Happy Places & Co

Happy Places & Co Cultivating wellbeing and social goodness via gatherings, events and soiree’s in the best places!

Still buzzing from the Gino D’Campo Dinner at 400 Gradi in Mornington - YES, Gino cooked in Mornington (I did a double t...
08/06/2026

Still buzzing from the Gino D’Campo Dinner at 400 Gradi in Mornington - YES, Gino cooked in Mornington (I did a double take too) and the Happy Places & Co Supper Club were there for it.

What an experience 🤸‍♀️💫

An Italian Degustation Menu, the food kept on coming out, we had a birdseye view of the kitchen so we watched it happen, mesmerising!

A night of plates that reminded us why Italian food is all about heart. It was all delicious.

Huge thanks to Johnny and Maria Di Francesco for hosting this brilliant evening with over 280 guests, it was an epic time for everyone.

Grande' Amore to Gino for bringing the charm to 400 Gradi for a truly unforgettable evening ❤️

FULLY BOOKED - NO SEATS! 💫 A Warming High Tea in Winter ⭐I'm inviting you to join my beautifully curated afternoon in th...
27/05/2026

FULLY BOOKED - NO SEATS!

💫 A Warming High Tea in Winter ⭐

I'm inviting you to join my beautifully curated afternoon in the private cellar of the elegant Martha's Table, featuring:

🌸 Savoury tiers (vol-au-vents, pot pies, tarts)
🌸 Delicate Sandwiches
🌸 Sweets (French tarts, macaron, pastries)
🌸 Scones w Jam & Clotted Cream
🌸 Commonfolk coffee (divine)
🌸 Teapots 🫖
🌸 Softly made flower art 🩷❇️
🌸 Recipe OR Ritual Swap (take home)

You're warmly invited to add a little flourish to the day - a hat, fascinator, cap, scarf, pearls or favourite neckwear - nothing too formal, just a touch of personal style to make our Winter High Tea a little more charming. I'm a huge fan of hats and fascinators so you can be assured I'll be wearing at least one (if I could wear them all at once, I would).

We'll create our own cards and bookmarks (for home or to gift) with a collection of pretty pressed flowers, and share a cooking recipe or small ritual i.e. a happy habit, poem, music 🎶, book etc so we all take home each other's - how cool is that!

Everyone's welcome, come share a little warmth, connection and the glow 🌟 of community around the table.

Seats are limited - book via link in bio.

❤️ A Berry, Passionfruit, Jam & Cream Tart 💫 Need a dessert or sweet super fast? I got you! On a long lined baking tray,...
17/05/2026

❤️ A Berry, Passionfruit, Jam & Cream Tart 💫

Need a dessert or sweet super fast? I got you!

On a long lined baking tray, place 2 X sheets defrosted puff pastry, joining them on one edge by pressing with a fork. Turn the edge all the way around. Bake in 220 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove and using a clean cloth or tea towel, press flat. Let cool.

While it's baking, whip 600ml cream with 1 X tablespoon icing sugar and 1 X teaspoon vanilla extract. When the pastry has cooled (around 15 minutes or so) spread it with warmed jam of your choice (berry, apricot, peach or quince) then spread it entirely with the softly whipped cream.

Cut strawberries into quarters, add raspberries and drained morello cherries 🍒. Mix gently and spoon over the cream. I spooned over 3 of our homegrown passionfruit (a few tablespoons of tinned passionfruit works just as well).

In less than 30 minutes, you'll have this scrumptious delight to share. Cut into squares, it easily serves 10 💫❤️

Voila' I do love a delicious, pretty, decadent dessert that hasn't taken all day to make ☺️

☀️

⭐ Hazelnut & Pear 🍐Torta A delicious thing for after-dinner dessert, afternoon tea, morning tea, a birthday, a new baby...
11/05/2026

⭐ Hazelnut & Pear 🍐Torta

A delicious thing for after-dinner dessert, afternoon tea, morning tea, a birthday, a new baby, a new job, a retirement, any celebration, this simple mix and bake number is your go-to.

