Anyone Game? It’s my Sep 2013 Blog! I'm home; with a TR link in #1189, 10/14

[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


It was a VERY busy last Weekend in July - Part 3


Since January this year, there has been a DisMeet in Melbourne every single month. It was our 6 month anniversary of 2013 DisMeets in Melbourne! We're a regular meeting Chapter now.



All the usual suspects were there. Oodles of noodles were on the menu for this(Dis) Meet. The location was just a little stage left of the city; but the food is brilliant here.


The Combination Laksa.







The Chicken Laksa.








The Assam Laksa.







The soupless Char Kaoy Teow.








We decided that today was a day to indulge. So, we all went with something sweet for afters.

Banana Fritters......








....or Goreng Pisang. Take your pick.







A not so wobbly as *some* Mango Pudding.








The Chendol.









Yes, I was being particularly piggy today. But given the amount of walking that I had done in the morning......and was still to do in the afternoon, it was kinda okay to just oink out.


After lunch, I headed back in the city and caught up with the boys. But I did sneak in that visit to the State Library of Victoria before I told them I was back in the city.....







(Continued in Next Post)

 

[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


It was a VERY busy last Weekend in July - Part 4





After I caught up with the boys, we decided to head to the Royal Botanic Gardens. We were definitely Playing Tourist today!

The Royal Botanic Gardens occupies prime real estate just on the outskirts of the city.







There are a number of gardens in or just out of the city in Melbourne and its one of the reasons why I love this city so much. No matter how hectic life is, I can take a walk and be in greenery within 5 or 10 minutes.

This Garden occupies about 38 hectares of space and with over 10,000 species, there is a lot of fauna to see in here.







DS wasn't too keen on all the walking we had made him do today; but we figured it was good practise for September/October. We were heading to the Main Lake.






We walked past the Camellia section.












And through the Fern Gully.


















The lake looks pretty....but it is full of eels! I'll pass on swimming or dangling my legs in it.







Being winter, there wasn't a lot of flowers to see....but spring is definitely in the air!










(Continued in Next Post)

 

[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


It was a VERY busy last Weekend in July - Part 5




By this stage of the day, we were all pretty tired and it was time to head home.


Contrary to the amount of food we.....er.....I had consumed today, the boys were keen to have some food for dinner. And they were very specific in what they wanted to have!



So, we had a compromise........we stopped by a Chinese BBQ shop and picked up some soya chicken.







....and some BBQ Roast Pork (which DS insisted on having)...







I ended up having to stir fry some vegies....My Starting Ingredients!







Hot wok.....and tossing....







.....a little oyster sauce and soya sauce, salt and pepper.....








Hey Presto! DH's vegetables!







I put on some rice and the boys were more than happy with dinner! It was a light end to a pretty busy day!

 

[holleypie]

Those library pictures are AMAZING. I wish the library I worked in was that pretty!

Like someone else mentioned, this also reminded me of the Dollar Days in Baltimore. It's always the weekend closest to my birthday--which works out great for me!

 

[Luvchefmic]

When I was a child I have wonderful memories of going to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens with my grandparents so I know how you felt being at your gardens

Your food pictures always make me so hungry and there is NO food like that anywhere in my little country area I don't think I'd find anything that good even in the Orlando area These are the times I miss NY the most; you can get any kind of food there and usually 24/7

 

[dgbg100106]

Looks like your DIS meet was fun and the food looks amazing! Thanks for sharing.

 

[TarzansKat]

What a lovely weekend! Although your photos tend to make me hungry. You take such beautiful pictures in general, they're lovely to see.

 

[zanzibar138]

Wow you DID have a busy weekend! I must get to the botanic gardens one day... the fern gully reminds me of home lol!

 

[ACDSNY]

I think I'll pass on swimming with the eels too. Lovely pics!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Those library pictures are AMAZING. I wish the library I worked in was that pretty!

Like someone else mentioned, this also reminded me of the Dollar Days in Baltimore. It's always the weekend closest to my birthday--which works out great for me!

I'm going to have to try and visit Baltimore during Dollar Days at some stage. It sounds just like the sort of thing I'd love to do.

