Tuesday, January 06, 2009

weddings down south

Reid and I have been engaged for a little while now - and the first time I searched for wedding venues in Dunedin Google didn't really come up with anything!

On my my recent search I found - the Dunedin Wedding Planner and Central Otago Celebrations!!

It has a great directory of businesses that can meet your every wedding need!!

While we where at home over Christmas we actually found a potential venue in Dunedin (although I don't know the price yet, so it might be out of our range). Norfolk House is a beautiful old home in St Clair that would make a perfect wedding venue.

We also went for a drive through to central and found a bunch of great venue options in Clyde and Lauder.

The Post Office Cafe (pub) is a beautiful stone cottage building with gorgeous back garden


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The Packing Shed Orchard in Earnscleugh


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Orchard Gardens Cafe (and maze!)- Clyde


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and finally Lauderdale Estate


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chinese garden

after 10 years of development, fund raising, planning, and building the Dunedin's Chinese Garden is open (since I'm not in Dunedin all that often the fact that this post comes about 6 months the actual opening is not that unusual!)

Over Christmas we visited, it was really cool, very peaceful - here are some pics!











Sunday, November 30, 2008

harbour town

Melbourne has it's own London Eye - it's so weird - GET YOUR OWN IDEA!

but, it's still pretty cool, it's massive! Reid and I went for a wonder around the new Harbour Town today. I don't think the Wheel (or whatever it's called) is open yet. The wheel was going around, but I didn't see any passengers

pics








The think the Docklands are competing with the city of Melbourne for the worlds ugliest Christmas tree!


Docklands


Swanston Street

birthday drinks

had a fantastic night last Friday for my 30th drinks!

We started at the Queensberry, and then kicked onto the Container bar in Tatersalls Lane . Ange and I sneaked out for a bite to eat at a dodgy Chinese restaurant, but when we got back to the bar Duncan and Cath had been kicked out for tripping over (and breaking) a pot plant! So onto the European for some dancing! The European so pretty packed so Reid and I headed home at that point, but great night overall :)

Pics


Ange


Michelle and Ange




Mark


Sophia


Kate


Barry and Sue


Reid


Andrew


Jade


Jade, Michelle, Ange


Daryn


. . . . . not sure


Michelle, Duncan, and Jade


Duncan


on the way to the container bar


Ange, Gen, Kate


Michelle, Kate, Ange, Gen (well past my home time!)

birthday dinner

So a nasty hangover meant Reid and I didn't make it out for dinner for my birthday on Saturday night.

We went out on Sunday night to Cafe La in the Sofitel instead (both Cumulus and Lourinha were closed).

the meal was great - my entree, prawn risotto was HUGE! and I had a pumpkin and spinach gnocchi. Reid asked for a blue steak, but thinks it was more like medium!! D'oh

Instead of an after dinner coffee I had a Baileys - I was pretty surprised to get a shot of Baileys for $8!


Reid and I in the lift on the way back down

also - the toilets have floor to ceiling windows, with a great view AND the dyson airbladetm hand dryer!

escape

he finally did it!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

answers.yahoo.com

ah! the questions people post on answers.yahoo. This is why we love the internet
if you think the post is funny, check out the comments

How can I get my labrador dog to stop urinating and defacating on me while I'm sleeping?

She's 7 years old and in the last few months she has taken to jumping on the bed when I am sleeping and either doing a poo or weeing on me. I don't find out until I wake up in the morning. Why is she doing this and how can I stop her? PS I can't put her outside, I live in a small apartment and it is too cold for her elsewhere.

here are some of my favourite comments:

strazys: $hit on her first.

R -
This is a common problem with the Labrador breed. Never fear, there are several things you can do that might help.
1) Sleep in your bathtub for a couple weeks in order to trick the dog. Once it begins to do its business in the tub reward it with a snack or a gentle pat. Eventually your pup will prefer the tub over your bed.
2) Fit your dog with cloth diapers at night. This is an inexpensive and easy solution.


3) Deep anal massage. (Note, you will require a didgeridoo) You need only massage the anus and inner rectum. But doing so should calm your dog and release any anger that may be instigating this behaviour.

Anonymous Author

You need my book, "How to Get Your Dog to Stop Deficating on You for Dummies!". You can find it on Amazon.

Table of Contents
Credits.................................. v
Introduction............................. 2
1. What's so bad about it?.................................. 5
2. Know when to say no...................................... 10
3. Don't be afraid to say no................................ 17
4. Getting your dog to respect you by respecting yourself... 24
5. Surprise! The foghorn.................................... 42
6. Fight fire with fire....................................... 48
7. Time for pepper spray...................................... 53
8. Enough is enough..................................... 61

Appendix A:
If all else fails, learn to live with it.................... 65

Friday, November 21, 2008

Thursday, November 20, 2008

the eating birthday

so this sure has been the an eating frenzy!

lunch on Tuesday at the corkman with Michelle, Ange, Ben, Jade, Mark, and Catherine - I had my usual BLT :)

then a fabulous dinner on Tuesday night with Reid - there was the platter of goodies, then beautiful steak, and a great wine!!!

then lunch on Wednesday with Joyce and Karen at Stuzzichino on Lygon Street - had a gnocchi with pumpkin and spinach (ZUCCA e SPINACE - roasted pumpkin & spinach tossed in a fresh rosemary). It was very very tastey! and the service is great there - I've been there a couple of times before, and the service and food has always been great!

then dinner with Ange and Michelle at Red Tongue on Brunswick Street - had garlic prawns, yum! Followed by drinks at the Black Pearl - I always like it there too!

Marmite sammie for lunch today tho :p

still to come - lunch tomorrow at Graduate House and dinner on Saturday night . . . . either at Cumulus or Lourinha

woohoo :)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Birthday vino

Here's the wine we had for dinner tonight, it's a Pinot and Reid
actually thought it was good!! Me too! Although it seems that the
decanter can make all wines taste fabulous :-)

It's a Tasmanian wine, not a central Otago wine like it probably
should have been, but great nonetheless ;-)

I don't have a wine rating system, do thumbs up it is for this one

my 30th

so now I'm 30! so far seems much the same as 29 . . .

Ange did a great job of decorating my desk this morning! It looked fantastic :)





and Michelle bought a fantastic cake - I am sure we were close to setting off the smoke alarm with all those candles!!



Reid made a beautiful snack platter - mmmm goats cheese!



and the florist sent another bunch of flowers - on the right day this time!




From 2008 Birthday