When you have no time for dinner...

Today, I'm in the midst of drafting minutes for the various meetings I attended last week when the batteries in my digital recorder go flat. Hmm, seemed like a good time as any time to take a walk down to neighbouring Windsor to buy some spices for a new dish I wanted to make for dinner tonight as a treat for A, who's been busy burning the midnight and early morning oil these couple of weeks.

I decide to take the rest of the afternoon off from work to check out a couple of new shops (one is structured much like the Heeren in showcasing up and coming young Melburnian designers), buy some art supplies for my resin jewellery class on Thursday and gather supplies for tonight's dinner and baking sessions for the rest of the week.

I wander down to a now favourite haunt along Chapel Street called Flavours, Herbs and Spices, which stocks a veritable Aladdin's cave of spices, herbs and spice mixes as well as a host of enticing kitchenware, supplies and linen for the perfect hostess. I'm looking for a Moroccan spice mix, ras-el-hanout, as well as ordinary spices such as ground cinnamon, saffron and nutmeg. FHS' owner, Victoria, suggests "Meera's ras-el-hanout", compounded and mixed specially for local Melburnian chef/culinary teacher, Meera Freeman (who's well known for her Moroccan cooking classes), which comprises a ground mix of cinnamon, cardamom, cassia, allspice, nutmeg, turmeric, long, cubeb and black pepper, coriander, mace, grains of paradise (what is this?) rosebuds and ginger. I quickly spot the rest of the spices I came for and leave with a nice bag of goodies before I start poking around Victoria's lovely shop and buy yet another linen towel/apron from the Mozi range.

My buys from Flavours Herbs Spices

Having the afternoon off also means that I'm like a loony woman back home trying to unpack my stuff in the kitchen, defrost the chicken parts and check my BlackBerry to see if I've received any emails from the office. Darn… the first set of minutes have been formatted and I've got comments on my second set of minutes so it's another couple of hours taking care of everything before I surface to see that it's 815pm!

Time to get on with the spiced chicken with the ras-el-hanout mix and tomato and carrot couscous! Tonight sees a couple of firsts - the first time I'm working with cous cous and the first time I'm doing anything vaguely Moroccan. For some reason, I've never tried Moroccan cooking or even making cous cous although most of their dishes seems easy enough with all that stewing going on. Maybe it was the use of apricots in their dishes which grossed me out a little - me and my compartmentalised taste buds where savoury dishes should be savoury, spicy dishes apropos but a savoury dish with fruity twinges does send a little shiver down my spine. Strangely I don't mind this combination when it comes to pate & terrines though!

Anyway, since I've always been avowedly (as is my Italiano-phile and Franco-phile girlfriend, T) pro-Italian cuisine to date, I've sadly neglected trying dishes from the other side of the Mediterranean. By the end of the evening, I'm wondering why I haven't gone out and purchased a tagine before - cous cous and Moroccan food isn't so difficult and it's definitely tasty! (Alright so maybe my spiced chicken isn't really a Moroccan dish but I used a Moroccan spice mix!)

Tonight's dinner is an exercise in simplicity and makes an appearance in time for A's return around 9pm.

Spiced Chicken

I decide I want crispy chicken for tonight instead of making a stew (too much time!). Toss chicken parts in a plastic bag holding 4 tablespoons of plain flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of ras-el-hanout and a couple of pinches of salt. Once the chicken parts are evenly floured, bung them into a preheated oven of 220'C to crisp the skin for 10 minutes and then lower the temperature to 190'C for about 15 more minutes. Squeeze a lemon over and it's ready to go.

Cous cous

Prepare cous cous enough for 2 persons according to the instructions on the package. Fluff the grains with a fork and toss in a cube of butter and reheat over low heat for 1 minute. Add a handful of shredded carrots, diced tomatoes, the juice of 1 lemon, finely chopped parsley and coriander and some ground black pepper and mix well. Uunfortunately, with the amount I had to carry today, I had completely forgotten to get the coriander and parsley.

**You won't believe the appetizing smells emanating from the spiced chicken when its had its blast in the oven! It looks a little like Colonel Sander's Original Recipe but tastes way way waaaaaayyyyy better. Taking no longer than 45 minutes (prep and cooking time), tonight's dinner is perfect for those nights when you don't have a lot of time to whip up something fancy and yet want something healthy, light but filling.

