Sugar Pie's Blythe Experience

Welcome to Phi Phi - Island of dreams

So today we have packed up our digs at Karon Beach Resort (we will miss everyone there, the staff were lovely) and headed by boat to Phi Phi (Pee Pee) Island. When you come up to the beach from the water you are greeted by a spectacular strand of pure white sand, crystal clear waters and an ubundance of lush tropical greenery dotted with bungalows. From the Cat they move you into a little runabout then closer to shore you transfer again to 4 wheel drive boat for the last part.

On the shore we were greeted by all the staff, cool towels and a pinapple/coconut drink. We all sat in the Reception Pagoda to enjoy our drinks while they checked us in and Ray and I were given a lovely surprise when they told us they had upgraded us to a deluxe bungalow driectly in view of the beach and decorated it with lovely flowers that said happy anniversary - I am so glad we saved to do something special for our 10 wedding anniversary. Not sure how we'll top this one though.

Well I am off to nurse poor sick hubby (a touch of heat stroke) so that tomorrow we can go snokelling and relax at the day spa.

xoxo

Sugarpie and Hubby - Island hoppers.

NYR 1: Spend another NYE in Karon Beach!

So New Years Eve went off with a bang (well hundreds of bangs actually) here in Karon. To start with we had our own private table on the grass in front if our room and our friendly waiters Dat and Kao provided extra special drinks service - Rays glass was never empty. The resort put on an amazing huge buffet (again you'll have to wait for the pics - I am going to try later today to see if I can upload a couple from here) and a show. We were treated to live music all night, a performance from the 'Ladies' of the Simon Cabaret - one Ukrainian guest was overheard asking if they were all ladies, so sweet and naive) and then a magic show.

Fireworks started at about 930pm. Here you can buy fireworks on the street so cheap so everyone was letting them off all night. Officially the fireworks went off along the beach at 11.55pm. It was incredible sight as we were situated at the end of the beach so we could see all along the bay from Karon to Patong and Pataya beaches and they all had fireworks. At to that the background music from the Full Moon festival at Patong that could be heard loud and clear and it was an awesome night.

All along the beach from the moment the sun went down you see people setting off the paper lanterns into the night sky, there were hundreds of them and every now and then one would have firecracker attached so when it reached a certain point the cracker shed a tail of sparks that was so pretty.

Fire works were going all night and when we woke at 700am people were still lighting them.

Best New Years ever - would we do it again? You bet.

xoxo

Sugarpie and Hubby - soon to be Karon regulars.

 

Pretty Shiny things in Phuket

So day two was a big shopping trip and prep for new years.

We started the morning with a trip to the Buddhist Temples - breathtaking. One of the huge temples has a glass room in the top where in a pretty vial surrounded by glass and gold ornamentation are what are supposed to be the tears of the first Buddha. It was so peaceful and relaxing sitting in the temple. In another one were three monks meditating - I am sure that they were real but Raymond thinks they were statues.

Stop 2 was 'The Worlds Biggest Jewellery Store' - OMG, wall to wall jewellery made on site and your own personal shopper. Since I was trying to stick to a budget Ray bought me an anniversary present - a 6mm Blush Pink Cultured Pearl and Diamond pendant. The pearl hangs from the diamond which is bezel set in a square of white gold to match my eternity ring. So beautiful. I know have two pieces of jewellery that have their own valuation certificates!

From there we went to the factory outlet centre which was just like Harbour Town - nothing too exciting so we held on to the spending money.

The trip finished at 'Central' a freaking huge shopping centre that could house 20 Grand Centrals with room to spare!

Then new years dinner - but more of that next time.

The roads here are crazy - no one uses indicators and the road markings are just for show - beware of crazy tuk-tuk drivers and scooters! And once you have been on a Thai round about you will never complain about Aussie ones again.

xoxo

Sugarpie and Hubby - Dino-barfly's.

Haggling 101 - Karon Bazaar

So our first day in Karon Beach saw us doing just a small touch of shopping. After a stroll down to Patong we made our way back to 'James Fashion House' - recommended as a good tailor, for a suit for Raymond. So now they are making him an Armani Suit (in an Italian Cashmere/Mink Blend - thanks Italian vogue for the language lessons), 2 shirts, waistcoat and tie for less than $300. For me I chose a Dolce Gabanna 1920's Peacoat in charcoal grey with red silk lining - perfect for T-bars winter.

From here we headed back to the Bazaar where Raymond tried out his haggling skills and scored the best bargain - Quicksilver Boardies, Ripcurl Shorts, 2 Polo Brand Shirts and a Fox shirt (all with the aussie swing tags and bar codes attached) for 1500Baht - a huge $50! Me, I bought some Chanel Sunglasses (I know they are fake but I can't tell how) for 150Baht - $5. Score.

