I took my first surfing lesson yesterday up at Manly Beach and it was hard. I choose the Manly Surfing School because I hadn't been to Manly yet and from what I've heard it is less crowded than Bondi. After taking that first lesson, I'm glad I did. The class was full, probably 20 people. But we were isolated from the rest of the surfers who knew what they were doing.
I figured it would be a little tough, but I was a little hopeful that I'd be able to pick it up quicker than I have. The lesson itself was laughably similar to Kunu teaching Peter how to surf in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. A lot of stand up, get down, faster, now slower, nope still too fast. I was able to catch the waves easy enough, but couldn't for the life of me find my center of gravity on the board to be able to stand up with enough time to enjoy the ride. Sure, I stood up a few times but it was always at the end of the wave. By the time I had the windmill arms under control and presumably still on the board, I was at the beach. I wasn't able to get myself toward the front of the board enough and road the tail which meant the bulk of my weight was on the back of the board which ultimately meant that when I feel (yes when), I was certainly going to go backwards with the board shooting up in front of me.
I booked a pack of four lessons in hope that I'd learned enough to go out on my own for practice. But, after Sunday's trip, I might need to buy a few more afterwards. As long as the weather's good this weekend, I'll book another lesson. I'm also hoping the waves are a little smaller. For the most part they were normal, but there were a few bursts where the waves were at least 4 to 6 feet. In due time, hopefully. But right off the bat, I'll try to stick to the small, unassuming waves.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Quiet morning in the harbour
Killing two birds today. Catching the ferry to Manly for the day and taking my first surfing lesson. Fingers crossed...
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Happy Australia Day
Love the day off in the middle of the week. Good to refresh from the stress of Monday and Tuesday. And what's the Aussie way to refresh? Why with a beer and a trip to the beach.
I stopped off at a new bar, the Stuffed Beaver. The best part, besides the name, is the food. It's as close as I've seen to an American bar. They have hot wings and MGD. Now sure I feel like my dad drinking it, but it's only the second american beer I've seen in Oz. And sure it's shot, but it's home.
I stopped off at a new bar, the Stuffed Beaver. The best part, besides the name, is the food. It's as close as I've seen to an American bar. They have hot wings and MGD. Now sure I feel like my dad drinking it, but it's only the second american beer I've seen in Oz. And sure it's shot, but it's home.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Any one else drinking the Jimmy religion?
Oh yeah, and in my opinion this is what an opera house should look like.
FINS UP!!!!!
A good majority of the concerts I go to, I find myself amongst the youngest. Even as I think I'm getting older. Let me offer a brief pictorial.
Have you ever been to a Jimmy Buffett concert with a waiter putting out water instead of a margarita waterfall? I hadn't either.
Oh yeah, and here's the venue.
It NEVER gets old.
Stay tuned, more to come (the opener). Great folk singer from Darwin.
Have you ever been to a Jimmy Buffett concert with a waiter putting out water instead of a margarita waterfall? I hadn't either.
Oh yeah, and here's the venue.
It NEVER gets old.
Stay tuned, more to come (the opener). Great folk singer from Darwin.
Monday, January 10, 2011
2010 Restaurant Wrap Up
I figured I'd try to put the memory to good use and try to come up with a list of the restaurants (memorable and not so memorable; breakfast lunch and dinner) I've been to so far. This may not be very exciting for anyone reading this, but hopefully it helps my memory down the road.
Sydney:
*Fix St James - CBD - Good well cooked meals and great wines
Lord Nelson's Brewery Hotel - The Rocks
Sailor's Thai - The Rocks
*Sailor's Thai Canteen - The Rocks - Update thai that still brings the heat
*Aria - Circular Quay - Well executed, but small on the portions. Great view of the Harbour
Belgian Beer Cafe - The Rocks
Bavarian Bier Cafe - CBD
*Rockpool Bar and Grill - CBD - Good burger but even better onion rings
Spice Temple - CBD
Chophouse - CBD
Japanese RSL - CBD
*Tetsuya's - CBD - Memorable for the wrong reasons, but glad I went there
*BBQ King - Chinatown - Go to for Peking Duck and BBQ pork spare ribs
*il Baretto - Surry Hills - Great BYO Italian spot down the street from me
Prasit's Thai - Surry Hills
Spice I Am - Darlinghurst
Kanteen - Surry Hills
Kathmandu (Nepalese) - Newtown
Fat Noodle - Pyrmont
Sean's Kitchen - Pyrmont
Mojo's Tapas Bar - Bondi
10 William Street Bar - Paddington
*Wine Library - Wollahra - Excellent meatballs and chicken liver parfait. Great wine selection too.
