Fond Farewells
And so my final week at opr Agency rolled around bringing with it a number of leaving dos involving plenty of drinks and food galore. I don’t know where the past six months has gone, but it certainly has been a wicked time getting my teeth into the life of PR and supporting the cogs of a fast-paced agency environment.
Whilst on the face of it my role often appears to be the thankless job, it can be the most rewarding hosting successful events or being of assitance to team members when they are under client deadlines. In my view, the employees in my teams are my clients, so supporting them to reach their full potential and keeping team morale high is my goal.
Consequently I have built many strong work relationships and made life long friends, so saying goodbye was always going to be tough. Farewells kicked off on the Thursday with a lunch courtesy of my Manager and boss, followed by arvo drinks and stunning mezze platters from Chomp organised by one of my teams.
Our Christmas in July party that evening left the office very bare on Friday for my last day. However my Manager treated me to brekky at Back Row West and that afternoon also put together a delicious cheese board including popcorn, dark chocolate and berries – yum!
I was presented with a huge card filled with so many lovely messages, along with a leaving gift of a gorgeous blue leather KiKi-K planner embossed with my name in gold lettering.
The teams gathered around to say farewell and some very touching words were said about all the hard work I have put in over the past six months. It’s pleasing to know that all the hours and commitment to the job haven’t gone unnoticed and I have made a difference to the agency in my short time there.
From having my head stuck in a spreadsheet for hours on end, to serving up countless platters of food and topping up the team’s wine glasses on a Friday arvo, it certainly has been a blast – Cheers opr Agency!
‘Dream big, work hard, stay focused, and surround yourself with good people.’
In honour of this celebration, my PR firm hosted their very own Christmas party this month with all the tinsel and outrageous festive decor in check. Catching the ferry from Barangaroo to Balmain as the sun set, we made our way to The East Village Hotel to get merry over mulled wine and a pub trivia quiz.
Once sat at our tables, everyone pulled their crackers, popped on their paper hats and the trivia commenced. Plenty of wines down and soon the roast dinner was served. We were presented with a typical feast of turkey, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, brussel sprouts, green beans, cranberry sauce and plenty of gravy. The only missing key component was the Yorkshire puds, but I’ll forgive the Aussies on this one 😉
To finish we were treated to a platter of deserts including mince pies and fruit cake. With bellies full and the trivia over, whilst everyone continued on drinking at the bar, my night cap was an order of a pot of tea…you can take the girl outta England, but you can’t take the English outta the girl!
With plenty of fresh veggies at the start of the week, I made this Moroccan inspired couscous salad bowl served on a bed of salad with some pumpkin I had left from a previous recipe, roasted veg seasoned in paprika, a generous dollop of tatziki and fresh mint leaves for garnish.
I always crave a good bowl of pasta for my midweek dinner, so I made this simple penne pasta using pesto I had in the cupboard, leftover green beans and sautéed courgette with jarred sundried tomatoes and parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
My favourite way to have rice is to make it super sticky by leaving it to cook a little longer, making it more like a risotto. I used some leftover white wine and plenty of garlic to flavour this rice dish which I then paired with roasted veggies, salad, jarred beetroot and some natural yogurt.
To finish the week and use up any fresh ingredients I still had, again I roasted all of the veggies, fried off some chorizo slices and mixed it all in with the couscous, before serving with the last of my salad, mint leaves and the rest of the tatziki dip.
With a delectable menu of modern Australian cuisine and a twist of European influences, it was hard to choose. For appetisers the Burrata, Lobster Tacos and Grilled Corn caught my attention. However we went straight in on mains, so I opted for the Beetroot Salad served with spiced pumpkin, heirloom carrot, roasted sprouts, humous, goats curd and a garnish of flaked almonds.
This dish was not only exquisitely presented, but the roasted veg were served piping hot and seasoned to perfection. I particularly liked the wintery twist of spiced pumpkin and by favourite brussel sprouts, bringing together a colourful plate of delicious food as pleasing to the eyes as it was to the tastebuds!
From the specials board, my collegue went for the Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup served with sourdough, a perfect winter warmer. My manager chose the Sweet Potato Gnocchi served in a pea puree with grilled asparagus, Persian feta, crispy kale and dry ranch. Yet another stunning bowl of food with gorgeous flavour also inspired by Mediterranean cuisine. I would highly recommend visiting Wild Sage for an ideallyic long lunch savouring fine food and lapping up those European al fresco dining vibes.
Friday night I was treated to the best homemade beef burgers with all the extras including cheese, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, gherkin and chilli relish, just what I needed after a long day at work and two hour train journey out of the city. To top it all off, he also found my favourite Malbec red wine with a logo of a Flamingo wearing ballet shoes – it’s like it was made for me! We watched The Graham Norton Show whilst devouring our burgers, making for the perfect Friday night setup.
#BurgerPorn
With such exquisite fish I decided to keep the side dishes super simple; herby buttered new potatoes, steamed green beans, rocket beetroot salad topped with pepitas and a garlic mayo relish mixed with diced gherkins. It was a feast of fresh delights which was as delicious as it was nutritious. Following our meal, we sat back with our Merlot wines and watched a good movie on Netflix, Lost Paradise.
