this love affair

I've been having a love affair recently. It's with my neighbourhood. Maybe it's something about living in the same place for 3 years or perhaps St Kilda is a little warmer than my old hood South Yarra.

Maybe I'm just getting old but I love walking to Galleon and knowing that I'm going to get great service combined with a delicious breakfast and bloody mary. I have my Big Issue man who I've seen spend my money on fruit and veg. My bottle store know I like Chardonnay, my flower dude gives me a discount and recently there's been a cute little addition to Barkly St called Cabinette. It's full of vintage glassware and all kinds of wonderfuls.

I bought these gorgeous mugs from there on Saturday and as I'm not a tea drinker I thought they'd make great pots for these mini succulents.

I'm also getting itchy feet. I think that's something to do with the majority of my friends and Twitter feed being Coachella related. My friend were recently living it up along Abbott Kinney and I was so jealous that my I swear my fingers turned green with envy. I experienced a revelation in a place called Abbott's Habit in the form of an iced, chai, soy drink with vanilla powder and a shot of espresso. I think it's called the All Nighter and really I could drink this all day-er.

This will be the first year that I don't travel overseas in a long time. Building a business is tough work and I'm biding my time for a wedding in Bangladesh and a quick trip to India in 2013. I can't wait to get me some paneer paratha.

easter long weekend

I find packing for a trip to our family place in the country more challenging than packing for a week in New York. Firstly, I don't wear jeans which is a little strange as I spent 3 years dealing with cuts, colours, fits etc. etc. I also don't really have a mid-way of dressing. I either dress up or wear pjs, there really is no mid-ground.
My favourite new pair of Anniel's did not fare so well. Before:

After - perhaps even more leopard like now?

My Coles flannies were the perfect fit.

(back of a Ute going about 70 down a dirt track)

There were a few other outfits that were worn close to what my family calls a 'Twig' - otherwise known as a massive bonfire.

There's also heaps of other things to do in Patchewollock like drink beer at the pub and ride camels... although these camels haven't been ridden in about 10 years. You can hand feed them though!

the wonders of shirts

I often feel quite sorry for my boyfriend. The other evening we were sitting at Golden Fields, munching on genius lobster rolls and sipping on St Kilda Slings and I told him nothing makes me happier than a good shirt.

Happiness inducing shirts usually follow simple guidelines, however, these are subject to change at any time:

• Made of silk but are not transparent
• Buttons that go all the way to the top
• Collars although this is not mandatory
• Come in a multitude of colours (like black) or prints
  

These are three of my favourite shirts, just whack on a leather mini and I'm halfway out the door and down the street:

Lonely Hearts & Nicholas Ruby Choker

Nicholas & Estelle Deve necklace

Acne Snake Skin shirt

Let me tell you why shirts also get another tick from me - You can eat a three course meal with wines to match and everything still looks how it should at the end! Enjoy!

woods of windsor

I know a place where lovers go, to cry their troubles away.. it's the Woods of Windsor and it's not just for tears but for cocktails too. However, it would be perfect to lament a break up or job loss in the depths of the bar.

There's multiple drink menus covering wine, beer etc. and for those whiskey lovers out there (I'm one, I've been sippin' on this juice since I was a wee kid making them for my father - Hi Dad!) there's an extensive menu to select from. The food is perfect for whiling the night away cocktailing with friends or lovers.

It's a great departure from the other bars along Chapel St with wonderful, mutant taxidermy and careful attention to detail like deodorant in the bathrooms and fancy swizzle sticks.

The signature cocktail list is something of wonder and would require me to plonk myself on a stool for a day or two to try. At the moment I have just one cocktail on my mind and that is the ever pretty, luminescent Amaretto Sour.

In case you are wondering, "What does one wear to the Woods?" Match your outfit to your cocktail, don't be afraid it's only natural when cocktails are just so pretty.

You too can play at home with:

Nicholas 'Lucinda Top' with Ruby Choker
45ml of amaretto
30ml lemon juice
dash of bitters (Angostura or orange bitters work well)

or head to Woods of Windsor, 108 Chapel St, Windsor.

when chicken sandwiches attack

Stack one piece of bread on top of the other with chicken mix in the middle and you should get a good chicken sammich? Wrong. Ever since making my own chicken mix I've come to assess others - does that make me picky?

I still eat them all regardless of the lack of salt, crunchy crusts (if having a crust is even on the cards), minimal mayo, no butter. Let's face it guys, a chicken sandwich is not really diet food, it's for plastering the sides of your stomach for events like the races, hen's days and grand final.

Last year I came across Foxes Den in Elwood and was so excited. They sell fresh chicken sandwiches week out and some even have the added benefit of avocado. I was reading Nicole Trunifo's food blog the other day and she mentioned avo as a garnish. I say avo is an ingredient unto itself.

