Australia Day

The other day (26th January) the nation celebrated Australia Day. This is a pretty big deal over here - and the typical thing to do is to have a BBQ party and spend the day drinking in the sun. The radio plays the list of the top 100 songs of the year, which a lot of people listen to whilst partying. There are few other traditions like the ANZAC biscuits, but I reckon the real star of the day are beer and meat.  This year we were guests at our friend Maria's near Clovelly. There were about twenty people, a lot of Irish, and me as the token Italian. They put up a great party - and even the weather (that has been a bit pants lately) was kind enough to allow us to fully enjoy a few steaks in Maria's back garden (which by the way was full of very scarily looking and voluminous spiders).
Maria and her housemates fed me one too many vodka rich cocktails and shots, so the whole thing started off as a civilised affair ( with conversation of the type :'what a wonderful day') and ended up in a bit of a blur.
Great day!

Village Life - Darlinghurst

I have used the sentence ' there is a real village feel to it' a number of times, but since we moved to Darlinghurst I finally understand what it really means.
There is a feeling of familiarity in this area. Everything feels close, convenient, the vibe is relaxed and slow paced as you would expect from a manicured town rather than a capital city. Our local pub (The Green Park - really good place) is just opposite to where we live, the gym is five minutes walk, there are numerous cafes and great restaurants (including our favourites) literally down the road, we can walk to work, you can hear the bells from the nearby church ring on a Sunday morning, you can jump on a bus to Bondi beach and be there in 20 minutes. All in all this place is ace and I recommend it to people that are new to Sydney or on holiday (and want to have the nightlife at their doorsteps - staying at the beaches can be slightly remote).

I feel very happy that we own a flat here.

For my review of restaurants in Sydney go to : http://www.tripadvisor.com/members-reviews/youngprofessionalUK

Let's Dance Little Stranger

Sometimes a specific moment of our life gets linked (with inexplicable strength) to a song, sound or smell. It is as though those things get charged with some sense that our conscious selves cannot really grasp. They seem to explain things better than just words, or even our thoughts.
These are songs that reappear in our lives and stop us in our tracks -they take us back to the past and at the same time redefine the present.

One of these songs for me is Dance With Me by the French act Nouvelle Vague.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekQZPozjCX8

The other night Dave and I went to see Nouvelle Vague play at the Sydney Festival (At the barracks). Rachel and her friends were there too. I think that this band is brilliant and whilst at most gigs I can lose my concentration span after a few songs, Nouvelle Vague seem to carry the whole crowd all the way through. The self confident sexy French attitude of the two lead singers has definitely something to do with it.
When this song came up I felt propelled back to London, to the Flat of Dreams (this is how we called the place in Marylebone where we used to live). This is the song that lent itself as a background to the forming of a friendship that is so dear to me.  It takes me back on a train towards a ballroom venue in South London. It also reminds me of fun times when I rediscovered and reinvented my whole life back in 2007.

The other night I remembered seeing Nouvelle Vague in Camden Town (at the Round House) a few years back. Just like this time back then I felt in a good place. I thought about how life has moved on since then and how lucky I feel for that past and this present. Not just for myself, but for the people in my life that that song connects me to.

January in Sydney

It is January, and part of my body&soul would like to shut down and go into winter mode, just like it kind of did during my years in London. There is something quite beautiful in hibernation.  Usually this would be the time to make green soup and say no to nights out.

However, the reverse seasons means that Sydney is kicking off in January and it being summer we have so many fun things planned over the next few months, including trips to Melbourne for the Open, a holiday in Tasmania, people visiting from England, the Sydney festival, Mardi Gras, hopefully a few lazy Sunday mornings at Bondi Beach etc etc . Tonight we have been to the Sydney Opera House to see a pseudo ballet performance called Anatomy of An Afternoon - basically one hour of this hot dancer showing off an amazing body. Quite bizarre but strangely satisfying.

The sunshine at this time of the year still feels like a surprise to me. I ,love walking to work with that brightness on my face, Days are long and sunset are generously dramatic. In general the city is buzzing - you can tell that people go out more and that are pretty much focused in making the most out of it.

A road trip in Australia (Sydney-Brisbane)

Australia is an amazing country for so many reasons. Its sheer size means that Australia spans across completely different climates and time zones, from the red desert in Western Australia (that by itself is as big as Europe but inhabited by less than 5 million people), to the lush tropical forests and the Great Barrier Reef in Queenslands.

