So in some way, we’re nearly on the finish of 2024. That sneaked up on us a bit, didn’t it. Maybe it’s as a result of there’s been a lot happening not too long ago.
On this newest Version, we’re speaking about jiujitsu gradings, a brand new Champagne launch, a resurrected celebration of NSW wine all through November, massive birthday weekends away, a marriage and even a regatta on Sydney Harbour!
We hope you take pleasure in this catch-up.
Cheers – Jim & Christina xx
And we’re off! Just for the weekend, but it surely’s good to be up within the air once more. A lot of our journey not too long ago has been on the highway, which has been nice, but it surely all the time feels extra you’re out and about if you fly.
We’re off to Lennox Head, simply south of Byron Bay to rejoice our pretty buddy Sonia’s massive 4-0.
We’ve recognized Sonia for a few years, so after all we’re travelling for her massive birthday. Plus we’ve by no means been to Lennox earlier than! Plus…
… it’s a elaborate gown celebration!
Costume code is ’80s disco glam, which I believe we’ve each achieved – in various levels! Sonia seems fabulous and the setting, a cafe-bar referred to as Shelter, is ideal. Looking on the ocean this pretty venue is pleasant but fashionable, and the meals, drink and repair right here is excellent.
If you happen to’re ever in Lennox Head, be sure you hit Shelter up. You gained’t remorse it.
L-R: Margan’s clear and scrumptious White Label Albarino 2023 from the Hunter & Ross Hill’s unbelievable Japanese View Chardonnay 2021 from Orange
This night, we’re again in Sydney at The Lower Bar & Grill – a rare steak restaurant within the Rocks. We’re right here to rejoice the reincarnation of New South Wales Wine Month.
Extra about NSW Wine Month in a second. To begin with, let’s speak in regards to the wine tonight. We’re served a spread of excellent wines from a few of our favorite NSW wineries (and a few new ones too).
Wines from Logan, Robert Stein, Margan, Ross Hill, Philip Shaw and Brokenwood are paired with among the most unbelievable meals. What’s extra, we get to listen to from the winemakers themselves, who’re all right here as we speak to inform us extra about their wine. Additionally they discuss why it’s extra necessary than ever that we select NSW wines over others.
For instance, do you know that in NSW eating places, solely 12% of wine lists include wine from NSW. Evaluate that to South Australia the place 76% of their wine lists have vino from their residence state. Loopy, proper?
The meals at The Lower is off the charts. We begin with entrees together with moreish prime rib empanadas with house-made scorching sauce and yellowfin tuna tartare with piquillo peppers. These go so nicely with the Robert Stein Dry Riesling from Mudgee.
It’s not stunning, contemplating the place we’re, that everybody at our 20-strong desk have chosen the 250g Black Angus fillet with a 3+ marble rating. It’s a good selection. Smoky and superbly crusted on the skin, the meat is completely medium uncommon and tender within the center. The steak additionally goes fantastically with essentially the most wonderful double-cooked chicken-fat hasselback potatoes.
As for wine, we’re served glasses of Philip Shaw’s No.8 Pinot Noir 2023 from Orange and Brokenwood’s distinctive Vegas Winery Shiraz 2022 from the Hunter.
Not solely is that this a meal to recollect, it’s an inventory of wines to buy too. And should you’re in search of an excellent glowing, be sure you discover Logan’s Classic ‘M’ Cuvee from Orange.
Now, NSW Wine Month. It hasn’t occurred for a few years, however this November, it’s again with a vengeance.
For the following 30 days, every kind of fantastic occasions will likely be popping up round Sydney, championing the fantastic viniferous treats from NSW.
Not solely are there numerous particular occasions in numerous bars across the metropolis (click on right here for extra about them), there’s additionally Comfortable Hour, with a number of pubs and bars giving nice costs on NSW wines.
Better of all although is Sydney Cellar Door wine competition.
For the entire weekend of November 8-9, Tallawoladah Garden – the backyard in entrance of the MCA at Round Quay – will play host to 40 premium NSW wineries from all 14 areas within the state. It’s free to get in and also you simply purchase tokens to style when you’re there.
