Out to lunch

About six months ago I took a photograph of this very table below at Jinks Creek Vineyard and Gallery and vowed that when the weather was better we would definitely be back - you can read about our last visit HERE. (And if you do check out and read about our last visit, scroll down to the end of the post and you will see the very same view that's in this photo but without any greenery on the vines!) Then it was just Mr SE and myself, but last Sunday we went there again with a larger party. Mr SE playing the host and pouring the (very delicious) rose wine....

A little plate of shared nibbles.

Here we all are.... From the right - going anti-clockwise. Myself, Beautiful Niece, her Lovely Aussie Man, then Mr SE, my sister and then her partner.

The photo above was taken by a very nice person at the next table. She had an 'all singing / all dancing' Canon camera with a very long lens so my sis. felt a bit embarrassed handing her a small digital auto focus pink camera with which to take our photo!! Nevertheless, she was very kind and said of course she did not mind taking a photo of us all. I think she took a pretty good photo. Maybe she was a photographer, who knows?

This was the view looking back to the restaurant up the weathered steps. Apparently it started life as a wool shed. I think it's such a gorgeous building.

There were some children at another table with their parents (one in the photo above) and before we ate BN and her LAM had a game of Boules near the vines... The children all came over and wanted to join in - BN and LAM looked like "Pied Pipers" So sweet.

As we left Mr SE nipped back and bought us another bottle of the rose to have at home later in the week. Sometimes he has the best ideas...!!

My sister has now returned to UK - she got there last night and we have so loved having them over in Melbourne for the last couple of weeks. The time went by far too quickly though.

Visiting some vineyards

As Monday was a holiday BN and I struck out of the city of Melbourne for a 'tripette' with my sister and her partner Steve... To the beautiful Yarra Valley - Melbourne's wine growing region. Mr SE and Mr Melbs (BN's other half) declined the invitation to vineyards. Mr Melbs had some work to finish but I think Mr SE just wanted a peaceful day watching the cricket. Anyway, no matter... He missed the tasting special of 4 types of sparkling wine at the first vineyard (top photo) and the cheese platter too...delicious.

Above. My sister (BN's Ma) at the vineyard.

BN was the designated driver so we let her get stuck in to the cheese platter whilst we concentrated more on the wines! Only fair.

Gorgeous views.

Second vineyard... love these trees.

And above a view over the lake at the third vineyard we stopped at.

Here we opted for vanilla ice cream (for the girls) - sister's partner Steve enjoyed tasting some more red wines though.

Such a good day just before I went back to work.
A great way to begin 2011.