Le Chic En Rose

Lunar Cycles And Lunch At Cullen Winery Part 1

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January 22, 2016

With Christmas and New Year fast becoming a distant memory I can finish the series of posts I began about our short sojourn in the beautiful South West region of WA at the end of our winter (see here, here, here and here for earlier posts). We have enjoyed coming down to this beautiful area for many years now. On our first visit, way back in 1992, we had a superb and memorable lunch at Cullen Winery in the Wilyabrup locality on Caves Road. Monsieur Le Chic decided some wine tasting was the order of the day, whilst I endeavoured to keep our 2 little girls occupied!

An elderly lady was standing by the bar and before I knew it she had asked to hold our younger daughter (9 months old at the time) – she was evidently an experienced baby minder because baby “Mlle”, normally something of a handful, happily smiled and cooed away to the delight of the old lady. The point to this preamble is that we were told in hushed tones by the bar staff (once she was out of earshot!) that this was the winery owner, “Mrs Cullen”. She and her late husband, Dr Kevin John Cullen, had overseen the first planting of vines on their property in 1966 and subsequently founded the vineyard in 1971. They were pioneers of the wine industry in the Margaret River region – award-winning “wine royalty” . The late Diana Madeline Cullen was the most humble unassuming person you could ever hope to meet and we have always treasured that interlude all those years ago! She led an amazing life, not only helping to establish the winery, but being the chief winemaker until her retirement in 1989 when she handed over her duties to her daughter Vanya. Along the way she raised 6 children! Her biography on the Cullen web page says she was once described as ” “an inspiration in our own time and that of future generations”.

Therefore we always make time for a lunch and a spot of wine tasting at Cullen whenever we’re down in that neck of the woods. On this brisk late winter’s day, we were not disappointed. We turned up mid week without a booking and part of the restaurant was taken up with a touring party. They were not obtrusive, however and we were rewarded with a lovely table for 2 overlooking the beautiful gardens and vines.

View from our lunch table at Cullen

Produce is local and as much as possible is picked fresh from the vegetable garden. My fish stew, one of the daily specials was beyond superb, the sharing plate starter including locally caught sardines, wonderfully tasty and the desserts simply divine. All washed down with their beautiful wines. I can only say we have never had a bad meal at Cullen!

Restaurant at Cullen

Dish of the day – hearty fish stew

Dessert number 1, a trio of flavours – citrus, chocolate and raspberry

Dessert number 2 – homemade ice cream and honeycomb

Starter sharing plate

Cullen wines to accompany the meal

Naturally after such a superb repast, Monsieur felt it would be only right to sample some of the wines available for tasting, whilst yours truly “the designated driver” relaxed by the log fire. The information signs on the wall caught my eye – Cullen has been Certified A Grade Biodynamic since 2004 . I hadn’t really understood what this meant in practice before our visit but in addition to the information board, Monsieur was given a thorough explanation by the staff as he tried to decide which of the many wines on offer to buy. Intrigued by the name, he decided to try their celebrated “Moon Opposite Saturn” wine. Planting, harvesting and wine production at Cullen are all conducted according to strict principles based amongst other things around lunar cycles and the position of the planets (hence the Moon/Saturn configuration).

Information about the winery

Explanation of the Biodynamic Certification

Cosy lounge at Cullen restaurant

Le Chic En Rose at Cullen

As for Monsieur’s tasting deliberations he ended up with a mixed crate including a couple of bottles of the “Kevin John” Chardonnay – not normally a fan of Chardonnay but this one is very different in flavour to others I’ve tried. Monsieur’s wine collection back home also includes a few bottles of the “Diana Madeline” Cabernet Sauvignon, which is being cellared for future quaffing! Our curiosity piqued by talk of planets and moon cycles, we headed off into the grounds and gardens to discover more. Stay tuned for Part 2 of our visit next week!

Our bottle with the beautiful label

One of our bottles of the celebrated “Diana Madeline” Cabernet Sauvignon

Animal Encounters At Caversham Wildlife Park

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January 15, 2016

Following on from last week’s post about some of the many attractions here in sunny Perth (see here), I thought Caversham Wildlife Park deserved a post of its own. We had a good couple of hours or so here with our 2 little granddaughters, before the lure of the paddling pool at neighbouring Whiteman Park proved too much for La Petite # 1! Despite our slightly curtailed visit, we really felt we got our money’s worth. Although the entrance fees are quite expensive – $27 for an adult, $12 for children aged 3 to 14 and $19 for student and senior concession card holders – you don’t pay for anything else once inside (except food and gifts of course). There are also pass outs available so you can come and go during the day if you want to.

