The Last Few Days In Pictures

Let's take a little look at what I've been up to lately.

 

I visited some op shops and in keeping with my shopping ban bought only this $3 retro pie dish. 

 

 

I am really pleased about this purchase. It is for when I move out next year, but I think I might have to use it before then.

 

I went to The Crest on Tuesday with Jim, wearing the pink blouse, navy cardi and navy jeans from my capsule wardrobe:

 

 

You can't see it here, but I was also wearing my purple flats, beige handbag and dangly silver earrings that I love.

 

You also can't see my face but I was wearing that too.

 

It was $10 schnitzel and pasta night.  I was going to be healthy, but the pasta was boscaiola so I figured I might as well have the chicken.

 

 

It was great.  And I ate all my salad too.

 

 

I ordered this Vodka Rush because it was only $4, but it was pretty yuck.  My sister would probably like it.

 

 

This Midori Splice cocktail was controversial.  They had a fancy little sign advertising the cocktails (all using VOK products so it must be a special VOK promotion and they send the signs out to pubs, I have seen similar elsewhere) saying "$6 cocktails" and they had added their own little sticker saying "Wednesday 7-9.30 and Saturday 9-11" or something. 

 

It was Tuesday, but I had seen a lady making some earlier so I asked whether they were doing them that night and the lady told me yes.

 

Then when we got our change it turned out she had charged me $9, because the $6 price is a happy hour special.

 

Funny how the sign didn't say anything about the $6 cocktails being a discount.

 

If you tell someone you sell $6 cocktails on Wednesdays and they ask whether they can buy one on a Tuesday, I think you should say "sure, but it will be $9", not just "sure!".

 

This is why we stopped going there in the first place, they are always doing things that are technically not that dodgy, but are just a bit tricksy.  Like when they have $4 house spirits and you order a gin and tonic and they charge you $6.50, and when you query it they say they used a different gin because they don't have any of the house.

 

 

 

Anyway, after that I had a $4.80 house gin and tonic (from a different bartender, who was great).

 

I also had a bet on the dogs!

 

 

I chose a dog called Leopard Print, because it was called Leopard Print.  After James put the bet on for me he told me it was the worst dog and would probs come last.  And I realised it was the one in the stripey jacket, yuck!  I had serious buyer's remorse.

 

Then it came second and won me $10.80! My financial woes are over! Thank you Leopard Print if you are reading!

 

 

Here's a funny ad I saw the other day:

 

 

If you want to join a club for old singles that is only open to university educated people, maybe there is a reason you're over fifty and still single.

 

Speaking of pretentious, here's Jim looking very spiffy on his way to his Summer Clerkship job at a fancy law firm in the city.  I won't say what it is but if you know me in real life I have probably told you already because I am very proud!

 

 

 

The decluttering continues:

 

 

In more cheerful news, James had this iced chocolate beverage from New Zealand Natural and it was amazing.

 

 

 

Here's yesterday's lunch:

 

 

And today's:

 

 

On Sunday Jim and I went to trivia night at Club Blakehurst and ordered this fantastic seafood board:

 

 

It was a little heavier on the fried foods than I'd like and I'm always upset that their "smoked salmon" is actually sashimi salmon, but you get a great variety and the prawns are superb, so for $42 I was pretty happy!

 

We didn't win trivia, but we won Everyone's Favourite Game (heads and tails) and the prize was a catering size passionfruit cheesecake that weighed over 3 kilos.  Really.

 

 

They gave it to us in the cardboard tray, but then they cut us each a piece and plated it up nicely with ice cream for free.  It was really tasty actually.  I may have had two pieces.

 

 

Jim and I went out for breakfast at the cafe in Flower Power, where I ordered poached eggs with Hollandaise:

 

 

And he ordered a big breakfast:

 

 

It was pretty nice but they didn't have any fresh juices, just stuff from a fridge plus coffees etc.  I really just want to have fresh juice with my breakfast.

