Fighting Fit

Keen to get back on top of the weather, I'm dining on water, yogurt and clear soup. Once I'm there, I can't wait to tuck into Gordon Ramsey's version of an Arnold Bennett Omelette. His recipe is below. Delish!

Arnold Bennett Omelette*
1 tsp plain flour
15g butter, at room temperature, plus extra for frying
200ml milk
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
1 slice of onion
200g smoked, trout fillet
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp single cream
30g mature cheddar, finely grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil, for greasing
4 eggs
Chervil or parsley sprigs, to garnish

1.
Blend the flour and butter together to make a paste, then chill until firm. Pour the milk into a small pan and add the bay leaf, peppercorns and onion. Heat the milk gently over a low heat to just below boiling point. Lower in the trout skin-side down.

2.
Cover the trout with a dampened piece of greaseproof paper and poach gently for about 4 minutes, until the fish is just beginning to show signs of flaking when pressed. Remove the fish from the milk with a slotted spoon and, when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and any bones and flake into small pieces.

3.
Strain the milk into a bowl and discard the aromatics. Pour 100ml of the infused milk into a clean small pan and return to the heat. Gradually whisk in the butter paste, adding small pieces at a time, and bring to the boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly until you have a smooth sauce.

4.
Put the yolks in a bowl and beat lightly with the cream. Gradually whisk in the sauce, then fold in the trout and half of the cheese. Check for seasoning. Preheat the grill to a medium setting.

5.
Lightly oil an 18-20cm omelette pan and place over a medium to high heat. Break the eggs into a bowl, season and beat with a fork. Add a knob of butter to the pan and swirl it about to coat. When the butter starts to foam, pour in the eggs. Stir them continually, tilting the pan from side to side, until the eggs set on the bottom and the top is soft and creamy.

6.
Remove the pan from the heat, then pour the trout mixture on top of the omelette. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and grill for a few minutes until golden brown. Garnish with sprigs of chervil or parsley and serve immediately.

* The secret to any good omelette is to use a lightly oiled, heavy-based pan. Add a knob of butter and only once it starts to foam do you add the eggs. Then you stir the eggs constantly to beat in some air, and tilt the pan from side to side to make any uncooked egg run to the sides.

Eurofusion

Slowly creeping, whistling in its own way. Slipping past along the sides. And before you know it Summer is over and it's vanished like it was never here. It's about this time of the year that I fall back in love with Cafe Sopra at Fratelli Fresh, Walsh Bay.

Maybe it's the clean, fresh air. The warm sunlight sprinkles that you glimpse through the chill. The mid-seasons that we seem to miss so often every year in Australia when it suddenly turns from gold to cold. But I love the dining sentiment of a simple meal, a glass of wine and a laze back for a short moment in a long day.

My pick of the oh so natural Fratelli menu are the Smoked trout fishcake with soft boiled egg and capper mayo $18 with a side of Witlof salad (with pear, gorgonzola and toasted walnuts) $18, the San Vittoria sparkling mineral with lemon and a glass of house red or white. Delizioso.

Fratelli Fresh / Cafe Sopra
Shop 8, 16 Hickson Rd
Walsh Bay, 2000
ph. 8243 2700
Monday - Sunday 12pm - 3pm and 6pm - 10pm
No bookings taken

Sydney3: x 2

Buried deep in the heart of the city, nestled quietly away from the prying eyes and beat of Oxford Street, lies new bar Gotham. Inside, it is un-apologetically modern - not surprising giving the fit out if from the commercial maestros of cool - Squillace Nicholas - they of Hugos Manly, The Shore Club (original not the shit-not mess its become), and Prema Hair on Crown (5/490 Crown St Surry Hills NSW 2010 +41 02 9360 8080).

Gotham's New York flair is blended with the subtle decadence by the way of high back booths, chesterfields and the crimson leather-stud bar in front of the back-lit clock which further pays homage to its namesake, the city that never sleeps. Gotham - 35 Oxford St, Darlinghurst NSW p. +41 02 9283 1891 (Sun - Sat 12pm - 12am)

Sydney3: x 3

Those afternoons, mainly Thursdays, when it's not quite the weekend, but the week has kinda petered out. And all you want to do is watch the November sunset over the city, slightly stinging your eyes as you yawn and slump further into the stained wood seat, as a cool wind blows, across a pretty little roof top bar.

