Le Chic En Rose

#Just Another Day In WA – Taylor’s Art and Coffee House Swan Valley

rosemaylily2014

October 6, 2018

It’s been a busy couple of weeks here with school holidays and outings including to Perth Zoo (always a perennial favourite which I’ve blogged about before here and here) and yesterday we headed off with our elder daughter and 2 young granddaughters to another of our favourite places, the Swan Valley (previous visits here and here).

Unfortunately the weather gods put paid to our planned trip to an animal farm with the brooding clouds suddenly giving way to a heavy thundery downpour. We did, however, manage to have lunch at the charming Taylor’s Art and Coffee House, a first for us though our daughter has been a couple of times before.

The setting is charming – an old vine clad courtyard with flower pots and casual table settings, the olde worlde feel enhanced by the adjacent art gallery and a whimsical pre-loved goods store. The owners serve fresh organic seasonal produce often grown in their own garden (I had a wonderfully simple pea and asparagus risotto and our granddaughters a kids’ tasting plate including fresh fruit and vegetables). Family friendly, it’s the sort of place you can pop in for just a coffee or something more substantial. Although not normally licensed we’d come on the right day as there was a temporary pop up wine bar from a local producer Corymbia Wines (another new discovery for us in the Swan Valley).

Taylor’s also happens to be next door to the Chocolate Factory which naturally caught the kids attention! In the end we were able to get away without too many complaints from the girls (probably helped by the fact they were worried by the crashing thunder and flashes of lightning).

Spring is a bit hit and miss here in Perth at present but all the rain has been good for the gardens and nature reserves.

Our younger daughter arrives for a quick visit from London this week so we are hoping for some lovely sunny Spring Perth days!

Exploring Granville Island, Vancouver

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September 17, 2018

Granville Island Vancouver is a hip and trendy peninsula to the south of Downtown Vancouver. It sits perched under the Granville Street Bridge on the waters of False Creek, once used as a fishing inlet by the First Nations peoples.

Vancouver was originally called Granville after Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl of Granville (Britain’s Colonial Secretary at the time) but was renamed to its present day moniker in 1886. Formerly an industrial area, Granville has gradually been transformed in the last decades into a shopping and recreational district with an arty and laid-back vibe.

We were there at a busy time – it was the public holiday weekend for British Columbia Day plus the annual Vancouver Pride Festival so everywhere was bustling with people. Still it was not unpleasantly crowded. We enjoyed exploring the fresh food markets (the Granville Island Public Market has been in existence since 1979). As you would expect there was an enormous range of produce – I was happy not only to find so much fresh fruit and vegetables but an old fashioned tea shop selling a vast array of loose leaf teas in old fashioned jars and tins. We also had breakfast in one of the cafes at the end of the market – you are really spoilt for choice here and we found portions to be very generous!

A ride on the ferry is an enjoyable way to explore False Creek and get your bearings. There are plenty of stops along the way including the iconic glass dome of Science World British Columbia plus easy and fast connections to the main Downtown area.

After breakfast and a return ferry ride on the creek, we wandered round absorbing the atmosphere on the island. Street performers, arts and craft shops (including a wonderful bead and jewellery store), plus a pleasant cooling breeze from the water (it was an especially hot weekend) made for a most enjoyable Sunday stroll around.

The vestiges of the once industrial area are preserved too in a quaint and somewhat kitsch display of old concrete mixers.

If all the walking around makes you feel drained, you can always find a strong pick me up at the Liberty Distillery purveyors of gin and vodka or try some handcrafted beer at the Granville Island Brewing Company.

With frequent festivals there is always something going on at Granville Island – check the website here for up to date information. It’s definitely a must-see place on any trip to Vancouver!

A Taste Of Alaska

rosemaylily2014

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September 9, 2018

We’re settling back into home life after a month on the road. We covered thousands of miles by air, rail, road and sea and took in some amazing sights along the way. After 11 different overnight stops it’s nice to be back in our own bed again and catching up with the pets and family.

I’ve so many photos to sort through from our journey through Vancouver and Western Canada, the Rockies, Alaska and finally Seattle so it will take some time to collate them all. Here is a preview of some of our Alaskan adventures – the scenery, dramatic landscapes and wildlife were just some of the highlights.

I’ll gradually post about it all over the next few weeks!

Canadian Travels – Le Chic En Road

rosemaylily2014

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August 12, 2018

We’ve been on the road in Canada for the past week or so and are about to board the boat today for our cruise up to Alaska. So here’s a very quick update before I may be out of range for a while.

