Poly

Oh, I only have 4 photos for Poly? Oh dear. I should go back and take more...

I visited this place during my Sydney trip last year; it was a restaurant that seemed very interesting and had tasty food, so I had to go.

They even had a non alcoholic wine!! What a dream come true!! It was very tasty! This was a kakadu wine that wasn't overly sweet, had a good acidity and a lovely coconut aroma. It reminded me a lot of my EMP visit, and did very well as a non alcoholic drink!

Ooooh yeah look at this gilda!!! Woah!!! This was absolutely fantastic!! I love olives, peppers, anchovies and quail egg. The biggest surprise for me was that the egg was gooey in the middle. I mean, it should have been obvious but I've not been to a place that has done a soft boiled quail egg before so I was really impressed! Yes I want more of this!

There were some interesting things on the menu like a beef dish that seemed small ($20?) but the waitstaff said I shouldn't order it as a solo diner because the flavours were too big? What? Lol I am not exactly sure what this means but I trust waitstaff. This crudites caught my eye so I ordered it and man those veges tasted so good! Forking out money for vegetables seems really weird but these were actually next level and taste better than the ones I buy....

And lo and behold, the scarlet prawn. yeah. That is one MASSIVE prawn. It was as big as a marron!! Oh man I was so excited and it tasted so good!!! It even came with a slice of bread to absorb the brain juice and sauce it was sooo good. I really need more scarlet prawns in my life!!

I did order a dessert too but it was super dark and the lighting wasn't good so I didn't get a decent photo of it. It was a creamy pudding of some sort, really tasty but I remember it being a tad heavy, oh well!

Poly definitely has some super crazy tasty stuff. They keep posting about delicious morsels like anchovies on toast, lardo, all these other things, and they even had a pea and seaweed dish that sounded amazing!! And if you stay at the Paramount Hotel, these guys are the one that do the room service snacks so you're definitely in good hands!

Coffee cupping!

Dear diary,

Today I attended a coffee cupping for the first time in many years. I didn't even know it was on until the barista told me while I was having breakfast there. I used to try really hard to learn what coffees from different regions tasted like, but it all got too much and everything started tasting the same, so I took a step back and just enjoyed coffee for what it is instead of trying so hard.

Today, I realised that my tastesbuds, while being unable to describe exact tasting notes (same as always), are at least quite accurate at tasting out "good" coffees and matched some of the other baristas/roasters that attended the cupping.

The natural processed one was obviously naturally processed, full of winey fermenty goodness, while my favourite was considered an expensive coffee. I didn't pick out the geisha varietal though it did smell very, very good in its dry form and it kept lingering in the back of my mind. I also managed to match the host's assessment of the two least impressive coffees.

I should probably just be more confident in what I do because it seems that I still have the right kind of palate after all these years!

To more coffee,

Reine

Western Region Barista Championships

It's been a few years since I last stumbled across the barista championships. Since one of my baristas was competing this year, I figured I should try and visit!

The only problem was that the lighting was ridiculously difficult to manage, since the windows were behind the stage, so everyone had to take shots from the side!

The judging is so tough! Look at this technical judge looking at everything you do! I wonder what it takes to become one since I'm no good at taste/smell to ever think about being a sensory judge lol.

I love that everyone is taking photos or livestreaming the event!

This barista had an incredibly interesting approach. His theme was coffee of the future, with lower coffee doses but getting high yield, using a brewer that isn't actually out yet!

This barista was showcasing Taiwanese coffee!

Pretty cool stuff with a few different events! I managed to see the Brewer's Cup, the Latte Art and the Barista Championship events. I almost ran out of camera battery haha. Also, I feel like I'm not used to taking photos of people standing around lol. I think it's the distance and angle restriction here that was really tricky. That just means more practice!

Reine's hospital adventures... again!

