Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.
Benjamin Franklin
This was an exciting weekend! After months upon months of almost total isolation, I ventured out of the house for a beautiful weekend in Canberra celebrating my sister’s birthday. We had an UNBELIEVABLE long lunch at Pavilion Dining at Pialligo Estate – all kinds of bougie and decadent in a gorgeous, sun-drenched setting. Due to the current restrictions, we also had an entire dining room to ourselves, which did dangerous things for our egos. I could get used to lunches like this.
We all skipped breakfast in order to take full advantage of the menu. By the time we got to dessert, I was so full I couldn’t think straight, and I forgot to take any photos. No regrets.
House baked sourdough with Pepe Saya butter and Estate olive oil
Beetroot carpaccio with cashew cream, candied walnuts and merlot reduction
Roast king prawn caponata with romesco and salsa verde
Pumpkin, feta and lemon myrtle rotolo with smokehouse chorizo crumb
Grilled pencil leeks, torn maple brisket, horseradish and curly endive
Grass fed scotch fillet, blackened brussels and red wine jus
Spring chicken with wilted leaves, hazelnuts and mustard emulsion
Roasted barramundi, parsnip and pistachio with saffron and kohlrabi remoulade
Confit mushrooms with kale barley, soft garlic and hard herbs
Pork belly with charred corn puree, zucchini and mint salad
When we had finished lunch, the sun was setting over the vineyard so we carpe diem-ed and had another drink outside. Even in Canberra in the middle of Winter, it was gloriously warm in the sun, and the wine was delicious.
10/10 would recommend. If you’re ever in Canberra, make a trip out to Pialligo Estate. Whether you’re in it for the food, the wine, or even just the views – you won’t be disappointed.
“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colours of a rainbow.”
Maya Angelou
It’s Mothers’ Day! One of the (far too few) times of the year we actually give our mothers the gratitude they deserve. Motherhood is strength, grace, patience, tenacity, wisdom and lots and lots of love. Our mothers provide us with a certain comfort and peace that no-one else can replicate. I truly believe that no matter how old we are, we all have times when we just want a cuddle from our mums to make everything better.
For those of us whose mothers are no longer physically with us, those times can be pretty dark. What starts out as a crappy day soon leads to a sudden urge to talk to your mum, which very quickly transforms into the jarring realisation that you can’t.
Ever again.
It’s awful. It’s up there with my least favourite feelings in the world. But over time, I’ve learnt to appreciate the time that I had with her, and to channel her when I need her.
I see my mother everywhere, every day. I see her in beautifully overgrown gardens. I see her in books that make me laugh. I see her in flowers as they begin to bloom. I see her in the shallows of the ocean, where the water is just clear enough to see the sand tumbling below. I hear her voice when I hear people speaking French. I see her in handwritten recipes. I see her when I wash my dogs. I see her in my Sudokus and crosswords. I see her when we’re dancing in the kitchen. I see her in the clouds when they make funny shapes in the sky. I see her swaying when Norah Jones plays. I see her in the laughter of friends and family. I feel her warmth when the sun shines on my back. I see her anywhere there is colour, vibrance, warmth and positivity. Most importantly – and, I suppose, the thing I’m most proud of – I am beginning to see her in myself.
She was a truly exceptional mother, and more importantly, she was a truly exceptional human being – beyond her role as my mother. Motherhood did not define her; she was her own person with skills and interests and knowledge and passion. That is not to say that every other mother lacks those things, but I think it’s important to appreciate them for everything that they are. My mother was so much more than a mum, which is just remarkable because she was a bloody good mum. Just imagine how extraordinary she was in every other aspect of her life! The mind boggles.
We all love her, we miss her, we are grateful for her every day.
At the same time, I am endlessly grateful for every other mother in my world. My many and wonderful aunties, my grandmothers in spirit, the mothers of my closest friends, my mother- and grandmother-in-law, those who have looked after me like mothers, mother Earth, friends who have become mothers, mothers-to-be – you are all ESSENTIAL workers who don’t get paid enough! (Like teachers and nurses, but with even less pay.)
The work you do is so important. I hope you feel valued and appreciated every day. If you don’t, then I hope at least you feel valued and appreciated today.
Hug your mums!*
*from a responsible distance of 1.5m, after sanitising your hands.
We’re getting the hang of life in isolation. One of the biggest perks is the lack of awareness of time. It’s a bit like the week between Christmas and New Year – no one is entirely sure what day it is, and everyone is in holiday mode because they’ve got nowhere to be tomorrow. The stress of the whole situation seems to have passed, and we are now in a constant state of deep relaxation – win!
