Just a random mid week thought

One of my ex boyfriends used to spend his time at my house to use the internet - he didn't have it at home. My most recent boyfriend, when he returned from his "journey of self discovery" whilst harbering the guilt of wanting to pursue his fetish for short women, soaked up as much of the sci fi channel on my foxtel as possible before ending it (BTW I hope the stress of keeping that from me exacerbated his hemorroids). Oh and my house isn't rat infested.

I am contemplating getting air conditioning and I wonder whether my next love will be more interested in keeping cool in a heat wave than actually reciprocating the love and generosity that I bestow towards them.

Anyway, just a random mid week thought.

Dinner with the folks

When you turn 30, dinner out with your parents becomes a social event. The food is decadent and usually involves 3 courses and the wine expensive. And the best thing of all - Dad shouts. But, seriously you are sitting opposite people that combine all your qualities. This, combined with an evening of people watching, lends itself to an evening of witty banter, unspoken observations and obvious jokes.

Saturday night, I had dinner with the folks at Talulah. We had a table by the window with uninterrupted views of pedestrians coming to and from the Junction Hotel. I was relieved that they have added main meals to their menu as I feel the Tapas phase is getting boring and it is not conducive to saving money. The Sangria didn't really take me back to evenings in Barcelona but the Spanish sav blanc was delicious. Perhaps too delicious for some..... Some of his wine infused banter involved the following:
"God, she can barely walk in those shoes"
"Why did they cross the road then go their seperate ways?"
"Why is she standing on the corner, is she a call girl?" Dad, she is on the phone. "On the phone to a client no doubt"
"Her hips are so big I can see them either side of the No Parking sign"
"She's still on the phone"
"They only went in there, now they're are coming in here" Dad, it's called pre dinner drinks. "Free dinner drinks?" No, pre dinner drinks...Dad you really do need to get your hearing tested.
"If she wore black, she could walk around and not be seen" Please note this comment was made in reference to a Figian girl crossing the street. I think was the low point although after that he was given a gift - a lady walking past shaking and talking crossly to a Coles trolley.

My crusted fish and trio of home churned icecreams were delicious.

Saturday Night Catwalk

A return visit to The Honeysuckle Hotel last night. The evening commenced with a Cosmopolitan.The barman who took my order looked about 12...as did some of the patrons I "people watched" throughout the night. It was your typical cosmo - no flamed orange peel like at the Delany mind you - however I didn't much like the glass it came in. You know those plastic cocktail glasses you can buy with stems that are detachable? Well, it looked like my glass had a detachable stem and Junior forgot to get it out of the dishwasher.

The food at Honeysuckle has gotten a bad rap recently but for a pub meal, I didn't find it too bad...Once it arrived. FYI meals take a while. I do rate the chips (steak chips apparently) that accompanies most of the main meals and the crusted Barramundi is nice and .....crusty.

What I really want to talk about is the Catwalk that was paraded up and down last night. We were sitting upstairs which is a long narrow mezanine - the perfect catwalk. Now either the girls needed to go to the bathroom ALOT or they were consciously strutting themselves along the mezanine catwalk.But I'm sorry to say, there wasn't much to be strutting. Here's some advice, if you have a large build and are well endowed, please do not wear strapless dresses with a mini skirt - it is not flattering. Also, if you are pasty, pasty white, please do not wear cream or white - it is not flattering. And ladies, short shorts are for the beach, not the bar. Since when is a doily fashionable?  This past week, I have been having some pant issues - ie my 30 year old hips no longer fit my 20 something year old pants. But after what I witnessed last night, I've realised the solution. Just don't bloody wear any! There were some very short dresses..or were they actually just tops........?? And to those girls - please put on some underwear.

Return of the Oyster Bay

My first glass of Oyster Bay Sav Blanc was on a date around 2 years ago. Up until this point, I enjoyed the odd glass of wine, but was not a real connoirsseur. However when one enters into relationshipism, the amount of alcohol comsumption increases as you and your special companion enjoy romantic, candlelit dinners....or because you are trying to remember why you were going out with them in the first place. So, the Oyster Bay opened me up to the crisp, deliciousness of New Zealand wines, which then led to a blending of sav blanc with semillon, which then led me back home to Hunter Valley Semillons. Currently, I am trialling some Hunter Valley sav blancs as (a true testament to what is good = imitation) Australia tries to capture back the sav blanc market.

However, tonight I returned to the Oyster Bay and shared with a friend. The occasion: Toasting to a new home and a new start. It was soft, it was fruity and it went straight to her head. But, just as it did 2 years ago, it signalled a new and exciting chapter which starts with the hope that perhaps this story has a happy ending.

Is it the weekend yet?

1 day back at work after Summer Holidays and the weekend could not come fast enough. Where should I frequent this Friday night...?

'Out' on a budget

At 21, we were "officially" adults as we were nearing completion of uni studies. At 25, we were now "officially" adults because were had been working a couple of years and had commenced overseas adventures. But at 30, we are officially, "officially" adults because we have been working for several years, are broke from too many overseas adventures and for some, have recommenced studies. So, if your new year's resolutions is the same as mine - save money to enable a lifestyle that encompasses the best of both worlds (ie a mortgage AND overseas trips) plus you want to be "out and about" to look at hot guys, then you need to have a strategy.

The strategy I have implemented so far in 2011 is to eat dinner BEFORE you go out. That's $20. Take your own car to force yourself to drink lightly and avoid a taxi fare. Or better yet, invite your pregnant friend out because she is a guaranteed designated driver OR a friend who is still hungover from the night before and has sworn off drinking again for the rest of the year. That's another $20. Have one drink and drink it very slowly. By the time you have finished consuming your drink, your buddies are well on their way to being intoxicated and offer to buy you a drink (so they don't look like the drunk ones). That's another $9 (or if you are lucky) $15. But being out and about, you are bound to get a little peckish. Don't worry, your drunk friends have just purchased their dinner and they offer you some. Sweet, that's another $10.

Tonight, I have just saved $70 and that would make a lovely night on an island in Mykanos now, wouldn't it?!

Thanks guys for a fun night at the Honeysuckle Hotel last Friday!

Thirty, Flirting and Thriving

Welcome to 30-ology, a blog of the wining and dining experiences of women who are 30, flirty and thriving. Throughout 2011, we will blog different reviews of the restaurants, cafes and bars frequented around Newcastle....Plus a few other observations and opinions that will entertain, enlighten and educate you on life as a 30 year old. Hope you follow and enjoy.