When I was a child I have wonderful memories of going to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens with my grandparents so I know how you felt being at your gardens

Your food pictures always make me so hungry and there is NO food like that anywhere in my little country area I don't think I'd find anything that good even in the Orlando area These are the times I miss NY the most; you can get any kind of food there and usually 24/7

I wonder if they do have that kind of food in Orlando. I drove down Apopka Vineland road.....pretty much all the way; once. I seem to recall that there were quite a few Vietnamese shops in one section of that road?

Looks like your DIS meet was fun and the food looks amazing! Thanks for sharing.

I really like the Melbourne Chapter of the Dis.

What a lovely weekend! Although your photos tend to make me hungry. You take such beautiful pictures in general, they're lovely to see.

Thanks Kat. Nice to see you stopping in here!

Wow you DID have a busy weekend! I must get to the botanic gardens one day... the fern gully reminds me of home lol!

Absolutely! But there's nothing like the real thing in the Dandenongs.

I think I'll pass on swimming with the eels too. Lovely pics!

Thanks, Angela.

 

[dgbg100106]

Maybe I should start up a Maryland Chapter... Right now it would be me and Pam!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Maybe I should start up a Maryland Chapter... Right now it would be me and Pam!

That's the minimum number needed to start a Chapter.

 

[PrincessInOz]

And now for something Different - More Food Porn! (Did I mention it was a VERY busy last Weekend in July??)




My very busy weekend continued into Sunday.


We had one of those family gatherings to head to. You know the one I mean. The one where EVERYONE in the in-law extended family list MUST be included.
The one where no real meaningful conversation happens because there are sooooo many people there that no one really listens to anyone anyway.
The one where you wish you could be somewhere else; but for the sake of the person the celebration is in lieu of, you feel compelled to attend.
The one where you wish you could escape from.



So it was with this one. There ended up being 35 adults and about 20 kids in attendance and as expected it was loud and long.

*sigh*



A simple lunch is what we were told. Just pizza or pasta for lunch.


Sometimes, I am a little dense about "simplicity". Lunch started with a choice of soft drink, beer, white wine, red wine or champagne. I was seeing red today.







The antipasto starter was reasonable. I enjoyed the speck and the gorgonzola cheese.







The pizzas came out as expected. They were done in that less is more Italian style.



Meat-lovers.







Vegetarian.







Ham, Olives, Mushrooms and artichokes.







We all enjoyed the pizzas immensely. Turns out, no one knew about the corso di primo e secondo.


Pumpkin risotto. Lovely flavours; pity the risotto was a little on the crunchy side.







We had alternating main courses....

Pan fried Salmon.









Lamb Stufato










Naturally there was dessert.

A combination of Apple slice and a puff pastry creme patissiere, to have with coffee or tea.






We could have done with more apple slice and no creme patissiere.



A simple lunch.....from start to finish, we were there for just a little over 4 hours. I never did see any pasta.

And for the record - No dinner was served in my household that night!

 

[wiigirl]

 

[dgbg100106]

That's the minimum number needed to start a Chapter.

OK I will have to work on her...I can see the pictures now!


So do you guys have a thread?

 

[dgbg100106]

The Lamb Stufato looks a little like the Salmon...


Everything looks good, hope you enjoyed the food, if you did not enjoy the company...

 

[PrincessInOz]

Welcome to the blog!

OK I will have to work on her...I can see the pictures now!


So do you guys have a thread?

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3028954

The Lamb Stufato looks a little like the Salmon...


Everything looks good, hope you enjoyed the food, if you did not enjoy the company...

The Stufato looked a LOT like the Salmon.........(not any more).

 

[Luvchefmic]

Good idea about Apopka-Vineland to search for Vietnamese I will have to check it out & let you know I TRULY hope so

Oh those big extended ( how are we related again ? ) dinners fond memories miss them desperately Pumpkin Risotto Pumpkin ANYTHING and I'm there, too bad it wasn't right

 

[DisneyFirefly]

I'm so glad most of my family doesn't speak to each other. That kind of avoids the reunion thing.

 

[ACDSNY]

The veggie pizza would be right up my alley. My DH probably feels the same way about our family events too.