Pop-up bar The Doghouse is quite the place for that. The outcome of the Drambuie "The Premise" competition, The Doghouse was fitted out by Adele Winteridge of Foolscap to be reminiscent of the 20's and is the brainchild of Melbourne cats Rob Dumaresq and Hugh Gurney. Open Thursday - Sunday for a limited time, visitors can get a taste of the casual cool that speakeasy bars stood for. Environmentally sustainable materials were used for the fit out - the stained plywood tables (that can be folded into the walls) are as per the original secret concealed spaces that the 20s bars were about. Vintage furniture is set out, to flow around a central birdcage, and bottles are used as decor, hoisted by a jute rope and pulley system.

The perfect place to stop pre-post art exhibition or simply to melt the weekaway. Shh don't tell - but its located at The (East) Village - 287A Liverpool St, Darlinghurst. Thursday - Sunday 6pm to 12am.

yummy

honey. Beautiful packaging from Ah&Oh Studio, Poland (ul. Kochanowskiego 19/8, 60-846 POZNAN POLAND E: hello@ahandoh.com). So simple and obvious, the gorgeous logo includes a smiling bees face and the hand calligraphed logo is soften and inviting.

Freelancers, who joined forces after finishing studies at the Academy of Fine Arts (Poznan), Magda Katek and Kamil Jerzkowshi built little Ah&Oh Studios in 2008. Located in Jazyce (somewhere very East) the two use an ultimate heart melting aim and apply it to all of their projects. Mainly dealing with graphic design, identity, branding and packaging, the team manage work that is incredibly beautiful but practical. And brief answering.

They have a blog which might need some check back (being under construction and all) but I'm excited to keep an eye open on these two.

Say thank you

Forgo standard staionary and say thank you in baked goods. So much more fun that another piece of paper. Customise your message in this Williams-Sonoma cookie cutter which leaves an imprint of your words in the dough. ($19.95 USD)

Pins le deux

Dinner at Lynne's house. Apparently the cous cous was no good. I'm not sure that that should outweigh the presentation though....

20/20 presentation, 19/20 Moroccan steak and18/20 cous cous

run rabbit

My friend Lynne is the Nanny, to the Mother I want to be.

Dinner

Le'llo

Ikea is the "it" place for crafty cut out ice cube trays. They bring out new ones for each festive season, as well as their standard hearts, stars and the like. I love that Lego has bitten the bullet and are doing their own version - little Lego men floating in your Pimms is too choosy! And if you're going the whole hog and entertaining a few, try whipping the Lego Salt and Pepper grinders out as something different. Those little things always please, and make an interesting convo starter when things get awkward. Available online for $9.99 AUD and $7.99 AUD respectively.

Legomen Ice Cubes

Lego Salt&Pepper Grinders Lego gets cooler with The Cool Hunter

Bottega Nights

I lurve lurve deli fresh and nothing comes lovelier than Deli Bottega (Shop 1, 144-148 Glenayr Ave, Bondi Beach) - A gorgeous delicatessen and family friendly cafe in Bondi, Sydney, Aussie. Great menu, gorgeous Swiss chef (Nicholas) and delicious cheeses. What more could you want from a store! Check it out.

NY Colder

Its definitely been one of "THOSE" days. I hate being negative, but this could almost be rendered one of "THOSE" weeks actually.
Feel like everything I touch is crumbling and like it needs a bit of the Midas touch to get things right.

Alternatively incredible frozen dairy goods could do it - like Popbar hand-crafted gelato on a stick (5 Carmine St. (@ 6th Ave.), New York, NY 10014, Tel. 212 255 4874).

Made with all natural ingredients, the gelato is blended using gorgeous fresh fruit, the very best dairy and flavours and a tiny amount of fresh Italian ingredients. Traditional but with a modern touch - the icy delight is served stick side up - which, lets face it makes it stacks easier to eat. And oh, I would love some of that lovely goodness right now!

Popbar, New York
5 Carmine St. (@ 6th Ave.)
New York, NY 10014, Tel. 212 255 4874

Premium Pistachio

Premium VanillaCream Premium with Hazelnuts

Cookie sweet.

The worlds toughest question... "Which came first? The chicken, or the egg?". But, what, is the world toughest statement... "I love you". Or, "Your dumped." ??

Maybe it's worth trying to solve that one with either answer baked in Helvetica which makes either one that little bit nicer. Gorgeous cookie cutters from Beverly Hsu - a designer, librarian, baker and teacher (eg slashie extroadinare) from the USA. I love. (Thats MY answer for everything).

