To stimulate the senses…

And to continue with the photography theme, here are some photos of my travels through south-east Queensland…

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Homemade dinners without the two-minute noodles

Sorry to disappoint but there are only two photos in this post today and they’re of food. One of them doesn’t look particularly appetising but they were both delicious. Trust me. The ramen was a bit too salty though.

These photos are my kitchen experiments and I haven’t burned the house down yet so this is a bit of celebratory post!

I wouldn’t call it a “movable feast” but they were my very own creations with a little help from an Italian man named Enzo (he’s at the Jan Power’s Farmers Markets in Brisbane’s CBD on Wednesday selling fresh pasta).

Monday 9, 2012

Angel hair pasta with napolitano sauce (made from scratch! she says proudly).

Tuesday 10, 2012

Vegetarian ramen (mushrooms and carrots)

Hometown Glory

On Tuesday, I will be leaving my hometown to start a new and exciting adventure. But before I pack up my belongings (read: mostly clothes) I have decided to pay homage to the city that has seen me grow up. In my 22 years, I’ve seen it expand and evolve into the city it is now. It may not be much – and I must admit it has its flaws – but as I’ve said before and as Dorothy has said before me: “There’s no place like home.”

To pay tribute to one truly incredible city that has blessed me with family, friends and memorable moments, I thought I would share some of my iPhonegraphy with you. So without further ado – unedited and not photoshopped – here is my homage to Brisbane…in pictures.

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Off the beaten track…

Depending on where you live in the world, some would consider where I live a metropolitan city but others would consider it a small town. But to me it is home and as Judy Garland famously quoted as Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz as she tapped her ruby slippers together: “There’s no place like home.”

This weekend I packed one duffel bag, one backpack, my handbag and my camera, and headed off to Bundorah – a property just 20 minutes south of Tenterfield in New South Wales, Australia. The property is owned by a very hard-working, self-made couple who used to be Australia’s largest stone fruit growers. It is located in the mountainous regions of the New England area near Bald Rock National Park.

To be honest when I was invited to come on what essentially was a hunting trip, I was sceptical whether or not I would enjoy spending my Easter weekend in the middle of nowhere. But as soon as I crossed the NSW border into the small town I knew I would never get sick of being somewhere so beautiful and untouched. And when I saw the house (a mansion would be a better description) and its views I fell in love.

Bundorah is indescribably breath-taking. The owners have really made the house an ultimate home away from home. Everything about the living space just screams comfort and relaxation. Every morning I woke up I looked out of the glass doors of my room and saw the rolling hills of green pastures dotted with cows and the clouds forming shadows on the grass because we were so high up. It was just such a relief and stress-free to be somewhere quiet and so secluded and different to my own little world. For the first time in a long time, I can safely say I was truly at peace.

The small mountain we conquered on the second day…

And its views…

During the day, I would go walking and hiking with the boys while they hunted for pests and such – I even learnt how to shoot a gun at a paper target this weekend. It made me feel as if I had achieved something, like I had gained an extra skill in life. After this weekend, I feel as if I have a better understanding of why hunters do what they do because I’ve seen it from the other side. As one of the hunting party said some people think that hunters are rednecks who get a kick out of shooting anything and everything, but that just isn’t the case. If you go out with people who understand and comprehend the dangers of misusing guns and are there to look after the land – it’s flora and fauna – then you’re in good hands. I’m not saying that Australia should go nuts but there are many different reasons – good and bad – why there are hunters out there, and you shouldn’t form an opinion until you hear and see where they are coming from.

When dinner rolled around we were spoiled with an array of gourmet comfort foods. On the first night, one of our hosts whipped up spinach and ricotta ravioli with a creamy bacon sauce, and a desiccated coconut and apricot baked pudding thing (very technical I know). For next night’s dinner, she cooked steak with mushroom gravy; a baked pumpkin, spinach and hazelnut salad with a sour cream and paprika dressing; and baked potatoes. It was safe to say our stomachs were deeply satisfied.

At night, Bundorah becomes an outdoor planetarium. When you plonk yourself down on the front lawn of the house and look up, your gaze is met with millions of stars and some planets in between. The full moon bathes the entire countryside with enough light for you to see the mountains and the dead patches of grass where the blady grass has been killed off.

I’ve also learnt that farming is a seven-days-a-week kind of job. When I was there the owners were constantly unseen during the day because they were out in different areas of the property dealing with a task, which would directly relate to the smooth running of their business. I have such deep respect for their hard-working attitude and when I heard the story of how one half of the couple, I2, earned money to pay for his wedding and his first house I respected them even more.

