Wear Your Favourite Pearl Necklace to 1907

Pearls are the epitome of haute couture and timeless elegance. One of my all-time dressed-to-seduce outfits is the quintessential little black dress, fishnet stockings, killer heels and a strand of milky white pearls thrown around my neck. A splash of red lipstick and you are guaranteed a very pleasurable evening.

Pearls have long been associated with sensuality. Google “pearl necklace” and you would be amazed at the exhaustive list of inventive ways pearls are used to enhance sexual arousal and take play time to a whole new level.

I was looking for a restaurant to go with my sexy hunk and don my pearl-inspired get-up to see if I could strike it lucky. But let’s face it, there aren’t too many glamorous Perth eateries to wear your favourite jewels to.

After spending the last eight years in Canada, I can’t tell you how many times I have shed a tear for the lack of truly elegant, Hollywood chic restaurants in this town. Don’t get me wrong, I love Perth but it has yet to raise the bar to the level of cities like New York, Montreal, Paris and Rome….until now..

Tucked away in alley off Queen Street is a treasure that made me feel like we had discovered the royal crown. Think old world 1920’s glamour with a contemporary twist and you have entered 1907. From hand-made chandeliers, to luxurious chairs and booths, mosaic bathrooms, renowned American photographer Murray Garrett’s beautiful black and white photographs adorning the walls, coupled with a massive Italian stallion to greet you on arrival, 1907 is a truly spectacular restaurant.

Not surprising 1907 enlisted the assistance of leading designer, Gabbi McAullay to travel the world to source artisan tradesmen and suppliers to transform this 100 year old rag trade factory into a truly stunning dining room that rivals any in New York, Milan or Paris.

The menu was equally as timeless. For entreé we shared the roast quail breast and braised leg with corn pureé pancetta & quince sandwich and the duck foie gras gateau with fig vincotto glaze, caramelized hazelnuts and pickled walnuts. The flavour and textures of both dishes equalled their visual chef d’oeuvre. The creaminess of the foie gras against the sweetness of the fig vincotto glaze and the nutty flavour and crunchy texture of the nuts sent me into palate overload and left me begging for more. I am still tasting it in my mouth one week later.

For mains, my dude who reeks of cool ordered the roasted rack of organic lamb, lamb shank ragout caramelized shallots, red mustard mash and bread sauce while I had the rack of rabbit, braised leg, pan fried rabbit and pistachio sausage with sauce Jacqueline and baby vegetables. The lamb was the star of the mains and was cooked to pink perfection. My rabbit was delicious but overpowered in flavour by the rabbit sausage which was

intense but subdued by the carrot pureé in the Jacqueline sauce.

Dessert was a side show to the entrée and main dishes. We had the 1907 Chocolate plate of cold bitter chocolate and cherry fondant with white chocolate ice cream and nougat. It was nothing to write home about after the tough acts it followed.

Food presentation at 1907 is breathtaking, flavours are immortal but portion sizes and the price of dishes really leaves a bitter aftertaste to the overall experience. Service was also mediocre and slow. The ambiance however is timelessly elegant and chic. This is a great place for a really special dinner to get in the mood for love – as long as you don’t mind leaving hungry and with a huge dent in your wallet.

I for one loved the fact that I got the chance to really dress up and wear my favourite pearl necklace. My man loved it too.

Passion Rating:★★★★★

Food:★★★★
Service:★★
Ambiance:★★★★★
Overall:★★★★

Get in touch with nature at The Byrneleigh Hotel

It is deliciously risqué to going skinny dipping with your beloved. I don’t know about you but the feeling of jumping into the water completely naked gives me an adrenalin rush and makes me feel like a bit of a rebel. There’s something so invigorating about being completely naked and at one with nature.

