Virgin Australia – the Business Class Experience

Before Arabella and I flew to New York a friend asked me what airline we were flying.  I told him we’d booked with Virgin Australia and that I was hoping it would be okay as I’d never flown internationally with Virgin.  He said, ‘Virgin!  You’re lucky.  You’ll have a great flight.  I know the airline […]

The Basin, Pittwater

We’re having a very hot summer and it’s also school holidays.  A few days ago there was a night where the temperature didn’t dip below 33C (92F).  In my non-air-conditioned house with no ceiling fans I barely had a wink of sleep.  I woke feeling drained and exhausted and knowing I couldn’t bare to hang […]

Boysenberry and Mascarpone Trifle

A trifle is an English dessert and in the 1970’s they were so ghastly they quickly went out of vogue.  But the humble trifle is making a comeback and it’s a lot more sophisticated.  Gone is the bought sponge chock full of preservatives, the custard out of a carton, the bilious green jelly, the tinned […]

Christmas Cake with Snowflakes

I didn’t start making my Christmas cakes until the beginning of December which is a little late but now that the fruit and nuts have soaked in brandy and citrus juice, the cakes have been baked and then finally iced and decorated, I feel I have caught up with the season. A few years ago […]

Alive and Well

Yes, it’s been a while. I’ve now finished uni for the year and it’s a great feeling.  I’m getting back into the routine I used to enjoy and it’s so good to have less pressure and more time. I found the last semester fairly demanding as it involved five subjects and two different campuses and […]

Sheraton Grand Mirage, Gold Coast

During the recent school holidays we had an opportunity for a quick mini-break on the Gold Coast.  My brother-in-law who lives in Los Angeles had to fly to the Gold Coast for a business trip.  As he was coming out with his family, we all decided to join him – but not for the business […]

Pappardelle with Porcini Mushrooms

Semester 1 of my degree is now behind me.  Just another five to go!  It ended with five exams then three weeks of clinical experience.  I finished my final exam at 4pm on a Friday and 6.45am Monday morning I was in the lock-up dementia unit of an aged care facility where I spent the […]

Vivid, Taronga Zoo

I’m a little late with my post as Vivid has now packed up and left town for another year, but this was such a lovely night out, I’ve decided better late than never. The reason for my tardiness is that for the last few weeks I have been working in an aged-care facility caring for […]

Salt Grill, Surfers Paradise

For years I’ve been visiting the Gold Coast and sadly, always come away disappointed with its food scene.  Time and time again we’ve had disastrous dining experiences with over-priced and dated food served on paprika dusted plates.  But the times they are a-changing. Having just returned from a recent trip to Surfers Paradise, excitingly, along […]

Peppers Soul, Surfers Paradise

Last month Drew had to attend a conference on the Gold Coast.  He would be away for two nights and rather than sit at home staring at the amount of overdue domestic duties, I decided to join him.  Not for the conference, but for the two nights of R&R in a resort at Surfers Paradise. […]