Birthday wish list

I wasn't sure whether to make one of these this year because everything feels so different. But giving presents, planning presents and sending presents brings me so much joy.  So because it's officially Leo season, here's a very home-themed edition of nice things.

HAY has super cute dish sponges (of all things) shaped as rain drops, fish and penguins. Just to make all the washing up a little bit nicer.

Weekend mornings used to be spent heading to yoga but now I look forward to sleeping in and reading a book in bed with a cup of hot tea. So I've been eyeballing pretty pillowcases from Rachel Castle, and love the look of this polka dotted one and garden pillowcase side by side.

I haven't had a polaroid camera since I lived with my parents and love the new mini ones. This year I've wished I've had one to capture all of the in-person catch ups that feel extra fleeting right now. How nice would it be to hang onto a photo of a catch up and give them to friends and family too? This may also be motivated by the fact that I haven't printed a single photo from Tony and my wedding, almost six years ago.

We treated ourselves to some Haigh's Chocolates over Easter and everything we ordered was so good. Especially the honeycomb block and these little marshmallow blocks. In our house I'm always worried when we're out of chocolate (or running low). It's totally chips for Tony!

Scents have never been so soothing to me. Earlier in the year it was anything to mask the smell of bushfire smoke. These days it's more about walking into another room and feeling like you're in a different place or space because of some nice room spray or fresh flowers. And because we're in the final (and probably coldest!) month of winter in Canberra, this nice smelling body oil would be so nice.

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Always do the nice thing

A few weeks ago, I thought about making a cake for a friend who'd just made a big decision. She'd been talking about a citrus olive oil cake for some time and I had just the one in mind. But then... I chickened out. Because every now and then I get self-conscious about giving a gift and hesitate. Is the gesture a bit weird? I wonder. In this instance, I later shared what I'd been hoping to do and was told that it would've been lovely rather than strange.

So, this is a little note-to-self, a reminder to always do the nice thing. Whether it's asking someone if they want to join a coffee run, sending a card to say thank you (this one is finally on its way to a workmate in Brisbane), or giving a small gift for no particular reason, other than you saw it and thought it'd be perfect.

I've also been the recipient of some lovely mail lately - a package of homemade chocolates from my friend Haline. There were three types - freckles with popping candy, a block of white chocolate with pistachios, rose petals and Turkish delight, and a milk chocolate version with macadamias and white chocolate. I reckon she made them with her little ones! There was no note, just some beautifully packaged homemade treats that were so welcome on an icy Friday.

Nice things don't always have to be brand new either. When my friend Vanessa was visiting the other weekend, I gave her a bag of homemade cookies (these ones!), and passed on a book that I'd read that I thought she'd really enjoy too.

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Birthday wish list

I'm turning 35 super soon and I have the grey hairs and multifocals to prove it 😝I haven't always loved the idea of being in my mid-thirties but now I'm feeling ready - excited even. For my birthday this year, we're taking a road trip to Gundagai to stay in this fancy hut. I'm hoping to wake up to a foggy Sunday morning and stop at Jugiong on the way home for a much-loved caramelised onion, cheese and chive toastie. Stopping at Jugiong always reminds me of the long drives we used to do between Wagga Wagga and Sydney.

As is tradition on this blog, here's a just-for-fun wishlist of fun things I'd love to receive, starting with.. a weekend away. In the last year or so, I have gotten so much energy from short road trips. I love the change of scenery... and also the chance to cook in a different kitchen, preferably one with a view. I currently have my eye on this Airbnb just outside of Canberra that's part of a flower farm.

It's not a birthday wish list without a cookbook (or three). I'm a big fan of BonAppetit, especially their test kitchen YouTube videos, and am curious about the food director Carla Lalli Music's first book, Where Cooking Begins. I can cook my way through recipes confidently but would love to cook more intuitively now I know the basics.

I'm also very excited about Alison Roman's second cookbook Nothing Fancy that drops in October. In my 34th year I discovered that I'm actually not so introverted after all.  After work-filled weeks, it's so nice to share a meal and hang out with friends. It's also a great excuse to make a decadent dessert.

On a practical note, a backpack to fit my laptop with a separate compartment for snacks! Lately I've had a bit more brain space for things other than work or cooking and have been enjoying taking my laptop out to work on fun projects on weekends. I also like the idea of travelling light for weekends away. This pale blue one looks cute too!

