Tag Archives: coffee

Lamb and coffee

Posted on October 11, 2012 | 8 comments

I’ve got nothing to do today but smile.
~ Simon and Garfunkel

Glory of the humble steak.

For all its fuss-free ease (under eight minutes from pan to plate), it is one of my favourite experiences. Whisking clean laundry away into the bedroom (to avoid catching smells). Watching tiny showers of oil blitz with the sound of microscopic rockets onto the surface of the gas stove. Feeling fresh Wellington wind whip against my cheek as I stand at the hot stove with the kitchen window wide open. Seeing the meat lose its healthy blush and take on a golden, plate-ready glow. Slicing it, noting its soft seared / brown / pink layers… and just a trickle of juice flowing on to the plate.

Yesterday’s dinner: lamb steak, seared with ground chilli and a flick of oregano – and a fresh cup of black coffee on the side. I don’t want to say it was “magnificent”, since that seems too grand a word to bestow on a rapid dinner that took less than 20 minutes to prepare and eat… but to be honest, that is the word that flashed through my mind as I ate ;-)

And that is all I wanted to write about today. Good morning!

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Posted in All, Impromptu, Lamb, P

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Kith Bistro, Park Mall

Posted on July 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

Design is thinking made visual.
~ Saul Bass

Evening falls like a blue silk dress, smoothly and elegantly. A sweet breeze from ceiling fans above courses softly through my hair like welcome whispers. Traffic sounds and birdsong merge and mingle into a track for “Sounds of the City”. The tables around me look inviting with the soft, warm glow of candles. I soak in the pleasure of being outdoors on a summer evening, breathing in fresh air. Ahhh…

It occurs to me, briefly, that I am in a busy city with over five million people packed into a piece of land equal to the size of Lake Taupo – but the thought dissolves as I relax into my chair and a smiling waiter hurries over with menus for us.

I am at the outdoor area of the recently opened Kith Bistro. The place is far from sprawling and this is no idyllic resort, but its feel and layout create an effective illusion of spaciousness and play: I feel like I’m in an airy outdoor living space with room enough to breathe and relax. The furniture* here is simple but tasteful, and I spot a colourful corner for kids to play in. It’s a place to visit with friends, or alone with a notebook and good ideas. When I look up, I see a bouquet of leaves and branches – like a pretty silhouette against the evening sky (see above).

It is far too late for lunch and too early for dinner, so we get food perfect for the occasion of ‘in-between meals’ (the menu appears to cater well for all times of day!). Between us, we share a few tasty morsels, coffee and a very refreshing fresh juice. Everything arrives beautifully presented, and polishing off our plates is a pleasure. When we pop inside to pay after our meal, I visually feast on the yummy-looking array of cabinet food and the charming chalkboard menu… I already look forward to trying out their brunch menu sometime!

* Some of the great furniture here can be found at Xtra, conveniently located next door to the cafe. Well worth a browse is all I can say, even if furniture isn’t usually your thing. Xtra is a celebration of art and excellence, a perfect place to get inspiration (and great pieces for your home, if your budget allows for it)!

Kith Bistro (Park Mall) – 9 Penang Road, #01-01E Park Mall, Singapore – Phone: +65 6338 861

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Posted in All, Eating out, Summer, Travelling

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Good One

Posted on February 3, 2011 | 3 comments

The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce.
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Love it when a place lives up to its name – for better-than-good (dare I say – perfect?) coffee, go to Good One. Thanks Simon for the great recommendation!

Good One – 42 Douglas Street, Ponsonby, Auckland – Phone: 09 360 5040

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Posted in All, Drinks, Eating out

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Coffee

Posted on December 28, 2010 | 2 comments

Actually, this seems to be the basic need of the human heart in nearly every great crisis – a good hot cup of coffee.
~ Alexander King

Wellington coffee, what am I going to do without you?

Went to the revamped Parade Cafe today with my flatmate John, where we had very delicious coffee and wedges while staring out at rain and seagulls. A good afternoon!

Parade Cafe – Freyberg Lagoon, Oriental Parade, Oriental Bay, Wellington – Phone: 04 939 8517

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Posted in All, Drinks, Eating out

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Costa del Sol

Posted on December 26, 2010 | 1 comment

I went travelling from 18 Nov – 18 Dec. I’m now blogging about some of the places I went to… posts are not written in chronological order.

Wading in the Mediterranean and sipping coffee on the beach with others from our tour group at Costa del Sol, life felt full and wonderful again.

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Posted in All, Travelling

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Mmmmemphis!

Posted on November 1, 2010 | 1 comment

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.
~ T. S. Eliot

Take a few minutes to watch this – Alice dancing under the gallows – really inspirational! And happy birthday, brave and beautiful Alice.

Yum yum Memphis Belle.

Pictured: chemex to share (with Haidee)! Perfect as it is, no milk or sugar needed. Fair trade beans from Guatemala in this instance.

With Ian and Mandy visiting this weekend, we ate a lot of delicious food – ranging from veal and sweet tripe & trotters and smooth Côtes du Rhône shiraz at Le Metropolitain to super eggs at Floriditas… mmm, tasty Wellington!

Memphis Belle – 38 Dixon Street, Wellington – Phone: 021 244 8852

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Happy (for no reason)…

Posted on September 17, 2010 | 2 comments

Today has been a lovely day. Oh-soooo-wet-and-windy, but I loved it. I could see poetry written in the raindrops, smiles painted on the lamp posts, slivers of cake etched on the ground. I don’t know what it was. From the moment I woke up, magic clung to me like a shadow…

Heck, I even got excited about Matt accidentally spilling muesli all over the stovetop… muesli rain!

I waltzed in to work, held myself back from singing… ran in the rain to meet my lovely friend Bibs for a fun (and yummy) lunch at Finc – haloumi cheese, eggplant, tomato, mushrooms, etc… :-)

Then off to the library, started off working diligently till I couldn’t keep myself away from the shelves after all and got myself four books to read. I’m now on page 52 of “Boy in Darkness” by Mervyn Peake – an enchanting writer I am very glad to have found (thanks Dave)!

Since Briscoes was having a sale, Matt and I bought things for the flat, including a mirror (yay, no more using the microwave door to check my hair in the morning!), picked up ‘Gusto’ beans at Caffe L’affare and some mille-feuille from Moore Wilson’s & came home for a quick unpack-and-eat break.

Oh, coffee and pastry – you are excellent things for a rainy day.

Down again to town in the now raging rain, jeans getting utterly wet despite our umbrellas staying proudly (and miraculously) intact, for drinks at Electric Avenue…

Then coffee with Haidee, which is one of my necessary and favourite things to do every week. :-) :-)

I’m still very happy, in a nearly scary way. I actually can’t explain it, but I guess it’s a good thing!

I’m going to end this post soon, or it’s going to become a scarily happy post… last things are:

Thank you Cindy, for including my blog in your list of 50 food and travel blogs – I am surprised and very honoured!

And… have a peek at The Village Hearth! Not just because I’m doing a tiny bit of writing there ;-) … it’s a new, creative website which puts the fun right back into domesticity (not for the boring/frumpy).

Alright, that’s enough from me, I think! Hope everyone is having a great weekend :-)

Finc – 122 Wakefield Street, Te Aro, Wellington – Phone: 04 499 2999

Electric Avenue – 132 Courtenay Place, Wellington – Phone: 04 803 3900

Caffe L’affare – 27 College Street, Wellington – Phone: 04 385 9748

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