Checking in and Max Brenner hot chocolates, Sydney

We did the overnight flight from Tokyo to Sydney.  But it was a big day of travel .. we left Hirafu at 9am for a 2.5 hour drive to Chitose airport (I wanted to be there with plenty of time for looking at all the amazing Hokkaido products on offer).  We then flew into Tokyo Haneda, the domestic airport.  We had to get our bags and then lug them on a 2 hour bus trip across town to Narita, the international airport.  Luckily we found some Takoyaki whilst there to get us through .. as it wasn't until 9pm that evening we boarded our flight bound for Sydney. We managed to get a bit of shut-eye, and woke to see the most amazing sunrise over Northern Queensland from our little bitty window.



 We arrived at 8am and jump a Taxi straight to the new Hilton on George St.  We both just needed a shower and a freshen up.  Unfortunately, our room wasn't yet ready.  Grrr.  We didn't really want to head to the gym for a shower so just wandered for a while.  Kim suggested a hot chocolate from Max Brenner's.  Sweet idea!  We tried to cut through the David Jones food hall but there's so much construction going on with the new Westfield we couldn't get through ...  We go the long way.  And, ta da.



Kim has a comforting hug mug filled with delicious Mexican hot chocolate.  A nice little bit of spice, and lots of cinnamon.



I try the white chocolate chai.  A tall, empty glass arrives, and a rather odd plastic contraption sits to the side.  The guy asks if I know what to do or if I've ever had it before.  Eh, no and no.  



He demonstrated by resting the contraption over the glass.  This then pushes down and allows a flow of liquid to cascade out, while keeping all the bits up top to infuse.  Pretty clever.  There were good chai flavors, but once I was half way through I found the white chocolate a little to sickly sweet.  



It was nice just to sit down and people watch for a while ...  but now back to checking in and that freshen up.

Max Brenner, Sydney CBD
Lower Ground Floor, David Jones
Elizabeth Street NSW 2000
T +61 2 9283 1802

Mon, Tues, Wed & Fri: 9:30am - 5:30pm
Thurs: 9:30am - 8:30pm
Sat: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Sun: 10:00am - 5:30pm

Blue Diamond, Chiang Mai

I don't know if I pity those who have never had or wanted to expand their repertoire of food tried, or envy them. If you've never tried anything else you can't miss it, as is the case this morning. We woke up and both were craving a good Sydney style healthy breakfast, not an easy thing to achieve in the middle of northern Thailand

Rumors were that a place called Blue Diamond was not only serving a good breakie but an organic one at that, deciding to give it a shot it was "hi ho scooter away". One mind fraying ride and a few missed turns later we arrived, you'll have to excuse the lack of exterior photos but it was pissing down so we didn't hang around but just got straight to business.

One muesli with fresh fruit and yogurt, a carrot, beetroot, orange and ginger juice to start please. Juice was carrot creamy and zingy with ginger a good balance and we were off to a good start. The cereal was a generous serve of fresh tropical fruit, pineapple, papaya, dragon fruit (all beauty, no flavour but it's good for you right?) and watermelon topped with a tart yogurt and the muesli. Mmm good, and gone to fast!



Since these days our waking time tends to be a little on the late-ish side we then followed up with a salad off the lunch menu as well as a seven grain bagel. The salad was full with great raw veg (though the avo was a little speckled but still yum!), two types of tomato's, carrot, cucumber, lettuce and a hard boiled egg, served with a raw mayonnaise and a garlic dressing.



We finished off with a chai full of spice and surprisingly good since I'm not so much of a soy fan, and a chocolate brownie .. nicely chewy, all of this definitely putting our other worldly cravings on the back burner for a while.



I have decided I don't feel either envy or pity, but lucky I have experienced so much and lucky there's places like Blue Diamond to remind me.

Blue Diamond, Moonmuang, Soi 9

(not too easy to find, check your Nancy Chandler)
Near the Sriphum Moat
Chiang Mai