We’ve loved Vancouver and the Rockies (we went by the Rocky Mountaineer up to Banff and drove back via the Okanagan region). Unfortunately the area has again been beset by severe fires this summer season and the mountains were often obscured by thick smoke haze, which also reduced the air quality. We still explored the area extensively – there’ll be many posts coming up on my return to Australia but in the meantime here is a photo preview. Apologies if I am slow to respond to everyone – Wifi has been intermittent and not sure how we’ll go on the boat or in Alaska. I”ll be back in the blogosphere as soon as I can!

#justanotherdayinwa – Riverbank Estate Winery Caversham

rosemaylily2014

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July 22, 2018

Time has marched on and we’re now very busy getting ready for our upcoming trip to Canada and Alaska – we leave in less than 2 weeks. The rest of my UK travel write ups from March will have to wait for another day – it has seemed a bit strange writing about the spring arctic freeze when the UK has been basking in a heatwave!

We don’t get snow and ice here in the winter but we have had some wild storms and gales and spent a fair bit of time yesterday mopping up from floods in the garage, patio area and a small stream that flowed through our kitchen window from the gutter, which had backed up with the sheer volume of rain.

It seems a far cry from the glorious few days we had the other week – beautiful sunny skies and crisp winter’s days. As it was our wedding anniversary, we decided to drive out to the Swan Valley for lunch – only a half hour drive from our home near the coast and you are effectively out in open country. There are many cafes, restaurants and wineries to choose from and the countryside is dotted with vines, which grow well in the river valley (see here and here for previous posts about this area).

We ended up at a new place for us, the Riverbank Estate Winery in Caversham. The Swan River meanders adjacent to the vines on the property and the food, prepared from fresh seasonal produce, was superb. Afterwards we had a wander round the grounds – probably just as well after a 3 course lunch and wine (not too much for Monsieur though as he was driving!).

London Travels – The Quince Tree Cafe, Clifton Nurseries

rosemaylily2014

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July 9, 2018

A little vignette from our London travels in March. The day after our arrival our daughter, Mlle, suggested Saturday breakfast at a quaint little cafe not too far from her home in north west London. The Quince Tree Cafe is part of the Clifton Nurseries in the Warwick Avenue/Little Venice neighbourhood near the London canals.

From previous posts (see here and here) you’ll know that our trip was in the bitterly cold spell in March (such a contrast with the current July heatwave!). Therefore our planned walk turned into a quick Uber ride.

Tucked away down a little alley, the Quince Tree is a real gem. It’s housed in a converted greenhouse overlooking rows of potted plants and garden beds. Even on a gloomy March day it seemed light and spacious – the perfect spot to enjoy the gardens with a steaming pot of tea. We eagerly tucked into a very hearty breakfast (we were jet lagged and feeling the cold!).

On a warmer day we would have loved to linger a bit longer in the grounds but it was a day for staying rugged up indoors as far as possible.

Just up the road are steps leading to the pathway along the canal – Little Venice is the point where the Regents Canal joins the Grand Junction Canal and there are lovely walks in both directions along the banks. It was not a day for walking too far though – the pictures don’t show the black ice and we were slipping and sliding all over the place.

If you’re ever in the vicinity the Quince Tree is the perfect spot for refreshments and next time we hope we’ll be able to get our canal walk in!

London Travels – Two Temple Place

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July 1, 2018

We arrived in London in March in the midst of the “Beast From The East”, the extreme weather front that gripped the UK for a week or so coming straight from the Siberian Steppes. It was minus two and blowing a blizzard when we landed belatedly at Heathrow Airport on the Friday night, after our original flight from Hong Kong was cancelled.

We had just a couple of full days to spend with our daughter Mlle in London and with the weather remaining bitterly cold and the pavements icy with the snow and frost, we didn’t fancy spending too much time outdoors. I’ve already written a quick account of the weekend whilst on the road here. However we did brave the elements and in fact managed to pack quite a lot into our flying visit to the capital.

On the Sunday, when a slow thaw had set in, Mlle suggested heading down to the Temple area of the city for lunch at the Temple Brew House in Essex Street before taking in an exhibition. The moody blues and greys down by the Thames don’t really depict the full story – it was absolutely freezing even for Mlle who is more acclimatised than us by now to the cold!

The Temple Brew House proved an inspired choice. During the week it must be packed with workers from the legal offices and chambers nearby but on this cold Sunday lunchtime it was more or less deserted and the warming pies and drinks were just what we needed. I did manage to get a glass of wine though Monsieur and Mlle sampled some of the many craft beers on offer (well not too many I should hasten to add!).

Two Temple Place is just a few minutes walk away from the Temple Brew House. An imposing building near the Victoria Embankment with views towards the Thames, it is now owned by a private trust, the Bulldog Trust, and is open to the public at certain times of the year for special exhibitions. Mlle works in the music PR industry and a number of her clients are in the jazz world so it seemed serendipitous that the latest exhibition, “Rhythm & Reaction, The Age of Jazz in Britain” was on at the time of our visit.