It was delicious and I'm so glad it's come to the area. The only problem is you have to get in quick on a Saturday to pick up one of the original ones. 

I went to Morris Jones for lunch the other day, of course I sampled the Bloody Mary, but spent most of my time manoeuvring my mouth around their chicken sandwich that didn't really really deliver.

On a side note.. I've had two great experiences at Morris Jones but a few Friday nights ago when I took a bunch of girls to your establishment you kind of let me down. Your waiter was a charmer, the Chablis was delicious but your cocktails and food left a little to be desired.

I really like you, we could have a great relationship but only when you're slow - once when you first opened (I almost fist pumped the air in true Jersey Shore style when my boyfriend enjoyed his 30th birthday meal with you) and the next on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

You are fantastic with your pretty setting, wonderful location, handsomely dressed and well informed waiters. Your duck makes me quack in a very sand manner though. Your salads on the other hand are quite absolutely thrilling.

buenas noches senor bbq

Step 1. Put on something flowy, preferably something machine washable, trust me.

Step 2. Walk a few hundred metres to Pure Pop Records and head through the store to the intimate bar/restaurant/live music venue in the back.

Step 3. Order a jug of beer (any beer will do as long as it is cold) and listen to Roscoe James Irwin's set. Watch the sun slowly set and ask yourself the question "What is your favourite The Doors song?" Then answer. My answer is Alabama Song / Whisky Bar.

Step 4. Order dinner from Senor BBQ and feast upon Argentinian barbequed ribs soaked in chimichurri as you try to look as elegant as possible.

Step 5. Realise this is impossible to do wearing silk, sitting on a beer barrel with sauce dripping off your chin and gorge on the tasty meat instead.

Step 6. Amble home with happy belly and full heart knowing that you are right in thinking Buenos Aires is the city for you.

Yields: One fantastic Summer evening in St Kilda.

Morris Jones Bloody Mary

My boyfriend and I walked into The Smith on Sunday ready to have a feast for a friend's 30th only to realise we had arrived approximately 1 week early. As The Smith only offers very limited sunshine we headed back to the Morris Jones courtyard out the back which is inviting and ever so pretty.

I downed a couple of glasses of bubbles with my chicken sandwich (will post on this later) and then for good measure ordered a Bloody Mary.

Not for the unseasoned BM drinker as it packs a wholloping chilli punch to the back of the throat, however, as I made my way down the drink the tomato (and there was some of the real stuff in here, like for real real off the vine or perhaps a can?) soothed the throat. The chilli had cleared the nose before that so it was like the Vicks Vapour drop of Bloody Marys.

In terms of wonderfulness, it was good but not great. I'd order it again though.

talking 'bout my favourite restaurant

I've said before that Cicciolina has never really hit the mark with us so it was a wonderful, lovely, sensational surprise when we tried Ilona Staller. It was love at first bite and sight.

I'm not sure if it was the retro bar which serves of fantastic martinis, the lovely waiters and bartender or the delicious food. It been hot so the cool air-con is a bit of a turn on as well. I almost wanted to head down there and curl up on one of the couches during that heatwave.

We've been looking for a local for so long. A place that you go to which is casual enough for a mid-week meal but can also be fantastic on a special occasion night. I can also walk there and back in high heels.

We had a 3 course meal there just before Christmas (which was a great start in stretching our bellies before the big day). We ended up in a little bit of a mess and walked home in Paula Abdul's footsteps - two steps forwards and two steps back.

(Acne shirt, Suno skirt, Estelle Deve Rings, ridiculous expression courtesy of 2 Dirty Martinis and a bottle of Chablis)

I recommend absolutely everything on the menu - the triple cooked quack, the small bites, that lemony dessert and my god the venison is truly something special.

The breakfast is also great, the Breakfast Martini made with lime marmalade is exceptional. The only thing I'm not sold on is the truffled grits with poached eggs. perhaps I'm just not a grits kind of girl.

life and times

So quite a bit of stuff has been happening in the life and times of notbloodymary likely. I've eaten at lots of new places (I've actually crossed the river and the Pacific too) and tried several new bloody mary's including a revolting 'pickled vegetable' one in the Upper East Side and really fantastic one from Balthazar.

From the bright lights and terrific sights of NY we headed south to Cuba where something dysentary-like set in. It wasn't all bad (the place is an amazing leap back in time) as there was heaps of salsa dancing and the odd rooster friend in Trinidad...

Mojitos by the thousands in Havana...

And young coconut by the Caribbean.

This was then followed by a million hamburgers in Los Angeles where the living is meant to be clean.

So I'm back in Melbourne and things are pretty much how they've always been: I'm still in St Kilda and still totally unsatisfied with my wardrobe.

My exciting news is that I've taken over a company and am working really bloody hard to make it a complete success. The new work means my writing is on the backburner a bit so I'm going to start back on the old blog. Say Yay!