The afternoon was spent relaxing in the Dino-Bar (yep it's a Dinosour Themed Minin Golf Course complete with cool roadside 'cave' bar) with a Singha for him and one of the many cocktails for me.

Lots of swimming and relaxing followed.

Have you ever seen the photos of the electrical wires here that regularly go on line? Well they are not exaggerated - tangles of power lines drip down over your head along every road way and twisted down poles all over the place - it's crazy.

We will add heaps of photos as soon as we can find a computer that will let us attach he camera with out electrocuting ourselves.

xoxo

Sugarpie and Hubby.

We are here in Phuket finally

So it has been a long eighteen months but the holiday is finally underway.

Last night we arrived in Bangkok at 10.45pm (it was 2.30am for us) after a very long plane trip. The flight from Brisbane to Sydney with qantas was very easy but the flight with British Airways left a lot to be desired - the food was bad, the service worse! The hostess spilt boiling coffee on me and when I asked if there was a spare pillow(my seat did not get one) she went off looking and never came back! The scenery out the windows however, was lovely during the daylight hours and flying into Bangkok was just incredible - so may lights. We will add photos later - Ray took a really nice one of the sunsetting over Darwin.

It was 28c when we arrived (hasn't been that high in T-bar for ages) and we took a quick trip accross to the Airport Novotel. THe aussie Novotels are like 2 star dives compared to this one and the service was impeccible.

This morning we flew down to Phuket on Bangkok Airways - perfect. Service was lovely and the 'breakfast' was fresh and tasty. So much better than qantas's disgusting Butter Chicken and Chick pea wrap!

So the drive from PHuket airport down to Karon was eye-opening to say the least. So many 'Shanty' shops along the side of the road selling all sorts of freaky weird stuff. No indicators, people sitting in trailers and ute backs happily chatting away and the pictures of the masses of tangled electricity wires are no exaggeration! In nearly every little food stall were rows of urine yellow home made alcohol for sale!

We are going to go for a walk after we have chcked in (sadly our room was not ready when we arrived but that's ok) and see some of the many shops lining the streets in either direction. So far the only thing to complain about is that the entry on the website for the resort looks a lot bigger but that may just be because we are hot and tired!

Will add more travel tales probably tomorrow while we get out of the hot sun in the middle of the day :-)

Cheers

Sugarpie & Hubby

2 days, a root canal and restless nights sleep

What a pleasant trip it was to the dentist this afternoon.....went in for a root canal and prep for a crown but after a few failed attempts to set the post for the crown I was sent away with just the root canal and now have 2 more appointments to finish the (expensive) job instead of one.

But painful swollen face aside, I started the first level of prep for saturday night with the blending and freezing of the first set of 'ices' for the surprise bubbles. These ones are Sambucca with a sage flower. You'll just have to wait for the photos to see the pretty pale lilac sage flower suspended in its liquefied, gel coated bubble of licorice liqueur. in the morning I will make the next batch - Cherry liqueur with a suspended garnish of edible red glitter then tomorrow evening the last batch made with coffee infused vodka (a small bottle of vodka has been in our fridge today slowly turning a golden coffee shade thanks to a generous handful of freshly roasted whole coffee beans) with a suspended coffee bean. If I am feeling particularly daring then early saturday morning I may put a 4th flavour in to freeze in the form of a Pina-colada flavour.....not sure yet.

Plan for tomorrow is to get up early, hit the green grocers at Westridge and then pick up the prawns from Bernies. Then home to make a batch of rice paper wrapped 'Fluer de Sel Caramels' (salted caramels). Then pop the chicken and lamb cutlets (which I will be french trimming myself) into their marinades.

After lunch it's on to a bit of baking whipping up a batch of small eclairs ready for filling saturday morning and a nice batch of Persian Macaroons ( Pistachio macaroons with Rose Cream). These will be made and filled tomorrow so the flavours can infuse overnight to give that gooey centre that surprises after the crunchy outside is breached.

In the evening, after cooking dinner for hubby (something nice and easy I think - I think he wants chicken parcels) it will be tim eto make the chocolate mousse and cheesecake fillings ready to be added to their cases saturday.

Before bed, the last job will be the Champagne Granita - last dinner party it was mint granita, this time I am using my fave pink champagne 'Yellowglen, Bella' with rose petal and silver leaf.

Maybe if I am not too tired I will add a few photos to the blog and a run through of saturdays tasks before I hit the pillow!

May dreams of sugar plums dance in your head,

xoxo

Sugarpie.

