February…

February was dominated by Queenstown and the Routeburn Track- something I’d been training and planning for 6 months for. Five weeks out from departure, I blew my calf muscle, so February was also characterized by some heavy duty physical therapy to get it right in a limited time…but get it right, I did.

Anyways, without further ado, here is February- in all it’s glory:

What I was blogging

I was still persisting with:

• The A-Z of me
• Cooking the Books
• The occasional week in review
• Even more occasional Photo a Day

The show

John Water’s Looking Through a Glass Onion at the Opera House. This is the second time I’ve seen this one, and I’d go again.

It was hubby’s Christmas present from me, so we made a day of it, and had lunch at the Opera Bar before the show.

Best family day out

A ferry from Meadowbank to Circular Quay and lunch at Mr Wong’s.

This city on a blue blue day is seriously dropdead gorgeous in a ‘hey you- are you looking at me, why aren’t you looking at me?’ kind of way.

Best Breakfast

Every single one at Vudu in Queenstown.

Youeni at Castle Hill was a close second.

The coffee might be good, but it can’t compete with the view out the back door at Vudu.

Best Meal

This is a tougher one to choose.

Rata in Queenstown was, like last time, worth the advance booking. Josh Emett’s food is close your eyes fantastic. Especially the goats cheese profiteroles.

 Closer to home, there was a yummo dumpling lunch with a girlfriend at our Sunday family fave Taste of Shanghai in Eastwood,

and the best drunken chicken ever at Mr Wong’s…not to mention melt in the mouth roast pork…

The award for best side dish goes to the bowl of corn cobs with coriander and chilli lime salt at the Opera Bar.

Madame Woo

So good it gets its own category. In fact, probably one of my top 5 best eats all year.

The vibe is great, the setting is casual, the food is inspired by Asian hawker markets,

and the cocktails inspired.

What more could you want? Just don’t tell anyone about the barbecue duck rice paper roll and beer happy hour specials…ok?

The walk

My final get ready for Routeburn walk was the Cook’s Park Trail around Botany Bay.

The recipe

Like I had time to cook?

I did manage a few home cooked meals… The most popular was from Adam Liaw’s Two Asian Kitchens. Laksa Lemak with homemade curry laksa paste. Too good.

What I read

Aside from Peter Temple’s Truth, it was mostly chick lit: Red Dust, by Fleur McDonald, Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, by Marian Keyes, The Unpredictable Consequences of Love, by Jill Mansell. Oh, and I re-read Desmond Bagley’s Snow Tiger. It’s about an avalanche in the South Island of NZ. Sure it’s about 40 years old, but it’s a great read.

Routeburn Track and Queenstown

What can I say? I love this town and as for the walk? It’s one of the best things that I’ve ever done….one of the hardest, yes, but oh so rewarding.

You can read all about it here.

What else I ticked off my bucket list…

Routeburn Track was a bucket list item…tick.

But I also knocked off another two: Shotover Jet and Zip-lining. Both in Queenstown, both incredible experiences. I’ve done jet boats before, but this one is different.

If you get the chance, you have to.

What about you? How was your February? Can you remember?