travel

The quickest year ever

~ stephzuniga ~ Leave a comment

I don’t know if it’s all the cookies or if time is actually moving faster, but this has been the quickest year ever.  It’s November- NOVEMBER!!!  I forgot to write last week because despite not working, I’ve actually been SUPER busy.   Last week, I made the Gojuchang Cookies again and also Playdate Cookies from Dinner: A love story which I’m sure I’ve made before too.

I was in Melbourne on Tuesday for a fun fun fun secret squirrel day involving Millionaire Hot Seat (Say Less, Steph, SAY LESS!)  There were cookies involved and trivia and a stop at Higher Ground in Melbourne- a place that’s usually my favorite cafe in Melbourne, however it left me SUPER disappointed this time around.   I had a Miso Ham and Cheese toastie that was WAY overpriced and very average…. So now I”m looking for a new favourite Melbourne Cafe.  Any ideas???

We also had a very cute food experience- Le Petit Chef at the Intercontinental Hotel in Double Bay. It was very fun, very cute, very unique.

I’ve also been poling, pickleballing and tennis playing but the super exciting thing is that it’s November, which means Thanksgiving.  It absolutely does NOT mean that Christmas is 5 weeks away.  ABSOLUTELY NOT ready for Christmas.  But, Thanksgiving, yes please!!!

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving and fall and pumpkins, I made Pumpkin Spice Latte cookies.

Full disclosure, I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin spice lattes.  I had one once and it was meh.  But I do LOVE pumpkin spice and often will season sweet potatoes with pumpkin spice and occasionally will put it into my ground coffee before I brew it.

What I do love is everything Thanksgiving, it’s the best holiday and one that doesn’t get nearly enough air time in Australia.  Maybe the next two weeks of pumpkin theme cookies will help.  Maybe not but I’ll enjoy it.

I also made Chocolate Sprinkle Birthday Cookies from Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar Kids Only Book.

Ok and since it is close to Christmas, it’s time to make my Christmas cookbook wishlist. What’s going to be on it this year?? Could I possibly find room for yet another Cookie Cookbook??? Only time (and Santa) will tell!

Wish me luck for another big week!

 

Hello October, Hello (and goodbye) Dublin

~ stephzuniga ~ Leave a comment

I can’t believe it’s nearly the end of October- this year is flying by and we’re already in the midst of the -Ber months! 

The last month has been AMAZING.  I finished my role and delivered a great strategy, went to an amazing leadership conference, had the best time in Dublin, and had Thomas’s first Communion- and once again I have a bit of free time which means, more COOKIES!

First of all, Dublin.

I’m super lucky that I feel absolutely at home in three places around the world- Washington, Sydney, and Dublin.  Despite never actually living there, it’s a place that feels so familiar and so easy for me.  I have best friends there and really close friends, and it’s a place that always fills my cup.  So much so, that I would love to move there one day.  I don’t know if it will ever happen, but when I make a list of pros and cons, the list of pros is VERY long and the list of cons is VERY short.  (The weather and actually moving anywhere is stressful!)  But it was a fabulous trip, with fabulous people and I loved every moment of it! I know Ireland isn’t known for it’s food but honestly, the butter, bread and the seafood chowder are all next level! Irish butter- so good! I could go on about it for hours!

Secondly, Cookies.

Now that my contract has finished and my next one is TBC – I should find out this week!  I have time on my hands which is both weird and familiar.  Weird because I feel like the last 8 months have been go go go, and familiar because, well it’s like last year but without the mental anguish of being made redundant.  Plus, I’m far more into cookies than I was last year.  I can’t believe it’s been over a year that I’ve been baking every week.  Part of me wants to branch out and do something new, the other part of me has really painted myself into the cookie corner.  It’s expected now and it’s hard to disappoint people.  Plus, I’m not taking requests…. Which is really where I’m coming unstuck!

So this week, because I supposedly have “time” on my hands- even though I feel super busy!  I”ve baked nearly every day.  

Monday was Brown Butter Nilla Wafers from Christina Tosi’s All About Cookies Book.

Tuesday was Potato Chip Sandies- also from Christina Tosi and I also had to start on my request for the week- Apple Crumble Cookies from Andy Cooks.  These are A LOT of work but I’m looking forward to them!  Yesterday I made the dough and apple topping, tomorrow I need to make the crumble and bake them.  A lot of work but I think they will be yummy!

Next week I’ll likely do brown butter chocolate chip cookies– stay tuned!!!

Guten tag München!!!

~ stephzuniga ~ Leave a comment

Three thoughts immediately hit me as we start our descent into Munich.

1) Thank God! Well that’s the G rated version at least- after exactly 24 hours of flying I’m ready to get out of the air and onto the ground. I don’t mind flying but it’s been 24 hours since I took off from Sydney- not counting a 3 hour layover in Dubai I’ve been in the air the whole time! Granted the layover was pretty good. I had an actual real life first class lounge shower! (thanks to one of Gary’s triathlon club friends). I cannot stress what a difference it made/makes to my sanity. I actually feel relatively human and not like a stink bomb! I now have to figure out how to get lounge access every time I fly. Every. Time. 

Oh and I had a Shake Shack burger….not sure which was the bigger highlight!