When it rains, it pours. I thought I had my one hospital visit, when something much smaller but really annoying decided to happen. I had some sort of pimple-like thing right under my right eyebrow, and I didn't think too much of it at the time, until after a day or two it made my whole eyelid red. I still figured it'd just heal, so I didn't do anything until a week later it didn't get any better and instead, started to swell.After a visit the doctor, I wasn't any closure to knowing how long it would take for the lump to go away. All the doc figured was that it was probably some sort of cyst, and I was prescribed antibiotics.A few days passed, and the condition got worse, and I wasn't able to open my eye properly, especially in the mornings. Eventually everyone at work became super concerned too, and after a doctor friend took a look, she recommended that I go straight to the hospital.So the next morning I took the trip there. I actually have a secret enjoyment of heading in the direction of the hospital because one of my favourite cafes is near there, so I took along my camera. I'd also brought along my charger pack for my phone, since my doctor friend said it'd need the emergency department to drain my lump and then I'd also need antibiotics via IV.The triage area was quieter than my last visit, with not as many patients. After the triage nurse asked a few questions, I was taken into the eye area, where they wanted me to read out the eye chart thing, and then they looked at my eye. They confirmed that the lump I had wasn't related to my eye, however, they did discover I have a tiny scratch on my cornea, so they gave me some eye drops for that. The lady also said that the emergency department docs wouldn't operate on my face, and that it required plastic surgeons instead, just to ensure that there was as little scarring risk to my face. The plastic surgery department was pretty busy, so I waited around for four hours before someone came to take a look.Upon inspection, they said that they would put me under general anesthetic and make a small cut to drain the stuff. Well, there goes my day. As I was listed as an emergency patient, they were aiming to complete the operation that day.Luckily I didn't have to wait too long, though the eye department was so busy that they didn't manage to get a blood test or stick a cannula in. All the paperwork was done in what seemed like more of a rushed manner than my previous visit, and my cannula inserted in the room just before the operating theatre. This time it was pink!The operation experience this time was also slightly different, the anesthetist this time put a dose of something first through the pink knobby thing, and I felt myself slightly disorientated by the time I was wheeled into the theatre. It was going to be a quick and simple operation, so they weren't even going to move me onto the table, instead they'd do it in the bed I was already on. Once again the mask went on me, and for some reason I found it hard to breathe, before promptly blacking out. I was in a deeper sleep this time with what felt like a long dream, so whatever they used must have been pretty strong! I felt groggier upon waking up too! But just like last time, I wasn't in any pain after the operation.Post-operation stuff was incredibly uneventful this time. I got a handed a sandwich since I had to fast before the operation, of which I ate half, and then dinner was served shortly after, as I was transferred from a private room into a shared ward. I was still waiting for staff to find my belongings, so there's no picture of the crumbed fish with tomato, broccoli and potato plus yellow jelly. The potatoes this time round were all cooked through a lot better than last time though!It turns out though that my low blood pressure and low heart rate while sleeping become a problem during their regular checkups though, but luckily unlike last time, I was able to devise a short exercise regimen so that I could pressure up when they came around!The next morning I had the same breakfast as last time, with cornflakes, prunes, bread, fruit and juice. I was also allowed to roam around and leave the hospital as long as I was back in time for checkups and medication, so I took a sneaky trip out to my cafe here!What isn't pictured here is the espresso and filter I had while I was there! A triple coffee adventure plus jam donut was probably not the best decision since I did overcaffeinate slightly, but hey... when there's a coffee opportunity... I'll do my best to keep 1% sensibility :)The weirdo meatball style boneless pork ribs strike again! But they taste good so I enjoyed it. Here's a dessert I didn't get last time, some creamed rice! It was okay, I'd rate it above the trifle and custard from last time. But so far jelly is the undisputed winner of hospital food.Dinner was a beef pie with sweet potato mash, potato mash (this time the mash had salt!) and some cabbage. Not too bad!I also realised that I have really tiny veins, because cannula pain struck again. Just like last time, after having the cannula in for a day, any drip tends to cause excess pressure and my vein starts hurting. The nurse had to take it super slow on the syringe (I didn't have the drippy machine this time round), and the nurse the night after managed to have a neat trick of pressing on my vein while delivering the antibiotics to reduce the amount of discomfort I was experiencing. That being said, the pain goes away as soon as the IV is done.Being day 2, I was allowed to choose my own meals! Having learned the lesson of salty porridge from last time, this time I went with Just Right, yoghurt, milk, and Weetbix with jam. Except they forgot the jam. Oh well! I dipped my weetbix into yoghurt instead. Not that great, but this was infinitely better than my breakfast choice from last time! Do other people put as much thought into what they want for hospital meals?And finally I got the all clear and was discharged, just as lunch time came around. I really shouldn't make a habit of revisiting the same hospital, as I'll figure out how the food works too quickly and will eventually get bored of this! For now though, I know not to order the fish. Who knows what fish it is and where it came from! But yay I got my ice cream too! Don't eat ice cream straight after the fish....So all in all I've found hospitals less scary than before, though I now know I hate cannulas and night observations. The game of "check out that hospital meal!" is still fun for now. My wardmates were also less weird this time!I still can't believe my eye swelled to the point where I needed a hospital visit though. I don't think any of it was preventable... though, who knows!Okay, now I should really just wrap myself in a bubble to avoid this in future... not! There's so many more exciting and silly things to do! :)