Not only was the exhibition free (though donations were welcome), it gave us an opportunity to look round this impressive, albeit unusual, piece of architecture. Originally known as Astor House, it was built in 1895 for the wealthy American-born William Waldorf Astor, businessman, attorney, politician and newspaper publisher, who was apparently so scared of potential kidnapping attempts that he relocated himself and family to England (deemed safer than the USA). Constructed by John Loughborough Pearson the exterior is built from Portland stone whilst the interior is decorated with heavy wooden panels and stained glass windows – a bit reminiscent of something out of a gothic novel meeting an Elizabethan Tudor mansion!

Apparently used as both an office and living quarters by Astor and his family, it also housed some of his extensive artworks and certainly provided an interesting backdrop for the jazz history exhibition. Thoughtfully curated, the exhibition took us through the history of jazz in the Britain of the 20s, 30s, 40s and later, as well as providing a fascinating tour of the opulent mansion at the same time.

I had to restrain myself in the lovely gift shop, which was selling books, cards, prints, toiletries as well as other gifts – luggage allowances being of the essence when travelling though I can’t say I came away totally empty handed! We headed out from the cosy warmth inside the building to brave the crisp, cold air of a wintry London late afternoon.

Two Temple Place is one of those hidden gems and it’s well worth looking out for exhibitions or other events there if you happen to be in London.

# justanotherdayinwa – Hotham Valley Forest Train

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June 24, 2018

I’ve written about the excellent Hotham Valley Tourist Railway before (see here).

Taking advantage of a gorgeous crisp winter’s WA day (after the heavy storms of the previous few weeks) we planned a similar outing down to Dwellingup last weekend. This time, however, the Steam Ranger train wasn’t operating – maintenance issues and finding volunteer drivers who have the time and qualifications to drive it are unfortunately proving to be a problem.

However, we were able to take the little diesel train, which trundles deep into the forest surrounding Dwellingup (the steam train goes in the opposite direction to Isandra Siding). The Forest Train took us on a ride through a part of WA’s history down to the little siding of Etmilyn, which in past times took the freshly-milled timber out to the coastal ports.

Unlike the Steam Ranger, the carriages are open to the elements (they have a roof but no enclosed windows). It’s wonderfully refreshing on a fine sunny day but obviously wouldn’t be as comfortable on a wild wet day! However it was pleasantly mild and we didn’t really need the heavy coats and scarves that we’d taken with us. You can almost touch the branches and bushes as the train gently chugs along.

There is a helpful map to accompany the journey. One of the most interesting places you pass by is the site of the former Holyoake Mill and Township. Once a bustling timber mill town it was destroyed by a devastating bush fire, which ravaged the Dwellingup area in 1961 and was never rebuilt. We kept looking round for old ruined buildings and huts but there was nothing there, only the jarrah trees, grass trees and wild bushland. It was somewhat eerie to see how the bush and forest have reclaimed the little township. A small plaque commemorates the town and mill, which stood here between 1910 and 1962.

Wending its way gently uphill through the thick forest, the little train comes to Etmilyn after about half an hour. You can stay on the train if you like whilst it turns round but we took the opportunity to do the circular bush trail that neatly skirts round the forest back to the waiting train (again it takes about half an hour and they do a head count before heading back to Dwellingup!). Our granddaughters had great fun helping to gather firewood so our arms were quite full by the time we got back on board again!

The train leaves at weekends and public holidays at 10.30am and 2pm (check the website for further details here). As we’ve done on previous occasions, we had an enjoyable lunch beforehand at the Dwellingup Tavern.

All in all a very enjoyable day out. We hope that the steam train will soon be up and running again – it’s not only fun to ride on but an important connection with WA’s past.

Hong Kong – Visiting The Maritime Museum On The Pier

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June 10, 2018

We chanced upon Hong Kong’s Maritime Museum when we were trying to find somewhere for lunch on our last full day on the island. Having spent the morning wandering round Kowloon (see here) we were feeling pretty hungry and assumed we’d find something back at Hong Kong harbour pier with no problem. However, like many parts of Hong Kong, the area down by the harbour and ferry terminal is undergoing reconstruction. We wandered round the eclectic maze of buildings round Pier 8 trying to find a suitable cafe or restaurant without much luck before we saw a sign pointing to Cafe 8 up the stairs.

Cafe style (you order at the counter but get served at the tables) we were lucky to get a table squeezed into a corner near the kitchens. It was evidently popular with the locals – one lady who must have been a university or college lecturer was conducting a meeting reviewing her students’ assignments at the table next to ours and there were several groups of business people having working lunches. What makes it special too is that it is a joint project between the Maritime Museum and the Nesbitt Centre – part of their mission is to provide gainful employment for people with special needs.