That's kind of how I felt when I walked into The Byrneleigh Hotel in Nedlands. The décor is a sleek throwback to the seventies with high, wooden cathedral ceilings, loads of windows and forested wallpaper. Bathed in natural light, the glistening juxtaposition of cherry wood- coloured floors and ceilings against the leafy green “faux” forest made me feel as if I was entering a funky tree-house decked out with a retro twist. Tables are separated by strategically placed dividing walls made up entirely of pot plants that almost reach the ceiling. It was almost as if I was standing in a forest clearing.

I went to the Byrneleigh for dinner with a quirky English friend of mine with a wicked sense of humour to talk about how to spice up her sex life. I was hoping the location would inspire her to get in touch with her essence.

We decided to go straight for mains despite a very tempting “Grazing” starter menu of nibbles such as butternut pumpkin and fetta arancini or the crispy fried pork pieces with sticky chilli BBQ sauce. We could not go past the Dirty Granny cider-braised pork belly with apple and saffron confit, brown butter and almond broccoli or the porcini linguini with wild mushroom, truffle white wine creme and swiss chard.

The pork belly was swathed in a golden glow and perfectly cooked. Crispy on the outside and buttery on the inside the flesh was tender and melted in our mouths. The taste of the apple and saffron confit provided a tart contrast to the salty meat. The accompanying broccoli was a flavourless and withering accompaniment to the dish. The porcini linguini was flavoursome but would have been taken to greater heights had the pasta been home-made. It too was lacking in star-power despite it’s good looking entrance. What was impressive was the presentation of these dishes on a black, rectangular terracotta tablet. It really enhanced our feeling of being on an outdoor adventure and gave a feeling of eating our meals on a wooden plank. We loved it.

Dessert won the prize for the evening. We shared a gooey chocolate brownie with double chocolate ice-cream and candy orange and jaffas. A simple, whimsical and creative dish that made us giggle with guilty pleasure.

Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at The Byrneleigh. It wasn’t the best tasting meal, nor was the service particularly memorable but the stunning setting, the creative flair in the menu and the element of fantasy in the dining experience made it a fun evening. Most importantly my saucy British girlfriend was inspired to get back into nature and get busy in new ways.

Passion Rating:★★★★★

Food:★★★☆☆

Service:★★☆☆☆

Ambiance:★★★★★

Overall:★★★☆☆

If you don’t feel like going for dinner, The Byrneleigh is a great setting for it’s version of High Tea – a Garden Tea. It’s on Saturdays and Sundays and is the perfect setting for a gaggle of girly-girls to gossip and reconnect over bubbles and decadent petite treats. Take a look at the menu:

- Scones with chef’s raspberry chilli jam & cream- Caramel slice- Lemon meringue- Pumpkin scroll puff pastry- Baby bagels with cream cheese, chive & smoked salmon- Baby bagels with caramelised fig & brie- Baby bagels open faced chicken caesar- Baby bagels with roast beef, horseradish cream & roquette- Selection of Twinings tea

Leave Your Heels on in Brisbane

If you asked most men what one of their top three sexual fantasies is after threesomes and doing it in exotic locations, they’d tell you that they dig a chick wearing sexy outfits and who leaves her heels on during sex. High heels have actually been shown to improve a women’s sex life as well. High heels make you look taller, force your back to arch, push your bosom forward and accentuate the buttocks. Looking at the studies that have actually been conducted regarding the benefits to men who indulge in making these daydreams a reality what you find out is that they are able to reach orgasm more quickly. I’m not sure whether that’s a good or a bad thing.

Brisbane is not well known in the culinary circles as a fantasy land for fabulous food. If anything when I told people that I was about to spend a few days there, I was offered condolences and told to pack my uggboots. With a reputation as Australia’s feral capital city with little to offer I was determined to have a mind-blowing gastronomic experience that would challenge all the sceptics.

