Weeknight Dining - Even Newer Neutral Bay Restaurants

If you've been reading your posts my darling Fisherman you should know by now that Neutral Bay has a few swanky new restaurants that you still haven't taken me to ;)

Reading this week's SMH's Good Living I was more excited than a foodie in Fratelli when I found out that the Rocks restaurant Pony is coming to Neutral Bay! Opening Thursday 2nd December is a smaller, more intimate version of Pony the Rocks. Pony Neutral Bay will have 50 seats and follow the same style of menu as Pony in the Rocks - small plates of tasty morsels to share, or just in case you feel like you could eat a...Pony (sorry but I just couldn't resist) there will be larger, more substantial dishes too.

Take me to Pony on a Friday or Saturday night - either just the two of us or with friends.

Oh and a final note before I trot off - early next year they'll be a new little 'gastro bar'  - no I didn't make that term up and no it doesn't have anything to do with gastritis - called White Hart open next door to Pony Neutral Bay. A little bit like Small Bar in Crows Nest it'll be fab for a casual bar meal or maybe even a pre-dinner drink before dining at Pony.

Looking forward to some great gastronomic nights out.

xx

Brilliant Blooms - Anniversary Flowers

You know very well that when I want something, subtly is not a tactic that I employ :)

Not one to act out of character, here are some tips on in season flowers that would make we one happy girl on our anniversary. I'll repeat that last part just in case you missed it...on our anniversary!

Peonies - my favourite! It just so happens that peonies are in season in November! Often called Peony Rose they're not actually related to roses. They're fabulous just on their own with some really wrapping - maybe just a piece of string tied around the base. My favourite colours are pink and white (no surprises there!). Come to think of it I haven't seen them in any other colours - maybe you can surprise me!

Orchids - Exotic and beautiful. The Phalaenopsis Orchid variety is in season in Spring. I really like the all white ones and then the white with pink centres (pink and white again - at least I'm consistent!). Team them with roses or another exotic combination. Again simple wrapping lets the flowers show through - think natural browns or greens or the wrapping that I'm a little in love with at the moment - black.

Hydrangeas - ask me if I liked Hydrangeas a few years ago and I would have screwed up my nose. As I do get a little more mature (in my taste that is) I believe that done well, Hydrangeas can be beautiful. In hues of purple and blue try combining these with cream roses or even magnolias with their green and brown leaves. Apart from looking beautiful, there's another reason why Hydrangeas are close to my heart - they remind me of my Grandmother, who's house in Toukley used to be alive with colour every Spring/Summer with Hydrangeous. She died the day of our anniversary so it would be a lovely way to celebrate her life as well.


So, now that you have the flowers, you'll need to get them from somewhere. There is one stand out florist that I love (and all of the pictures in this post are of her work). Saskia Havekes at Grandiflora is stunningly talented. Her flower arrangements are out of this world and are in a class of their own. Her Potts Point store is worth visiting just to look but it would be a shame if you didn't buy a sample of her artistic creations ;)

Here are the details:
Grandiflora
1/12 Macleay St
Potts Point, Australia, 2011
Phone: +61 (02) 9357 7902
Mon - Fri: 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Sat: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm

For a florist a little closer to home Indulge Florist in Lane Cove is lovely. They have a fabulous collection of in season flowers and they wrap beautifully.

Given that the above two options may set you back your monthly salary (kidding!), I thought that I throw one other option in the mix. Since you are an early bird, why don't you pick up the freshest flowers in town at the Sydney Markets. It's advisable to get there before 8am to get the good stuff. Having never woken up that early myself ;) I'm not sure if they wrap. If not, the lovely Lex will be able to help you out!

 xx

All images courtesy of the Grandiflora website and is the work of Saskia Havekes. The amazing shots were photographed by Gary Heery. Saskia Havekes Book Grandiflora Arrangements is available from Penguin Books.

Week Night Dining - New Neutral Bay Restaurants

The 'silly season' is upon us - as you know I already triple-booked us for Saturday night's frivolities. Hopefully though, we're still going to find a little bit of time to ourselves.

As is the trend in these posts, I've found the perfect places for you to take me :)

This time it's a weeknight date just around the corner in Neutral Bay.

