My friends who have known me for a long time would have heard that one of my big dreams has been to own a villa in an Italian village.
My dream Italian villa has a large backyard and it’s full of tomato bushes and olive trees and there, I’d enjoy a country life full of fresh produce and home cooking.

My reality is somewhat different! I’ve been living in an unit not far from the Sydney CBD, there is no backyard; let alone the olive trees and tomato bushes! Then, just when I thought my Italian dream has long gone, I received an exclusive luncheon invitation from the Italian Trade Agency (ITA).
The Oro Rosso Luncheon, which was held on the 28th of April, was all about celebrating the precious Italian preserved tomato and the authentic flavours of the Italian cuisine.

Yes, the Italian tinned tomatoes were to be the star of this luncheon. It’s a celebration of this remarkable Italian product that is an essential ingredient in cooking around the world. The ITA and the Council of Italian Restaurants in Australia (CIRA) brought together five of Australia’s most respected Italian chefs, each one creating a unique course that highlights the precious Italian preserved tomato across a 5-course menu, just for this special event!

So, what to wear? That’s the question! As it’s a daytime event, it had to be a little laid-back; and as it’s a media and industry gathering, I needed to dress a little business-like too. But most importantly, I wanted to look glamorous, not only due to I was invited as a fashion and style blogger; also, because I believe that each invitation-only event, deserves our best sartorial efforts as showing respect to our host.
To bring a piece of ‘my own Italy’ with me, I wore a vintage Max Mara floral silky top; my denim jeans brought in the casual feel and my black blazer said ‘business’. I chose an Updo hairstyle and gold tassel earrings to channel some glamour.
Overall, I was quite happy with my luncheon ensemble!

When Kent and I arrived the Osteria Balla Manfredi at The Star Casino, where the Oro Rosso Luncheon was held, we were offered welcome cocktails: Tomato Negroni and/or Sorrentino. (Yes! Bring on the tomato!). And we enjoyed our first course – Sicilian Pizzette – by chef Francesco Spataro while mingling with other guests.
The palm-size pizzette was crisp on the outside; soft and fluffy on the inside with tomato sauce and melted cheese on the top.
Soon we moved to our table – Table Eight (Someone in this room must know that I’m Chinese!), which we shared with two other Italian guests: Michael Livio, the General Manager of Conga Foods and Vincenzo Prosperi, a very popular food blogger.

To be continued…

Main picture: gorgeous Loredana (from ITA) who wore a stunning dress and I at the luncheon. Picture credit: Kent Johnson