Sandy Taylor Photography

2011-02-01T01:43:00.000-08:00

My gorgeous friend, Dandi, bought this shot off of my Redbubble :D

Thanks hon, your AWESOME!!!

2010-08-22T20:47:00.000-07:00

Time for a little sweetness

I had the lovely opportunity to go to Rozelle & Balmain, along Darling St., on Wednesday with a friend which turned out to be quite the foodie trip. Our adventure started off at the Bagel House in Rozelle, with the purchase of plain, mini's, poppy seed, onion, blueberry, raspberry and cheese bagels (stocked the freezer well. When freezing, it is always best to cut the bagel in half first). Bagel House bagels are made the traditional way where they boil them before they bake them. And yes, if anyone is asking, they are the same, one and only, Bagel House that used to reside at Taylor Square in the City. While there, we of course had a lovely toasted bagel and cream cheese to start the day. We happily walked out of there with 2 shopping bags each, filled.

After this we went across the street and up a little toward Victoria Rd, to Belle Fleur Chocolates . Just a little slice of heaven this shop is. It's got some amazing chocolate sculptures (not all for sale) and some very uniquely molded chocolates, including white chocolate asparagus, milk chocolate soccer boots and dark chocolate mobile phones. Oh and you MUST try their mini chocolate lamingtons, drooling stuff! Unfortunately our purchases were eaten so quickly that there are no photos but next time I promise to shoot some before I snarf them all. They were totally delectable!

Crossing back over and heading back past the Bagel House, you will come across this great food place called About Life Organic Market. This is where we picked up some really cool jars of salt flakes in different flavors for a whole $1.95 each. I got lemon salt flakes and my friend got the chili flakes and some lemon ones as well. They have lots of fresh fruit and veg and are pretty well stocked for most organic needs.

The next part of our trip, and it was the highlight, was a little drive further down the road, into Balmain, to Adriano Zumbo's Patisserie. We encountered only a short wait thankfully, (it can be up to a 2 hour wait of late since being featured on 'Master Chef' Australia), and were treated to a rainbow of pastry art that was mind melting before we'd even touched a finger to a single pastry. I became week at the knees when my eyes fell onto some of these special treats and of course got overly carried away and bought way too many. Below are some photos of their yummy goodness. Please make sure you have some paper towel handy to clean off your screen after viewing ;-)

Finally after sadly running out of time, we drove back to Victoria Rd and went straight over. About a block or two down the other side is a fantastic shop called Essential Ingredients. You may know of them from Crows Nest but they have moved. We didn't get to go in but we had two slow drive by's and plan on making it stop number one next time. Going by what their Crows Nest store used to stock, well every ingredient that you've ever wanted but could never find. They also stock lots of cooking and baking supplies to use these fabulous ingredients in.

So basically, that was our foodie day out. There was the odd clothing store that we ventured into but really, nothing compared to the gourmet grander of all the food places. And can I just say, we left many food places untouched, all waiting for our next adventure...

2010-08-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

Adriano Zumbo's Mixed Berry Brioche

2010-08-22T20:43:00.001-07:00

Adriano Zumbo's Black Current Ball

2010-08-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

Adraino Zumbo's Chocolate x 5

(may have been even more)

2010-08-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

Adriano Zumbo's Miny Chocolate Tart

2010-08-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

Adriano Zumbo's Passion Fruit Tart

2010-08-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

Adriano Zumbo's Meringue Wheel

2010-08-13T04:12:00.001-07:00

While I was in New York City, I was able to catch up with some old school mates for a great dinner. After dinner we went for a brief walk and came across an old landmark name that gave me goosebumps. The Cotton Club was established in 1920, up on 142nd Street in Harlem, by the heavy weight boxer Jack Johnson but in 1923 it was sold to a gangster and bootlegger named Owney Madden who actually lived in Sing Sing prison until 1933 and ran the whole club from there.

The Cotton Club survived prohibition even with a closure during 1925 for supplying alcohol. There were many famous people who gave their heart and sole in performance to the Cotton Club including Duke Ellington and the Cotton Club band, Nat King Cole, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and sooo many more.

In 1936 the Cotton Club closed down temporarily after race riots in Harlem and reopened not long after down on 48th St and Broadway. It closed for good in 1940 due to high rents and federal investigations into night club owner tax evasions. A new club with the same name opened in 1978 on 125th Street in Harlem. This is where I came across this amazing building with it's 1920's art deco style, while walking with my friends.

