Hot Wok

6:20am Sunday Morning. I was laying in bed. The phone rings, should I get up and get it or let Pabbi get it, I think. Ahh stuff it, more likely to be for him or Mum then for me. But it was for me! On the other end was Leanne feeling quiet bad for ringing so early but she had an offer for me. Leanne and her sister had been given a voucher to do a cooking class (Hot Wok) at the Spirit House up at Yandina, her sister couldn’t go and Leanne has just found out that the replacement her sister had organised couldn’t come either. Did I want to go? Of course I did. A quick shower later, breakfast and flat ironed hair later it was time to go. A pleasant drive up to Yandina, a very nice class, a very yummy class, a poke round the setting taking a few photos and then it was time to make the trip home again. So happy to have had the chance to take the class.

It was a fantastic class, really enjoyed it. What I enjoyed the most was those little tricks, like deep frying basil leaves for a garnish – soo cool looking, they go really glassy and pretty darn tasty too or making fried shallots. What other little tricks were there mmm. Also enjoyed the time spent at the beginning of the class going through all the ingredients, getting the chance to taste them/smell them etc.

The dishes we made were –

1) Dry Red Curry of Cuttlefish with Wild Ginger
This was fun, the Cuttlefish can easily be swapped out with squid. Really liked this and it looked good on the plate too.

2) Braised Pork with Sweet Soya & Cinnamon
This was another really really yummy dish, we didn’t use a wok but actually just a large pot. Diced pork neck/scotch fillets were used and were quite tender by the end, the spices used were star anise, ginger and cinnamon, oh the flavour was so nice.

3) Sweet & Sour Stir Fry Chicken
This was a good dish, a lot more mellow in taste than the other dishes, which meant when we were sitting down to lunch, it was the least popular. Though it had pineapple in, big hunks of it. Anything with pineapple in is going to go down well in my tummy.

4) Stir Fried Beef with Roast Chilli Paste
This was one of my favourites along with everyone else in the class. Stir fry sliced rump steak in a cumin/coriander/fish sauce marinade. Then fried in the wok with chilli paste/jam (that stuff is so tasty), oyster sauce, fish sauce and just before serving some Thai Basil leaves were tossed through. The sauce was so thick and yummy.

5) Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli (Gai-Lan) with Asian Mushrooms and Oyster Sauce
Nothing like some stir fried Asian Greens with a nice sauce ๐Ÿ˜€

some of the food.
Stir Fry Beef with Roasted Chilli Paste and Thai Basil Dry Red Curry of Cuttlefish with Wild Ginger, Beans, Baby Corn and Basil

Leanne with the Sweet & Sour Chicken
Leanne, serving up the Sweet and Sour Chicken

me
Helen by Leanne

Leanne
Leanne by Helen

Bamboo
Bamboo

Hibiscussuper frilly hibiscus

Sunset after rain

Yesterday it was bright and sunny till about 2ish, when the sky started to darken, then about 3ish it started to rain and rain and rain and rain only getting heavier and heavier. Then it cleared to a drizzle and the sky turned into this.

after the rain, 37/366

I love the light after rain, that really warm light which sometimes looks so eerie. Last night we had that warm colour for a little while but then it became what you see above. It was something!

The three Ts and I

Thursday arvo, Tom and Tiana/Tiana and Tom arrived in town after making the drive from Canberra. The Hotel Chelsea show of Tom, Ange and Cam was going to be playing Joes Waterhole in Eumundi on Saturday night. Thursday night though we hung out at Thor’s, I bang up my ankle, we laugh etc.

Saturday, Thor was working. I spent the day resting my foot to conserve as much energy as possible before the marathon of Saturday night started. Tom and Tiana went up early in the afternoon, they are from Canberra…they had places to explore. Thor and I made the trip up after Thor finished work. No trip happens without a saga, the day before Thor’s car broke down, this meant that she was bussing to work. A bus trip that takes the better part of 90 mins. I had a new car and a tank full of petrol so I drove south and we rendezvoused at a bus stop. We made it back to Thor’s and then after getting organised we were back on the road a while later than we had originally planned but most importantly we were all going to be up there for the show. We had a really good run up the highway and it was only a little more than an hour to get up to Eumundi. Talking, eating fruit and chocolate, making the most of the mini-road trip.

I had a great night in hanging out with the three Ts and Ange, talking, laughing, whatever else we do. Musically and Photographically I didn’t get into the night till Tom played. Mostly a case of wanting to be able to enjoy Tom’s set 100% which meant that I couldn’t give anywhere close to that for Ange and Cam. I had to take photos because how could I not. I see photos everywhere I look, bung ankle or no bung ankle I was going to take photos. However, there was pain. Pain that made it difficult to get into the positions that I normally find myself in when taking photos. I only took a few photos of Cam and Ange. I did however take up a film camera and a roll of Fujipress 1600, it will come with me for the next few gigs, really looking to see how it fares. Cam and Ange played first. Both played good sets. I really can’t tell you much more than that though ๐Ÿ™ due to my brain not been fully aware of the happenings.

