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It was bucketing down with rain as we drove out of Auckland. I was in New Zealand to cover the Auckland Art Fair, and lucky to have found myself in some pretty unbelievable scenarios over the course of the trip (including my first-ever meeting of a Sir at an art-filled estate, but I’ll save that story for another day).

Miraculously, the clouds parted just as we pulled into Gibbs Farm. Part Jurassic Park, part Westworld, part am-I-still-on-planet-Earth, entry to the private sculpture park caused such a collective jaw drop I’m surprised the car didn’t tip over. 

This week we say ‘arigatou gozaimasu!’ to Meg and Zenta Tanaka of CIBI, the Japanese-inspired cafe and concept store, who have nurtured our minds and tums with their simple, nutritious fare. With a core philosophy of ‘head, hands, heart’, these recipes taken from their recently released cookbook allow you to recreate a bit of CIBI magic, wherever you are!

Be sure to take a look at the other recipes from this series: the famous CIBI soba salad; a gluten-free, vegetarian cabbage and corn okonomi-yaki; and a hearty winter miso gratin with cauliflower and mushrooms. For this final recipe, Meg shares a baked salmon dish she used to help her mother prepare when she was little.

Okonomi-yaki is derived from two Japanese words that literally translate to ‘grilled as you like it’. And we have a feeling you’re really going to like this take on this classic Japanese dish. Gluten-free and vegetarian, this savory pancake recipe is lighter than most, with grated cabbage and plenty of corn fried up to crunchy perfection.

Following on from last week’s miso gratin with cauliflower, tofu and mushrooms and before that, CIBI’s famous soba salad, this is the third part in our winter series with the beloved Collingwood cafe/concept store.  The recipes featured come from their recently released cookbook, which pretty much reveals ALL their tastiest secrets!

Jenny Rose-Innes is a ‘serial renovator and garden maker’. She’s been building houses and gardens for over 40 years.

Her latest creation in the Southern Highland town of Bowral is a testament to her many years of experience and vast gardening know-how. It’s full and voluptuous, and only four years old!

You might have noticed, if you follow us on Instagram, that I (Lucy!) recently spent a blissful weekend away on the East Coast of Tasmania, in Freycinet National Park.

I was incredibly lucky to stay at the Coastal Pavilions, Freycinet Lodge – a brand new development of nine architecturally designed private pavilions on the water’s edge, set amongst impossibly beautiful natural surroundings.

Today, I’m sharing a little tour of this very special new accommodation offering in the Apple Isle!

There’s no more denying we’re well and truly into winter on this side of the equator. With colder temperatures comes the temptation for something warm + more-ish, preferably with some sort of cheese involved.

This winter miso gratin from Meg and Zenta Tanaka, the team behind CIBI, hits the mark – and YES, has a cheese element. Their new cookbook, CIBI, is packed with nutritious Japanese-inspired dishes that have filled the tummies and hearts of customers to their Collingwood cafe for the past 10 years.

CIBI is one of those spaces that make a neighbourhood. Much more than just a cafe, CIBI is a meeting place for the community. Tucked away in a quiet backstreet of Collingwood, the loyal cast of regulars working and living in the surrounding streets have been coming to CIBI since 2008 for its humble, nurturing Japanese food in a space that cares for its community and fosters relationships.

With a core philosophy of ‘head, hands, heart’, founders Meg and Zenta Tanaka’s entire ethos is based around making the little, everyday things beautiful.

In their 10th year of operation, they have finally released a long-wished-for cookbook for people to recreate signature CIBI dishes in their own homes. We’re lucky enough to have them with us for the next month to share some of their simple, Japanese-inspired meals.

Most people (us included) leave Wilsons Prom exclaiming that they just can’t believe it’s in Victoria – the landscapes are THAT incredible!

Even if you’ve visited the spectacularly scenic national park before, you may have unknowingly missed out on all the charms of a little township known affectionately as ‘The Turning Point’ en route.

Meeniyan local, stylist and interior designer Andrea Moore has made sure we won’t ever do this again, with her guide to her hometown and surrounds, a two-hour drive south-east of Melbourne.

Are we reaching peak collaboration? Possibly. But stick with us – this one has us genuinely intrigued.

The Collectionist Hotel is a new hotel in Sydney, in which four Australian design studios have come together to create a unique hotel experience, where no two rooms are the same.

Any Australian worth their Vegemite on toast knows that part of our national identity is staunchly defending our right to ownership of the humble pavlova. Who would have thought that a sweet treat could cause a long-standing rivalry between our closest neighbours?!

With its chewy, nutty texture and unexpected hint of coffee, this version takes the classic Aussie pav into new territory. Whether you’re on team Australia or team New Zealand, if there’s one thing we can all agree upon, it’s that nothing pleases a crowd quite like a great pavlova.