A letter to my love....

Dearest Bondi,

Yes, it’s me. I know we had our ‘break’ but I am back and ready for your embrace once again. It has taken some effort, and let’s face it, a pay rise, to return to your shores, but this time I know it is for good. 

Oh how I’ve missed our regular coffee outings to Gertrude and Alice café, where we have rummaged through dusty old books until we found a treasure. I've pined for our long strolls through Bondi markets, picking up the odd wall print and flowers for my room.

I’ve missed our old trivia nights at North Bondi RSL and our Miss Chu rice paper rolls . You really knew how to wine and dine me.

I’m willing to overlook that you are seeing other people, even those pesky tourists who you know annoy me. I now know that they come part and parcel with you. Hey, everyone has their baggage!

I enjoy your outlook, particularly from the Swiss Grand rooftop, or sharing a comfy chair with you at the Bucket list. Whether it’s the shared Corona on a hot summers day, or a tasty frozen yoghurt on Hall St, you cater to my needs!

Yes you have made me fight for you, particularly when looking for somewhere to park my beach towel on a hot summers day or looking for a car spot when I’m too lazy to walk, but yes I concede I shouldn’t be so lazy. Walking is good for me. See you really do have my best interests at heart.

I love that you cater to my wandering eye. Those Bondi hipsters sure do pull at my heart strings. Whether hanging out at Beach Burrito or selling their goods at random front-lawn sales throughout the area, I never lack for eye candy. Yes, they choose to wear beanies on hot summer days, and they often look slightly homeless and dishevelled, but hey, the heart wants, what the heart wants. 

No, you don't come cheap but with your luscious grassy knoll, heart racing bondi to bronte walking track and frangipani lined streets you know the way to a girls heart. 

I admit, that there will be the odd occasion where I have a discreet dalliance with a neighbouring suburb, like Surry Hills for the odd Messina's Gelato, or Double Bay for a quick espresso Martini, but all in all, you are the one for me. 

You've stolen my heart dear Bondi, and I look forward to us growing old together!

Big kisses!

Jana x

  

With the Christmas holidays coming upon us I have decided to do a pre-gorge-myself-silly health kick!

Hopefully it will get me so inspired to stay on the 'health train' I will actually avoid eating myself into a food coma this Christmas.

So in anticipation I am so so so excited to start my kick with this ahh-mazing armband that counts your calorie consumption, tells you how much sleep your getting each night, and how many calories you burn throughout the day.

The best bit is, all I have to do is wear it, log my meals into an online account, and it does all the tracking for me. Like magic!

It will tell me if I'm eating too much, not getting enough sleep or not exercising enough. It's like a life makeover.

It's called 'Body Media Fit armband' and it's been used in shows such as The Biggest Loser.

So its ta-ta to delicious sugary cocktails, tim tams and tasty thai (sob!) and hello to healthy salads and salmon!

I'll be tracking my results over the Chrissy holidays and I'll keep you updated.

Knowledge is power people!!

*I should add a disclaimer here. I won't actually be starting this 'health kick' till Monday as it's the besties bday, and aint nobody stopping me from splurging this weekend!

HAPPY FRIDAY LADIES!!

I don't think words are needed for this clip. 

Enjoy!

Adele... Oh how I heart you!

It is no secret that Adele is my girl crush! I think she is fabulous! She can sing like a maniac, swears like a trooper and can totally get away with wearing the longest fake eyelashes I've ever seen (while not looking like a cast member of Gordie Shore)

And yes.. I did once have a dream that Adele and I were best friends only to wake up and find out that, no, that was actually not the case... can you imagine what that felt like?? No, probs not, it is actually kinda creepy, but still! Not happy Jan!

This is by far her best performance to date! 

However.... DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO if you are going through a breakup.... I repeat.... DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO!!

Otherwise, sit back, relax, and enjoy! 

Life lessons....

Life lessons. They're a funny old chestnut! I’ve never been one to dish out advice, I much prefer to learn things the hard way and turn them into funny stories, but after a brief ponder here is some little life lessons I have picked up along my travels…..

1. Always get deals in writing e.g. rental agreements, paying a deposit for a car etc.. There is no joy in realising someone is a shonky dealer! I'm talking to you ex-landlady!

2. If something doesn’t feel right then it probably isn’t. How many times have you kicked yourself for not going with your gut feeling. (Gut... I hate that word, but off topic!)

