After a family dinner at Assiette, I had a small Sunday brunch with friends to celebrate my 30th birthday. Everyone who came had to answer five questions:

1. What’s the best thing you did before 30?
2. What’s the one thing everyone should do by 40?
3. 30 is no reason to have a mid-life crisis because…
4. What’s the most memorable moment in history from the last 30 years?
5. What’s your favourite pop culture moment from the last 30 years (music, film, web, books etc.)

The answers made me laugh, cheer, and go ‘oh yeah, I remember that!’ You can see them in their full glory here. Feel free to leave your own answers in the comments section.

The brunch turned into a showcase for the best of the Bondi Road specialty stores. We had caraway seed, blueberry and sundried tomato bagels from Glick’s Cakes and Bagels (the best in Bondi and the same as the one on Carlisle Street in Melbourne). The spreads were cream cheese, and sweet paska cheese with sultanas from the Russkis Deli .

No Bondi brunch would be complete without the sinfully good cherry strudel from the Wellington Cake Shop. The whole cherries are slightly tart, and wrapped in thick, flaky pastry.

I toyed with baking a birthday cake (it’s something of a tradition, you understand) but with time running out I settled for a tiramisu from the Wellingto Cake Shop. This photo doesn’t do it justice. It was as long as my arm. Maybe longer.

My Mum was a real trooper and helped bake quite a lot of savoury pasties (this time with curried vegetables), spinach and ricotta filo triangles, and apricot puff pastry tarts.

With so much sugar running through our veins, a fresh fruit salad made a welcome change.

Thanks to everyone for coming, sharing your answers, and spreading the birthday cheer! Special thanks to Jackie, the hostess with the mostest, Mum, Dad and Andy for helping out.

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