An Aussie Adventure Part 2: Queensland

An Aussy Adventure... 
 What: Part 2: Port Douglas, The Great Barrier Reef & Cairns
Where: Queensland

Itinerary: Port Douglas- Sheraton Mirage Resort - The Great Barrier Reef - Cairns

Part 1: Queensland - January 3rd - January 8th 2013

Following a 2 hour flight from Melbourne and escaping Victoria's 40°C+ heat, a frightening number of fire warnings and a nasty viral bug, we arrived in Cairns and travelled straight to the beautiful town of Port Douglas, the gateway to The Great Barrier Reef. Stunning! Staying at the luxurious Sheraton Mirage Resort, we were spoilt for pristine lagoon-style pools and some excellent fresh seafood platters. 

 Celebrating the 2nd leg of our Aussie tour in style, we settled in with the locals at a local watering hole and cracked open the bubbles! Happy, shiny holidaying people!

"Lunch with the Lorikeets" at the Wildlife Habitat was pretty cool with some characterful flying creatures that inspired me to think about writing a children's book. We also met George and Jeffery, two sleepy Tawny Frogmouths (in the first picture). We were also terribly brave or possibly foolhardy and allowed some eager Aussie ladies to drape a python around our necks. I have decided to call her Polly to emphasize how not scary she was! 

The Wildlife Habitat is a Wildlife immersion exhibit - an open and interactive environment for guests and animals to mingle in a spacious and natural setting. Visitors wander along elevated boardwalks, observing up close a huge range of flora and fauna as birds fly and roam freely. It was an amazing experience to get up close to the creatures and the tours - Koala, Wetlands- crococodiles and the opportuity to feed the Wallabies was really cool. www.wildlifehabitat.com.au 

Our second trip in Queensland was to the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation, our "Tony's Tour" guide was called Randall and he certainly proved a knowledgable bloke as well as extremely chatty. How he managed to keep up a constant stream of ancidotes and relevant environmental information going nonstop for the entire 5 hour trip, I don't know!

We explored rainforest and waterways, took a boat trip along a crocodile-infested stretch of water and managed not to get eaten which - considering the increasing number of croc attacks - I was quite pleased about. We never managed to spot a wild Cassowarie, but we all had a good chuckle at the doctored sign -> encouraging attentive driving.


Port Douglas was absolutely stunning and we were quite sad to leave the super Sheraton Mirage Resort, but leave we must, and so we ventured a little further down south to Cairns to check into the Hilton hotel and to check out the city of tourists. Advertised in our guide book as rather shabby compared to the Lush Port Douglas, we couldn't help but agree. Nonetheless, with only 2 nights to stay, we managed to find 2 excellent restaurants to indulge our new found passion for fish, Barnacle Bills www.barnaclebills.com.au and The Salthouse at the Marina www.salthouse.com.au = excellent options should you find yourself in town and reccommended to us by some friendly locals. 

We spent our final day in Queensland visiting the lovely village of Kuranda. We traveled there via the fantastic Kuranda Historic Scenic Railway and returned over the rainforest with the Skyrail Rainforest cableway.The picturesque mountain retreat of Kuranda Village is just 25km northwest of Cairns in Far North Queensland, Australia and is surrounded by World Heritage Rainforest. Simply stunning!

Next stop Brisbane, The Gold Coast and The Sunshine Coastal drive to Sydney.

An Aussie Adventure: Part 1: Melbourne

An Aussy Adventure... 
 What: Part 1: Melbourne
Where: New South Wales 

Itinerary: Melbourne - Great Ocean Road -Skenes Creek - Apollo Bay - 12 Apostles

Part 1: Melbourne Saturday 29th - January 3rd 2013

We landed at 9am following 24hours of flights and Hotel Royce certainly helped ease the Jet Lag...

The Royce Hotel is recognised as one of Melbourne’s finest designer five star boutique hotels. With its 100 stylish rooms and suites, award winning dish restaurant and chic bar, the amberoom, the Royce offers a unique experience for the discerning traveller. 


