Tinkerblue

Melbourne Highlight #3 - Colonial Tramcar Restaurant

 

 

About 4 years ago my Dad suggested that we should try the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant. We weren’t in Melbourne for very long on the trip and didn’t have the extra $$ so gave it a miss.

 

This time round we still didn’t have the extra $$ but decided we’d splurge anyway on our last night in Melbourne. Our friends, Nicole and Brendon decided to join us too.

 

We could have gone with the 5 course dinner or the 4 course lunch, instead we opted for the slighty less expensive 3 course early dinner, meant for the pre-theatre crowd it suited us just fine.

 

 

 

The historical trams are decked out in plush carpet, velvet upholstery and brass fittings. The booths for four were a bit tight fitting but we never felt uncomfortable.

 

Three very chirpy staff (chef, maitre d’ and waiter) kept us highly entertained, and hydrated, or well liquored up, might be a better way to put it. (All drinks are included in the price of the meal and they are not stingy on the servings. I don’t think our glasses were ever empty.)

 

Before the tram left the station we started of with a glass of bubbly each. We switched to wine and beer for dinner. It was all very tasty.

As the tramcar travelled from Melbourne to St Kilda and back we dined on:

Chicken Liver and Cognac Pate (I was the only of one of the 4 of us who actually ate this) and Roasted Red Capsicum Dip with lots of crispbreads and water crackers. Brendon really liked the dip, and informed Nicole that she could recreate it at home. Let me know how that goes Nicole.

 

 

For mains we had a choice of Macadamia Chicken with sweet potato mash, baby spinach and macadamia pesto paste or Victorian Farmed Eye Fillet of Beef with potato and herb rosti, seasonal veggies and onion marmalade. The guys both went for the beef, Nicole and I had the chicken. The chicken was really good, perfectly cooked and I could have licked the pesto of the plate, but hubby wouldn’t let me. The boys seemed pretty content with their beef, and there was nothing left on their plates.

 

 

All four of us chose the Chocolate Dome with vanilla raspberry syrup and toasted almond flakes for dessert. The other choice was Warm Sticky Date Pudding. The only complaint was there could have been more of it.

 

 

We finished off with a glass of port and some chocolates.

 

Well almost, just at the tram was pulling into the final stop, the waiter called last drinks and convinced hubby that he needed a glass of Bailey’s.

 

It is very touristy and a little bit corny. But it is something different. The food is good. The drinks are never ending. The service is fast and friendly. It's a great way to see a little bit of Melbourne. If your ever in Melbourne we’d recommended trying it out.

 

Melbourne Highlight #2 - Queen Victoria Market

 

 

Opened in 1878 QVM is the largest in Australia and one of the largest in the world. It covers 7 hectares and is essentially intact from the date of construction. The merchandise sold has changed. I bet in 1878 they couldn’t buy the wonderfully tacky tourist crap that you can get now.

 

We bought lunch in the meat and dairy halls. Originally housing butchers, fishmongers, and rabbitos, you can still buy meat and fish, not so much rabbits, and all manner of baked goods, chocolates, etc.

 

Instead of buying eggs, you can buy an egg laying hen. Not sure how you’d go about taking that home on the train or tram.

 

Further along is the fresh produce and finally the retail market. There are some perfectly good handmade souveniers but there is also a plethora of made in china, buy it  anywhere cheap stuff. 

 

We bought nothing, can you believe it? We did spend a good couple of hours wandering and people watching and handling all the goods.

 

 

Oh, I tell I lie, we did buy something – we bought a gift for Deka. Kim and Joanna, you’re gonna love it! Wanna guess what it is?

 

Hubby was looking to buy a new belt.  Every belt he currently owns has come from the QVM on previous trips. You pick a design, and then they punch the holes and add the buckle. He was on the lookout for a dark blue belt, but couldn’t find what we wanted.  Next time.

 

Melbourne Highlight #1 - Twenty20 Cricket at the MCG



 

Hubby is confused by Cricket. He’s not a huge sport fan. He can tolerate a hockey game – it’s 3 twenty minute periods. But cricket? A game that lasts 5 days? And even then the match might end in a draw. It takes so long each day they actually stop for tea. And both teams wear white. How do you tell who is who?

