A POOL WITH A VIEW TO DIE FOR....QUEENSLAND TIMBER FLOORING NEW DISPLAY....OUR HUUUUUGE ACCESSORIES AND POT SALE IS NOW ON!!...BBQ CHILLI AND SESAME BEEF RECIPE AND MANGO PASSION COCKTAILS FOR MELBOURNE CUP??...WHY NOT!?...ENJOY!

BEST EVER ROOFTOP POOL

Love to swim?...Love a good view and luxury plus, plus!?...Then the Marina Bay Hotel Singapore is the accommodation of choice, and you just wont believe the amazing Infinity Pool, which is what caught our eye recently on a fact finding mission.

This pool complex is too amazing not to share.

The best views are reserved for those doing their laps every morning 55 storeys up.  Perched 198m above the city, the marina Bays's infinity pool is incredibly unnerving, appearing to spill over a sheer drop (there is, in fact, a lip below and water is recycled....hope not too many kids swim in that pool....)

OUR NEW QUEENSLAND TIMBER FLOORING DISPLAY

Charcoal Interiors really is just a 'One Stop Shop' for all home interior requirements.  We have curtains, floor coverings, wallpapers of all styles, fabrics, furniture, paint colours, accessories, outdoor and so much more...but without sounding like one of those National Tiles commercials, I wanted to acknowledge the hard work done by our friends at Queensland Timber Flooring, who this week have installed a new display of all their timber styles and finishes.  So, we now have a large floor display coupled with this helpful stand.  I think those customers looking for timber flooring options will be impressed with what we now have on offer.

We are always happy to assist with any timber flooring enquiries and this is backed up by the expertise of the people behind the scenes at Queensland Timber Flooring...Queenslands oldest Timber Flooring concrete application business.

We look forward to welcoming you to the showroom soon!

59 Doggett Street.  Newstead.  Qld.   4006
07 38526002
Please feel free to phone us to find out when one of your friendly Queenslant Timber Flooring representatives will next be in the showroom.

CLICKING HERE WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO QUEENSLAND TIMBER FLOORINGS WEBSITE

_____________________________________

OUR HUGE ACCESSORIES SALE IS NOW ON!

In perfect timing for Christmas, we are having a 50% off selected accessories sale.  We have Moroccan Lanterns...the real deal, lamps, candlesticks (perfect for the Christmas Table), urns, our quality everlasting flower and plant range and much, more...and stock is literally walking out the door.

While Stocks Last!....everything has to go!....including our range of selected Terracotta pots and urns...all up to 50% off.  Ask the girls to direct you to the bargains out the front.

www.charcoalinteriors.com.au

_________________________________________________

DINNER IN 30 MINUTES....NO KIDDING!
BARBECUED CHILLI AND SESAME BEEF IN RED SLAW

This recipe for Barbecued Chilli and Sesame Beef in Red Slaw really got me out of a bind this week.

I prepared this in just 20 minutes.  Its quick and easy and delicious!  Enjoy!

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 tbs sesame seeds
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tsp sambal oelek 
• 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
• 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) white vinegar
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 3 (about 800g) thick boneless sirloin (New York cut) steaks, fat trimmed, thinly sliced
• 1/4 (about 300g) red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 3 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced
• 3 red radishes, cut into matchsticks
• Steamed rice, to serve

Method

1. Preheat barbecue on high. Place sesame seeds in small frying pan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until toasted. Transfer seeds and garlic to a mortar and pound with a pestle until smooth. Add the sambal oelek, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and oil, and stir to combine.
2. Place beef slices in a medium bowl and stir through 1/4 cup of the sesame mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
3. Combine cabbage, green onion, radish and half of remaining dressing in a bowl.
4. Cook beef on barbecue for 1 minute each side or until browned and just cooked. Toss steak in remaining dressing.
5. Divide the cabbage mixture among serving dishes. Top with beef and serve immediately with steamed rice, if desired.
   
   
   ___________________________________

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   MAGNIFICENT MANGOES...HORSING AROUND WITH A MANGO PASSION COCKTAIL
   
   

   
   

   
   

   You know Summer is almost around the corner when fresh mangoes come into season.  We love mangoes here, especially cut up and put into salads with some greens, crumbled blue cheese, dried cranberries, tiny tomatoes, avocado and red onion...yum!  If you haven't tried mango in a salad like this, give it a go, because its delicious.
   
