"Love does not dominate; it cultivates."
(Goethe)
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| © Yamini Ali MacLean |
MenOZiscences - Foodie Friday
Today, I thought to show the food of the flights... I rarely photograph what I am eating - not top of my list of subjects. However, sometimes it does add interest to a travelogue. The business class standard on Etihad is top notch (apart from one fail on the flight from Abu Dhabi to Chicago where it went spectacularly wrong as the flight attendant was clearly new...). It was going to be interesting, therefore, to compare Singapore Air's presentation. In business, the meals are served on a tray, but with linen and proper cutlery etc., and this was the same with SingA. However, the starter was so dry as to be like cardboard. The only thing I could eat and relish was that little pot of curd - it was fabulous.
The main course had something of a mono-colour-theme and there had definitely been an Indonesian twist applied to the 'Indian' meal. The paneer had been prepared as if it was tofu, in some kind of batter. Yeeechhh 😞 The dahl was pretty good and the rice fine... the peas had something unidentifiable about them...
Switch, now, to the first class cabin on the Etihad flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi. This is full table service, no trays involved. The on-board chef, Ronni, advised me that a vegetarian pre-arranged meal was on board, but that he thought I may prefer to take the option from the a la carte menu, which he would prepare himself. I took him up on the offer!
First, though, some nibbles with sparkling water.
The fork was surplus to requirements! Those olives were scrumptious, the nuts warm and lush and the items on the right seemed to be different seeds wrapped in spiced shells and very tasty they were too!
Meal time and along came a little surprise - an amuse bouche of poached quail's egg with a bread crumb and aioli (forgive the lack of focus, was in a hurry to taste!);
Next was the advertised carrot and coriander soup - could have had two bowls of this deliciousness!
Then another little surprise, in the form of a palette cleanser. Lemon ice crystals and rose-flavoured agar agar.
Now, am going to put in at this point a disclaimer. Just in case you all think the YAMster is rolling in dosh to be able to fly first class, you'd be wrong!
I first flew Etihad when I went to India back in 2011. I joined their loyalty program and gained a lot of points from that flight. I liked them so much, I use them wherever possible... long story short, their points program is brill, hence the upgrade!
Etihad are middle of the road in cost, but streets ahead in what you get for your money. Jus' sayin'. I don't get points for that plug!!!
Now on to the main course of this first class meal - the spinach gnocci with Tuscan warm salad and parmesan chips. O.M.G. Simply superb.
Didn't have room for any pudding after this lot! Sorry to disappoint the sweet-tooths among you.
As an aside to this, but example of the service level, I have flown SingA, Malaysian, BA and Qantas several times, but at no time have any of them done as Etihad have... 'Welcome back Miss MacLean'! Not only onboard, but at the airports too... At Edinburgh when I left back in January, the senior ground staff made a point of chatting and again, as I left Sydney, the welcome was there, 'thank you for flying with us again Miss MacLean'. I can tell you from experience, this applies as much in Economy class as it does in First. It does rather spoil one for any other travel!!!
The main course had something of a mono-colour-theme and there had definitely been an Indonesian twist applied to the 'Indian' meal. The paneer had been prepared as if it was tofu, in some kind of batter. Yeeechhh 😞 The dahl was pretty good and the rice fine... the peas had something unidentifiable about them...
Switch, now, to the first class cabin on the Etihad flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi. This is full table service, no trays involved. The on-board chef, Ronni, advised me that a vegetarian pre-arranged meal was on board, but that he thought I may prefer to take the option from the a la carte menu, which he would prepare himself. I took him up on the offer!
First, though, some nibbles with sparkling water.
The fork was surplus to requirements! Those olives were scrumptious, the nuts warm and lush and the items on the right seemed to be different seeds wrapped in spiced shells and very tasty they were too!
Meal time and along came a little surprise - an amuse bouche of poached quail's egg with a bread crumb and aioli (forgive the lack of focus, was in a hurry to taste!);
Next was the advertised carrot and coriander soup - could have had two bowls of this deliciousness!
Then another little surprise, in the form of a palette cleanser. Lemon ice crystals and rose-flavoured agar agar.
I first flew Etihad when I went to India back in 2011. I joined their loyalty program and gained a lot of points from that flight. I liked them so much, I use them wherever possible... long story short, their points program is brill, hence the upgrade!