Fancy soap is almost always on my list because it's something I love but never buy for myself. I've tried this one and the matching lotion at an Airbnb, and my favourite Sydney yoga studio, and love how natural it smells.

Finally, a giant jar of chunky peanut butter because few things make me happier than a peanut butter and honey sandwich for breakfast.

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A just-for-fun Christmas list

I love gift giving, especially at Christmas. But for the first time in a very long time, I haven't gone overboard shopping for it, and don't plan too. My family will be in Canberra for Christmas this year - including my brother and his wife all the way from London. Because we haven't all spent the holiday together for years (at least three!), we're just excited to be in the same city and country.

But just for fun, here's my annual wish list of things big and small that'd be fun to open on Christmas Day. Starting with these snacking containers for summer picnics, or a stainless steel bento with built in dividers!

A pair of high-rise yoga leggings from Girlfriend Collective, which come in the best colours. A couple of girls at my yoga studio have them and really rate them. A tie-up shirt would be lovely for practice (and weekends) too.

What is a Christmas list without a cookbook? I have my eye on Alison Roman's Dining In. She's formerly of Bon Appetit magazine, and now writes for the NY Times. I'm also all about eating in! Annabel Crabb's latest looks good too. I love this description, "Hosting your friends is not about showing off; it is about delighting others."

Abbi Jacobson's book looks like the perfect summer read, Lily Allen's too. I would also like a copy of Ta-Nehisi Coate's book of essays that cover the Obama presidency. I borrowed a copy from the library earlier this year, and while it wasn't an easy read, I learnt a lot from it.

And something fancy - vineyard glamping, complete with a basket of pastries for breakfast the next morning. Just not while the snakes are out!

P.S - one of the best Christmas gifts I ever received was a box of mangoes from my uncle Mark. There must've been 20 mangoes in there, just for Tony and I, and they were right at their peak.

My birthday wish list

I'm starting to make plans for my birthday, which is less than a month away. I'll be turning 34, and while it isn't an age I've ever tried out in my head, I'm still excited to celebrate. My whole family will be in Canberra (minus my brother and his wife who live in London), and we're booked in for yum cha. I might also have a small celebration with friends, and make my own cake again.

Because I love to daydream, here's a wish list of things I've been eyeballing lately, starting with a Golden Age Cinema gift pass for my next Sydney visit.

They serve Gelato Messina choc tops at the bar, play cult films like Do The Right Thing, and the entire fit out looks it's straight out of a Wes Anderson film.

Because it's winter and we live in Canberra, some fancy face oil would boost my spirits! It was minus seven on Monday.

A new book, which requires zero waiting because it's not part of a library reserve queue :)

I feel like your thirties is when you start to accumulate beautiful things, like ceramics. I'd use this sweet Girl Nomad mug for my morning coffee. This is my night time tea cup!

And for extra luxurious baking, I'd savour a tiny bottle of vanilla extract from France.

Now to think of any last things I'd like to get done as a 33 year old!

Baby gifts revisited (again)

At the start of this month our friends welcomed twins, a girl and a boy, and we went to their naming ceremony on the weekend. It was a lovely way to meet them and it so moving to hear their names for the first time during the ceremony.

Lately, my most favourite things to give to new babies is a wrap from Halycon Nights. It takes the stress out of trying to pick an outfit in the right size for the right season, and there are always fun new prints to choose from. We've sent this one overseas, and have seen it used as a swaddle, a pram blankie and a floor mat too.

Next weekend I'm planning to make a meal to drop round to our friends, I'm thinking it'll be this slow cooked ragu, a dark chocolate olive oil cake, and a nice bottle of red wine.

P.S This post isn't sponsored in any way. I just love these little wraps and enjoy picking a pattern to suit each couple and their new babe :)

Presents in the post

Every second year we spend Christmas at home, and this is one of those years. It's so nice to chill out at the end of the year, and not have to worry about travel or accommodation. This year I'm trying something new - instead of putting a big box of presents in the post, I'm mainly giving vouchers. They're super easy to mail and can be really fun. (Spoiler alert: if you're family - it's time to bail!)

My Dad is a sweet tooth, just like me. He's getting a voucher for Black Star Pastry in Sydney. It's a crazy gold token, which he can use to try their new mango cake. It should cover coffee and cake at one of their cafes, plus a few takeaway goodies too!