    
    
2) It is beyond gorgeous- even from the air! From what I can decode we’re flying over Salzburg and possibly over Munich and looking out of the window, all I can see is green grass, blue water and mountains!!! Actual real life Alpine Alp-y mountains. And they’re amazing even from up here!  

      
 3) I should have spent only more time learning German- I have literally no idea of what the announcer is saying! Thankfully they’re in Arabic, German and English but I’m quickly realizing that google translate might be my best friend on this trip!

So if you’re reading this, then you know I’ve made it! Pass the bratwurst and get me a beer! I’m in Germany!

Let the adventure begin!

~ stephzuniga ~ Leave a comment

On my way to the airport and we’ve already passed the first hurdle…. The bike fits in the Uber car…. Just!!

Fingers crossed the luggage gods smile upon me and I’m under my 30kg allowance…otherwise it’s $100 per kg and I’ll have to wear layers onto the plane!   
   

Ireland– Princesses wanted!

~ stephzuniga ~ Leave a comment

It’s hard to believe it’s only been a week since we were in Sydney! It literally feels like it’s been a month or even longer that we’ve been away!

I leave Ireland in less than 36 hours and it’s been an amazing week! The Runner and I have been in Limerick, Cork, Dublin, Wicklow, and we’ve driven through Kildare and possibly Laois. We’ve met all of his aunts, been to his brother’s AMAZING wedding, gone to the Guinness factory, rode the DART, and slept in a Castle.

Yes, you read that right– A CASTLE! A real live, possibly haunted castle. It was built by a family from the North (of Ireland) in the 1800s, fell into ruin in the 1990s and has been lovingly restored by a lovely gentleman, Pat, to its nearly original condition– well better really. In short, it’s awesome! It has stained glass windows, a snooker table, a knight in shining armour, four poster beds, gargoyles, a wine cellar, and basically anything else you might want in a Castle. Seriously, look it up, castle Oliver

The best part is- it is supposedly up for sale! Here’s the listing click! , if anyone has a lazy 3 million euros, please let me know! It’s a great party house, the wedding was by far the best I’ve ever been to, and I’m sure the house would be equally fun for birthdays, christenings, and retirement parties. Yes, it is a bit eerie to think it might be haunted, especially if you’re there on your own but….it’s so cool and it has an amazing story .

Anyway, I digress, my week has been awesome so far, loving every second of Ireland with our engagement drinks still to come tomorrow night! It’s strange thinking of this not as a vacation but as a trip to visit my soon to be in laws, who are lovely and everything you could ask for in a new family.

Anyway, back to enjoying my trip– if you do want to be a princess for a night- or longer, let me know…. I just might have the castle for you!

Is there anything else we can cram in???

~ stephzuniga ~ Leave a comment

Ok, so if I’m honest this past week has been a blur of whirl of excitement about a million questions, wedding research and if that wasn’t enough, oh yeah, we’ve decided to move house as well.

First of all, yes The Runner and I got engaged.  It was absolutely the most perfect proposal and a beautiful day and experience—it really was like something out of a movie.  I think I touched on the story before, but it really was amazing.  I had to get the obligatory newly engaged manicure on Monday—but other than that, the week has been a blur since last Saturday’s seaplane ride.  As you can imagine it’s been a pretty amazing week full of congratulations and hand grabbing and questions—oh the questions!  And the research, oh the research!  Venues, colours, flowers, dresses, bridesmaids,  guests, wedding blogs, wedding etiquette, engagement, ceremony, honeymoon, wedding, wedding, wedding……..good lord there’s a lot to think about!  I’m enjoying it though.  It’s quite surreal and even though The Runner’s managed to keep his composure (his part is done!), I’m a bit overexcited….but in a good way!  Exciting times ahead!!!

As if that wasn’t enough, The Runner and I decided that now is a great time to move house… well I think the universe decided for us, but you know what I mean!  It’s somewhere bigger and with a car spot and closets which will be really good, but a move is a move nonetheless.   And moves are always hard work, at least 3 weeks of chaos of cleaning up, cleaning out, moving, packing, unpacking, setting up, it’s relentless….  And it’s enough to drive anyone insane.     But clearly, The Runner and I thrive on adrenalin and chaos- engagement, birthday, moving, an Ironman, a  major event at work, an overseas trip, 3 weddings, and a funeral all in the next 8 weeks.  It will be a rollercoaster of emotion, stress, activity and everything in between….  Non-stop and all the way live!  It’s going to be a fantastic few weeks without a doubt!

Please forgive me that I won’t be doing loads of cooking in the next few weeks—although I did make Nigella Lawson’s brownies today (which were awesome) for a lovely afternoon with wine, homemade pizza and mates.  Our mates have a Thermomix, which might have to go on our wedding registry (yes, being American I believe in registries!)  Sunday dinners are on hold, until after our trip away.  At the moment, our dining table is covered in boxes and realistically my main focus in the next three weeks is going to be moving, then we have one weekend to unpack and get settled before the Ironman and then Ireland.  I’ll try to describe a few culinary adventures here and there, and yes, The Runner is still running, he’s doing his second Ironman in Port Macquarie in May. 

If anyone has any wedding tips, please pass them on, seriously considering changing the name of the blog to He Run, I Cook, We’re Planning a Wedding….. cue eye rolls from The Runner.

Oh and Happy  Easter!