We had this recently at our Autumn 🍁 Hygge Dinner to celebrate two birthdays (.jen and ) new friends and old friends and an evening together of storytelling (thankyou ) ❤️

Hygge is a Danish way of living that encapsulates cosy, comfort, connection - we added cake! 🥰

Here's how you make it:
In a bowl, place 100g ground hazelnuts, 1/2 cup caster sugar, 1/3 cup flour (I used cornflour for GF) 1/2 tspn baking powder, pinch of salt. Stir.

In a small jug, beat 2 X eggs with 1/4 milk (your choice) 1 X tspn vanilla extract and 80g melted butter (cooled).

Pour into the nut mixture and mix well.

Spoon into a lightly greased ring tin or flan dish, smooth surface. Bake 170 degrees for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and place 2 X pears, peeled, cored and quartered, then thinly sliced not all the way through. Push to fan them and sprinkle with a tablespoon sugar. Bake for a further 15 minutes or until the pear is soft.

I used my homemade quince jam, warmed and strained to brush all over, liberally, coating the sides and top. I then added some freshly picked camellia buds, flowers and leaves, and sprinkled with silver cachous balls.

Serve with cream, ice cream, custard and some happy Hygge love 🍁❤️

❤️

Autumn in Hobart over the weekend to celebrate our long-time friends anniversary (40 years) and it was truly wonderful ~...
28/04/2026

Autumn in Hobart over the weekend to celebrate our long-time friends anniversary (40 years) and it was truly wonderful ~ a couple of highlights and hard recommendations:

💫 MONA (Museum of New Art) is an experience like no other. A ferry ride from the waterfront gets you there in 10 minutes and then, prepare for your life to change in the most incredible way. The creativity, amazement, shock, surprise, confusion, ah-ha moments and awe, you'll find them here (pics 2, 3, 4, 6)

💫 Whisky, death by chocolate is a late-night cafe offering chocolate cakes of varying types (pic 5) superb 👌

💫 Eateries are big wow factor for delicious food, lovely Tassie wines and some of the best service I've ever experienced.
👌 Irish Murphy's
👌 Ball and Chain Grill
👌 Bird Song
👌 Cascade Brewery (pics 9, 10)

💫 Tour Cascade Brewery for a walk down 202 years of history. The gardens here are delightful and the lawns are sublime for lazy afternoons

💫 Scallop Pies and Scallop Sticks at soooo good

A highlight was wandering the waterfront night market on Friday, hearing my name, to find a friend Jenni ~ it was so lovely to see you.

An hour's flight 🛫 from Melbourne, so many things to eat, drink and do, welcoming friendly people and the good things just go on and on and on.....Hobart, you are superb!

Last Sunday, Di and I finally brought a long-held dream to life: the inaugural Orchard Long Lunch at Merricks Orchard. A...
15/04/2026

Last Sunday, Di and I finally brought a long-held dream to life: the inaugural Orchard Long Lunch at Merricks Orchard. Alongside the incredible Chef Blake from Bespoke Gourmet and a hardworking crew, we transformed the orchard’s mudbrick gallery into something truly special. 

The heart of the day was a single long table for 26, styled with fresh olive branches and pink flowering gum. It was the perfect anchor for a menu inspired entirely by our own harvest—using everything from apples, quince, and rhubarb to fragrant bay leaves and nasturtiums. Blake’s cooking was a total standout, drawing plenty of "oohs and ahhs" with every plate.

We started with an Orchard Spritz made with Apple Liqueur or Fig Leaf Liqueur, sparkling wine and fruits and wines served throughout.

The gallery was abuzz with chat, laughter and good energy. Our closing chapter was shared long boards filled with orchard produce such as roasted macadamia nuts, apples, figs, quince paste, handmade lavosh with nasturtiums and local cheeses from

It may have been raining, windy and overcast outdoors, but the gallery at Merricks Orchard was filled with incredible food, delicious company and wonderful atmosphere!

Friends were invited for this first time, our next one will be extended far and wide ~ ✨

To all you beautiful peeps who joined us, what a fabulous day we had 😘❤️ thank you for bringing the joy!

you are brilliant!

