Mini-Break! Ballarat

Now that our days of overseas travel are temporarily on hold, it's mini-beak time.  At only just over 100km from Melbourne, Ballarat is the 3rd most populous city with around 100,000 Ballaratians. So an easy drive on Friday afternoon  First stop, the beautiful Lake Wendouree (did you know it was the venue for the rowing and canoeing at the 1956 Olympic Games?) and Emilio was champing at the bit to get a bit of fishing in! 

Saturday, we set off at a Lucas walking pace to tour the city to admire the architecture. Ballarat is probably the most significant gold rush town in Australia with gold discovered in August 1851. Within months, migrants from across the world had arrived and the town quickly grew and all that gold left behind some beautiful buildings.

The Battle of Eureka Stockade, took place on 3 December 1854. We visited the Museum of Democracy Eureka (MADE) where the Eureka Flag, is held and learnt some of the history.

Saturday night I set off to the Old Ballarat cemetery for a tour.  I learnt that tombstone tourists are called "taphophiles".  Our guide for the night was really interesting and gave us heaps of info on the history and the people resting in peace (or in some cases, maybe not so restful). Was cold, so can only imagine what it's like in the middle of winter!  The ghosts were quiet. 

Sunday we visited Sovereign Hill which re-creates the early gold rush days, did a bit more walking around town and then headed back to Sovereign Hill to do the Blood on the Southern Cross. It's a sound-and-light show depicting the story of the Eureka Rebellion.

Last day we visited the beautiful Ballarat Botanical Gardens and had another walk around Lake Wendouree before heading home.

So there we are.  Our first little trip for the year with several ticks!  And every time we saw a caravan, we said that will be us one day!  Oh and number 92, walk around Lake Wendouree (circumference of 6km), a fail.
 

Off to join the circus!

That's it, I definitely want to run away and join the circus.  Not any old circus, but Cirque du Soleil. We went and saw KOOZA last night.  How amazing are these brilliantly talented performers? And how fit, trim and taut do they look?  One question, how do they get so bendy?  I'm pretty impressed with myself that I can still touch my toes, but anything more is going to be, pardon the pun, a stretch.

Maybe I could be the chef or chief sequin sewer?  Hang on, I can't cook or sew that well and there would be limited calls for crocheted beanies (of which I am pretty good at).  Hmm will have to check out seek.com for circus opportunities and start preparing my resume.  In the meantime, I'm going to practice gaudy make-up skills and prancing.  Because they are all very good at prancing.

 

Book Worms

 

 

One of the hardest things for me to part with as part of my de-cluttering process is books (oh alright, I struggle with shoes and handbags too).  And I know I’m not alone.  Why do we hang on to them?  To re-read?  Unlikely, because let’s face it, there are so many great books out there who has time to re-read them?  Well, maybe SH (you know who you are).

Rather than add to the problem, last year I joined the Library at the Dock down here in Docklands.  Although not huge, it’s connected to all the other City libraries and you can borrow from any of them.  Browsing is fun (and you could easily spend hours), however, you can just reserve the books you want and they send you a text message when it’s ready and waiting for you to collect.  How good is that?

And libraries are so much more than just a place to borrow books from.  They have all sorts of interesting stuff on – exhibitions, workshops and book clubs.  If like me you hadn’t been into a library in years, check your local out!  Amazing places.

Right then, anyone got any must read book suggestions for me?  No classics please!

The Year of Yes

What is it about turning 50 that has us re-evaluating our lives (holy F&%$, I'm getting old)?  For me it was the thought that my dear mum passed away way too early at 70 and that meant only 20 years to go.  20 years in which to do all the things I still want to do. And for me, that's where THE LIST started. Rather than a Bucket List, it is more of a Life Wish List.  A place to note down all the great things that are out there to see, do and experience.

This year my dear friend Belinda turns the BIG 50.  For her, she has declared this to be the Year of Yes.  A year to consider all that is offered and not just quickly say no, but to get out there and try new things, see new things, taste new things and to get out of her comfort zone.  It's a great way to experience what may turn into a new passion (or may have you swearing off something for ever), or meeting some wonderful new people.