Serendipitous cafe encounters

I go to a lot of cafes. A lot. But in all my visits, today is only the second time I've had a significant interaction with a complete stranger - the first time was in Adelaide meeting a bona fide snob. Fleeting encounters are plentiful, such as butting into a conversation about the cost of stainless steel straws and handmade metal spoons, but ones where I actually seem to hold a two sided conversation with someone I've never met before, are few and far between.Today, at a cafe that had only been open for a couple of weeks, I decided, against my better judgement, that instead of going through a caffeine withdrawal phase, I'd get my usual trio of coffees. It just happened to be a very busy period at the cafe, so I popped myself on one of the communal tables. The seat I'd happened to choose had taken me past a person who sat at the end of the table, notebook and pens out, a book, as well as a very vintage looking camera. It was all going as per my normal cafe ritual of playing on my phone, and receiving my many coffees in quick succession, then taking pictures of them. I'm pretty sure the guy looked at me as soon as I started snapping away, but didn't yet engage in conversation. After the photos, I began sipping away at my espresso. It wasn't until I unexpectedly spotted a nice setup for one of my coffees, at the same time that the cafe staff was replacing a bottle of water for the table, leading to an awkward moment where the staff paused to allow me to take my photo, and me excusing myself for making a nuisance of myself having rearranged things on the table, that this fellow offered me his camera.He explained that it was a Leica that was over 60 years old. Well, no wonder it was vintage looking, it really was an old camera! In fact, it was so old that it was fascinating. He encouraged me to have a go with it, but having 1. not handled a film camera in many years and 2. not having had experience with other cameras in general, that I was hesitant, but so curious at the same time. The first thing I noticed as my hands went on the camera was its weight. It was a very solid object! He then told me to look through the viewfinder, and I was panicking on the inside because I couldn't immediately figure out where the viewfinder was! But I managed to hopefully look like I knew what I was doing, and got it first go. Wow. Surprise number two - there was a little rectangle within the frame that almost looked like it was seeing a different section of the view! What started out as mild confusion turned into me trying to grasp everything he began telling me - that the focusing ring had a small knob that could be popped out, and had an indicator of focusing distance - and that was it - you had to estimate your correct distance because the lens itself didn't do digital magic to show you! He also then pointed out which dial was what: the top right dial was for shutter speed, the furthermost ring on the lens controlled aperture. I also learned that the little "magnified" rectangle in the viewfinder was a parallax window - and that was the only way to have an idea on whether or not you're focused on the image. Basically, if you're out of focus, you'll see double vision in this little window, so you need to adjust the focus until the two pictures become one. How cool!Not only did I get a crash course in this very lovely camera, I also had to figure out how to actually use the shutter. Being a film camera, the shutter had to be prepped? The lever thing had to be clicked over twice to load the next frame, and then the shutter would work. I took a single picture, hoping that it would have turned out okay. But I won't know for probably forever, since who knows when the roll will be developed, and whether our paths would cross again.He then talked about photography and art in general, but I didn't recognise any names he mentioned. He explained the details of his favourite photographers and painters, and the museums he had went to, and how large than life, and how real everything was. He talked about how these days pictures are taken for granted with the likes of digital cameras and instagram, and how it had devalued the emotional significance of photos. He explained that for him, film was very real, tactile, and invoked memory and nostalgia through the fact that it's a product of light, not binary; that you can keep a roll of film and develop it much later on, leading to treasuring