Etihad are middle of the road in cost, but streets ahead in what you get for your money. Jus' sayin'. I don't get points for that plug!!!
Now on to the main course of this first class meal - the spinach gnocci with Tuscan warm salad and parmesan chips. O.M.G. Simply superb.
Didn't have room for any pudding after this lot! Sorry to disappoint the sweet-tooths among you.
As an aside to this, but example of the service level, I have flown SingA, Malaysian, BA and Qantas several times, but at no time have any of them done as Etihad have... 'Welcome back Miss MacLean'! Not only onboard, but at the airports too... At Edinburgh when I left back in January, the senior ground staff made a point of chatting and again, as I left Sydney, the welcome was there, 'thank you for flying with us again Miss MacLean'. I can tell you from experience, this applies as much in Economy class as it does in First. It does rather spoil one for any other travel!!!
MenOZiscences - reviewing the Down Under Parts
After that meeting with SR, there were only five days left and into those were fitted a return visit to the 'art class' up at Berowra with MyrO et al, and lunch with MyrO after (Tues); a day trip to the Western 'burbs to visit with an elderly friend and her niece (Wed); final shopping trip and hair cut - yes! Had eight inches off my long locks. It only happens once a decade! (Thurs); Mahaa Shivraatri celebrations at the Sydney ashram (Fri); family time with Emm and co and getting packed (Sat).
Sunday was take off. You'll recall I had attempted to use up my points on a business class seat but that got all complicated so just booked regular and used the points to upgrade to first class. This meant the flight to Abu Dhabi only. The eight hour stretch from there to Edinburgh is business class only... one can dream that one day Etihad'll think of expanding on that! The flights themselves were of the standard I have come to expect of that airline - however, for reasons peculiar, there were no air-bridges available at either AUH or EDI, so had to endure the air lift contraptions which are used for those of us on wheelchair assist. Far from first class, that carryon! However, one simply has to be patient and accept that the same reasons the seat I wanted was unavailable were the reasons for this particular inconvenience... even the ground staff at the Etihad lounge couldn't explain why there seemed to be a huge increase in traffic on this particular week.
Let's blame the new moon, eh... as good as any other explanation!
As we flew round over the South West part of Sydney, the extension of the urban reach was clear to see... it is the fastest developing area in a very speedily developing city. I was astounded at the changes I observed just from the previous visit a mere 14 months earlier.
We flew a slightly different route to what I have seen before, taking us over South Australia and the salty Lake Torrens. Australia once had a central ocean, hence all the ground water, even up into the red centre, is salty. This lake was clearly visible, due to the extreme high temps of the 'hottest summer on record' and subsequent dehydration.
After this we flew into the night, so that is, essentially, the final photo taken on the borrowed point and shoot camera (I did miss the Fudge!). All that remains to share with you is the meal from the fancy-shmansy cabin. Tomorrow...
Sunday was take off. You'll recall I had attempted to use up my points on a business class seat but that got all complicated so just booked regular and used the points to upgrade to first class. This meant the flight to Abu Dhabi only. The eight hour stretch from there to Edinburgh is business class only... one can dream that one day Etihad'll think of expanding on that! The flights themselves were of the standard I have come to expect of that airline - however, for reasons peculiar, there were no air-bridges available at either AUH or EDI, so had to endure the air lift contraptions which are used for those of us on wheelchair assist. Far from first class, that carryon! However, one simply has to be patient and accept that the same reasons the seat I wanted was unavailable were the reasons for this particular inconvenience... even the ground staff at the Etihad lounge couldn't explain why there seemed to be a huge increase in traffic on this particular week.Let's blame the new moon, eh... as good as any other explanation!
As we flew round over the South West part of Sydney, the extension of the urban reach was clear to see... it is the fastest developing area in a very speedily developing city. I was astounded at the changes I observed just from the previous visit a mere 14 months earlier.
We flew a slightly different route to what I have seen before, taking us over South Australia and the salty Lake Torrens. Australia once had a central ocean, hence all the ground water, even up into the red centre, is salty. This lake was clearly visible, due to the extreme high temps of the 'hottest summer on record' and subsequent dehydration.
After this we flew into the night, so that is, essentially, the final photo taken on the borrowed point and shoot camera (I did miss the Fudge!). All that remains to share with you is the meal from the fancy-shmansy cabin. Tomorrow...