3. Never chase boys! If they want to be with you THEY WILL! Think of men as cavemen who enjoy the hunt and chase.

4. Whenever you are feeling less than confident, walk with your shoulders back and fake it till you make it.

5. Make sure you get enough sunshine. Vitamin D really does wonders for your happiness (and your tan).

6. Whenever you are sad distract yourself. Visit friends, clean your room, go shopping or get your nails done. Don’t sit at home and wallow. You will be surprised how quickly it will pass.

7. Never drink to calm the nerves. You WILL end up getting drunk and saying/doing something stupid. (A glass of cheeky sparkles is ok NOT a bottle!)

8. Always make time for friends. Boys and jobs will come and go but friends are forever. 

9. Always give yourself 20 minutes to calm down before responding to something that has upset you. That way you won't say something you will later regret.

10. Take every opportunity that is given to you. Even if you are scared.

11. Bad decisions make great stories!

12. Learn to laugh at yourself. No one likes a cranky pants or a serious sod!

13. A fake tan will always fix a 'fat day' (Never try on swimmers without one!)

14. Always drink a BIG glass of water before bed after a big night out. It makes the hangover so much more bearable. 

. 

It is NOT a Farmer's life for me

Now I feel very privileged indeed to have a family cattle farm 2.5 hours away from Sydney in the Upper Hunter Valley that I can escape to on the odd weekend when I need to visit the parentals and enjoy a home cooked meal.

I have always prided myself on being a bit of a farm girl. I was born in Orange, I spent school holidays at the grandparent’s farm in Grenfell and heck I even dated one of the Farmers from ‘Farmer Wants A Wife’. So I feel like I have the qualifications.. you know!?

Well it was this last weekend that I came to the harsh realisation, that no, I am in fact, not cut out for the country. I had driven up for a weekend of R&R. All I wanted to do was laze by the pool, work on the tan, read a good book and enjoy my recent purchase of a few bottles of Helm’s Riesling.

I should add a disclaimer here, I may have said I enjoyed going to the farm, but it really doesn’t consist of actual farm work.

So it was on this recent weekend that I was visiting a friends neighbouring farm when I got a text from my mum asking me to come home and help her with a sick calf that had been abandoned by its mother. Envisioning my inner McLeod’s Daughter, I raced home to help mum as my step dad was away this weekend.

I arrive at the Dairy to find the most precious little calf lying on the ground with my mum trying to bottle feed it, but the poor thing was so dehydrated and malnurished he just wanted to sleep. So I took over bottle feeding duty while my mum tried to lift the calf up to keep it awake. Now let me tell you, calves are not light! The thing weighed a tonne!

After some gentle cajoling we managed to get the little calf to drink some bottle mix and were feeling quite proud of ourselves. So down we plodded to the dairy every couple of hours to feed this precious being. It was at 1am in the morning looking half asleep (yet fabulous in our pj’s and gumboots) that we decided to let the calf sleep and we were sure that by morning we would come down and he would be up and walking.

Sadly this was not the case.

By morning little calfie had passed away. I was devastated. How do Farmers do this on a daily basis I pondered?? It sure gave me a new found respect for Farmers (excluding my ex who was a douche!).   Nothing like a wakeup call to realise how precious life is and that we should all make the most of it!

Hangover happiness

After a particularly large night in Melbourne recently it was safe to say I was feeling slightly under the weather. However as the boyfriend had to work and the bestie and I were only in Melbs for a couple of days we decided we had to drag ourselves out of our hangover slumber and off to Chapel Street for a day of shopping.

Now you have to give us props for lasting a solid 2 hours traipsing up and down this wondrous street full of designer goodness. However our feet that were still aching from last night’s dance floor shenanigans could take it no longer. So in we popped to the Imperial Bar for a refreshment.

One thing the bestie and I pride ourselves on is our hangover cures. We usually stick with the trustworthy mix of a glass filled ½ orange juice and ½ ginger ale to cure our dehydration the next day, however today we were after something with a little more of a kick!

So we made straight to the bar and ordered ourselves two Bloody Marys.  To say this was the BEST Bloody Mary we had ever had would be an understatement. It had the trusty zing of Worstershire Sauce, lots of pepper and a healthy serving of tomato juice to replenish our liver and enough vodka to provide us with the ol’ ‘hair of the dog’ cure.

So with the weekend coming upon us I have decided to share my ‘never fail’ Bloody Mary hangover cure recipe with you!

 Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 Litre (4 cups) of tomato juice
½ cup (125ml) of vodka
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup of ice cubes
4 celery sticks
dash of tobacco sauce
a touch of pepper (flavoured to preferred taste)

*If you want to be slightly naughty add a sprinkle of salt
*You can also swap the celery for large slices of cucumber. Quite refreshing!

