Disclaimer: I love spicy food - it doesn't make me sweat, cry or turn red...I just love it!

Restaurant Review

Spice Temple:

Last night we went to dinner with our Australian friends - I know your thinking - really?   Okay, I confess we 2 Australian friends, yes just two.  Your now thinking, "how long have you been there?"  Yes 4 years on and we have 2 Australian friends, don't get me wrong....we have many friends here in Australia,  just 2 that have been born and breed.

Additonally, It is highly probable that our visas will expire (Grandmas that is April 2012) before we have 2 more.   I won't go on about the how, what and whys of it here again...You can see the archives or enjoy reading Allisons: Life Could Be A Dream (what I'm reading links on the right).

Anyways!  Back to the Spice Temple!  YUM!!!!!

The Spice Temple is Neil Perry's spicy cousin to the Rockpool Bar and Grill (which incidentally, I hear has one of the BEST hamburgers in Australia) The service was typical Australian - slow and intermittent - however, its school holidays, so nobody was rushing to get home :)

I almost felt like I was transported back to Hutong in Hong Kong, however,  Spice Temple seriously lacked the authenticity.  They made up for what they lacked quickly with the spice.  Though, it was so loud I could not hear the waiter telling us about their special peppers in the dishes, or why they don't serve spoons for dishing up the food.  Therefore, it is not a suitable venue for million dollar mergers, but for a couple of mates having dinner - it was just fine.  Or maybe my ears were still ringing from the Keith Urban concert the night before????    

Spice Temple hit the very tricky combo of spice and food -

It was not easy on the pocketbook, but is anything here?  Especially, when the dollar is at 1.06$ ???  Oh, I long for the days when it was 60 cents!

Sadly, we did not take any photos.

Next up: Spice I Am in Surry Hills.

School Holidays Week 1!

 As promised our first attempt at coloring brown eggs.  The photo is a bit deceiving, since we didn't actually use our egg decorating kit sent to us from Auntie!  Instead, we tried to using food coloring.  It wasn't unsuccessful, but seriously - why are there no white eggs in Australia?

Coloring brown eggs is wrong and takes away from the very Easter experience.  Next week we are using our egg decorating kit the dino one for brother and a dear friend gave us one she brought back from the Promised Land (thank you Jenny) both kids can have their own set of everything!!!
Once we got the eggs out of the way, they wanted cookies too.  Why not?  We made a batch of sugar cookies and they are JUST like my grandmas - best served with strong black coffee!  The kids had fun rolling, cutting and coloring!  Why not right!!!

With the baking out of the way - the kids have spent the rest of the week at sport camp (brother) and drama camp (sister)!  Here's hoping the weather is just as gorgeous next week!

working on the perfect color

Who needs a Kitchenaid?  

YUM!!!!  Even mum thought so!

"It" (we are not in Kansas anymore moment) still happens....

 After 3.5 years, "IT" still happens....

For the first year we lived here,  (2007-2008) my must have magazines were shipped over from the Promised Land.  Every fortnight, I waited anxiously, for my gigantic UPS envelope to arrive at hubbys office.

I kept up on all the new and upcoming: movies, books, CDS, DVDS, and sales (I could never attend).  I spent hours enjoying my trashy movie star (People) news, gossip, and glamourous red carpet dresses.  The Good Housekeeping seal of approval and every seasonal idea of Martha Stewart and Cooking Light were read and re-read.

While they (CL) were featuring "Fresh Fast Healthy Recipes For Spring," I was embracing fall and longing for comfort food. A new take on mac and cheese, rare roast beef and tator tot hotdish.  Ultimately, Cooking Light, made me realize I couldn't have America, in this very NON America place.

It was time to get off the BOAT that was always sailing for the "Promised Land."

I traded in my Cooking Light for Delicious and Donna Hay, however,  I continued to be frustrated with the metric system and my lack of conversion knowledge.  It finally occurred to me to buy a kitchen scale - Knowing what I know now - the scale would have been my first purchase (even before my fancy dancy coffee machine)!  We all enjoyed many meals after this - and I got rid of my ever present frustration with cooking and started to enjoy - experimenting!  Today, I know conversions.  Okay, my conversion knowledge is basic and only good in the kitchen, but I know..... and when I don't.... I get my scale back out!

Since CL was on the cancel list and the GFC (Global Financial Crisis) caused everyone to trim the excess....I decided it was time to cut all imported magazines....I would just have to WAIT until it came to Australia....I would learn of a new movie when it came out in the theaters (many many months later than in the USA), the latest fashion trends would always be real late and I would never know the new fancy gizmos GH sealed with their approval!  I would WAIT!!!!   After all, there are 22 million people in Australia that wait!   It wasn't easy and I suffered many days of separation anxiety.  Especially, when Brother was young and we would spend hours in the playroom or his nap in the car.

I use magazines for when I don't have the time required to invest in a book.  They are easy to pick up, throw down and require no committment.