Over Christmas David, Emily and I went on a road trip from Sydney (in New South Wales) to Brisbane (in Queensland). The 1100km journey only covers a small portion of the Australian East Coastline, and it is definitely worth the effort.  The Pacific Highway runs nearby the coast all the way, and it takes approximately 14 hours of driving to complete the whole journey.

As you leave the big city behind and you drive up through New South Wales you cover great distances of lush priories, fragrant eucalypti forests, swollen rivers (well, unless it is a year of drought) and small towns with a distinctive country feel to them. These are small places where the pace of life is slower and the economy is still very much linked to the land.  Along the way there are also a number of great beaches, national parks and questionable attractions such as the 'Big Banana' and the 'Macadamia Castle'.

Great stop overs in this region are Port Macquarie (we stayed at Flynn's beach for two nights - which was lovely) and Coffs Harbour.

As you head north towards subtropical Queenslands and the Gold Coast palm trees start creeping up, the air gets much more humid and suddenly you feel like you are in another country. Places like Byron Bay and the Gold Coast are known destinations - the former is famous for its beaches, music festivals, a bit of a hippy past and more sophisticated crowds, the latter is popular among surfers, backpackers and local holidaymakers (who tend to rent out apartments near the beach over the festive periods).

Brisbane is a big city, which is quite spread out and in some way reminds me of LA (you need a car!). More about Brisbane in future blogs. We spent the holidays at David mother's place, eating far too much and playing UpWords.

I love road trips, and this one was a very good one, and so much better than dealing with airport terminals on Christmas evening!

Good Bye Roundabout of Dreams

Next week will mark one year since the day we moved into what has become known as the Roundabout of Dreams: the rental flat in Rushcutters Bay that affords amazing views of Sydney Harbour (see picture above, taken from our balcony). The name Roundabout comes from the fact that the building is actually located in the middle of a traffic island opposite Rushcutters Bay Park. I know - doesn't sound that glamorous, but this was in fact a very good flat and a perfect first flat for our adventure in Sydney. Waking up to breathtaking views of the ocean in the different seasons has definitely brought a lot of smiles to my face over the months.
I definitely feel like I have reconnected to the sea like when I was growing up in Sardinia.

We have managed to create quite a few fond memories in this place, including whole Sunday afternoons spent cooking and sipping wine, being able to walk to work for the first time since I lived in Nottingham (2004), catching the sun in the park, sipping coffee in Potts Point, having guests from oversea, dinners and hanging out with friends, and walking down to Red Leaf Pool during sunny mornings.

It is nice to know that this building - no matter how tragically 80s or misplaced it might look- will always be a pleasant reminder of the beginning of our new life in Oz and of a successful first year Down Under. I look forward to creating new, more permanent memories in our new flat that we have just bought in the Darlinghurst.

The Debloater

*

So, I have been passionate about nutrition since I was a kid and plan one day to kick off some nutrition based business project. I just find very interesting the way nutrition plays such a big role in the way we feel about ourselves and how our bodies respond so quickly and precisely to what we feed them.

I spent years reading on the subject, experimenting with different things and although  I haven't got a real qualification in the field, I have a quite a lot of knowledge that I have used to put together a new way to get fitter and slimmer without going on a diet. Diets don't work, what works is finding what is right for us individually and finding a balanced place where we feel happy and healthy.

With this in mind I developed a very different nutrition approach that I am testing at the moment on friends and family with great results.

The 7 days plan below is not part of my longer term method (which is much more tailor made and less 'one size fits all'), but it should leave you feeling much better at the end of it. It is ideal if you want to pick up your health routine again, or simply want to feel less bloated without going on a fad diet that doesn't work.

It lasts only 7 days, and that's all you need to commit to.


If you decide to try it out comment on this page how it went for you.

This debloater doesn't require any exercise - obviously if you feel like exercising go ahead and do it, but this particular debloater doesn't require it over the 7 days it spans across. The only thing that is required is that this plan should not be started on a Monday. Pick up whatever other day of the week works for you, but absolutely not Monday.

There are a few reasons for this. The most important are that (a) Monday is a depressing day in the best of cases and starting a nutritional plan on top of it is not a good idea (b) it takes about three days for the body to start showing signs of positive reaction to a health plan. If you start this plan on a Wednesday, say, by the time Monday (the most depressing day remember?) comes you will feel already much better and you will start the week much more motivated (and hence you are more likely to keep going).

