Brunch with my blog readers.

It gives me such a buzz when people tell me they read my blog, even more of a buzz when people say they like it! (Last week at the gallery a reader said "I don't want to ruin your day but I LOVE YOUR BLOG" and gave me a hug. Could not stop giggling. So lovely. But when I meet readers in passing, there's never enough time for me to get to know them. I feel like saying "hey let's go for a drink so I can get to know you too!". And so I thought I should make this happen. For real. 

After being inspired by Fat Mum Slim's Olympus lunches (mentioned at Problogger Event) and always Josefa meeting her readers for her blog birthday, I decided to meet my blog readers this year. At the end of last year I ran a little competition - one of the prizes was to win a brunch with me, my shout!

I spent one recent Saturday morning meeting four lovely blog readers - they won the brunch in my 5th blogiversary competition. And they were the loveliest! I met Melissa, Kylie, Jess and Claire. Adam came along too.

I chose those ladies based on their entries - they wrote about what they enjoy about my blog. While that might seem narcissistic, such responses remind me why I blog. Words like “you make disability accessible” and " I start work as a doctor in the new year, and I hope to carry your understanding in with me” mean so much. It’s like the little space on the internet is creating change, bringing people together. 

When all the ladies arrived, they joked that it was like a big internet date! But it definitely wasn’t as awkward. We all talked straight away - laughing over tales of how we met our partners, talking about travel and day jobs. It was SO good to get to know them all - what interesting lives everyone leads. There was never a lull in conversation, and everyone made each other feel comfortable. Kylie even blogged about the meet here.

I was honoured that they wanted to have brunch with me - so lovely that they read here and want to get to know me off my blog. I hope that we will remain friends for a long time. 

I can’t believe I went out for brunch and didn’t take a photo of the food! (If you’re wondering, I had a salmon omelette, Melissa had lobster rolls, Clare had Philly cheese steak, Kylie had granola, Jess had crispy chicken and Adam had steak and chips.)

This is what a great blog community is about. 

Which blogger would you love to meet? Have you met a blog reader?

Sunday food

Here's (most of) what I ate today. Its been a good food day!

This was a really good brunch - cold rice pudding with strawberry and mango, and toasted coconut from Three Bags Full in Abbotstford. Yes sir! YES SIR!

I also had this. Poached egg, salmon and goats cheese. Probably the healthiest brunch I've had out in in a while.

Kirsti from Melbourne on my mind was with me - we had a lovely catch up - finally! She had hotcakes with poached pears and berries. It was as hot pink as my jeans

Brunch was really good - very filling. Three Bags Full is definitely worth the trip across town and the queue. The bonus of queuing for 15 minutes or so is the fashion watching - everyone looks fabulous there!!

Three Bags Full on Urbanspoon

For my very early pre concert dinner I cooked seafood tacos - salmon, prawns and calamari, organic baby carrots, mushrooms, asparagus and spinach, seasoned with mayonnaise and jalapeño salsa :)

And I cooked this lasagna for week nights and work lunches. Leftover bolognaise (roast pumpkin, carrots, capsicum and broccoli, pork and beef mince, tinned tomatoes, Italian pasta sauce) and more roast vegies, layered - eggplant, spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms, with lasagna sheets and mozzarella cheese! I think it's quite healthy sans bechamel sauce and packed with vegies.

Sunday has been yumday!
 

Three Bags Full review by Jentopia

Yesterday my good friend, colleague and blogger Jentopia and I had brunch at Three Bags Full cafe. It was lovely catching up in the winter sunshine. Jen wrote a brilliant review and said I could post it here on my blog. My thoughts about Three Bags Full: What she said! Thanks for letting me do some lazy blogging today!

Review: Three Bags Full (Abbotsford)


This morning I met up with my friend Carly, blogger and passionate bruncher for..well, brunch. Carly had a hankering Three Bags Full after our last visit there in January so over the ‘other side of town’ we went.