Caversham, a privately owned family business, is situated in a beautiful bushland setting to the north east of Perth city centre. It is home to many different species of Australian fauna and there are plenty of opportunities to interact with the animals (the “safe” ones that is, no one is obliged to cuddle a snake!). It is well run and considerable care and attention has been given to the overall animal experience. Several special shows are run throughout the day at various times. Our highlight would have to be the Farm Show held at Molly’s Farm – we felt the entrance fee was worth it just to see the Farm Show alone! Held in a huge traditional Australian farm shed, we were talked through the activities by Geoff, a genial stockman, who had plenty of anecdotes and engaged his audience well.

Farm Show at Molly’s Farm Caversham

The grown ups could try their hand at cracking a farm whip (definitely not for the kids!), the kids could feed the little lambs and also have a turn at milking Brenda the Cow (for some reason her stall had Minty on it – Minty was euphemistically mentioned so I think she has sadly passed on!). We were also introduced to the wonderful working dogs of the farm, Jack a 9 year old Kelpie, his son Billy aged 3 and their red haired cousin Rusty. Jack gave us a display of his sheep herding skills – there were a couple of recalcitrant ewes but he managed to get them safely back into their pen in the end. Amazingly for all his hard work he was rewarded merely with a brief pat, which Geoff assured us was standard practice. The dogs wish to please and Jack certainly looked happy enough with a pat from his master. I couldn’t help thinking that Winston Le Schnoodle, our pampered pooch back home, would not only have caused havoc by chasing the poor ewes everywhere, but would not have settled for anything less than copious amounts of edible doggy treats at the end of his efforts! Working dogs are indispensable to farm life and seeing them in action was a real treat.

Jack Receiving His Reward Caversham Farm Show

The light was not the best for taking photos so please excuse the poor quality of some of them. It was also very hot inside the shed but it did help us to understand how difficult conditions are out in the bush and how far removed the way of life out there is from the luxuries and comforts of the city where fans and air conditioning are de rigueur during summer!

Rounding up the sheep

Rounding up the sheep – nearly there!

Safely back in their pen with Pete the Ram next door!

Brenda the Cow waiting to be milked. Minty was euphemistically mentioned so think she has sadly passed on.

Meeting the working dogs of Molly’s Farm

Geoff was also an accomplished sheep shearer and gave us a demonstration of his skills!

Sheep shearing demonstration at the Farm Show

Almost done!

Finished! The sheep shearing team sort the wool out

Apart from the Farm Show you can meet “Neil The Wombat and Friends” at another huge shed – shows run 3 times a day like the Farm Show. Photo opportunities are aplenty and children and adults alike can pat and stroke some of the animals under the watchful eye of their keepers.

Neil the 20 kg Wombat with his keeper

Tiger quoll

Golden Brushtail Possum at Caversham Wildlife Park

Bird life at Caversham

Baby chicks in the nursery at Caversham

The shed where you meet Neil and his friends!

Grounds at Caversham

In the Reptile House we had a close encounter with a South-western Carpet Python who came over the say hello – thankfully he was behind the glass!

Up close with a South-western Carpet Python

Information about the South-western Carpet Python

There is a kiosk, which sells basic refreshments including ample supplies of water but according to our elder daughter (who has been there several times) the cafe/restaurant in the adjacent Whiteman Park is a much better bet and serves excellent food. We decided, however, to treat ourselves to a late lunch at nearby Oakover Grounds and Winery after our morning’s exertions at Caversham and a quick detour to the Whiteman Park paddling pool with La Petite. Oakover was the perfect place to relax by the lake and reflect on our fabulous visit to Caversham. Highly recommend the Caversham Wildlife Park if you’re ever in Perth (as well as Whiteman Park and Oakover)!

Oakover Grounds – lake and views to the Perth Hills

Out And About In Perth This Week

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January 9, 2016

A busy week, which has left little time for blogging as we enjoyed the last few days with our daughter, Mlle, before she flew off back to London. However we did pack a lot into her trip – certainly Perth has much to recommend it as a destination apart from visiting friends and family! Here is a montage of a few of the places we went to this week, some of which I will write up in more detail soon!

Hopman Cup at the Perth Arena – a mixed team tournament used by players from around the world as a lead up to the Australian Open in a couple of weeks time.