We’ve been indulging in cocktail hour most afternoons, sitting out in the yard and watching the sun set (sunset, sunset, sunset) over the beach (beaches, beaches, beaches). If you know, you know.
It’s become commonplace to open the fridge and exclaim “we are going through [substitute literally any alcoholic beverage here] at an alarming rate!”, as though it’s some sort of surprising turn of events since the day before. At the risk of sounding like we’ve developed a problem, I like to think we’re just making the best of a bad situation; enjoying each other’s company and having some good old fashioned fun. We’ve leaned into the iso-life and we’re learning to go with the flow. As two BIG planners, we don’t often just see where the wind blows us. To be fair, we’ve accepted the fact that it’s not going to blow us very far in the foreseeable future – but it’s just the vibe. Again, if you know, you know.
It’s not all alcohol though, coffee is important too! And water. Lots and lots of water. We’ve also been doing daily workouts so we’re not totally neglecting our health.
Photographic inspiration has obviously hit a low point, so please enjoy these pictures of the many beverages getting us through isolation! I promise I’ll think of something better next time!
Special mention to SH. He is many things, but in particular he is an excellent lighting assistant, prop manager, website-fixer, troubleshooter, idea-bouncer-off-er and all-round supporter. Thank you!
Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it’s a start.
Anthony Bourdain
We are still in isolation, but so thankful that the sun has come out for a beautiful Easter weekend. There’s nothing more therapeutic than Vitamin D in my humble opinion. In the absence of our favourite smoker, Sam cooked an amazing Wagyu brisket in the coal Weber. It’s a long process at 10 hours total cooking time, but it’s definitely worth it for the sake of a particularly succulent Easter meal.
In a time where I am trying to actively practice gratitude – I am grateful for a wonderful husband who loves to cook delicious food!
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
WARNING: Uncharacteristically emotional content! I’m usually fairly passive in my writing, but I’m isolated and we are in the midst of some kind of mass extinction bullshit and I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS. You’ve been warned. Read on at your own risk.
It can be pretty easy to feel overwhelmed by stress and anxiety when it seems as though the world is ending. First it was the fires, then it was the floods, and now it’s the virus. We are all more isolated than we have probably ever been, spending a lot of time alone with our thoughts…and for me that’s not the ideal situation! I tend to assume the worst case scenario and over-exaggerate the possibilities ahead when left alone with my brain. Combine that with the constant stream of news and general hysteria (and, for me, a particularly high vulnerability to this disease) and you have a recipe for near-insanity.
However, amidst the chaos, I have found calm in taking time to express gratitude for all the little joys that we are lucky enough to experience every day. The birds singing in the morning, a loving paw on the knee, the smell off coffee wafting through the house, flowers blooming in the garden. Every day there is beauty to be seen.
One of the things I am most grateful for is the beautiful location we have been able to isolate in. We have plenty of space and we are close to nature, which has a welcome grounding and calming effect. I have been noticing the way the light changes throughout the day. It is a reminder that although it feels like the world as we know it has screeched to a halt, the Earth continues to turn. In fact, it is thriving in the absence of human activity! The sun rises every day and sets every night. The tides continue to rise and fall. The seasons continue to pass, as the leaves begin to turn.
In these manic and uncertain times, I have found sunlight to be such a reassuring reminder to put one foot in front of the other and try not to get caught up in the panic.
In light of this (pun very much intended), I am channelling my anxious energy into creativity, making observations on light and shadow. I hope these images can help to bring some zen your way!
“Here’s what I think. Feminism is not here to dictate to you. It’s not prescriptive, it’s not dogmatic. All we are here to do is give you a choice. We want to empower women to do exactly what they want, to be true to themselves, to have the opportunities to develop. Women should feel free. There is no typical feminist, there is nothing anywhere that says you have to meet a certain criteria.”
Emma Watson
Feminist QUEEN Emma Watson says it best, as usual. However, I will try to elaborate in my own words…
Women are many things. They can be gentle. They can be nurturing. They can be warm. They can be charming. They can be kind.
They can also be tough. They can be opinionated. They can be ambitious. They can be sexy. They can be confident. They can be intelligent. They can be intuitive. They can be creative. They can be brave. The most wonderful part is that they can be all of these things at once.
When women feel empowered to unlock all of the facets of their being, they are a force to be reckoned with.
In this project, I have had the privilege of exploring the things that empower the women in my life. I have been amazed by the complex, accomplished, self-assured women that have opened up their souls to me. I hope to show that just as women are multi-faceted; so are the things that empower them. Empowerment is not one-dimensional. It can come from things that are pivotal in the makeup of our lives, or from seemingly insignificant everyday tasks. Whatever it is that makes a woman feel confident, inspired, or free to be herself – that is where her power comes from.