New York # 4 - Shopping the New York way

A visit to New York wouldn't be complete without visiting their legendary temples of goods – Barneys and Bloomingdales. Having spent nearly all my money at Woodbury Common on Kate Spade bags, shoes and Le Creuset pots, I decided to steer clear of both these one-stop shops (save for a quick dash to Barneys to buy some insanely expensive skincare by Dr Sebagh, reputed to be THE cosmetic surgeon to go to for his face creams for a friend) and stick to downtown discount marts.

Century 21 is another legend in New York shopping, as are Filene's Basement and Loehrmanns. Having heard so much about it from these US magazines (Glamour, Lucky and the likes) and from friends, we were looking forward to checking it out. For all of you out there used to shopping in pristine, organised shopping centres, visiting any of these 3 outlets would give you immediate cause for a migraine. I'm not one to pass up a bargain but I do draw the line at rooting through musty, dusty and ugly clothes!

The scary escalators at Century 21 which look like they would eat your feet

Our first visit to Century 21 was on a wet Thursday afternoon (it seemed the perfect day to stay indoors) and perhaps the dreary weather contributed to our grumpy mood when we spent 2 hours digging through the racks to emerge only with undies and socks. Sure, we had a good laugh at this green velvet suit in the men's "Designer Suit" department (surely this is a relict from the 70s that got mixed up with the normal stuff). But we were sorely disappointed at the offerings, given the hype about this discount outlet (from editors at fashion magazines to friends who said it was worth checking out). Then we spoke to a New Yorker we met who told us that new stuff comes in every Tuesday, which was when she would religiously go down on her lunch break to check out. So we thought we'd give it another chance, especially when A's colleague, Tim, said he managed to dig out Todds loafers and a Ferragamo tie.

We trooped back the following Wednesday during A's lunch break with some of his colleagues (similarly determined to dig out more bargains). A was quite determined to dig up the Todds loafers he had seen the previous week but I wasn't so optimistic that it'd still be there. Nevertheless, we focused our search on the men's shoe department and lo and behold, we didn't find the Todds shoes (surprise surprise!!) but spied a lovely casual pair of soft leather Via Spiga loafers (much better than Todds in my opinion) and a great pair of Via Spiga black leather dress shoes. We got all excited about both pairs and were about to pay for them when disaster struck – someone had stupidly stuck the sensor tag on the black leather shoes the reverse way around which meant that it would be near to impossible to remove without spoiling the leather. We had to leave that pair behind. By this time, we were slightly put out by the unhelpful staff with their "it's not my business/take it or leave it" attitude.

After lunch, it was my turn in the lady's lingerie section – I spotted a Lejaby bra in a particular design I had been eyeing a year ago from Chalone but had not bought as it was a little pricey at S$159 then. Imagine my delight to find the last one on the shelf in my size and at a bargain price of US$9.90!! I also found Cosabella thongs in rainbow shades of watermelon, red and chartreuse green at heavily discounted prices too. The downside was not being able to try the bras but if you know your size well enough, or like me, had tried that particular design before, you would probably be able to find some bargains. Nothing quite like new lingerie to make a girl smile…..

My other visits to Loehrmann's and Filene's Basement turned out a very nice Ermenegildo Zegna tie and black Kenneth Cole cufflinks for A and a sleek black Kenneth Cole leather wallet for my cousin, M. All at very affordable prices, especially the Zegna tie.

I guess the moral of the story is to find the bargains, be patient and be prepared to dig. Oh and go on Tuesdays for the greatest selections!

Century 21
22 Cortlandt Street
Tel: (212) 227 9092

Spoonful of Fun

With the realisation that our weeks in Melbourne will be drawing to a close all too soon and too many things/places/restaurants/shops still on our list of "to-dos", A and I decided to explore more of our immediate neighbourhood on the weekend just past. Shocking but true, we hadn't ventured further than the edge of South Yarra (into neighbouring Prahran, Malvern and Windsor 'villages') in the months we've been here - I put this down to inertia during winter and the disinclination to put on many layers and brave the gusty winds and dreary skies.

With spring weather and sunshine now, exploring the neighbourhood on foot has become more enticing - there's heaps of shops (especially vintage shops) to poke around in and lovely outdoor cafes to have a cuppa when our legs are screaming blue murder with all that walking.

This past weekend, we took a stroll (well, it was more like a reeeeaaalllly walk) to Prahran East to check out a cafe recommended in The Age Good Food Guide. From the map, it looked like it was a short walk down High Street from Chapel Street and definitely doable on foot. Well, I miscalculated since the map wasn't drawn to scale and it was MUCH further than we anticipated it to be. It didn't help that earlier that morning, we had both completed a 4km circuit of the "Tan" and were nursing slightly sore feet.

