Sunday, November 30, 2008
The Roaring 20's
This weekend we went all out for the Accenture holiday party at Central Pier in the Docklands - feathers, scarves, and all! Sadly we didn't win any of the door prizes, but we did enjoy the good food and live entertainment that took us through the decades. Next up we're looking forward to the Arana shindig at the Melbourne Aquarium.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! We celebrated a bit here by making pumpkin pie bars, which were a big hit with Kristi's colleagues...especially since she also suppl
ied whipped cream in a can ;) Although we didn't have a proper turkey for dinner (tonight was salmon on the grill - yum!), we did make an authentic New Zealand beer can chicken a couple of weeks back. As we learned from a guy working at Selini winery, the chicken is seated on a can of beer during cooking (as shown) to ensure the meat remains moist and tender. That's as close as either of us have ever come to roasting a turkey!
ied whipped cream in a can ;) Although we didn't have a proper turkey for dinner (tonight was salmon on the grill - yum!), we did make an authentic New Zealand beer can chicken a couple of weeks back. As we learned from a guy working at Selini winery, the chicken is seated on a can of beer during cooking (as shown) to ensure the meat remains moist and tender. That's as close as either of us have ever come to roasting a turkey!
Wet, Wild & Windy Corporate Games
This year's Australian Corporate Games weekend brought with it some of the worst weather of the year - pouring rain, gale-force winds, and hail! Saturday was the worst day - Josh ran his
10k in the cold rain and Kristi's netball team had to wait out a rain delay during an indoor game! Furthermore, bad planning by the beach volleyball organisers led to full cancellation of the event when courts were flooded (as predicted by the weatherman all week leading up to the games).
Unfortunately, netball was not a positive experience for the Arana ladies. Very few of the players
had any experience in the sport and the seeding was not kind to the team. But they made of what they could with the refs calling 'Obstruction' left and right. Kristi was quite excited to have scored 1 of the 5 goals made by Arana during the day!
With beach volleyball cancelled it was a bit too early (and cold and rainy) for a post-game bbq, so instead pizza was ordered, board games came out (Blokus was a great new discovery), and short Pixar films were watched at one colleague's house.
Sunday brought better weather for the Accenture softball team. It was still cool and quite windy, but the rain stayed away and allowed the team to pull through with a silver medal for the second year running. Next year they'll be going for a three-peat!
10k in the cold rain and Kristi's netball team had to wait out a rain delay during an indoor game! Furthermore, bad planning by the beach volleyball organisers led to full cancellation of the event when courts were flooded (as predicted by the weatherman all week leading up to the games).Unfortunately, netball was not a positive experience for the Arana ladies. Very few of the players
had any experience in the sport and the seeding was not kind to the team. But they made of what they could with the refs calling 'Obstruction' left and right. Kristi was quite excited to have scored 1 of the 5 goals made by Arana during the day!With beach volleyball cancelled it was a bit too early (and cold and rainy) for a post-game bbq, so instead pizza was ordered, board games came out (Blokus was a great new discovery), and short Pixar films were watched at one colleague's house.
Sunday brought better weather for the Accenture softball team. It was still cool and quite windy, but the rain stayed away and allowed the team to pull through with a silver medal for the second year running. Next year they'll be going for a three-peat!
Movember Year 2
The month is almost up and we've haven't shown any progress of Josh's mo yet! As you can see from the photo taken last week, he is going for the Fu Manchu look this year.Josh is raising money on behalf of Movember, which supports prostate cancer and depression research. If you would like to contribute to the cause, please click here.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
New Zealand North Island
Jim and Carmen took in the South Island of New Zealand on the own, but we were able to get away from the office and join them for a week-long tour of the North Island of New Zealand. Our first challenge was actually meeting up with them as they flew into Napier on Saturday morning and we were arriving in Auckland in the middle of the night Friday! We ended up driving from Auckland to Napier in the dark (thank goodness for no kangaroos!) and got to the airport just in time to watch their plane land, talk about perfect timing. Napier is known as the Art Deco capital of the world due to an earthquake that required the entire town to be rebuilt right around the Art Deco period (1930's) with most of the rebuild still standing today. Napier is also the center of the Hawke's Bay wine region of New Zealand, well known for red wine blends and chardonnays. We started with Art Deco on a walking tour of the town and moved on to a few tastings in the surrounding valley - honey, chocolate, cheese, and of course wine. Day two brought our first close encounter with the primary population of New Zealand, sheep! The history of sheep in the area was displayed through a shearing shed turned museum that was actually very informative and interesting.