I enlisted the support of a gaggle of gorgeous single friends to come with me on my adventure. First stop – Euro Brasserie for a pre-dinner drink, followed by dinner at E’cco. The Euro is a chic European inspired brasserie that reeks of cool. With a laser cut metal entrance screen inset with green and pink glass, you feel as if you are walking through a portal to another land bathed in a cosmic orange glow. We were served by a really slick bar chic who just happened to have made Brisbane her home after jetting in from her home town of Bermuda to follow a hot local dude she had met. It is amazing how far we are prepared to go for love! She served us a Dirty Martini and Manhattan to die for. Not surprising The Euro has just nabbed the top award for Brisbane’s best drinking hole.

With our heads still buzzing from our potent cocktails, our gaggle headed off to dinner at E’cco. E’cco has quite an illustrious history been owned and operated by Philip Johnsen, a kiwi born food glitterati who has been reknowned as one of Australia’s most lauded foodie imports. This prized locale has won the Remy Martin Cognac/Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant of the Year award. We couldn’t wait to find out whether it would actually deliver. Housed in a century old former tea warehouse on the fringe of Brisbane’s central business district, E’cco has a bold and bright look with plenty of glass, salsa-red and aubergine-purple walls, polished Masonite floor, plain wood tables and chairs.

The menu was so impressive we decided to order a selection of dishes and share them. For entrées, we ordered duck liver parfait, beetroot jam, duck prosciutto,frisée & candied walnuts; seared scallops, celeriac purée, chorizo, apple, shaved fennel & saffron dressing and grilled quail, roast pear, parsnip, rocket & green peppercorn sauce. The dishes were all sublime. My favourite was the rich and creamy duck liver parfait. Spread on house-made tartines, the parfait melted in my mouth and was perfectly complemented by the sweetness of the beetroot jam and the crunch of the toasted walnuts. By far the best duck liver parfait I have ever had in Australia.

For mains we shared a selection of moroccan-spiced lamb rump, carrot purée, cavolo nero, persian fetta & olives; grain-fed angus beef, brussels sprouts, bacon, king brown mushrooms & mustard cream and a luxurious dish of fennel & chilli spiced pork belly, caramelised apple purée & pomegranate jus. The sheer flavours of these dishes sent us all into an erotic tail-spin and we all closed our eyes to fully savour the sensory overload.

For dessert, our palate was brought to a heady climax as we devoured a perfect pear tarte tatin, pecan crumble, honey & thyme ice cream and sticky date pudding, butterscotch sauce &

ginger custard.

After such an awe inspiring food experience one thing is for sure, Brisbane’s food scene has gone through a major evolution. I am hard pressed to fault the quality of the food we experienced, the stellar service and the super stylish ambience of Brisbane’s bars and eateries. Leave your ugg boots at home, in Brisbane it’s all about glamming it up and keeping your heels on for a great night out!

Passion Rating★★★★★
Food:★★★★★
Service:★★★★★
Ambiance:★★★★★
Overall:★★★★★

Let Your Imagination Run Wild at Kitsch

“Art is the sex of the imagination” – George John Nathan

Sexual fantasies are the secret to spicing up years of sex with your beloved. The art of making your fantasies come true lies in the power of your imagination.

It amazes me how little adults use their imaginations. It’s a well known fact that we lose the ability to fully enjoy life and the simple things because we lose our imagination as we get older. Yet without fantasies and imagination, sex has the potential to be dull, repetitive and boring. It’s a psychological reality that while feelings give depth to your love for someone, fantasies add a fun, inventive edge to your relationship and can get you in the mood for a wild night of passion.

I went to Kitsch for a post movie snack with a real-life dream date to get inspired. We were crazy for Kitsch’s kooky menu and ordered a smattering of dishes. Crunchy sesame prawn toasts with lemon and ponzu sauce and citrusy spiced green papaya salad with peanuts, cherry tomatoes and sweet, salty pork ribs got us going for starters. For something heartier we laid into some braised Angus beef with black vinegar and hot sour salad. Food at Kitsch is best washed down one of their spectacular cocktails. I had the Red Rickshaw – Absolut raspberry, vanilla, peach liqueur, cranberry and fresh lime. My delicious date had the Cuba Libre with Mount Gay Rum, fresh lime and cola.

