One of the RBA Bulletin article looks at the question of why utility prices have been increasing so quickly and includes some very interesting charts (see below and the capital stock chart in particular): “Large increases in the prices of utilities have been a notable feature of consumer price inflation in Australia in recent years, […]

The crazy day is over and you just want to relax, watch the Boxing Day test, hang at the beach or go to the park with the kids riding their new bikes. The last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen, and as very few shops are open you need something […]

I am a pretty traditional Christmas day foodie. As a kid, all I cared about was getting the turkey leg, whether I’d find money in the pudding and grabbing a spoon of hard sauce every time I passed the freezer in the weeks leading up to the big day (we made about four times what […]

Christmas is the time to catch up on close friends and family – the perfect occasion for an intimate dinner party. Make a date to do this before festive work functions and family commitments take over. It doesn’t have to be elaborate! Just simple fresh food. It’s all about being around those you love and […]

In the National Accounts today, the ABS has made some very large upward revisions to household incomes. Household disposable income growth has accelerated to 6.4 per cent year-on-year – it was 1.9 per cent year-on-year previously – and real household disposable income growth has accelerated by two per cent year-on-year to 4.3 per cent year-on-year […]

As I have said in the past, the key to any entertaining is the organisation. Sit down and write lists! For example: What to eat. Then make shopping lists and ‘to do’ lists. Pick food that can be mostly prepared the days before and put together on the night. What to drink. I strongly suggest […]

For me mangos spell decadence! I don’t know if it’s the colour, flavour or texture, or simply they are pretty expensive. Except for those few wonderful weeks where you can buy a tray of them for around $29, and that window of opportunity is fast approaching! It’s the taste of summer. That’s the time to […]

In the Sunday papers last weekend, Body and Soul reporter Aoife McGee wrote about her week without processed food. For me, the concept is easy but for Joe-and-Jane average, it’s a really hard thing. On the whole, our cooking skills aren’t what our parents’ were and we are used to having things now so the […]

Last night I went to the most fabulous little new bar in my neighbourhood (in fact, it was my second visit in a week). Having lived in Melbourne for years and enjoyed its small bar culture, I am so glad the Sydney licensing people have seen the light. ‘10 William St’ is the small third […]

The Melbourne Cup is an amazing event – it’s fun, it’s glamorous and the whole country gets involved. The sense of party is infectious and it is apparent not only at the track but around the nation. I love the way everyone wants to dress up, put on a hat, have a few bets, sip […]

If having your friends to dinner isn’t stressful enough, imagine what it’s like to invite your colleagues, maybe your boss and some major clients. Don’t get stressed – get planning. It is the key to all entertaining. Just like you would at work, make lists! Grab a cup of tea, put aside half an hour […]

How many times a week do you sit down to eat as a family? I am sure some level of guilt will accompany the answer. We all know it is good to have meals together but many of us rarely do so – especially without the ‘white noise’ of the TV, radio, CD player or […]