A weekend in Barangaroo – Sydney – New South Wales – Australia – March 2017

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Australia, Barangaroo, Friends, New South Wales, Sydney, weekend away

Airbnb on the water in Sydney – what a weekend!

(source: http://www.barangaroo/sydney.com.au)

A few weeks ago, along with my colleague/friend, I travelled to Sydney for work and as there was a huge event on in the city, accommodation was scarce so I booked an Airbnb at a new waterfront inner-city suburb called Barangaroo.  I really had not heard much of this part of Sydney apart from knowing that Australia’s third richest person was in the process of building a huge casino there. After a bit of research I now know that Barangaroo was the second wife of Bennelong who was the interlocutor between the Aboriginal people and the early British colonist in New South Wales and for those of you that don’t know Bennelong Point is the site of the Opera House which is beautiful both during the day and evening.

It was my first time using Airbnb and must admit it was so easy to use and the apartment was exactly as stated on the site.  We were on the first floor of a huge apartment block with a range of restaurants and bars underneath and about fifteen or so floor above. The apartment was really stunning with water views and even with the cold and rainy weather it was lovely to have the huge doors open and enjoy the sea breeze.

On our first afternoon we went for an hour long walk along the boardwalk [in the rain] to Darling Harbour which is one of Sydney’s popular waterfront areas comprising cafes, restaurants, IMAX cinema, maritime museum and lovely Chinese gardens.

(source: http://www.google.com.au)

And on the way back to the apartment we enjoyed great views out to the harbour albeit again in miserable weather but I think water views are great in any weather.

Saturday night was work and then the next morning we went for another walk and found a fabulous combined shop/bar/restaurant/cafe across the road from the apartment.  It’s called Bel & Brio and was just the most amazing place I had been to in a long time.

As you walk into the store, which by the way is ‘huge’, there is a very large area that stocks all sorts of stuff – cheeses/fresh breads/jams/biscuits/fresh pasta sauces/meats/drinks – you name it this great shop has it.

Then we saw the cafe area so thought we would have breakfast but not before stopping by the easter eggs and chocolates…

And then the cakes and doughnuts – wow…they all looked so delicious!!

Finally we made our way to our table and ordered breakfast.  We started off with a lovely cup of peppermint tea and English breakfast tea which arrived in a nice little pots with a delicious little butter biscuit on the side.

The cafe was actually located in the bar area along with the many [many] bottles of alcohol displayed so orderly along the back of the wall of the bar.

Our breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs on toast (me) and smoked trout and poached eggs with sourdough (Jane).  Delicious and very filling meals!!

And after relaxing with another cup of tea, it was time to take a taxi to the airport and return to our homes….a quick but good weekend away!

 

Peka Peka Beach & Long Beach Cafe – Waikanae Beach -Wellington – New Zealand – March 2017

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Long Beach Cafe, New Zealand, Wellington

A beach walk and casual lunch an hour out of Wellington

Whilst in Wellington, my NZ friend Nicola took me for a drive up to Peka Peke and Waikanae Beach to show me different parts of outer Wellington. I was very grateful for this as I didn’t have a car and would not have had the opportunity to see these areas without this driving experience.

Peka Peka is a small seaside town on the coast of New Zealand’s North Island. I was told it is famous because a young emperor penguin, nicknamed Happy Feet (maybe the inspiration for the movie or because of the movie more probably) appeared on the beach in 2011 and this is special as emperor penguins are usually only found in the Antarctica…a little way away from NZ.  I am still unsure why this is famous but anyway it is…

After our walk on the beach (a really nice beach but not the lovely golden sand I am used to in Australia – little bit brown and dirty but still lovely as people were out and about walking their dogs and generally just enjoying the day) we stopped off at a small town called Waikanae also along the coast.

There we had lunch at  Long Beach Cafe…

This cafe grows its own produce for the food and also for most of the beverages which come from the veggie patches at the rear of the cafe.

For lunch both Nic and I ordered the avocado on sourdough bread, cherry tomato salsa, goats cheese and sunflower seeds.  I asked for the goats cheese to be omitted which the waitress was very happy to do.  What an incredibly healthy and delicious meal along with a lovely glass of NZ Antipodes sparkling mineral water.

This was a lovely part of the north island of New Zealand; and I really need to return and see more!!

Qianmen Street & Capital M Restaurant – Beijing – PRC- 2010-2013

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Aussie, beijig, Capital M Restaurant, prc

A western restaurant in Beijing owned by an Aussie from Melbourne

Capital M Restaurant in Beijing is owned by Michelle Garnaut an Australian from Melbourne – it’s one place I used to take all my visitors so I  think I have been there about twenty times.  It has a sister restaurant in Shanghai called ‘M on the Bund’ again using the initial of the owner Michelle in its name.  I have been to the Shanghai restaurant but my preference is definitely Capital M in Beijing!

The Beijing restaurant is located on Qianmen (front gate) Street which is a famous pedestrian street that runs from the Archery Tower in the north (which can be seen from the restaurant’s terrace) and Tiantan Park in the south.

Qianmen is a lovely street to walk along prior to dining at Capital M as it has beautiful buildings/tea houses/shops and cafes on either side and the majority have been refurbished to resemble the style of the late Qing Dynasty.  The gate is situated to the south of Tian’anmen Square and once guarded the southern entry into the inner city.

If you are dining at Capital M, it’s a good idea to get dropped off a little earlier at the southern end of Qianmen to enjoy a leisurely stroll or you can take the little tram from one end to the other.  There is also a little street that runs parallel to Qianmen and this one is ‘typical old Chinese’ in that it’s rather dirty and smelly and I just love it.

