This might be my most first-world problem yet: I don’t want to drink free cocktails tonight. But I am crap at turning down invitations when I don’t have a good excuse. I am also hopeless at lying and “I don’t feel like it” seems a bit rude. I don’t know how the influencers do it... Continue Reading →

I enjoyed a serendipitous dinner last night at Itō, a buzzy Japanese Izakaya restaurant in Crown Street, Surry Hills. Suntory Global Spirits has partnered with acclaimed chef Khanh Nguyen (King Clarence) on an exclusive Suntory Bar pop-up at the restaurant. Nguyen collaborated with Itō executive chef Erik Ortolani on the menu, which is paired with... Continue Reading →

I went to a cruise information session last night and didn't book anything. Remarkable restraint! DD was on a business trip and couldn't join me. I decided to go solo, drawn by the offer of free nibbles and Champagne at the Four Seasons Hotel, plus the lure of a lucky door prize and a 5%... Continue Reading →

I took a step back in time on Friday night and went to a gig at Selina's in the Coogee Bay Hotel. Selina’s was THE place to see live music in my youth. All these decades later the pub is still going off like a frog in a sock. It's estimated to be worth more... Continue Reading →

Still feeling despondent about the election results, I was eager to retreat last night into a fantasy world filled with pretty things and gin. I had been invited to an immersive installation by Edinburgh Gin and Sydney-based artist Claire Mueller, creator of the ACID.FLWRS concept. The event was being held in Darlinghurst, so I caught... Continue Reading →

When sales of magazines started to spiral and the industry was in blithe denial, I will never forget an ACP executive muttering "Rome is burning and everyone is off getting spray tans". Last night felt a bit like that. I laughed and drank sparkling wine with friends while the US election results unfolded. My Newie... Continue Reading →

I had been idly thinking I might like to be a grandmother until I caught the bus home from work yesterday with a screaming toddler. I am definitely not ready. The screaming was ear-splitting. I felt so sorry for the mum taking her exhausted kid home from childcare. The toddler was outraged about being strapped... Continue Reading →

Remember the cruise that screwed me over by substituting a visit to Norfolk Island with three days at sea and BRISBANE? Well, to rub salt into the wound, one of my favourite bands - New Order - has just announced an Australian tour next year ... and the dates are exactly when I'm stuck at... Continue Reading →

You've probably heard the term 'quiet quitting', where employees gradually disengage from their work without explicitly resigning. It usually involves putting in the bare minimum effort to keep your job, but not devoting any extra time or energy to your role. I would be terrible at quiet quitting my job because my responsible gene is... Continue Reading →

HouseGoesHome celebrated its 14th anniversary a few months ago. Wow, that's a lot of blog posts ... and most of them filled with fluff and blather. The blog has become a repository of my exploits and thoughts over the years. It's an open-to-the-world, online diary where I scribble entries each week. Those musings come in... Continue Reading →