happy holidays!

Thanks for a great year, I'll be back blogging the second week of January. Hope you all have super fun, be safe and eat well! xxx Carla

bodhi - sydney

stuffed tofu pockets

rice paper rolls

stuffed duck rolls

curried buns

pigs in blankets

spring rolls

Bodhi was one of the only vegetarian restaurants in Sydney for SO LONG. I first went to Bodhi in 1997 and loved it back then. Everytime I go home I have the intention of going to Bodhi but never seem to get there! (and am usually in the city on my own, Bodhi is to be enjoyed with at least another person to share dishes). Clare and I were staying in Surry Hills and stopped there for yum cha on the way to the AGNSW. I dont remember it being fully vegan the last time I went there but it is now and its a speechless luxury to be able to sit there as they roll out dish after dish after dish of vegan food for you to choose from.

The food was AMAZING. All delicious and fresh and readily available (my favourite). The curry buns, tofu pockets and spring rolls were definitely the highlight. The duck rolls weren't that great, I wouldnt order them again. The other dishes were also amazing. Would happily eat the rest many times over.

A lot of people find Bodhi too expensive. I don't find that at all. We ate until stuffed and took home a container of leftover food as well (you can do that in Sydney), we both drank a glass of wine and the total bill plus small tip came to $60. I think that's a bargain.

deets: lower mezzanine level of Cook and Philip Park, 2-4 College St Sydney web: http://www.bodhi.id.au/
$$: as said all that food plus 2 glasses of wine $60

other voices, other times:
vegaroo
vegan about town
I dream in chocolate
eat more vegies

fatimas - surry hills - sydney

Fattys is the best. Simple. The best Middle Eastern food I've eaten in Australia (though some say Emads next door is comparable - I've never been). I lived off Fattys for 3 years when I worked a few doors down and as soon as I book a flight to Sydney I count down the minutes till I have it in my face. The baba ganoush is smokey and creamy, the hommous creamy and soft (not tart and garlicky) the falafels perfectly fried, cripsy and tasty. Get them all smooshed into a roll and you're in heaven. Dining in adds extra to your plate like rice salad, pickled veg, tabbouli and a stuffed vine leaf. The difference in taking away and dining out is stark - $7 for a falafel roll or $19.50 for a vegetarian plate dining in. So I would suggest take away, but we dined in and had a great night complete with belly dancer and homemade lemonade. Cleaveland St is home to mucho Middle Eastern food heaven, waddle down and sample place to place.

deets: 294/296 Cleveland St, Surry Hills
$$: $7 for falafel roll $19.50 vegetarian plate dine in

monday melbourne roundup

Well it's that time of year when everything is chaos. I felt like I was in the eye of the storm as I had something planned every night last week and every single one of them cancelled! So it gave me some time to spend at home and get things done (namely napping.. I apparently need some serious naps at the moment). Also gave me time to start catching up on film for the year. After the exhaustion from Sydney it was a well needed week at home. I hit up the usuals Miss Marmalade, Simple Affair, Purple Peanuts and Wide Open Road.

The first 3 months of next year are already booked up for me. Because of this I am having to postpone the January class till late Jan or possibly Feb I will keep you posted. This will be my last Monday Melbourne Roundup for the year. I finish work on Wednesday till the 10th of January and intend to relax completely during this period. I wish you all a safe and happy holidays! I'm going to do a detox and spend as much time at the beach as possible. Big love and thanks for being the best darn readers a lady could ever have xxxx

out. (film)

contagion


We're all aware of my complete undying adulation of Soderbergh. He can even put Gwyneth Paltrow in a movie and I DONT HATE HER!! Amazeballs. This movie is excellent it would get 4.5 ... but it had a U2 song in a very schmultzy unecessary scene so automatic deduction. 4/5

crazy, stupid love


Meh. Thin, unbelievable narrative. How can you make a film with Julianne Moore, Steve Carrell and Ryan Gosling boring!?!? (some genuinely funny dialogue though) 3/5

tree of life


Too long. Too boring. Some beautiful imagery. Too preachy. Too conceited. 2.5/5 (I turned it off 3/4 of the way through)

kawa - darlinghurst - sydney

Kawa is a cute cafe on Crown st in Darlinghurst. It was around the corner from where we were staying so we toddled up there one morning. I was impressed they had a dedicated meaty AND vegan big breakfast on the menu! It was actually hard for me to decide between a few things. Pictured is the vegan big breakfast with homemade hummus (unbelievably delicious), homemade beans (I never really like homemade beans, I think mine are always better but these were pretty good), roasted pumpkin/tomato, avocado, toasted sourdough and mushys. The comments on Foursqure lean towards expensive for such small portions and I tend to agree. However this was a perfectly delicious breakky and they have great coffee and good service (rare for Sydney) so definitely hit it up if you're ever in Darlinghurst as it seems a bit thin on the ground for proper vegan breakfast beyond avocado on toast.

deets: 348a Crown St, Surry Hills
$$: vegan big breakky was $16.50

other voices, other times:
vegan angela

bells are jingling

Here's a few things I like to do for Christmas. I usually make quite a few salads to keep it light in the hot weather. However this year it's looking like a cool Christmas in both Sydney and Melbourne so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I might make a nut roast for the first time. An Ottolenghi salad is most definitely going to be made. I'm going to be home with my Mum who eats very differently to me so I'm going to make enough to last me the 4 days I'm in Sydney.