Milanoooo

It's funny as I look back over the past year, through the history of what was MoHo and what is now my own little space of random mumbles, and see some pretty consistent interests and passion when it comes to certain products. I think that its testament to the fact that I love a simple, straight living environment, spiced up in areas that you wouldn't expect to see. Beautiful armchairs, interesting lighting fixtures, stoneware and cutlery. To most, its idiotic... until you think about the way that you feel and the appreciation, once you are involved (by accident or purpose) in the everyday use of something beautiful.

If I was remotely organised, I would've gotten my smarts together and packed up for some Italian spring, to participate in, and source my own goodness at the Public Design Festival which has just wrapped up in Milano. Instead I'm relying on checking incredibly beautiful product shots that are floating back from the event.

Seletti "Midas" Cutlery
In a time where many wrap sleek silver, or steel into the 'modern' bundle, I love the matte finish gold on these, which actually blends with modern or classic china better than stark silver. And while it may be on point to think that your nan had gold cutlery, combined with a stunning stemless wineglass, candle-low-light and Heston inspired meal, I don't think you can say there is anything old about these.

Reinventing a Star(buck)

The coffee phenom only really became evident to me when Starbucks entered the coffee market - mainly because I was 15 and loved hanging out after school, smoking cigarettes and the local outdoor seating at Starbucks was the only place we were allowed to do it (because we weren't 18 and legally allowed to buy our soft packs). But just as vivid, is the day that Starbucks "suddenly" pulled closed the doors of most of its coffee houses in multiple countries around the world - though for an entirely different reason (I was studying marketing and consumer behaviour and though it would make a good case study!).

It seems that Starbucks, on the sly, had realised that it had lost its original niche appeal. They'd sold out, and become a global phenomenon and regardless of any money troubles, the brand had recognised that what had attracted its loyal customers at the start, was dribbling away with every photo published of a celebrity holding a mocha-frappe-latte* (Britney!?). *NOTE: I've heard that coffee in NYC is RUBBISH and Starbucks is one of the only places you can get a good cup. So Mary-Kate you are forgiven for carrying your grande with pride).

Launched in Seattle as a neighbourhood-grassroots concept store was 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea House (328 15th Ave ESeattle, WA 98112). THIS is what Starbucks really wants to be. And you have to congratulate them for pulling up their socks and taking a step back from the mass marketed beast they had become. Some suggest that it's a 'stealth' store but whatever the name, I do think that its important that they are returning to the original vibe of coffee houses and selling wine and beer plus playing host to live music and poetry readings. Everything is manual - there is no press of the button/coffee served here and the rustic interiors add to the feel. I'd drink a coffee from here just to pay a big brand having the sense to reevaluate.

A (Sun)day in the life

What started as a top 5 got pushed out to a few more... so rather than add them on, I thought I'd just show you a typical Sunday in Manly. I've left out the obvious beach swim, and of course I've written about beautiful Belgrave Cartel (Celebrating Friends #3/1 - March 2, 2010) and Safety Wolf (HIT: Safety Wolf - January 8, 2010) but I thought I'd give you a sneak peak into a few of my all time faves in the suburb that I live. I've also listed them in the order I'd visit just to help you plan your trip down this way x

Bench Cafe
3a/11-27 Wentworth St, Manly, Australia, 2095; P. (02) 9976 5733
Mon - Sun. (Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.)
Religiously, I eat at Bench. There are plenty of cafes in Manly, but not many as open and friendly as this great spot that lets pockets of sun, shine through the umbrellas (which I'm convinced are there to protected you when you're eating eggs florentine sans make/dress up). The staff are gorgeous, know you're order, and love to have a joke. It's casual and relaxed - order at the counter and take as long as you want to chill, eat and read the papers. Transforming to a Mexicana fiesta for Lunch and Dinner (though they do do all day Breakfasts) this places is a locals favourite.

McLean & Page
Shop 3c, 11- 27 Wentworth St, Manly, Australia, 2095 P. (02) 9976 3277
Mon - Sun (10:00 am - 6:00 pm)
Right next door to Bench (conveniently) is the gorgeous McLean & Page. A small but stunning boutique, the girls use the space well, as every single item bought to fill the racks of this store is so right. Stocking labels like ANTIPODIUM, Bassike, Romance Was Born, camilla and marc, Therese Rawsthorne and Karen Walker (to name a few) its a tempting little special that is worth a stop-in after your morning coffee. Lauren and Hayley are two of the nicest (and best dressed) people in Manly, and offer up incredible styling advice that is hard to come across anywhere in Sydney. If you're planning on dropping a few easy $00 then this is the place to do it - they won't let you walk out without feeling a million dollars.

