Sure I only just woke up and haven't yet had my ritual cup of tall tea (always in a glass, white, no sugar) but it is 27C and yes that makes me happy!!
Not a single cloud to dim the sublime blue. Oh Melbourne, how will I ever stop loving you! You give me culture, a veritable smorgasbord of weather and as I sit here, I'm tapping out these words to you dear readers, to the grooving sound of a DeGraves St busking band, steam train melodies chugging rhythmically into my living room.
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| the view from my living room - not a single cloud in the sky! |
Then, wonder of wonders, with my window open only the teensiest crack, a little bird hopped on the sill, tweeted his arrival (as in bird language, not constipated internal online monologue) and flew straight on in! She had a few happy swoops around the 16ft ceilings then out the now-open balcony door and not away, no dears, she sat on the balcony railing squawking her victory to all the other birds! (I'm pretty sure that in the minute she was here she gave my humble abode a much better once over than I've ever done in all the years I've lived here!)
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| peace and love from the buddha in my balcony garden |
An imported pernik for breakfast (thank you mamicka!). The first time I met a pernik was during the eternal dusk of a European winter. I was traipsing home, across a bridge in Sala (Slovakia) in 1984, the year of the LA Olympics. Not that I knew, I'd ventured behind the Iron Curtain. We didn't even have McDonalds let alone know the state of the world. But I had the pernik and I was happy. Fast forward today and nothing has changed. Still love the moist spicy cakey sponge encased in smooth chocolate with just a hint of plum jam spread in between.
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| perniks (left) and tea in a glass (right) |
P.S. why is this blog titled January Chin Chin!? Cos dear darlings, I am heading there for dinner this very eve with my friend from the US. Don't worry, i will let you know all about the delectable delights that await. Don't wait up!
P.P.S. oh I am mortified! I could just change the title of this post but no, I'll just fess up.. Yes, I did go to Chin Chin and yes, it was fabulous! And embarrassing! I ate everything before I even thought to photograph!
So to begin the evening, a vodka martini in Chin Chin's sultry downstairs GoGo Bar reminiscent of 1920s glamour with plush velvet booths and intimate tables for two.
While we sipped and relaxed in smooth surrounds, the welcome text message arrived, inviting us upstairs to our awaiting table.
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| US man at the GoGo Bar.. I'm sure his sentiments were scrawled upon the wall behind him LOL |
The queue gathering at the door was now being informed of a two and a half hour wait but no one turned away. Upon asking, our sweetly tattooed waitress informed that as usual it would be an extraordinary 800+ head night. Yet she and all the staff remained upbeat, unhurried and attentive.
Our food, from ordering to arrival was a scant few minutes and everything, every morsel of every dish, was a generous serving party in my mouth!
Handmade pork and crab cakes with a divine sweet citrusy chilli paste to smear atop and fresh washed lettuce to encase the babycake within. Little pork DIY wraps reminiscent of peking duck, that was at once perfectly crispy and melt in your mouth tender. Chin Chin handmade crepes wrapped with fragrant aromatic herbs and a zesty sweet chilli sauce. I was in heaven!
But wait, there was more. Short beef ribs where the marinated meat did literally fall of the bone as my knees buckled at the heavenly taste. And sticky pork belly that I could have eaten forever and ever - perfectly crisped skin with perfectly soft flesh, like a lovers inner thigh..
Sadly by the mains' arrivals I had peaked too early and could not stuff in as much as I'd have liked. But without regret because those starters were in no way inferior in quality, just a smaller size.
Two starters, two mains and a bottle of wine amongst the happy hum of satisfied diners and friendly staff..
What more can I say? The perfect end to a perfect day.
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