ this restaurant

 

Weekend wanderings: Rosebery + Zetland

Coveting all the kids things at Koskela

Coveting all the kids things at Koskela

Our latest weekend wander was around Sydney’s post-industrial (and still a bit industrial) inner southeast. Rosebery and Zetland (just south of Redfern) are home to some fantastic finds, from off the radar factory outlet stores to cool cafes and furniture designers. In a matter of metres you can shop for discounted Zimmermann clothes, then lunch at the latest outpost of Newtown’s famed Black Star Pastry (everything here is good, but we tried and loved the roast pork banh mi and the brownies – heavenly!).

Rosebery’s Black Star Pastry – bakery heaven

Rosebery’s Black Star Pastry – bakery heaven

There’s more deliciousness on offer in Koskela’s inhouse cafe, Kitchen by Mike, in a huge warehouse conversion right next to Black Star. Koskela itself features an amazing edit of homewares, furniture, books and textiles by talented Australian designers, plus rotating art exhibits. Right now the colourful works of Melbourne artist Miranda Skoczek are brightening Koskela’s immense space (showing ’til 25 May – go!).

Miranda Skoczek’s vibrant paintings at Koskela

Miranda Skoczek’s vibrant paintings at Koskela

There’s also much to love and covet in the kids’ corner at Koskela, from the old school lockers to the wooden toys and colourful cushions. There’s a well-curated selection of picture books, featuring most of the CBCA 2014 shortlist and lots of crafty kid wares.

Koskela’s picture book edit

Koskela’s picture book edit

Venturing to next-door suburb Zetland, we also visited small contemporary art gallery Sullivan + Strumpf to see an exhibition by Japanese artist Hiromi Tango featuring installations bursting with colour – a 3D, abstract reflection of the inner self. It’s also on for a few more weeks and there’s an interesting group exhibition on the second level too, which we lost ourselves in for a while.

One of Hiromi Tango’s captivatingly colourful installations

One of Hiromi Tango’s captivatingly colourful installations

This is but the tip of the Rosebery/Zetland iceberg – definitely an area of Sydney worth unearthing for food, coffee, art and shopping finds, design inspiration and repeat pastry-fests.

Where to wander:

Black Star Pastry: 85-113 Dunning Ave (cnr. Hayes Rd), Rosebery
Koskela/Kitchen by Mike: 1/85 Dunning Ave, Rosebery
Sullivan + Strumpf: 799 Elizabeth St, Zetland
Zimmermann Outlet: 2E Hayes Rd, Rosebery

Destination Mudgee

Botobolar

Botobolar – Australia’s oldest organic vineyards

Botobolar

Botobolar

Logan Wines

Stunning views from Logan Wines

Logan Wines

Tasting at Logan Wines

Over the Christmas break we headed to Mudgee for a few days, figuring the coast in either direction from Sydney would be too crowded. Heading west of the city over the Blue Mountains and beyond, we reached Mudgee and discovered few other tourists around – I’m sure most were at the beach! It meant the wineries were blissfully uncrowded (some empty), the hotel deals abundant, and the vibe very relaxed. The downsides were that a few eateries were closed, and the weather was super hot. Regardless, it was a great three day stay, filled with much eating and drinking, beautiful views and animal spotting for the kids. After experiencing much of what Mudgee has to offer, here’s an edit of the must-dos:

The Wineries

Wineries are Mudgee’s main drawcard, and there are so, so many to visit. Some are clustered together on the main road past the racecourse, but many are sprawled out on the outskirts of town in every direction, with several worth seeking out. Our favourites were:

+ Logan Wines for stunning views from a glass box perched high above the vineyards.

+ Robert Stein for the beautiful setting, the best Shiraz and the most amazing restaurant of our trip, the few months old Pipeclay Pumphouse.

+ Short Sheep Micro-winery for the personal touch provided by the owner couple proud to show us around and explain their wine-making process, as well as the cute breed of short sheep you can feed (especially fun if you have kids in tow).

+ Botobolar for beautiful wine (including some that are preservative-free) at Mudgee’s oldest organic vineyard. We particularly liked this winery’s reds, after first discovering them at Newtown’s Bloodwood.

+ Lowe Wines for the family-friendly feel, with beautifully organised grounds ripe for exploration, complete with farm animals and fruit plantations (the wine was great too!).