For my previous Christmas efforts please see my Christmas tag, especially the "How to survive the family roast" article about how to keep your cool and keep your glaringly obvious veganism at a minimum. If you're looking for a different Christmas present get them a cooking class gift voucher! And finally check out how others are doing their Chrissys (drool worthy posts!). What are YOU doing for Chrissy feast?

monday melbourne roundup - the sydney edition

Well it was a crazy week last week. Clare and I headed off to Sydney to primarily see Kevin Spacey in Richard the Third but naturally there was a whole lotta gallery hopping and eating. Stay tuned for the restaurant posts. Lets get into it because this is gunna be LONG (and image heavy).

My stomach experienced the usual Melbourne haunts and some new Sydney ones namely espresso hub, lord of the fries, purple peanuts, bodhi on the park, the clock hotel, yullis, kawa, black by ezard, robocog, mamak, fatimas, glebe markets, the norfolk, naked espresso and sappho books.

out.

la traviata - opera australia
After the yawn fest that is Don Giovanni I was captivated by La Traviata. This is a straight up opera opera I mean serious soprano vocal runs to the point your ears are hurting. But after the first interval it gets into some lyrical territory with the final act heart-breakingly AMAZING. Stunning cast and amazing (I mean amazing) sets this really really really floated my boat. WIN.

picasso - agnsw

I got to see The Reader in real life. This is a fantastic exhibition I mean with an artistic output that spans 70 years where do you start? Most was of interest with about 10 key pieces which is standard for an artist of this stature and output. It moved me to tears he was such an astonishing talent. Particularly in his later years I loved the paintings of his final decade the most. And damn boy looking at some of the older photos of him no wonder he fathered like 9 children, a Spanish scorpio hung to the knee is gunna have some FEVAH.

Downstairs there was the private modern art collection of some rich people. This was fantastic they obviously had a lot of money in the 80s because there were so many pieces from my favourite artist Jeff Koons I hadnt seen before I just about peed myself. I'm dead set on getting a full Koons leg piece now... just need to get it designed.

In all his magnificence from his advertising series in the late 80's:


Then some of his sculptures (this is the precursor to Puppy) and 'vase of flowers':


and some of his mid to late eighties sculptures (I haven't seen this stuff before!)

I particularly love the basketball.

Then some more amazing modern art, particularly this Cy Twombly series of oil paintings. I have only seens his pencil/crayon work, these were a total revelation for me and really opened him up to me as an artist. I can't stop thinking about these paintings they are just sublime in real life:

ok there's way more but I think thats enough about modern art now lets move onto my gardening obsession succulents.

the botanical gardens
Of course with everything in Sydney its BIGGER BETTER FASTER MORE. Sydney Botannical Gardens (like much of its inhabitants) is on serious roids. It goes forever, is on Bennelong Point so when you exit it you see this:

I bee lined for the succulent garden, it's been at least a decade since I've been there and have developed my interest and succulent collection since then (very small but growing all the time), check it:


bromeliads make me swoon







check out the flowers!

and then we moved onto the big fernery, this was so lush and lovely and there are little tables and chairs all the way through it. There was the office couple just sitting in there and have a chat (about making chocolate) it was ace.





richard the third - kevin spacey
I could go on but this was excellent as you can imagine. The difference between a young Ewan Leslie Richard and a middle aged tantrum throwing Kevin Spacey Richard was fascinating. Going to the casino for the first time in 15 years was also mental. Its just been refurbished to look like a Dubai mall so its not that offensive anymore. I'm so glad I went to this it was amazing. It makes me not be so heartbroken for not living in London anymore.

Bai bai Sydney. Here are some very tired girls feet waiting for the shuttle bus:

twenty eleven resolutions

This is the second year I set clear goals and resolutions and it's really changed the way I see and approach my life. Last years goals really got me onto a track that I've gone further with and has enabled me to grow but also enabled me to relax because I have focus. Also this year instead of it being the mad scramble at the end to tick things off I found I felt I had achieved enough (even by my ridiculously high standards) by November and that I could kick back for the rest of the year. Amazing.