Unfortunately for Hubby our trip home from Christmas coincided with not one but two test matches. So for almost 10 days there was nothing on TV but the Boxing Day test from Melbourne, followed not long after by the Sydney Test. Australia lost both. Which meant England retained the Ashes. Hubby almost peed himself laughing when he saw the presentation of the Ashes urn. It’s tiny. Nothing like the Stanley Cup.  He was beside himself. After 5 matches (each match 5 days long) they only get a pissy little urn!

 

The rules of cricket. Hubby just couldn’t fathom them. Caught? Bowled? LBW? Run out? Fours? Sixes? No balls? Wides? Overs? It was too much for him.  My family took great pleasure in his pain. To prolong the agony we even gave him Wii Cricket for Christmas and tickets to an actual match in Melbourne. He could hardly contain his joy and excitement. Lucky for him the Test Matches were all done.  So his tickets were for a Twenty20 Match.

 

 See the grass zamboni?

The Twenty20 Series is relatively new. Introduced in 2003 to create a livelier form of Cricket to attract more spectators both at the ground and on telly. Two teams each play a single innings, batting for 20 overs. A match lasts about 3.5 hours.  That’s about hubby’s limit.

 

 He sells hot meat pies from those black things on his front and back.

The match we went to was at the MCG, or The G as locals call it. The MCG is more than just a sportsground, it’s hallowed turf. Cricket, Aussie Rules, Rugby League, Rugby Union and Soccer are all played here. The Pope, Madonna, U2, The Three Tenors, The Rolling Stones, and Elton John have all packed the crowds into the MCG. In 1956 it was the venue for the Olympic Summer Games, and in 2006 the Commonwealth Games.

 

 The KFC Club - Colonel Sanders lives on.

So on Friday January 14^th, we made our way to The G, bought food and drinks, found our seats and settled in for an entertaining evening.  Hubby was most amused by the pieman, the KFC club seated below us (KFC were the sponsor), the cricketing version of a zamboni and the shooting flames.  He did actually manage follow the game too.  It was a close match and best of all – AUSTRALIA WON.  Woohoo.

 

 Australia batting. England is bowling.

 

 

Dave is not embracing the Aussieness

Wednesday January 26th is Australia Day. We will still be in Sydney.

I've been trying to convince Hubby that he needs to get with the spirit.

I offered to buy him the full kit:
Thongs
Shorts
Any number of T-shirts
Hat
And even a pair of sunglasses

But he's just not getting it.

Queensland Flood Crisis

Tonight my family is safe and sound and dry. We've been out for dinner and come home to a warm, dry house.

We are sitting here watching the live coverage of the Queensland floods. Already an area the size of France and Germany combined has flooded over the last week or so. 75% of the State has been declared a disaster zone. 10 people are dead and 78 are missing.

Over the next few days the rivers in Queensland will continue to rise. The river in Brisbane is not expected to peak for another 2 days. The last big floods were in 1974 and this is worse. Way worse.

We have family and friends in Queensland. So far everyone is okay and their homes have luckily not been affected.

I have friends in Brisbane tonight who are at home, making preparations and waiting. Waiting to see if the floods will bypass them or not. Waiting to see if they will need to evacuate. Waiting to see if their homes, workplaces, livelihoods will survive. Waiting. There's not much else they can do.

It's pretty terrible watching it on TV. I cannot even begin to imagine what it's like for the people who are living it.

It's going to take weeks, months, longer for the communities in Queensland to recovery and rebuild.

Want to do something. You can help. Make a donation to the flood appeal.
http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Premiers-Disaster-Relief-Appeal/154284977953701

Running for Chocolate

This has got to be my favourite race to date. Yep it beat out the Disney World and the Disneyland Half marathons. How can it not? 2.5km round the Cadbury Estate. A bag of chocolate at the end.  And it started at 10:00am not some before the sun rises ungodly hour. Did I mention it was only 2.5km?

 

 Before

The Cadbury Marathon is actually in its 28th year.  Hubby and I are certainly not ready for a marathon or a half marathon. That left the 2.5km or the 1.25km.  Even for us out of shape non runners the 1.25km would have been a cop out.

