Hunter Valley Uncorked at Balmoral

The laid-back Sunday crowds were out in force as the Hunter Valley brought its wines to Sydney against the stunning backdrop of Balmoral Beach last Sunday. The day was perfect for a picnic and the chance to meet the winemakers and their teams and sample trophy and gold medal wines, iconic Hunter Semillons, new release whites, Hunter Valley Shiraz as well as chilled bubbles and rose. The Hunter Valley's Andy Allen, aka Masterchef 2012, was a special guest preparing seafood to complement Hunter Valley Semillon and beef to pair with Hunter Valley Shiraz.

Three-piece band Mimesis took centre stage on the iconic bandstand, delivering sounds that really suited the day and the tastes of the Hunter were a reminder of how good it is to spend a weekend away just a two-hour drive from Sydney!

WINERIES INCLUDED:

• Adina Vineyard
• Allandale Winery
• Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard
• Bimbadgen
• Brokenwood Wines
• Colvin Wines
• De Iuliis Wines
• First Creek Wines
• Glandore Estate Wines
• Margan Winery
• McGuigan Wines
• McWilliams Mount Pleasant
• Oakvale Wines
• Peterson House
• RidgeView Wines
• Saddler's Creek Wines 
• Tempus Two
• Thomas Wines
• Tulloch Wines
• Two Rivers
• Tyrrell's Wines

RESTAURANTS:

• Restaurant Cuvee
• RidgeView Restaurant
• The Verandah Restaurant
• Twine Restaurant

Fresh Produce by:

• Pukara Estate - olives, olive products and vinegars
• Hunter Valley Cheese Company - cheese & antipasto platters
• Nelson Bay Seafoods - fresh seafood
• Australian Regional Food Store - gourmet products
• Lushberries - chocolate dipped berries
• Lil' Groovers - fresh lemonade
• Bar Coco - Coffee, drinks and gelato

Novotel Lombok

My Stratford-upon-Avon app is now on Google Play

Mercure Shakespeare Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon ©AP

Drive a Morgan Roadster ©AP

http://sutromedia.com/android/Stratford_West_Midlands_As_You_Like_It

http://sutromedia.com/apps/Stratford_West_Midlands_As_You_Like_It

Stratford-upon-Avon App

Anne Hathaway's Cottage, Stratford-upon-Avon. ©AP

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stratford-west-midlands-as/id537475306?mt=8

Luxury 'Town & Country Package', Blanket Bay & Eichardt's Private Hotel, New Zealand

Blanket Bay, New Zealand.  ©AP

Road to Blanket Bay, New Zealand. ©AP

On the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Blanket Bay is a dream come true, a place for relaxation and reflection and a base for exciting activities against the breathtaking scenery of the Glenorchy district.

The food is excellent, each dish prepared with fresh ingredients every day. You'll never want to leave.

On the waterfront in Queenstown, Eichardt's Private Hotel is a stylish hideaway with its own Tapas Bar and close to restaurants such as Wai and The Bunker. Amisfield Winery is nearby, a perfect place for lunch.

Currently there's a package combining a stay at both for a taste of town and country:

http://blanketbay.com/packages/queenstown-town-and-country

Stay for six nights and pay for only five:

3 nights in a Lodge Room at Blanket Bay and 3 nights in a Lakefront Apartment at Eichardt's Private Hotel – NZ$2705.00 per person

3 nights in a Lodge Suite at Blanket Bay and 3 nights in a Mountain View Suite at Eichardt's Private Hotel – NZ$3795.00 per person

Rates are per person based on twin or double occupancy, include taxes and can be booked directly with the hotels or by your travel advisor. Click here for information and reservations.

Suite, Eichardt's Private Hotel, Queenstown,  New Zealand. ©AP

Eichardt's Private Hotel, Queenstown, New Zealand. ©AP

To share or not to share ... lunch, Amisfield.

NZ: Amisfield Winery, nr Queenstown. Go for lunch, chat into the afternoon ...

