January's Old Hat Social

Last Sunday was the Old Hat's January social. It was a beautifully sunny day so we all met at Tim's house for a spot of afternoon tea. We had a wonderfully lazy afternoon and it was lovely to finally meet everyone after failing to make a single Old Hat meetup last year! Here's a few piccies from the day:

What Emma Did - 29th January 2012

This week I have been:
♥  Purchasing a fabulous sideboard for the bargain price of $15!
♥  Having my oldest nephew over to stay for a few days
♥  Coming home to a gorgeous chicken cordon bleu made by the hubby
♥  Contemplating getting my haircut like Elizabeth Taylor in the piccy above
♥  Watching Hoodwinked Too with the hubby

Emma aime in the Kitchen: Damper

Dampers are traditional Australian soda bread prepared by by swagmen, drovers, stockmen and other travelers. It consists of a wheat flour based bread, traditionally baked in the coals of a campfire. Damper is an iconic Australian dish. Damper was traditionally made in a cast-iron pot with a lid, called a "camp oven". The entire pot was either covered in hot wood coals or the camp oven was placed in a hole in the ground and surrounded with hot wood coals. It was usually served with tea made in a billy over the camp fire.

Ingredients:
450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
80g butter, chilled, cubed
185ml (3/4 cup) water

Method:
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the water to the flour mixture and use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the mixture just comes together, adding 1-2 tbs extra water if the mixture is a little dry. Use your hands to bring the mixture together.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Shape into an 18cm disc and place on tray.
Use a sharp knife that has been dipped in flour to mark 8 wedges on top.
Dust the damper with a little extra flour and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the damper is cooked through and sounds hollow when tapped on the base.
Transfer to a wire rack for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

recipe courtesy of taste.com.au

Two Ways to Wear: Paprika Embroidered Bra Top

I recently bought this super cute Paprika Embroidered Bra Top after I saw it on Andi B. Goode's blog. I contacted Andi to see where she had bought it and she very kindly posted the link. You can see how Andi styles it here (which is super cute btw!) but here is how I would wear it:

Home Shopping Wishlist for 2012

The blog has been pretty quiet this year as I have been spending most of my free time working on our new unit. Most of the big jobs are done now but there are still hundreds (or so it feels!) of small jobs that need finishing up. So with that in mind I have compiled a list of items I want to buy to finish off the place. I was inspired by pictures of the Museum of '51 held at the Southbank Centre in London (more info can be found here)

Greenington Currant Sideboard, $1,659
Pair of figural atomic table lamps with original s : Lot 160
Retro Bullet Retro Bullet Planter, $160
George Nelson Vitra Collection - Multicoloured Ball Clock, $307
Arch 1-light Polished Steel/ Chrome Floor Lamp | Overstock.com, $67
Outré Gallery - Exhibitions - PREVIOUSLY:: March 2011: Matte Stephens...
Noguchi Coffee Table - Natural - Buy the Glass Coffee Tables and...

What Emma Did - 22nd January 2012

I'm very late posting this section this week so without further ado this week I have been:
♥ Doing yet more DIY work around the unit (will it ever end!)
♥ Packing a picnic and spending the afternoon rowing around Audley with the Purple Fairy and our nephews
♥ Doing some martial arts training with the hubby and the boys from the bakery
♥ Booking a fabulous cabaret cruise for Valentines day
♥ Shopping for a vintage portable turntable after being inspired by the one the lovely Jesse of like Johnny and June owns
♥ Having a gorgeous lazy Sunday afternoon tea at Tim's (also of like Johnny and June) house and meeting the lovely people of the Old Hat

Spotted: Is this the new Fleur Dress?

This pictured popped up in my inbox today on Shona's 'In the Heyday' newsletter. With Fleur herself mentioning a new Heyday Fleur dress design last week I'm wondering if this is it. It seems we will have to wait until Spring to find out but if it is I will be sure to grab on for myself as I adore cherries on anything! 

What Emma Did - 15th January 2012

This week I have been:
♥ Getting a lot more DIY done around the unit
♥ Going to see Miss Polly Rae and the Hurly Burly Girls at the Factory Theatre
♥ Going shopping at Ikea and DFO and buying some new Oakley sunglasses
♥ Having the car break down on us halfway home from Homebush! 