World class tennis at the Hopman Cup at Perth Arena

Mlle and Le Chic En Rose at the Hopman Cup

Czech Republic v Ukraine Hopman Cup courtside

Perth Arena

Perth Arena set up for tennis

Caversham Wildlife Park – a privately run wildlife park that has plenty to interest adults and kids alike. The highlight was the wonderful farm show – afterwards you can pat the lambs or try your hand at milking the cows! Plus there are plenty of kangaroos, koalas and all manner of other creatures to meet.

Farm Show at Molly’s Farm Caversham

Monsieur Le Chic got into the spirit by purchasing an Akubra style hat!

Details of the Farm Show at Molly’s Farm Caversham Wildlife Park

Meeting the alpacas

Horse and rider at the Farm Show

Finished! The sheep shearing team sort the wool out

Assorted bags of wool

Whiteman Park – adjoining Caversham Wildlife Park. A beautiful parkland area with picnic zones, a tram ride and paddling pool plus a cafe and kiosk.

Whiteman Park Perth

Tram at Whiteman Park

The tram ride is one of the highlights of a visit to Whiteman Park

Oakover Estate Swan Valley – a favourite winery in the Swan Valley to the east of Perth. Delicious food in a welcoming setting – casual vibe with outlook over vines and a lake including pedalos for adults and kids alike!

Oakover Estate lake in the Swan Valley Perth

Outside tables at Oakover with a view towards the Perth Hills

Oakover grapes

Vines at Oakover Estate

Reasons to visit Oakover according to the staff!

Fiori Coffee is also attached to the Oakover Estate and their coffee is roasted here

Sweet treats Oakover

Glass of wine with lunch

On Wednesday we were happily lunching at Oakover Estate in the Swan Valley to the north east of Perth with a stunning view out to the Perth Hills and Darling Scarp. We were unaware at that stage that a lightning strike in the state forest a hundred kilometres or so to the south had started a bushfire, which set off a horrible chain of events culminating in the almost total destruction of the small community of Yarloop. Sadly homes, businesses and historical buildings including an old timber mill were lost in the firestorm and many people and animals displaced. At the time of writing there are still emergency warnings in place – the fire front is massive and many roads have been closed and communities remain under threat. We are, in our coastal Perth suburb, thankfully, living in relative safety, but our thoughts and prayers are with the poor folks caught up in this terrifying act of nature and the firefighters fighting to contain and eventually subdue this dreadful fire.

Happy New Year From Western Australia!

rosemaylily2014

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January 2, 2016

We have only a few days left with Mlle, our younger daughter, before she heads off back to London. On New Year’s Eve we had a lovely walk followed by morning tea at beautiful Kings Park. I wrote a piece about this lovely area of bushland and park quite recently (see here) but that only covered a small part of it. Here are some photos of our walk round the Lotterywest Federation Walkway, one of the park’s most popular attractions, which opened in 2003. The highlight is a large bridge, arching high above the eucalyptus trees below. Wending round the marri forest, native flora and with stunning views across the Swan and Canning rivers, the walkway is an idyllic place for a stroll. The trail leads you through a water garden, banksia garden with explanations of the heritage and significance of the area along the way. Entry to the walkway is free, though there is an optional gold coin donation box at the entrance – all funds go to supporting Friends Of Kings Park who encourage community involvement in the maintenance and preservation of the parkland.

Lotterywest Federation Walkway details

View from the bridge

Two Rivers Lookout Point Kings Park – view towards the Swan and Canning Rivers

Le Chic En Rose on the Lotterywest Federation Walkway Bridge

Marri Forest Federation Walkway – end of the bridge

Water Gardens Kings Park

Lake and fountain Kings Park

Banksia Kings Park

History of Kings Park 1990- 1995. We first arrived in Perth from the UK in October 1990!

Wishing everyone a happy, prosperous and peaceful 2016!

Merry Christmas from Western Australia!

rosemaylily2014

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December 26, 2015

A slighted belated Christmas message but it should still be Christmas Day somewhere in the world! Wishing everyone a joyful festive season and very best wishes for 2016! Thanks to all the lovely people who visit Le Chic En Rose – I value all your comments and support and very much enjoy reading everyone else’s fascinating and varied blogs. Here is a short montage of our Christmas festivities including our 5.30 am Christmas morning walk – Monsieur Le Chic, Winston Le Schnoodle and yours truly were on grandparent duties as our younger granddaughter had stayed up all night and her frazzled parents were completely exhausted! It took a good couple of turns over The Top Of The World before La Petite 2 finally dozed off to sleep!

