Waiting for the Wedding!

Above and below the hot seats for the viewing of the Royal Wedding from London!! Niece and I will be sitting HERE absolutely glued to the television set.....

The Wedding will be beamed across from London to Australia this evening due to the time differences...

We are so excited! Am now off to search for some crowns so we can get into the swing of things and be royally adorned. Oh, and the champagne is of course already chilled in the fridge.

See you this evening Beautiful Niece ...!! (And if you want a little chuckle please go over HERE to niece's blog for another slant on what the Royal Wedding could be like!!) It's so funny.

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.

And a Happy New Year to you too

Although it's only January 2nd 2011, I feel I am a little late in posting my Happy New Year wishes as there are many out there who have been far quicker off the mark. Nonetheless, I'll add mine now and wish everyone a wonderful, happy and healthy 2011 - all my friends and family and also to you my lovely fellow bloggers, followers (and please can I get to 100 soon?!) readers and commentators too - you, as they say, "rock my blogging world" !

Now, I have had a fun filled and busy few last days as on the evening of 30th December this plane below arriving into Melbourne brought.... my dear sister, V and her partner, Steve to Australia for a couple of weeks. Sister V is Beautiful Niece's mother and here they are embracing (photo courtesy of Mr SE) - a happy and emotional reunion for all - they hadn't seen each other since last April. I was, as you can see pretty happy too.

Then onto New Year's Eve.

We had the most wonderful time at BN and LAM's Hawaiian New Year's Eve Party at their apartment on their roof top terrace overlooking the skyline of Melbourne. Just look at that view. It was a great party with a barbeque, plenty to drink (too much as far as I was concerned I have to admit!) and lots of wild dancing too! There were about 40- 50 people there - one of the best New Year's Eves I have had in a very long time. Am sure that my niece will post on her blog about it very soon too.

And just look at the beautiful fireworks over lovely Melbourne city. Stunning.

On New Year's Day Mr SE and I hosted a Christmas dinner (as they were not here on 25th December) for my sister and partner with BN and LAM and presents were duly exchanged around our rather small but sweet Christmas tree.

BN and LAM gave me this lovely ceramic milk bottle container and the rustic iron heart from one of my very favourite places in Melbourne - Capital Kitchen. Love them.

And below, the festive table before we sat down to dinner.... Here I will admit that Mr SE did the lion's share of the cooking due to my very fragile state. All I did was decorate and lay the table, prepare the gravy and make the pudding!! He is a bit of a star at times....

We ate : stuffed and rolled turkey (pinenut and spinach stuffing), roast potatoes (very good and crispy), steamed carrots and asparagus, gravy(!) and for pudding - panetonne bread and butter pudding with vanilla icecream.

And to drink, a bottle of very nice white wine called "Siblings" - highly appropriate for the occasion although I only had a very small glass.

Happy Days.

"Avalanche Pavlova" and Festive Matters

Well, I don't think I would get citizenship if one of the tests were to make an Australian Pavlova. I am afraid it got re-named "Avalanche Pavlova" instead of what it was meant to be - "Three Tier Brown Sugar Pavlova" View from the top above and side view below - well at least it had 3 tiers! And as it was covered in copious amounts of cream and berries it all seemed to go down well.

BN (Beautiful Niece) helped by advising on applying cream and fruit....

that was before she got stuck back into the wine below! (hasten to add that she is only joking here and does drink it by the glass, promise).

Now, those of you who were following the blog at the beginning of the year know that I did a little matchmaking as far as she was concerned and as her godmother I think that this was ENTIRELY in order.

I present below.... BN and LAM.... her Lovely Aussie Man.

I think they make a gorgeous couple but then again I am a little biased on these matters as A. she is my goddaughter as well as my niece and B. I introduced them.

We spent Christmas Day with them and with our friend S who kindly invited us for Christmas lunch with her family. And it was a day of mixed Nations - friend S and her mother who was also there are Canadian, there was us; the British contingent and also the Australians, the LAM and friend S's husband and son and other members of his family too...
All in all a wonderful and happy day with a huge amount of tasty food and lovely wines to drink. Perfect.

Then on to Boxing Day when we went to the :

Remember I told you that Mr SE is very keen on cricket? He bought tickets for the Ashes series on Boxing Day way, way back in JULY! Well, I could not be churlish and say 'No thanks Mr SE I would rather go to the Sales", could I? Well, could I? Actually I would not have missed it for the world - England are in TOP FORM I have to say and we had a day of great entertainment too. BN and LAM also came with us.