From Napier we journeyed through Taupo (home of Ironman New Zealand) and took in the beauty of the peaks surrounding the lake over a cup of coffee at one of the local cafes. Onwards to our end for the day in Rotorua, home to geothermal activity, spas, and a violent volcanic eruption in 1886 which shaped much of the modern building and tourism of the area. Our first stop near Rotorua was at Wai-o-taupo, a geothermal park which has a walking track and signs to describe the various natural features of the area. From gurgling acid pools to geysers and bubbling mud pits the park had it all! Before calling it a day we learned even more about Rotorua history at the museum in the historic bath house. Our second day in Rotorua was when we put on our 'Tourist' hats and hit the big traps - all of which completely hit the spot and were great fun. Te Puia is a cultural and geothermal exhibition organised by the local Maori to introduce tourists to the culture and history of the Maori people in the area. The tour was fantastic and the various exhibits and demonstrations were interesting and educational at the same time, including some apprentice wood carvers and weavers learning the traditional crafts. Under overcast skies we headed over to the Agrodome for an adrenalin fix with the world-famous ZORB, with a sideshow provided by the local sheep. The ZORB adventure is wet, wild and hilarious fun that is recommended for all ages. Zorbing would have to be one of the lowest-impact methods of getting from the top of a hill to the bottom and words can't describe how much fun you have. The sheepshow was also fun and informative, giving us the chance to see 19 different varieties of sheep up close and personal, along with a sheepdog show and shearing demonstration. Josh has now decided that along with the chooks that belong in his backyard, there should also be a few sheep just for shearing and making into mittens. The end of our big day in Rotorua was spent with the Mitai family enjoying their Maori cultural show and banquet. The singing and dancing (including a haka) was really well done, even if our self-elected "chief" Bernie was a *bit* over the top in his part of the cultural exchange. Jim decided that he could maybe incorporate a bit of the haka into his normal courtroom routine, though only when the judge fell asleep.
The following day we hit the road to New Zealand's largest town, Auckland (population roughly 1 million). Of the 4.7 million people who live in New Zealand, 1 million are on the South Island, another million in Auckland and the rest are spread around Wellington and the rest of the North Island - all of which makes Auckland seem absolutely HUGE compared to anywhere else in the country. The rain showers didn't really quit the entire day so we took our time and found some good coffee in Hamilton, a fun deli near our accommodation in Auckland and then just stayed indoors with some wine, cheese and olives enjoying being warm and dry. Dinner was based on recommendations from Kristi's colleagues and was a fantastic Japanese meal with a 2liter 'tanker' of beer for the table. The following day (October 30 for those with a calendar) Carmen had arranged a tour of nearby Waiheke island for us so off to the ferry we went after breakfast to begin the days adventure. A calm and on-time ferry ride brought us to Waiheke dock where we met Christine who gave us a map and a timetable for the days events starting with a nice bushwalk along the coastline of the island. It was a beautiful way to see the different topography of the island and also work up an appetite! We finished our walk at Mudbrick Winery where Christine (and lunch) were waiting for us - a scrumptious meal with great views of the vineyard and bay leading back to Auckland city. In the afternoon Christine drove us around the island providing historical commentary and pointing out interesting settlements, houses and stopping for another winery visit and a woodworking artists studio. Both were outstanding and Carmen and Jim took home a couple pieces of art while Josh and Kristi settled for a few more bottles of wine. Back on the ferry to Auckland and our final meal in New Zealand with Carmen and Jim - time just seemed to disappear!
Carmen and Jim's flight took off early in the morning so off in a taxi they went while we waved from the porch - sad that the time went by so quickly but also glad to have been able to share so many adventures in such a short amount of time. We still had another couple days in New Zealand and had planned to visit the Coromandel Penninsula for a bit before returning to Auckland to run the 'Quarter Marathon' race in conjunction with the Auckland Marathon. A leisurely breakfast and only a few twists and turns getting out of town and we were back on the road. The Coromandel is known for geothermal activity, arts and crafts, and beautiful forest and coastline - our plan was to see all of that in a little more than 24hrs! Ticking off the 'geothermal activity' was a trip to the Hot Beaches where the tides seep through heated fissures and then into the sand - by digging just a few inches into the beach you can create your own heated footbath. After strolling the beach we picked a spot we thought looked good and started to clear the sand away, shortly figuring out which direction to excavate for hot water and which for cold, sort of a cave-man system of getting to the perfect water temperature. Relaxing with 100 of your closest friends only does so much good so we drove further to see more of the coast at Cathedral Cove. The buses in the car park were a bit ominous but the walk and beach was nearly completely empty and beautiful. In the pictures it is really hard to tell how big the cliffs really are - just keep an eye out for the tiny tiny Josh hiding in the shadow. Our final stop for the day was our accomodation in Whitianga WAY up on a hill overlooking the town and bay. The next day we set out to drive the rest of the penninsula and visit the Kauri's and the Driving Creek Railroad (on recommendation of brother Tim) to get our nature and arts fix. The only real challenge it seemed was that we were trying to share the road with over 1,000 cyclists that were working on completing the K2 Bike Race which runs completely around the penninsula. We took it slow, tried our best to stay out of the cyclists way and were really glad to turn off the main road in search of the Kauri and leave the bikes behind. Once on the little winding gravel road it only took us four circles and three trips up and down before we finally saw the car park we needed to get to the Kauri grove, which is one of the few groves of mature Kauri trees remaining on the penninsula after years of logging toppled nearly all of the majestic giants. We had honestly doubted Tim's suggestion of the railroad but in the end the view was amazing and only topped by the lively commentary of the trip's train conductor. The time spent at the railroad also meant that all the cyclists were off the road by the time we headed back towards Auckland.