On Monday I had a spare ticket to a "See Think Click" photography workshop at lunchtime.  It was just 30 minutes, in our building and best of all FREE (my second favourite 4 letter word).  I asked B if she wanted to come along.  Her first reaction was to say "nah I'm busy with work" but caught herself in time and said "YES why not"!  Not only is it great to get away from our desks at lunchtime, but we picked up a few photography tips and had time to pop down to see The Thinking Photographer 's photos.

The best thing about saying yes, is it doesn't take away the very important freedom of saying NO. I don't feel guilty saying it, I don't feel pressured into saying yes. Drinks after work on a Friday?  Thanks but no thanks (I'd rather go home to my hubby and fur-babies).  Skydiving, bungy jumping (why do people think these need to be on the list?)  Definitely not.  I'm happy to try new things, but they just don't do it for me.  I don't want to jump out of a plane and I don't want to jump off a bridge with a rubber band around my ankles.

So just say YES!  Unless it really doesn't appeal, in which case NO is fine too.

As for turning 50, well I'm not sure if it's the new 40, but it certainly puts a whole new perspective on life.

Brighton Bathing Boxes

Gotta love when wonderful friends (thanks B) from interstate come to visit and you get to play tourists!  And who doesn't love the Brighton Bathing Boxes!  

On Dendy Street Beach, the 82 Brighton bathing boxes are a popular Bayside icon and remain much as they were over one hundred years ago, as licensed bathing boxes. No services such as electricity or water are connected and licensees can only make minor structural, artistic and colour changes - we particularly loved this VW one. 

So how much for one of these little beauties?  Well apart from being as rare as hens teeth with only 1 or 2 new ones built each year, the last one sold in December 2016 (the orange and yellow striped box, number 85) went for $326,000!  That would be a pretty fancy caravan and there would be plenty left over for burgers!

White Night!

Went along to my first ever White Night on Saturday night (tick). This was Melbourne’s 5^th White Night and stories of the crowds have put me off in the past.  Not sure if crowds were down because of the threat of bad weather or because things were more spread out this year, but nowhere near as bad as expected.

Didn’t get to see everything, but was happy to just concentrate on a few things and loved it – will definitely go back next year!

My fave was the Rhythms of the Night projection set to haunting music at the Royal Exhibition Building. The clocks ticks down and you’re treated to a psychedelic array of images.  Loved the skeletons, spiders and cobwebs!  Can imagine some of the young kids being a bit spooked, especially if they looked up into the trees and saw all the red zombie eyes (ok, they were pretend possums) peering down at you.  

The Nebulous structure also in the Carlton Gardens was mesmerizing and just ahead, the Pyrophone Juggernaut.   This looked like a ship made of organ pipes and when the show began, there were flames, weird noises and drums.  All a bit odd – but then anything goes in the name of art.

After that we followed the crowds towards the main part of the city and towards the library which also had some amazing projections on its façade, although too busy to go in. 

A few people have said that there were fewer displays this year, can’t compare, so all I can say is it was a good night.  Even getting home was not too bad.

 

Burgerholics Anonymous

I think I need to join Burgerholics Anonymous.  It seems like these days in Melbourne, you can't walk 50m without coming across another new "gotta try" burger joint.  And as fast as I add them to the list, the more that just pop up all around me! 

This is not a completely new phenomenon, it has been happening for a few years now with even celebrity chefs jumping on the bandwagon  (yes, I'm referring to Neil Perry's Burger Project and the soon to be opened Benny's Burgers courtesy of Shannon Bennett).

In fact there are people out there far more addicted that I am - just check out Burgers of Melbourne! This guy takes his job very seriously - even rating milkshakes, onion rings and chips. Impressive.

I have 10 burger places to try on my 2017 list.  There were 7 I tried last year.  Here we are only half way through February and I have already tried 4 on the list.  I must also confess that there may or may not have been a few repeats in the year to date. 

Do I rate my burgers?  No not really - I find that really hard and they have all been pretty good!  However, out of the 4 I've tried this year, last nights burger at The Grand Trailer Park Taverna is probably my fave. Great place too and milkshakes to die for (they have alcohol in them - need I say more?)

I think I have reached saturation point.  I do solemnly swear that I will not add any new burger places to the list (unless they sound really, really, really good).

One final note, this burger addiction is causing all sorts of problems for number 59 on the list - get down to 60kg.  At this rate, I'll be lucky not to gain 9kg, never mind losing 9.