I2 would mine tin after he knocked off from his full-time day job so he could pay for his wedding and his first house. He would mine tin until his nails were filed down almost to the cuticle because of the constant digging in the dry river beds to get to the tin. With this money, he was able to pay for his wedding to his wife, S, and had his home built in a week. His story gives a whole new meaning to the term “hard-working”. Hearing his story made me realise how lucky I have it and I should quit my bitchin’ about how hard my life is. I really have the deepest respect for I2 and S. They are some of the most hard-working people I have met and deserve all the good fortune that comes their way.

Post-New York blues

*DISCLAIMER: This was meant to be posted months ago. It was written on January 30 – a few weeks after I had left New York City.*

A moment of sadness hit me as I was walking down the streets of the Upper West Side.

There I was on West 69th and Central Park West when I realised it was my last day in Manhattan for a while.

As I stopped and stood still to take in the sights around me…

I couldn’t help but feel unmistakable joy. I’d just had the most incredible three weeks of my life and I was leaving New York with no regrets. Just regretting I hadn’t spent more time appreciating the city I love so much. There was so much more to see and so much more to do. I was yet to have my ultimate New York moment – one that was fit for the movies.

On my last few days there, I stayed in a West Village apartment, overlooking a church, and immersed myself in living in an apartment that had no elevators (but a billion flights of stairs), central heating I had no control over (but was always so warm to the point of stuffiness sometimes), and a shower that had next to no water pressure (but the apartments in the far distance probably had a good view of me starkers thanks to the lack of blinds on the windows). The place had its charms obviously, but the pros far outweighed the cons. It was located near a pizza place, a bagels bakery, a cupcake bakery, a taqueria, a gelato shop and a bar. And this was all on the same street – I kid you not.

Being a folk of the younger persuasion, I had the bars on Bleecker Street near NYU literally a solid jump from my door step. The idea of getting crunk in a bar with a bunch of nice random people and then walking (read: stumbling) back home in my very sensible heels, but stopping for the traditional drunk food on the way back, appealed to me. Unfortunately, sometimes the cold, cold nights would get to me, and I would opt to curl up at home and watch the Golden Globes. For those out there who are telling me to suck it up, I am currently sitting in 26 degrees Celsius, 83 per cent humidity heat. It’s like being back in that apartment again – uncomfortably stuffy – and it is what I am used to going out in.

But I am here to wrap up my US trip. In the final countdown, we took a day trip to Washington D.C., which was eerily quiet in some places because it was a really rainy day. It was so wet in fact that on the drive back we had difficulty seeing the road markings because it was dark and they are not massive fans of cat’s eyes in those quieter parts of the highway…or lights come to think of it.

We crossed three state lines to arrive at our destination, where we were pleasantly surprised. Much like my capital at home, nobody really expects Washington D.C. to have anything of incredible interest other than those tourism sites, and they’re only of interest to tourists.

Strangely, Washington is a lot like home for me. It’s a mix of old architecture with some new thrown in because the infrastructure was needed. But lining the residential streets of the home of the White House and Capitol Hill are these lovely houses (some of these photos were taken from a moving vehicle)…

But I wasn’t in Washington to see the architecture, I was here to see a former president:

Mr President: The Lincoln Memorial

And hopeful for a glance of another…

The White House…obviously.

Capitol Hill

But unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. So we packed ourselves back into our rental Crown Victoria and returned to the Big Apple.

Over the next few days after this day trip, I did all the things I wanted to do but W didn’t. He had left me for Detroit and I was left to my own devices. This is a sample of what I did…

Tea & Sympathy: There’s this charming little tea room on Greenwich Avenue (between Jane Street and Horatio Street). It serves tea in mismatched teapots and teacups, which is incredibly adorable. And the scones are served up with jam and clotted cream. YUM!

Mexican Radio: We stumbled across this restaurant (Cleveland Street between Kenmare Street & Spring Street), which resides a few doors down from Eileen’s Special Cheesecake (THE BEST CHEESECAKE I HAVE EVER HAD). It had some very delicious food and the decor had a very Mexican-esque feel to it. Tip: salsa and corn chips are a must here!

See, eat, love…

Before I get into my long-awaited visit to New Jersey, which I’m sure you’re all eager to hear about, let me tell you about a little place called Rockefeller Centre (located on 51st Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue). Without any reservations, I can tell you that THE BEST VIEW of New York City, without a doubt, is from the Top of the Rock. It is so much better than the one from the Empire State Building for the following reasons:

a) There are less people;

b) It is better to take photos because there are no grate fencing obstructions; and

c) The Empire State Building is part of the view.

Here are a few sample photos:

And for the Gregory Peck fans out there, I was making my way up to the top and had to pass by a timeline exhibit outlining the history of Rockefeller Centre, and I saw the following:

Personally, I think it was really cool.

