Roll 'em snake eyes

As part of Jamie's mum's recent 70th birthday, we went to see Guys and Dolls on Saturday night. Neither of us would generally run to go see a musical, but we both really enjoyed it. Did anyone know Lisa Mcune can sing? And she's totally tiny too. And Kenny (Shane Jacobsen) is in it too, which is hilarious.
When I was in high school they put this on as one of the school productions (and if you know me at all, it will be obvious I didn't participate) - however watching the show on Saturday night, it gets reasonably saucy in parts. I'm intrigued how they modified and de-sexualised certain parts for a high school age performing audience - mainly the stripping.
Another, possibly more exciting part of that night was going to a restaurant I've been DYING to go to for ages. It's called Mamak, it's Malaysian, and it's frequently called the best ethnic restaurant in Sydney. The line is usually massive to get in, which has been too daunting for us, but going before the theatre, the line was much shorter. OMG - it was so good. And totally cheap. The roti was a the highlight, with plenty of curry to dip those flaky golden bits of goodness into. God I love roti. Here's a review from the SMH.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/restaurant-reviews/mamak/2007/11/06/1194117991074.html

I fell...

Ok, it's been a while. Sorry fans. Firstly I must tell you about my fall and subsequent bruise. Last Tuesday I was walking home in my new "riding boots" (according to Country Road), thinking I was it and a bit, and slipped on the leather soles and went down hard on all fours. Some nice people stopped their car to see if I was ok, which I think was very sweet, and all I could say, blinking back tears is "I fell..." and they were like "yes, we saw, that's why we stopped". It happened at the top of our street, so I managed to hobble home before the blood hit my boots, but ooooowwwww... Luckily I only broke the skin on one knee, but an impressive bruise also came up, which I might add is still there nearly two weeks later. I made light work of the scab earlier this week. I have contemplated the pros and cons of posting a picture of my knee, but now it's reached the point where it's not as bad as it was, so the moment has passed.
But the boots are going REALLY well. I'm loving them. They are flat, tan and totally hot. And they are riding boots - I love equestrian themed clothes. If only I was thin enough to look good in jodhpurs. Giddyup!

Nicebuns.

I am a little bit scared of anything to do with yeast. All that "live" business makes my skin crawl a bit and every time I touch yeast I can't help but think about invisible bugs crawling on my skin... ANYWAY. I made some hot X buns from scratch for Easter. We ate them on good Friday (with left overs on Saturday), and I don't think that's what you are supposed to do, but meh. They were quite yummy and looked rustic.

Keeping a little more in the spirit of Easter eating, we did have fish pie on Friday, made by hubby. Although I think I did more than my fair share of the legwork by hitting the fish markets

on Thursday. Good god. It was savage, and I was nearly reduced to a murderous rage. I really was about to get out of the car and start yelling at the aggressive man trying to take my spot. RUDE!!! It was all too much, and the traffic going in and out was insane. Which shouldn't be a surprise really, but still. It was an endurance sport. I emerged victorious with 2kg of fish, and ate sushi in the car going back to the safety of the eastern suburbs.

SYTYCD

I've largely managed to avoid the reality TV trend of the last few years. But I must admit I love, love, love so you think you can dance. And farmer wants a wife. Sadly that's over now, but SYTYCD is on, and they are down to the final six - exciting times. Except I'm confused. I can't work out who I like best. BJ is the only one I'm sure I don't like and he just got a standing ovation, which is really unfortunate. He just strikes me as so fake and with a massive sense of entitlement, and you can see on his face any time he's criticised just the littlest bit that he's got total attitude.
The other two boys, Charlie and Ben I both like. Charlie is a non-threatening cutie, and I think it's really sweet how his ears stick out and he's a bit nerdy, and Ben is a bit more grown up and masculine, definitely hotter, but he's also cute and has a nice smile. I keep changing my mind about who I like best, depending who is on the screen.
Out of the girls I like Amy the best - the other two Talia and Kat, just strike me as slightly different versions of each other and while they are both good dancers, they don't have the personality Amy does. Sigh... But I just don't have a clear favourite. What is not my favourite is Nat B's dress tonight. I don't care if it's Collette. It sucks.

Food!

It's Sunday night and the left over Osso Bucco from last night is reducing even further on the stove for dinner tonight. It's the same recipe Dodd made when we were in Perth mid last year, but I have to admit Dodd's was better. Mine has too much liquid. And I only used half of what the recipe called for. But I've learnt my lesson for next time.

I couldn't let the weekend's culinary adventures go by without mentioning the egg-celent breakfast J-Mo made this morning. Which is what's pictured in case you were becoming really confised with the talk of osso bucco. Which is understandable really, but whatever, it's my blog.

It was just over the page from the recipe for the Osso Bucco in the book, and it was beautiful. He scooped out the guts of some tomatoes, bashed up some basil and salt and rubbed it inside, wrapped proscuitto around the outside, and then stuck that in the oven for a while. Then he cracked an egg into each tomato, and put it back in the oven until cooked. It was just so tasty and lovely, and a perfect way to start the day before heading into work... boo. But that's all over now, and I'm sitting here with a glass of wine, a mud mask on, and the aroma of osso bucco filling the house. Plus it's a short week... but that means only three days to work out what to cook over Easter.