   

   
   

   
   

   Due to the freshness of mangoes at the moment, we tried this cocktail recipe with the mango and lime etc...which turned out beautifully aesthetically and on taste.  As mentioned below, we made some delicious Thai style snacks to accompany....this really is a very delicious drink that we think you will love!  And with Melbourne Cup just around the corner, why not have your own little party at home on the day.  The combo of this cocktail with the food style works so well, and its easy to prepare.  Enjoy!  and be sure to back a winner!

   
   

   
   

   MANGO PASSION COCKTAIL
   
   

   

   
   
   
   Ingredients:

   ·         2 ripe mangoes

   ·         1/2 cup vodka

   ·         1/4 cup lime juice (or juice of 1/2 lime)

   ·         pinch of salt

   ·         1-2 Tbsp. natural syrup, like maple syrup OR 1 -3 tsp. sugar (to taste)

   ·         1 bottle champagne OR sparkling white wine (or substitute sparkling spring water if you prefer less alcohol)

   ·         Optional Garnishes: ice cubes OR crushed ice, lime wedges/slices, plus fresh cherries or other fruit of your choice

   Preparation:

   1.      First, cut the mangoes and drop all their succulent flesh into your blender.

   2.      Add the vodka, lime juice, salt, and syrup or sugar. Blend well to create a kind of mango puree. Now do a taste-test, adding more syrup or sugar if desired (how much syrup will depend on the sweetness of your mangoes). This drink should be a balance between sweet and sour, but leaning more toward the sweet.

   3.      Pour this wonderful mango concoction into glasses, half-filling them. Top up with your choice of champagne, sparkling wine, or sparkling spring water if you prefer less alcohol. Finish with a couple of ice cubes or some crushed ice.

   4.      If desired, garnish glasses with slices/wedges of fresh lime, plus your choice of fresh fruit (I used fresh cherries). CHEERS!

   
   

   Goes very well with Thai food style nibblies...i.e Crab Cakes, Prawn Lettuce Wraps etc...
   
   
   _________________________________________
   
   

   
   

   Wishing everyone a very happy weekend.  If you are into the Melbourne Cup...enjoy, glam it up and back a winner!

   
   

   The Charcoal Team

   
   

   

   
   

   www.charcoalinteriors.com.au
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

HUGH SNOWDENS EGYPTIAN DREAM HOME....MIRROR, MIRROR....EASIEST PEACH AND APPLE PIE...BEER COCKTAILS FOR BLOKES...CHEERS AND HAPPY FRIDAY TO ALL!!

SANDS OF TIME...ARTIST HUGH SNOWDEN OPENS HIS DOORS TO THE END OF AN ERA

One of the perks of this job is that I get to flick through the many inspiring and glam magazines that we subscribe to.  I wanted to share with you the story and images of Artist Hugh Snowdens home on the west bank of the river Nile....a story I recently stumbled on and was overwhelmed by.

Hugh says he is living at the very end of an era.  The life here has been the same for centuries says Hugh of his remarkable home in the desert on the west bank of the river Nile.  Here at ancient Thebes, the powerful Pharaoh Amenhotep III, grandfather of Tutankhamun established his court during the New Kingdom (1386 - 1349BC......yes...thats BC!)  The huge complex consisted of the kings own palace, the estates of the nobles, temples, military training camps, embassies, schools and the dwellings of the ordinary population involved in trade and commerce.

So, what you see today are the dry foundations with the occasional broken column base and mounds of pottery lining what were once the banks of the royal canal.  Can you imagine living amongst this and being part of such history?  

His home is nestled on fairly hilly ground in a curve of the desert.  It is surrounded by mature palm, fig and desert pine trees.  He came across the home in 2003 and just kept thinking about it.  It was only half built, made of mud bricks and had one one dome.  Then one day he had a phone call from the Egyptian who was building it, and he had heard how much Hugh loved the house.  Due to a lack of finances the home had to be relinquished and after a lot of negotiating, a deal was struck.

"How could I resist living in a mud-brick house built on the site of a pharaoh's palace?"...says Hugh.

Sadly, Hugh's magical place may be under threat with rumblings that the Egyptian authorities have a vision of incorporating some of the remaining pharaonic sites with a theme park for tourists in air-conditioned transporters with tinted windows....a wall would be built, circumnavigating the Theban hills, separating villagers from their livelihoods.  If the development goes ahead, their village life and traditions will become a distant memory and the hamlet of Malkata, including this enchanting house, might disappear.  

We truly hope this is not the case......

MIRROR....MIRROR....

