Kindly Yours

Starters at Ripples, Chowder Bay, Mosman: Sand crab ravioli sat upon by prawns. Scallops and pork belly ala Ripples. And now the mains that follow: Cindy chose angel hair pasta with mussels, prawns and other seafood. Charmaine tucked in her pasta ragu. and I had de-boned quail over goat cheese, followed by raspberry and orange semifreddo and coffee. We had lots of laughs, soothened by a just right warm arvo and surrounded by the blue of the sky and ocean, the chatter of fellow lunchers and the sights of a calm sea meeting the coast.

Verandah with a view - looking out at Chowder Bay, from Georges Heights on Sydney's lower north shore, this was the site of the Australian navy section handling ammunition and explosives in the 19th century and more recently, skirts the abode of HMAS Penguin. Imagine an evening looking out on to a sheltered cove far away from the old country, enjoying a climate that is most agreeable, neither too hot nor cold on a fine April day. Located in the Headland Park and accessible from Middle Head Road in Mosman, there are walking trails, scuba diving lessons, artists precincts, tennis courts, historical fortifications and several cafes /restaurants. Public buses and ferries bring people in from Sydney CBD and overnight accommodation is also available. Pre-lunch, Charmaine and Cindy dabble in relaxing photography near the wharf. The views from the side of Chowder Bay. A delicacy awaits those who have taken in the outdoors and want to savour a well deserved moment after a long week at work ...

My muscles were aching, but I knew it was a darn good ache of liberation and growth. Tim and Steven had come to help me cut out the crap, so to speak, but in terms of the garden under and over growth. They worked hard, but they removed the shadows, and opened up spaces I once had before and forgot about them entirely. Hidden creatures scurried hurriedly as we exposed them under the sunlight - I did recognise some of them. I loved the sound of the grrr chain saw cutting away at excesses nurtured by my neglect of and assumptions about my garden. It felt good to let go of some things - they were never any good anyway, despite my initial hopes and expectations of most of them. I had chats with my neighbours, listening to experiences where trust had been broken down by someone; of episodes where some individuals did not provide the whole truth and thought they were real clever in selecting particular pieces for their own covert purposes; and in contrast, thankfully, also of trying times o...

Entrance to a pastry counter from Darling Street Walnut and banana bread loaf to be accompanied by a dash of passionfruit butter Sago and coconut-flavoured drink that goes well with a raspberry inspired brulee garnished with lychees, strawberry cuts and biscottis Check out Sassychix's blog for more details and images of Balmain.

Copyright Chin

It may look like a simple soup dish, but the pho noodles from an outlet of this Pasteur's chain speaks volumes in my heart. I first came across them upon moving into Sydney and recently was delightfully surprised to find this unique food offering still alive and available from the very first chain of modest shops making them. The world-wide Pasteur chain has a business history pre-Australia and is an illustration of the combination of French influence, Asian spices and Vietnamese creativity. You can find noodle soups in various forms in several countries, from the clear forms with dumplings to Japanese bean miso and chilli laden encounters in tom yam and prawn flavoured versions. The stock soup of the pho utilises the potent aromatic stewing of cinnamon and meat bones, filled in by chicken or beef slices and tempered by fresh bean sprouts, fiery chilli cuts, a twist of a lemon slice and the headiness of basil leaves. It is a product of the Vietnamese penchant for fresh produce and ...

Copyright Rain

Copyright Ali Love

The cicadas were having an intense orchrestral session almost every evening in early March, a good sign that summer was still with me, despite the official pronouncements of autumn arriving,  Soon, I hope, the evenings will be crisp, fresh and have a bite of nippiness.  This would be great for a meal in the outdoor settings of places like Sushi-ya in Artarmon or Kaiser Stuben in Terry Hills. Seriously, the heralding of autumn should be put off to May in coastal New South Wales and then winter skipped, with spring barging its way by early August. It is already April Fools Day and there has been some relief. It has been cloudy and raining - yes with wet downpours swooshing with gusty winds - for the past three or so days, and how cosy it has been to settle under the doona on such ensuing nights. One of thr reasons I have remained in Australia for so long is this type of benign temperature and to watch the dew and moisture on plants during a misty morning. Clea...

Growing Foliage in Balgownie Delightful but unexpected entrance to the Canterbury Leagues Club in Sydney Light on the palate, fresh in sensation and easy on the diet - a Japanese lunch offering (Image credit - R Lim) Syrup flavoured ice shavings, compemented with beans, fruit slices and more (Image credit - R Lim) Pattern on porcelian, kept for over twenty years Only a few know what I went through to get this speedometer mileage of 70, 459 km as at 31 March 2010 - yes, but I love driving too