Mr & Mrs Smith
Rialto Square, Wentworth St, Manly, Australia, 2095
Mon - Sun (10:00 am - 6:00 pm)
Less than 20m from McLean&Page is sister store, Mr & Mrs Smith. Taking up the D30 space not so long ago, this is the place to go for incredible COHEN et SABINE and other labels not stocked at McLean & Page, as well as Samantha Wills jewels, candles, home wears and Big by Fiona Scanlan for the little ones. There is a small range for the boys and I have it on good authority that this is going to be bulked up with some unique labels next season.

Little Flirt
Shop 2, 58 Darley Road, Manly, Australia, 2095 P. (02) 9976 6770
Tues - Sun (11:30am - 4:00pm)
What started off as a boutique lingerie store, stocking everything from (mainly sheer) 1/2 balconette bras, ouverts (crotchless panties), suspenders, and garters, Little Flirt has reinvented itself as a destination shop point on the Northern Beaches stocking Gail Sorronda, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Story by Tang, Magdalena Velevska and (MY FAVOURITE!) Karla Spetic. The perfect one stop shop for a very sexy date, or something unique that you're not going to find anywhere else on the Northern Beaches (and from mega shopping trips, in any one place in the East). You can also buy online which is peach for those of you living OS.

Manly to Shelley Beach walk
33° 48' 0" South, 151° 17' 0" East
One of the most incredibly beautiful and visually enticing parts of Manly, this walk is a great way to wander away from the hustle that happens direct in the central part of the suburb. There are plenty who do it, but for whatever reason, even when its at its peak, its still easy to melt away into your own space doing this wander. I love when the cool hits at this time of year, when the sun is still shining but there is a subtle chill - it's the nicest places to go with a take away tea, and a girlfriend for a quiet chat or laugh at the night befores antics and just lose yourself in the moment. It's also the place to wander along if you're keen for a midnight nude swim after the Shore Club, but that's an entirely different post!

The Bower Restaurant
7 Marine Parade Manly, Australia 2095 P. (02) 9977 5451
Mon - Sun (8:00am-3:00pm)
3/4 of the way down the Manly to Shelley walk is The Bower Restaurant. When people ask me where to eat in Manly, it would be so simple to say Whitewater or Garfish, but this hidden gem does good food. And with a glass of white wine, sitting in the sun, watching the people walk past, and listening to great conversation or the lap of the water against the sandstone wall, I think it sums up the vibe of Manly in a nutshell. The gorgeous white interiors are only broken by art that is available to buy, and with the incredible view from inside, there isn't a bad table in the house. My recommendation is the soft shell crab, with the crispest white you can find on the side.

Manly Wharf Bar
21 E Esplanade, Manly Australia 2095 P (02) 9977 1266
Mon - Sun (11:30am - Midnight)
Whether it be for a Tuesday night pizza special, a catch up with the girls, or the obligatory Sunday session (rain, hail or shine this place packs out) the Wharf Bar has becomes a Manly establishment. And the fact that of late, I've seen many an Eastern friend saunter in after lunch at Hugos or Manly Wine, speaks volumes. With sweeping views (of both the harbour and the local talent) the Wharfy is the perfect reason to sojourn to the north-side. Pizzas are cheap, the drinks also, but the catchup is the reason to show face.

Shore Club Manly
36-38 S Steyne Manly Australia 2095 P.(02) 9977 6322
Spread over three beautifully designed levels, the Shore Club is Sundays final spot to pop into. The fact that its also pretty vibey on Fridays and Saturdays, thanks to a roster of colourful and lovely djs (who like to party themselves!) adds to the flavour of the Shorey. The place-a-plenty for a good dance, vodka lime soda and fun time with friends and Northern Beaches locals, the Shore Club Sunday is a great night to come and see what makes Manly such a great place to live. Not only is the atmosphere fun (awesome, considering most have to work Monday mornings), but the lack of arrogance and self importance that you find around Sydney bars is obvious. This is a local dressed up, and with age no barrier to those who hang out there, its like a house party with an endless supply of alcohol and some pretty tunes.

Bench Cafe

Mclean & Page

Mr & Mrs Smith

Little Flirt

Manly to Shelley walk

The Bower Restaurant

The Manly Wharf Bar

The Shore Club, Manly