Pipeclay Pumphouse

Salmon carpaccio at Pipeclay Pumphouse

 fig mille feuille

Caramelised fig mille feuille with honey marshmallow at Pipeclay Pumphouse

Food + Drink

Like anywhere, there were hits and misses. In a few days we managed to sample quite a lot of Mudgee’s eateries, from cafes to pubs to winery restaurants. We were there just after New Year so a few places that looked and sounded great were closed, like Roth’s Wine Bar, though there were still plenty of places open to choose from. Here’s our pick of the bunch:

Favourite café:

Market Street Café was our favourite breakfast/brunch venue, with nearly everything on the menu sourced in and around Mudgee, from the preserves to the locally raised meat. The ingredients here are of the highest quality and they serve great coffee by Bill’s Beans from nearby Orange.

Pipeclay Pumphouse

Pipeclay Pumphouse at Robert Stein

Entering Pipeclay Pumphouse

Entering Pipeclay Pumphouse

Favourite restaurant:

The afore-mentioned Pipeclay Pumphouse at Robert Stein is the new Mudgee hotspot and by far our favourite experience of the trip. If you venture to Mudgee you MUST eat here! The setting is amazing (another glass box-like structure making the most of the stunning views) perched over a dam, backed by vineyards, backed by rolling green hills. The food is beautifully executed fine dining, with a 3 course menu at $60 and a seven course degustation at $85. It has it all, from genuine, professional service, beautiful Stein’s wines, a stunning setting and decadent, delicious food.

Favourite beer:

There are so, so many pubs in Mudgee, what seems a disproportionate amount for a small town(!), but the best place for beer has to be the Mudgee Brewing Company. The barn-like microbrewery and restaurant is in the middle of town and features a simple menu of typical Oz bar food and live music, along with an extensive array of beers brewed on site. The IPA was a standout, and the Razz Ale my overall pick, a raspberry-infused brew which is not at all sweet or sickly, just oddly refreshing.

The family factor

We travelled to Mudgee with our kids and they managed to find much to enjoy, though the hotel pool was right up there with their favourite things about the trip. Several of the wineries double as farms, so kids can see alpacas, pat sheep or goats or even explore a chicken coop (visit Lowe Wines for that!). Most have extensive grounds so there’s lots of room to run around outside. Many of the wineries also have some kind of ‘kids’ corner’ with colouring books and chalkboards to keep kids entertained. In town, one of the most kid-friendly cafes is Outside the Square, where there are highchairs, kid-sized tables and even colourful crafts for sale similar to what you’d find in an Oxfam or other NGO-run shop. It felt like Mudgee was really welcoming of kids, despite it’s food and wine-focussed adult appeal.

Where to stay

We stayed at Parklands Resort & Conference Centre, which I highly recommend. We got a great last minute deal so stayed for less than half the usual rate – so do that if you can! It’s located across from the racecourse on sprawling grounds on the edge of town, and is just at the start of the main road to the wineries. It has an oversized indoor pool (which was a godsend on one 42 degree day!) along with a Jacuzzi and sauna, and the rooms are really spacious. Ours had a double bed, a single bed and a foldout couch that could sleep two, so it was great for our family of four but could have really comfortably slept five! For a boutique hotel option if sans-kids, De Russie Suites looks gorgeous.

{Cafe crush} Anonymous Cafe, Blackheath

Anonymous Cafe

Anon cafe_interior

Anon Cafe Ploughmans

The Blue Mountains offers many a cafe option for travellers heading west of Sydney and back, but Anonymous Cafe in Blackheath is a standout. Not only does it brew a mean cup of Campos and offer a range of unique herbal teas (like Green Mango) from T Totaller, but features an enticing menu using much locally-sourced produce.

The Ploughman’s Lunch is no ordinary version – it comes laden with ‘real’ ham as well as prosciutto, a hard, soft and blue cheese, delicious homemade herb bread, figs, relish and salad, all vibrant and artisanal and all-round awesome. I would never normally order this dish (placing it firmly in the yawn category), but am now a convert. Also delicious – the baguette with roast pork, crackling and Vietnamese herbs and salad. Anonymous bypasses touristville and serves up food on par (or better) than many urban offerings. So happy to have a new go-to place for future Blue Mountains sojourns!

Anonymous Cafe, 237-238 Great Western Highway, Blackheath, NSW

Anonymous Cafe on Urbanspoon

{Sydney} Weekend wanderings 10.11.13

Armchair Collective

Image credit: Armchair Collective

Sydney weekends mean wandering to me – from exploring new places in our ‘hood to venturing far and wide, often in search of good eats. Here’s a little round-up of some food, finds and fun from recent weeks, which will hopefully inspire you to set out and explore your city.