Ok here goes things I achieved (combined from my proper resolutions list and the 'idle' goals list - things I wont necessarily commit to, it's an opportunity thing)

1. Not work full time (worked 4 days per week this year)
2. Continue school, sat 4 subjects all with HDs
3. New laptop
4. New wardrobe (I was sick of looking like a poor hobo!)
5. All new furniture (again tossing out all of my dumpster dive stuff)
6. To commit to doing yoga everyday (even just for 10 minutes)
7. Full site redesign for EAVP
8. Full site design and load for carlasammut.com
9. Lifelong dream of teaching cooking classes began this year
10. Lifelong dream #2 I started doing theatre review (Theatre Alive and Milkbar Mag)
11. Move my super into ethical investment
12. Put more money into my super ($200 per month salary sacrificed)
13. To go to the country more: I went to the country almost every month last year all over Australia (and some parts of New Zealand) this is something I very much want to continue
14. Getting into the water. I had an excellent beach year this year again something I'm keen to continue
15. It wasn't on any list but was a total dream of mine to take the full 2 weeks off for MIFF. It was... spectacular.

resolutions I did not achieve:
1. Get debt free (am *so* close)
2. Get a new SLR (reason being #1)
3. Finish the cookbook (about 1/4 way through)
4. Get a new projector (the old one is still going strong)
5. 5km fun run (had major health problems this year from mouldy house hell)
6. NMIT photog course - not sure I want to do this anymore but definitely something shorter

resolutions I continued:
1. Volunteering - I started volunteering at the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives and Friends of the ABC. I also sporadically (when I'm in town and it's not raining) had a vegan bake sale raising money for animal charities. Last financial year I filed $2500 in donations. I'm hoping to beat that this year
2. Paid off another 5K off my debts and managed to completely renew my life
3. Sunscreen my tattoos
4. Buy a book every week (my bedroom is starting to look scary)
5. Honour 3x$50 rule. I wasn't super strict with this but I definitely spent more money in local business namely Radical Grocery and Brunswick Bound. I don't think I would have made the $150 per month but definitely would have spent $100 per month in local independent businesses. Something to concentrate on more next year.

2012 resolutions:
1. Do a course JUST FOR ME
2. Debt free
3. Save money!
4. Finish my sleeves (again *so* close)
5. New SLR
6. The COOKBOOK
7. 5km fun run
8. Get the rest of the stuff I need framed DONE
9. Go to GOMA and MONA at least twice each
10. Continue past resolutions

But I think my most significant achievement of this year is standing up to my family and telling them in no unequivocal terms who I am. That I won't tolerate homophobia, sexism or racism in my life whether it be from my friends or my family. I've been placid and unwilling to rock the boat for so long and now I can't do it any longer. And that I won't apologise for my veganism. It should not be an affront to you or how you live your life, I'm simply making ethical choices that fit my values.

update: I have neglected to mention thanks. Thanks to Lisa Dempster, one of the most inspiring women I know, whose festival Emerging Writers always kicks my arse into gear to take things into a different galaxy. Marieke Hardy for her unswerving devotion to the blog, her kind words and fandom has kept me on track quite a few times (thank you!). Dan from Milkbar, ever patient and stoic in the face of my "mountain of energy" I take things *so* seriously and to heart and he talks me off the ledge/gives a heartfelt apology at exactly the time that is needed. To my partners in crime, Daniel and Clare I love you with all my heart. For all my darling friends for being there, at some points of this year I've been like fukushima because of the amount of stuff I take on, you are all so patient, loving and kind with me I couldn't do it without you. To Alice and Karim for all my late night/early morning video calls that make me feel connected to my 2 other lives. My recipe testers and fellow bloggers, you have all inspired me to no end I love our community THANK YOU.

And finally, this is the first year of my life that I haven't for one second felt lonely. I'm not sure I can attribute all of it to the goals process but there is something there. Something about focusing on what YOU want to do, what makes your heart sing.

monday melbourne roundup

ahoy hoy. I had my last exam on Wednesday and I am FREE AS A BIRD. School really busted my butt this year I'm so happy I potentially have only one semester left. I have a busy week this week and then after that NOTHING. Like I actually have NOTHING in my diary beyond 5 days to Sydney for Christmas. This makes me so happy I want to cry. I don't know how it turned out that way... I guess because festival season is ovaarrr. yay! Good thing I have about 40 unread books next to my bed.

I've been cooking a fair bit but also trying to relax. It's that time of year when I reflect on my goals, what I have achieved and really start to focus on what I am going to achieve next year. My number one priority is the cookbook. I want it done and ready to print by the end of next year (I hope I can get it done sooner but 12 months is a good time line). Once all the goal setting and intention is done I give myself till the end of January to start working again. All in all almost a 6 week break and I totally need it.