I'll still be buying presents for my niece and nephew. My friend Kristy recommended this beautiful book for my niece (it has the loveliest message and I especially like how multicultural it is). She's also getting a packet of bright markers that are part chalk, part crayon and part watercolour! I have my eye on this Thomas the Tank Engine wagon for my nephew, who has just found his feet and loves Thomas.

And I am sending two small presents overseas, to my brother and sister-in-law who moved to London this year. I thought it was important that they had proper gifts for their first Christmas away. I flipped through Michelle Mackintosh's Care Packages book before deciding on a few light but comforting items. There are two thick pairs of woollen socks (from the Big Merino, no less!). There's also a block of my favourite dark chocolate for my brother, and some clippings from The Good Weekend for my sister-in-law, who loves to read and write.

That's Christmas gifting pretty much done :)

My Christmas wish list: 2017

At the moment, my notebook is filled with present ideas for friends and family. I love choosing gifts and am crossing a few names off my list each week. After a big year of travel, we'll be spending the holiday in Canberra - sleeping in, riding our bikes, and cooking up some delicious food. Here are six things I have my eye on, starting with some delicious coffee for my new machine.



Perfect for summer - a soft shoe that's part ballet flat, part sneaker. I like this silver pair too, to wear with summer dresses, and chuck in my bag for weekends away. For northern hemisphere friends - check out these fleece-lined booties!

I just found out that my favourite Canberra ice cream shop sells gift vouchers. A summer of free ice cream would be a dream come true!

I'm doing a lot more yoga these days, it makes me feel strong and relaxed. This is something that's practical but very necessary - a yoga top that ties up on one side. Also, these yoga tights are the best.

MUJI has the cutest mini lamps that double as essential oil diffusers - I spied one in Ebony's Nagano flat. I'd use peppermint oil with mine (when I'm not sprinkling it into the shower or bath). Fingers crossed MUJI comes to Canberra one day.

And it's not Christmas without a new cookbook :) Like the magazine and the podcast, Cherry Bombe: The Cookbook celebrates women in food. I hear it's dedicated to the likes of Alice Waters, Ruth Reichl and Martha Stewart - women who continue to lead the way.

Dispatches from my kitchen

My kitchen has pale pink tiles, appliances from the '80s and a walk in pantry. I'm there on Monday nights, making yoghurt and listening to music as I ease back into the week. And this year I plan to spend more of my time prepping food for other people.

I didn't make any resolutions at the start of the year, just a wish-list of fun things to do (try out boogie boarding, sample a Manhattan - that kind of thing) and some loose goals. One of them was to make meals for friends, family and colleagues more often, which perfectly suits my introverted self :)

Here's what I made this month:

One of the first things I made was a three layer coconut cake for a 40th birthday party my workmate was throwing for his partner. I loved working on something so celebratory. I found a few sparkly candles at the cake shop in town and spent a night listening to TLC while gently throwing desiccated coconut at the freshly iced cake. It was messy and fun. My friend sent me a photo of his partner blowing out the candles while he held the cake and it made my day.

I made a plum cake for my grandmother the night before we drove to Sydney for my grandfather's funeral. A friend from work had brought in a huge container of dark purple plums from her mother's garden and baking the cake gave me a real sense of purpose.

After the wake, my extended family gathered to partake in a Chinese tradition, where you eat something sweet after a funeral so you can remember all of the good memories you have of the person. We shared my cake, ate mini Magnums and passed around bags of butterscotch lollies and jubes. We laughed and joked and it felt good.

My most recent dispatch went to one of the reporters at work and his wife who are expecting their first baby any. day. now. It was a good excuse to use my new cookbook and bake a batch of coconut choc chip cookies. I managed to stash a lasagne in our freezer too, which always feels good. And inspired by Yasmeen's cute little snap, I bought a packet of nappies with smiley face pears on them too. I don't expect every month will be this busy but I'm happy to be off to a solid start :)

Small presents that punch above their weight

When I started my new job, just over a year ago, I was pretty scared. I'd been in my last position for five years - enough time to really settle in and feel confident about most things. While I was still with the same organisation, I was moving to a new city and a bigger office where I would be working on a pilot project.