The next stop was New Jersey. I can hear many of you asking: “Why New Jersey?” And it’s because of this…

The Hoboken Terminal is located on the Hudson River, opposite Manhattan.

And this…

The view of Manhattan from Jersey City.

And this…

The Empire State Building from Jersey City.

It was also an excellent location to hop on a ferry to Liberty Island, where the Statue of Liberty is located. The trip to Liberty Island bypasses Ellis Island, which was home to the United States’s immigration processing centre. It is now part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, and a museum dedicated to its immigration history is the main attraction on the island.

The exterior of the ferry terminal in Jersey City.

The inside of the ferry terminal. There are numbered train tracks in the terminal - it obviously used to be a train station.

The Statue of Liberty

We had made a booking to have lunch at Serendipity3 (located on 60th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue) – the restaurant where John Cusack’s character and Kate Beckinsale’s character have their romantic pow-wow at in the film, Serendipity – but we missed the booking. Luckily we were able to reschedule for 5:30pm. And when we tried the food there, we were grateful for the time slot’s availability.

The decor at Serendipity3 is bric-a-brac/antique store meets Grandma’s house. It has this really homey, let’s-curl-up-in-front-of-the-fire kind of vibe going on. It has old light shades hanging over the tables and chairs that have a European cafe style to them. To go with this inviting atmosphere is a delectable menu.

Eating food at Serendipity3 is a religious experience. I ordered the Country Meatloaf on the recommendation of my lovely waiter (we tipped him well). What came out was so much better than I had expected. The meatloaf was tender and cooked just right – not too rare and not too well done – like Goldilock’s third bowl of porridge. It wasn’t even dry. This homecooked meal was accompanied with delightful mashed potato, which was crunchy on the outside, mushrooms and a gorgeous gravy – one that any meat eater could appreciate. I could have drank that gravy straight – that’s how delicious it was.

Mouth orgasm: meatloaf with mashed potatoes, mushrooms and gravy

W ordered the Spiced Chicken Flambe and it equalled the meatloaf in taste.

What was even more impressive than the dinner menu were the desserts. There are no words to describe how decadent they were – it is something that must be experienced.

The sundae special for the day

As are the drinks…

The famous Frrrozen Hot Chocolate

Sit there and let your mouth water…until next time!

New York City in pictures: Part Three (or the Upper West Side)

*DISCLAIMER: This is Part Three because I’m trying to establish some sort of chronological order. I didn’t write down what I had done after each day, and I’m trying to remember what happened during the week as I go. I was halfway through this post and realised this came later in the week…but happy reading all the same.*

A certain restaurant in the Upper West Side has had many famous diners come through its door, including US president Barack Obama and 2008 Republican presidential hopeful John McCain. But it is most famous for being the exterior of Monk’s Cafe in the NBC series, Seinfeld.

Though Tom’s Restaurant’s (located on Broadway and 112th Street) interior does not resemble in any way the inside of the cafe that put it on the map, it has the atmosphere of being at home. I’m not sure whether it is because of the extremely familiar and friendly wait staff, or if its the little old man sitting behind the cashier counter who reminds you of your grandfather. It might even be the delicious plates of home-cooked food that make it to your table as you catch a whiff of what’s coming out of the kitchen’s doors.

With the walls of Seinfeld memorabilia looking on, I feasted on a Reuben rye sandwich (homemade corned beef, sauerkraut and melted cheese), served up with a bowl of New York clam chowder and a root beer, while W had the pleasure of enjoying a cherry vanilla milkshake and a banana split.

Tom's Restaurant: It is often frequented by students of nearby Columbia University.

The Reuben: The best corned beef I have ever tasted.

Riverside Park: Definitely a park I would gladly take my hypothetical dog for a walk in and/or possibly go for a run in, if I was so inclined. Even in winter when the trees have lost their leaves and the park’s ground is covered with this dry brown foliage that you just have the urge to jump in to hear the crunch under your boots, it’s one of those places you’d find a bench to just sit to hear your own thoughts. It’s a place for reflection.

Tina Fey's character in 30 Rock, Liz Lemon, lives on Riverside Drive, where this park is located.

The Dakota: This is the apartment building the late John Lennon, former Beatle, lived and where he was shot in 1980. It is located on West 72nd Street and Central Park West. Lennon’s wife, Yoko Ono, still lives there. Across the road in Central Park is the memorial dedicated to Lennon called Strawberry Fields, named after The Beatles song. The memorial was opened on October 9, 1985 by Ono and then New York City mayor Ed Koch. This date would have been Lennon’s 45th birthday.

The next post will be Part Two!