Neutral Bay has been a little stagnant in terms of funky dining & bar options since Firefly opened it's doors in 2008. Thankfully, just recently there's been a couple of new additions to the Neutral Bay dining scene that are ideal for a mid-week date for you and me!

Here are 2 new Neutral Bay restaurants that I really want to try (pretty please!):

Neutral Bay Bar and Dining - it's more on the pricey side but it's well worth it. Neutral Bay Bar and Dining is the brainchild of the same team as the fabulous Glebe Point Diner (another one I will need to blog about for you) but it's on our side of the bridge! Love that! The food, put together by sous chef RJ Lines, is modern but hearty (yes that means that you might not have room to finish half mine too). Take me here on a Thursday or Friday night...

Garden Brasserie Neutral Bay - just like our imminent Glamping experience at Paperbark Camp is my compromise to your request to get close to nature, Garden Brasserie is my answer to alfresco dining sans mosquitos! Roll your eyes all you want but the living garden wall is sure to win you over (you'll never ever know you're inside) and then the food and drinks will seal the deal. Garden Brasserie is slightly more casual (and a little cheaper) than Neutral Bay Bar and Dining. There are the cutest little white cast iron garden chairs and tables in the front section (I know you're thinking 'what do I care?' but just know that it makes me happy) and then there's a Treehouse Cocktail Bar for a more grown-up treehouse experience. I believe there's a mid-week special on at the moment so I'd love to go here Mon-Wed with just you or with friends...

xx

Photos courtesy of Garden Brasserie website and bestrestaurants.com.au

Romantic Weekend Getaways - Scone, Upper Hunter Valley NSW

After our not-so-perfect weekend away in the Hunter Valley over the October long weekend, I've decided to get a little more thorough in my accommodation research and trust only those places with exceptional validated reviews!

In the October issue of Country Style (yes I am old before my time!) I was reading about a fabulous little place in Scone, in the Upper Hunter Valley. Whilst Scone is located about an hour and a half from Pokolbin (arguably the heart of the Hunter Valley), its slower pace and focus on fresh local produce makes it a welcome reprieve from the other, increasingly over-run, parts of the Hunter.

Canter, is an Upper Hunter Valley restaurant that now offers boutique accommodation. What first caught my eye is the sentence is on the accommodation page that says "Canter Home is quite a change from the paper-thin walls and late night circus ambience of the typical high design establishment." After being able to hear every little peep from the place next door at Mount View this is music to my ears (pardon the pun).

The accommodation is styled to perfection (note the crisp white linen that is a prerequisite at any place that we stay). The owners used to run a homewares store on the Northern Beaches before making the move to Scone.

My love of good food is also satiated with numerous dining options in the restaurant or in our studio at times that are flexible (love that). Food is sourced locally where possible and the kitchen is headed up by Angela McMurray - don't worry all you have to know is that she has an impressive CV and some crazy culinary skills.



If we stay after Feb, we'll both be able to bring our bikes (trust me my bike is going to be worth the wait) and explore the country surrounds. Given that Scone is the horse capital of NSW, it would be almost unforgivable if we didn't go horse-riding. Let's visit the local grocer "From Paddock to Pantry" and pack a picnic to take with us.

I know. You're reading all of this and thinking "Great. How much is this going to cost me!?". Well I have some very pleasant news for you. Canter Home is exceptionally good value in what can be an often over-priced Hunter Valley accommodation market. Rates start from $165 per night.

So there you have it. Get your canter on and book sometime soon!

xx

Images courtesy of the Canter Restaurant website.

My Favourite Sydney Breakfast Spots

It seems like a lifetime ago that staying for breakfast was such a milestone. After hundreds of bleary eyed mornings together there's still nothing that compares to starting my day off with you.

I have a confession to make. As I'm writing this I'm enjoying a breakfast cooked for me by another man. His name's Bill. Bill Granger to be precise. His ricotta hotcakes are so good that he has countless women lining up to have breakfast with him.