Work remained daunting for months but now that I'm days away from going on holidays (yipeee!) I can truly appreciate how much I've learnt from the people around me. Which naturally brings me to my favourite chocolate chip cookies :) I'd been wracking my brain for ways to say thank you to the people who have helped me most (some daily!) before I settled on something simple and homemade. Here are a few other ideas for small gifts that may not cost must but can say heaps:

A handwritten card

I visited Tony in the studio the other day and he was excited to show me a card that had been left for him by another artist who works in the same complex. She wrote to congratulate him on his recent exhibition and share what she enjoyed most about his show.

Sometimes I struggle to write cards - the blank space can freak me out - but Tony has given me some great advice in the past. He says to take a moment to think about what you really want to say and simply write that. If your'e writing a thank you note, I thought these tips that came via Jo were great.

A personalised CD

My first car had a cassette player, so I became a very dedicated mix tape maker and the lucky recipient of many personalised tapes too (one of my girlfriends even made me a Christmas tape!). When I was in uni I used to burn CDs for friends, especially when they needed cheering up.

The other day my friend Irini texted to say that she had been listening to one in the car with her husband, who recognised the song I walked down the aisle to (!). So for Christmas this year, I'm making her an updated one. I'm still in the planning stages but it's super fun.

P.S My final story for the year went up today, and it's one I'm especially proud of. It's here if you're keen to check it out :)

A gift giving challenge

I love shopping for presents and can easily go overboard at Christmas time but this year I've set myself a few simple rules. Here's what I have in mind:

Making use of my local book shop

I try to support my local bookstore instead of buying books online. I feel like it's good for local business and hopefully better for the environment too. And if they don't have the titles I'm after, they're always happy to order them in. Bonus: my local bookstore has a loyalty program :)

One or two people at a time

Instead of trying to tick people off my list when I'm out shopping (and getting sucked into special sales), I'm focussing on one or two people every week. Often it's a family member and a friend. It's really nice to mull over ideas during the week and seeing what comes up.

Staying local

And I would love to limit my shopping to places I can walk or ride to, either from home or my office. There are so many great independent shops in Canberra (lots of gallery gift shops too!) and I figure it'll be a fun way to shop, and environmentally friendly too.

Two small ideas - in the past I've given family presents like a zoo pass or an oversized beach towel. My friend Angie will often pick a theme for the little people in her life, one year all of the kids received a pair of PJs featuring a print of something they love. Last Christmas my friend Sophie gave Tony and I lunchboxes and we used them that day. Can you guess which one is mine?

Birthday wish list

It's almost my birthday! I have a small pile presents stashed away in my wardrobe from my family and I've just booked dinner here (yay oysters!). Here are a few things I've been eyeballing lately, starting with this French market basket for food shopping and spring picnics. Also:

A Monsieur Truffe chocolate bar to accompany cups of tea and late night reading.

Perfume in a polka dot bottle to wear out to dinner and other fancy occasions.

What's a birthday without a new cookbook :) I have so many on my list, including Cornersmith: Recipes from the Cafe and Picklery, The Love and Lemons Cookbook and Food 52's Genius Recipes.

And something I've wanted for ages, a cast iron skillet so I can make the giant cookie on the cover of Donna Hay magazine and dutch babies.

Salted caramel fudge (what not to do)

Now that I'm part of a bigger office (there were just seven people in my last one), there are plenty more milestones to mark. When it comes to farewells, there's always a cake, a giant card and speeches too.

The other month, one of our colleagues brought in a box of salted caramel fudge to share on her second last day. It was moorish and delicious and I made sure I asked for the recipe before she finished up.

I tried it out a few weeks ago, hoping to add something homemade to a few presents I had planned. The recipe is straightforward and a little sticky but not as fussy as making a cake.

Only thing is... my fudge didn't quite set and definitely couldn't travel. I was a little foggy headed when I made it and after some poking around, I've worked out what went wrong. If the fudge mixture doesn't get hot enough, it won't set properly. So if you have a cooking thermometer, I've read that the fudge mixture needs to get up to 115-120 degrees before the white chocolate is mixed in. Or just make sure the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan (I just went with the timing in the recipe).

But it wasn't a total disaster - we now have a sizeable stash of fudge in our fridge which came in handy the other night when Tony's parents stopped by for a cup of tea. I'll give it ago again soon, when there's a new care package to make.

P.S - I have a new approach for buying presents for babies. These days I make sure there's something for the mum as well as the baby (plus food, always food). For my friend Marina it was a box of her favourite tea.