Ideally located on Australia’s most famous boulevard, St Kilda Road, the Royce is within walking distance to the fashionable shopping and restaurant precincts of Toorak Road and Chapel Street, Melbourne CBD, Royal Botanic Gardens, Shrine of Remembrance and Albert Park Lake. http://www.roycehotels.com.au/

Headed out to St Kilda and checked out the creatives at the Boulevard market, great stalls with a broad selection of products following an essential sun hat purchase (see below) we enjoyed wandering along the market admiring all manner of ceramics, jewellery and fashion accessories, my favourite products included jewellery made from cutlery -spoons et al! St Kilda is definitely worth checking out for its kitsch retro feel.

www.stkildamarket.com


The Royal Botanical Gardens were stunning and the heat and sunshine certainly helped with the jet lag too. Wandering among the trees and flowers was so relaxing. The picture below shows nature versus modern and old architecture on a beautiful summers day with the perfect refreshing breeze.

 

My favourite Melbourne district was definitely Fitzroy and Brunswick street. A whole road of funky little shops and bars. A really inspiring area and I certainly picked up a few ideas for my future retail adventure. The perfect location for a little bit of shopping and coffee or two. Melbourne city also has lots of graffiti decorated allies like the photo below. Very cool!

Dinner was enjoyed at Longrain a fabulous Thai restaurant before heading to the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine, possibly the best place name ever.


A resident of one of the world’s most vibrant bar capitals, Longrain Melbourne’s bar was voted one of Australia’s best bars in the Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine’s prestigious ‘Best of The Best’ edition. A central point of the restaurant’s space, the bar is dramatically set at centre stage cleverly dividing the cocktail lounge and the restaurant’s main dining area. The bar opens early each evening until late, making it a great pre and post-theatre spot. 

Adresse: 40-44 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne 
Telefon:(03) 9671 3151 http://longrain.com/

We headed off down The Great Ocean Road on day 4 and were overwhelmed by the views. Australia really is an incredible country! 1 nights sleep in a lovely campsite in Skenes Creek was magical. Star gazing at night on the beach is an Ocean Road must!

and on the way there we met a few cute Koala's!

A Bakers Dozen of Melbourne and the surrounding area essentials:
1. St Kilda for the fabulous boulevarde market. www.stkildamarket.com
2. Fitsroy & Brunswick St -Shopping heaven.
3. Long walks along Yarra River into and out of the city.
4. The Royal Botantical Gardens for some peace and meditative quiet.
5. Roaming the lanes in the city and stopping for coffee.
6. Federation Square and the ICMA and The National Gallery. www.fedsquare.com
7. Soaking up the views and enjoying coffee and delicious Lemon tarts at the Splitpoint  lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. www.splitpointlighthouse.com.au
8. Koala watching along the road to Cape Otway Lighthouse. www.lightstation.com
9. A fishy dinner at Vista in Apollo Bay. www.thevistaseafoodrestaurant.com
10. Great Ocean Road views and beaches.
11. Drinking gorgeous Australian wine on the beach whilst star gazing at night.
12. The 12 Apostles seen by helicopter www.12apostleshelicopters.com.au
13. Spending time with special friends, multiple thanks to Jeni & Tom for welcoming us and being such fabulous hosts. Cheers!

 
 
next up Cairns, Port Douglas and The Great Barrier Reef...

 

 

 

2013 A Baker's Dozen Bucket List
Where: Australia, Russia, Spain, Germany & England so far...
When: 2013

Everyone who knows me, knows I love to plan everything well in advance. For me firm future plans help keep me excited about what's to come, I thrive on things to look forward too. So expect some blogging around these activities and Happy New Year to you all.

in no particular order...

13. Australia tour - Dec 30th - Jan 25th

12.A Baker's dozen of interviews with some top dogs across the areas of retail, design, interiors, pr and music and marketing.

