You can take the girl out of the country...

Last weekend I took two friends out to Boonah, about 90kms west of Brisbane, just past Ipswich on the Scenic Rim.

While there wasn't anything 'scenic' about it on the weekend we went following the biggest duststorms seen in Australia for decades, I still adored the peace and quiet of the bush.

Friends of my family own a small house on the outskirts of Boonah overlooking Boonah Valley and it's truly a picturesque spot. Just 24hrs in Boonah and I feel rested and rejuvenated.

I'm not sure if it's the memories it stirs in me of weekends in Warwick in my primary school years, or just the simple life away from the day to day hustle and bustle of work, the city and my schedule. Whatever it is, I love it.

What about you? Do you have a place that's dear to you, where you can just switch off and forgot your 'world' is a million miles away?

The Crosstown Eating House

After spending more than eight years working in restaurants I have grown an appreciation for food and wine. I'm not talking really expensive stuff here, just good quality food and wine that's served with passion and respect by people who know what they're doing.

Tonight I tried new Brisbane restaurant The Crosstown Eating House with my best friend for dinner. There's absolutely nothing I love more than sharing a great meal with friends, and this one will certainly go on the unforgettable list.

The food was delicious and well-priced ($8-$24), great variety of wines (but not too overwhelming which some wine lists can be), the service was genuine and friendly (like going to an old friend's place) and the atmosphere was relaxed but still had a buzz to it. There were a number of different seating options in the converted two-story brick building, each sitting groups of various numbers which gave it a warm, private feel.

According to their website, The Crosstown is somewhere to eat rather than dine. And it's achieved exactly that. What I loved is that the food, service, decor and ambience wasn't the focus - it was about enjoying time with loved ones, and The Crosstown being a conduit of that.

Some of my fondest memories with friends feature great meals, but it hasn't been the food I remember, it's been the conversations and the memories of laughter and enjoyment. As I mentioned, tonight is the newest addition to those lists of fond memories.

If you haven't been yet, make sure it's next on your list.

What I love today

Every now and then I'll post a list of what I'm loving. Let's call it a LOVE capsule. I hope that when I look back on these lists in years to come, I still love these things (sic) and many more.

There's the obvious, of course:

• My family and my extended families: God knows there's a million of them.
• My other family: my friends, the family that you choose who make my life so wonderful.

Ok, that's it for the mushy stuff. Then there's the loves that are exclusive to me:

• Clear blue skies on a crisp winter's day.
• Memories of my beautiful golden retriever who succumbed suddenly to cancer this week aged 11.
• The essence of brands and what makes them attractive to some, yet not to others.
• Wine - I don't discriminate on colour, age or external aesthetics.
• A big, booming power ballad belted out by the beauties of music (currently into Beyonce, Jordin Sparks, Delta Goodrem, Jessica Mauboy, Lily Allen, Mariah Carey) and rolling down the windows of my car and opening my lungs...
• A smile, a hug. Any display of genuine affection, really. Kindness is very underrated.
• Twitter. Yup I love it, it's my thing, leave me alone.
• Being successful and not apologising for it or making any concessions.

So readers out there, what or who are your loves?