So, if you like the sound of it just go ahead and try it out. Please do comment on this page with your experience - whether this is positive or not.
To make things even easier you can interchange all the meals that have the same colour.

If, at the end of this trial,  you are interested in taking part in my longer term nutritional method get in touch - I am doing it for free for now.


Good Luck! 

***

Day 1:

The only thing you need to do on day one is to buy yourself a 1.5L bottle of water and sip away. Drink at least 3L of water each day of the debloater. As for food, I leave you to eat what you want on day 1. You can also use day 1 to buy the ingredients for the other days.

***

Day 2:


Don't forget your water!


Breakfast: scrambled egg and spinach on wholemeal toast. Tea or coffee (no sugar).

method: Scramble one egg with 1/4 of a mug of cold water (from the fridge), salt & pepper. Cook in the microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring at the end of each interval until cooked. Spread on top of one piece of wholemeal toast with a big handful of fresh spinach.

Mid Morning: one apple or peach, a skinny coffee (e.g. small skinny latte) with no sugar.

Lunch: make a salad with iceberg salad or spinach (as much as you like), 1 tin of tuna (in water), cucumber (as much as you like), 1 carrot. Condition in a vinaigrette made of a big dash of balsamic vinegar and  1 tea spoon of mustard.

Mid Afternoon: a handful of almonds.

On the Way Home: celery sticks.

Dinner:  fish fillet on mash. Herbal tea throughout the evening,

method: 

The mash - boil 5 carrots, half red onion and 3 cloves of garlic for 30 minutes or until soft. Mash with 2 spoons of semi skimmed milk, salt, pepper and some of the spices you like.

The fish - place a medium sized fillet of white fish in the middle of a frying pan. Season with salt, pepper and herbs. Put enough water in the frying pan to just cover the fish. Add half vegetable stock cube. Bring to the boil for about 8 minutes or until the fish is cooked an tender. Place the fish on a plate on top of the mash, sprinkle with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.

***

Day 3:

Don't forget your water!

Breakfast: 50 grams of smoked salmon and 1 poached or soft boiled egg on a bed of spinach. Tea or Coffee (no sugar)

Mid Morning: one pot of low fat probiotic yogurt (make sure that calories don't exceed the 100 mark), a skinny coffee with no sugar.

Lunch:  spicy broccoli chicken.

method: microwave the florettes of a big broccoli head for 3.5 minutes. Cover a mid sized chicken breast in herbs, salt and pepper and then roast in the grill or microwave till cooked. Cut the chicken into strips, add it to the broccoli and toss the whole thing in mustard, lemon juice and a few drops of tobasco. 

Mid Afternoon: an apple or a peach, a skinny coffee or tea with no sugar.

On the Way Home: 3 carrots.

Dinner:  minestrone, herbal tea throughout the evening.

method: slice half a red onion, three cloves of garlic and 1 chilly pepper. Gently fry these in 2 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil until the onions start caramelizing (approx 5 minutes). Add 250 grams of chopped frozen mixed vegetables, 1 vegetable stock cube (or equivalent liquid version), fresh basil (as much as you like), 1 teaspoon of ketchup,  and stir continuously for 5 minutes. Cover the whole thing with boiling water and add two grossly chopped tomatoes. Bring it to the boil and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring often and adding salt and basil to taste.  The minestrone is ready when the tomatoes has completely dissolved and it forms a think crust on top of the soup. The minestrone is also very good cold/re-heated, so feel free to make it in advance.

***

Day 4:

Don't forget your water!

Breakfast: wheat free cereals or porridge (half a mug worth), with 5 chopped strawberries, a handful of blueberries, a chopped peach, a spoon of low fat yogurt, a teaspoon of honey and skimmed milk. Tea or coffee (no sugar)

If you cannot find the fruit easily, just use two apples instead.

Mid Morning: a handful of almonds

Lunch: make a salad with iceberg salad or spinach (as much as you like), 1 soft boiled egg, cucumber (as much as you like), 1 carrot. Condition in a vinaigrette made of a big dash of balsamic vinegar and  1 tea spoon of mustard.

Mid Afternoon: 2 rice cakes. Skinny coffee or tea with no sugar.

On the Way Home: 3 carrots or a slice of watermelon.