11.Top 13 Berlin week

10. Yoga retreats- escape to the zen


9.  A tale of a Russian Wedding

8. How the Spanish do it.

7. An English woman in New York

6. Advanced Jewellery Skills: A how to or not to.

5. To Mother with Love: The Royal Chelsea Flower Show

4. fingers crossed... An African Safari Extravaganza

3. Achieving a stamp: CELTA qualification

2. Exploring Germany- Q3 Adventures.

and perhaps the most exciting ...
1. A Retail Journey: The opening of A Creative Retail Space in Frankfurt, Germany

Bis Gleich,
xx
A

Restaurant Review: The Criterion Restaurant

What: Restaurant review
Where: The Criterion, 224 Piccadilly, Piccadilly, London W1J 9HP
When: December 2012

The Criterion Restaurant. The name alone conjures up visions of a glorious past. As you sit and lose yourself in the opulence of the neo-Byzantine architecture, it's easy to believe the building is soaked in a fascinating history. With its gold and marble shimmering alongside the mosaics, mirrors and plaques, the restaurant has an almost celestial air. If the walls could talk, they would surely whisper to you their secrets...
They would tell of when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first imagined the meeting between Dr. Watson and the enigmatic Sherlock Holmes, in the Criterion Long Bar...

...and it here that we found ourselves waiting patiently for a table (I would advise booking, we were lucky!) Since The Criterion is such an elegant and breath takingly beautiful restaurant, it really is a place, in which you don't mind pausing, posing and people watching. We visited the restaurant on a cold, rainy evening and it was such a pleasure to step into the Christmassy, gold ceilinged room and leave the dark and wet behind. A pianist was playing appropriately festive tunes which was a pleasing backdrop to the general happy atmosphere. Service was friendly and relaxed and the couple next to us provided additional entertaining conversation - yes that's how close the tables are.

The food was good but nothing spectacular, certainly not living up to the opulent surroundings but all in all, The Criterian is a beautiful romantic escape from the craziness of Piccadilly Circus and somewhere I certainly would pop in again especially for the very reasonable 2 courses for 23GBP offer.

 

We ate:
Starters:
Roasted white onion soup, confit guinea fowl, brie (V)

Buffalo mozzarella, heritage tomato, pesto, white balsamic jelly (V)

Mains:
Homemade linguini, clams, squid, prawns, mussels, chilli, garlic, rocket salad 

Pan fried Wester Ross salmon, samphire, beetroot & horseradish puree 
  
Originally opened in 1874, the Grade II listed lavish space has undergone a gentle and sympathetic restoration of its spectacular interiors, adding warmth and softness to the space.

Head Chef, Matthew Foxon, has created a Modern European menu that is simple and luxurious, sourcing the finest and freshest ingredients from the British Isles. Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night from 7pm add to the charming ambiance. Come and discover this gem of history and timeless elegance for yourself.

Contact:
The Criterion, 224 Piccadilly, Piccadilly, London W1J 9HP
Reservations:
T 020 7930 0488 F 020 7930 8380
Email: reservations@criterionrestaurant.com
www.criterionrestaurant.com

Photography Exhibition Review: Ansel Adams

What: Photography Exhibition Review
Who: Ansel Adams
Where: Greenwich Maritime Museum
When: until April 28th 2013

  Ansel Adams is the most popular and arguably the most influential photographer in American history. Famous for dramatic and evocative landscapes, he produced iconic and beautiful images of American nature. The forests, mountains and coastlines of the US provided a rich environment for Adams’s pioneering photography, and this exhibition brings together his most powerful and striking pictures of water in all its forms, from awe-inspiring images of epic seascapes, dramatic rapids and geysers, to crashing waterfalls, placid ponds, raging rivers and beautiful ice-locked landscapes. 

"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence."

A beautifully curated exhibition showcasing over 100 original prints of Adams work. Inspiring and calming, I drifted around the exhibition and sat for some time soaking up the beauty of the moments he witnessed. A large collection of works covering his career creates a captivating photographic exhibition and the recorded interview with the artist at the end, ensured that I wanted to look at all the photos all over again and book flights to the American coast line!
My Verdict: Don't miss this exhibition!

"Those who know Adams will see his art from a fascinating new angle, and those new to his work will be moved by its inspirational and elemental beauty."

Fluid, ephemeral, and unpredictable, water brought dynamic motion and feeling to his pictures. Water provided Adams with a persistent source of inspiration and opportunity for experimentation both in his art and his photographic process. Adams was a true pioneer whose influence continues to be felt to this day.

"A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed."

 For more info check out:
www.anseladams.com/category/blog/ 
www.rmg.co.uk/ansel-adams 

Ansel Adams: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea is generously supported by the Royal Museums Greenwich Foundation.

The exhibition is organized by the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts, USA with support by David H. Arrington and the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona.