The last few weekends have been a blur of kids parties (sooo many kids parties), beach walks and cafe hits and misses. We recently ventured to the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Month’s night noodle markets in the city (twice) and now have a full blown Mamak crush (best roti this side of KL). We’ve dragged our kids out for Mexican, Vietnamese, and too many places for babycinos.

Armchair Collective

Image credit: Armchair Collective

One of my favourite cafe jaunts has been to Armchair Collective in Mona Vale. We were in the area anyway for a birthday so took a beach detour afterwards. The cafe looks kind of 70s from the outside, but inside is like a colourful beach shack. It’s a combined cafe and homewares store, and I fell a little bit in love with the ikat cushions, Moroccan ceramics and hippy luxe by the beach vibe of it all. The menu offers a great mix of typical cafe fare, not particularly experimental but hearty, wholesome and with high quality ingredients. The salad of beetroot, pumpkin, spinach and quinoa with goats cheese was light on the quinoa, but vegetable heavy and featured a tangy dressing – virtuous and delicious. There’s also a great BRT (with rocket substituting lettuce). If you’re stopping by for a post-beach takeaway Single Origin, you can also pick up a bunch of hydrangeas to go from the onsite florist, which adds to Armchair’s already colourful and inspiring aesthetics. And yes, the beach is a short walk away at the end of the street, so it’s an excursion-worthy combo.

On last weekend’s agenda: a school fete where I scored big time at the book stall (a wine box worth of books for the grand total of $15, including four cookbooks, some kids books, travel anthologies and novels, including one by my favourite travel writer, Pico Iyer. Score!), and a girls’ night to Icebergs Dining Room and Bar in Bondi with two of my food loving friends. Sipping cocktails on the glass-panelled balcony perched over the iconic Icebergs pool and a sprawl of surfer-studded ocean was not a bad way to kick off a Saturday evening. Dinner was a fishy affair, with shared oysters, school prawns and crab, with cod and delicious sides including my favourite, the lemon drenched kale. Icebergs had a kind of special occasion, date night vibe, but was nevertheless a beautiful setting for a catchup.

As for this weekend – we made a round two visit to Chi and Co. and it was just as good, if not better, as we had an extra person this time hence more dishes! If you go, the XO pork belly is a decadent, spicy, rich must-have. We also gorged on cannolis, jam doughnuts and lemon tarts at the Italian sweet-fest Pasticceria Tamborrino in Five Dock (they have everything from arancini to gelato, and all the cakes, biscuits and Italian desserty things you can think of – heaven).

How do you like to spend your weekends? And how was yours?

Cafe crush: Kita Coffee House


Kita Coffee House seems to fly under the radar a bit when it comes to Saigon’s western-style cafes. Others like Au Parc, Juice and La Fenetre Soleil are justifiably popular and you always see them mentioned in local mags and guidebooks, but Kita’s – not so much (it is fairly new though). It serves really great, healthy sandwiches and salads (especially yum – the goat cheese and roast red pepper salad on brown baguette), a deli counter for takeaway gourmet goods, and excellent Lavazza coffee at slightly cheaper prices than the norm (30,000 dong for a cappuccino or latte – a bit less than US$2). I really like the decor too – it’s fresh, contemporary, bright (yellow/white/browns) and tiny. I’m obsessed with tiny places at the moment – I guess it’s the cute and cosy factor, which Kita’s has in droves. New favourite!

[Update: as of February 2010, Kita can no longer be described as tiny! It underwent extensive renovations that transformed the decor from contemporary to Parisian, plus the ground floor was expanded and two more floors were added!! While it’s no longer a cosy bolthole, it remains one of my favourites, retaining the same great menu with new additions. And the coffee’s still the best!]

Kita Coffee House, 39 Nguyen Hue, D1, Saigon

Cafe crush: La Fenetre Soleil

I was just in Saigon for a few days and spent much time checking out the cafes. One of my favourites was La Fenetre Soleil – not as much for the food (there’s not too much to choose from apart from fried snacks and some desserts) but its eclectic Parisian style décor. With wooden floorboards, exposed brick walls, a super high ceiling and massive French glass doors, the space is dramatic in scale with a grungy European feel. Mismatched vintage furniture, a crystal chandelier and a massive vase of birds of paradise complete the look.

La Fenetre Soleil’s drinks menu is a drawcard – the spicy ginger juice is delicious and there’s a selection of teas made with fresh ingredients (like mint and lemongrass). Despite its dingy stairway entrance (though it kind of adds to the charm) I wish La Fenetre Soleil was my own apartment!

La Fenetre Soleil, 2nd Floor, 135 Le Thanh Ton, D1, Saigon