Eat

I love an 'it' restaurant, and what better opportunity to check one out than when you just start seeing somebody. You dress up, order the best of everything, drink good wine, and canoodle amongst the candlelight.

And that was Friday night, as Airport Guy and I went up the road to The Bentley. I'd heard mixed things but lately have been keen to check it out. Loved it. Even to the extent of using my signature phrase "it's my new favourite". We took a seat at a tapas table and ordered away: silky Clair de Lune oysters; incredible meaty black jamon; soft boiled egg rolled in toasted almond crumbs; these delectable toothpicks adorned with curled anchovies, coated in pistachio praline (as they were out of the signature sardines on toast); kingfish sashimi drizzled with liquid wasabi; and two servings of their other signature, popcorn chicken, because it was just so more-ish. To top it off the noise level was perfect, sadly rare in Sydney, and staff friendly and attentive. I hope they change the menu often because I'd love to go back.

Oysters, black jamon and anchovies. So good.

Kingfish with liquid wasabi (which definitely wasn't yellow, fucking phones)

Soft boiled egg in almond crunch. I want one every day.

Popcorn chicken. We almost asked for a bucket of it.

Saturday was up early for Kath and I's girly day, starting with the Good Living Growers' Markets which I've been meaning to go to all year, but never got around to. So worth it - they're incredible. Stalls and stalls of farmers and providores, teasing and seducing with the best of local produce. K, J, little Marianna (baby's first fresh food market) and I were ga-ga at the raw and smoked ducks, live SA mussels, tender lamb, gorgeous sourdoughs, earthy-fresh fruit and vegetables, and satisfied our growling tummies with a very carnivorous bacon and sauage roll from Eumundi Smokehouse - owner David was so lovely and that bacon is out of this world.

Bacon, sausage, rocket and tomato roll.
And you wonder why I could never date a vegetarian.

To market, to market

J and Marianna head home

My loot:
A whole smoked barramundi
Duck eggs
A pack of organic lamb patties
Venison sausages
Cultured salted butter and creme fraiche from Gympie Dairy
Watercress
Double smoked bacon, Russian sauage, smoked duck breast with Dijon, herb and almond brioche crust from Eumundi Smokehouse

Lots of samples and sensory overload meant we decided to skip yum cha and just shop, before heading to Estee Lauder for a Tom Ford Azuree makeover. I was good and didn't buy anything, even though I worhsip Tom Ford. Last stop was the Lindt Cafe - finally. Very European chocolate cafe, and a pleasant spot to rest weary shopping feet. Delicious panini with prosciutto, egg mayonnaise, watercress and mustard, washed down in no time with a Lindt milk chocolate milkshake. And lots of take-home Lindt balls (peanut butter, mmm) and a Champagne truffle for the way out.

Who goes to the Lindt cafe and eats non-chocolate?
But when the panini are this good...

Lindt milk chocolate milkshake.
I want to have a bath in this goodness.

Saturday night was a yea whatever. In my books if you're invited out by a friend they should also have the courtesy of calling during the day and letting you know the what whens. So a big yea whatever to that.

So I stayed in and had a grand time, dyed my hair dark auburn and watched my beloved I Vitelloni, which I found on DVD this week. This is one of my Top 10 films and having not seen it in a few years, watching it again just reminded me how beautiful it is, and in so many ways it's the perfect film. Funny, moving, cheeky, seductive, and that Nina Rota music.

Father's Day, and I always think of those who for today is a hard day, and I kind of wish we didn't have these days. We went over and had breakfast at dad's fab local cafe, and I planned to go to the beach but it had clouded over by the time I'd got home. Decided to go to the movies, so hopped online for session times. Wanted to see Thank You For Smoking, but read "if you smoke you won't after this movie". I wasn't quite ready to not smoke again, so chose 49 Up. Walked up to the cinema, amidst the sunshine and blaring gay music that is my little corner of the earth, and really enjoyed this latest offering, especially as mostly everyone seemed happy and content at this stage. The purveying theme was family, and I can't help but feel isolated from that notion of gathering happiness from your family (ie your children, etc). Will I be enough, into older age?

Oh, and ended up at Una's for dinner because I don't think there was enough eating this weekend.

Deep fried camembert and Grolsch. Life is good.

Swiss sausage, sauerkraut and rosti.