MenOZiscences; reviewing the Down Under Parts
My home in OZ was in the Northern suburbs of the greater Sydney metropolis, in Asquith. It was a little village serving all the surrounding orchards originally. The nearest 'big' town was Hornsby, where the railway reached; from here all the fresh produce could be ferried down to the city markets. Now, of course, they are all part of the urban sprawl.
Hornsby has two sides. On the new side is the massive Westfield glass and concrete shopping town, around which are sprinkled a number of individual outlets of various kinds. One of the things to be found there is the water clock, right in the middle of the mall. This is a $2m white elephant, according to many; but others love it. The clock part has never worked. Then there are the chimes, set up with pulls upon which, on a monthly basis, some bloke in white rubber boots and sou-wester has a go at working a tune. The jury's out on that, too.
As a piece of sculpture, though, I quite like the thing. The water sprays nicely on the hot days and if you stand in the right spot, is very refreshing. The individual parts represent different flora and fauna of the shire. Local pigeons appreciate the refreshment too (check up top!).
On the old side, which was the original main street, there is an attempt by council to inject new life. It is rather a half-hearted affair, I fear. There is a brand new swimming and recreation complex behind the town gardens, which looks rather grand and is well-used. The original, art-deco Odeon cinema is run by an independent fellow and, whilst a bit less plush than the modern neigbours, is well-supported by the locals; including me! (I went to see "Hidden Figures" there and thoroughly enjoyed it.) The street-scape is a mixed bag; renewed paving and parking bays have brightened it up and one or two of the old (listed) buildings have been refurbished... but lots are looking very run down indeed and this, of course, brings down the look and feel of the whole. It pulls at the heart-strings of this architecture lover.
There are some interesting 'public installation' pieces dotted around the refurbished swimming complex. ... if this is supposed to be a mermaid, the sailors might well just drift on by!
The mural is certainly eye-catching though.
Was snapping these shots whilst waiting for SR, as we were to have our second meal together at Armero's.
The Central Corner is another of the listed buildings in Old Hornsby, (I should mention old and new are separated by the rail line), but is very poorly maintained. Am pleased to report that the food in the eatery was well up to standard; had the supery-dupery vege pizza made to order and with ingredients to my liking. SR had the home-style bolognese.
Even remembered to take an ussie - not well, but still, another memory made.
Hornsby has two sides. On the new side is the massive Westfield glass and concrete shopping town, around which are sprinkled a number of individual outlets of various kinds. One of the things to be found there is the water clock, right in the middle of the mall. This is a $2m white elephant, according to many; but others love it. The clock part has never worked. Then there are the chimes, set up with pulls upon which, on a monthly basis, some bloke in white rubber boots and sou-wester has a go at working a tune. The jury's out on that, too.As a piece of sculpture, though, I quite like the thing. The water sprays nicely on the hot days and if you stand in the right spot, is very refreshing. The individual parts represent different flora and fauna of the shire. Local pigeons appreciate the refreshment too (check up top!).
On the old side, which was the original main street, there is an attempt by council to inject new life. It is rather a half-hearted affair, I fear. There is a brand new swimming and recreation complex behind the town gardens, which looks rather grand and is well-used. The original, art-deco Odeon cinema is run by an independent fellow and, whilst a bit less plush than the modern neigbours, is well-supported by the locals; including me! (I went to see "Hidden Figures" there and thoroughly enjoyed it.) The street-scape is a mixed bag; renewed paving and parking bays have brightened it up and one or two of the old (listed) buildings have been refurbished... but lots are looking very run down indeed and this, of course, brings down the look and feel of the whole. It pulls at the heart-strings of this architecture lover.
The mural is certainly eye-catching though.
Was snapping these shots whilst waiting for SR, as we were to have our second meal together at Armero's.
The Central Corner is another of the listed buildings in Old Hornsby, (I should mention old and new are separated by the rail line), but is very poorly maintained. Am pleased to report that the food in the eatery was well up to standard; had the supery-dupery vege pizza made to order and with ingredients to my liking. SR had the home-style bolognese.Even remembered to take an ussie - not well, but still, another memory made.
Me-Now-Views; Less Speak More Peek
Some of the leftovers; Emm and myself at Sandeepany, Sydney harbour views, Emm's crystal tray, lovely gum tree in Berowra, art group at Berowra and the view of Hornsby shopping town centre...