Miss Polly Rae and the Hurly Burly Girls

Last night the Hubby and I went to An Evening with Miss Polly Rae and the Hurly Burly Girls at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville. For the first time the stars of the Hurly Burly Burlesque have come downunder and are bringing the unique brand of bawdy burlesque.

The first half features mother superior Polly Rae and her naughty nuns including the fire eating Miss Kitty Bang Bang, balloon popping goody two shoes Katie Ella and many other fabulous acts from the Hurly Burly girls set to a whole host of modern songs with a burlesque twist. The first half ends with a bawdy number by Polly which has the audience up out of their seats and learning what burlesque is really about!

And the second half is equally as fabulous with some fantastically hilarious numbers including lets get physical and a fab flash dance inspired number by Miss Sarah-Lou. There were also two fabulous performances by token boylesque performer the Amazing Ari who performed on the lyra and silks.

Overall the night was a fabulously fun show that brings a great new twist to classic burlesque. This review does not do the show justice so catch it for yourself. It is on at the Factory Theatre for the next two nights. Tickets are available here.

And for now here is a sneak peak of the show:

What Emma Did - 8th January 2012

My first attempt at cake decorating is a bit 'rustic'

Its the first 'What Emma Did' of 2012. I took a few weeks off over Christmas and new year but 'What Emma Did' is back! So without further ado, this week I have been:

♥ Enjoying the sunshine with a nice picnic in the park behind our unit
♥ Making a cake for the Hubby's Birthday
♥ Taking the Hubby out to dinner at Rockpool for his birthday (you can read about it here)
♥ Going to watch Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows which was fantastic by the way
♥ Heading over to see the Purple Fairy and spending the afternoon drinking tea and playing board games
♥ Waving my Sister and her Boyfriend off as they're now on their way back to the UK
♥ Having dinner with the Hubby at my favourite pie and mash shop
♥ Planning to head into the city to check out the Sydney Festival First Night but then being too tired!

Emma aime in the Kitchen: Christmas Pudding Ice-cream

Photo courtesy of Recycle for Dorset as we scarfed our 

ice-cream before I had chance to take photos! 

Christmas was a lovely hot day so instead of slaving over a hot stove the hubby and I prepared a cold Christmas dinner with cold turkey, potato salad and salad. For pudding I made a Christmas pudding ice-cream. Its super easy to make (if you have an ice-cream maker) and fantastic for a hot day.

Ingredients:
Christmas pudding
250ml single cream
a shot of brandy

Method:
Cut the Christmas pudding into bit site chunks
Place the cream and shot of brandy into the ice-cream maker
Add the Christmas pudding to the ice-cream maker
Mix as per manufacturers instructions

Serving suggestion: place ice-cream in a pudding basin and turn out so it looks like a real pudding add a sprig of holly to the top for that festive touch!

Birthday Dinner at Rockpool

Last night was the Hubby's birthday so we went to Rockpool for dinner. Rockpool is located in a quaint building in the Rocks. The interior has a modern light and airy but decadent feel to it with a runway leading up to the dinning area.

As for the food we picked from the 4 course tasting menu. We both choose Glazed pig’s head, hot and sour gluten, sugar glazed jujubes and hazelnuts for first course followed by Lacquered Pekin duck, gizzard, liver and heart, orange ginger marmalade and Earl Grey sauce. For third course we both went for the Rangers Valley beef short rib, braised and barbecued, mao po doufo and bone marrow xiao long bao. I went for the Date tart for dessert but Simon opted for Vacherin of pandan custard, coconut parfait, jasmine sorbet and lime granita.

Before the main meal came out we were treated to a beautiful spelt and honey bread which was so good we had a second cob! There was also a canape of Queensland spanner crab, toast, Tabasco mayonnaise, peach leaf jelly. As i'm not a fan of fish I didn't eat mine but Simon loved it and said it was a beautiful smokey flavoured crab with a lovely light mayonnaise that was almost like a cold souffle.

