Spicing up the life!

Home again and catching up today...

Downloaded some images from Sydney and wrote a post at the Homage blog on Spices after visiting a wonderful Sydney store aptly named Herbie's Spices.

Pop over here to read all about this fabulous store ....homage to the seed weblog . . .: Adding spice to one's life! You'll find lots of images as well and you can order if not visit in person if you want to try some of their more unusual offerings!

Being the largest city in Australia you can be sure there's thousands of places tempting one's palate. But didn't just eat out... I also cooked some evenings at home with my brother and his wife as company and others too!

One place I was most inspired by I have posted photos of and a mention goes to Phamish where I had
this scrumptious offering to try.

best go read all about these!

this was the venue...

via here.

I passed by this place... Bourke St bakery and had to stop in. That's the look most of their customers are wearing when they pause at the counter.

Just found these pics below

ginger brulee tart with pistaccio

seriously good... whoever thought up this I wonder?

at this blog ... The Melbourne Gastronome who was obviously holidaying in Sydney when writing this post!

Newtown is always a lively place to walk the streets ... I lived here in 1982 

lots of art on walls everywhere: image from Beastman

partial to these... Affogato - espresso and ice cream. Image found here

My Sweet Memory - Korean cafe and stationery store

One place I ended up by chance for an hour was a distance from the city - I drove a friend to a doctor's appointment and waited at this Korean cafe selling stationery items. Not kitch but rather stylishly designed stuff that was eco and minimal/ Its been almost 30 years since I spent time around here ... so to find the suburb of Strathfield bursting with Korean eateries and shops was fascinating.

That was my experience there this time... finding new and old places, drifting around some of the time in order to happen upon things rather than be on a mission with a long list of must dos!

On Sunday I got along to the Marrickville Growers Market which was a very eco-oriented market indeed. Colourful, alternative and organic etc. Like this stall:

I watched the woman behind this counter making
the most fabulous towers of interesting tidbits on
lebanese bread dishes .... as in these below.

image from here.

Also at the market... via here.

ON I still haven't told you about the secret garden... my photos are on the other computer. Time to go now... I'll be back.

Hope your week is going well all you lovely passers by!
Ciao,
Sxo

ps: Here's the secret garden photos I have been meaning to post from my first weekend in Sydney.



This garden tumbles down the hill at the back of the house that's home to Wendy Whitely at Lavendar Bay. Looking out from the top of the garden the view is like this:

For those who've not heard of Wendy Whitely before, she was married for many years to eminent Australian artist Brett Whitely. His death in the early 90's was followed later on by the untimely illness and death of their only daughter... and so the garden became the place in time where she took her grief and made something come to life.

This particular photo I found here. Also more on the garden there as well.

'The Balcony 2'  or 'Sydney by night' - from  here: 

'Windsor and Newton Deep Ultramarine oil colour has an obsessive, ecstasy-like effect upon my nervous system quite unlike any other colour.'
- Brett Whiteley 1975

'The paintings ... begin from the ... highest point of affection - points of optical ecstasy, where romanticism and optimism overshadow any form of menace or foreboding ... Almost all the works have been rendered in a lyrical and personal style where colour ... has this time been used in saturation.'
- Brett Whiteley 1974

Encapsulating key elements of Whiteley's art - his beloved harbour, fluent draughtsmanship, an erotically charged curvilinear line and ability to invest minimal brushstrokes with multiple associations - 'The balcony 2' is one of his most poetically evocative paintings.

Whiteley's return to Australia in 1969 heralded a new preoccupation with colour and beauty. Inspired principally by Matisse, but also by the tranquil ambience of his house at Lavender Bay on Sydney Harbour's north shore, he created a series of spectacular paintings: expansive interiors and views evoking the sumptuousness of the harbour's liquid presence. Text from the site where the image above  was found.

Book published in 2004

Its so in keeping with the spirit of this artist that a lovingly created garden tribute exists by the harbour which so many of us saw brought to life in the artist's magnificent large canvases.

If you are ever in Sydney and want to go somewhere off the tourist path this is a peaceful place to wander to and take a picnic, rug and good book! It must be said though ... the harbour is so extensive that you may find it easier to go somewhere by ferry to relax... still this is maybe 10 mins from North Sydney railway station... and not hard to find!