Revived by our bowls of soup and focaccias we decided we couldn’t miss the opportunity to explore the Maritime Museum on the floors below. We thought we would just spend an hour or so there and then maybe take a later afternoon cruise round the harbour. Suffice to say a even good couple of hours was nowhere near long enough to take in everything although we did our best!

The exhibits go into incredible detail about Hong Kong’s fascinating history from earliest times when traditional sampans plied across the seas around China. Gradually they began exploring further afield towards the Indian sub continent. There was so much information about the history of China and the myriad of dynasties that came and went over the centuries well before the British Colonial era. Interactive displays would keep children (and adults) happy for hours and indeed the museum runs many educational programmes. Advances in science, the importance of environmental protection and Hong Kong’s yachting and sailing history are all covered. I found the transformation of Hong Kong from a small fishing and trading outpost to multinational business centre with its high rise skyline fascinating.

It was also interesting to reflect how my great grandparents fitted into the jigsaw puzzle as they were part of the missionary movement that gained great popularity in the later Victorian era and spent many years as missionaries out in China (in West China and Shanghai). My grandfather was born in China in late 1898 but sent back to England as a small boy to live with relatives like his younger siblings after him. This period was covered in some detail in the displays – it seems rather strange today but the spirit of the times was very different back then. We learnt about the Opium Wars and the terrible effects that this drug had on communities at the time.

In a nutshell the Maritime Museum is well worth a visit – I couldn’t possibly describe everything here. The exhibition is housed over three floors with views overlooking the harbour on some levels. The light was not conducive to taking too many photos so please excuse the quality of the ones I’ve included here!

Finally the Museum shop (across the boardwalk from the museum entrance) is well stocked with a wonderful range of books, tasteful souvenirs, maps, prints of Hong Kong and much more. We just had time for a stroll around the harbour before dusk fell.

Our few days stopover in Hong Kong en route back to Australia was a great success. For all the other posts in the Hong Kong series see here.

Hong Kong – A Stroll Round Kowloon

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June 3, 2018

We took the ferry over to the Kowloon side of Victoria Harbour a couple of times during our Hong Kong trip (see here). This former outpost of the Chinese mainland in colonial times is now reinventing itself as a tourist destination. It is a fascinating place to visit though not always the prettiest.

The ferry takes you across to Tsim Sha Tsui where a bustling waterfront and new arts complex greet you. We did a questionnaire for some school children out on an excursion – they were excited to practice their English with a couple from Australia! Somewhere in a Kowloon or Hong Kong classroom there must now be a picture of Monsieur and me on the wall as part of the kids’ assignment!

We wandered up one of the main streets, Canton Road, surrounded by a myriad of people, office workers – it was packed and extremely busy. The streets were lined with all the high end shops you could possibly imagine – Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Chanel to name just a few. However the place was in a state of flux and rebuilding – cranes and orange and white road bollards were everywhere. We didn’t have to look too far to see the poorer side of Hong Kong. Tower blocks with crumbling paint and in states of disrepair dominate the skyline. We were astonished that they were still upright.

There are numerous small streets with little shops selling all manner of food, delicacies and trinkets. The best time to come though is to see the famous night markets, the Temple Street Night Markets, which are a hive of activity after dusk. I’m reliably informed they are well worth a visit but for us this will have to wait for another day though we did explore the night markets on the Hong Kong side (see here).

At the end of the high street we skirted round the remains of the infamous Kowloon Walled City. Leased to the Hong Kong British Colony by the Chinese Mainland in the late 19th century it was once an infamous maze of seedy streets, opium dens, crime and prostitution. It was virtually a no-go zone and later controlled by Triad gangs in the 1950s to 70s. After much deliberation and debate it was finally demolished in 1993 and replaced with the new Kowloon Walled City Park. Beneath the skyscrapers and flyover you can just see the old walls peaking out across the road.

We didn’t go into the Kowloon Park itself but found instead the King George V Memorial Park not too far away. It was like many places we found in Hong Kong – a quiet oasis away from the noise and bustle of the city streets.

Kowloon is well connected not only by the ferry but also by road and the rail network, the MTR. It does take a bit of negotiating but is a quick and efficient way to get round Hong Kong and its environs.

All in all I was glad that we decided after some debate to stay on the Hong Kong side but it is well worth taking a look round Kowloon for another perspective. The markets and the museums that are housed in Kowloon are worth taking a trip across the harbour. Next week though we’re heading off to the Maritime Museum back on Hong Kong Island – one of the highlights of our trip!