 

Our friend David H run in the Half Marathon and he finished before our race even started. 1hr 46 mins for 21km. That's pretty awesome.  

 

His daughter Meg, ran the 2.5km with us. Ummm, yeah, let me rephrase that. Meg lined up with us at the start line. Then she left both hubby and I for dead. Miss Meg (11) finished a good 3 minutes ahead of either of us. Go Meg! (Mum, Sharyn made us all lunch including homemade ice cream and slushies)

 

The official results probably won't be published until later in the week, but the runkeeper app on my iPhone says:

2.47 km - the course was too short. Where's Mr Wilson?*

15:51 mins

Average pace of 6:25min/km. Are you kidding me?  That's fast for me. The 5km I did in November was 7:55min/km.  I doubt that I could maintain the faster pace for 5km. I was ready to curl up and die at the end of the run today. And it was hot.  Who runs a race in the middle of the morning in summer. Not the brightest idea I've ever had, but at least it was short.

 

 after

Hubby was ahead of me, I think he finished in around 15 mins.  He did really well.  He's still fairly early in the Couch to 5km and his longest run interval to do has been 5mins. So to run 15 mins is pretty impressive.

 

After being congratulated by Freddo Frog and Caramello Koala and receiving our Cadbury bags, we found some shade and watched the prize givings.  Nah, we weren't race winners, so no $ or chocolate gift baskets for us.  

 

But we both won spot prizes. Hubby's number was called and he won a box of chocolates. About 10 people later my number was called. I won a new pair of Mizuno running shoes. Woohoo!

 

The best part? We got to go shopping in the employee store. We bought $50.00 worth of chocolate. Don't worry. It's not all for us.  Some of it, will show up in birthday and Christmas presents.  So act surprised if you get some.

*Have you seen "The Games", the episode about the 100m track being only 96m?

 

I just found the preliminary official results on the race website.

Meg was 45th in 13 mins 16 secs

Dave was 56th in 15 mins 08 secs

I was 62nd in 15 mins 49 secs

David H was 43rd in the half marathon (out of 422) in 1hr 46 mins 53 secs

 

Christmas Shopping at Salamanca Market

I started my Christmas shopping today.  Yep, it's not even a month since Christmas. Nothing like being organised.  Of course I'm likely to forget or keep it for myself.

 

Salamanca Market has been around as long as I can remember, although it's much bigger now.  It's always been on Saturday morning.

 

When I needed gifts to send or take interstate or overseas I always went to the market. 

 

Today I left Hubby at home as the market is his idea of a nightmare, and spent a good few hours just browsing. I had a wonderful time.  

 

Although had hubby been there I probably would have bought less! He should have come with me.

 

The market is a mix of fruit and veggies, plants, tacky touristy crap, new and second hand books, clothing, honey and and fudge and rocky road and chocolate and truffles and coconut ice and all sorts of other ooey, gooey, chocolately good things,

 

hand crafted items made of wool, wood, iron, steel, tin and forks and spoons...

 

andsome items that are better left un-bought:

I have no idea how everything is going to fit in our suitcases, but we'll make it work.

 

 

 

New Years Eve 2010

Normally we don't do a lot for New Years Eve. We either stay home and watch a movie, or hang out a friend's house. Getting dressed up, paying big bucks and battling large crowds is not our thing. Unless we're away.  And then we get dressed up, spend big $$, join the crowds, say goodbye to the old year and ring in the New Year in style. Being that we were away from home, we farewelled 2010 and welcomed 2011 by:

Paying out the big bucks for tickets to a NYE do at the Hobart Conference and Function Centre

Putting on our party clothes - or the nicest, cleanest clothes we could find in our suitcases

Catching a water taxi from the eastern shore suburbs where we are staying with my parents to the Hobart waterfront.

 

Strolling along the docks, looking at all the yachts and watching the last yacht come into the slips

Eating a rather large amount of good food

My non seafood menu:

 

Drinking unlimited beer, wine and some rather nice sparkling wine

Tormenting hubby

Braving the chilly winds to watch the fireworks

Being with family

 

Bye Bye 2010, it was a great year. Now bring on 2011. May it be good to us all.