Food at Kitsch is groovy and delicious. Service is fast and friendly, and the ambience nothing short of whimsical. We got caught up in the romance of the fairy lights twinkling in the trees and decided to hurry home and let the goose feathers fly in a naked, post-snack pillow fight for two. Get in touch with your fantasies and let your imagination run wild here, it's that kind of place!

Passion Rating★★★★★
Food:★★★★☆
Service:★★★★★
Ambiance:★★★★★
Overall:★★★★☆

If you are looking for other quick, hot munchies, head over to 5 Bar on Beaufort St.Five Bar in Mount Lawley. Five Bar has replaced the old snooker hall and has been converted into a groovy, chic after hours wine bar complete with crystal chandaliers, French provincial reproduction wing-back chairs, leather ottomans and a fabulous modern Australian tapas menu. We’ve been there before and tried the duck rillettes with the cranberry orange compote, the marinated olives and watermelon salad. Tasty, simple fare and great with a Little Creature’s Pipsqueak Cider.55FiuFiveRight next door is Clarences, another Mount Lawley snack spot with tasty nibbles. This place oozes glamour and has a more sassy, sexy feel. Go there and find a little nook to hide out and have a quiet snog whilst sipping a local brew.

Turn It On At Divido

Tradesmen top the list as the ideal mate for most women. In a recent survey being with a handyman who knows how to use his tools is at the top of the most desired partner list ahead of professionals like lawyers, accountants and engineers. I’ve got to say I have always wanted to meet a guy who is my Mr Fix-It. Just think of all the benefits about someone who is great with his hands.

I went to Divido with a buff electrician friend of mine. Given my belief that a man’s brain is his sexiest organ, I was particularly interested to explore the stats about electricians supposedly being the brightest sparks of all tradespeople. Staring across at a 6"3' dark haired, tanned Adonis with green eyes also added to the intrigue and I was excited to put these theories to the test.

Divido is an award winning restaurant serving modern Italian fare. It’s claim to fame is also its co-owner and executive chef Jason Jujnovich who knows his way around fine food having worked with the likes of Gordon Ramsay and spent time in the famed kitchen of London's River Cafe. Eclectically decorated with chocolate leather banquettes, delicate bamboo prints and exposed light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, the latte and velvety, hot chocolate coloured walls create a feeling of warmth and an intimate ambience.

For starters we shared a plate of wood roasted figs with Yarra Valley goats cheese and quinoa salad and a plate of home-made rigatoncini with Amelia Park lamb, sofrito, white wine and truffle pecorino. The figs were gorgeous. Plump, sanguine and pouty they arrived warm and oozing with creamy goats cheese. Every bite exploded in our mouths and filled us with a fluffy pillow of curd. The warm, roasted figs were sweet and syrupy – the perfect contrast against the tartness of the cheese and the crunchiness of the quinoa.

Quinoa is a wonder grain. It is pure protein and has been revered as sacred since the time of the Incas. Quinoa was even used to sustain Incan armies, which frequently marched for many days eating a mixture of quinoa and fat, known as "war balls." I don’t know that my date’s balls became any more rock solid after eating it but his lamb pasta was positively more-ish.

For mains we opted to get carnivorous and shared in the pork belly with potato frico, savoy cabbage and vinsanto apples. We also ordered the Amelia Park beef fillet with eggplant funghetto and cannellini bean puree. A sexy thought crossed my mind about my hot electrician – I wonder if he dives into other carnal pleasures with a similar vigour and intensity? The pork belly was divinely crisp and looked like a picture on the plate surrounded by the more delicate melon balled apples. The beef was robust and gave a heady edge to our otherwise subtle plates.

