Yarra Valley

After early morning fog, the day was sunny and mild - not bad at all considering that, officially, it's still winter.   After a slow start (and a quick check of the US Open on TV!), we headed to Yarrawood for a great platter, with a view over the vineyards and down the valley.   Then a wander around Healesville (including checking out the second hand books) followed by coffee at Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander.

Platter

It may not sound a lot, but after all, part of the idea was to "recharge our batteries", and, taken at a leisurely pace, it was enough to fill the day.  We then headed for a freshen up and  to the Yarra Glen Grand Hotel for great pub meal for dinner.

View down the Yarra Valley

Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander, Healesville

Balgownie Estate

It's nearly spring, and unexpectedly we found we had a bit of a gap in our diary, so impulsively we booked a couple of nights in the Yarra Valley at Balgownie Estate. On the way here, after pausing at a nursery, it was a minor challenge to find a winery lunch mid-week in the winter [Edit - yes the information is there, it's just a matter of having it to hand when needed!], but we ended up at Rochford where the meal was pleasant enough, although in hindsight perhaps a little more substantial than we really needed!

Driveway at Balgownie by night

I was vaguely aware of the existence of Balgownie Estate but it's larger than I realised. We opted for a “garden terrace” room which gave us all we needed (spacious, nice bathroom, good heating, internet included, “garden view” but no spa) at a somewhat more modest price than the rooms with a spa and "valley view".   Rae's Restaurant at the resort is no doubt a fine restaurant, but after our lunch, its fixed price dinner menu was somewhat wasted on us.

View at dusk from "garden terrace" room

Same view, next morning - lots of fog!

Shoe sizes

My el-cheapo but comfortable sneakers wore out, but the store had some that were almost identical.    I tried on a pair that were labelled as being the same size as my existing pair but they didn't fit.  The next size up fitted nicely.  Yet on closer examination, the shoes that fitted were identical in actual size to the earlier pair, even though labelled differently.
Yes, they were cheap, and, yes, both pairs were made in China - but it does serve to show just how unreliable the sizing system is.    How anyone manages to buy items such as these over the internet without the ability to try them on is a mystery to me.

Financial Planning

I established some "settings" for my financial affairs a little time back, and to date have seen no reason to make any big changes.    Without going into too much detail, I might say that one element of my arrangements is not to put all the eggs into a single basket, nor to rely on a single "financial adviser".  That's not saying I don't seek advice, and I do my best to keep abreast of the main issues while trying to avoid the temptation to micro-manage or to make "adjustments" in haste.  In any event, I find that with the passing of the years, my enthusiasm to monitor matters in this area on a short-term basis is waning.

So when I received a phone call recently from a financial adviser associated with one of the superannuation funds suggesting we have a "chat", I wondered whether I needed to bother.   Good sense prevailed, however, and I took up the opportunity.  

It seems that I am broadly "on track", and it was good to get a little detail filling out my understanding of some of the changes that are currently occurring.  But, importantly, it was pointed out to me that one issue of which I was aware needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.    In this respect alone,  the discussion was definitely worthwhile

The real CPI

The real CPI?  The one that matters?   Yes, the Cappuccino Price Index! 

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be updated very often, but I suppose a lot of research has to be done which must be time-consuming.

I wonder if the results ought to be sorted by postcode.  Every time I buy coffee I seem to pay at least, and often more than, the average.    Where are those "good-value" coffees at less than the average price?   Perhaps we need a "coffee watch" site as happens with petrol - or would this offend the ACCC?

I also wonder where the all-pervasive coffee cards fit in to the calculations?  Does this index take account of the fact that, if you're loyal, every 6th or 7th coffee is "free"? Or are these cards disregarded on the basis that most people are like me and have a pile of cards with two holes stamped and can never find the right card when I return and have start all over again with a new card?

OH&S....??

At the Elizabeth Street tram terminus.....all nice and cool for the tram drivers while they have a "comfort stop"!

Notice the air-conditioning unit on top of the toilet?