Blanket Bay, New Zealand

What a wonderful experience ... Town & Country package at Blanket Bay and Eichardt's Private Hotel, Queenstown, NZ.

http://blanketbay.com/packages/queenstown-town-and-country

Picasso at AGNSW

Finally saw the Picasso Exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It's on until 25 March, 2012 and it's fantastic. Go see it!
The new Director of the Gallery is Dr Michael Brand, consulting director of the Aga Khan Museum (currently under construction in Toronto) and the former director of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales kindly supplied the image for me to post. www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/

FlickerFest: A Brush With The Tenderloin

Great series of films at FlickerFest on a perfect summer day at Bondi. Loved A BRUSH WITH THE TENDERLOIN from San Francisco, written, directed and produced by Paige Bierma. http://www.facebook.com/abrushwiththetenderloin

Loving Berlin, Hackescher Markt, Adina Apartments, Emirates & International Rail

Hackescher Markt area, Berlin
© Alison Plummer, True Blue Cockatoo

Travelling in Germany and France recently, working on our film documentary. We flew to Frankfurt from Sydney with Emirates and stayed at the gorgeous Adina Apartment Hotel Frankfurt, on the banks of the River Main. Then took the train to Eisenach – we had International Rail Passes and it was great to travel as we pleased on the German ICE trains and the TGV in France.
Made it to Berlin for a couple of days and stayed at Adina Apartment Hotel Checkpoint Charlie. Loved walking to see all the sights and the exciting Hackescher Markt area, now with its own new oh-so-cool Adina. Must have been inspirational, I've written two stories for magazines already!


www.adina.eu
www.emirates.com/au
 INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL RAIL.

Eurail Select Pass allows you unlimited rail travel on the national rail networks of any three, four or five adjoining Eurail countries that are connected by train or participating shipping line, with over 18 countries you can chose from.

 Eurail Select Passes are available through Australian-owned International Rail. See ;http://www.internationalrail.com.au
  

Jamie's Italian – images by Ken Martin, True Blue Cockatoo, Sydney

http://www.indesignlive.com/articles/projects/whos-doing-what/nsw/Jamies-Italian-by-peckvonhartel#axzz1jO5k9lEk

One perfect day

There's nothing like an English summer's day and this is going to be one – glorious blue sky, fabulous sunrise. Hope all is well in NYC ...

Lavender Shortbread

Lavender Fields. Photo:AP

Busy researching a project which knows no bounds. Gorgeous summer days and long summer nights, love 'em and then you realise you are working much longer hours! Fields of lavender stretch forever - feel you want to lie down in them except for the bees!! Lavender shortbread makes interesting eating until you taste the plum pizza, but more of that next time.

Ice Bear Sydney

As a guest of Aurora Expeditions on Friday 3 June,  I was lucky enough to meet UK sculptor Mark Coreth, who is an Arctic aficionado and huge admirer of polar bears. He spoke about his work with great passion and humour and went back to sculpting the ice bear which melts to leave its bronze frame. Mark loves to work on the nose, especially and here he is below, watched closely by the 1 million women campaign poster www.1millionwomen.com.au the group of women dedicated to cutting a tonne of pollution from our daily lives.

Sculptor Mark Coreth at work on the Sydney Ice Bear, Circular Quay, Sydney Image: ©AP/TrueBlue Cockatoo

Aurora Expeditions specialists also spoke of the compelling beauty of the Arctic and 'Russian Coast 2011' is a collection of voyages to inspire everyone to go. www.auroraexpeditions.com.au 

Mark Coreth is sculpting ice bear cubs at a masterclass in Sydney on 6 June.

Hidden Secrets Cafe Culture Walk, Melbourne

Manchester Press Cafe,   Photo:APwww.hiddensecretstours.com

Given that 10 or more coffees would have had me bouncing off the walls for days, the Hidden Secrets Cafe Culture Walk wasn't really about coffee for me at all, it was about being shown Melbourne's wonderful laneways and appreciating the individual styles of the cafes and shops, each with its own point of difference.


Clothes, jewellery, books, music, coffee - Melbourne does it in style and now many cafes combine different elements and themes. We start our wanderings near Spring Street and have the first coffee at Cafe Liason in Monaco House, Ridgeway Place. We pass Self Preservation which blends a jewellery store with a cafe and Pelligrini's Espresso Bar in Bourke Street, a Melbourne institution.


Some cafes are in old buildings some new, some in corporate buildings, all themed to attract attention, linked by a creative thread inspired by individuals.