moments that were once forgotten; that you hold it in your hand and that it's something that when given to another person, carries a bigger significance than a digital photo. However, he also acknowledged that the advance of technology isn't a bad thing - he'll take a picture of his vintage camera and handmade leather strap with a digital camera and post it on Instagram, including the details - because then it spreads awareness and appreciation of the very things he values. He even talked about getting a typewriter to record a story, then taking a photo of the typed document and posting it on Instagram to have a different purpose/message/delivery than simply having it digital in the first place.I concluded that he had a very practical outlook on life and a great appreciation of all things - embracing old and new, and looking for ways to combine them. This was then further confirmed as the conversation turned philosophical. He went on to talk about the meaning of names, of childhood memories, nostalgia and how there's an undeniable link to one's ancestors - that upon getting to know a person, even if they are deceased - through what we see in photos, documents, and constructing our own version of how we believed that person to be, would link us to them in our own special way. He also showed me passages from a book that he had at the time, something about psychic energy. He also placed emphasis on discovering one's self, using the example of an eye catching eucalyptus tree that stands at one of the churches one could encounter while walking the Camino de Santiago - how out of place the tree was, but also how it came to be - and what compelled someone to plant the seed there in the first place and how it flourished.His outlook on life focused a lot on Taoism, and by the end of the conversation, he had also shown me his notebook, which carried not only notes, but also doodles and photos, collected over time and seemed to feature messages from what I figure were people he met randomly, just like today's meeting. He also wrote me a note, and then further decided to draw a diagram on the flipside that would be a moral compass that I could use. It was a simple circle divided into quarters, split into Thinking, Feeling, Intuition and Sensation, of which two quarters were categorised as Light and two were Dark, and the goal is to be right in the centre, balanced between light and darkness. He demonstrated the use of this compass by asking me which categories my reaction fell into, if he said he was going to pinch me. I responded that it invoked the sensation of pinch, and thinking about his proposed action, and this combination apparently falls into the light quarter. How interesting!While I usually have a habit of disagreeing with other people's philosophies (that's just how my own outlook treats other people's ideals), I found this particular interaction incredibly enlightening and not at all something that I naturally wanted to reject (though I had no intention of adopting it for myself). What started out as me being a solo cafe nerd turned into a very intellectual and meaningful conversation which was pretty cool!Here's some pictures of this wonderful camera:And here's the photo that started this all:The entire interaction spanned about an hour, and he was a thoroughly fascinating character, especially since no one these days carries all this anymore (as in, yes, you'll often find the odd cafe goer who will carry some of these, but not all of the following):

• Pen
• Mechanical pencil
• Unmarked ruler
• A book on psychic energy
• Leatherbound diary
• Notepad
• 60+ year old film camera with handmade leather strap
• Photos developed from film
• Used to carry a compass for drawing circles, but not anymore (ok so this last thing isn't something he physically had, but he mentioned it, so sure I'll note it here)

All throughout this, I was trying to profile him under a definition that I would be able to make sense of, but I think he will be his own unique person for now. His philosophy and genuine appreciation for the old fashioned meant that I didn't regard him as a hipster, but he wasn't so narrow-viewed that I'd class him as a hippie, either. He wasn't a snob or a coffee snob, he seemed to just be experiencing life as it is, in search of the discovery of himself. I think my last attempted mental classification of him was one of a "spiritual hipster" so I'll go with that for now.Hooray for serendipity!