We're going glamping
Last week, Ben and I spent a night glamping at Point Leo beach, and it was the sweetest thing we've done in a while. Soul-enriching stuff. I've been itching to tell you about it, so here we go.
Have you heard of glamping? Otherwise known as "glamorous camping"? You might have. I mean, my Nana has. "Dear, I'd like to go glamping at Wilson's Prom", she said to my grandfather when we were at their house for dinner the following night. You really should follow my Nana's lead and book a glamping getaway. It was just what Ben and I wanted. Actually, no, it was better than what we wanted.
Ever since seeing Happy Glamper's captivating camping set-ups on Instagram I have wanted to book a night with them. I grew up camping, toasting bread over the fire, paying 20cents for showers and picking ticks and leeches off my skin. Ben, on the other hand, is more of a hotel guy. He loves being in nature, but he likes to be warm and dry and tick-free. Fair call.
I knew he would freak out over how cool Happy Glamper's tents were. And so, over our long weekend break at home where we disconnected from work and indulged in a #treatyoself four days, I arranged for us to stay at a local beachside camping ground in one of Happy Glamper's Bell tents. We stayed complimentary, in exchange for some love on social media, which we're super grateful for! This beauty was extremely cozy yet super spacious. We were warm and snug from the blankets, hot tea (you can have a bar fridge and kettle as an extra) and heater (they have electric blankets at powered camp sites, but even on a wintry June night we didn't need them!). And we were entertained for hours with their board games (man, snakes and ladders is never ending!), books and magazines. For lunch we made a warm roasted vegetable and lamb salad at home, the recipe for which I'll share in the post, and packaged it up to eat at the camp site. Ben thought we were just going for a picnic, but after realising that we had this beautiful tent to ourselves for the whole night, Ben settled in at the darling table set inside our tent and we ate, smiling ear to ear.
And while we totally could have hired cooking facilities (gas burners, pans, crockery, etc), Ben and I decided to get takeaway woodfired pizza from nearby Red Hill Epicurean. We shared slices in our sweet tent, sitting on our bed, propped up with pillows and watching movies on our laptop. It was absolute bliss.
In the morning we grabbed our warmest jackets and woollen socks and headed down to the beach to see the sunrise (bless 7am sunrises in Winter). After one minute in that blue grey space, with that sky and air, breathing it in...we felt so sincerely alive and grateful.
An hour and a half of chilly, beautiful beach-time later we wandered back to our tent, had a cup of tea, packed our bags and headed to Johnny Ripe for breakfast. Nothing says "I appreciate life" like dipping fresh pastries into hot coffee.
Thank you to the team at Happy Glamper for taking such good care of us. I'm quite partial to the idea of making the whole jaunt an annual event. Next year with a little one in tow...
Warm Roasted Vegetable and Lamb Salad with Pesto and Haloumi Bites
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 x 400g lamb backstrap fillet
1 & 1/2 cups pumpkin, cut into 3cm cubes
¼ a cauliflower, cut into medium-sized florets
2 handfuls rocket (or other leafy green. Some radicchio would be fabulous)
50g Haloumi, cut into 2.5cm cubes
Pesto (see this link for my recipe)
Extra virgin olive oil
¼ - ½ teaspoon Sumac
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2 Toss the pumpkin and cauliflower in extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the sumac over the cauliflower. Roast on a baking tray lined with baking paper for ~30 minutes, until golden and beginning to caramelize, tossing halfway through.
3. Cook the lamb in a skillet with a little olive oil over medium heat, cooking for 3-5 minutes per side until cooked to your liking. Remove the lamb from the pan and allow to rest on a wooden chopping board, covered with foil, for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes slice the lamb into 1cm strips. 4. Cook your haloumi in a skillet over low-medium heat until lightly brown all over.
5. Assemble your salad with the greens, roasted vegetables, haloumi and lamb. Drizzle pesto and season to taste.
Mini apple pies to go for these happy, thankful glampers. An extra one for the baby. He/she gets hungry these days.
Especially after beach frolicking...
Heidi xo
ps. Happy Glamper and Sarah Elise Yoga have created the most wonderful event. It's called The Slow Camp, and it's a weekend of wonder on the Mornington Peninsula and up in Byron Bay. You stay in Happy Glamper tents and engage in a weekend of slow... of meditation, walks, yoga, simplicity, wholesome food, talks and new friends. It's the best thing.
I was lucky enough to have been asked to speak at the Point Leo Slow Camp last month and I can tell you after that sneak peak, I would most definitely encourage you to gather your friends or go solo and book in! Check out the website for more details. Your soul will thank you.