Snack time!

 Pears, figs, dried cranberries, cheese and nuts. Yum!

Because I'm a dork and a foodie

Welcome my new set of wheels:

His name is Paddington.  Yes, after Paddington Bear because of his similar colors and slight name resemblance of where he comes from: Paddy's Market, a complete and hectic market, especially if you're getting produce on Sundays, the last day they're opened each week with lots of good deals.  Secretly, I've always wanted one of these trolleys (American English: shopping carts) that you often see grandmas wheeling around and well, it was time I made this happen.  Paddington is a great companion and helps me keep the fridge stocked!  Isn't he adorable?

Pappa, can you hear me?

I'm a fan of desserts.  If you've dined with me, you may have noticed that order doesn't matter so much and by eating my dessert before or during my meal, it really doesn't spoil my appetite...thank goodness!

Having foodie friends is essential.  It helps me discover places like Pappa Roti which houses these wonderfully, ooey, warm BUNS! They opened in Australia, with their first location in Sydney back a couple months ago but have other branches in Malaysia, Dubai, China, Vietnam, Korea, and the Phillipines.

Their signature bun consists of a slightly crisp and fragrant coffee-cream coated exterior over a light and fluffy dough interior.  I decided to top (bottom?) my bun off with taro ice cream.  Its sweet flavor nicely balanced out the buttery filling and my mouth waters just looking at the pictures.  I've got my punch card ready to go!

291 Anzac Parade,
Kingsford, NSW

042270 4429
Mon-Fri: 7am-7pm
Sun-Thur: 7:30am-10:30pm
Fri-Sat: 7:30am-11pm

Goodbye Aussie Summer

Did you know the seasons begin here on the 1st of the months? That means that summer ended back last week. But I'll be in denial of the season change for a couple weeks. Until then, enjoy some summer:

Roast duck pizza (upper left corner) and Pepper KANGAROO pizza at the Australian Heritage Hotel in the Rocks. The duck was good, the kangaroo was even better! Mmmm tasty! Definitely have to go back for it.

Mexican dinner at Missy Foxall in Mona Vale (northern Sydney).

The Boathouse in Palm Beach and more of Missy Foxall (street tacos).

The Boathouse beef burger: egg, mixed lettuce, fresh tomatoes, caramelized onions, beetroot tapenade, and tasty cheese.

Salad in the city.

Various Sydney.

To New Zealand

If there's lessons I continuously learn, one of them is that things come naturally, just like the creative process. As much as we would like to sometimes believe, the better part of creativity is not something that can be forced on command. For me, it comes late in the night, when most people are sleeping.

With the recent news of yet another big earthquake in/near Christchurch, New Zealand, I decided to use this time to reflect on my recent trip out there. It was my first time in Kiwi-land and let me tell you, it's a really beautiful country to visit, see, and even live in. And if you make it out there, allow yourself plenty of time (a minimum of 3 weeks if you're doing both the north and south island).

There's something special about knowing where your food comes from. My last night in Auckland included a salad with vegetables and herbs picked straight from the garden accompanied by some corn fritters for a calming, healthy vegetarian dinner.

I fell in love with Fidel's Cafe in Wellington on Cuba Street. With its colorfully painted walls and decor, it made the carrot cake and coffee I ordered taste even better! We also went camping but that's not to say we were going to have bad food. No, no. Thanks to chef Ricky (and his assistant, me), there was only room in our stomachs for the good stuff, like curry to keep ourselves warm in the slightly unexpected cold weather. There was also an attempt to make s'mores around the campfire with our handmade sticks. Not a failed effort entirely, but having (honey) graham cracker definitely makes a big difference!

Dinner in Picton on our first night there, cleverly and freshly made mixed berry yogurt somewhere in between Takaka and Nelson, and a "Pop Eye" pizza (smoked chicken, mozzarella, red onion, fresh spinach, and honey mustard) at the "Best Cafe in Marlborough," the Slip Inn Restaurant in Havelock, on our way to hitchhike.

Wise words in Puponga, the Abel Tasman sunset, sushi at a hidden gem called Sachi in Nelson, and their PORK BELLY with salt and mustard!!

Christchurch: Lunch at Govinda's for a pumpkin and lentil pie, the Christchurch Cathedral, SOL Square for Open Mic Night at Fat Eddie's, dinner at The Coffee House Cafe & Restaurant.

It's a bit scary to think that I was just there a couple weeks ago driving down the street as my friend showed me the damaged buildings and streets from the previous big earthquake in September 2010. It definitely gets me to appreciate what I have now: the opportunity to travel and eat good food in great company and be able to share the joys it brings me. My thoughts go out to those affected.

It's midnight and I'm hungry

"FOODIES UNITE"

Awwwww yea.

Back again

Keeping a blog is like flossing: something you should remember to do but sometimes forget. Luckily, I've got the flossing part down (my dentist would be proud) but as far as updating this, it started strong then faded away.

Well, I'm back and kicking now after lots of food and lots of travel!

To finish up writing briefly about my adventures in Thailand, another one of my friends, Ksenia, came out to visit on an "Eat, Pray, Love" trip she planned after finishing up her master thesis.

If you're ever in Bangkok and looking for one bar to go to, I highly recommend the Sky Bar, sitting on the 63rd floor of the Sirocco State Tower (dress code enforced). It's an open-air bar that has a great view of the city and according to Ksenia, was one of the best bars she had ever been to:

Enough with the words and more with the photos, I say! Here are a couple of some delicious ones:

My breakfast 60% of the time while living on Soi Ari, a Thai green egg noodle w/roasted duck...mmmmm...

Red chilies at spa-turned-restaurant Shambala (top), garlic chicken in Ayutthaya (the Siamese kingdom from 1351 to 1767), nam neung at a tasty Vietnamese restaurant in Bangkok.

Dessert at After You Cafe, crispy appetizer at a Thai-Chinese restaurant, little pineapple cake piggies with sunflower seed ears.