 

4 days and a trip to the big smoke

Had to go to work in Brisbane today so used it as an opportunity to check out some of the shops and pick up some Jelly Belly Beans for saturday night. I was thinking of plain single colour bowls but when I saw their 'Ice-Cream Parlour Mix' it was too cute to resist....

These will look great mixed into the table decorations (some pink candles, a couple of little pink vases with individual floral stems, a Chinotto bottle full of little pink buttons to hold the sparklers). Behind the bowl are the goodie bags done up for everyone with a selection of pink lollies (Nerds, Mentos, Candy Apple bar, Popping Candy, pixie stix, party poppers, glow sticks, champagne truffle).

The vodka is in the fridge infusing it's yummy flavours (coffee, cherry and liquorice) for the 'Surprise bubbles' , decorations are made, and the table in my craft room is covered with all the bits and pieces.

Bring friday so I can get things going,

xoxo

Sugarpie.

7 days left and some fun shopping

So no pictures tonight but today we had plenty of fum shopping for bits and pieces and hubby is cooking me dinner while I update this.

Had a great time visiting the Restaurant and Caterers warehouse, oh if only I had unlimited funds I could have gone to town! I bought some cute bamboo 'boats' for individual serves of the Jewell Salad. Some white spoons for 'Surprise Bubbles' (reverse spherification cocktails), a new glass mixing bowl, silver colander (just like Julia) and some bulbs for the syphon.

Then it was off for table supplies - normally I hate plastic tableware but this time I went for cute over classy and picked up the cutest candy pink plates, knives and forks. White table clothes (disposable of course) and a pretty pink glass bowl and a mini pink vase. Balance this with white and silver platters and food servers and I think we are on a winner.

I am making some pretty crepe paper flower decorations to mix in with the real flowers (a talented young lady from work called Owl  - yes her real name, so cool - made some, and I just love them). We have the fairy lights, tea lights and all the sparkly things.

Everyone will also get a pink candy bag some great child-hood faves  - cherry and grape nerds, pink pop rocks, cherry mentos, pink pixie stix along with party poppers and sparklers.

Cath has already put her hand up to come over early next saturday to help with some prep.

Oh and there is a special secret dessert that I am preparing ... here's a hint, I need 4 metres of 0.5cm flexible tubing, agar, and some sweet tropical flavours.......are you curious yet? Well you'll have to come back to see what it is!

Take time to enjoy the fun things,

xoxo

Sugarpie.

13 days and a plate of Strawberry Caviar

Yesterday we had great fun playing with the compounds and after a bit of practice with height and drop rate we managed to get a fairly decent little plate of Strawberry 'Caviar' Pearls. With another practice run this weekend I think I should be able to master it fairly well.

So thanks to some creative thinking by hubby I can get even closer to recreating my own version of Heston's Jekyll and Hyde Gin cocktail.

We picked up a glass demijon with a solid rubber bung that he has drilled and threaded with a tight fitting length of pvc tube. So I am building my cocktail like this.....

The base layer will be strawberry caviar pearls topped with a 'mint tab' (mint essential oil on a gelatin tab). Then using the demijon filled with mint, lime zest and special bits and pieces, dry ice and a warm cucumber tea, the scented 'Air' will be infused into the soda water creating the next layer with the addition of white rum. The aromatic concoction will be topped with a lime foam.

That should hopefully get everyones apetite going for the meals.

till the next one,

xoxo

Sugarpie.

17 days and the best book ever (All Hail Heston Blumenthal)

So it has been an eventful week. On monday evening at work I bit into an teeny tiny M&M and low and behold I cracked a tooth and dislodged a temporary band on the tooth up into my gum. Lucky my lovely dentist filled it temporarily for free until I can get the root canal and crown at the end of the month. So the tooth doesn't hurt but my gum is swollen and I feel like I have been slapped in mouth!

To cheer me up on tuesday after I got home from work hubby surprised me with my anniversary present early (it's not till the end of the month) - the traditional 10 year gift is tin so he gave me a new flour sifter (which I do actually need) and then.....

I just adore Heston Blumenthal and have been wanting to buy this book for so long but it was outside my pay range. I told hubby last week that I had put it on hold to pick up next pay day as it is bonus time but he went and picked it up the next day and had it hiding in his office! Love him to pieces for being so sweet.

I have been sitting up the last few nights reading the first section and have been writing down every book he mentions so I can try and check them out myself. I am now up to the 'recipe' section and love the whole history behind each recipe, the how, when and why. Heston truly is a food genius.

Well hubby also picked up the Cointreau for me to practice making the 'caviar' on the weekend. Can't wait - this is going to be so much fun.

Anyway, off to bed with some pain killers - hope to feel better in the morning.

xoxo

Sugarpie