Thankfully, Spoonful was worth the long trek there. With inspired vintage decor and whimsical accessories (check out the huge Chinese wedding lanterns over the counter) emulating someone's understated pad, A and I felt right at home.

Other than the "joy" lanterns (in red) I'm not so sure the blue lanterns are

appropriate - I'm not sure but I thought they were used during Chinese funerals

Echoing the communal, laidback feel about the place, one helps oneself to water from huge tin pitchers (I think they could be watering cans in another life actually) on a stand in the corner and dig out your newspaper of choice from the basket near the counter. If you choose to, take a seat around the big dining table instead of the 2 seater-cafe tables scattered around - it helps to have the extra space when you're trying to read a newspaper while having your brekkie! Unfortunately, we got there around 2pm and breakfast was long over so we'll have to try the recommended poached white nectarines and strawberries in rosewater syrup with pistachios another time.

Don't you love the overhead lamps?

What that meant was that we'd be able to explore their lunch offerings for that day and tempting offerings they were! I'm a sucker for homemade pates/terrines/mousses and was delighted to note that the daily menu listed a duck and rosemary terrine with a bitter leaf salad, whole-grain toast and some relish on the side. A was torn between a spiced rare beef on ratatouille and potato salad and orrechiette with salmon and after some deliberation, opted in favour of the former.

A generous thick slab of the duck and rosemary terrine arrives on a ploughman's board (typically used for serving cheese) with toast and the rest. It was a little crowded eating off this but I managed not to drop the toast all over the table or drop the salad leaves into my lap. The terrine was nicely chockful of duck meat, appropriately chunky but not coarsely so and the savoury taste was set off by the sweetness of the relish. Although the terrine is probably better as a shared appetiser, it made for a nice light lunch.

With A hurrying me to take the photo so that he could start on his lunch, the photo turned out blurred - sorry about that! While A enjoyed the spiced rare beef, it was unfortunately not quite as described given that it was cooked to a degree of medium to well-done! The ratatouille was a nice tart contrast to the beef as was the chunks of the Desiree potato salad.

We were rather stuffed by the time we finished lunch and looking at the huge slices of the rhubarb cakes passing us by, decided regretfully to give dessert a pass. Which was just as well seeing that lunch was a tad bit on the pricey side (mains were $18) for a cafe. All in, Spoonful is a great place to enjoy a leisurely weekend lunch or a cosy place for cake and a cuppa.

The shop which A hovered nervously at the door owing to the profusion of girly items therein

Another reason to vist Spoonful would be to rest your weary legs after traipsing up and down High Street. There are plenty of quaint furniture and homeware shops down this stretch, including this lovely French-inspired shop offering vintage, country and shabby chic accessories and furnishings, appropriately called Vintage Living. I poke around the vintage pillbox hats with veils, ornate mirrors, dainty Sheridan teacup sets (in pink!!) and fluffy pillows but sadly decided I couldn't lug back any more breakable items. Definitely a girly shop as the owner tells me that all the guys (just as A was doing) accompanying their partners would hover at the doorway before saying something along the lines of "Honey...I'm err... just going to be out here, looking around/having a smoke/(away from all this PINK)....".

High Street also has other delights like this wedding cake shop, AB FAB, where you're invited to browse to your heart's content and to sample their cakes (by appointment only - so disappointing!) before deciding on a towering delight or a modest 1-tier beauty. Hmm... does Singapore have something like this? After encountering this shop and woo-ing and wow-ing over the pretty cakes, we come across a wedding at the Art-deco styled church further down the street complete with vintage Holden convertibles for the wedding car entourage. A thought it was a bit odd for me to stand there and be paparazzi-like with my camera so I didn't get a shot. Shucks.

There are other delights on High Street to keep one occupied, including the Melbourne store for Sambag (the Sydney store selling bags and shoes), a cute shop, Boy and Girl, stocking cute children's clothes, bags and toys and a lovely boutique, Torsa, which stocks Tocca and other US labels. I end off our ramble down High Street with a shot of this laundromat - at $1.20 a wash, that's definitely a bargain (the laundry near us in South Yarra charges $3 I believe). Until I notice that the laundromat is eerily empty, although the door swings open invitingly. Hmm....

Spoonful

543 High Street

Prahran 3181

Tel: (03) 9521 5212

Their sister store selling produce, homeware and coffee is called Teaspoon and is right next door.

