One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.
Virginia Woolf
We’ve been in Canberra for a few months now, and obviously the first thing we’ve done is to get acquainted with the local wineries. We had some visitors, so we decided to make a day of it and booked tastings at 6 different wineries. First stop was Shaw Wines, where we decided to have lunch as well. Rather than order an appropriate amount of food, the obvious choice was to try everything on the menu and stay all afternoon. So much for our packed schedule. We didn’t even taste many wines – just a couple of bottles of the 2017 Reserve Reisling, which was divine.
I guess we’ll just have to have another day out to experience all the other beautiful wineries in the region.
If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is “thank you”, it will be enough.
Meister Eckhart
This is a pretty simple post. I’ve been busy packing and moving, and haven’t ventured beyond the house to take many interesting shots lately. What I have been doing is feeling extremely privileged and extremely grateful for the life that has fallen into my hands. We have just moved interstate into an AMAZING new home, I have landed an AMAZING new job, we are living amongst nature but we are so close to everything that we need. I literally can’t believe we get to live here. I was initially a little reluctant to move so far away from all of my friends and family, to a city in which I had never lived or worked – but I chose to take the opportunity for a fresh start, and this absolute palace is a very tasty little deal-sweetener!
I would not even have the freedom to live independently without the hard work and sacrifice of my parents, and their parents before them. With everything going on in the world at the moment, it can be quite overwhelming to try and comprehend how I managed to be born into such a relatively easy life. I have been so lucky. I don’t take it for granted for a second.
Here are just a few of my favourite vantage points from our new abode. From here, it’s pretty easy to look up and feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
“I believe that for most of us, most of the time, it is in the everyday experience of beauty, certainly in nature and in music, that we sense a heaven half-revealed and come closest to the true meaning of reality.”
Densey Clyne
Ahhh, Our Nation’s Capital. The Bush Capital. The big city. Treat your lungs to a big gulp of that crisp, Canberra air.
While Canberra hasn’t always had the best name in Sydney, it really does have a lot to offer. The food and nightlife scene are becoming much more diverse and exciting, as more and more people flock to the city. Its most attractive feature is probably its proximity to nature. You can spend 10 minutes in the car and feel like you are in the middle of the bush. In some suburbs, kangaroos sit quietly and observe the residents going about their business. The many local parks are populated with native flora and fauna, and there are countless bush walks and nature parks within minutes of the city. There are certainly more built-up areas of the city, but you are never too far from the warm embrace of a big ol’ gum tree.
During our most recent visit, I went out to Black Mountain Peninsula and the Australian National Botanic Gardens – both perfect examples of the beautiful surrounds that will very soon be on our doorstep. Based on my previous experiences of Botanic Gardens, I would usually expect to find carefully manicured displays of flowers, bursting with colour and perfume. This particular garden was a pleasant surprise. They showcase Australian native flora and cultivate plants that are threatened in the wild. It is rambling and wild and organic, and while well presented, it doesn’t feel manufactured.
One thing I have decided – if Canberra were a shape, it would be a circle. What with the roundabouts and the iconic Canberra bus shelters, I think these fabulous minimal planters dotted throughout the gardens confirm my theory.
Towards the end of the trail, I came through Rainforest Gulley, housing plants from the rainforests of Australia’s eastern coastline. In stark contrast to the dry, muted tones of the rest of the gardens, this area felt all the more lush and refreshing. How amazing is Australia?! Even our plants are diverse – love that for us.
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.