Combine tomato juice, vodka and Worcestershire sauce in a glass jug then add ice into 4 tumblers and pour over the Bloody Mary mixture. Serve with celery sticks, a few drops of Tabasco and lots of pepper to taste.

Night before..

                                                                      Chapel St.

Champagne on a Beer Budget

My best friend Bronte and I share a mutual dilemma, we enjoy living a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget.

We love our cocktails, designer clothing and fine dining however we also like overseas jaunts and these tend to come with a large price tag which requires months of budgets and sacrifices.

So it was to our absolute delight that we were able to find a way of experiencing fine dining while not breaking the bank!

This fabulous award winning Restaurant that I am talking about is ‘Hugo’s Manly’.

For a grand total of $70 for the both of us ($35 each) we left feeling like we had been adequately wined and dined. All while enjoying the stunning view overlooking Manly Wharf… and of course the fine view of the waiters and bar staff, my lord there are some fine looking men in Manly!

Our dining experience started at the bar where we ordered two glasses of the Antonini Ceresa Prosecco while waiting to be seated. The bar is made up of gorgeous dark timber, comfy bar stools and flattering downlighting… always much appreciated after a long day at work!

We were then taken to our seats overlooking Manly Wharf’s beautiful waterfront where we ordered the Chorizo and Octopus share plate to be followed by the (incredibly large) Mushroom Pizza, and of course another round of the refreshingly light Prosecco.

The share plate was presented in a way that even the Masterchef judges would find hard to fault. The Octopus was cooked to perfection and the Chorizo was deliciously salty without the sickening oily after-taste that is so often common.

The mushroom pizza, however truly deserves a round of applause! Now I know what you’re thinking… mushroom pizza?? Snore! However it is not just any mushroom pizza… oh no!

This pizza features wild mushrooms, taleggio, goats curd and caramlised onion all placed on the crunchy base in a way that only Pete Evans could come up with. To feature any other ingredient would be a crime!

My hot tip for dining at Hugo’s is that you MUST order the pizza! There are a number to choose from and all have been designed by TV Chef (and once joint owner) Pete Evans of “My Kitchen Rules’ fame. Oh those big blue eyes… anyway, that’s off topic…

The pizza’s are HUGE and definitely large enough to share between two people, unless you’re a rugby player… obviously!

If Mushrooms aren’t your thing, there is also the slow roasted pork belly with sweet and sour onions, or the chilli prawns with roasted capsicum, tomato and salsa verde. Bellasimo!

Don’t just take my word for it, Hugo’s have won a gazillion awards.. ok slight overreaction.. but just to name a few there is the ‘Best Pizza in Australia’ award won at the Australian Fine Food Show, and ‘Best Pizza Restaurant in NSW’ at the Restaurant and Catering Awards.

So if you feel like dining in luxury without having to forgo the other little luxuries you had planned for this week’s pay cheque, make sure you head to Hugo’s Manly.  

If you only splurge once on dining...

Having worked for a fabulous Travel TV show for the last four years I have managed to pick up some great travel tips and favourite hot spots.

Here are some of the highlights...

Best Restaurant


I didn't have to think too hard about this one. By far the most ahh-mazing Restaurant I have ever been lucky enough to visit would have to be at the Maldives Conrad Hilton Resort.

The gorgeous 'Ithaa Undersea Restaurant' is (yes you guessed it!) located 5 metres below sea level!!!

From the moment I stepped down the winding staircase and reached the bottom that opens up to a stunningly turquoise blue dome-like room my breath was taken-away. It was smaller than what I expected but I think this is what makes it so unique.It's like you have your own pocket of the ocean all to yourself.

The maximum capacity is 14 people and children under the age of 12 are not allowed.

Who would have thought it was possible to feel like you're floating with the fish while eating one! Kinda wrong... kinda awesome!

You can sip on champagne and sample fine local cuisine while watching the amazing marine creatures swim past.

What makes it so special is that it is the only all-glass undersea Restaurant in the world!

My best advice would be to reserve your table well in advance. As you can imagine, the Restaurant is super popular so it is advised you book at least 14 days before your arrival.

The food here is a combination of western cuisine and Maldives inspired flavours and arrives in the form of a degustation menu. The ingredients are seasonal so the menu often changes but just go with it and enjoy the flavours.

What really stood out for me, however, was the ambience! The plates are the most unusual shape (as you can see below) but it really works with the surrounding environment and an offering of three different salts are placed on the table to add to your meals.

This is not the place to pinch penny's! So if you are going to dine here go all out... order the bottle of champers, don't be fussy with your food, try everything that is served to you and sit back and let the most unique experience devour you.

If you splurge on one dining experience in your life... make sure it's this one!