Moving Notice!

The Turquoise Notebook is moving!  Over to my own URL so that all photography content can be managed on the same site.

www.donnavercoe.com/notebook/

Tessuti Fabrics

Tessuti Fabrics

110 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills

(Other locations as well)

The small window front belies the plethora of fabrics inside waiting to be discovered.  All the fabrics you see in clothing stores and wonder where you could buy them to make your own garments!?  You will find them here.  Printed chiffons for summer caftans, brocaded suiting for autumn outfits... any project imaginable and you will find the fabric here.  There is also a large selection of buttons and trim for your sewing and crafting projects.  Again, if you cannot make it into the store, you can always buy online... http://www.tessuti.com.au/

Morris & Sons

Morris and sons exterior

Morris and Sons, 50 York Street, Sydney

Not sure how Morris and his sons got into knitting and needlecraft, but there you go!  The entrance off York St leads into the needlework area, but the magic is in the basement!  Wooden cubbyholes laden with balls of wool of all colors and textures.  Oh the projects!  Must focus on one thing at a time though... one ball of wool to finish up a project that I can hopefully feature here soon.  (Providing I finish it!)  Not just a stop off for all your needlepoint and knitting needs, there is also a haberdashery section as well. In typical style, I forgot to buy much needed bobbins for my sewing machine.  Oh well, I am always looking for an excuse to go back!

If you can't make it to the York Street location, you can shop online as well.

http://www.morrisandsons.com.au/catalog/main.php

Side note: the basement exits onto a laneway leading to George St.  Apparently there's a little restaurant near there, Grasshopper, which serves ridiculously good food.  Another reason to go back... if I needed one more excuse!

Opera Kitchen

Opera Bar and Opera Kitchen in the foreground

Miss Chu rice paper roll and steamed veggie bun / Looking down on the Opera Kitchen

Between the two sets of sails / Detailed tile finish of the sails

More tile finish close ups / Reflection of the Royal Botanic Gardens

Black and white portraits covering a construction fence at the Opera House / Thousands of different colored tiles

Opera Kitchen

Long a fan of having a latte at the Opera Bar, with the spectacular view of the Opera House, Circular Quay and the Harbour Bridge... it was neat to discover that there is now a kiosk just down from it.  No ordinary kiosk... Kenji, Cloudy Bay, Miss Chu, Becasse Bakery, Charlie and Co. is the going fare here.  Well priced food, in what just might be the best view in the world.  Everyone wins!

You are well positioned to work off lunch, seeing as you are positioned just under the Opera House.  Pose for photos on the stairs, or in the forecourt between the sails, or with the Harbour Bridge in the background.  You can study the the exterior shells from this area... and realize that that there are thousands of small tiles in varying shades of white and cream that make up the white sails of the Opera House. 

www.operakitchen.com.au

Toasties

Toasties

I am now an open-face toastie convert with the switch over to Tasmanian Camembert.  I usually have closed-face toasties as per Bill Granger... tomatoes soaked in garlic and olive oil... then pile on bread with cheese, basil, cover with another piece of bread and toast both sides in butter in a fry pan.  This method is slighly easier.  It used to be made with cheddar cheese... but the cheese ended up sweaty, and gritty in texture... bringing back bad memories of cheese sandwiches in a lunchbox!  (I've always been a food snob!)  Since switching to the melt-y Camembert, I've not looked back! 

Method is: toast bread... on a cast iron grill makes the bread especially tasty.  While it's toasting, slice Camembert, tomatoes and shred basil.  Removing toast, brush bread with olive oil and work in with a garlic clove sliced in half (cut side down to infuse the flavor!).  Add cheese, and put back on grill.  (Ensure grill is turned off... you want to melt the cheese in the residual heat.)  Once cheese is melted slightly, add tomatoes, basil, then sprinkle with a touch of extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Lunch... yum!