Kindly Yours

Shadows continually cast by some dissipate in the timely light beamed by unexpected special hearts of friendship; such is the wonder of the human experience, and the fortune to know such happiness. Joseph and I were waiting for our claypot dishes on a pavement table outside a small eatery in Eastwood in north-west of the greater Sydney area. At a neighbouring table, the teapot was sliding down on what was obviously an uneven bricked floor. The distinguished looking lady at that table was undecided on what to have for this Saturday lunchtime and was discussing the board menu with her nephew. I could not help intrejecting to them that the menu they were planning for was only valid between 2 and 5pm. It was 1230pm. We next introduced ourselves; Paik Ling was the Principal of a well known girls school before she retired and with her nephew, Michael, they had come for an easy outdoor al fresco eat out on a sunny May day in a suburb not far from theirs. Both of them were interesting to chat ...

I ordered the lamb focaccia at the Cacao Cafe. It was appetising, especially on a cool autumn day with swirling wind, changing overcast and blue sky and with rain ever threatening to arrive. After driving from Rockdale to Newport, we were definitely hungry for a late lunch. The beach side resort was more quiet than I recalled, but then the last time I was there was on a summer's day. Now the cafes stood lonely and reminded me of a small village in New Zealand. I was tempted with the ice cream counter but decided against it. Sean and I went to feast our eyes on the open ocean, where the foam of white had cuddled like milk and were gradually building up surf board waves. I always like the misty shower hanging in the air at Newport Beach and it was there again, magical and fascinating. What a dessert! We were aiming for the Kilimanjaro, not in Africa but in Sydney's Newtown. We were fortunate to find a parking space. I noticed that the Fitness First gym was next to the Food Work...

I reckon that the Sakis Rouvas number This Is Our Night should be commissioned and recognised as an Olympic Games tune. Okay, great leap from my current structured role in the day time to a bar tender. ....and did not come home. Came home Sunday morning and was off again this arvo. Just came home again after giving the car an almost midnight wash self service in Russell Vale. Now I really know why the house is in a mess. Kevin is bothered with two rude situations confronting him - should I be too kind and get trampled over, or stand up for what's decent? I noted it was 12 degrees last night on the hilltop highway and cannot wait to see it go down to single digits soon. Felt lucky to escape the storm last night in Coogee. Just came back from Leichhardt, where I had a spunky spaghetti marinara and chicken parmigiana at Gioia"s at Norton Street. Kevin has come back from business in Sydney CBD - enjoyed the opportunity to sit down at a boardroom styled meeting and exchange ideas w...

This time it was the persimmons, bright-orangy, firm and standing out like dazzling leaflets on a stand over the pavement. Bankstown in Sydney never fails to astonish me. The day had been warmer than expected, with the winds of the past week huddled away, and yet there seemed to be fewer shoppers. Maybe it was the late afternoon, or perhaps the recession had taken a stronger bite. I scanned through various delicacies of cakes and stuff displayed at most of the shop fronts along the Mall. There were miniature dumplings laden with bits of pork, shrimp and chives - hey don't they look like yum cha stuff, but then there was this chili spicy sauce to take them with. I returned to the modest food shop that made a sensational tasty bowl of mung bean noodles swirled with seafood and garnished with aromatic, appetising ingredients. I looked at herbs that had not reached the shelves of Woolworths and Coles as yet. The early night saw me around a home dinner table in Carlingford with coconu...

Mandarins on a platter Plums and Custard Apples Longans On The Stem

The pavements overflowed with fresh produce - vegetables, fruits and concoctions that came from both Australia and South-east Asia. I could not figure out totally if the stall holders and customers were all Cambodian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese or Thai - but one thing was for sure, there was a notable absence of Caucasians. The cooked dishes called out in an appetising manner, whether they were fish in marinade, roast duck or curries. There were grapes red and green, seedless or with seed; longans on their stalks, plucked from plants; and all types of meat cuts in the butcher shops. I sensed the strong buzz of commercial enterprise and personal dynamics of purpose in the place. I had accompanied Jen and Viv on a market adventure. This was Bankstown Mall on a sunny May evening, the autumn air crisp and the aroma of flavours floating in the air. The mocha had the delightful quality of Colefax chocolate. Five of us were lounging around a low table sipping in the hot beverages and taking...