MenOZiscences; reviewing the Down Under Parts
Another lunch outing. My second cousin Sally and third cousin Denise. Sal lives on Scotland Island (remember my visit last time over?) but Denise lives South of Sydney, so we tend to meet up at points roughly equidistant to us all (see here for the previous one). On this occasion, we settled upon an up-market garden centre and bistro known as Eden Gardens.
It's an 'arty-farty' kinda place... the menu quite limited, with only one truly vegetarian dish; but as all the produce is from the gardens themselves, it was as fresh as could be. It was roasted Jap pumpkin (two big slices), soused sultanas, candied walnuts, rocket and watercress salad and a honey-mustard dressing. Very delicious and energising. Sal had the salmon on crushed heritage potatoes and tomatoes and Denise had the beetroot and goats cheese tart with salad. Simple food, well prepared and each ingredient standing up for itself! The surroundings were interesting. That's a large piece of NSW sandstone made to look like an apple with a bite out of it. The lighting was architectural in scale as well as design, and the recycling of the old ute somehow made complete sense... yes, that eucalypt sapling IS growing in the back!
I had taken the bus from Hornsby to Macquarie Park, where this place is to be found; it was about 50 minutes of very scenic suburban viewing. After lunch, though, Denise took off, as she had the furthest to travel home, and Sally and I headed up to Hornsby again, where we sat for another couple of hours with an iced chocolate and friand. ... and experienced the sudden attack of an Ice Bomber of a storm. We were under glass and felt very vulnerable, but thankfully no damage done. Fist-sized chunks of rough ice fell from the clouds and hit the surfaces with the force of cannon shot. You will see the glass 'bridge' where we were sitting at the end of tomorrow's views page.
Thankfully we were safe. There was a lot of damage down with that 10-minute sky explosion; hundreds of cars written off, homes damaged. The sort of thing which is becoming rather more frequent and - almost - normal all over the world. A rather shaky end to what had been quite a pleasant day.
It's an 'arty-farty' kinda place... the menu quite limited, with only one truly vegetarian dish; but as all the produce is from the gardens themselves, it was as fresh as could be. It was roasted Jap pumpkin (two big slices), soused sultanas, candied walnuts, rocket and watercress salad and a honey-mustard dressing. Very delicious and energising. Sal had the salmon on crushed heritage potatoes and tomatoes and Denise had the beetroot and goats cheese tart with salad. Simple food, well prepared and each ingredient standing up for itself! The surroundings were interesting. That's a large piece of NSW sandstone made to look like an apple with a bite out of it. The lighting was architectural in scale as well as design, and the recycling of the old ute somehow made complete sense... yes, that eucalypt sapling IS growing in the back!
I had taken the bus from Hornsby to Macquarie Park, where this place is to be found; it was about 50 minutes of very scenic suburban viewing. After lunch, though, Denise took off, as she had the furthest to travel home, and Sally and I headed up to Hornsby again, where we sat for another couple of hours with an iced chocolate and friand. ... and experienced the sudden attack of an Ice Bomber of a storm. We were under glass and felt very vulnerable, but thankfully no damage done. Fist-sized chunks of rough ice fell from the clouds and hit the surfaces with the force of cannon shot. You will see the glass 'bridge' where we were sitting at the end of tomorrow's views page.
Thankfully we were safe. There was a lot of damage down with that 10-minute sky explosion; hundreds of cars written off, homes damaged. The sort of thing which is becoming rather more frequent and - almost - normal all over the world. A rather shaky end to what had been quite a pleasant day.
MenoSundays; Life Lived Lovingly
As you are all aware, here at Capital 'Ell' Love Central, giving is considered a great part of Love. Giving without need or expectation of return. Spontaneous giving lends itself best to this... a cup of tea or soup for a homeless person, a hand across the road for an elder who may be struggling. These givings we can give, wave, and move along knowing another has been uplifted by so simple a gesture and our hearts are a little raised also.Then there is the regular giving; donations to chosen charities. We may never actually witness direct benefit of our offerings, but we can see the overall benefits to society and occasionally to individuals. Our reward is in knowing we have, in fact, made a difference, no matter how small. No other reward is required. At the end of February, this came through; many of you have followed Isaac's journey with me and now we have a new fellow to send loving vibes to!!! Yes, I shall continue the sponsorship and hope that Irvine proves to be as handsome and responsive as Isaac has been.
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