Dinner:   Tofu curry. Herbal tea throughout the evening.

method: slice one red onion, five cloves of garlic, 1 carrot, and 1 chilly pepper. Gently fry these in 2 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil until the onions start caramelizing (approx 5 minutes). Add 350 grams of chopped tofu (if you don't like tofu use a mid sized chicken breast) and stir at medium heat continuously with a big teaspoon of curry powder for 5 minutes. Add a tin of canned tomatoes (diced), another big teaspoon of curry powder, a mug of boiling water, a pinch of salt and a handful of coriander. Mix it all up, bring it back to boil and let is simmer for 30 minutes, stirring regularly. When it's about three minutes from being done add a big spoon of plain low fat Greek yogurt and stir it in.

Whilst the curry is cooking, put 1/3 of a mug of brown rice in a pot. Add one mug of cold water and a pinch of salt. Put it on the stove and leave it until all water has evaporated. As brown rice takes ages to cook, you might have to add a bit more of water towards the end (just taste it and judge for yourselves). Serve the curry on a bed of brown rice.

slice half a red onion, three cloves of garlic and 1 chilly pepper. Gently fry these in 2 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil until the onions start caramelizing (approx 5 minutes).

***

Day 5:

Don't forget your water!

Breakfast: scrambled egg and spinach on wholemeal toast. Tea or coffee (no sugar).

method: Scramble one egg with 1/4 of a mug of cold water (from the fridge), salt & pepper. Cook in the microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring at the end of each interval until cooked. Spread on top of one piece of wholemeal toast and a big handful of fresh spinach.

Mid Morning: skinny coffee or tea, one rice cake with a teaspoon of low fat cottage cheese.

Lunch: make a salad with iceberg salad or spinach (as much as you like), 1 tin of tuna (in water), cucumber (as much as you like), 1 carrot. Condition in a vinaigrette made of a big dash of balsamic vinegar and  1 tea spoon of mustard.

Mid Afternoon: Skinny coffee or tea with no sugar, 1 apple.

On the Way Home: celery sticks or a slice of watermelon .

Dinner:   Green soup. Herbal tea throughout the evening.

method: Boil 1 red onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 chilly pepper, the florettes of a broccoli head, a handful of frozen peas, a large celery stick, a quarter of a coliflower head in water with 2 vegetable stock cubes for 30 minutes. Drain the broth (keeping it) and liquidize the vegetables with a mug of the broth. Add salt and spices to taste. Drink both the broth and eat the soup.

***

Day 6:

Don't forget your water!

Breakfast: .2 hard boiled eggs and a slice of watermelon. Skinny coffee or tea with no sugar.

Mid Morning: skinny coffee or tea, 3 carrots.

Lunch: 6 pieces of salmon and avocado sushi (or equivalent low fat variety). If sushi is not for you then prepare yourself a salad with iceberg salad or spinach (as much as you like), 1 tin of tuna (in water), cucumber (as much as you like), 1 carrot. Condition in a vinaigrette made of a big dash of balsamic vinegar and  1 tea spoon of mustard.

Mid Afternoon: Skinny coffee or tea with no sugar, 1 apple.

On the Way Home: celery sticks.

Dinner:    Steak sandwich. Herbal tea throughout the evening.

method: Cut a capsicum into a half, pierce it in several places and grill on the grill until well cooked. No need to add any oil. At the same time put on the grill a tomato cut into half and sprinkled with balsamic vinegar. Cook until the tomato is well cooked and squashy. Season and grill one steak (150 grams) to taste (I like it medium/rare). Take two pieces of wholemeal toasts and grill them on the same grill that you used for the vegetables so that it will soak all the juices. When the toast is done, squash the tomato on top of it, then layer the capsicum, the steak, some pickles and mustard. Add pepper and salt to taste.

***

Day 7:

Don't forget your water!

Breakfast: wheat free cereals or porridge (half a mug worth), with 5 chopped strawberries, a handful of blueberries, a chopped peach, a spoon of low fat yogurt, a teaspoon of honey and skimmed milk. Tea or coffee (no sugar)
If you cannot find the fruit easily, just use two apples instead.

Mid Morning: a handful of almonds

Lunch: make a salad with iceberg salad or spinach (as much as you like), 1 soft boiled egg, cucumber (as much as you like), 1 carrot. Condition in a vinaigrette made of a big dash of balsamic vinegar and  1 tea spoon of mustard.

Mid Afternoon: 2 rice cakes. Skinny coffee or tea with no sugar.

On the Way Home: 3 carrots or a slice of watermelon.

Dinner:   A grilled chicken breast with green salad on the side (dressed with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste). Herbal tea throughout the evening.