Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Sunday, 11 October 2009
Tulip farm, Sky High and Cuckoo Restaurant
It was a full on day yesterday. It started with dragon boating training for the upcoming races in the morning, then in the arvo, we head off to Tesselaar Tulip Festival to meet up with our friends. Late afternoon, all of us went up to Sky High for some spectacular view of Melbourne from Mt Dandenong and finished it off with very good buffet dinner at Cuckoo Restaurant at Olinda.
Tulip Festival
The last time both Lily and myself went to Tesselaar Tulip Festival was when we were back at university. Time time around, it was different, there were more tulips and Irish festival was going on as well to bring more crowd. The whole place was buzzing. The weather was perfect! Sun was out, clear blue skies, 20 degrees temperature, can't ask for a better day.
It has been going on for a month and it was still very well maintained! Even thought the whole place was filled with people at the tulip farm on one side, Irish festival on the other, it was very neat and clean. The people were friendly, attentive and helpful. My hats off to them! Entrance fee well paid!
Tulip Festival
The last time both Lily and myself went to Tesselaar Tulip Festival was when we were back at university. Time time around, it was different, there were more tulips and Irish festival was going on as well to bring more crowd. The whole place was buzzing. The weather was perfect! Sun was out, clear blue skies, 20 degrees temperature, can't ask for a better day.
It has been going on for a month and it was still very well maintained! Even thought the whole place was filled with people at the tulip farm on one side, Irish festival on the other, it was very neat and clean. The people were friendly, attentive and helpful. My hats off to them! Entrance fee well paid!
Sky High Mt Dandenong
We had 2 hours to spare before our dinner booked at 7pm. We headed on to a cafe in the Dandenong mountain for good coffee with spectacular view of Melbourne. It was recommended by our friend. We followed along and when we reached up in the mountain, we could not believe how beautiful the scenery was. As it was a clear day with blue skies, the view was sensational!!!
Enjoying our favourite cuppa with such a superb view and good company, the best tea break we had by far!
Enjoying our favourite cuppa with such a superb view and good company, the best tea break we had by far!
We could not take a good photo as the sun was setting and right in front of us. You have to be here to see it for yourself.
If you look at the photo carefully, you'll be able to spot Melbourne city.
If you look at the photo carefully, you'll be able to spot Melbourne city.
The shot we took at Sky High
Cuckoo Restaurant
We left Sky High shortly after 7pm. When we reached Cuckoo Restaurant, it was about 7.25pm and the place was almost full. There was a wedding reception and from outside, it appears to be empty but once we went in, it was so alive!
Cuckoo is the smorgasbord restaurant started in 1958. Owned by Willi, a German chef serving swedish food. As you would expect, the restaurant is filled with cuckoo clocks which all are still working. The building is designed in the Bavarian Chalet style boasting staggered gabled roofs with decorative window shutters.
The food spread was really good... lots of fresh seafood, the roasts are really good - tender and moist, plenty of grill meats and sausages, traditional Bavarian dishes, cold meat platters, really delicious made to order pancakes and tasty European delicacies.
The owner was telling us that they managed to get the largest mechanical working cuckoo clock after years of searching for it. They were searching for it all over the world and it happened to be in South Australia. Sometimes you don't have to look far to get the best of things.
There was a show towards the end of the dinner as well... which was really entertaining and funny. This is the sort of dinner that we love to go, end it with some good laugh!
Cuckoo is the smorgasbord restaurant started in 1958. Owned by Willi, a German chef serving swedish food. As you would expect, the restaurant is filled with cuckoo clocks which all are still working. The building is designed in the Bavarian Chalet style boasting staggered gabled roofs with decorative window shutters.
The food spread was really good... lots of fresh seafood, the roasts are really good - tender and moist, plenty of grill meats and sausages, traditional Bavarian dishes, cold meat platters, really delicious made to order pancakes and tasty European delicacies.
The owner was telling us that they managed to get the largest mechanical working cuckoo clock after years of searching for it. They were searching for it all over the world and it happened to be in South Australia. Sometimes you don't have to look far to get the best of things.
There was a show towards the end of the dinner as well... which was really entertaining and funny. This is the sort of dinner that we love to go, end it with some good laugh!
Outside Cuckoo Restaurant
Cuckoo Restaurant
Very talented live band
Inside the restaurant
Inside the restaurant
World largest mechanical cuckoo clock - that is still workingBlack Eye Peas E.N.D Tour
When the news came out that Black Eye Peas (BEP) was going to include Australia as part of their E.N.D tour, the public got really excited, we included. They had 2 shows in Melbourne and the first show's tickets were sold out within days. We got ours for the second day.
Last Wednesday, we finally get to enjoyed their show. We got the standing floor tickets, we got there nice and early and we were a couple of feet away from the stage! Then we realised that we weren't tall enough to get a good view, the people in front of us were blocking some of our view and when they started to dance, we would not be able to see anything. We had to move back a little and it was a good call! :D
Last Wednesday, we finally get to enjoyed their show. We got the standing floor tickets, we got there nice and early and we were a couple of feet away from the stage! Then we realised that we weren't tall enough to get a good view, the people in front of us were blocking some of our view and when they started to dance, we would not be able to see anything. We had to move back a little and it was a good call! :D
It was very entertaining! Fergie did most of the singing and screaming... as usual, Will.I.Am played it cool, Alp.de.ap and Taboo danced the most - from one end to the other and played the role in getting the crowd on their feet.