Before you throw my clothes off the balcony let me explain. Bill Granger is one of those fabulous chef people that I yabber on about. He has three cafes in Sydney and while dining at bills is fab anytime, breakfast is my favourite. Wait just a sec my hotcakes have arrived. I'll be right back.

Words just don't do justice to the perfection on a plate that has pulled me out of my mortal realm and into foodie heaven. Fluffy hotcakes that flawlessly balance sweet and savoury, laid carefully on a bed of ripe banana and crowned with the most divine honeycomb butter you've ever tasted. Then to top it off you drown it all in warm maple syrup. 

For you, there are the sweet corn fritters with roast tomato, spinach and bacon. Let's share a freshly squeezed OJ or indulge in a Sunrise.

Top it all off with a Single Origin Roasters coffee and you can guarantee I'll be in a great mood for the rest of the day.

So that we can mix it up, there are 3 bills locations - Surry Hills, Woollahra and Darlo. Yes they're all over the bridge but trust me they're worth clearing customs for ;)

Now, thinking practically, even I won't be able to go to Bills every weekend, so here are my other top places to eat breakfast:

1. Burnt Orange Mosman - Oh and if you allow me some time to potter in the gift shop I'll do the walk to Balmoral with you :)
2. Ripples Chowder Bay - in the summer pack your swimmers and let's go for a swim at Clifton Gardens.
3. Firefly - Lane Cove, Neutral Bay, or let's give the one at Walsh Bay a go.
4. Dank St Depot Waterloo- bio-dynamic eggs sourced from the Hunter scrambled my way - with cream and butter! 
5. Public Dining Room Balmoral - let's walk from Chowder Bay and cool off with a swim after breakfast.
   
6. Jonah's Whale Beach - I count our breakfast here after we stayed the night as one of the best experiences ever! Can we do it again? Pretty please!

See you at the breakfast table!

xx

Photos courtesy of bills.

Glamping - Luxury Camping is the Perfect Holiday Compromise

I know how much you love camping. You know how much I hate it. Don't worry though, I've found the perfect compromise! "Glamping"

I can see you screwing up your nose at the prissy sounding name but before you cast judgement hear me out.

Glamping is a fancy name for, well, camping that's a little fancy. A flurry of boutique hoteliers have met the needs of couples with disconnected holiday desires by creating accommodation that combines the 'close-to-nature' aspect of camping with the luxury, glamour and convenience of a boutique hotel.

It's an amazing coincidence that I've stumbled across an amazing Glamping experience just in time for our anniversary!

Paperbark Camp Jervis Bay is a beautiful eco-friendly luxury camp that's located just a couple of hours from Sydney. It has a choice of two different 'tents' - Deluxe and Original (guess which one I would like you to book) that feature big comfortable beds, indoor/outdoor ensuites (with piping hot water & luxury toiletries), hard wood floors and wrap around verandahs, solar powered lighting and full insect protection. They're also elevated above the ground to deter unwanted midnight visitors from slithering into our tent!

You can leave the portable stove at home because there's a fabulous restaurant on site. Set amongst the treetops, diners can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner alfresco in summer and in winter inside next to the roaring fire. Make sure you book before we go as I've heard they can be fully booked months ahead.

Located in the beautiful Booderee National Park there's plenty to keep us entertained during the day. Included in the room price is bike and canoe hire. We'll be able to explore the countless tracks and waterways and hopefully stumble across a beautiful spot to enjoy the summer weather!

Don't forget to pack your swimmers as there are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world! Let's go snorkelling at Green Patch and swim at Hyams Beach.

To ensure that we have ample energy for all our activities, why don't you organise a gourmet picnic hamper from the Gunyah Restaurant?



On the drive down from Sydney I suggest that we stop in either Kiama or Gerringong to stretch our legs and grab a bite to eat.

Hopefully this is enough info for you to organise an amazing anniversary weekend!

xx

Darling why can't you be more romantic?

I know. You've heard it a thousand times. "Darling, why can't you be more romantic?". Your reply is always the same, "I just don't know where to take you".

Well my darling, there's no more excuses. I'll make it real simple. From this post forward I promise to divulge all of the places to go and things to do that will cast a line straight to my heart. Who knows - it could just land you the catch of a lifetime.

xx