A last minute Life List (things to do before we leave Sydney)

Bathers Pavilion, Balmoral, Sydney

As you know we are off to Middle Earth to live for a year and start our new 2013 Life List adventures.

But before we leave Sydney, I want to do things that I had been planning to do for AGES but wasn't able to.

So here is my 'Sydney Last Minute Life List' (must be completed by mid February):

• Go to Cornersmith and finally have the Ploughman’s lunch
• See the Sydney Festival Rubber Duck
• Take in as much Sydney Summer sun as I can
• Go to Balmoral Beach one last time and have the amazing fish n chips from Bottom of the Harbour
• Go to the Opera Bar and take in the amazing views of Sydney one last time (also go to the new el_loco at the House and do one last search for the perfect Margarita)
• Try at least 3 different Sydney Food Trucks
• Visit all my favourite 'My Place' locations one last time...
• T.I.M Products = Have the Galaktoboureko
  
• Frango Chicken Shop = Eat the best Portuguese charcoal chicken in Sydney one last time
  
• Sweet Belem Cake Boutique = Gorge on the scrumptious Belem Portuguese tarts 
• Paesanella Cheese = Make my famous Ricotta Gnocchi using the ricotta from here
• Bourke Street Bakery = Stuff myself one last time on their amazing sourdoughs, Bacon, Gruyere & Leek Quiche and Pork & Fennel Sausage Roll.
• Alpino Gelato = Eat so much of their Cassata (Tutti Frutti) gelato that I am sick
  
• Pork Roll = Eat one last Bánh mì
• Try some more of the great Black Sheep cocktails
• And have one last Yeeros from the Yeeros Shop on Victoria Road (the best Yeeros outside of Melbourne)
  

I know its only a year that we will be away for, however I know that these are the things I will crave and make me very Home Sick.

I will also have to change my Life List item #45 and change it from 'discovering the amazing things about Sydney' to 'discovering the amazing things about Wellington'.

[all images by husband]

 

Balmoral Beach, Sydney

My Place: Cornersmith

After all the rave reviews and write ups Cornersmith in Marrickville has been getting I have been dying to go and check it out for myself and tick it off the list.

So I finally got the chance to visit after my lovely friend, Miss Alissa came up to visit.

We popped in after a great day shopping at Marrickille Organic Markets.

It was a shame we had already eaten, as we were too full to indulge in the food and sweets Cornersmith has on offer.



Strawberry and Vanilla Milk Shake = YUM

 But I did have room left for on our their legendary milk shakes. Today they had the strawberry and vanilla milkshake and it was very scrumptious.

What I have always loved about Cornersmith is that it is closed on Mondays for pickling. They make pickles and preserves, often from fruit and veggies that locals in the area have kindly donated. They also have beehives on the roof and make their own honey.

Today's selection included Pickled Fennel, Lime cordial and Grapefruit jam.

I can not wait until I go back again and try the Ploughman’s lunch and some of their yummy cakes.

Cornersmith

314 Illawarra Rd

Marrickville

Ph; 8065 0844

[all images by Zahara Dessert]

My Place: Paesanella Cheese Manufacturers

As I mentioned, part of the Life List is 'discovering the amazing things about Sydney', so today I wanted to show you a piece of 'My Place'.

I have been getting my cheese from Paesanella Cheese Manufacturers ever since I realised  a few years ago that this factory was only around the corner.

I knew of it from their store in Haberfield, but I didn't realise until Not Quite Nigella wrote about it on her food tour of my area that they had a factory around the corner.


Paesenella Cheese Manufacturers

Paesanella (which means 'peasant girl from the country'), is a family run company that make fresh cheese in a traditional Italian style using only the highest quality ingredients. Paesenella Cheese has been making cheese in Marrickville for over 50 years and the cheese they make is just superb.

The entrance

All their soft cheeses are made from the the factory next door and the store is open from 6am to 1pm every day (except Saturday).



Fresh ricotta

This is where they serve the fresh ricotta, often it is still warm when they give it to you. The ricotta is to die for! It is hard to stop yourself from eating it straight out the container when you get home.

They also sell other imported hard cheeses that are also great.


Italian Butter!!!!

You can  not believe how excited I was when I discovered they also sell imported Italian butter!

Italian butter is something I crave for often. It is so unlike Australian butter as it much creamier and less salty than the yellow butter they make in Australia.


My cheese and butter bounty

I came out with a great little bounty of butter and cheese.

Now what to do with all this cheese?
Maybe I can make my little balls of cheesy goodness again?
Or maybe make pizza?

Paesanella Cheese
27 Gerald Street, Marrickville,
New South Wales, 2204 Australia
Open 6 days: 6am to 1pm (closed on Saturday).

Rozelle Markets - Challenge: Explore Sydney's Best Markets

My sister and I went to Rozelle Markets recently, so I could tick off another market from my 'Sydney's Best markets' challenge.

Rozelle Markets is set in the grounds of Rozelle Primary School. It is quite a funky little market with a variety of different stalls.



Lovely orchids

They also had some great produce available.

Rozelle Markets

663 Darling St

Rozelle, New South Wales 2039

http://www.rozellemarkets.com.au

Hours: Sat-Sun 9:00 - 16:0

#55. Try Absinthe... Ticked

Trying Absinthe is a Life List challenge I thought would be so very easy to tick off.

But for some reason I haven't been able to try it.

I could just go and buy a bottle and try it at home. However as it is a 'Life List' item, I want to go to the Absinthe Salon in Surry Hills and try and savour Absinthe the correct way... like back in the days of Toulouse Lautrec and Van Gogh. Shame the one I will be trying has the 'alleged' hallucinogenic properties removed.

