Cut it out

How’s this for irony?

You know how the bad stuff is always easier to believe?

Well, a senior manager praised me during my department’s monthly Teams meeting … and I accidentally disconnected myself from the call, midway through his shout-out.

I knocked a button on my headphones and was suddenly staring at a blank screen. Eeeeeeeek!

I frantically reconnected just in time to hear his final few words.

Hopeless.

The meeting was recorded, which means I could play it back, but I am deeply uncomfortable with praise so I won’t bother.

Even if I hadn’t disconnected from the call, I would have immediately forgotten what he said. My brain discards kudos, but stores cruelty and criticism in perpetuity.

As for why I didn’t blog yesterday … DD and I enjoyed a romantic dinner at Bert’s Brasserie on Wednesday night and I was so slayed by insomnia that I was early to bed and late to rise on Thursday morning.

Anyways, we visited Bert’s to sample its Chablis Week celebration, courtesy of Drinks Digest.

From 29 September to 13 October 2025, 16 Merivale venues are spotlighting the timeless pairing of Chablis and oysters.

You’re either an oyster lover or an oyster hater. There is no middle ground. DD and I are oyster lovers, so we were very excited about our booking.

Bert’s is located at The Newport – the restaurant exudes art deco elegance, serves expertly prepared seafood and steaks and prides itself on exemplary service to match the stylish surrounds.

It’s super posh, so we weren’t expecting to be seated across from a rowdy group of blokes in their mid 20s drinking rose, ordering $60 steaks and shouting “eff this” and “eff that” and “effing everything else” to each other.

We politely asked our waitress if we could move, but she promised to have a chat to them. A few more minutes of flinch-inducing swearing followed before the manager requested they keep it down.

Blessedly, they proceeded to swear at much softer levels after that, while swilling their pink wine.

Trust funds have a lot to answer for.

As for our Chablis and oyster pairing, oh my giddy aunt was it good!

We sipped the Famille GROSSOT Chablis 2023 and supped six Sydney Rock Oysters. We enjoyed oysters from two regions on the South Coast, Merimbula and Wagonga Inlet. Both varieties were briny, mineral-filled mouthfuls of joy, served with a mignonette dressing and lemon.

The Famille GROSSOT Chablis 2023 comes from the winemaker’s cool north and northwest facing vineyards. The bright, fresh wine features taut, well-balanced mineral flavours.

I’ve gone off white wine in recent years as I find it too acidic, but the Chablis was a reminder of just how wonderful a flinty white can be when it is crafted in expert hands.

We followed our oysters with medium rare steaks, served with Diane sauce, frites and butter lettuce salad.

(That’s the effing gang over DD’s shoulder.)

Dessert was a shared berries and sheep’s yoghurt frozen slice with toasted marshmallow – a flavour-packed end to a wonderful meal.

We headed home at a ridiculously early hour as we are both completely wiped out by life and work.

Yesterday was another busy one during the day, with DD dashing off for a haircut at noon and returning with a delicious green tea noodle salad for my lunch.

After work I headed to our shared hairdresser to get my roots done. Then I grabbed some Chinese takeaway from our local favourite restaurant and we shared our regular order of combination Mongolian lamb, before I bundled up the dogs and headed back to my place last night.

Thank heavens its Friday. Enjoy your weekend.

PS I am having a few days off next week to make the most of the long weekend. I’ll probably blog again next Wednesday or Thursday and I promise to have very exciting tales to tell.

Song of the day: Prince “Diamonds and pearls”