 
After a relatively short wait, which was expected anyway we got what I think are the best seats in the place.

 

Sitting on a bench, in full sunshine – right next to where all the baristas are working.

It was glorious. We could hear each other talk, were warm and could see everything going on!

 

In our prime position we could also inspect the machine that apparently does ‘clover’. The kind barista noticed our interest and gave us a taste. Carly is not a coffee drinker, but I was hoping I would be able to appreciate it. Nope. It looked like weak tea, but tasted like strong coffee. I did not detect any ‘roasted green peppers’, and quite bravely (I thought), Carly ‘shotted’ the rest of the glass.

As I’ve long suspected I’m a coffee hack. Whatever, just gimme my skinny latte.

 

We ordered a skinny latte for me, and a hot chocolate for Carly. Deciding on what to have to eat, I decided in the spirit of my porridge posts, I had to get the porridge but was pretty hungry so got some fruit toast too. Carly ordered the sticky black gingerbread , with sides of salmon and a corn, pea and feta fritter.

 

The porridge was good, not mind blowingly good though, and while I’m probably being a bit of a goldilocks, could have been hotter. It had rhubarb and pistachio on it, which added a nice little something.

 

The fruit bread was delicious, although as usual I was a pelican and could only eat one piece although had a nibble on the second slice.

By all reports Carly’s breakfast was nice too, apparently she is a fritter fiend and she reported the fritter to be nice, but not as good as the one at Auction Rooms. I ordered a second coffee, but it never arrived – I didn’t mind too much as I didn’t need it anyway I was pretty full. They were genuinely apologetic so all was forgiven!

 

For some reason they kept thinking we were waiting on a third person, which sitting in our little spot would have been a bit squishy. The waitress came over and asked if our friend was still coming because there was a guy looking for a place to sit. He was apparently good looking so I switched spots with Carly. As I am married its a rule I have to give up my seat for single people. A bit like the train.

Anyway, the guy never came over – maybe he didn’t want to get cosy with us? I think I saw him later reading a broadsheet and there’s no way he would have had room for it in our spot.

All in all, as usual Three Bags Full delivered and it was well worth the trip, and the hellish traffic going home.

Details: Three Bags Full

Location: 60 Nicholson St Abbotsford
Website: Three Bags Full
Twitter: @3bagsfullcafe
Coke Rating: No coke for you!

- Jen

Public holiday Monday

Public holiday Monday, I love you. Especially after the frantic week last week and before the doubly frantic work week (three days) ahead.

I had a sleep in, did some washing, talked to the lovely Luscious Llama on the phone in preparation for my Sydney trip on Friday, packed some lunches...

...and generally rested. I completed two draft articles and another two are in preparation.
 
This weekend, Future Music Festival + Top Gear Live have been on in my suburb. I could hear them both - lots of doof doof and revving engines. I don't care for either but I do love living in the entertainment capital of suburbia.

I went to Fraus for brunch. And ordered the usual classic hot chocolate...

 

And I had a new crepe (well, one I haven't eaten before):

Ham, eggs, cheese and bechamel. Oh how I love eating bechamel.

Over brunch, I fielded childrens' stares with polite yet tired smiles, and browsed Yen magazine, featuring a musical favourite, Julia Stone.

I was pleased to see the gorgeous artwork of Bec Winnel in Yen. I went to school with her.

I also cooked a pie for last night's dinner, and the week ahead. It's going to be busy, I tell you!

It's an easy pie, with a chicken breast and half a pack of frozen vegies.

Aussie stirfry is pretty boring. Carrots, corn, beans, maybe squash, cauliflower and capsicum. No bean or bamboo shoots.

I chopped a leek instead of an onion, plus a fat clove of garlic.

Softened them in olive oil.

Chopped a sad looking squash from Mum's garden.

And used kitchen scissors to cut the chicken. Kitchen scissors are the best invention ever.