According to the Absinthe Salon, it is an experience that will be sure to 'captivate and enthral' as well as a ritual to how it should be prepared and drunk.

However this new plan didn't go exactly to plan. On Saturday night, I was out with my favourite girls in Wollongong and popped into a new little bar called Yours and Owls. I saw that there was Absinthe on the menu and decided I had to try it and tick it off the list then and there.

So I did.

I liked it very much. It had a nice heat to it, with a slight aniseed after taste.

Our Absinthe experience at Yours and Owls, Wollongong

We even had it the authentic way, with lit sugar cube.

However I still have plans to take husband to the Absinthe Salon and try Absinthe together and relive the 'proper' Absinthe experience.

Looking forward to having it again.

#55 is completed! Tick

My Place

Photo by Louise Hawson from 52 Suburbs

When I was growing up there were some parts of Sydney that were considered 'no go' areas. Marrickville, located in the Inner West of Sydney was one of these suburbs. As the blog Marrickville Massive puts it, Marrickville was the place "...where the High School was shut down due to one too many stabbings".

Who knew I would be living here years later?!

Many things has changed since then and fortunately or unfortunately Marrickville has transformed. It is now much safer and has become an eclectic, vibrant and interesting place to live.

What I love about Marrickville is that it is constantly evolving, however you can still find the good parts of 'old' Marrickville. Like the Lamia Super Deli, a little Greek deli on Marrickville Road which has been in the area for over 30 years. Or Paesanella Cheese Factory, which has been producing fantastic Italian style fresh cheese since the early 60's.

The other reason I love living here is that I think there aren't many places in where you can live and not have to go more than a few kilometres to find the most amazing food and produce, often produced right here in Marrickville.

So I thought I would share with you some of the great things that I have discovered about Marrickville and her surrounding areas over the years. As you know, #45 on my Life List is 'Discover the amazing things about Sydney', so I thought it would be apt to continue this and look at where the place where I live.

Marrickville Park [photo by Zahara Dessert]

Here is a list I have put together of all the places I will be taking you over the next few months. I visit these very regularly...

T.I.M Products = Very yummy Greek sweets, biscuits and pastries

Frango Chicken Shop = Best Portuguese charcoal chicken in Sydney

Sweet Belem Cake Boutique = Scrumptious Portuguese tarts

Paesanella Cheese = The Buffalo mozzarella and ricotta here is divinen [my review here]

Marrickville Organic Food Market

Bourke Street Bakery = The Marrickville branch of this bakery

Alpino Gelato = The oldest gelato business in Australia

Pork Roll = Bánh mì, the best Vietnamese lunchtime treats

The Yeeros Shop on Victoria Road = the best Yeeros outside of Melbourne

Urban Food Market = A sustainable butcher

Black Forest Smokehouse = Hand crafted small goods

Double Roasters = Great cafe and coffee (roasted on site)

Cornersmith = A new cafe that has beehives on the roof and is closed on Mondays for pickling [my review here]

Reverse Garbage = A not-for-profit co-operative that sells industrial discards, off-cuts and over-runs to the public for creative and practical uses

Looking forward to showing you My Place

Here is a great little photo journal on Marrickville by Louise Hawson from 52 Suburbs to look at in the meantime

What I loved at The Finders Keepers Market

On Saturday, Sydney had the pleasure of hosting The Finders Keepers markets, a design and art markets supporting emerging Australian designers and artists.

It is bi annual event and in Sydney it is held at CarriageWorks in Everleigh.

I love going to these markets and this year I thought I would document my visit as part of Life List #45, 'Discovering the amazing things about Sydney'.

I hope you enjoy the artists I thought were worth mentioning (of which there were many).

Carriage Works is such a great venue and is also home to one of my favourite produce markets The Eveleigh Markets, which was also running on the day of The Finders Keepers, so there were a lot of people, hence why the photos are not the best.

The venue used to be old rail yards and workshops



Ernest Hope = really loved the framed embroideries and cushions

 

Some ceiling art

Me and Amber = Really adorable one of a kind pieces

Fromage La Rue =  Funky illuminated letters and vintage style wooden letters. Loved these, but I have no clue where they would go in my house.

The Land of Fig = Beautiful hand stitched cards and prints

Kirbee Lawler = Kirbee's illustrations are simply stunning. I think I'll be visiting her online site soon to make some purchases.

Wendy June = Really loved her designs... especially the 'inner beastie'.

Deleted Scene = Such distinctive pieces

Deleted Scene

Marcue = Amazing hand made leather shoes

Gretel Girl = My biggest regret of the day was not buying one of these plates

I want the robot or the dancing bear! I just can't decide

It really is such a stunning space

Emma Leonard = Her illustrations are just gorgeous... and the neon pink in her drawings is so striking

I love this photo... if I do say so myself!

Art of Alberto Santiago = Wow! How amazing are his portraits?



The artist himself

Bonnie Poplar

Andrea Smith = An illustrator and designer who was also asked to illustrate the flyer for the Finders Keepers markets.

Ask Alice = As she says herself, she has Eco-Loving, Tree-Hugging Stationery!

More from Ask Alice

Hardwick & Cesko = Suck beautiful paper cut art, reminding me of the works of Rob Ryan

More from Hardwick  Cesko

Maya Muse = Unique textiles screen printed by hand using natural fibers

Sunday Morning Designs = Adorable collection of illustrated pillowcase and doona covers 

Lino Girl = Lovely limited edition prints, gift cards and ceramics

Some more works from Lino Girl

I hope you enjoyed finding out about some new and very talented artists?

 All images by Zahara Dessert