Liz loves her tattoos because they make her feel like she can be in control of her own body and how she is seen. She is curating a feminist sanctuary in her own home with works by women artists.
Sophie is empowered by her work. She values having a seat at the table, and being able to use her voice to influence and enact change on a daily basis.
Natalie does not like perfection and she doesn’t like being told what to do – by a recipe book or anyone else. She loves experimenting with cooking, and where she can add a zucchini to any recipe, she will!
Joan has a keen interest in birds. She loves seeing them enjoying things like a bird bath, the nuances of each different bird and how they forage for food, the intricate colours in their feathers, the markings around the eyes and best of all the way they nurture their young!She feels particularly empowered by her ability to capture that in a photo to share her knowledge with others.
Roisin values the power of makeup to lift her mood and present herself in the way she wants to be presented. We often talk about the opportunities that we miss out on as women, but she sees makeup as one of the privileges of femininity. It is one of the few things that we get to do as women which is harder for men to enjoy; when a lot of the time the roles are reversed.
Helen loves her job! On top of the sense of purpose and fulfilment that it gives her, it also has lots of great perks! She has been able to give her family the opportunity to travel the world and make wonderful memories.
Bella is passionate about education. Teaching is her vocation, and she is empowered by her ability to have a positive influence on children’s lives.
Jessie finds empowerment in running regularly. The achievement of reaching a new goal makes her feel both mentally and physically strong.
Bella loves to forage. The excitement of being able to pick something out of the garden and turn it into a delicious meal is both satisfying and grounding.
Phoebe is empowered by the freedom she has as an Australian woman in the 21st century. She loves her work and she has enjoyed being able to travel and work overseas – all without the need to be escorted by a husband!
Lucy loves the feeling of wearing boots. The sound they make, the sturdiness of the sole and the confidence they give her to walk through life and through any situation in comfort – just as a man would.
Natasha has worked hard to achieve her aspiration of becoming a nurse practitioner. The added responsibility and professional accountability that she has earned, coupled with her skill set, will allow her to provide a higher standard of care to her patients.
Millie finds running to be something that allows her to have control of her mind. She loves to maintain an active lifestyle in order to have power over her own health and wellbeing.
Toni feels empowered when she can take something old and give it new life. She relishes the ability to create things of her own, without following conventional design rules.
Siobhan finds power in her ability to repair, refurbish and reuse. Her creativity and skills allow her to extend the life of things that would otherwise go to waste – a cause that is of great importance to her.
I find power in the process of learning new skills. It reminds me of how capable I am and how I can benefit from taking on new challenges in so many different ways. I have enjoyed photography as a way of looking at the world through a new lens; and being able to display the fruits of my labour in our home is the most rewarding experience.
Thank you to all the wonderful women who volunteered their time, faces and minds to me over the last couple of weeks. It has been an inspiring experience for me, and I couldn’t have done it without the generosity of all the beautiful faces you see above. Thank you!
“We don’t live our lives with this much order and control. To represent them in death like this is a lie. A proper cemetery should have big, gnarled trees among crumbling angels and weathered tombstones arranged haphazardly. The grass should be littered with clover and worn down to dirt in places.”
Kevin A. Kuhn
Camperdown Cemetery is a historic site in Sydney’s inner city suburb of Newtown. It was established in 1848, and tells the story of many years of abandonment and repair. In the 1940’s most of the cemetery was returned to public space, now known as Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. The remaining graves are now contained within stone walls, sharing the space with St Stephen’s Anglican Church.
It is a fascinating place to visit, and it is strikingly different from most operational cemeteries. When I read the above excerpt, I immediately thought of Camperdown Cemetery. I think Kuhn perfectly captures the organic and wild nature of this beautiful place in his writing.
We spent the long weekend with family at a beautiful home in Wallington, Victoria. The stunning polished concrete floors made my jaw drop as we walked in – they are so striking and fit the architecture of the house beautifully. Little did I know the tough lesson I was about to learn about the downfalls of polished concrete! It didn’t take long to realise the acoustics were not ideal for a house full of extremely adorable – but very vocal – young children!
Every other aspect of the house was perfect for a holiday with kids. There was a beautiful pool, an in-ground trampoline and climbing equipment; not to mention the huge block of land just waiting to be explored. The bedrooms were down one end of the house and could be closed off, so once the kids went to bed we could be as rowdy as we damn well pleased!
We were a short drive to Ocean Grove beach, where many a mermaid was made. The weather was much cooler and windier in Victoria than what we are experiencing in Sydney at the moment, so it was lucky that we had such a beautiful place to stay and keep out of the weather.
