Potts Point - Fratelli's

Piggerism is back! Taking a break from wedding stuff this weekend to do some Christmas shopping and cafe-hunting..

Ksubi sale this weekend, since Dave wanted a pair of jeans for Christmas I suggested we head over to Paddington to take advantage of the sale, why anyone would pay $300++ for a pair of jeans is beyond me but apparently its a "nothing over $100" sale.

So change of plans from visiting our latest favorite, Petersham's big brekky cafe to this place in Potts Point his work had gone to for someone's birthday.

Parking was quite a nightmare but we were happy to hike 10mins there from our park.
Nondescript looking exterior of Fratelli's but... I loved the place once I stepped in and Mr Broc smiled at my crazy excitement, lunch crowd was already in and we were happy with a counter seat
Huge blackboard featuring the menu...
View from our seats, I was targeting one of Fratelli's rice sack shopping bags at this point.


Our cool food mats


Cold beer


Entrees: Fried zuchini flowers with 3 italian cheese


Lamb Ragu - Little B will be in 7th heaven if she gets s chance to try this... generous chunks of slow cooked lamb in tomato sauce were melt in the mouth and the short pasta, freshly grated parmesan melded together perfectly.


Risotto Milanese - very plain looking but the look belies the burst of rich cheesy flavours and totally not boring.

Well we couldn't stop there, or rather it was the pig in ME that made me try the famous Banoffee pie!
Pie crust with caramel filling topped with banana and whipped cream... gorgeous, the whipped cream and banana off setting the sickly sweet caramel well..
We could only groan in satisfaction when we finally finished.

Good thing we satisfied our stomachs before Dave unleashed me on the aisles and aisles of fresh fruit and produce, giant asparagus, home made tomato sauce, pastas, deli meats....


I let him off at a panini roll..


Dear! when can we come back..
Dave: groan....

Gorgeous things

Planning our wedding has been a discovery of the most gorgeous things from polka.com.au

I'm loooooove these bonbonniere ideas and the beautiful cakes!!! argh.. decisions!

Cookies..... as placecards.. how cute are they!!

The luckiest

Today we had couples day at Neutral Bay Anglican Church where we're getting married and we had a session about communication:

Been having a tough time in our engagement, some storms here and there with our families and in our finances.. also raised up personality traits that we couldn't quite stand... We were fighting almost every week, me talking and complaining more and he just kept getting quieter and quieter

And today the break through... taking time to say these words
" I feel... " - one party
"What I hear you saying is... " - the other party

Sounded quite silly when we practiced it but slowly they started to make a big difference in our understanding of what the other person was trying to convey..

Later David Ould (our pastor married to a Singaporean!) revealed to us the results of our compatibility survey and a big one we didn't think too much about was our family background and the way things get done in our homes would reflect in our relationship and marriage.

My family: slice and dice say what you mean and say it with full gusto~ efficient, decide and do it
His family: quiet like him, agree to keep the peace, more disorganised and last minute

Ahhh... there must have been a lot of lightbulbs above our heads today... Suddenly there is hope.. we can work it out but its going to take a lot of hard work, me learning to keep quiet and encourage him, him learning to speak up and have confidence.

There's no the one, the one is the one u pick and u work it out with the one you pick!



The Luckiest - Ben Folds Five

I dont get many things right the first time
In fact, I am told that a lot
Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls
Brought me here

And where was I before the day
That I first saw your lovely face?
Now I see it everyday
And I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

What if Id been born fifty years before you
In a house on a street where you lived?
Maybe Id be outside as you passed on your bike
Would I know?

And in a white sea of eyes
I see one pair that I recognize
And I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you

Next door theres an old man who lived to his nineties
And one day passed away in his sleep
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away

Im sorry, I know thats a strange way to tell you that I know we belong
That I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

Our first business trip

Just some photos of our Malaysia Seminar adventure + eating of course

KL, picked up by Uncle John's nephew Darren who was very very nice and drove us around everywhere and generous buying us yummy meals.

My beef brisket noodles, Hong Kong Style.. yum..
Shopping crazy in KL and met up with Vernon, Jack, Amy, Greg and Sherlyn for dinner..
Vern came again to meet me the next day for late late lunch...
It felt as if time just stopped and we picked up from where we left off... Everyone was still as funny and crazy .. so good to be with friends again.. Jack brought his professional camera having happy snaps time. So tempted to take out my little Exslim Casio haha but didn't =) Should have!

Two nights in KL and we were off to Kuching and met up with Uncle Wang Jing and Aunty Mary.
They organised our trip and the seminar in Kuching and brought me to try different east malaysia and fuchou food. Sarawak laksa, kolo mee, some funny bead/fern/bean like vege and dishes I can't pronounce or names I forgot but I have pictures!
Set-up in the hotel in Kuching, all organised by Uncle Wang and Aunty Mary.
Didn't manage to take pictures of participants was manning the presentation.

Celebratory beef noodles after the presentation: Good turn out of more than 30 given that Uncle Wang only put out a short newpaper article.

Happy finding of Durian!! one nightUncle John really getting into it.Next Stop Kota Kinabalu.
After a quick lunch, Uncle John left me to my own devices to go shopping and wandering around.. My room

Went to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf after my shopping for a rest and to use the Wifi there... RM11 for a ice blended!! how do the Malaysians afford these things if they are earning dollar for dollar as compared to Singapore?? Kopi is just Rm1 !! Happy snapsDinner: look at the size of those lobsters!
KK seminar with Dominic Siow



The team at the airport in JB
Morning in KK, we went hunting for breakfast, found this malay style beef noodles in a nearby kopitiam
Then off to JB and then to Muar



Aunty Mary and Uncle John stop for a banana break... haha!

To be continued... I go back to Singapore this afternoon

Reception Picts and pretty ideas

We visited L'aqua on the weekend braving the crazy rainstorm outside. Once we stepped in, we forgot the cold by checking out the gorgeous set-up for the dinner reception in both rooms that evening.Set-up in the gold room (we'll be getting this one) peach coloured theme, very sweet but a little over the top with the centre-piece, wouldn't be able to see the person from across the table.Lovely wedding cake


Balcony where guest can take photos and enjoy canapesBridal table with the organza and fairy lights set-up.
Table set-up for the other room, silver/bluish theme, dave liked this set-up better
I'm crazy over Martha Stewart's wedding... everything is so pretty!!! Going to borrow a few ideas from her website.. thanks to pet who introduced it to me..WAH!

Love this idea, cookie buffet perhaps to set-up after the ceremony and relocate next to guest signing book during the lunch reception.
This one is just so yummy-licious pretty