Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Things that are important

I'm talking about potato chip flavors and the whole new variety to be found in the snack chip aisle of a new country! Today, I ran over to Bondi Junction to pick up a charger for Haydn's digital camera (really, I swear, photos will be coming soon, just taking a little while). And then was dying of hunger post-flat white and picked up a bag of Red Rock Deli Deli-Style Potato Chips, Sweet Chilli & Sour Cream flavor. Delicious!!! The nice, crisp fancy type of chips -- kettle-esque --, and the flavor was sort of in the BBQ chip family, but without the wierd mesquite that sometimes gets in the way. I think this flava would be a big hit on ye olde slab at Nonesuch. I'll get a bit more adventurous and get to the Thai flavors and Bacon flavors soon...

Besides adventures in potato chip-land, things are well and good in Bondi. I had a lovely afternoon tea down the road at Di's yesterday afternoon (Sunday), complete with scones and jam and all that. Was nice to catch up, talk a little shop, and truly know another neighbo(u)r around here.

Gosh, in other eating news...had a rather sophisticated (re: grown-up) dinner on Saturday night in Balmain at 3 Weeds. What a cool place, a recently renovated neighborhood hotel complete with pub room (we watched part of the Aus v. New Zealand rugby league game), casual dining area, and then more upscale dining. That's right, I enjoyed the upscale and had a delicious plate of scallops and an amazing dish of creamy, flavorful risotto, all washed down with a very nice New Zealand Sauvigon Blanc. The wine choice must have been a sign that NZ was going to beat Aus for the first time in like 50 years in rugby.

Cultural note: "hotels" are like the neighborhood pub in Australia. Big, corner buildings, that historically had rooms to rent and some still do, but mostly now are just large, centrally located pubs of varying degree of style. They can be very casual with tvs and the omnipresent poker machines or a bit more lounge-y and trnedy etc. The one right near us in Bondi is the Royal Hotel, more of the causal variety, and it is up the steep hill a block and a half. Reminds me a wee bit of Main St in Madison and my proverbial "rolling home" from Genna's and the 'Dise. Paush knows what I'm talkin' about.

In further weekend culinary news, Sunday night was down to the Beach Road Hotel for a little Italian red sauce lovin'. Very basic -- you could get either fettucine or spaghetti with meat/meatless sauce and then there were some meat dish options. I went for fettucine with bolognese and Haydn and Joeley both opted for a schnitzel, which I think in the US would be considered veal parmesan (Haydn) or chicken parmesan (Joeley). Big, filling and simple. And big glasses of red wine. No further details to that other than, red wine. Love that.

Wow, I'm really into food. I run in the mornings here over to Clovelly (C-town, as I call it), but that's not quite as interesting as the food, now is it? Oh and Haydn and I went to Ikea and bought a chest of drawers. It is nearly finished and then I'll really, truly unpack my suitcase and further establish myself. Next up: I gotta get me a library card.

Chunkytoast for all!
Tara

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