From Napier we journeyed through Taupo (home of Ironman New Zealand) and took in the beauty of the peaks surrounding the lake over a cup of coffee at one of the local cafes. Onwards to our end for the day in Rotorua, home to geothermal activity, spas, and a violent volcanic eruption in 1886 which shaped much of the modern building and tourism of the area. Our first stop near Rotorua was at Wai-o-taupo, a geothermal park which has a walking track and signs to describe the various natural features of the area. From gurgling acid pools to geysers and bubbling mud pits the park had it all! Before calling it a day we learned even more about Rotorua history at the museum in the historic bath house. Our second day in Rotorua was when we put on our 'Tourist' hats and hit the big traps - all of which completely hit the spot and were great fun. Te Puia is a cultural and geothermal exhibition organised by the local Maori to introduce tourists to the culture and history of the Maori people in the area. The tour was fantastic and the various exhibits and demonstrations were interesting and educational at the same time, including some apprentice wood carvers and weavers learning the traditional crafts. Under overcast skies we headed over to the Agrodome for an adrenalin fix with the world-famous ZORB, with a sideshow provided by the local sheep. The ZORB adventure is wet, wild and hilarious fun that is recommended for all ages. Zorbing would have to be one of the lowest-impact methods of getting from the top of a hill to the bottom and words can't describe how much fun you have. The sheepshow was also fun and informative, giving us the chance to see 19 different varieties of sheep up close and personal, along with a sheepdog show and shearing demonstration. Josh has now decided that along with the chooks that belong in his backyard, there should also be a few sheep just for shearing and making into mittens. The end of our big day in Rotorua was spent with the Mitai family enjoying their Maori cultural show and banquet. The singing and dancing (including a haka) was really well done, even if our self-elected "chief" Bernie was a *bit* over the top in his part of the cultural exchange. Jim decided that he could maybe incorporate a bit of the haka into his normal courtroom routine, though only when the judge fell asleep.
The following day we hit the road to New Zealand's largest town, Auckland (population roughly 1 million). Of the 4.7 million people who live in New Zealand, 1 million are on the South Island, another million in Auckland and the rest are spread around Wellington and the rest of the North Island - all of which makes Auckland seem absolutely HUGE compared to anywhere else in the country. The rain showers didn't really quit the entire day so we took our time and found some good coffee in Hamilton, a fun deli near our accommodation in Auckland and then just stayed indoors with some wine, cheese and olives enjoying being warm and dry. Dinner was based on recommendations from Kristi's colleagues and was a fantastic Japanese meal with a 2liter 'tanker' of beer for the table. The following day (October 30 for those with a calendar) Carmen had arranged a tour of nearby Waiheke island for us so off to the ferry we went after breakfast to begin the days adventure. A calm and on-time ferry ride brought us to Waiheke dock where we met Christine who gave us a map and a timetable for the days events starting with a nice bushwalk along the coastline of the island. It was a beautiful way to see the different topography of the island and also work up an appetite! We finished our walk at Mudbrick Winery where Christine (and lunch) were waiting for us - a scrumptious meal with great views of the vineyard and bay leading back to Auckland city. In the afternoon Christine drove us around the island providing historical commentary and pointing out interesting settlements, houses and stopping for another winery visit and a woodworking artists studio. Both were outstanding and Carmen and Jim took home a couple pieces of art while Josh and Kristi settled for a few more bottles of wine. Back on the ferry to Auckland and our final meal in New Zealand with Carmen and Jim - time just seemed to disappear!