For dessert we could not go past tasting the famous chocolate nemesis with frangelico ice-cream. Decadent and rich this is a chocolate lover’s orgasm. The hint of hazelnut in the ice-cream provided a welcome reprieve from an otherwise overly indulgent offering. We closed our eyes and made the sensation last as long as we could.

The food at Divido is an absolute turn on. Even the exposed light bulbs could not distract us from being completely mesmerized by the flavours, textures and tastes of this spectacular dining experience. Jason Jujnovich has mastered the tricks of his trade to create a taste extravaganza.

The mind-blowing food, romantic setting and attentive service left me wanting more, not to mention my date who knew how to use his mad skills to light my spark. There’s some truth to the rumours.

Passion Rating★★★★★
Food:★★★★★
Service:★★★★★
Ambiance:★★★★★
Overall:★★★★★

Dare to Dream at The Loose Box

As high as I reach can I grow, as far as I seek I can go, as deep as I look I can see, as much as I dream...

Finding a special person with whom you truly connect at the deepest parts of yourself is a gift. For me, these special connections have been few and far between but what I have learned is how important it is to cherish them. We are all searching for meaning in our lives and above all, to be seen, understood and loved for who we are. I believe that creating the meaning in our lives is not just about what happens to us, it is also about what we do with happens to us and having the right people to walk beside us on our life journey is essential to our happiness.

Viktor Frankl, famed psychotherapist and a holocaust survivor talks about the fact that meaning in life cannot be invented but must be discovered. Frankl said that among all living things, only we humans can envision our futures and play out mental scenarios of how we will make our visions a reality.

One restauranteur who has made his dreams a reality is Alain Fabrègues of the Loose Box Restaurant in Mundaring. I was taken there by a special man in my life to experience the culinary mastery of a visionary who really has revolutionised Perth dining. The restaurant is situated in the heart of Mundaring. As you drive in you can’t help feeling as if you are visiting a little cottage somewhere in the south of France. This is a place you want to linger and stay a while.

We settled in for the night and went for the whole enchilada that Loose Box is famous for – a seven course degustation dinner complete with fabulous wine, mood lighting and deep conversation. We are the same like that, all or nothing type people who like to live life on full throttle. We kind of felt connected to the restaurant’s owner Alain, who was so hell bent on getting a special oven for his kitchen that he hired a chopper to lower it in through the hole he had cut out of his roof.. you gotta love it!

You can’t kick off an evening like this without a glass of bubbly – in true French style we ordered some fabulous champagne with a splash of Kir. Our first course was a Coconut and Prawn Broth served with freshly shelled prawns, balmain bugs, kaffir lime leaf and rozelle spice. Subtle and delicious the flavour of the lime leaf and coriander tickled our senses. I got the low-down from my lovely companion who is a keen fish guy on the best way to prepare seafood and how he thought Alain had gotten the sweetness out of the bug flesh. And yes he cooks too! For our second course we had Tian de Crabes Bleus - blue swimmer crab set as a montage with tomato, Toodyay olives and iceberg lettuce served with a light green vegetable sauce. Fresh and light this dish provided cool relief from our starter broth.

For our next courses we had Le Saumon de Tasmanie d'eau Profonde et La Saint Jacques de Shark Bay aux Aromates-Tasmanian salmon and Shark Bay scallops, braised with aromatic herbs and served with a beurre blanc on wilted spinach and Escargots à La Bordelaise en Pâte de Brick sur Ratatouille Tomates aux Chilies - snail fritter served golden on a warm ratatouille stack with a tomato and chilli sauce.

Funnily enough I thought I would feel full at this point but actually I was perfectly satiated and welcomed the strawberry and cointreau sorbet they served us to cleanse our palates in between courses.

Dessert was beautiful - le Cygne Majestueux en Voyage sur son Lac de Framboises – a majestic swan, made from home made vanilla bean ice cream and fine tuille biscuit. Served on a "lake" of raspberry sauce. The perfect dish to complete an unforgettable dining experience.

