Long Walks & Leisure Times at the 'cliff

It's a few months back now, but this little adventure one weekend in the Summer was too lovely not to mention.    

Sally & her family were staying in a big house with bedrooms a plenty, this thanks to it once being a nunnery.  Always a most hospitable & generous family, I was fortunate enough to hang out with them for a few days in the lovely surrounds of Queenscliff.  

This is what we got up to: long walks, long talks, dining out & (as they are the finest of foodies) grand cook ups.

My first morning there & we were right into it, nice & early.  After all, we were on a schedule.  Based around food? Perhaps. But after a long walk of twenty odd kilometres, one needs to plan ahead & make the destination really count, right?

Having taken in the peaceful pastures, with crickets' chirps riding the breeze & butterflies hovering close by, we found ourselves back in civilisation when we reached Terindah Estate winery.

This buzzing place was very popular (as you might have noticed) with both the kitchen & wait staff busy as bees.

After ordering from the day's menu (the dishes are continually being adapted according to season & availability of produce) we were presented with these beauties.

Lamb with root vegetables & oriental-esque salad.

Flathead fillets, buttered, over a simple yet super tasty mix of green peas & orzo.

Tenderloin steak over a myriad of colour.  My memory is not serving me 100% but I do recall reading purple potatoes on the menu.  We can just let our imaginations run wild with this one.

After polishing off lunch, we took a tour of the neighbouring cellar door & then headed onto Jack Rabbit estate for some spectacular views.

And maybe a spot of people watching . . .

On the way home, inspired by the delicious creations at lunch, we made a few stops for some groceries.  As a guest or two more were due at Casa Hayes of Queenscliff, we set about spending the remaining hours of the late afternoon playing in the kitchen.

Fortunately, long walks conjured memories of the Camino Trail walk undertaken by Sally's mother last year.  So, in light of that, & because we had a bounty of squid, Sal's Mum went to work in recreating her favourite Spanish dish of Galicia.

The following morning found Sally & I out and about once more.  This time for a slightly more modest 10km number.

Special thanks to the Hayes family for having me stay.  A beautiful beach holiday with beautiful company (see above :-)

Beach Times Part III

Welcome to the final instalment of the Beach Times series.  Here you will explore a few different spots - mostly ones I've taken you to before but which are that special that they warrant multiple visits. 

The weather was too glorious, the company too lovely, & the food too yummy not to share here. So, with Jess still on board, the crew & I headed to one of my favourite spots.  The magical Rainforest Café, hidden at the base of Mount Warning. 

J & I, inspired by our green surroundings, tried to blend in by holding some Tree yoga poses.

My tree, you can see, blowing in the light breeze & peaking out to say hello behind J's serene & steady one.

After a blissful tea & cake break, we took a turn around the grounds, wandering down to the quiet river & taking in the rays of sunshine poking through the canopy. 

Revitalised by the fresh air & cool shade, we headed back to Cabarita HQ to see J off & an early night before the morning excursion the following day . . . 

. . . where we ventured to none other than Harvest Cafe in Newrybar.

The morning began as cool & overcast - perfect brunch weather in my opinion, but, then again, pretty well all weather is perfect for brunching.

After perusing the menu, we made our final decisions & came up trumps.  Still no doubt that Harvest can be relied on to deliver the goods each time.

The breakfast platter

Poached eggs on baked polenta

Self explanatory poached eggs on toast with gravalax, 

Post-feast, we made an obligatory trip to the neighbouring shops, both of which are beautifully laid out & brim-full with treasures.  The first is the Harvest Deli, where many goodies abound.  The other is the clothing boutique where the overall vibe is a lovely mix of urban chic with a wild spirit.

And I mustn't forget to make mention of the Harvest kitchen garden!

Until the next time

From Ville to Valley: Part 1

Why hello there!  I've been off the air lately but feel compelled to share my recent venture to the Yarra Valley for some downtime in the quiet of the countryside.

I'll call this little jaunt out of town a belated birthday treat.  One to settle the restless yearnings I get now & then for some R&R in a natural setting, away from the bustle of the city.  I need my fresh oxygen, my green rolling hills, my starry night skies & the gentle chorus of the birds at sunset & sunrise.  

I also fancy some old world furnishings & crackling fires alongside which you can curl up with a book to the soft musical tones of jazz or classical.

This trip was my brainchild but the location was left up to Papa Bear.  I don't mind a bit of rustic living myself but for the guaranteed satisfaction of all, Dad took on the task of organising a place to stay.  And so well did he choose!  I was in heaven as soon as we rolled through the gates of Chateau Yering, just as the late afternoon sun was sinking slowly behind the valley walls.

After inspecting the room, the bathroom & view, we felt an explore of the grounds (en route to the Yering Station wine tasting rooms, ahem!) was in order.

I found, in the oils & dressing section, these wonderful contraptions.  What a neat invention.  The two best dressings combined in one.  Beaut.

Went a bit nutty for nuts & cheesy biscuits.

Finally, some tasting.  I still haven't pinpointed why, but sampling the wares of a winery at the actual place somehow enhances my appreciation of the aromas & taste.  My senses are somehow more acute & things are even more delicious with an expert pouring you a drop of this, a drop of that. 

With a little more colour in my cheeks & a warmth in my tummy, we headed out into the crisp air to take in some more of that country air & natural beauty.

Where the magic happens . . .

This is what wine awards look like . . . naturally.

I was very rapt with this sunset & I spent a long while on the balcony, marvelling at the colours & textures of the sky together with the silhouettes of the trees looming against it.  The chimney smoke from the fires drifted across the property & the birds started up their evening song.

After dinner & some lounging in the sitting room, it was the early bird special for me regarding bed time.  As I am allergic to cats (but love 'em anyway) this was my next best option.  I kept it curled up next to me on the bedside table, sneeze-free.  

Until the mornin', folks.