Electioneering (2)

I had a quick word with the team installing the new signage at the local station, and commented that there must be an election coming on!    They tactfully responded that, yes, there had been a little pressure on them to get the work done!

Anyway, the new displays are kinda nice, although I reflect that, even though it's nice to know if the train is late or cancelled, there wouldn't be a need for all this information if the trains could be relied on to turn up when they're supposed to.  Moreover, the signs on the platforms only tell you what trains are running;  they don't 'fess up to cancellations (although they can give messages about disruptions).  You have to work out that a train has been cancelled by its absence on the display.

And Daniel Bowen wasn't too impressed with  the location of some of the signs.....
 

Allium

The Livingroom is no more, now it's Allium.   I read on the website that Livingroom has been around since 2007, but the owners redecorated and re-launched it earlier this year.

Allium?  It's Latin for garlic and apparently is the name for the onion family!     The dining space has been broken up with a curtain, and this, along with carpet on the floor in the lower area, has softened the atmosphere.   The menu continues to be interesting.  The prices don't seem to have increased;  in fact, they might even have dropped very slightly.  

I liked my entree which (I quote) was "Jerusalem Artichoke Entree with Pickled Shiitake and Mandarin", and the steak that followed was good too.   Favourable reports were also heard about the rolled lamb shoulder.  For desert  we shared a "Parsnip parfait".   Interesting use of a vegetable, and quite effective actually, but I don’t think I could picked it if I hadn't read the description first.  There are some good pictures here. 

The Abbotsford Convent

It was a winter weekday, and impulsively we decided that we ought to check out the Abbotsford Convent.   Of course, we knew of its existence, but it's out-of-the-way for us and a little tricky to get to (choice of the horrors of Hoddle Street or a circular route through Kew).   The closest I had ever been to it was when I worked on for the tramways during university vacations, when there was a bus yard (long since gone) on the other side of St Heliers Street, which was a meal break location for the tramway buses.


I read that the Abbotsford Convent Foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.   The Good Shepherd nuns sold the site in 1975, although the Good Shepherd Foundation still has a presence at the neighbouring Church and hostel, and the farmland became the Collingwood Children's farm.






The convent itself became part of the Lincoln Institute and subsequently La Trobe University.  The University sold the site in the late 1990s, and a residential development was proposed.    However, with State Government assistance it was returned to public ownership, and the Abbotsford Convent Foundation was established to own and manage it, with a focus on arts, culture and learning.

Convent bakery

There are now numerous studio and office spaces, and what is described as an extensive program of events. We enjoyed poking around the buildings and extensive gardens.   And, of particular interest to us (!), there are a number of eating and drinking venues, at least one of which appeared to the patronised by (may I say?) "artistic" types.    We had a pleasant lunch at the Convent Bakery, and were happy with everything.   But of course, we were there at a quiet time.  I can understand that it must get very busy at times, particularly weekends, which no doubt explains the rather ordinary reviews.

The shade sails

I was a bit surprised, a few weeks back, to see a number of large poles (11, I've been told) appear in the  playground in our local park.  Clearly they are intended to support shade sails.   Oh well, I thought, even though there are probably better uses for ratepayers' money, the park user group has perhaps decided that these are a good idea.    Since I haven't participated in the user group, who was I to complain?

Weeks passed.  Then, a few days back, we were approached by a neighbour in the street.  Would we sign a petition saying that the residents don't want shade sails?   They'd be too big, too intrusive, unnecessary for many months and would collect leaves, and the user group is opposed to them - as are the 70 locals who had already signed the petition.

It was explained to us that although the park user group suggested about 5 years ago that more tree plantings would be nice to provide some shade, no-one had  suggested shade-cloths and the poles were erected without any consultation.  The user group had no idea they were coming, and apparently even least some of the local ward councillors were said to be unaware that they were being erected!





Why am I not surprised to hear that the council bureaucracy appears to be on a mission of its own here?

We signed, and I shall watch developments with interest.