TL-B: outdoors the Union Financial institution, contained in the Nice Western Resort, about to soak up a wagyu and macaroni pie
This weekend, I’ve been launched into the wild by myself – nicely, with a couple of mates. We’ve taken the XPT (Specific Practice) from Sydney to the stunning regional city of Orange for a mate’s fortieth birthday. All of us agree that – regardless of the early begin and the lateness of the bar cart opening – the prepare is one of the simplest ways to journey to Orange. You get to see a lot extra of the countryside. The truth is, you get to see belongings you by no means would from the automotive window.
We’ve talked about Orange greater than as soon as on this website (yow will discover our Important Information to Orange right here), but it surely’s often been a way more salubrious expertise. With 9 guys on their very own for 4 days, issues are certain to be considerably… looser!
He hit as most of the pubs on the town as we will – and there are so much in Orange. Our first cease, straight off the prepare, is the Nice Western Resort. One of many oldest pubs on the town, it’s an awesome instance of the grand previous nation pubs right here.
We additionally hit up the Orange Pie Firm for considered one of their signature pies – a wagyu and macaroni pie – which is great. We additionally share a couple of of their award-winning sausage rolls, laced with maple bacon.
But it surely’s not all pubs and pies. We attempt to catch some tradition whereas we’re right here. One of many closest and oldest wineries in Orange is Philip Shaw’s cellar door. These wines have gained so many awards over teh years and justly so.
We take pleasure in a tasting then stroll again into city after exploring the grounds.
One other scorching tip we’ve talked about earlier than right here is if you wish to keep on the town but in addition take pleasure in a wine tasting, the experiences they provide at Ferment Wine Centre are an awesome possibility. This store is in a stupendous little heritage constructing, and Ferment affords an opportunity to attempt wines from wineries that don’t essentially have their very own cellar door, however whose wines are nicely value tasting.
After all, in Orange, you are able to do your individual wine tasting expertise – in many of the pubs! We cool down within the pretty beer backyard of the Parkview Resort, whose wine record is superb, however not at all a uncommon factor right here. Thanks to Mr Brown for some wonderful wine modelling!
Different pubs we go to on our journey embrace our favorite, the massively grand Resort Canobolas, the fascinating Victoria Resort, the Resort Orange, the Royal Resort, the Metropolitan Resort and Badlands Brewery. We additionally uncover that the Orange RSL has one of many nicest cocktail lounges and rooftop bars within the metropolis.
L-R: Michael, Brett, Mark, Rodger, Nim, Justin, Dom, Khalil and me!
However our favorite cocktail bar is well Washington & Co on Summer season Road. This enjoyable little dive bar stirs up excellent cocktails and the environment is all the time cracking. Extremely beneficial, and their blissful hour is value dropping every thing and working throughout city for.
A number of of us additionally make the very smart move to discover the extremes of Orange’s night time life. The Blind Pig Sound Lounge & Bar is a whole lot of enjoyable, does jelly pictures and permits guests like us to extend the typical age by a number of a long time! Very accommodating. However that’s Orange for you.
This can be a weekend I don’t assume any of us will overlook – in a great way after all.
This afternoon, we’re on the lovely Sofitel Darling Harbour for a particular Champagne launch. Up within the elegant Champagne Bar overlooking the water, we’re welcomed by the enigmatic Madame Pommery – Nathalie Vranken, proprietor and CEO for this well-known Champagne home.
Sofitel is proud to be pouring not only one however three new cuvées from Pommery, launching as we speak: Pommery Brut Apanage NV, Cuvée Sofitel 60 and Apanage Brut 1874.
The final of those – the Apanage Brut 1874 – has been launched in celebration of the a hundred and fiftieth birthday of Vranken-Pommery Champagne Home. It’s a sensible mix of 2012, 2015 and 2018 wines – three excellent vintages – to create a fragile but structured Champagne with flippantly buttery nutty flavours coupled with white nectarine and advantageous minerality.