Cam Elliot
Cam Elliot

Ange Takats
Ange Takats

Then it was Tom. and Tiana giving some backing vocals for a few songs. Lots of new songs. Good Stuff. There was one song, it was really new and I was listening to and thought to myself, that is the song. The song that will most likely stick to everyone who was in that room. I mentioned it to Thor afterwards and she said the same thing. I can’t tell you what it was called or even what it was really about due to my brain and the fact that it does not like to remember songs.

Tom Woodward
Tom


Tiana

Then the three joined together for a Ramblin Jack Elliott song and of course I Shall Be Released. The crowd went wild.
crowd

Tom, Ange and Cam

Rest of the photos are in a gallery here.

Post gig chatter, enjoying a few moments out on the footpath, before we headed to the cars and started the trip south.
Tiana, 33/366 Thor
Before we knew it, we pulling over just south of the Pine River for Thor to jump into Tianaรขโ‚ฌโ„ขs car and to go back to her house and there were hugs and laughs and plans made.

Speaking of Thor’s house/flat/home, I must share this photo of her ceiling. The plaster on her ceiling is raked. I swear every time I have visited, I tilt my head back and say your ceiling is sooo cool.

Thor's ceiling

This is sort of what my ankle looks like at the moment – the bruise is a whole lot darker in real life than it looks in the photo. I also have a bruise on the inside of my ankle as well. oh joy. No it is going good, less swelling, less pain and haven’t popped any pills today.
Edge of concrete path, 35/366

Birthday Eve Dinner at 589

Yesterday we headed up to 589, commonly known as Glasshouse Mountains Lookout or Forestry Lookout 589 for Birthday Eve BBQ Tea for Grandad who turned 88 today.

I made a pavlova for dessert, my first! I then ate a whole lot of pavlova for dessert. Pavlova isn’t exactly the most friendly dessert for a 1 day shy of 88 diabetic….

Eating a BBQ dinner.
Birthday Dinner

I got a chance to play with my GNDs taking this shot of the soon to set sun.
Forestry Lookout 589, 28/366

Prior to heading up to 589 we did the usual lazing round the farm on an arvo, reading, watching the birds, photographing etc etc.
There were a few birds that were having a ball splashing their tail feathers in the water and of course making for a good photo.
Splish Splash

And of course a Galah.
Galah

New week, new concert

Last Monday night, gee a week ago, I went along to The Zoo to photograph Enter Shikari and The Amity Affliction. I am really watching every dollar at the moment so am not going to any gig where it is going to cost me money to get in. It means I have got a lot of housework done ๐Ÿ™‚

The Zoo has two new lights. They are LED arrays and are on either side of the drummer. They don’t seem to actually provide any light though. mmm. It was my first gig where I spent the entire time at iso 3200 and oh it hurt, it hurt so bad. However, I much prefer noise to blur so I have to accept it.

Lots of rude punters. I think that the odds of crowd rudeness increase significantly based on the music. mmm. It is not like you have any desire to steal their spot hanging off the front of the stage, all you want is 10/20 seconds to pop in front of them or lean over them, take a picture and move on. You have a big sticker on your shirt saying media and a camera in your hand that you can use as weights practice. The common answer at the gig however as you politely tap them on the shoulder, raise your camera and ask if you can duck in front of them for a few seconds was Get lost, Get or a grunt or shove.

Other than that it was a fine night, by no means my style of music but the crowd seemed to enjoy it. Photos are here.

The Amity Affliction
Amity
Amity

Enter Shikari
Enter Shikari
Enter Shikari1

Australia Day Celebrations

2 Countries, 2 Hemispheres, 2 very different days.

Karl, like the typical Aussie Expat hosted a very fancy Australia Day Beach BBQ in Reykjavik. It was 1 degree above freezing. Still they had a beach, a flag, a bbq, Vegemite, three different types of Karl’s very own beer on tap. The photos are a hoot!

Helen, was assisting at her first wedding for local wedding photographer Tim Harris. It was 31 degrees in the shade at the Bride’s house. I had a great day though, holding flashes, cameras, flowers etc etc and taking a few photos as well. The whole bridal party were a great group and I enjoyed the day, though I was pretty buggered when I got home. ๐Ÿ˜€ I also hit the 10k mark on the 5d at about 1:59pm. She was 159 days old yesterday.

The Wedding

cake, 26/366Anissa, a moment of reflectionGiftsReceptiondressshoes

Australia Day also means the Triple J Hottest 100. Only two of the songs I voted for made it into the hottest 100, a couple of the other artists I voted for made into the list but not with the songs I voted for.
56 Xavier Rudd Better People
68 Ben Kweller Penny On The Train Track
I had a much higher hit rate on the Triple Zed Hot 100. Like getting I think five out of the top ten songs.