We were put on this earth to love and celebrate all the wonderful things this life has to offer. Alain Fabrègues has shared with us his love for food and passion for all things French at his restaurant. My experience dining at The Loose Box was surreal and languorous, time felt like it stood still and the world around me became a distant blur. It is a place of dreams.

If you haven’t been yet... share The Loose Box experience with someone very special who enhances your life just by being part of yours.

Passion Rating ★★★★★
Food:★★★★★
Service:★★★☆☆
Ambiance:★★★★★
Overall:★★★★☆

“Love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire.” Frankl – Man’s Search for Meaning.

Sex, Stars and Soap in Sydney

I love Sydney. It’s the city most like New York in Australia. Spend a week-end here and you will understand why it is right up there with some of the world’s best city-break destinations. Throw in a splash of hunk and you have all the ingredients for the perfect week-end love fest.

I hit the Sydney streets with my sexy blonde friend from Victoria. We hadn’t seen each in a while and were excited to reconnect. What I like about my friend is that he blows away any stereotypes that I ever had of naval officers as mere meat and potatoes guys. He is the most gastronomically adventurous Australian I have ever met. He will eat just about anything. We hooked up for breakfast at a swanky little café at the Museum of Sydney (www.moscafe.com.au).

MoS Café is positioned in the heart of the financial district and captures Sydney’s historical past being located on the site of first Government House. MoS Café has a sandstone, marble and glass interior that spills out onto a wide, open forecourt, making it a perfect outdoor breakfast venue. We sat in the glorious, summer sunshine. I was ravenous and dove into a plate of poached free-range eggs with dark sour-dough and home-made Boston baked beans. Blondie tucked into an ample serving of the most scrumptious eggs Benedict with honey-glazed back bacon. Coffee at MoS was fabulous as was the signature freshly squeezed orange juice. This café has a lively vibe, is sleek, sassy and great for people watching.

After an afternoon touring around the harbour Blondie surprised me by inviting me to a contemporary dance show called Soap at the Sydney Opera House. Before the show we wet our whistles at The Opera Bar (www.operabar.com.au), an über chic watering hole frequented by Sydney’s best looking bar stars including us. The location is stupendous, nestled under the Opera House with in-your-face views of the harbour and bridge. We opted for a quieter spot on a bench nearby and sipped on our cocktails while enjoying the million dollar view.

Soap could best be described as bath-time circus - a bit of everything from dance to acrobatics to opera - all inside the bathroom. Blondie really knows how to please me. This show got us feeling sexy with a splash-filled spectacle of svelte dancers, erotic dance moves and crazy tub-filled athleticism. Watching all those soap suds really worked up our appetites. I don’t know why but my mind kept drifting to visions of Blondie lathering up before taking a hot shower. He has that effect on me.

For dinner we walked along circular quay and were hard pressed to make a decision on where to eat amidst the multitude of spectacular-looking wharf-side eateries. We settled on The East (www.theeast.com.au), a traditional Cantonese style restaurant right on the edge of the water. Inspired by age old recipes and cooking techniques, we ordered a kangaroo with XO chilli sauce, braised lamb with shallots and magic prawns with ginger and mixed vegetables. Food at The East was fresh and delicious. The servings were huge to match the prices. Service at The East was very friendly and the location unparalleled which more than made up for the size of our bill.

Just when I thought my day could not get any better, Blondie cooked up the perfect finale - Opera in the Park. We met up with a couple of his friends at Francesca Zambello's celebrated production of Carmen. Described as a vivid evocation of dust, heat and danger under the wide Spanish skies, we enjoyed sitting on our blanket under a star-spangled sky watching the colours and costumes and listening to the gypsy songs being sung in the language of love.

A week-end in Sydney was a great way to kick back and enjoy so many of the pleasures that life has to offer..getting naked and letting the soap suds fly would make it even better. I’ll be back for sure...