WOW! Aren't we lucky!

Well could today get any more beautiful? With perfect blue blue skies and gorgeous breeze I think not! I am spending it catching up on house work then I get to go pick Luke up from the airport after 10 days away so I can't stop smiling.

Enjoy your sundays everyone!

R
x

( the photo above is the view from where I sit right now - my couch looking onto the balcony, we are pretty lucky )

Chocolate and Coconut Panna Cotta

As promised here is my chocolate and coconut panna cotta. I decided to make it when after a night out Luke came home to announce that I should make panna cotta… well ok. I always thought it was difficult so avoided it like the plague. The thing is – this recipe is too easy! It melts in your mouth but isn't too rich or sweet. A tart berry such as raspberries work really well with the dark chocolate.

Another reason I love this is that is uses so few ingredients and those that it does use can usually be found in my pantry at any given time.

I promise you it is a recipe that will impress any guest! Give it a crack!

375 mL CARNATION Light & Creamy Coconut Flavoured Evaporated Milk

200 g Dark Cooking Chocolate broken into pieces

2 tsp gelatine

2 tbsp hot water

250 g raspberries ( or any berry really )

½ Cup Shredded Coconut

1. Heat evaporated milk until hot without boiling. Add dark cooking chocolate, stir until well combined.

2. Dissolve gelatine in hot water, combine with milk and chocolate mixture. Pour mixture evenly into 6 x 1/2 cup serving dishes such as ramekins, refrigerate until set.

3. In a fry pan toast shredded coconut until golden brown.

4. Unmould panna cotta onto serving plates just before serving.

5. Decorate with raspberries and coconut.

6. Enjoy!

Tips: Do not add any oil in the fry pan when toasting the coconut. To unmould the panna cotta, dip the ramekins in warm water then run a knife around the edge of the dish. Be careful not to leave the dishes in the warm water for too long otherwise they will melt!

R

x

( sorry for the poor photo - I took it on my iphone. )

Be Back Soon!

Well I have a busy few days ahead of me. My work's annual conference is on and as I am on the committee I have my work cut out for me. So, as I will be staying at a beautiful seaside hotel for the next few nights I won't be able to post anything until my return.

See you on the other side!

R
x

p.s. when I return I promise to share an amazing panna cotta recipe with you. It will be worth the wait!

Bling for a Saturday Night

So, they say diamonds are a girls best friend. I don't think that I have one best friend - I'm just not like that. I am a little more easily pleased and if it sparkles I befriend it.

I was on the Tiffany & Co site today ( I have been known to waste - I mean spend hours on their) and found this beauty. This brooch comes with the low price tag of just $112,000. Bargain!

Sadly this stunner will never become my friend. I will have to admire from afar.

Happy weekends everyone. I hope you are doing something fabulous. ( I on the other hand have spent the night on the couch doing work. Boo to that! )

R
x

Photographs That Make You Love Love!

I stumbled across a photographer's website today that I immediately fell in love with. Jonas Petterson creates awe inspiring images that genuinely take your breath away. There is not a single shot on his entire website that I could say " meh " to. I simply can not express in words just how much I am on love with his work. So, I implore your to take a look around his site, get lost in it, and fall in love with it with me.

All photos are from Jonas' website.

R
x

The World's Most Beautiful Tea Bag!

I am a huge fan of tea. No secret there!

While I am more of an Irish breakfast with milk and one sort of gal, I do occasionally dabble in the fruit or green tea varieties.

Now, if I was able to buy these tea bags, I would absolutely convert to the green side! Are they not the world’s most beautiful tea bags? Unfortunately Russian designer Natalia Ponomareva didn’t make these for commercial use so we may never be able to enjoy such a beautiful cup of tea although the blogs are hot with offers to bring them into the Australian market. YIPEE!!!

R X

amour amour

Paris, the city of love! I know you HAVE to have tips for us on Paris so post away!

Hope you are having wonderful weekends!

R
x

Get your clogs on!

Sooooo you may have guessed our next stop ... Amsterdam!

I have been to the above clog before but violent illness prevented me from wanting to climb on in so sadly I don' have my own photo.

On my last visit there we had a tour guide in the form of my Mum's cousin, the lovely Susan. As Luke and I will be going alone this time we need as much advice as possible!

So what are your tips on Amsterdam?

R
xo

Nächste Station Berlin!

Sooooooooo a few flights later and we will be in BERLIN baby!!!!!*

I have visited Germany a couple of times ( loved it! ) but have never been to Berlin. I am sure my fluent German will get us through our time there ( by fluent I mean I am able to sing a song about various body parts hurting... ) but would love to hear your tips and tricks!

R
xo

* I feel the need to clarify here, between New York and Berlin is actually a stop to Oslo, Norway. I don't need to ask for your advice on this one as we have our very own tour guide in the form of Luke's old house mate Heidi. If you do have a tip on Oslo by all means please let me know!

Oh the places we'll go...

Please allow me to digress for my next few posts and employ you all as my personal travel agents ( because our current one is a tad lazy! ).

Luke and I are taking 5 weeks to travel in November and while we have our tickets booked and most of our hotels we haven't thought of anything else.

SO! For the next 5 posts I will be asking for your suggestions on some of the different cities that we will be visiting and looking for your tips and tricks, places to eat ( foooood!!! ) and the must see places! Money saving tips are also welcome :).

So let's get started with.... NEW YORK!!! ( start spreading the news! )

R
xo