All of the ingredients went on the stove to cook for about 30 minutes on low heat. I seasoned them with vegeta stock powder.

Nope, didn't make my own pastry. Nor is it low fat. It's a pie of convenience.

I let the filling cool slightly before putting it on the pastry.

And brushed the top with melted butter, baked for 30 minutes.

 Delicious!

While having dinner, I flicked between the evil antics of Paul Robinson on Neighbours... (he's kind of sexy in an arrogant old man way)

(source)

Remember the sexy/evil relationship between Paul and Izzy? Those were the days.

(source)

And this street showdown between Susan and Izzy.

 

(source)

...and the where are they now? special on A Country Practice on Channel 9.

(source)

They don't make TV shows like they used to.

Have a great week!

The Auction Rooms Cafe - North Melbourne

When Jentopia suggested we do Saturday morning breakfast at The Auction Rooms Cafe in Errol Street North Melbourne, I squealed with delight. Twitter told me the first scene in episode one of the latest season of Rush was filmed there. It's one of my favourite ever moments of Rush. (The scene is at the 1:34 mark of the video.)

The Auction Rooms Cafe is wonderfully rustic. Jen and I loved its ambiance. Sugar in positively antique tiny Heinz pea soup tins, flowers and drinking water in old long neck beer bottles (the only time I've ever drunk from a long neck beer bottle), pipes turned into lights hanging from the high ceilings, and amazing lead lighting features.

I'd loved to have captured the lead lighting clearer, but I was worried I was taking too many photos.

This is an artwork of colourful milk crates strung together, hanging with the slope of the roof in the courtyard.

Saturday morning was brilliantly sunny - it was nice to have the sun streaming in through the windows, providing us with delicious warmth.

The front counter is atop a baked goods cabinet – grainy breads, tarts and beautiful cupcakes. I fell in love with the flourless chocolate one with blue sparkly icing.

Though it's a bustling and uber trendy cafe, frequented by uber trendy customers (I need to rethink my striped hoodie and jeans arrangement for next time) the service is friendly and attentive. The male waiters are cute and unshaven, like they've just rolled in from playing a gig the night before. They wear a range of hats, jingly chains and bracelets, and I saw a kerchief tied to one waiter's wrist.

The menu combines breakfast and lunch and is available until 3.00 pm. It's a menu full of simple dishes – mostly eggs, stews, salads and sandwiches – made very interesting. Prices range from $6.50 to $19.50

Jen had the Opening Bid – toast with deep orange yolked free range eggs, field mushrooms, spinach, bacon and tomato. She said it was healthy and delicious.

I had the French toast. It was certainly the most unique French toast I've ever eaten. And quite possibly the best. It was made of beautiful fluffy bread stuffed with toasted coconut, drizzled with tamarind and maybe chilli sauce and served with vanilla crème fraiche, lime and coriander. It was sweet and zesty and rich all at once. Fantastic!

Jen said her coffee was so good it didn't need sugar.

My hot chocolate was great too – very chocolatey and no milk taste, though could have been hotter.

Jen and I had a great chat - about work and food and plans for new blog projects. I'm so glad I met her because of blogging.

We ate breakfast around 10.00 am, and despite me only having an election day sausage after bellydancing to see me through to 6.00 pm when filming finished and I was served dinner, it sustained me well.

Jen gave me a mix-tape CD, which unfortunately I'd left behind when paying yesterday. I called them to check if the CD was there, the staff said they had it at the counter, so this morning I went to collect it.

I couldn't resist another breakfast – so I got the Counter Bid – a vegetarian breaky with a side of smoked bacon. The Counter Bid contained the delicious poached eggs, buttery garlic mushrooms, roquette, pesto all served on a rosemary-parmesan baked polenta cake. This polenta was full of flavour, unlike so many bland and gluggy polenta dishes I've tried/cooked. Another awesome dish.

I think I've found my new favourite breakfast cafe. Can't wait to head back there soon.

Auction Rooms on Urbanspoon