Nostalgia: One Year On
According to the English Dictionary, Nostalgia is ‘a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place, time or people’. I certainly do enjoy looking back on years gone by with fond memories and embracing the feeling of past experiences which have shaped the person I am today.
To think that this time last year I packed my suitcase and ventured down to the Southern Highlands to embark on my farm work, I still can’t believe my luck to have ended up in such a place much like my home back in England. That quaint little town of Moss Vale became my home for 4 months, during which I established some of my closest friends who I continue to catch up with on my visits back to the Aussie countryside.
Now I find myself back in Sydney making the most of working city life and soon to move into a different role for another 6 months of my visa. I’m unsure where this next chapter will take me, but I hope to make the most of this year and continue making many beautiful memories with all the wonderful people I meet along my journey.
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!
Being a trained dancer I have always done Pilates and find it one of the most beneficial training methods to sustain my fitness. Not only does it improve flexibility and agility, but Pilates is one of the most core strengthening forms of workouts you can do. This is particularly important for posture when sitting which can cause back problems later in life.
Taking part in our company’s complimentary Pilates class last week, I found myself more energised and engaged for the afternoon back at work. I would strongly encourage office workers to do the same and participate in at least 2-3 workouts throughout their week. Not only will this benefit overall health, but getting your body moving will revive creativity and enhance focus for a more productive day.
In light of this, I endeavour to source my clothes sustainably by visiting vintage thrift stores, charity shops or markets. Surry Hills is full of quirky, cool vintage outlets and of course my favourite past time at the weekend is to visit the famous Kirribilli Markets to dig out some bargains of previously owned and loved garments. My most recent purchases were a pair of Levi shorts for $5, a Kookai denim playsuit for $10 and a forest green silk shirt dress for $5.
So here in my beautiful flat located in Lavender Bay, I’m lucky enough to have my own three double door wardrobe – what a dream! I have the luxury to organise and proudly display my pieces which makes getting dressed each morning easy and fun. I’ve always been a shoe addict too, so I’ve used the bottom few shelves of the middle section to store these, placing my beloved mules from Zomp and Prada heels from my auntie at the front.
My wardrobe here is definitely a fraction of the size back home in England, however I have learnt to be more minimal by sticking to key pieces which can be worn different ways. Layering is an essential component to acheiving this, so I make sure to have a range of tanks, blouses, shirts and jackets.
Having good fitting jeans in different washes is also an absolute must. My favourite brand of denim at the moment is Neuwlandstrat as they make great quality, bum hugging pants – and they match my Dutch last name!
Whilst I wish I could ship the rest of my wardrobe from home out here to Oz, I’ve learnt a more simple, less is more approach to dressing now. However with such a fantastic wardrobe setup which also pleases my inner neat-freak, I can’t help but occasionally treat myself to a few new additions. At the moment I have my eye on a gorgeous Lack Of Colours felt Rancher style hat in Ivory – this will be a staple piece for summer and perfect for my holiday back to Italy in a few months!
On a rainy Tuesday evening in Sydney, we made our way over to Palace Cinemas in Broadway to share some pre-show drinks and nibbles. We were treated to mezze platters of cheese to accompany a comforting glass of red wine. Following a good catchup and chitchat with colleagues, we made our way into the theatre to take our seats for the film. Of course we went via the bar to line up drinks and order in snacks for the movie and there I was double parked on a Tuesday!
Despite the cheesy outbursts of song, I thought the movie was fabulous with a raw edge which made for a more real portrayal of Elton John’s life. Having our own private theatre prompted us to act like children as we had a laugh throwing popcorn at each other, not so accepted when in a public cinema. The evening continued on at another bar in Broadway and I found myself one too many red wines down for a Tuesday night – thankfully there were others on my page and up for a few drinks too!
With winter closing in and that brisk chill in the air, we got the fire pit roaring in the garden and saw down the sun with a few drinks and some good old Australian yarns! Later on we ventured to the local pub in town where the drinks are cheap and you’re never far from a familiar face. It was great being back in the countryside leaving all the madness of city life behind me and just enjoying time spent with friends… ‘A good laugh and a long sleep are the best two cures for anything.’
Listening to the podcast series The Highest Self with Sahara Rose, my eyes have been opened to the sad fact that we are all sucked into this whirlwind of modern life where we continue to push our boundries to reach such demanding expectations. Instead of feeling content and happy in the moments of greatness we do reach, we find ourselves moving the goal posts once again to battle on before setting the next target. Why is it we cut short that feeling of contentment and joy when things are simply just fine and life is all OK?
Sahara Rose asks us to take a moment and think back 5 or even 10 years ago to reflect on just how far we have come. What we find is that every one of us is on a journey of growth and we are achieving wonderful things in that fact alone. I spent a weekend with my lovely Manager and close friend who has helped me to see the amazing things I’ve already accomplished at work and in my personal life. After our Sunday morning brekky date, we went for a beautiful bush walk to wind down, breath in the fresh air and just appreciate where we find ourselves at this point of our lives.
‘The happiest people in life are those who are grateful for where they are now; living life in the present moment is true contentment.’
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 😉
Dani Aneka 