happiest of new years....

so another year has flown by & its now time for a mini-rest...

wishing you all the most wonderful new year ever!! xx

merry xmas!!

purple haze....

Design Files 'Pop Up' House (fitzroy)

Ever dreamed about living in the perfectly designed pad? In the perfect inner city location? Well, interior stylist, writer, blogger and founder of The Design Files, Lucy Feagins teamed up with fellow lady of the design world, Esther Navarro-Orejon (of The Project Agency) to showcase a house that we all dream of owning; an amazing open plan kitchen overlooking a deck that then overlooks the city, a space kitted out with designer furniture, contemporary art and a sunken bathtub..... yes!! yes!! yes!! a sunken bathtub!!!

 It’s a pop-up space that synthesises all the things that Feagins writes about on The Design Files into one space – a house that makes all the pieces feel just right in their place, from the bedroom to the bathroom, the kitchen and the outdoor deck. Set up in a residential home in Fitzroy, Feagins and Navarro-Orejon have the house on loan from a friend for a month and during the past two weeks have been stockpiling designer products from over 71 suppliers, all designed and made in Melbourne.

 

I would have killed for this divine picture to put up in my little house.... 

but alas i couldnt afford it :(

It's nice to dream every now & again though...  

:)

stevie nicks (myer music bowl 2012)

one of the most amazing voices ever...
i love her!!
these are some shots i took for junior online....

pork & prawn siu mai with black vinegar caramel

i suppose living in footscray makes it super easy 2head down 2barkly street for some yum cha or dumplings but i love making my own @ home... it means you can make up little bundles of flavour explosions that suit your taste buds.... if you love chilli you can add as much as want.... love shitake mushrooms? add a shitload & enjoy the results.... here i have decided to use what i had in the fridge.... pork mince & raw prawns... together they are a match made in asian foodie heaven! :)

pork & prawn siu mai with black vinegar caramel

you will need:

250g of pork mince
200g of medium sized raw prawns, peeled, deveined and finely chopped
8 garlic shoots, finely chopped
4 red shallots, finely chopped
20g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 red bird's eye chillies, finely chopped
6 spring onions, white part only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of pat chun (sweetened chinese vinegar)
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of roasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon of schizuan salt n pepper mix
1x packet of wonton wrappers

black vinegar caramel

you will need:

1/2 a cup of palm sugar
1/3 a cup of chinkiang vinegar (chinese black vinegar)
1 tablespoon of water

method:

1. combine the pork&prawns in a large bowl and knead well for 3mins with the back of your hands. add the garlic shoots, shallots, ginger, chilli, spring onion, pat chun, soy sauce, sesame seeds and the salt n pepper mix and incorporate with your hands. cover with plastic wrap & leave in the fridge for 20minutes to chill.... that will make it easier to work with! :)

2. this is the tricky bit..... but with a little patience and practice it gets easier to make your siu mai look like the real deal.... place the won ton wrapper in the palm of your hand, spoon about 1 heaped tablespoon of the siu mai mixture into the centre and use a crimping motion to fold the edges of the wrapper up around the sides of the meat, leaving the top open... dont fret if you dont get the hang of this 1st time round.... tap the base on a bench to flatten inside slightly so the dumpling can sit upright. repeat this over&over&over till you use up all the siu mai mixture and are a dumpling master!! ;p

3. grab a bamboo steamer, the bigger the better & spray with cooking spray and add dumplings in a single layer, leaving space around each one so they dont stick 2gether. cover and steam over a wok of simmering water for 4-5minutes, or until the base of the dumplings are firm and they are cooked through.

4.  now for the black vinegar caramel. put the sugar, vinegar & water into a saucepan and cook, over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. bring to the boil and simmer for 5minutes, or until syrupy. let cool.....

5. grab a cold beer, white wine or whatever tickles your fancy and enjoy....

yum! yum! siu mai!! :)

white on white.....

there's something so fresh & light about white on white...  it projects purity.... cleanliness..... a white flag signals a peaceful surrender & a white picket fence surrounds a safe and happy home.... here's a few shots that were done a while back shot by my mate, graham parson :)