Barcelona (to be pronounced with a lisp)

To me, Barcelona is about humble indulgence, if there is such a thing. Its been about 4 or 5 years since I've been to Barcelona but I went back for a few days last week. My first experience with the city was kind of ... distracted. Being there brought back a random concoction of memories that had since been put aside, not really forgotten. For some reason, the hallway leading to the room my friend and I were staying in, the incessant noise of Las Rambla coming through the tall windows in our room, wandering around the narrow winding streets of the Gothic quarter, the fight with an old Italian flame by the ATM machine near La Boqueria, sitting on the steps looking out over the harbour, sitting in the Gaudi park overlooking the city. The Gaudi and Picasso influences add a certain quirkiness to the city's aesthetic, and thats not to undermine any of it, particularly the huge undertaking of building the Sagrada Familia. Tons to discover in the Gothic quarter if you can put a day aside to get yourself lost back there. Anyway, as everyone knows, I want to talk about the food...1) Tapas anywhere at any time of the day but especially good at Bar Lobo and Cal Pep 2) Go to the more working class areas away from the tourist district for a basket of fresh bread, overripe tomatoes and garlic..rub the garlic on the bread until it dissolves then put the overripe tomatoes on top and thats it 3) up by the mountains is a castle-like place where you sit and have big metal dishes brought out to you with all kinds of meat on the bone sticking out (would obviously make some vegies hurl but great if you like meat) 4) La Boqueria .... so much food it made my head spin, but that could have been the party from the night before

Tulum Beach, Mexico

From Mexico....Things I Ate

I took a quick trip to Mexico this week. Random... but it was a nice change of scenery and everything a beach, food and culture whore could ask for crammed into a few days. Tulum is a small Mayan beach town on the Mayan Riviera. Its on the border of the Gulf of Mexico which is very much like the Carribean sea. And although there is a lot to say about the Mayans and the gorgeous beaches (and will be said) this post is dedicated to the food. Unfortunately I was usually in too much of a rush to eat what was put in front of me to spend time taking great photos but here are a few I wanted to share. Absolutely everything was yummy ... from the street carts in town to the beach restaurants owned by Europeans who got sick of Europe and have crafted some imaginative and tasty fusion menus. I strongly recommend anyone who loves mexican food to go down there for the real deal, and you'll get a lot more out of it than just the food which is all a bonus.

As an afterthought, if you can't get out of New York, try Barrio Chino on Broome and Orchard. Its a little hole in the wall place (in more of a hipster than dirty way) that has taken off. They have two kinds of spicy margarhitas and tons of other great cocktails and the food is authentic and tasty. No reservations so if you don't want to wait an hour for a table, go early or late, especially on the weekends.

Can anyone suggest a place in Sydney???

Street cart tacos .... about a buck fifty a piece, could eat them all day

Picante with every mexican meal

Aztec breakfast

Pickled carrots, roasted garlic cloves, bloody hot peppers with orange juice squeezed from under-ripe green oranges (so good)

Doesn't look like much but these large prawns were lightly cooked with lavendar with a drizzling of olive oil .... one of my favourites

Tomatoes up close and personal ... basil, goats cheese, anchovies, balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Tasty foccacia breads with pistachios and a tequila margharita on the beach

Pollo rojo ... aka red chicken... this chicken is stewed and baked in a sauce made from 3 different types of peppers and basically makes you want to lick the bowl when you're done

From Russia

Russia was one of those places I wanted to go to ... but kind of just found myself there one day without much planning or preparation. It was one of those trips that I was thrown into last minute...like, the week or two before I was given a ticket and told to get a rush visa. I'd arrived on a Sunday in winter and was staying on Tverskaya Yamskaya which is in one of the busiest areas in central Moscow. My first impression was ... I can't read anything, its grey, hard and cold and where is everyone? I know, I sound like a new yorker. Since then I've been a couple more times and I'm fascinated by it. I love New York and, if New York is a girl, Moscow is like New York's older brother. Like NYC, there is so much going on every day, but the Russians seem to approach it as if its their last, which gives everything a different spin, from business politics to parties to art, music and fashion. You still feel the presence of the mafia, albeit in a way that blends into the backdrop like its no big deal, and adds another layer to the grittiness and extravagance. I've experienced parts of it with business expats, some with a fellow aussie, a little with the moscovites and also on my own. I hope to go back for longer and see more of the country outside of Moscow.... in any case, stay tuned, I may have to go back before the new year.