Here's our 'Brag Book' showcasing just some of the gorgeous mirrors that we currently have in stock in the showroom.  All are available right now.  Call or contact us via the blog for more info

OUR FRENCH STYLE ANTIQUE GOLD MIRROR

OUR BEAUTIFUL 'CHABLIS' MIRROR

THE 'GREYSEN'

OUR ANTIQUE TAUPE ARCHED MIRROR

_____________________________________________

PEACH & APPLE PIE

This weeks recipe is the stuff dreams are made of.  Looking for something simple, tasty, quick, inexpensive and most importantly impressive for dessert this week?  Then look no further.  I present to you, the Peach and Apple Pie.  

This pie tastes as good as it looks, and can be whipped up in 10 mins.

Served with cream, ice cream or custard, this light and luscious recipe is a weekend winner!

Enjoy.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 x 410g cans apples, drained and chopped
• 410g peaches in natural juice, drained and chopped
• 35g sultanas
• 1 sheet filo pastry
• oil spray
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease four 1-cup capacity ramekins. Combine apples, peaches and sultanas in a bowl. Divide the mixture between ramekins, leaving a little room at the top of each cup.
2. Tear 1 sheet filo pastry into small pieces and scrunch up each piece roughly. Arrange them over the ramekins and spray the pastry lightly with oil spray.
3. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle a little over each pie. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until golden. Serve hot or warm with custard or cream.

   
   

   
   

IT'S COCKTAIL FRIDAY...AND HERE'S ONE FOR THE BOYS! 

(AND THE GIRLS TOO...JUST HAVE TO MAKE THE BOYS 

FEEL SPECIAL NOW AND THEN...)

My husband Pete the Greek likes sipping cocktails in a Jackie How singlet wearin', 'how's em Broncos', kind of way.  I mean lets face it, boys love cocktails, but also like them to have a bit of a manly look, rather than swanning around the party with something that resembles Carmen Mirandas hat!  And so, this week, due to the Shutzenfest celebrations that are on in Brisbane I was inspired to find recipes for cocktails that incorporated beer in the recipe.  I was pretty surprised with the selection.  And so the arduous task of road-testing these frothy gems came about.  I am not really a beer fan, but these...I liked!  Especially the lime mix....it will be great for summer and I found that one quite refreshing.  

Let me know what you think of the following recipes that we tried, tested and loved.

                                   Lager and lime: Add a dash of lime juice or lime cordial to a light lager.

Red Eye:
Add a shot of tomato juice to any light lager (this cocktail is also known as Tomato Beer or a Red Rooster). If you add a splash of Tabasco, the drink becomes a Ruddy Mary.

Broadway:
Popular in Japan, mixing beer and cola is known as a Broadway.

Note:  All beer cocktails are to be shared with your mates...preferably whilst watching the rugby or other contact sport...cricket is acceptable.
__________________________________________________________




Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much
as your own unguarded thoughts.
'Buddha'

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend...drive safely, treasure family and friends...until next week....

HAVE YOU TOUCHED AN APPLE PRODUCT TODAY?..RIP STEVE JOBS...WHATS BEEN HAPPENING HERE?..OUR NEW DESIGN SPACE...OUR LOVELY CLIENTS...VALLEY FIESTA WILL HAVE YOU DANCING IN THE STREET...FRESH ROCKET PESTO AND OUR SPRING ROSE COCKTAIL..HAPPY FRIDAY!!

HAVE YOU TOUCHED AN APPLE PRODUCT TODAY?

It was with sadness that we learned of the passing of Steve Jobs yesterday.  I dont think I have ever seen so many tributes come through facebook over the past 48 hours.

I like to think that Steve was the 'Edison' of our time.  Without him there would be no Ipod, no Apple Mac and can you imagine a world without Toy Story?  I dont mean to sound like I am glossing over his achievements, but the fact is that it would take me the whole day and more to cover all of his great inventions and accomplishments.  Steve was  true visionary and promoted living your life out of the box...taking risks and being a misfit.

So, stop for a moment and think about how this man who we never met has affected your life, in some small way.  As someone very wisely put it today: 'The death of Steve Jobs, a great visionary, reminds us that health is the only wealth that really counts'....RIP Steve Jobs.

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING?....LOTS!

The girls have been super busy this week, with a mass exodus of some of our favourite pieces, all gone to a good home.  But then what to do with the space...?...fill it of course!  

And, we now have a new design space area.  Its an area where clients can sit down with a cuppa and peruse our extensive range of fabrics, wall coverings and more whilst making their vision a reality via the design team.

WE LOVE....

It's always very satisfying to have a happy client, and we strive to excel in all we do, including great customer service...our business depends on it!

And so, its such a thrill when we receive a bit of public recognition from a happy client.