Ok first eats then outs. I've been saving my pennies for my Sydney trip next week so there wasn't much eating out just coffee from my faves Espresso Hub, Miss Marmalade, Coffea and Hoboken (who are open 7 days a week now!). My brother is staying with me at the moment so we have been doing a fair few touristy things, he's 19 and into all the things 19 year olds like. We went to A1 bakery yesterday, I freaking love that place. Ok oote and aboote.

out.

williamstown beach
Monday was one of the first proper hot days, I got home crawling out of my skin. Looked up the trains and found out its 30 minutes door to beach to Williamstown so off we went. What is wrong with you Melburnians?!?! The water was gorgeous, the sun was shining, me and my bro were the only people swimming. It felt like being baptised.

don giovanni - australian opera
I was really looking forward to this but it was so boring I fell asleep for at least 20 minutes in the second half. The acting, staging and singing were amazing just the opera itself is SO BORING. Do not recommend. I will say the singer who played the don is freakin CUT I was so mesmerised by his body. I've never seen a cut opera singer before.

peek into my cookbook collection

As you may be aware I first went vegan in 2001. Back then there were very few vegan cookbooks beyond Hare Krishna type stuck together books and How it All Vegan. Well there were a couple so I will step you through them. I’ve been through many vegan cookbooks over the years and today I want to talk about the ones I use the most and why they have stuck around.

how it all vegan – sarah kramer and tanya barnard

This was my first vegan cookbook and I still cook out of it. It’s a fantastic introduction to vegan cooking with very simple recipes using simple ingredients. It focuses on the handmade so making your own tofu steaks, tempeh burgers but also concentrates on what I call squat food, delicious nutritious stews and soups (I grew up as a teen eating loads of these things in Newtown squats). There’s also living vegan sections on how to make your own beauty products, cat toys and cleaning products. This book is a fantastic primer for cooking in general and I highly recommend it.

experience level: beginner
photos: no
cuisine: american but pretty universal
first published: 1999

the voluptuous vegan – myra kornfeld

This is probably my favourite vegan cookbook, I have cooked LOADS out of this. This book developed a lot of the recipes I use today for tofu sour cream and many different dairy substitutes. It can be a little difficult to navigate as the recipes are grouped into meals (containing 4-5 dishes) but I just go through and pick out a few I want to try here and there. There are quite a few ingredients we are unable to get here but you can easily substitute if you have a bit of imagination. The best part of this book is there are many ‘teaching’ pages of diagrams like how to prepare vegetables and wonton skins etc. The Voluptuous Vegan really took my vegan cooking to a next level in being able to substitute all my old favourites and learn quite a few new cooking techniques. I particularly love Myras dinner party menus. Myra teaches at the Natural Gourmet Institute, somewhere I want to go and train VERY VERY much.

experience: beginner to intermediate
photos: no
cuisine: american using quite a few US ingredients
first published: 2001

real food daily – ann gentry

As you keeners will be aware I’m relatively obsessed with Ann Gentry she is my food Goddess. Her restaurant Real Food Daily opened 18 years ago in Santa Monica as one of the first organic vegan restaurants around and is still going (with a couple of other stores now to boot). Ann’s cooking is a bit all over the place like my own, she is Southern but became devoted to Japanese macrobiotics so her cuisine combines all these elements. The Real Food Daily cookbook is some next level shit. I mean I’m constructing my own stove top smoker to make maple bacon kind of thing. Ultimately worth it for me because I’m obviously obsessed with this stuff. Anne taught me how to make cashew cheese (both sauce and hard set cheese) a couple of ways I can actually eat tempeh and like it and how to incorporate more Japanese ingredients for all the 5 tastes. If you’re looking for a challenge and how to expand your vegan cooking skills this book will set you on the way to vegan chef. High HIGHLY recommended.

experience: intermediate to advanced
photos: yes (not all dishes but most)
cuisine: southern and japanese (combined)
first published: 2005

plenty – yotam ottolenghi

This is the best vegetarian book you will ever buy. Sure it's vegetarian and I like a challenge veganising his recipes but Yotam's way with vegetables gets me a little hot under the collar. His recipes are fairly complex with many steps and many ingredients but you will learn flavours and cooking techniques that will stay with you and next level all the cooking you do. The book itself is gorgeous, full colour photos taken beautifully. His book is the level of quality I aspire to with my own. As vegans we tend to just brush away vegetables and concentrate on the protein portions of our meals (cooking technique wise) this takes it back to basics with the humble vegetable and how extraordinary it can be. The Guardian have a bunch of his recipes available online.

experience: intermediate
photos: yes
cuisine: mainly middle eastern
first published: 2010