*Love Tilly Devine - Darlinghurst - Light appetizers and even better wine list. Lots of out of the ordinary wines. First place I've seen an Italian Kerner since Alinea.
Churrasco - Darlinghurst
Blue Orange Cafe - Bondi
Moo - Bondi
Trio - Bondi
Pompei's - Bondi
*Hurricane's - Bondi and Darling Harbour - Best ribs in Sydney I've had so far
*Lucio Pizzeria - Darlinghurst - Best Pizza I've come across
Bird, Cow, Fish - Surry Hills
Bills on Crown - Surry Hills
Gumshara - Chinatown
*Bourke St Bakery - Surry Hills - Might not qualify as a restaurant but by far the best sausage roll anywhere
The Winery
The Wine Garden
Tasmania:
Stillwater - Launceston
Black Cow - Launceston
Terrace Restaurant - Launceston
I'm sure I've missed some, but as I think of them I'll try to add them to the list.
Sydney:
*Fix St James - CBD - Good well cooked meals and great wines
Lord Nelson's Brewery Hotel - The Rocks
Sailor's Thai - The Rocks
*Sailor's Thai Canteen - The Rocks - Update thai that still brings the heat
*Aria - Circular Quay - Well executed, but small on the portions. Great view of the Harbour
Belgian Beer Cafe - The Rocks
Bavarian Bier Cafe - CBD
*Rockpool Bar and Grill - CBD - Good burger but even better onion rings
Spice Temple - CBD
Chophouse - CBD
Japanese RSL - CBD
*Tetsuya's - CBD - Memorable for the wrong reasons, but glad I went there
*BBQ King - Chinatown - Go to for Peking Duck and BBQ pork spare ribs
*il Baretto - Surry Hills - Great BYO Italian spot down the street from me
Prasit's Thai - Surry Hills
Spice I Am - Darlinghurst
Kanteen - Surry Hills
Kathmandu (Nepalese) - Newtown
Fat Noodle - Pyrmont
Sean's Kitchen - Pyrmont
Mojo's Tapas Bar - Bondi
10 William Street Bar - Paddington
*Wine Library - Wollahra - Excellent meatballs and chicken liver parfait. Great wine selection too.
*Love Tilly Devine - Darlinghurst - Light appetizers and even better wine list. Lots of out of the ordinary wines. First place I've seen an Italian Kerner since Alinea.
Churrasco - Darlinghurst
Blue Orange Cafe - Bondi
Moo - Bondi
Trio - Bondi
Pompei's - Bondi
*Hurricane's - Bondi and Darling Harbour - Best ribs in Sydney I've had so far
*Lucio Pizzeria - Darlinghurst - Best Pizza I've come across
Bird, Cow, Fish - Surry Hills
Bills on Crown - Surry Hills
Gumshara - Chinatown
*Bourke St Bakery - Surry Hills - Might not qualify as a restaurant but by far the best sausage roll anywhere
The Winery
The Wine Garden
Tasmania:
Stillwater - Launceston
Black Cow - Launceston
Terrace Restaurant - Launceston
I'm sure I've missed some, but as I think of them I'll try to add them to the list.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
I LOVE wine
We had it all planned to hit drinks, BBQ King for some Peking duck then go to the Arrested Development concert. I would have preferred Emmylou Harris but I'll go with the flow.
Until.....my regular restaurant said this was the one Saturday they were open this year. So I pushed and prodded the crew for some wine. Four bottles later.......
My favorite was the Dao. Not sure I'd the grape but it was from Portugal and it was fantastic. We wanted a second bottle but this was the last. The first Australian Riesling was the second favorite. And afterall this is the summer of Riesling. I wouldn't have bought a Riesling before but these wines are awesome. They all have a distinct post code. Best if all, they have an great level if acidity and don't have to be sweet (though then can be).
The French Riesling was third follower by the Italian crap. All in all a great night.