Taste of Tasmania

The Taste of Tasmania (known by locals as "The Taste")  is an annual event that runs for a week from late December to early January. It's all about local food and drink. Vendors come from all around the State. Some have businesses that operate year round, others only operate at The Taste.

 

This is the third year that Hubby and I have been home at this time of year (1998, 2006 and 2010). We went almost every day, either for lunch or dinner.  73 food and beverage stalls in total.  I think we ate at most of them. Well not quite, but we gave it a good try.

 

 

We went with friends and family. One particular day we sat and ate and drank for 6 hours with good friends Sharyn and Dave, my parents, Shaun and Kelly and my Nan. One evening we went again with my parents, Shaun and Kelly and their friend Matty.  The last night we spent with my friends Narelle and Justin and their boys, Dale and Liam - and we stayed to watch the movie UP on the lawns at Parliament House. 

 

• #2 Kornet Pizza - Meal in a Cone - Spring Bay Scallop Margarita, Sassafras BBQ Chicken
• #8 Rosti Chalet - Bacon and Guyere Cheese, Smoked Salmon
• #10 Cape Grim Burger Products - Cape Grim Beef Burger
• #12 Taste Of Persia - Limed Lamb Kebab Wrap
• #13 Scoopz of Valhalla Icecream - hubby had a couple of different scoops over the week
• #15 Festival Mushrooms - tempura mushrooms with wasabi mayo and chilli plum sauce
• #16 Island Berries Tasmania - chocolate pannacotta with fresh raspberries (and the dessert platter that Kelly shared with us all!)

 

• #17 Besmudi - the longest, skinniest chicken strips ever.
• #20 Waji's Tasmanian Experience - Cajun calamari (everyone else told me it was the best)
• #24 Hill Street Gourmet Meats - platter of wagyu beef, chicken burger, and saucy sausage
• #27 The Turkish Kitchen - mixed platter with chicken, lamb, rice, salad
• #29 Smallest Pancakes in Town/Something Sweet - tiny pancakes with fresh raspberries and cream, and a second plate with chocolate sauce and ice-cream

 

• #30 Fish Frenzy - scallops and chips
• #33 Cafe Chocolatte - Anvers Confectionery - chocolate fondue with marshmallows, mini meringues, strawberries and cherries
• #35 Frogmore Creek, 42 South Wines and Tasmanian Highland Cheeses, with special guests Get Shucked Oysters - mixed cheese plate
• #51 Gillespie's Ginger Beer - alcoholic ginger beer
• #53 Doctor coffee - chocolate infused meringue with fresh raspberries and cream
• #54 Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm - by far our favourite stall. Hubby ate them out of raspberry ice-cream. We also tried the baked cheesecake and chocolate pudding both with fresh raspberries.

• #56 Tasmanian Fine Ice Cream - hubby had to have ice-cream here after Christmas Hills sold out.
• #59 Ninth Island Bubbles Bar - glass of sparkling wine
• #60 Tasmanian Chilli Beer Company - multiple bottles of chilli beer. My favourite was green tea and lemon

• #B1 Moo Brew - multiples glasses of beer (not suitable for bogans)
• #B3 Marypin Chilean/South American Food - Beef empanada
• #B5 Two Metre Tall Real Ale & Cider with the Wursthaus Kitchen - more beer, antipasto plate
• #B7 Ironhouse Brewery - more beer

 

I'm not sure what we're going to eat for the rest of our stay, but it wont be as good!  

There's more photos of the food we ate on my facebook page.

 

Random Information About Tasmania

Found on the back of the Banjo's Bakery bag that my lunch was in:

Tassie grows the majority of Australia's potatoes and apples.
A Huon Pine tree estimated at up to 10,000 years old can be found at Mt Read.
Australia's oldest bridge was built in Richmond in 1823.
Tasmania is the 26th largest island in the world.
Tasmanian Mountain Berries can be used as a substitute for pepper.
Tassie's lush pastures produce more than 500 million litres of milk a year.
95% of Australia's cool temperate rain forests are found in Tasmania.
No-one in Tasmania lives more than 2 hours drive from the sea.
The cleanest air in the world can be found at Cape Grim, Tasmania.