Thursday 12 August 2021

Shopping

 I'll just begin with I get nothing out of the companies I'm about to plug and I paid for everything - they are just things I thought were good so am spreading the word...

During lockdown, there has been a bit of online shopping done here, a lot of which is to do with food....so the first few are specifically for Sydneysiders. I need to apologise as I've discovered I apparently only take photos of cocktails, not the actual food. Will try to do better in future...






1 Fat Noodle - this dinner box is $70 for two and we ate the first few courses for dinner one night and had the main and dessert for dinner the next. The course before the main was a rich seafood laksa so I can't guarantee this every time, but it's a generous and tasty offering by Luke Nguyen. You might want to throw in a couple of Coconut Martini's because they were delicious!


2. Long Chim's Curry Night - Again a lot of courses for the price, great for two. Otherwise, add some extra dishes for feed the family. Pick up only, so make sure it's in your 10 kms (or 5km/LGA depending on the rules). You park in the laneway and they pop it in your car. Thursdays to Saturdays only and they sell out due to timed pick up. We did it last Friday and doing it with the new menu this Friday as it was a real crowd pleaser.

3. Tea Cosy - They are delivering all over Sydney again (check your suburbs day) and the special flavours change all the time. We got Butterscotch scones with butterscotch cream this week as a special treat, after I saw another blogger's Insta pic of them!
Clearly, I'm not a food stylist.



4. Din Tai Fung - Fill up your freezer with frozen goodies. $50 off orders of $200 or $20 off orders of $100. We have been getting $200 a fortnight, and that does one banquet dinner, one normal dinner and one lunch of soups or noodles for 5 of us. Easy and a real crowd pleaser in this house.

5. Shout out to the Oxford Tavern who has been offering free feeds to Hospo workers who have lost their jobs since this whole thing began last year. Order lunch, dinner or drinks. They're canning some interesting cocktails now too. They also have a Vegan smokehouse platter every Thursday.






6. Lotus has 20% off, so as long as you can pick up at one of their restaurants then you can have a lovely meal at a discount, including drinks. I picked up from Madame Shanghai and could park right next to it. Very Covid safe set up on the terrace. The 20% applied to cocktails that made them great value.







7. Holy Duck - They currently have $1 dumplings (in little bags of 6) so you can bulk up a meal with them without blowing the budget (or in our case, get them for the vegetarians when we have the other dishes.)


In other shopping news:

1. Zero Co is now branching into Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Lotion and Deodorant. So more ways to reduce the plastic consumption in your life are on the way. (See previous post on Zero and other recycling options here).


2. This is an expensive luxury, but it is a mood lifter for me in the shower each morning. I got it online here, I'm not sure if it is sold elsewhere. The smell is strong and uplifting (and I think for me triggers memories of faraway places I've been lucky enough to visit.








3. TwoGood Sanitiser - both the gel and the alcohol rub are great. Two Good also works on a buy one, gift one model. So your purchase also sends one to a woman in need in a shelter. They also have great lunches in a jar. Well know chefs help design the ever changing menu.






4. Seeds and potting mix.  I'm not much of a gardener, but I found some old pots and decided to fill them. I am getting great joy watching the seeds sprout - as our Premier would say 'the green shoots'. It's a small thing, and with no purpose other than to bring me a little joy.

5. I've been buying these little books to try out authors. They are $2.50-$7, depending on where you buy them. They are also handy if you need to bulk up an order to get free postage. I have also been posting them to friends as a lockdown surprise,. as they posts as a more expensive letter. See titles here and then buy from your favourite bookseller. Penguin Black Classics, Faber Stories and Penguin Modern Classics.  

6. This is reverse shopping. I am trying to use up all my half used toiletries and keep coming across a pile of unused hotel soaps/ They are sealed in their original packaging, so I put them on the fence and they are always gone by the end of the day.  (Always sanitise before putting stuff out and picking it up).


I actually thought I'd have more in the general shopping, but apparently I'm not buying much otherwise. I'm just spending a small fortune of food once a week....


 







What have been your lockdown discoveries?


Linking with #MakroTex on a plate.


17 comments:

  1. We didn't eat out very much during the lock down, but we did change our diet some. Some of the food you posted here looks really, really good. You made my stomach growl.

    Have a fabulous day and weekend. ♥

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  2. I am a huge fan of asian food, especially Vietnamese and Japanese, I"m been looking at recipes of how to make chicken noodle soup, thinking of different things to put in it.

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  3. We've been following the Aussie lockdowns here in NZ. Here's hoping it all calms down soon. xxx Even the lockdown last year couldn't inspire me to get into cooking, btw

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  4. I see crabs. I miss eating crabs. Gardening keeps me occupied during the lockdown. I am waiting for the plant nursery to open to buy some seeds to sow.

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    1. Funny you should say that - there's a restaurant in Walsh Bay doing singapore cran meals (takeaway) - which I really want for the Mantou Buns and the sauce - instead of $320 it's only $200 (and would be enough food to split over our 6) but really the kids and vegetarians would just eat the fried rice so it's kind of too much to justify for fried rice...it's a pity. It's a good deal for about 6 courses.

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  5. You’ve definitely been eating well during lockdown. The food looks amazing. We did too much online shopping in the first lockdown but stopped it after that. We’re not able to get deliveries of meals as we live too far from the city. Your photos made me drool and wish we could phone up an order

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  6. Some great options here. I'm especially glad to hear The Tea Cosy are delivering again. Mum and Dad are in West Pennant Hills & I'd love to get them a care package.

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    1. The Annoyed Thyroid lured me in with her Butterscotch scones shot! MMMMMM!

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  7. Good on both counts - yummy food for you and supporting struggling small businesses! Those dumplings though - my tummy is rumbling -YUM!

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  8. These are all such great ideas Lydia, and I'm so thankful for your Zero information a while back, it's been great to use the stuff. I'm thinking about getting the new offer too. #lifethisweek

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  9. How wonderful Lydia. I live in regional Qld and we don't have many choices but I also live outside of town so basically have no delivery options. I'm not sure I'd return to city living for the food though it'd be nice to have some handier.

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  10. Oh so much deliciousness in one post! I'm pleased I could inspire you to get some scones because those butterscotch ones were delish. I am obsessed with The Tea Cosy scones as you know - definitely one of our lockdown highlights. One of our local cafes has a nice side hustle in take away cocktails and they make a mean Negroni! Other than that we're trying to get take out once a week from some of our local favourites - they really need our support!

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    1. Yes, it's def a matter of use it or lose it. My husband always says 'You won't save them by buying one drink' and I say 'well good thing I got 6!' (four over 18s in this house...not a raving alcoholic...)

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  11. Those meals look delicious. Glad you're enjoying so many nice things x

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  12. Well-done you on your support of local businesses and making a post from this. I love the idea of putting unused items outside too. I did get hungry looking at this but with my limited eating, I probably could only give the scones a go! Thank you for linking up for Life This Week. Next week, the optional prompt is Time. I hope to see you link up again. Warmest wishes, Denyse.

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  13. Some yummy looking food there - the crab looks delicious!

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  14. Delicious looking dishes. Crabs are tasty.

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