The show lasted for 2 hours and we were dancing the whole time, haven't done it for a very long, I was running out of breath towards the end. Need to go for more concerts! We were trying to contain ourselves from screaming too much, still need to work the next day.
Somewhere in the middle of their show, each of them did a solo gig and Will.I.Am's gig was the best! He is a club DJ and his performance got the whole arena jumping non-stop and everyone was screaming for more!
The only thing I was a little disappointed - I didn't get the "wow" factor from them. They were entertaining, the songs were good, their dance was good... nothing you would not expect from BEP. Unfortunately, there was no flow between songs and their script was disorganised. For a group that has been around for 10 years, maybe I was expecting bit too much.
When we went for Justin Timberlake's, we were amazed with his whole show, from stage set up to his singing, dancing to how well organised his performance was. We also got the "wow" factor from Jacky Cheung's concert and even from Josh Groban's.
On the plus side, we did have fun and get to see BEP in person rather than through a screen!
The show lasted for 2 hours and we were dancing the whole time, haven't done it for a very long, I was running out of breath towards the end. Need to go for more concerts! We were trying to contain ourselves from screaming too much, still need to work the next day.
Somewhere in the middle of their show, each of them did a solo gig and Will.I.Am's gig was the best! He is a club DJ and his performance got the whole arena jumping non-stop and everyone was screaming for more!
The only thing I was a little disappointed - I didn't get the "wow" factor from them. They were entertaining, the songs were good, their dance was good... nothing you would not expect from BEP. Unfortunately, there was no flow between songs and their script was disorganised. For a group that has been around for 10 years, maybe I was expecting bit too much.
When we went for Justin Timberlake's, we were amazed with his whole show, from stage set up to his singing, dancing to how well organised his performance was. We also got the "wow" factor from Jacky Cheung's concert and even from Josh Groban's.
On the plus side, we did have fun and get to see BEP in person rather than through a screen!
We took a couple of videos that turned out to be alright. Check it out.
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Anniversary dinner at Nobu
Last night, we finally had the opportunity to dine at Nobu, an experience I have been looking forward for some time. Being our 3 years anniversary gave us enough reason to enjoy ourselves at this highly successful international chain.
It's been opened for 2 years now and it was still a buzz with plenty of guests arriving and settling in. Upon arrival, we were immediately escorted to the bar for drinks while waiting for our table to be ready. We were told that the previous diners were still at our table. Something tells me that its just one of their tactics to get us spend more $$$. My reasoning? We sat at the bar for a good 45 mins!
Thanks goodness our meal was SUPERB!
It's been opened for 2 years now and it was still a buzz with plenty of guests arriving and settling in. Upon arrival, we were immediately escorted to the bar for drinks while waiting for our table to be ready. We were told that the previous diners were still at our table. Something tells me that its just one of their tactics to get us spend more $$$. My reasoning? We sat at the bar for a good 45 mins!
Thanks goodness our meal was SUPERB!
Our drinks - Emporio Martini (left) and Passion Crush (right)We took a quite a while to decide what to order. We were both hungry and everything on the menu seems extra delicious. We took the easy way out, chose 8 course degustation menu on their signature dishes. :D
Each dishes lived up to 2 very hungry diners' expectations. It's Japanese food with western touch and they did it quite well... from mixing Mexican ingredients with sashimi to improving salmon sashimi.
Each dishes lived up to 2 very hungry diners' expectations. It's Japanese food with western touch and they did it quite well... from mixing Mexican ingredients with sashimi to improving salmon sashimi.
The highlight of our dinner was when the black cod with miso melt in our mouth. It was so tender and moist that we looked silly trying to eat it with our chopsticks. It kept slipping off. Apparently the black cod was marinated in a good deal of sake-miso marinade for 2-3 days.
Dish 1: Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno
Dish 2: (top to bottom) Shiromi usuzukuri whitefish sashimi, salmon sashimi with dried miso and new style scallop sashimi
Dish 3: New style salmon sashimi (highly recommended)
Dish 4: Tuna tataki with tosazu (highly recommended)
Dish 5: Black cod with miso (highly recommended)
Dish 6: Beef toban yaki (highly recommended)
Dish 7: Sushi platter
Dish 8: Warm chocolate satandagi with almond ice creamWe had loads of fun salivating all these amazing dishes that we don't mind coming back again to try other the rest of the menu. Their wagyu 9+ received good reviews as well. Already looking forward to our next trip to Nobu, but not before Tetsuya's!
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
"F.I.S.K.A.L"
Just when you think you have seen it all... you'll be hit with another surprise!
Steve Fielding, Victoria's senator and Federal parliamentary leader of the Family First Party made a huge blunder when speaking to journalists outside parliament this morning. He referred to "physical and monetary policy". The journo asked if he meant "fiscal", he then went all gung-ho and spell it out, F I S K A L.
What an embarrassment for a high profile public figure!
The take away point? Think before you speak. A simple logic ministers all over the world don't seem to understand.
Steve Fielding, Victoria's senator and Federal parliamentary leader of the Family First Party made a huge blunder when speaking to journalists outside parliament this morning. He referred to "physical and monetary policy". The journo asked if he meant "fiscal", he then went all gung-ho and spell it out, F I S K A L.
What an embarrassment for a high profile public figure!
The take away point? Think before you speak. A simple logic ministers all over the world don't seem to understand.
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