To do *

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed 
by the things that you didn't do 
than by the ones you did do. 
So throw off the bowlines. 
Sail away from the safe harbour. 
Catch the trade winds in your sails. 

Explore. Dream. Discover."


- Mark Twain

The Bar *

"Setting The Bar high,

it provides a meaningful purpose to work towards.

Not in the least for status, money, power or the like.

But rather, giving talent to reason.

I know the path is not going to be easy.

Yet I know it is going to be worth it."

From the remarks of Sir Owen Dixon on his swearing in as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia:

The Bar has traditionally been, over the centuries, one of the four original learned professions. It occupied that position in tradition because it formed part of the use and the services of the Crown in the administration of justice. But because it is the duty of the barrister to stand between the subject and the Crown, and between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, it is necessary that, while the Bar occupies an essential part in the administration of justice, the barrister should be completely independent and work entirely as an individual, drawing on his own resources of learning, ability and intelligence, and owing allegiance to none.

The work of solicitors in the administration of justice has the greatest possible importance, but their allegiance is perhaps more to their clients who have a more permanent or at all events a longer relation with them than the transitory relations between client and counsel when the full enthusiasm and force of the advocate are attached to the individual for a short space of time. I would like to say that from long experience on the Bench and a not much shorter experience at the Bar there is no more important contribution to the doing of justice than the elucidation of the facts and the ascertainment of what a case is really about, which is done before it comes to counsel's hands. Counsel, who brings his learning, ability, character and firmness of mind to the conduct of causes and maintains the very very high tradition of honour and independence of English advocacy, in my opinion makes a greater contribution to justice than the judge himself.

I think it is hardly useful to refer to the past except to explain the present. But my work at the Bar covered a period when I was younger and when perhaps according to the ordinary nature of man he derived greater pleasure and excitement from his activities. The activities at the Bar are greater than those on the Bench, and the responsibilities are no less.

21 April 1952 85 Commonwealth Law Reports XI-XII

Regretfully none *

"Far from being suppressed, 

career regrets should hold a privileged place in one's emotional repertoire.

Being a powerful catalyst for change, 

it is a helpful emotion and can even be an inspiring one."

- Daniel Gulati, Harvard Business Review

You only live once?
False. You live everyday.
But you only die once.

Persuasion *

"What does persuasion mean- 

a firm belief, 

or the action of persuading someone to think something else?"

- Jane Austen

Imagine a time of accident, adventure, 
the making of new fortunes & alliances.
A woman of no importance manoeuvres in restricted circumstances,
but can she win in a regenerated society?

Magical peaches *

In Taoist teachings, the Queen Mother of the West had a magical peach tree that bears fruit every three thousand years. It was said that immortality shall be granted to those who eat them. 

To celebrate our family friend's 90th birthday, all guests were invited to share in this tradition. Rather than eating peaches, it has become customary to eat peach-shaped buns as a symbol of longevity. 

longevity peach buns

(steamed peach-shaped buns filled with lotus paste)

pink custard mochi & sesame cookies

 

Sky Phoenix

Shop 6001, Sydney Westfield

188 Pitt Street

Sydney NSW 2000

(02) 9223 8822

Laduree *

Endless lines surround this petite green island, 
whether it be at the front ordering sweet delicacies to take home 
or waiting at the back to be seated for high tea. 

The Marie-Antoinette

delicious china teas mixed with essential oils of subtle citrus fruit, rose and jasmine flowers flavour, scattered with small pieces of dried fruits & honey

Les Macaroons

rose, pistachio, black currant violet, coffee

(signature sweets all the way from Paris 

which are actually frozen during their shipment to Sydney!)

R & I extremely content after our indulgent afternoon

Mum was pleasantly surprised to find these waiting for her when she arrived home!

Laduree

Level 3, Sydney Westfield

100 Market Street

Sydney NSW 2000

(02) 9231 0491

La Rosa *

To ease into Friday night drinks we wandered upstairs into our first destination. The Strand Arcade welcomed us with its resounding sense of grandeur, Victorian tradition and golden glows. La Rosa features a purpose designed interior profiling new modernity as well as being an ecclesiastic Italianate space. Nino Zoccali has strategically positioned Pendolino on the opposite end of the floor, so now there is a catch 22: delicious italian v delicious italian?

egger ramer DOC - pinot bianco / alto adige

(lovely & floral with hints of pear on the nose, whilst the palate is broad with a balanced round character & nice acidity)

silvio grasso DOC - barbera d'alba / piemonte

(hints of cinnamon with abundant fruit perfume on the nose. The palate is somewhat savoury & juicy at the same time with a nice long dry finish)

salsicce montenuovo calabrese

100% finely ground cured pork sausage 

made with sangiovese red wine, capsicum puree & calabrian spices

great accompaniments from every angle:

calabrese had a great firm bite with layers of flavours to explore,

while the pickled vegetables & olives gave a sour contrast to the savoury & spice

celebrating Christmas in November!

La Rosa

Shop 133, Level 2 The Strand Arcade

193 Pitt Street

Sydney NSW 2000

(02) 9223 1674