Manchester Press in Rankin Street (off Little Bourke Street), is one of Melbourne's newest cafes in an old printing press building and serving open bagels, simple but effective and drawing the lunch-time crowds.

Melbourne's corporate buildings manage to create little cafe corners with character - the Tuck Shop in The NAB Building at 500 Bourke Street which includes a rainwater tank for fresh drinking water and, below, The Truffula Seed bar with its distinctive frontage in Shell House, 

1 Spring Street. 

Truffula Seed sustainable espresso bar, Shell House. Photo:AP

The name Truffula Seed is inspired by 'The Lorax' by Dr Seuss about industry and the environment, and the cafe is a sustainable espresso bar using ethically sourced beans from the Social Roasting Company, who deliver the beans on a green bicycle. Truffula Seed's Truffula Blend is available for sale here.

La Bel Miette, 30 Hardware Lane. Photo: AP

Next stop La Belle Miette with delightful macarons beautifully presented in little boxes designed by Melbourne graphic artist Kano Hollamby. The little French patisserie at 30 Hardware Lane, specialises in macarons and the most difficult part is the decision with regard to colour/flavour. 
My eyes told me I had to have the Pink Grapefruit (top right) but my senses said Violet  & Blueberry so I followed the gut feeling and the taste sensation was amazing - violet and blueberry it was indeed. 
The skilful blends are due to the fact that La Belle Miette's Maylynn is the daughter of a natural perfumer. Flavours include Lemon (bottom left), Raspberry Ganache (top left), Rose, Cherry Blossom & Sake and Caramel a la Fleur de Sel.

Still on the French theme, Cafe Vue at 430 Little Collins is part of Chef Shannon Bennett's empire now including the signature Vue de Monde Restaurant,Bistro Vue and Cafe Vue as well as private dining and a shop. On the subject of famous chefs, Fifteen Restaurant re-opened without the Jamie Oliver connection as the The Kitchen Cat, next to Hermes,at 115 -117 Collins Street with Chef Toby Puttock in charge.
Back to cafes and last stop, Captains of Industry, 20 Somerset Place, open for breakfast, lunch, snacks and events, a 'gentlemen's haven' with traditional haircuts, bespoke footwear, mens grooming and made to measure. menswear. It's full of young creatives of both genders, who love its quirky ambience, all part of the trend to value-add emotion when it comes to shopping and even drinking coffee.
And Melbourne's doing it, big-time.
©Alison Plummer

Attention mushroom and truffle lovers ...

Saffron Milk Caps & Slippery Jacks before ..

...and after, as prepared by Monica Cooper and Katie Bird of Two Birds and a Shed, Oberon.

Now's the time to head for Oberon, west of the Blue Mountains in NSW to pick prized exotic forest mushrooms by the basket full! Saffron Milk Caps and Slippery Jacks grow in abundance and picking them is something I've heard you could do but never managed to find the time to coincide with the short season when they flourish in Oberon's pine plantations, brought as spores with the European pine seedlings.

Slippery Jacks ( thanks to Luke for lending a hand).

Saffron Milk Cap.

Picking them is one thing - eating quite another. Two Birds and a Shed caterers Monica Cooper and Katie Bird showed us how to prepare them in the kitchen at Monica and Wayne Cooper's RoosterHill Guesthouse, serving the muchrooms up in a creamy sauce with a side of Black Perigord truffle omelette courtesy of neighbouring Lowes Mount Truffiere.

Katie Bird of Two Birds and a Shed.


Monica and Katie cater for all kinds of occasions from dinner parties to grand events and cook up breakfast at the Tablelands Way Farmer's Markets on the first Saturday of the month.  Local produce from this lovely area includes quality beef and lamb, asparagus, hazelnuts, tomatoes, saffron, trout, truffle products (think Lowes Mount Truffles' own truffle in rock salt and mouthwatering hazelnuts in truffled honey).

ww.roosterhill.com.au/birds.htm

www.roosterhill.com.au

www.lowesmounttruffles.com.au

www.visitbluemountains.com.au

Lake Okareka Lodge http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSlyNNLLQ1c

www.lebua.com/en/lake-okareka-lodge




Filmed and produced by Ken Martin/True Blue Cockatoo
www.bluecockatoo.com.au