Restaurant Review: Caravan Exmouth Market

What: Caravan Restaurant & Bar
Where: 11-13 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QD
When: December 2012

Caravan is a restaurant, bar and coffee roastery located on a busy corner site in Farringdon’s Exmouth Market. With glazed frontage on two sides of the building, overlooking the market and a bustling London intersection, the space has an open and relaxed feel to it. At market level they have created a main dining room seating 48 and a bar seating 18. In warmer months they open the bi-fold doors and let the market in, seating a further 30 outside. The basement houses the kitchen and coffee roastery, and includes the roastery table that is available for private hire for up to 12 guests.
The food at Caravan is well travelled. They like to use seasonal ingredients to create dishes that draw influence and flavours from around the world.

Caravan opened in February 2010 and has continuously enjoyed very positive reviews, to which I am happy to add mine. Visiting with my fabulous group of Secondary School Girl Friends, this was the perfect venue for catching up on all the gossip from ladies I have had the pleasure of knowing almost my whole life. The cocktails and champagne flowed as we celebrated seeing each other again as well as Christmas and the food was delicious. We actually tried the entire small plate winter menu excluding anything including peanuts, which they had no problem removing from a few dishes. The service was friendly and professional and the atmosphere was so lovely we were the last to leave!

We loved it and will certainly be back, thanks for having us Caravan!

What others say:

Top 10 Dishes London 2012

Time Out 

Caravan is diverting, relaxing, keen on everyone having a good time and reasonably priced.

Fay Maschler 

Evening Standard

It’s not just the food that impresses... Caravan fits in superbly with the trendy Exmouth Market vibe, with its cool look that demands attention from the outset (just like the fashionably dressed clientele on our visit).

Contact: Caravan is located at 11-13 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QD. We are on the south west corner of the market.
+442078338115 http://caravanonexmouth.co.uk/contact restaurant@caravanonexmouth.co.uk
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Activity Review: The Smart School of Cookery

What: A Spanish Tapas Cookery Class

Where: The Smart School of Cookery with Ann Hood

When: 15th December 2012 

Over the last few years I have really started to get into cooking. I love to entertain and the launch of my frankfurt girlfriend's Wednesday night 'Dinner Club' has certainly encouraged me to practise the craft. When I saw the Groupon offer, it seemed like the perfect way to pick up some tips and spend a fun morning with my Mum back in my home town of Chelmsford.

The Smart School of Cookery was started by Ann Hood, a past contestant of BBC Masterchef, she started the school in Essex, due to her passion for cooking. In the four years it has been operating it has grown from strength to strength, offering cookery adventures for everyone. Ann now takes classes regularly and will be training prospective franchise owners to run their own cookery schools using the same successful ‘recipe’.

We got straight into the cooking as we had a 6 dishes to get through, the other 'chefs' were a mix of cooking enthusiasts, a chef school graduate! and utter amateurs (like me!)

courses included, Paella, which I prepared, Pincho Diablo - pieces of pork marinated in spanish paprika, chillies and red wine, Calamares Andalucia, Potatas Bravos, Tortilla Espanola and my favourite:

Gambas al Pil Pil
Sizzling hot chilli prawns

Ingredients:
 Oil
 Garlic Paste
 Chilli chopped or sliced
 Prawns , de veined and butterflied
 Salt & pepper
For Serving
 Parsley - chopped
 Lemon wedges
Method:
1. Place the prawns, garlic and chilli into a bowl and toss with oil.
2. Cook in hot pan until pink.
3. Taste, season, take off the heat and serve immediately with parsley and lemon.

The morning was highly enjoyable, informative and relaxed. Any initial apprehension was quickly soothed by the sparkly eyed, Ann, who was very knowledgeable, charming and enthusiastic. She gave straight forward and clear explanations for each dish and her additional tips were invaluable. My mum, who is admitadly is not the keenest cook, really enjoyed herself and will be back with my father for sure! 

Excellent Morning, many thanks to Ann and I wish her great success with all the adventures 2013 will bring.

Book now via www.thesmartschoolofcookery.com classes start again January 4th and locations are growing across the UK, including London Mayfair, Essex and Kent.

Contact: 

The Smart School of Cookery, 62 Main Road, Danbury, Essex CM3 4NG 01245 227 527