Until.....my regular restaurant said this was the one Saturday they were open this year. So I pushed and prodded the crew for some wine. Four bottles later.......
My favorite was the Dao. Not sure I'd the grape but it was from Portugal and it was fantastic. We wanted a second bottle but this was the last. The first Australian Riesling was the second favorite. And afterall this is the summer of Riesling. I wouldn't have bought a Riesling before but these wines are awesome. They all have a distinct post code. Best if all, they have an great level if acidity and don't have to be sweet (though then can be).
The French Riesling was third follower by the Italian crap. All in all a great night.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Happy New Year
Well, we're 5 days into 2011 and it feels a lot like 2010. I don't think I make resolutions because I know that I'm not one to keep one. But I think after my meal tonight, I'm going to start to cook a bit more. And by cooking I mean really cooking, menu planning. I stopped off at a wine bar I've been too before, but I also just downloaded a new cookbook, Ideas in Food. And it really got me thinking. And for those interested, the wine bar is Love Tilly Devine. Great wines and the food wasn't too shabby either. Plus they had Iggy's bread which is strange because it's from Massachusetts but have a bakery here as well.
It's not a typical cookbook and nor is it a typical wine bar. The cookbook doesn't give you standard recipes, it gives techniques and ideas (hence the title) on how to apply the authors' research. They also have a great blog with some recipes, but again more thoughts on cooking and cooking techniques. I went through a few of the chapters and with what I was eating and drinking, I think I got a few ideas. I had a plate of kingfish hiramasa (which turns out is Australian yellow tail) with fennel, chili and micro herbs. And after reading the chapter on homemade vinegars, it got me thinking about making a wine vinegar with a wine that would work with the raw kingfish. I had a great dry Australian Riesling and a glass of Italian Kerner (which I've never seen on a wine list since last year but will now search them out) and thought turning one of those into a vinegar would have given the fish a good bite. And possibly a more flavorful bite than your typical lemon wedge.
The duck liver pate was very good and I couldn't come up with anything to do to that, but I've only made it through the pickle chapter. I have a ways to go. But after reading the chapter on brines and salts and having a final glass of Osteiner for the night, it did seem like a scallop with vanilla salt might work well with the wine. A subtle sweetness to go with the savory to go with the oddly good Osteiner. I still don't know what the wine is, but I'll gladly have another glass. So I got home and broke out the only other two cook books I brought with me, The Flavor Bible and What to Drink with What to Eat, and have started thinking. Now I just have to plan out what I want to do. I'm looking forward to stopping by the farmers markets this weekend.
And, after all this cooking, I'm definitely going to have to get back to the gym. And soon.
I hope everyone had a great new years. I'm still trying to get a few of the videos posted from the fireworks, but hopefully this weekend.
It's not a typical cookbook and nor is it a typical wine bar. The cookbook doesn't give you standard recipes, it gives techniques and ideas (hence the title) on how to apply the authors' research. They also have a great blog with some recipes, but again more thoughts on cooking and cooking techniques. I went through a few of the chapters and with what I was eating and drinking, I think I got a few ideas. I had a plate of kingfish hiramasa (which turns out is Australian yellow tail) with fennel, chili and micro herbs. And after reading the chapter on homemade vinegars, it got me thinking about making a wine vinegar with a wine that would work with the raw kingfish. I had a great dry Australian Riesling and a glass of Italian Kerner (which I've never seen on a wine list since last year but will now search them out) and thought turning one of those into a vinegar would have given the fish a good bite. And possibly a more flavorful bite than your typical lemon wedge.
The duck liver pate was very good and I couldn't come up with anything to do to that, but I've only made it through the pickle chapter. I have a ways to go. But after reading the chapter on brines and salts and having a final glass of Osteiner for the night, it did seem like a scallop with vanilla salt might work well with the wine. A subtle sweetness to go with the savory to go with the oddly good Osteiner. I still don't know what the wine is, but I'll gladly have another glass. So I got home and broke out the only other two cook books I brought with me, The Flavor Bible and What to Drink with What to Eat, and have started thinking. Now I just have to plan out what I want to do. I'm looking forward to stopping by the farmers markets this weekend.
And, after all this cooking, I'm definitely going to have to get back to the gym. And soon.
I hope everyone had a great new years. I'm still trying to get a few of the videos posted from the fireworks, but hopefully this weekend.
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