Torsa
497 High Street
Prahran East
Tel: (03) 9510 5585

Boy and Girl
495 High Street
Prahran East
Tel: (03) 9525 0300

Sambag
489 High Street
Prahran East
Tel: (03) 9533 2274

Vintage Living
463 High Street
Prahran East
Tel: (03) 9529 3929

Home for a visit and yet another holiday

I'm glad that today dawned nice and sunny – I would have bawled if we had to depart Melbourne in a hail of rain and gloom which had been a big probability seeing that the past few days had been rainy and cold.

We leave later tonight (well, it's really early Friday morning since our flight is just past midnight) for a much anticipated trip back to Singapore to attend a close friend's wedding, see my family and our friends and to hit our favourite local food places. Midway, we're headed to New York for 2 weeks - A is scheduled for training and conferences at his company's headquarters and I am going to catch up with my old friend C, shop and sightsee. Thankfully, a couple of our friends will also be with us for the later part of the trip so I don't spend the entire 2 weeks at Barneys!

I spent most of today packing and getting the apartment in order. In between, I took a quick walk down to my favourite cooking emporium, The Essential Ingredient at the Prahran Market, to get some olive tapenade my mom requested. I am distracted by the display of some new produce that's just in before I find what I came out for. I wasn't about to lug back a 600g or a 1.5kg jar (it will just molder in my mom's fridge) so I detour to Oliveria, an olive oil emporium just across the road (and a little bit). I've been meaning to come to Oliveria for a while, as some of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar stocked there are produced locally in Victoria. Oliveria is out of the locally-produced tapenade so I settle for a small jar imported from Italy (the irony of it). Everything I see in The Essential Ingredient and Oliveria today is tempting me to buy one of each for foodie friends/cooks back home but there is a limit of our luggage this trip around!

Here's a photo of the garden outside our apartment (aptly named Les Jardins)

I enjoy my walk back immensely, today being a really nice spring day. I see that the trees on our street have left their barren look behind with winter and have started sprouting leaves. The garden outside our apartment is also looking very well, with flowers in full bloom. I'm a little sad that we'll be missing the early part of spring, where flowers and trees start budding and blooming – we'll be back in Melbourne on 1 October and spring would be in full swing by then. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to heading home and the big Peranakan feast with family that's planned for this Sunday.

I am a Shoeholic

I obviously didn't learn anything from my excursion to buy Billy Joel tickets.

Having read in the Melbourne Weekly Magazine that Miss Louise, Melbourne's smaller-scale equivalent of On Pedder, was having a massive sale starting from 9 a.m. this morning, I should have timed my arrival for 8.30 a.m.... at the very latest! But as Miss Louise is nicely situated opposite A's office, I thought it would be nice to do like we do in Singapore in the mornings on the way to work and head into the city together in time for A's start at 9 a.m..

After spending the short train ride in laughing at my anxiety ("What if no size?!"), A very nicely wished me "Happy hunting!" before we parted at the junction as I happily contemplated a nice hour looking at pretty shoes.

I crossed the street and drew in a sharp breath..... as I realised that there were at least 22 other shoe-crazy Melbournians (mostly well-dressed women skivving off work) stamping their impatient feet in the snaking queue and yet more in the store starting the pillage. So much for the pleasant hour looking at shoes! I thought "Heck, I made the trek all the way into the city, I'm not going to leave without having a peek inside..." and thanked my lucky stars that the queue wasn't as bad as the ones for the MNG sales back home.

After an interminable wait of 25 minutes, I crossed the roped-off entrance and couldn't help squealing a little in excitement looking at the shoes. There is something about a crowded shop full of women and a limited supply of shoes that quickens one's breathing and ups the adrenaline. I knew what I wanted since I had peeped in the window the night before to spy out the landscape when I was waiting for A to finish up with work. Unfortunately, there weren't any Size 38s available for the shoes I (and obviously many of the other women) had been eyeing. All that meant was that I just had to have a second look around the store again.

BINGO! An hour later, I left the shop with a huge bag, having dropped a load of cash on shoes that I don't need (but definitely don't mind having!).

If you're a shoeholic too and wondering what I scored (like the girls in A's office who clamoured to dig through my bag that day), they were pale green Sergio Rossi thongs and Giuseppi Zanotti creamy white leather ballet flats with an antique-looking pin brooch.

So what is it about shoes that make some women go weak in the knees? Go see the episode in Sex and the City where Carrie's Manolo's get stolen from a house party - I totally identified with her sentiments! I've tried to explain this phenomenon to A many times over but he still thinks I'm a little gaga to rush down to the city first thing in the morning to score shoes on sale. Men just don't get it.

Miss Louise

Shop 601 Grand Hyatt Hotel

123 Collins Street Melbourne