Hilton and Claude's

On Friday Jamie surprised me (with a few days notice to pack my bags) with a night at the Sheraton on the Park for our 3rd anniversary. So I snuck off from work early on Friday and went to go this amazing view over Hyde park and the harbour.

The room was really impressive, and we'd totally go back. We had a bottle of bubbles and admired the view (in bathrobes of course) before heading off to Claudes for dinner.

Claude's is supposed to be one of the top restaurants in Sydney, and while we both enjoyed it, we agreed we've had far better and far more reasonably priced meals in Sydney. While there wasn't anything obvious to fault, we just weren't blown away. It was fine, just not great. And I think they could have been a little more spot on with their service. Tets makes them look like total amateurs.

Next time we agreed we'd just stay in the room and get room service burgers and watch a movie.

Pizza e Birra

We absolutely live in the middle of a massive foodie hub, but I've got to say, that after nearly two years in Sydney, my favourite restaurant has got to be Pizza e Birra. Clearly you don't go there to get souffle or sashimi. They keep it simple, the pizza is amazing, the place is always buzzing, and the owner always recognises us. We went there when Verna (Jamie's mum) arrived in town on Thursday, and it was fantastic, as always. Here's a pic of some of the bustle.

New Mailey baby!

Jamie's best friend Craig, and his wife Tash, had their third baby this moning. It was a litle boy to go with their two little girls, and his name is Brody Phillip Mailey. Congratulations!!

Best... husband... ever

Exciiiiiting!! It's Jamie and my third anniversary on Friday (which we don't feel the need to stop acknowledging now that we are married - I think you have more cred as a couple to say you have been together for three years rather than married for three months, but hey, I do both - too much information is never enough, and I'm sure everyone REALLY cares), and he wanted to book somehwere for us to go for dinner... So book he did!! He just told me to pack my bag for a night away (it's for the best he told me rather than surprising me - I'd feel very excited but stricken to not have all my toiletries and choice of outfit for the next day), and that we are staying at the Sheraton on the Park and having dinner at Claudes!!! Yiiipee!! Too exciting.
He knows I've been dying to go for ages, and it's supposed to be GREAT. I will take pics and post about it on the weekend.

Recently read

So I'd read some media reports about a book written by a woman who has sex with her husband every day for a year. Interesting premise for a book, right? So I caught a glimpse of it at the airport, and bought it without really looking. As I started reading it, it became reasonably rapidly clear that the book is written by some sort of republican, ultra-conservative, religious nut with views on gender roles that wouldn't be out of place in 1890, except it's all wrapped up under the guise of her being a modern career woman. The book has an accompanying BIBLE STUDY addendum for god's sake. Kill me. Here is the offender. I don't reccomend it. And don't bother if it's smut you are after either, there isn't even any of that.
http://www.charlamuller.com/

Happy birthday Drew!

It was Drew's birthday yesterday. Happy birthday Drew!!

While in Perth we found out Drew and Liam are coming to Sydney for four hours on their way back from a wedding in Qld. Conveniently, those four hours fall during dinner time, so we are excited to have dinner with Drew and Liam soon.

Here's Drew and I, allegedly a little drunk, during Em's hens day. It was a leopard print themed day, but I totally wear that top seriously to work.

Birthday love

As well as being Em and Muz's wedding day on Saturday, it was also my birthday... Although with all the wedding stuff going on I hardly thought about it. I scored some really good loot though:
- J-Mo got me a lovely silk Fleur Wood dress. I would post a picture of it, but I wore it to work today and then gave it a steam clean in our washing machine, so it's half wet and not looking its best. I'll get J-Mo to take a pic of me next time I'm in it. It's blue with cream spots and is really cute.
- Drew and Liam got Jamie and I a new camera!!! I suspect it's because they are such big fans of Rainford Days they couldn't bear to not have it updated all the time. I'm so stoked we have a new camera.
-Emma got me an ornamental box in the shape of a Daschund - and it has diamantes on it too. Hilarious!
- Catie and Linds got me some awesome smoked red tea from overseas and personally delivered it. I had some the other day - it's awesome. The smoked flavour is really subtle and it's a bit stronger than green tea, but it totally floats my boat.
It was also Jamie's birthday on Friday. He's never as excited about his birthday as I am about mine, which is probably just for the best given they are the day after eachother. But I hope he had a good day too.

Em and Muz wedding

I know it's been a while, but my camera has been broken, and I've been in Perth, just FRANTIC, hanging out with Em the week before her wedding to Muz. I mean, we had to have lunch, nap, get our nails and hair done, visit the florist, walk Pedro, and go to rehearsals. You can see why we were flat out. But the end product of it all was an absolutely wonderful wedding. Em was beautiful, Muz looked great, the weather was perfect, the ceremony lovely and initmate, and then the reception a lot of fun too... I mean, how can you go wrong with pate, scallops and duck? So here are Muz and Em getting married.

And here's Em walking up the aisle with her dad. Awww... What a stunning bride!!
I was the captain maid for the wedding, and this is me after a four minute walk up the aisle to bagpipes... I think I'd just caught Muz's eye from the look on my face.

The dress was excellent - so comfortable, flattering, and I'll get heaps of use out of it. The necklaces were super cool, ditto with the earrings - both of which I'll wear all the time. The shoes will also get a good work out. As far as bridesmaids outfits go, this one rocked!