Carmen and Jim's flight took off early in the morning so off in a taxi they went while we waved from the porch - sad that the time went by so quickly but also glad to have been able to share so many adventures in such a short amount of time. We still had another couple days in New Zealand and had planned to visit the Coromandel Penninsula for a bit before returning to Auckland to run the 'Quarter Marathon' race in conjunction with the Auckland Marathon. A leisurely breakfast and only a few twists and turns getting out of town and we were back on the road. The Coromandel is known for geothermal activity, arts and crafts, and beautiful forest and coastline - our plan was to see all of that in a little more than 24hrs! Ticking off the 'geothermal activity' was a trip to the Hot Beaches where the tides seep through heated fissures and then into the sand - by digging just a few inches into the beach you can create your own heated footbath. After strolling the beach we picked a spot we thought looked good and started to clear the sand away, shortly figuring out which direction to excavate for hot water and which for cold, sort of a cave-man system of getting to the perfect water temperature. Relaxing with 100 of your closest friends only does so much good so we drove further to see more of the coast at Cathedral Cove. The buses in the car park were a bit ominous but the walk and beach was nearly completely empty and beautiful. In the pictures it is really hard to tell how big the cliffs really are - just keep an eye out for the tiny tiny Josh hiding in the shadow. Our final stop for the day was our accomodation in Whitianga WAY up on a hill overlooking the town and bay. The next day we set out to drive the rest of the penninsula and visit the Kauri's and the Driving Creek Railroad (on recommendation of brother Tim) to get our nature and arts fix. The only real challenge it seemed was that we were trying to share the road with over 1,000 cyclists that were working on completing the K2 Bike Race which runs completely around the penninsula. We took it slow, tried our best to stay out of the cyclists way and were really glad to turn off the main road in search of the Kauri and leave the bikes behind. Once on the little winding gravel road it only took us four circles and three trips up and down before we finally saw the car park we needed to get to the Kauri grove, which is one of the few groves of mature Kauri trees remaining on the penninsula after years of logging toppled nearly all of the majestic giants. We had honestly doubted Tim's suggestion of the railroad but in the end the view was amazing and only topped by the lively commentary of the trip's train conductor. The time spent at the railroad also meant that all the cyclists were off the road by the time we headed back towards Auckland.
We had decided to spend our last night in New Zealand at the Westin Auckland since Josh still had points from all the time spent working in Dallas, Texas many years ago. This turned out to be a great idea as the start for the Quarter Marathon the next morning was literally out the front door. We didn't leave our room until 15min before the start and were lined up ready to go with 10min to spare - no waiting in port-o-loo lines for us! The streets of Auckland were empty for the race and we really enjoyed the views of the bay and bridges along the run - though the pack of walkers that lined up at the front of the start were more than a little annoying as you were busy dodging them for the first 5k of the race. The proximity of the hotel was also good at the end of the run when all we really felt like was a shower and a decent breakfast since the race didn't even provide post-race bagels! Our physical activity done for the day we set out for a final round of shopping and site-seeing before our evening flight back to Melbourne. We caught the arts market, the Sky Tower and breakfast along the pier, generally just soaking up the sunshine that hadn't really come out for much of the trip. Getting to the Auckland airport wasn't too bad, though the shock of being over our checked baggage weight and having to pay to get our luggage home wasn't a high-note for the trip. Of course neither was being over the limit for wine imports once we arrived in Australia, but we paid the necessary taxes and fees and were home before we knew it. We've now had time to review the pictures, unpack all the gifts and souvenirs and start thinking that maybe we'll be around home for a bit. Time will still fly by and before we know it Christmas will be here and we'll be headed off for more travels - can't wait!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Once More to Mornington
Our most recent trip to the Mornington Peninsula (#3 in the last three months if you're keeping track) marked the start of Carmen and Jim's trip down-under. By the time they got to us in Melbourne they'd already biked and boated around Sydney and were ready for some Aussie wine-ification with the AussieKails! To fit the bill we headed back to Mornington for some adventures, starting with a wine tasting at Ten Minutes By Tractor - this was no ordinary tasting though. The tasting was hosted by Riedel Australia and was intended to show us how much of a difference the stemware you use to hold the wine can make by using four different Riedel stems that were created for specific wine varietals - Bordeaux (Cabernets/Merlot), Burgundy (Pinot Noir), Chablis (Wooded Chardonnay) and Sauvignon Blanc. The five of us had a fantastic time pouring wine between glasses and being amazed with how much difference the glasses did make - if anyone has the chance to participate in one of Riedel's tastings we would all recommend it. So after a few bottles of wine and an very tasty dinner overlooking the vineyard it was looking like the weekend was going to be a LOT of fun.
Saturday we awoke to a beautiful view over the vineyard from our accommodation and were able to make ourselves a very tasty breakfast before heading out to to show Jim and Carmen the wonders of the Mornington Penninsula. Starting off the day with some bubbly (an informative sparkling wine demo), then heading out to relax on a couple beaches before heading back through the vineyards for a few more tastings before dinner (again overlooking another vineyard!), made for a wonderful day of sun and surf.
Sunday began with a chef cooked breakfast at our accommodation and then it was time to get Jim and Carmen back to Melbourne to be ready for their next leg of the journey. They were off to the South Island of New Zealand for a week and then we'd meet them for a week on the North Island - which you can expect to see as another post in a bit!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