As Sunday rolled around far too quickly, we wanted to meal prep some snacks for the week. Together we made savoury spiced pumpkin feta muffins and peanut butter chocolate date balls which were made of a few basic ingredients; medjool dates, oats, desiccated coconut, peanuts, smooth pb, honey and I swapped the raw cacao for Milo powder, what a game changer! These sweet bites taste so naughty and could easily compete with a chocolate truffle on taste, yet have nothing but natural goodness in them. Enjoy as a healthy snack or crumble over yoghurt or even desert.
It certainly was a weekend of fabulous food and of course perfect wine to match. I have to remind myself that it’s important taking time out sometimes to completely switch off, give my busy mind a rest and indulge in the simple pleasures which nourish my body as well as feed the soul.
Burnt Orange in Mosman is a boutique restaurant which was the original Clubhouse for Mosman Golf Course. Built in 1920, this historic space boasts stunning harbour views from the unique wrap around terrace overlooking Middle Head. With its chic interiors and classic white wood furniture, this homely cafe echoes its exclusive member’s Clubhouse beginnings.
Arriving on a late Sunday morning, we just made it in time for the breakfast menu. With an extensive offering of brekky delights, it was hard to choose! I decided to have the toasted muesli served with coconut yoghurt, passionfruit, seasonal berries and a very fitting caramelised ‘burnt’ orange slice. The fruit was perfectly fresh and each dish exquisitely presented.
For coffee I had my usual cup of long black, but I didn’t even need to add the milk – that’s when you know the coffee is extra special! Service was quick and staff were very friendly and attentive making us feel well looked after.
Being in such a unique spot off the beaten track, Burnt Orange certainly feels more special and exclusive than the everyday cafe. With a bustling atmosphere, delicious menu and boutique interiors to match, I will certainly be putting it up there as one of my favourite cafes in Sydney too. I’ve already eyed up the High Tea menu for my next visit, but may have to go back in the meantime just to enjoy another one of those coffees whilst having a browse of the niche cookbooks for sale.
With this in mind, I popped a date in the diary for our admin and finance team to go and lap up the cheap drinks following another busy week at work. This Friday evening we left the office to meet at Palings, one of the Merivale bars which is part of The Ivy complex just off of George street.
Of course the bar was heaving as everyone scrambled to get their drinks in before the bell, many of us finding ourselves double parked! Being one of the most popular CBD bars for city workers, there was a bustling atmosphere which made for a fun night out with my colleagues. Cheers Merivale!
As my first time co-ordinating an event, I learnt a lot in the process of organising through to executing a large party of this kind. Whilst I had the support of my team and delegated tasks to even the workload, there were a number of hurdles along the way. With a tight budget and over 50 employees to keep happy, we had to make cuts where we could. Consequently we decided to hold the event at our offices where we have a balcony on which the marquee was assembled. Once the tables were dressed and fairy lights were up, the setting was perfect and meant people only had to walk upstairs from their desks to join the party.
Most importantly I learnt a lot from the experience and found the pleasure of seeing everyone enjoy the occasion even more rewarding… pass me the prosecco and cue the wobbly eyes 😉
Kicking things off in the office, we hosted an Easter themed morning tea with a spread of hot cross buns, hundreds of chocolate eggs and the obligatory mimosas. I was surprised to see alternative hot cross buns flavoured with apple and cinnamon or chocolate chip – I prefer the classic English style packed with juicy fruits, popped in the toaster and covered in lashings of strawberry jam.
On Good Friday I was invited to the family BBQ in Maroubra where my in-laws treated us to an afternoon and evening packed full of food. As one of the entres, 
As Catholics they traditionally don’t eat meat on Good Friday, so the theme of the night was seafood. First up were tiger prawns so fresh that they were a deep red in colour and only needed a squeeze of lemon to compliment the flavours. Onto the BBQ and the octopus was expertly seared in a light sauce. I think this was some of the best octopus I’ve ever had as it can be easy to overcook and turn chewy, but this meat was deliciously succulent.
Finally sitting down to the beautifully laid dinner table, first course was mussels. These were cooked simply in a tomato marinara sauce to let the taste of the scrumptious mussels come through.
Main course was salmon seared on the BBQ to achieve that crispy skin. Everyone made their contribution of sides including exquisite salads and even a creamy, golden potato bake which I simply couldn’t resist. 
As the tunnel fills with a maze of stalls, the good vibes weekend atmosphere echoes amongst the hustle and bustle of Kirribilli streets.
Whilst the sun beats down and eager shoppers feel the heat, the cluster of fresh drink and food stands provide gourmet offerings from numerous cuisines.
Out on the green spills the recycled fashion stalls where vendors eagerly sell off clothing for a fraction of their worth. If you’re lucky (and patient enough to have a good route in the bargain bins), you’ll find yourself walking away with barely worn designer pieces for as little as $5!
Chatting with the friendly sellers, there’s also opportunity to practice your haggling skills and negotiate a good price. With a modest changing room setup behind the park shed, you can even try before you buy.
I was excited to see if these Wrangler shorts would fit but unfortunately they were a little too big – I’m still on the hunt for those perfect bum hugging vintage denim Levis!
This delicate jewellery is very similar to a stall at Paddington Markets where I recently purchased my new favourite ring. I can’t get enough of stacking fine gold rings, so I’m keen to build my collection with these hand-made, good quality designs which are so unique.
I would highly recommend visiting Kirribilli Markets not only for the one-of-a-kind bargains you can bag, but to take a stroll in this North Sydney local neighbourhood and soak up that infectious Sunday ambience.
