NYE Weekend Bike Trip

J will hate me for telling this story, but last weekend we went to Sassafrass on the motorbike - well, we went to Sassafrass, but somehow we ended up in Healsville instead! Must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, but not to worry, we had a great time. We arrived in Healesville around lunchtime and headed to the Grand Hotel for a great lunch - we would normally go to the Healsville Hotel (with the rest of the tourists) but it was absolutely packed and I am really glad we gave the Grand a go, it has a cute little beer garden out the back and cheap hearty food served quickly so us 'bikies' can get back on the road... On the way home we stopped in at the Yarra Valley Dairy (I had spotted the sign whizzing by on the way out to Healesville) where I somehow ended up with a 1.2 litre bucket of Persian Fetta... as well as a tub of Chevre and Dill (the closest you may ever get to heaven on earth), and a couple of white mould pyramids. All stuffed in a tank bag on the front of the bike, effort? maybe, but definitely worth it.Yum.


J's Steak and my Lamb Shanks at The Grand Hotel - Healesville










The Yarra Valley Dairy - Please accidentally lock me up in here overnight!!

Yarra Valley Races

If you have ever been out to the Yarra Valley races I will assume that you, like I, have plans never to go back? It wasn't the company (they were great), it wasn't the weather (not so great, but bearable), it wasn't the horses (I love the horses), and it definitely wasn't the food (YUMMO). The reason I won't be going back rests somewhere between the screeching, drunk, and pretty unnattractive Bucks and Hens parties, and the band - called 80's-R-Us (say no more) who were parked directly behind our marquee. I have been to other country races, as well as city races, and have seen some pretty sorry and sordid sights (mainly at Flemington...). But nothing will stick in my mind like the enourmous leggingsunderdress clad, purple-topped barefoot (and almost bare-breasted) girl who insisted on prancing, running, falling over, and rubbing herself up against any half-male looking body, in front of me for most of the day.

The Food - The thing I love about country racing is everybody bringing along their favourite nibbles to eat with the champers that flows steadily throughout the day. There were 5 in our group so we split the shopping thusly: J cooked mini savoury muffins and choc slice, K & S cooked potato and goat cheese balls and brought along some great dips they had bought at the Melbourne Show, I did the Vic Market run for various anti-pasti type food (thanks for the tip on Spanish Queen Olives Pete), and E did a wonderous new dessert, forever forward known as 'world famous fruit'n'dip' - maybe...

The Dip consists of philli Cream Cheese, white Chocolate, and Passionfruit Pulp - THAT'S IT!! but believe me - the taste is truly to die for, I think back on it now that I am on my Detox (more about that tomorrow) with much awe and intense yearning - Thanks E!