Brighton Bathing Boxes

I wanted to share one of my favourite spots in the Melbourne area; the Brighton Bathing Boxes. We made a quick pit-stop on our way to Phillip Island.

There are about 80 of these happy little boxes dotted along Dendy Street Beach. It would be fantastic to hang out on the front stoop of your bathing box, sipping a cold beer. Sigh. Apparently, if you would like to own one be prepared to dole out around $200,000. I'm out.

That's it for today. Looking forward to really catching up with you all when we get back to Vancouver!
Have a lovely day! 
janis
x

Hello 2011

An image from our New Year's celebration in Kyneton. Wishing you all a fantastic 2011!

Back soon. janis x

Baked (in Kyneton) - Orange Blossom Friands

Have you all survived Christmas? Anyone brave the boxing day sales? I'm not one for boxing day shopping...I think I'd lose it ;)

We're having a fantastic time, just hanging out with family, but this morning I felt the need to bake. After flipping through my mother-in-law's Australian Women's Weeklys, I came across these Orange Blossom Friands. Holy delicious, and really easy to make.

Orange Blossom Friands - makes about 28

butter for greasing
6 egg whites
185g unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
1 cup ground almonds
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup flaked almonds

Honey syrup
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons orange blossom water

Preheat oven to 180c/350f. Grease patty tin with butter.
Place egg whites in a medium bowl; whisk lightly with a fork, until combined. Add butter, honey, orange blossom water, ground almonds, sifted flour and icing sugar, and stir until combined. Fill each patty cup with about a tablespoon of mixture. Top with flaked almonds.

Bake for about 12 minutes. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining mixture and flaked almonds.

Honey syrup: combine the honey and water in a small saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from heat and stir in the orange blossom water. Cool.

Serve friands drizzled with Honey Syrup. I might add that these are delicious paired with champagne! Enjoy.

Back in a few days with some images of Victoria! Have a lovely day.

Janis
x

Silent Night in Kyneton

It's Christmas Eve, all is quiet and I have a moment on my own. A few images of a very warm and sunny day here in Kyneton....

 

I hope you're all having a fabulous time with friends and family, and eating heaps! Catch up again soon. Merry Christmas!

janis

xo

Baked - Coconut and Pistachio White Christmas Tarts

I'm off to Australia today! It's been a very busy week and, as usual, I got almost no shopping done. Good thing Melbourne and Kyneton have fantastic shops.

My last post before, well, I'm not quite sure when, is a little tart. A fabulous coconut, pistachio and white chocolate tart. Pretty easy to make and they are perfect for an impromptu tea party!

Coconut and Pistachio White Christmas Tarts - makes about 20

1 cup dessicated coconut
1 egg white
1/4 berry/caster/super fine sugar
6 oz/180g chopped white chocolate
1 tablespoon cream (I used 10% coffee cream)
1/3 cup pistachios, chopped

Preheat oven to 210f/100c. Combine the coconut, egg white, and sugar and mix well. Press two teaspoons of the mixture into a well greased 1 1/2 tablespoon capacity muffin tins to form a miniature tart shell. Use a teaspoon to measure the mixture accurately. Push the mixture down, then make a small dent in the centre. Flatten out the base of the shell and push the mixture up the sides to make a neat tart shell. Cover the tray with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until crisp. Carefully remove from tins and cool on wire racks.

Place the chocolate and cream in a heat proof bowl over simmering water and stir until melted and smooth, then stir in pistachios. Spoon the chocolate mixture into tart shells. Place on tray and refrigerate until chocolate is set. These are impossible to leave alone. Enjoy!

I leave you with a little 1966 Olivia Newton John singing "Christmas Down Under". Funny.


I'll be back within a week, with happenings in Australia. I hope to be able to catch up soon with you lovely bloggers. Take care everyone, and have a happy Christmas!

Abandoned and Beautiful

I've been going through my pics of our trip to Australia last year. We're trying to put together an iBook, finally. I have to say, I love iBooks. Easy, fast and inexpensive. "My Publisher" is another good one.  How do you put your travel and family photos together?

I came across some images of an abandoned old hospital in Kyneton, Victoria. We found a door that had been kicked open (I promise, we had nothing to do with that), and ventured on in. I have a crazy curiosity for boarded up old buildings. Love them.  Kind of Scooby Doo, no?

Have a lovely weekend everyone! Back on Monday with a little something savory.

Sweet Comfort....and a little give-away

I seem to get quite excited when I find something that is just, well, comfortable. Like the pillows at Ace Hotel in NY. Nighty night.

I recently picked up a pair of Urbanears, from Walrus, and they're making my hours of post production work sail right on by. The sound is great, and they feel perfect sitting on my ears. Have any of you tried them out yet? I can't wait to use them on the next looooong flight to Australia.