Two very cool dudes were hanging outside by a side door that was open when we walked past (as I was snapping away with my camera of course) They said hi and started talking to my friend and she was explaining that I was from Australia and a photographer so they said 'well, the club's closed but would we like a look inside and take some photos'. What a thrilling prospect this was. To be in this amazing iconic building where they were trying to preserve such a musically gifted part of history (even though it wasn't the original bulding) was such a special feeling . The guys were lovely to chat with and one reckoned he might even try to make it over to Melbourne one day where upon I tried (but probably failed) to convince him that Sydney was a much better place to visit (sorry all Melbournians but got to keep the competitiveness going some how, lol). There upon we swapped business cards and I will forever hold this as a very cool experience.

These photos sadly don't do the place justice as I had no tripod with me but it gives one the atmospher of such a magical spot. I've also included a cool old Duke Ellington tune I found on you tube. It's been really fun learning more about this cool and funky place and I hope you enjoy my findings as much as I've enjoyed the discovery.

2010-08-13T04:08:00.000-07:00

2010-08-13T04:07:00.000-07:00

Duke At The Cotton Club

2010-08-13T03:23:00.000-07:00

2010-08-10T04:11:00.000-07:00

Cordon Bleu Cookery Course #5 page 2

Hazelnut Meringue Cake with Melba Sauce

4 egg whites

9 oz caster sugar

3 -4 drops vanilla

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

4 1/2 oz ground hazelnuts

1/2 pint double cream

icing sugar (for dusting)

2 x 8" sandwich tins

Method

Butter and flour the sides of the sandwich tins and line the bottom with a disc of baking paper. Set oven at 375F/gas mark 5

Whisk the egg whites until stiff with a rotary or electric beater, add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and continue beating until the mixture is very stiff and stands in peaks. Whisk in the vanilla and vinegar, then fold in the nuts.

Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins and smooth the top with a palette knife; bake 30 - 40 minutes but no longer. The top of the meringue will be crisp and the inside soft like a marshmallow. Turn on to wire racks to cool

WATCHPOINT Always fill meringue at least three hours before serving; this will then cut into portions without splintering.

Whisk the cream, sweeten and flavour with extra sugar and vanilla; use about two thirds to fill meringue. Dust top with icing sugar and use the remaining cream to shape or pipe rosettes on the top (or in my case, cause I have a fan forced oven and I burnt the edges, use cream all over to hide the damage, lol) Serve the Melba sauce separately.

Melba Sauce

8 oz fresh raspberries or frozen without sugar

4 tablespoons icing sugar (or to taste)

Method

Rub through a very fine strainer to eliminate all the pips and then sift in icing sugar a little at a time to avoid lumps.

2010-07-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

These are of the Sports Bar that was at our hotel. We stayed at the Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf and can highly recommend (it had a pool and spa too ;-). They were all watching the World Cup soccer. There were quite a few people watching but the angle I shot at, it didn't pick it up. Most of them were foreigners, IE non American.

The second shot is still in the same place, it had super high ceilings and near the windows all those little hanging lights (sadly they didn't show up that well but these were still shot with my Lumix) It was our first port of call when we arrived at the hotel for the first time as the ferrets were starving.

2010-07-27T01:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, sorry, this is a negative... the dude at the cafe that is hanging some of my prints booted my stuff out as he wants to renovate.... I've decided not to go back as he doesn't take very good care of the prints. ANNOYING!!!

2010-07-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

It was sooo cold in San Francisco when we got there, colder than our Sydney Winter. They had a fire going outside for people waiting to get into the restaurant! I just love this woman's hair, it must have taken hours upon hours to do all those plats.

2010-07-25T06:04:00.000-07:00

If I told you what I've been doing.... I'd have to sit on you!

And cause you don't want me to do that...

Here's a boring blah photo to entertain you.

Can you work out why I love it so... ;-D

Shot with my Lumix

I know, I'm shameless

2010-07-23T08:57:00.000-07:00

How many clowns oh I mean cooks can you fit into a VW?

This was in San Fran at Pier 39 & I have to say, we went inside

and the service was crap but the food was ok. I'd have hated to order anything

through these windows as it might have been weeks before you saw any food...

Shot with my Lumix

Ok, maybe I should consider bed at 2:00 AM instead of that next photo to process ?

2010-07-22T03:46:00.000-07:00

Another cupcake from the American Cupcake shop

This one is Fairy Floss flavored with some real Fair Floss on the lollypop stick

2010-07-22T02:59:00.000-07:00

A recent sale on my Red Bubble....

2010-07-22T01:59:00.000-07:00

This is a yummy cupcake from American Cupcake in San Francisco

2009-06-22T03:34:00.000-07:00

And two more.....

2009-06-21T04:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome one and all!

It's not like me to be at a loss for words but I am.

Here are some of my favorite shots that were recently made into canvas art and are for sale at a beautiful French home-ware store, Mirium, in Sydney.