For that further little bit of theatre, Sofitel Darling Harbour’s hospitality supervisor has sabraged a bottle of the 1874. This bar is among the only a few in Sydney to open Champagne this manner, slicing the highest and cork of the bottle with a sabre – a method that Napoleon himself is claimed to have created.
L-R: Christina, Amy Reeves & Jim; champagne on the Sofitel Darling Harbour; Jim, Nathalie Vranken & Christina
What a method to spend a day – sipping advantageous French Champagne overlooking the attractive harbour. And to high it off, we’re fortunate to not solely meet the spectacular Nathalie Vranken, but in addition the charming Amy Reeves.
Amy narrowly missed out on profitable this yr’s Australian Idol, however she’s come to date – actually and figuratively – from her residence in Broome, WA. She’s now residing in Sydney and dealing exhausting to forge her approach within the music world. We’re excited to see what our pretty new younger buddy does subsequent. I guess it’s going to be nice!
This one was massive! Christina is now formally a purple belt jiujitsu fighter! Very proud to observe Chris at her grading tonight. She’s labored so exhausting to get up to now and deserves her new colors.
Subsequent cease: black belt!
L-R: owner-founder of Dialogue, Kate Bradley; ice sculpture; previous and current Dialogue crew kicking again!
Tonight, we’re on the very cool bar Quantity 10 on the fringe of Rushcutter’s Bay and Darlinghurst to rejoice a particular birthday.
Dialogue – a communications, advertising and public relations firm – is popping 10. It’s such a milestone for this firm that owner-founder Kate Bradley began from her entrance room a decade in the past. We’ve labored carefully with Kate and Dialogue just about the entire time, and it’s fantastic to see this necessary date come to move.
Kate has labored so exhausting on this enterprise and she or he deserves each success. Nicely finished, Kate (it’s additionally a blinder of a celebration btw!).
This afternoon, we’re up in Bayview on the southern fringe of Pittwater. It’s a stupendous day – simply excellent for a marriage!
We’re right here with Christina’s household to rejoice her sister’s finest buddy’s marriage to a man she’s recognized since kindergarten!
That is Leanne and Murray, and their marriage ceremony on the BYRA Bayview Yacht Membership. They marched down the hill from their home lead by a bagpiper. They’ve made their method to the deck that appears out over the water. What a shocking spot to get married.
It’s such a beautiful celebration and an exquisite factor to be celebrating. We’re so blissful for Murray, Leanne and their households. It’s all the time factor to see a lot pleasure in a single place. Right here’s to the blissful couple.
At present is a vital day within the Balmain calendar: it’s the Balmain Regatta!
We’re aboard our buddy Michael’s boat the 401, which is a part of the spectacular Regatta Workboat Convoy. The Convoy sees Sydney Harbour inundated with every kind of historic and trendy working vessels, from tugs to ex-navy boats.
It’s among the best days of the yr for the peninsula – even higher should you’re aboard considered one of these beauties.
The boats motor out previous the Harbour Bridge and the Opera Home, and all the way in which previous Fort Denison/Muddawahnyuh earlier than turning again to race all the way in which to Balmain Crusing Membership in Birchgrove.
Though our buddy Michael is having the most effective day of his yr to date, I believe we’ve received the most effective a part of it; sitting again having fun with the views, wonderful conversations, and equally excellent food and drinks.
Everybody’s introduced sufficient booze to flood the fleet and a lot grub we may survive for weeks at sea. Nim’s scotch eggs all the time deserve a particular point out although. I do not know how he does it.
All too quickly the race is over, and we switch to a young that takes us to the jetties of the crusing membership. Anybody can be a part of the celebration on the membership, and the stay music, food and drinks right here confirms this to be the most effective day in Balmain.
We watch the crusing boats end their races and moor up, absorbing the competition environment and pinching ourselves that that is actual life.
When the final crusing boats tie up and winners have all been introduced, issues slowly start to wrap up. We make our method to our buddy’s home not far away for the unofficial regatta after-after-party, the place we watch the solar sink into the ocean. A special occasion certainly.
We hope you’ve loved this Version. Chat to you once more quickly.
Jim & Christina xx