At one point though, disaster. Rain stopped play....

The man sitting in front of us, fashioned himself a hat from a cardboard container used to carry beer... He made us smile, all day! He informed us he was sitting in 'Milliner's Row' and asked BN and I if we would like hats too. We politely declined, we did not think they would go with our outfits!

The sun came back out and the game continued.... We were very happy with the final outcome. That was all of us except for the LAM who said it was a long, long time since he had seen Australia all bowled out for less than 100.

A great Christmas break.

Perfect Day

Today was beautiful. A perfect Spring day in Melbourne - the temperature topped 23 degrees and the sun shone most of the day. Just look at the lovely blue sky with the little small wispy clouds. It was warm enough to be very comfortable but not overly hot - my absolute perfect weather.

Also perfect in that I had a day off and niece (Miss Sophs) came over for dinner this evening with her man - Mr Melbs. (I am ignoring the fact that the fly in the oinment is that I am working tomorrow - Saturday!)

Hope what ever you are doing you have a lovely weekend. What temperature / weather do you love the best and what time of the year? I have to say I think this is my favourite time of the year here in Melbourne.

Picnic at Hanging Rock

I spent yesterday in the company of my very lovely BN and her Australian 'amour' ! (and yes, for those of you who remember my earlier post on the subject of niece and my matchmaking skills it is still very much on - to update previous installment click HERE) Anyway, I digress. I was invited out with them and so we decided to go on a :at Hanging Rock - photograph below....

Hanging Rock is the name of a distinctive volcanic geological formation created around 6.25 million years ago about an hour and half north west of the city of Melbourne in country Victoria. It rises 2,356 ft. above sea level.

The novel, Picnic at Hanging Rock written by Joan Lindsay (and made into a film) tells the mysterious tale of a group of schoolgirls and one teacher who on Valentines Day in 1900 all disappeared on Hanging Rock never to be seen again.

BN and I partaking of a little 'picnical' refreshment before thinking about scaling the rocky outcrop!!

This is the actual hanging rock (suspended between two others) which gives the name to the whole formation of rocks....

The area does give off quite a spooky and mystical vibe I have to admit. It took us around 20 minutes or so to get to the top and the view was definitely worth it...

BN at the summit of the rocks....

The two of them !

And the view from the top.....

All in all a very enjoyable day - even though BN teased me that I was the 'gooseberry' in the back of the car!

Tea for One

I have to admit to feeling a little down today..... My niece flew off onto New Zealand to continue her travels in the antipodes yesterday - (this is also known as 'Getting Over a Broken Engagement in UK tour'....)


And I have to report she is doing remarkably well on this front having been whizzed around Melbourne and to country vineyards by a very dashing and hunky Australian man so I am pleased. Very. Especially as I engineered the original meeting ....(yes, yes, just call me Matchmaker, Matchmaker!) I can feel a song coming on....


So, to cheer myself up I went to the cute place above ..... 'Little Cupcakes'.

And partook of the above - look at the sweetest little lemon mini cupcake and the fact that the tea is served DANS une pot de china and avec real leaves too..... Bliss.

(But I still miss BN!)
However, I am happy to say that she'll be back in Melbourne later. (Think I hear that song coming back again!)

P.S. I meant to say that if anyone would like to read of her adventures - she is also writing a blog (keeping it in the family so to speak!) see right in my favourites - 'Diary of a Travelling Cool Girl'

Mid week roses from the garden

Did not get around to a post yesterday- many apologies ...... We were preparing a farewell barbeque for BN before she goes off for a look around New Zealand - she will be back in Melbourne with us later....

We all had a fabulous evening and I picked this large bunch of coral roses from the garden - thought you might like to see them - the colour will warm up those in the Northern Hemisphere - especially those in UK where there was another snow fall last night I believe... Brrrrr!!...

Shopping (but mainly of the window variety!)

Yesterday BN and I did a little window shopping and lots of trying on of all kinds of gorgeous shoes as above and below...... Such fun to have a shopping buddy with me again!

I was definitely tempted by a nude pair of MID heeled Christian Louboutins - they were wonderful (and I have to say are "on one side" at the shop) whilst I decide... very extravagant but then again... so classic and wearable too!! (BN wanted me to buy them then and there!)

We then went to safer territory and looked at all the gorgeous OPI nail polishes - so much choice but in the end we plumped for a classic.....

Lincoln Park After Dark (just love the name alone!) which I will wear on my toe nails (not quite brave enough to use on my finger nails - prefer the natural look of nude/pink for them...)

All in all though we had such a fun couple of hours!