Back when DD travelled waaaaaay too much for work, his ritual when he landed in a new city was to order a margarita at a bar. I've never considered myself a tequila fan, but last night changed my mind about his favourite cocktail. Remember how I thought I had a virtual tequila tasting on Tuesday... Continue Reading →

A friend is currently in hotel quarantine with his wife and two teenaged sons and he's drawn the short straw. While I've watched more fortune souls score apartments and balconies and even have exercise bikes delivered to their doors, my friend is doing it tough at a Sydney CBD hotel. He posted this pic on... Continue Reading →

Yesterday was pretty hectic, as far as days in lockdown go. I didn't want to get out of bed because it was so bloody cold. But, once I threw off the covers, I was keen to get to my local coffee shop for the best flat white in Sydney. As I walk home sipping my... Continue Reading →

During my Newcastle youth, there was a Chinese restaurant called the House of the Rising Sun. I think it was in Charlestown - my friend Megan will know for sure, she has a photographic memory of our past. The House of the Rising Sun also introduced me to cocktails. It served Fluffy Ducks, Blue Lagoons... Continue Reading →

I'm obsessed with a show on Netflix called Atypical. It's comedy/drama about a high school student called Sam who has autism. In the first season he gets a girlfriend, but doesn't know whether he loves her … how can he tell? He decides, based on the facts, that he must. But then his therapist teaches... Continue Reading →

One of my all-time favourite writers among the Australian pioneers of blogging is Mrs Woog. She had a bit of a break from writing last year, but started again recently. She’s in a similar headspace to me, except she's managing to be really funny in the current lockdown. I'm sure I'll crack you up again... Continue Reading →

One of the things I love about my new bedroom ... other than the ultra-soft carpet donated by my brother-in-law and the non-teenager-defiled loo ... is the sunrises. The room is at the back of the house and faces east. When I wake up in the mornings, I lie in bed and watch the rays... Continue Reading →

I may be stuck in lockdown with two teenagers and two yappy, demanding dogs, but I'm feeling good inside. Well ... being stuck inside the house every day isn't great, but things are going pretty well inside Alana House. Perhaps I’ve reached another life milestone on the ageing path or maybe I’ve advanced on the... Continue Reading →