Next bit of comfort are these Toms. I know they've been around awhile, but I only just jumped on the bandwagon. Holy comfort. I never want to take them off. I love their company policy as well: You buy a pair of their shoes, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need. Enough said.

Now, about that "give-away". Check out Flourish Design + Style. She's got an 11 day give-away going on. Lots of great stuff. Up for grabs today is one of my prints. You get to choose which one.

Back to my day of post production, with happy ears. Ahhh.

Have a lovely day everyone!

Baked on Monday

Hello Monday! Can't believe it's already been a week since I posted my very first "Baked On Monday". Hope you all had a great weekend.

It was Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand this past weekend, so in honour of that I've made Anzac biscuits for my Australian husband (Ok. They're for me. He doesn't care for biscuits that much.). As I baked, Robert watched Gallipoli (great old film with Mel Gibson, when he was still beautiful).

Anzac Biscuits

120g of unsalted butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp boiling water
1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1 cup flour sifted
1 cup brown sugar (I had to use dark brown sugar for these, as my golden brown sugar was in a 'petrified' state)
1 cup rolled oats

Preheat oven to 180c/350f.
Melt butter in a saucepan, then add syrup. Mix baking soda in the 2 tablespoons boiling water and add to syrup mixture. In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix well.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place teaspoons of batter on tray and flatten with a fork.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, checking for colour. Biscuits are ready when lightly golden. You want the biscuits to be a little more chewy rather than crunchy. Mmmm. Perfect with tea.
Makes about 24 biscuits.

I think I know what I'm going to make for my next "Baked On Monday". Do you like orange?

Melbourne vs Vancouver

These two lovely cities do seem to battle it out for top spot on the "most livable city" list. My husband is a Melbourne boy and I'm a Vancouver girl, so it makes for a fun rivalry. Vegemite vs peanut butter. We're back in Vancouver now, so back to November rain (isn't that a song?). I like to think rain keeps the skin young and fresh. One can dream.

I shot over 700 images while in Australia, so I thought I should show you a few more pics. Perhaps one more post next week as well then straight into Christmas!

These happy little boxes of hope look like they've never seen any post other than birthday cards, and postcards from faraway places. Certainly never an overdue hydro bill. Postboxes, like these, are dotted all over country roads throughout Victoria. Love the rakish look they all have.

This is Nelly the goat. She was the sweet and happy natural lawnmower belonging to Rob's sister Cathy, her husband Peter, and kids Frankie and Tom. Nelly passed away last week. She was about 20 years old. I feel bad because I yelled at her when she chomped on one of my lenses. Sorry Nelly. R.I.P.

A Day on Earth

I found my personal mecca the other day. We went to beautiful Daylesford, about 90 minutes out of Melbourne, and checked out Shed 4 - A Day on Earth. I think I heard angels singing. This shop (it's actually a huge warehouse) is owned by David Bromley, a fabulous British born (raised in Australia) artist. He really is one of my favourites. 

The warehouse was full of vintage crates, old worker's lockers, David's art, pottery and even a couple of Japanese coin operated kiddie rides. Absolute heaven. So sad to leave it all behind.

A fabulous box table featuring art by David Bromley, coin operated kiddie ride, and the chair that I can't get out of my mind. Love that colour.

Vintage paddles adorned with Bromley faces (my friend, Nikki, would love these), the backside of a plate, and a quartet of illuminated children. My husband plans on purchasing the blue girl. We adored her. Wouldn't she make a fabulous "greeter" in a front hall?

The last few days have been incredible. The air is so clean and fresh here in Kyneton, and the smell of gum trees is amazing. Ahh, Australia.

I'm leaving on a jet plane

I feel so out of the blogosphere loop! In the freelance world, it can be all or nothing. This week has definitely been an "all" week. Haven't had any time to tend to my blog or read any of yours, unfortunately. Sob. 

We leave for Australia tonight (whoohoo!), and I managed to make myself crazy(ier) by accepting a last minute shoot for House and Home today. Must get shots to them for tomorrow. Good thing our flight is at 11:45pm. Oh, and did I mention that a certain wall, in our kitchen, has been painted three times during the week? It will remain the colour it is now ("cloud 9") until, at least, the end of this year. It's hard to choose a colour sometimes, isn't it. Please someone agree with me.

I have my Christmas cards and tags ready to go. The tags are trimmed in "snow" glitter, and I think I still have some in my eyes. This year all proceeds will benefit the Vancouver Food Bank as well as a couple of local public schools for their "Snowflake Socials". Public schools need more money! They will also be available at the Cross, McBurney Junction, and Little White House.

If anyone knows of some fab new shops or restaurants, in Melbourne, please let me know!

I hope to blog a bit while in Australia...we'll see how it goes. Take care everyone!