The first course of glazed pig head was absolutely delicious. The pig was a tureen of the snout, ears and cheeks that practically melted in the mouth. The hot and sour sauce was delicious if slightly greasy.
The second course duck was just lovely the freshness of the orange and cucumber wonderfully balanced the richness of the duck. The third course of beef was amazingly smokey but I have to say for me the smokey flavour was a little too overpowering.

And as for dessert the date tart was a wonderful classic dish. I expected it to be a little heavy but the custard was deliciously light and fluffy and the pastry base was deliciously biscuity. The only gripe I would have was that there could have been a little more date in it! Simon's vacherin was deliciously light and refreshing

And a quick note on the service which was impeccable as you would expect from a restaurant of this quality. The staff were friendly and approachable. They went out of their way to accommodate us even to the point of  offering me an alternative canape when they saw I had given mine to Simon.

The Life Overhaul - Update 4th January 2012

I'm continuing on with 'The Life Overhaul' in 2012 and although I've been really busy recently what with moving, having people to stay and the holiday season I am making headway on some of my goals. 

Although I haven't yet built up the confidence to take a burlesque class I have signed up to Bombshell Betty's online Burlesque Challenge training course. The course runs for 12 weeks and comes in the form of weekly tutorial videos from Betty herself posted directly to your email mailbox and best of all its completely FREE!

I'll keep you updated on how I go over the next few weeks but in the meantime if you want to sign up yourself  check out the website here.

Going Wild at the Zoo

It occurs to me that I have posted a lot of 'Days Out' posts recently and not much else. I assure you this will be rectified soon but before it is here's one more 'Days Out' post.

In the run up to Christmas I finally got around to visiting Taronga Zoo. I've been in Sydney for 4 years and still hadn't been so when my sister came to visit I jumped at the chance of checking out more touristy sites.

Grabbing some shots on a very windy ferry

It was a little bit chilly in the morning so I wrapped up in my blue cape but by the afternoon the sun had come out and it was gloriously warm.

As for the zoo itself, well it was fantastic. I especially loved the baby tigers and those cheeky giraffes!

I'll leave you with some photos of the animals:

Pre-Christmas Tiki Party

I've been so busy lately what with Christmas, trips away, my Sister visiting and various parties that I forgot to share with you piccies from the Tiki Party I threw a few weeks back as a pre-Christmas gathering of all the UN girlies.

Here's what I wore:

Tiki Dress - Lady Luck through eBay
Shoes - Vivienne Westwood for Melissa 
Hair flower - Fiji

I forgot to take any piccies but here's a few shots that my sisters boyfriend took:

Goals for 2012

This year i'm continuing with my goals instead of resolutions:

January 2012
Go Para-sailing in Manly
Have dinner at Rockpool for the Hubby's Birthday
Go to Sydney Festival opening night
Go to Hurly Burly Burlesque
See IOTA Young, Hard and Solo
Go to Opera in the Domain
Go to Symphony in the Domain
Go to Lady Luck Festival - Blue Mountains
Watch some Shakespeare at the Sydney Shakespeare Festival

February 2012
Learn to Drive
See Bordello Blues at Slide
See Come to the Caberet at Slide
See My Weekend with Marilyn at Open Air Cinema
Go to Opera in the Caves
Spend a weekend in Canberra
Go to Berry / Berrimer

March 2012
Learn to ride a bike
Go to VaVoom Festival
Check our Mardi Gras
See Love Never Dies at the Capitol Theatre
See Americano Burlesque at the Vanguard
See Ross Noble in Newcastle

April 2012
Have a girls weekend at the Entrance
Try our Trapeze

May 2012
Go to Gaterbelts and Gasoline

June 2012
Check out Wintersun and Cooly Rocks On
Spend our first wedding anniversary in the Blue Mountains
Go to Winter Magic - Katoomba
See An Officer and  Gentleman at the Lyric Theatre

July 2012
Learn to Knit
Get some yummy nibbles at the Good Food Show
Take a burlesque Class

August 2012
Go to Greazefest
Go to the Fifties Fair

September 2012
See the Legally Blonde musical at the Lyric Theatre

October 2012
Check out the Camperdown Cruise

November 2012
Go on holiday to New Zealand's North Island

December 2012
Have a fab Christmas new years eve!