Sunday Salute ❤️

A Pear 🍐 & Brie Tart 💫🍁Super simple, super quick, superb eating! Take 2 squares of puff pastry and lay them on a baking ...
03/04/2026

A Pear 🍐 & Brie Tart 💫🍁

Super simple, super quick, superb eating!

Take 2 squares of puff pastry and lay them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Score the edge all the way around and spread with caramelised onion jam (I used a caramelised beetroot & onion jam made from homegrown produce).

Layer slices of pear 🍐 and brie or camembert cheese in a neat pattern. Drizzle with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive 🫒 oil, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves and a good grind of black pepper.

Bake at 200 degrees for 25 minutes!

It's soooooo good 👌🫶 💫

We had it today for lunch with homegrown creamy tomato 🍅 soup!

I see it on tables for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon sips, dinner, supper, midnight hungries ❤️

It's one of those all-rounders that shines wherever it lands. Go on, have a big yummy slice!

❤️💫🍐🍂

Smith St Bistrot’s Lost Recipes of the Belle Époque was a masterclass in culinary time travel on Wednesday evening as p...
27/03/2026

Smith St Bistrot’s Lost Recipes of the Belle Époque was a masterclass in culinary time travel on Wednesday evening as part of the

Joining over 50 diners in the stunning ✨La Vie en Rose dining room, the Happy Places & Co Supper Club, stepped back into Paris’s golden age (1871–1914) for a night of pure gastronomic luxury.

Under the warm glow of candlelight 🌟 and surrounded by hand-painted murals, we were treated to a menu that felt like a restored masterpiece:

Chicken Liver & Foie Gras Parfait with Sauternes jelly

Wild Mushroom Vol-au-Vents

Seafood Quenelles with Moreton Bay bug

Saddle of Lamb stuffed with chicken mousse and velvety Paris mash

Crêpes Suzette with vanilla ice cream

Chef Scott Pickett shared the history behind these forgotten classics, but equally magical, was the connection around the table. There is something incredibly powerful about a large group choosing to sit side-by-side to celebrate a beautiful era through world-class food and impeccable service.

💌 Save the Date: I am so inspired by this experience that I’m organising a larger get-together at Smith St Bistrot later this year and I truly hope you’ll join in for what promises to be, another unforgettable experience around the table!




❤️

A long awaited visit to Clunes Booktown Festival 📚✨❤️🥰130+ booksellers, talks, music, eateries and 15,000+ people ~ it w...
22/03/2026

A long awaited visit to Clunes Booktown Festival 📚✨❤️🥰

130+ booksellers, talks, music, eateries and 15,000+ people ~ it was superb👌

Bob Brown in interview w Hilary Harper (Radio National) in the stunning Clunes Town Hall was a highlight. His articulation of our world for future generations is thought provoking and his book, Defiance, is now in my possession and I'm anticipating a great read.

The music 🎶 was gorgeous, the atmosphere upbeat and happy. I plonked myself amongst the aroma of paper, ink, wonderful words, inspiring speakers and my favourite people (family) ❤️

Sunday in a nearby sunflower farm 🌻✨ was a gorgeous way to round it all out ❤️

If you love books and words, add this annual event to your list. It's brilliant 👐✨📚👌❤️

🍁 Autumn Hygge 🍁Thursday 30 April 2026 in the Greenhouse of Wildgrain, a reimagined grain store that holds superb food, ...
12/03/2026

🍁 Autumn Hygge 🍁

Thursday 30 April 2026 in the Greenhouse of Wildgrain, a reimagined grain store that holds superb food, ambiance and service 🍁

Hygge is a way of life for Danish and Norwegian, encompassing simple pleasures to create cosy, comfort and contentment. Sounds good huh?

That's what we'll be savouring at our Autumn 🍂 Hygge 🍁 delicious shared dishes and elevated conversations 👐✨in the comfort of new and old friends.

Excitingly, Sina Summers, filmmaker, Founder/Managing Director of Impact Stories is our guest presenter and she'll bring her knowledge of creating connection and comfort through film. Sina is full of good energy, positivity and great insight. You'll enjoy hearing her ✨❤️

We have a few seats left and I'd love you to join us for some cosy comfort ☺️

🔗 Tickets via link 🔗 in bio

❤️

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Mornington, VIC
3931

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