We are moving!

Guess what? We are moving back to Singapore! As luck and fate and the god of chance would have it, I can't seem to escape the grasp of the homeland. 

Off we go, on our next adventure and the next chapter of our lives... in no less than two weeks. Thanks for the memories Sydney - I'm sure we will see you again very soon!

x

M

ON HIATUS

This blog is on hiatus due to a busy schedule! My apologies to all... I will be back soon when the dust settles.

I'm still active on Twitter @maryttan and Instagram @maryttan, so please feel free to follow me there if you so wish. I promise to be interesting and entertaining.

Until then,
Mary

Review: El-Phoenician, Walsh Bay

One of the perks of my job is that I get to meet some very interesting people, with fascinating stories and backgrounds. It seems that no one two people have taken the same route to get here, which always makes for fun round-table conversation. 

That's exactly how we end up at El Phoenician in Walsh Bay, owned by the partner of fashion and lifestyle editor I met recently. In between talking fashion and furs, I mentioned that I'm always on the lookout for exciting new places in Sydney and she insisted that I come eat my fill of Lebanese food over the weekend. Given that I hadn't been doing anything very interesting in a while, I figured there could be no harm!

The beautiful facade of El-Phoenician on a quiet evening in Walsh Bay. The restaurant has stunning views of the bay, quietly attentive service and a wonderful finesse about it (without the small portions!)

Mixed dips - smooth, creamy and rich, accompanied by tangy tabbouleh and Pita breads. And that's just to start...

The intimidating meat platter arrives, laden with coriander roasted potatoes, skewers of beef and chicken, lamb patties and sausage and even fried chicken. And there's more spicy pita bread lurking beneath it all... they weren't joking about generous portions! 

I told you it was intimidating...wouldn't have eaten all that dip if we had known.

Making room for dessert, while slurping on some very interesting Lebanese wine ('oily', but not unpleasant!)

Divine rosewater panacotta, and turkish delight in the background... even though we were gut-bustingly full, we still managed to put this away!

Perfect for a date night, or a comfortable dinner with friends when you want to get fancy before the theatre but don't want to sit around picking at cashew-sized steaks. This is the place to go for good tantalizingly tasty Lebanese food that will debunk any notions you had of greasy kebab shops. 

Style Files: Taylor Tomasi Hill

Undisputedly inspired by Marie Claire accessories editor Taylor Tomasi Hill. Flaming red hair, a ready smile, and a wardrobe to kill for. Her eye for details is spot on, allowing her to effortlessly mix and match styles, shapes and colours that would make anyone look like a crazy bag lady. Some people just have all the luck!

Here are a few of my favourite looks (psst anyone notice that she's wearing the same cut-out booties in the first three images?)

The SMH Wine Fest

One year ago S and I came to this very event, barely knowing each other, with me feeling very uncertain about my life here in Sydney and him wondering what he had gotten himself into dating this strange little nomadic Asian creature... What a vast difference 365 days can make!

A Very Happy Valentine's Day

I hope everyone had a beautiful Valentine's Day yesterday. It was a really simple but beautiful day, and I hope that everyone, single or attached, had the chance to be with someone they love!

Heck, Valentine's Day should be everyday shouldn't it? Why should the price of flowers and chocolates be ridiculously high just one day of the year, with frantic looking men scurrying about with a look of sheer panic written all over their faces? xx

Showed up to work, only to receive a surprise delivery...

Beautiful roses from my oh-so-perfect boyfriend! 

It was a very good thing that I had bought him a surprise gift too... a fancy pants Armani Watch. He promptly spent 20 minutes reading the manual and figuring out the dials. Boys!

We went off for dinner and had a lovely degustation at Yoshii, with paired sake - starting off with the avocado tofu topped with caviar...

..an entree of trio (a crappy photo of very interesting food)...

...lightly seared tuna on a bed of chocolate (mm!) and edamame and cherries...

Almost-rare lamb  -so good! 

Spanner crab with shiitake mushroom...

Absolutely delicious sushi platter - fresh and utterly sublime!

Chocolate tempura, rhubarb sorbet and brandy ice cream. Nom.

Style Files: Valentine's Day Wishlist

I am nothing if not a thoughtful girlfriend. I know that my boyfriend is terrible at buying gifts, so I've done what any decent, self-respecting female would do and made him a Valentine's Day wishlist. 

I know, I know, it's just so kind of me! :)