Recently, a dear friend gave me her imported copy of Martha Stewart Real Simple Magazine.  I delighted in it!  I even found a NEW recipe for Grape Nut cookies...Hey, don't judge the kids and I loved GN!

Today went something like this.....

I decided we would bake the cookies after school, what a great way to warm up on a chilly, rainy day!

With my recipe in hand, I found myself standing in Coles, staring at the cereals....up and down the aisle I went and back again - every shelf, with every box of cereal was looked at (they have a thousand kinds of Weet Bix)... I stood there for a couple of minutes mentally scanning all the aisles of the store (I don't know about anyone else, but I struggle for logical order on their stores)  maybe it was in the "natural" section or the "speciality" aisle.....Hmmmm... After checking each of the special sections - I had my moment.....

The moment "IT" occurred to me that THEY don't have GRAPE NUTS readily available in Australia, I had in hand an American recipe!!!!!  

I had a good laugh at myself and soldiered on with the rest of my day.  I no longer carry around my disappointment - like years before.  I guess its all a part of accepting
"HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS."

I had to ring up the hubby to tell him that after all this time "IT" still happens!  I am not sure how to describe the "IT" moment, other than when "IT" happens you know.

PS  If your in Australia and dying for your Grape Nuts (or whatever you fancy from the Promised Land)  you can order it online from USA FOODS  - there was a day I would have gone down that path, but thats not the case anymore.  


On a magazine note:

God Bless, Steve Jobs!

Many Thanks to my SIS for her digital subscription!  Now, I can get PEOPLE magazine anywhere in the world!

I have years to catch up on!

Australian Milk

Milk
Another thing Australia does RIGHT....

My favorite brand of milk is Dairy Farmers...

The blue Original is DELICIOUS!!!

I confess, its whole milk without the shameful name.

Milk Producers of America could learn a thing or two from the Australian Dairy Farmers marketing team.

Seriously, who doesn't want to drink something "original"?  As if to signify that anything else is a fake, a copy an un-natural and un-healthy alternative to the ORIGINAL.
Better yet, is their Lite Milk - which is in all truth just 2%- without the negativity attached to it.
Skim is still skim - and its in a pink colored bottle - clearly stating that its "girls milk" as my son refers to it.
Any morning tea, afternoon tea or even your favorite coffee is served with "original Milk" first and if you ask for a "skinny" you get the lite milk option.  That's right....A skinny Cappuccino tastes far superior in Australia, because it's made with 2% milk not skim milk.

TIP: When you are on the morning tea roster do NOT show up with a bottle of skim milk - you will be highly frowned upon.  I don't know why, but "they" do NOT drink the pink bottle.

While in Australia, I will continue to savour my milk without the guilt!  I drink whatever is in the fridge and I feel no shame!  The blue "original" label or the baby blue "lite" label, well they just LOOK cute and Healthy, really what more could a girl want?

Made from Local and Imported goods!

 Some things are meant to be shared.....Its my turn to host bookclub - which means it time to share my favorite American Bars....These I suppose are technically, half American and half Australian....However, they are always a crowd pleaser!  Yes, I made two pans!  

Somethings Australia does well....

Being an expat for 3.5 years in Sydney, I find my love and hate of this place tends to flow up and down..

Lately, I have been on a particularly low patch for the past couple of months, no reason I can pin point... Just have been.    (From reading other long term expat bloggers - I find I am not alone in this - which is nice to know :)

Today, I found my self racing from shop to shop in the mall - I spotted the cafe right outside of David Jones and thought yep there is one thing they (Aussies) do right.  Fresh (delicious) coffee, pastries, cakes and anything else your heart desires, right there to rest your weary feet!   Its no Auntie Anne's Pretzel, but it is delicious!

Balmoral Esplanade (Bathers and Bottom of the Harbour) is another one of my all time favorites, lunch with a friend on the bench is just what you need to start climbing away from the low point.... :)

In other weekly events, Nippers has come and gone for another year.  Sister got her lifesaving certificate and is looking forward to sleeping in this Sunday am!

Sunday Morning Breakfast at Bathers!  YUM

WHIRLWIND TOUR!

We had a fantastic time touring the midwest to visit our family and friends.  We started off with 3 nights in Wichita, Kansas Auntie and J even came up to greet us, what a lovely treat!  In Wichita, we enjoyed our old friends and stomping ground.  Mom had a second hives attack which started the trip off with a HUGE reaction!  A quick visit to our favorite Dr, a shot and couple of prescriptions later - I was ready to rock.  We headed to Dallas with Auntie for a week in Texas, where we soaked up every minute of the pool and sun!  After a week in Dallas we headed "UP North" to Michigan where we Loved up Sofie for a week!  Celebrated the 4th in true American style, the Blue Angels - hot dogs, chips and family!  This morning we landed in Sydney and miss our family and friends already!  Won't be long and we will be headed back for Christmas!
See the photos below!