....NEW YORK STATE OF MIND....
Well, its been a very busy and eventful few weeks...hence the lack of blogging.
Cath has been away in New York for play and also business. She had a few weeks to really immerse herself in the town, and we are all super jealous of her Saks on Fifth Avenue tales...Tiffanys shopping excursions....Soho sojourning and just so much more.
Here's a few snippets from her trip, but there are loads more pics which we will be featuring in upcoming blogs.
Well hellllooooo New York! Here's Cath outside the iconic Stock Exchange Building on Broad Street in the Financial District.
One thing which really surprised Cath was how the balance of old and new side by side in this huge cityscape complimented eachother so well.
The Stock Exchange building was finished in April 1903 at a cost of $4 million dollars....can you even imagine how much this piece of real estate would be worth on todays market?
Shopping in Soho, Cath was blown away by the beautiful shop displays and attention to detail.
This chandelier caught her eye in particular.
A perfect day on the Hudson and a viewing of the Statue of Liberty.
The Bergdorf Goodman Dining Room...a very swank place to sit, dine with views of Central Park and also named as one of the top 50 places to 'celebrity spot' with the likes of Kate Moss, Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira amongst the many well-knowns to frequent the restaurant and popular upmarket and sophisticated store.
Strolling the streets of Soho with the locals. Cath spotted Woody Harrelson, Kevin Bacon and wife Kyra Sedgwick.
More of Caths New York and LA travels in upcoming weeks. She has certainly come back completely energised (which is scary really considering her usual high octane energy levels!)...and inspired for bigger...better...best! We are excited about her ideas and cant wait to share them in the coming months.
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....FIREPLACE INSPIRATION....
I dont think there is anywhere in Australia today that isn't experiencing a cold snap.
Cold days always have us daydreaming of the perfect fireplace.
Here's one that we just love and had to share....
Close your eyes and imagine you're here....with a hot glass of mulled wine (see recipe below in Cocktail Friday section)....
mmmmmmm.....
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RUSTIC CHICKEN AND ROAST TOMATO PASTA
Todays chilly weather inspires us this week with a hearty and rustic pasta recipe. Roasting your tomatoes really puts the 'kick' into the flavours and each little bud just bursts with goodness and zingy taste. To also spice this recipe up a bit you can season your chicken. We like to use Greek seasoning available from the supermarkets or stir in a bit of pesto sauce if you need extra flavour. This is such an easy recipe for two. Just double the ingredients for when unexpected visitors pop by. Serve with a nice Pinot Noir, or hearty Shiraz.
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 x Chicken Breast with skin off.
- 250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 200g spaghetti pasta
- 100g baby spinach leaves, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon basil pesto
- 60g feta cheese, crumbled
- shaved parmesan cheese, to serve
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C. Place tomatoes in a roasting pan. Combine vinegar and sugar in a small jug, stirring until sugar has almost dissolved. Pour over tomatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until tomatoes are tender. Pan fry chicken breast until cooked through...slice into strips and put aside.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet directions, until tender. Drain and return to pan. Add spinach, pesto, chicken and feta and toss gently over low heat until just combined. Season with salt and pepper.
- Divide pasta between bowls. Spoon over roast tomatoes and any juice. Top with parmesan. Serve with a crusty loaf of bread and lashings of butter!
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GO ON....SMILE...ITS COCKTAIL FRIDAY!
SOMETHING TO MULL OVER......
Don't knock it til you've tried it....Mulled Wine is absolutely divine...
Traditionally a Christmas style drink, we don't like to type-cast here, and because we miss out on all the 'traditional cold' drinks and foods due to our sweltering Christmas Days today's chilliness has us hankering for a mulled wine. Frequenting the Adelaide Hills lately we have found that its not unusual to find Mulled Wine on the menu of any good country restaurant or bar...and they sure do have a great selection of those! I haven't found anywhere here in Brisbane yet who does a Mulled Wine...mind you I haven't been looking too hard because I know I can easily make my own...but that's for another day and another bar....ah...someones got to do it.... ps..if you can recommend anywhere local that does an exceptional Mulled Wine we want to know...
For now, here's our Mulled Wine recipe...enjoy by your fireplace (if you have one...lucky, lucky you...) or outdoor brazier...at the very least halogen heater with your slippers and nanna rug...either way...just enjoy!
MULLED WINE
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 3 cups (750ml) red wine
- 1 cup (250ml) cognac or brandy
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 whole cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 40g sultanas
- 1 star anise
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced
Method
- Combine ingredients and 1 cup water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, reserving orange slices. Pour wine into serving glasses. Top with orange slices. Serve.
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UNTIL NEXT WEEK....
LIGHT AND LOVE....
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