Thank you so much to Deb, Steve and their gorgeous girls for taking the time to not only send in a photo of their installed 'Bella' chandelier purchase from Charcoal Interiors, but also for posting it on our Facebook page!  We really appreciated it!

WHAT'S ON DOWN OUR WAY THIS WEEKEND?

THE VALLEY FIESTA!

Brisbane’s biggest street party, Valley Fiesta brings the celebration to the inner-city with a two-day street party on October 7 & 8.

So, if you like street parties that are long, straight and LOUD, then this is the party for you.

Get your groove on this weekend at the Valley Fiesta with a lineup that will have your ears bleeding!...but in a good way...

Join in on Brunswick St tonight and tomorrow.  Get on down, enjoy the Valley and all it has to offer....great food, music, fashion and be sure to take a small diversion down Doggett St to Charcoal Interiors for a break, a browse and some delicious inspiration!

CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT THE VALLEY FIESTA IS ALL ABOUT!

FRESH ROCKET PESTO

(Make your own at home...its so easy...truly..it is!)

This week we got stuck into our big herb pot out in the courtyard of the showroom.  I took out all the old woody basil and cut back the parsley that was completely taking over!

We now have Rocket, Mint, Land Cress (something new...cant wait to try it in salads), Red Spinach, Traditional Greek Basil, Rosemary and Firecracker Chilis!

Thanks to the Rocket I have been nursing along at home, we now have heaps!  The warmer weather is great for Rocket, and it stands by its name...once it takes root it goes off like a Rocket!...we end up with so much every year and it seems such a shame to let it go to waste, so once its used in salads and on sandwiches I make a big batch of Rocket Pesto up.

Heres my favourite recipe, but you can replace the macadamias for Cashews or Pine Nuts.  

When I first started making this pesto into batches I wondered how long it would keep its colour.  The good news is that the colour kept green and vibrant for ages in fact it didnt go brown at all, so its hard to say how long it will keep nice and pretty looking in the jar.  

This pesto is great as a dip, spread on toast on its own with a bit of lemon squeezed on top and cracked pepper, perfect on fish or chicken, absolutely delicious on sandwiches, as a base sauce for pizza, tossed through pasta and much more.

Enjoy and let me know what you think of this fabulous recipe!

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Makes

2 cups

Ingredients

• 2 bunches rocket, ends trimmed, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 80g (1/2 cup) macadamia nuts
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 185ml (3/4 cup) olive oil
• 60g (3/4 cup) finely grated parmesan
• 1 tbs fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Process the rocket, basil, macadamias and garlic in the bowl of a food processor until finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the oil in a thin, steady stream until well combined.
2. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the parmesan and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

• Serving tips: Toss the pesto through pasta with chicken and chopped fresh chilli; spread on pizza bases or sandwiches; or serve on grilled meats.
  __________________________________________________
  
  
  
  
  SPRING ROSE COCKTAIL
  
  
  This cocktail recipe is taken from The Wine Garden in Sydney.  Its the perfect cocktail for that girlie morning tea, or High Tea at home.  Please be sure to use unsprayed roses (just ask your florist for the organic version).  Purchase fresh and colourful blooms for maximum results!
  
  

  Makes

  6

  Ingredients

  • Bunch of mint, leaves picked
  • Petals of 3 unsprayed roses, plus 6 small unsprayed roses to garnish
  • 3 shots (90ml) gin
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) lemon juice
  • Ice cubes, to serve
  • 750ml bottle sparkling white wine, chilled

  • Rose syrup

  • 150g caster sugar
  • 1 tbs rosewater

  
  

  Method

  1. Chill 6 tall glasses in the fridge.
  2. For the syrup, place sugar and 100ml water in a pan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar, then remove from heat. Stir in rosewater, then chill until it has cooled completely.
  3. Bruise the mint leaves and rose petals in your hands to release their aroma, then stuff them into the chilled glasses....mmmmmm...lovely...
  4. In 2 batches, combine gin, lemon juice, rose syrup and plenty of ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well, then pour into the glasses and top up with sparkling wine. Tuck in a rose to garnish, then serve immediately with a straw.

  
  

  
  

  Throw caution to the wind and have a few of these with the girls....Hats on...feet up...drink in hand...laughs a-plenty....perfect!

  
  

  ______________________________________________

  
  

  
  

  Quote of the week from our Facebook Follower Katie Purcell:

  
  

  'If you see the soul in every living being, you truly see'.....

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend.  We hope you enjoyed reading the blog as much as we loved putting it together for you....makes us realise that we actually did quite a bit these week!...Phew!

  Thank you for being part of it all...

  The Charcoal Team 

  xxx