 

 

 

A reward for a hard day's decluttering.  This icecream sandwich is from Aldi and it was actually so yummy, I wish it hadn't been the last one in the freezer because I could really go for another.  Hey Mum if you're reading could you please get me some of these next time you're at Aldi?

 

 

Smoked salmon pasta made by mum:

 

 

So yummy.  The salmon was really smokey and delicious.

 

 

And look what came for me in today's mail!

 

 

It's a beautiful Christmas card from my delightful friend Emily! Thanks Emily! Merry Christmas!

Melbourne Cup!

On Tuesday I went out for Melbourne Cup! I have never gone before because it always falls during exam week so I was pretty excited.


I met Jim for lunch at Miami Ice in Hurstville first. The sandwiches were nice but alas they didn't have any fresh juices or other exciting beverage options.

   

Not to worry though, when we got to Sweeney's they had special Melbourne Cup cocktails for $10!




They also had horse racing on telly but it was really boring. I couldn't see which horse was mine (My Quest For Peace) so I didn't even know who I was cheering for, and in the end I lost $5. Would not recommend.


The most exciting part was the glamour: everyone looked fab! I'm glad I'm not friends with the 90% of women who think dressing up always means a minidress and platforms, regardless of whether they're going to a club or the races or a wedding or a funeral.


Emily was particularly fabulous:
   

My dress was from Basque at Myer and my headband thingy is Lady Jayne, from the $1 bin at the chemist.

   

Jim matched me, sort of, with a purple tie.




He's less blurry in real life.




Gemma was wearing a Basque dress too! I had my eye on the same one on eBay but I missed out, so I was really jealous.




It was actually Gemma's birthday, so Emily and I ran to QVB and grabbed some cupcakes. They were really tasty!



Later we went to Menya for some delicious cheap Japanese food. Gosh I love that place.


       

And finally we went to some other pub where I stole a floral centrepiece.




I still don't understand why anyone would watch and bet on horse racing on the first Tuesday of November when they don't care about it any other day, but I like it when everyone dresses classy and goes to the pub so I'm giving Melbourne Cup Day two thumbs up!

Dinner at Rodizio

On Friday I had dinner at Rodizio in Cronulla again. This time I ordered from the regular tapas menu instead of getting the platter. It cost more but it was well worth it.


We started with some drinks - beer for Jim and a passionfruit caprioska for me.

Sorry about the blurry pics, they uploaded smaller than usual so I had to enlarge them.  I don't know why.


I always have the garlic bread; it's lovely.

The marinated baby octopodes were yummy but too hot for us. If you like quite spicy foods I recommend them. By the way, my phone wants to correct 'octopodes' to 'octopuses' - what a dummy.

The lamb chops are a favourite of ours. The toppings went nicely but I thought the meat was a bit fatty this time.

The baked potatoes were a bit bland. They would be a good option for kids though.

The mushrooms were really yummy. James loved them more than I did so I let him eat most of them.

I loved this - a bunch of rocket with feta cheese and sundried tomato, all wrapped up in a delicious slice of prosciutto. All my favourite foods in one. Since I gave James my mushrooms, he let me have three of the four prosciutto things. Yay!

We didn't match this time. Jim looked spiffy in his purple checked shirt though.

I was wearing my leopard print Kmart dress.

Afterwards we went to the pub to meet some friends. I forgot to say, but after our dinner at Copper Pot we went to The Crest and put $2 on a dog called Cool Señorita because I thought the name was funny. She didn't look that good but she won! At $4.20! (James says this is worth point out but I don't understand why.)


So now I'm a gambler and on Friday James and I bet on a dog called Precious Pretzel (hello if you are reading!) and I won again! Betting on dogs is ridiculous but great because, as James says, even if you lose you still get to watch dogs racing.


Speaking of Precious Pretzel, that's my friend Pete's new nickname.  Don't forget to use it all the time.