The buildings are not refurbished like Qianmen Street which I think is wonderful, and there are  old Chinese men and women selling their wares sitting on dirty old plastic stools.  You can also pop into a typical old style restaurant or buy some of that awful smelling ‘stinky tofu’…but once you get past that smell, you can carry on shopping buying a huge range of incredibly cheap gifts and clothes.

After a walk, it’s always time for a cocktail before a delicious dinner, so onto Capital M. If the weather is nice then it’s preferable to sit out on the terrace while taking in views of Tian’anmen Square and Mao’s mausoleum or just have a drink on the terrace and enjoy dinner inside.  Day time the views are great (without smog of course) and at dusk it’s spectacular.

Dining inside is a very special experience with the signature parquet flooring and beautiful  lighting.  And the paintings on the walls are something you just have to see – it’s truly a gorgeous restaurant.

It’s not just the ambience of this restaurant, the meals are pretty special too.  It’s well known for its crispy suckling pig which of course I would never eat but the Middle Eastern inspired vegetarian platters are great.  The menu changes pretty regularly but what doesn’t change is the famous Capital M pavolva or the equally delicious mille feuille.  Both are truly delicious but in my opinion the pavolva is the winner for sure!  It’s important to keep a small space to enjoy the dessert along with the complimentary sweets – chocolates/turkish delight and other treasures…yum!!

A definite place to visit whilst in Beijing!

Oriental Bay Homes – Wellington – New Zealand – February 2017

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New Zealand, Oriental Bay, Wellington

Walking along Oriental Bay foreshore

During my recent visit to Wellington, I decided each morning to take a lengthy stroll along Oriental Bay which is very lovely in the early morning.  But this time instead of looking at the water as I did in my October visit last year, I thought I would check out the apartments and homes along the other side of the road. And also the little boat houses along the water front…so sweet!

I do love modern buildings but along this foreshore it’s the older  and refurbished homes that are really lovely.  In the 1950’s Oriental Parade only had a mix of grand homes and smaller villas but with the changing times, up to seven storey apartments blocks have made their way along the parade.

These modern buildings do overshadow some of the smaller homes which is a shame, but I must say that I would definitely live in one of the newer two storey homes with huge glass windows and large balconies overlooking the water.

But it’s good to see that the delightful and beautifully restored homes are plentiful along the road and up in the hills.  some not restored but still with such character.

And for those of us who cannot afford these homes, there  are some very glamorous looking garages that could be converted (?) but I guess owners would not be that willing to part with these homes for their cars!! Then there are pictures of homes painted on the rock walls.  A couple of these are along the rock face and add colour to the drabness of the walls.

And colourful little shops between big buildings…I like how these older buildings look and how they have not been sold to make way for taller buildings (yet).

And more lovely refurbished homes…

I must say as I was walking along the water front each morning I really enjoyed looking at the lovely homes and catching people having their breakfast before heading out to work.  And I really would have loved to see inside homes at the top of the hills – I think they would have been pretty special but no chance as the only way to enter the home is to park your car down in the garage off the road and take the electric lift up to the house.  I saw one lady and her golden retriever dog out for a walk one day and then both hop into the lift to return home – sweet!!  Dog knew exactly what to do as soon as the door was opened by it’s owner.

Also along Oriental Bay there are a set of seven villas which are dubbed the ‘seven sisters’.

(source: http://www.kiwiarthouse.co.nz)

They are beautifully restored homes and whilst my camera (or perhaps it’s my skills) could not take all seven together, I did manage to capture all from different angles.

Lovely sights; lovely city!!

Vincent’s Bar & Restaurant – Canberra – ACT – Australia – February 2017

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ACT, Australia, canberra, French wine, Tapas, Vincent's Bar & Restaurant

Tapas and drinks at a local bar 

A couple of weeks ago, we hosted an international colleague in Canberra.  She had arrived a few days before I met her and was inundated with lunches and dinners so by the time we met, she was rather.  My idea was to have an early glass of wine at the local bar near our office with another couple of colleagues followed by dinner.

And of course I wanted our visitor to try some good Aussie wines.  We walked to the bar and found a table.  I was quite surprised when I was told that the bar did not stock Aussie or New Zealand wines which really I would expect to find in a local Aussie bar.  The waiter chose a French wine similar to savignon blanc for me.  I do admit I initially turned up my nose but I had to immediately change my mind; the wine was fabulous!!

Vincent’s specialises in pairing food with specifically sourced wines from around the world [clearly not from Australia or NZ] and you can make a selection from a variety of small plates of delicacies or if you are really hungry you can order larger meals.

Both the wine and food menu are located on the side wall and remind me of the boards at the airport that tell us when flights are arriving and departing.

We sat for a while and chatted over a couple of glasses of wine (me now loving the French drop) and as our international colleague was tired, I said that instead of driving to another  restaurant we could order a few share plates which meant we would all have an early night.  Everyone agreed!

We went to the wall and chose our dishes:

The wagyu sirloin with parsnips, swiss brown mushrooms and mustard.

The zucchini flowers with asparagus, goat curd and celery salt.

The scallops with speck, smoked cauliflower and dasi (stock).

The gnocchi with goats cheese, pumpkin, rocket and pear.

 

The prawns with Jerusalem artichoke, almonds and beurre noisette.

And finally the medley of beetroot with cherry tomatoes, macadamia nuts and goat curd.

All of us said our favourite was the vegetarian gnocchi which was really good.  So fresh and tasty!  This bar is a great place to go as it’s close to work with excellent wine and food.