Woogsworld

September 22, 2013

A Polarising Dish.

Growing up, there was one dish that my Mum used to make weekly that was greeted with rapturous applause. Being a single, working Mum with no time, this dish was trotted out frequently as it was cheap, fast and simple.

Even my sister Mrs Ryan, a vegetarian since the age of 6, could not resist it's fishy goodness.

Last night I made the dish for the boys, and it always goes down a treat. I took a photo and whacked it up on the Facebook page, and I was not at all prepared for the comments and divisional nature that it bought.

Tuna Mornay

Now the thing that I like about Tuna Mornay is that all the ingredients can be bought from the service station at 5pm on a Saturday Night when most people are planning elaborate dinners bought from organic markets that they have visited in the morning.

Clearly, I am not one of those people. I had taken my monkeys to the zoo and was not in the correct mindset to prepare anything fancy.

Looking at that photo, I kind of get the revulsion. I mean it is cheese sauce with a tin of tuna, a tin of corn and some rice. It is less about cooking and more about stirring.

Michelle Bridges would pitch a bitch fit if she was served this, I am sure. And I cannot even imagine what Pete Evans would do.

Tuna Mornay CAN BE FANCY! Click here for Julie Goodwin's version.

But there is something comforting about eating a dish that has such a deep family history ingrained. You stir the whole thing up like it is some sort of risotto, and a big squeeze of lemon and a shit load of black pepper and gobble it up in front of the news.

And to those who sneered at my carby, fishy, cheesy dinner.... OH FOR SHAME! *waggles finger*

Tuna Mornay.... Are you a fan?

What is your secret revolting but comforting childhood dish?

And do you have a mornay making tip?

September 20, 2013

Win My Favourite Dress from Sacha Drake.

Yesterday, Mum and I trotted off to Woollahra to meet Australian fashion designer Sacha Drake. For those who don't know, Woollahra is just about the fanciest part of Sydney with tree lined streets playing host to some very sweet shopping.

I confess I do get a bit nervous around fancy people. And all of the small dogs they cart about the place.

We were a bit early, so we did what you do when you are about to meet a designer, a PR and a stylist. I ate a big plate of garlicky pasta and washed it down with a cold glass of riesling.

Just because I wanted my food baby to really come along very nicely thank you very much....

We wandered into the fancy smells shop that is Jo Malone, and I bought some of those sticks that you whack into a jar of oil to stave off the house pong that has continued to torture me all week.

Watching Vivienne wrap the oil and sticks was pure poetry. Vivienne is a French lady, I would say mid 50's. Thin as a whippet in the way the French are, she had a cropped grey do and funky glasses. She was like a stunning caricature.

She got a box, filled it with crushed tissue paper and gently and considerately nestled my purchase in it.Then she closed the box before fussing a great deal with a ribbon.

THEN, she got a bag and filled it with crushed tissue paper. Viv selected a scent from under the counter and gave the tissue paper a generous dousing of sweet pong. THEN she put the box in the bag. THEN she fussed with more ribbon, all the time telling me about the importance of details.

The whole process took about 15 minutes and I was completely mesmerised and quite beside myself with glee!

It was time to go and meet Sacha and her team.

"I use my talent to make women happy. I like to design clothes that boost women's confidence. This is my contribution to the world!"

I must admit I did feel a little intimidated, but those feelings quickly left as I found myself being draped and fussed over by the woman who knows bodies.... REAL BODIES with lumps and bumps and all sorts of challenges.

I was told that I was an hourglass shape, which was nice as I had always considered myself more of a block of flats.

The session was overseen by Josh Flinn Style Guru, who would clap his hands or give a very slight shake of the head when I would appear in yet another dress. It was hilarious and everyone, EVERYONE needs a Josh when they go shopping. He even told me that I needed new bras and pointed me in the right direction.

I have a very fancy pants wedding to go to on the horizon, and so we came up with this as the solution to the BLACK TIE FASHION NIGHTMARE that was the dress-code required.

This is called the Grecian Maxi Dress and it suits all body shapes. When Sacha pulled it out, I was all like... "In your dreams woman..." but the magic dress was just that... Magic.

I am a size 17, which is SO HANDY.... but I have come to the point in my life that I have accepted that I am what I am and will no longer accept clothes like THIS as a fashion choice for anyone over a size 14.

If you have a fancy event coming up, I urge you to click through here to find out all the different ways you can wear it.

OR YOU CAN WIN ONE HERE!

Answer this question in the comments section.

Where are you at with regards to accepting your body shape and rocking what you have got?

It is as simple as that.

The winner will be selected and announced on Friday 27th. I am going to get Josh to choose the winner. I haven't told him yet, but that is how it is going to go down.