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April 9, 2012

A Traveler’s Notes from Australia

My trip to Australia seems ages ago but my memories run deep.? The land down under is indeed full of beauty and spectacle and amazingly friendly people.

Here are a few of my favourite places and things unique to Australia:
  • First there’s the delicious lamington! (Ha! Did you think I would start with the Sydney Opera House? Not focused on the uber-tourist trail with this little blog post. Besides food always comes first!) If you’ve never had a lamington, you must try one (or two) immediately…if you can find a place that makes them…or you’ll have to make your own. Lamingtons are sponge cake cut in cubes and dipped in a light chocolate frosting and sprinkled with coconut. They are divine!
  • The spectacular Great Ocean Road! (Yes I know this is on everyone’s list but there is good reason!) The highlight of my very long but incredible day was a helicopter ride to see the Twelve Apostles and Shipwreck coast from an unforgettable vantage point!
  • Lots of great wine! From the three wine regions (of which there are plenty!) that I visited across Australia and the few wineries that I was able to experience in each area, here are the standouts…
Margaret River:
There are the bigger, more well known estates like Voyager and Vasse Felix that are consistently good so I will focus on the houses that offered me the most memorable experiences and wines that were fantastic in my opinion (not to mention some interesting names!)
+Laurance – excellent reds in particular the Icon Cabernet
+ Evans & Tate – loved their whites and a beautiful pink Moscato
+ Wills Domain – excellent whites especially their Semillon
+ Knee Deep – fantastic, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc
+ Swings and Roundabouts – great reds and a beautiful Chardonnay
Yarra Valley:
+ Yering Station – this is a popular and quite commercial estate but they had a Shiraz Viognier (2008) that was amazing
+ Rochford – lovely, elegant wines especially their Chardonnay (2001)
Barossa Valley:
+ Schild Estate – very nice, smooth whites like the Semillon, Frontignac and Chardonnay and there was a fabulous blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre (GSM as the Aussies love their acronyms!)
+ Hentley Farm – fantastic Zinfandel and a Shiraz called The Beast (2010)! It was to-die-for…much more complex and interesting than The Beauty!
  • If you find yourself in Melbourne and you’re a huge fan of sushi, then you must try Jamon (www.jamonsushi.com) which is a little sushi place in the charming suburb of?South Yarra. The owner and master sushi chef (be prepared to meet Charles, a long-silver-haired Harley Davidson type dressed in black) prepares everything for you fresh that day – the menu is omakase so the chef will make whatever he chooses from the fresh fish, mushrooms and vegetables that he had gotten from the markets that day (you can just tell him what you may not prefer). It was like an opera watching him prepare the whole fishes and creating delicate pieces of sashimi from various parts of the fish, slicing the beautiful shiitake and enoki while grounding fresh wasabi root and sprinkling some of his homemade mustard. Oh, and in that tiny space of sushi bar for 7 and 2 tables for 2, they project Japanese animation on the large white wall in front of the
    bar. It was a lovely, spontaneous and unforgettable experience!
  • Kangaroo Island is a spectacular place where you feel like you’re at the edge of the world…and you are! It’s on the Southern Ocean and there’s nothing between you and Antarctica! The island was bigger than I expected with so much nature to see…of all the beautiful natural surroundings, I would have to say that the Remarkable Rocks were a highlight and of the few man-made places, there is nothing more amazing than the Southern Ocean Lodge (www.southernoceanlodge.com.au) which is an eco-friendly resort that caters to your every whim! The rooms, food, guided tours, spa and hospitality are all absolutely second-to-none! If only we could have stayed longer…
  • Finally, after seeing so much natural beauty, I was ready for a big dose of urban culture when I reached Sydney. And the Art Gallery of New South Wales didn’t disappoint. The gallery is at one end of the beautiful Botanic Gardens and surprisingly had on view the works of some of my favourite modern and contemporary artists. It was the perfect closing to a fabulous holiday.

Article by Hillary / Blog, Testimonial / Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia, Barossa Valley, Down Under, Great Ocean Road, Kangaroo Island, Margaret River, Melbourne, Remarkable Rocks, Royal Botanic Gardens, Shipwreck Coast, Southern Ocean Lodge, Sydney, Sydney Opera House, Twelve Apostles, Yarra Valley

March 26, 2012

Thank you from Colleen Berry

G?day Karen,

What a wonderful trip to Oz! You and your staff did a fabulous job in helping to make my second trip to Australia wonderful and helped me see new?and exciting parts of the country.

I loved Tasmania, Adelaide and the Margaret River area. Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island was just amazing, a once in a lifetime experience, and so wish I had stayed a third night. The small group tours across the itinerary were perfect.

Thank you for your patience in putting together a trip for someone visiting for a second time and my traveling companions visiting for a first time. The only downfall was not having more time or more money!

Thank you for making so many wonderful memories for me, Marianne and Rose.

Best,

Colleen

Article by Hillary / Blog, Testimonial / Adelaide, Australia, Kangaroo Island, Margaret River, Southern Ocean Lodge, Tasmania

February 8, 2012

20th Annual Margaret River Wine Festival

Through a wine glass
Photo Credit dicktay2000

Those with a penchant for fine wine will not want to miss the Margaret River Wine Festival taking place April 13 ? 15, 2012 in exquisite Western Australia.

With over 300 wines to discover, along with the finest in local cuisine, all set in the glorious natural setting of the Margaret River, festivalgoer?s are in for a culinary delight from start to finish.

Known for its Mediterranean style climate, the Margaret River vineyards are not affected by extreme summer?or winter temperatures.? Coupled with ideal humidity levels,?it is a supreme location for the growing of some of the most premium wines in the world.

This year?s festival celebrates the 20th anniversary of the annual event?and features?concerts, art exhibits, street fiestas, a long table feast wherein all-star chefs match culinary delights with delectable wines and a?vintage festival.??Do not?miss?the President?s Trophy cricket match followed by a 6 course Grand Degustation Lunch at Clairault Estate?s, and on the final day, the anticipated Vin Fete Petanque taking place at the Wise Wine Estate.

The festival offers entertainment for everyone from wine aficionados to nature lovers, from art enthusiasts to anyone with an appreciation of music.? Contact us to create the adventure of a lifetime to the GLORIOUS South Pacific and we will weave this festival, along with all of your dreams, into reality.

For a very different exprience in Western Australia, take the whole family and give it a go at the 13th annual Fremantle Street Arts Festival showcasing some of the very best performers from around the globe who will amaze and astound the crowds with a variety of shows on Freo’s streets.

Article by Hillary / Blog / All-star Chefs, Art enthusiasts, Art Exhibits, Australia Wine Festival, Clairault Estate, Concerts, Grand Degustation Lunch, Long Table Feast, Margaret River, Nature lovers, President's Trophy cricket match, Street Fiestas, Vin Fete Petanque, Western Australia, Wine Aficionados, Wise Wine Estate

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