When Mr NQN and I moved back to the Eastern Suburbs from Mosman a few years ago, we moved right near to Centennial Park. People used to say to us “Oh that’s wonderful, you must use the park all the time” and we’d smile back and nod and murmur “Well sometimes…” not wanting to admit that despite our close proximity to the expansive green park, we rarely set foot in it. We’d drive past it thinking “We really should go for a walk in there” only to keep on driving. Cut to about four years later and we’re finally using it on an almost daily basis whether it be to work out or take walks.

It was my trainer Nina that put me onto The Park, the pop up restaurant that sits at the Paddington Gates at The Cottage. Open from Friday to Sunday midday to 10pm-ish fairy lights are strung from trees and a white picket fence borders white tables and chairs. There’s a bar and food provided and during weekend days it is abuzz with people and I think that the best time to go is on a sunny afternoon rather than on a cold evening. We’re arriving here on a Friday night, albeit this past very breezy, chilly Friday night and the crowds gather where the outdoor heaters are located. There is live music and bakes of hay, pumpkins and rustic country touches abound. The Park pop up is for another couple of weeks until June 2nd, 2013.

We start with drinks-I do a double take when I see giant jugs of cocktails for $95. There are two sized jugs and the giant jugs are big but $95 is quite a price. There is also Mumm French champagne for $95 a bottle, beer for $9 and other drinks. We go for a small jug of the Elyx English Godmother Pimms cocktail. It’s just after 6.30pm and we’re mid happy hour although there are no signs saying so and when we come to pay they tell us that our drinks are half price so canny Louise suggests that we order another jug, the next one is an Elyx Bloody Mary.

Elyx English Godmother $39 (or $20 during happy hour)

The English Godmother is pleasant and light, like a Pimms cocktail but doesn’t have the abundance of fruit and cucumber that you usually get with a Pimms cocktail. It’s also very much full of ice. You get about four glasses worth of drink in one of the small jugs and I’m glad that we hit happy hour because Mr NQN gristles at the quantity of ice for the price.

Elyx Bloody Mary $39 (or $20 during happy hour)

The bloody mary is also ice laden and has a little spice to it that helps to warm us up. I look at half-Finnish Mr NQN and Danish Viggo who are both shivering and Louise and I decide that it’s best that we get some food into the poor boys.

Thick cut chips with rosemary salt $6

Next to the bar is where you order and pay for the food. Nothing puts warmth in the belly quite like piping hot chips and arancini so we ordered those. The fat chips were excellent, crunchy on the outside and fluffy and soft on the inside. And incredibly warming too!

Arancini balls with fresh tomato sauce and parmesan $12

We also enjoyed the arancini which had a lightly crispy outer, cheesy risotto rice inside and a thick, rich tomato sauce and shavings of parmesan.

Pork and fennel snags with mashed potato, onion gravy and crispy eschallots $16

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It was the quickest of trips. I would be barely more than 24 hours on the Sunshine Coast where I was booked to speaking for half an hour. The rest of the time would be spent in transit or doing work and catching up with friends.

The view from the deck and the painting by Elizabeth Corfe that reflects this

And yet the view kept drawing my eyes like a hand had pulled my chin towards it. The view that I mean is the lush, green view of the hinterland and the views to Mount Coolum and Old Woman Island or Mudjimba. I was to speak at the at the Gourmet Garden International Food Bloggers Cook Off (Gourmet Garden’s farms are located on the Sunshine Coast) and my home for the 24 hours was Escape House an enormous three bedroom house with views as far as the eye can see.

I step through the wooden double doors and the property’s caretaker David greets me and shows me around. The kitchen on the left is a feature with induction stove and European appliances. The owner of Escapes is Brisbane’s dessert king Martin Duncan from Freestyle Tout. It is photo shoot ready with Caesarstone benchtop, an island, hidden double freezer and fridge. The music system plays throughout the whole house and can be adjusted for volume in each room, reverse cycle air conditioning and light dimmers to help set the mood.

The lounge room has a comfortable modular lounge, a colourful throw artfully tossed across the end and the whole building has a luxe, natural lodge feel to it from the  hide rug to the neutral cloth textures of the lounge and bean bags to the lamps made with branches or tree trunk pillars. The telescope is set up for maximum viewing and floor to ceiling windows open out onto a sizable wooden deck with barbecue.

Taken on a Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS lens, focal length 28 mm, ISO 100, 1/100s

The main bedroom is all view too and has a king sized bed (which is ridiculously comfortable-I slept like a baby). There is also a large bean bag and behind the bed is an enormous closet where a sarong hangs as well as bathrobes and yoga mats. Art work features prominently in the house and David proudly shows me his wife’s painting in the lounge room which is of the view from the house.

The bathroom, always the room that I am a little obsessed with, has a large egg shaped bath with a very handy wooden paddle across it to rest things on and there are also his and hers sinks. Toiletries are really soap, shampoo and towels, you will need to bring lotion, tissues and conditioner. Mirrored on the other side of the sinks are twin shower heads. Bath salts are kept in the cupboard behind the mirror and I make a mental date with the bath after dinner.

Third bedroom

The house keeps going and from the main bedroom and the third bedroom, is access to the plunge pool and pool lounges and there are also laundry facilities. I’d love to go for a little dip but work calls and I just look longingly at the water instead. The second bedroom is a mirror image of the main bedroom on the other side of the house which makes it ideal for three couples. I make myself a cup of tea-the pantry is helpfully stocked in the way that only a chef would with provisions of goose fat, jersey milk and eggs from their garden and a proper coffee machine. You can also pre order any supplies to be stocked in the fridge for your stay.

I do some work and before I know it, night falls and the image in the painting is mirrored by the lights below. There’s a knock at the door and the lovely Martin arrives and settles in and puts on the log fire and then shortly after my friend the delightful Maureen from Orgasmic Chef and her darling husband John arrive. I feel like I know her already because we’ve read each other’s blogs for years and even though we hadn’t met before, we settle in and chat like old friends.

After some wine we set off for dinner at Wild Rocket at Misty’s in Montville, a modern Australian restaurant set in Montville’s oldest commercial building built in 1910, formerly a “fancy goods and lolly shop.” U.K. born chef Peter Brettell and his wife Belinda run the restaurant. Maureen tells us that everything is made in house from the sausages to the jams and we’re seated inside although there is a nice outdoor terrace area too. Maureen’s friend Rani is also joining us.

Steamed Pork & Prawn Wontons Spicy Green Paw Paw Salad $16

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