Christmas Eve table setting

Courtyard Le Chic En Rose

Table setting for Christmas Eve

View of Perth early Christmas morning

View of the Indian Ocean from Trigonometric Park (The Top Of The World) Christmas early morning

Monsieur Le Chic and Winston Le Schnoodle early morning walk Christmas morning

View along the Indian Ocean coastline Boxing Day morning walk

Meelup: Place Of The Moon Rising

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December 18, 2015

Cape Naturaliste Road wends its way along the peninsula from the small township of Dunsborough out to the lighthouse at the end of the headland. We have always loved this pretty area in the South West Cape Region of WA. It has a more tranquil beauty than the equally beautiful wild and rugged coastline round the tip of the Cape. This stretch of coastline is part of the Meelup Regional Park, which extends 11.5 kms along the coast from Dunsborough to Bunker Bay. Facing north east has meant the beaches and small coves are protected from the onslaught of the south westerlies pounding in from the Indian Ocean. As a result many trees and plants, which would not survive the strong westerly winds on the other side of the Cape, are able to thrive, giving the area its distinctive appearance. Tall trees and dense vegetation stretch down towards the gently lapping waters of Geographe Bay.

Calm blue waters at Meelup Beach South West WA

We stopped off for a brief stroll along Meelup Beach on our recent trip down south in early September. We literally had the place to ourselves! A weekday out of season and there wasn’t a soul around apart from ourselves and a few seagulls enjoying the late afternoon sun. Meelup means “place of the moon rising” and was named by the local Wardandi people, the Aboriginal custodians of the area, as the full moon appears to rise out of the sea on a few days of the year. It must be a hauntingly beautiful site to witness the moon rising in such a peaceful and tranquil place!

Dense vegetation in the background is a feature of the landscape by the beaches here

Monsieur Le Chic at Meelup Beach

Caring for the beach eco system is very important

The sea and sand stretches out into the distance

We more or less had the place to ourselves – this seagull is enjoying the late afternoon sun!

Monsieur Le Chic contemplating the meaning of life – it is such a relaxing spot!

The peaceful and serene Geographe Bay at Meelup Beach

It is the sort of place where you feel a million miles away from the cares of the world, which is why we love it so much. We have been coming down here for years with our 2 girls and will enjoy taking our 2 granddaughters here in the years to come!

The benches are a lovely place to sit and gaze out across Geographe Bay

Meelup Beacn information board

Morning Tea At Cape Lavender

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December 11, 2015

Last weekend saw Perth experience its coldest December day in over 5o years. The temperature briefly struggled to the dizzy heights of 19 degrees though for much of the day it was considerably cooler – not what we expect in sunny Perth during summertime! Since I had to hunt out my winter jumpers again for a short while, it reminded me of our late winter trip down to the South West Cape region at the end of August.

Not only does the area have a marvellous coast line with wild rugged scenery and beautiful forests, it is also renowned for its culinary delights and vineyards. The cape is dotted with gourmet restaurants and cafes all serving high quality local produce and a myriad of wineries, which leaves you spoilt for choice. Following on from last week’s afternoon tea in Hohenschwangau, this week I’m reminiscing about a lovely morning tea at the Cape Lavender tearooms.

The charming colonial homestead which houses the Cape Lavender Tearooms and shop

Grounds of Cape Lavender

Lavender coloured pots abound – here with purple lobelia

Cottage style gardens

Even the water hose sticks to the lavender theme!

Cape Lavender is on the corner of Caves Road and Canal Rocks Road

Entrance Sign Cape Lavender

Cape Lavender is situated at the junction of Caves Road and Canal Rocks Road near Yallingup and we stopped off for a bite to eat mid morning before heading off to walk off the excess at Canal Rocks. This charming place, as its name suggests, is a homage to lavender. You can find gourmet lavender produce in the form of jams, chutneys, honey and even teas. The well-stocked shop adjacent to the cafe also sells a wide range of lavender essential oils, soaps and all manner of lotions and potions designed to promote healing, harmony and relaxation. You can even buy a lavender dog shampoo – not that we took any home for our resident canine, Winston Le Schnoodle, on this occasion!

Some of the range of products on offer at Cape Lavender

On a warmer day, sample the lavender ice cream

Rustic style storage area

Old framed photos add to the old fashioned ambiance

Floral displays are everywhere

In the rustic setting of the cafe, we enjoyed a beautiful home-made Devonshire tea with a view out to the pretty garden, whilst watching the rain clouds roll in. Fortunately the sunshine soon made a welcome reappearance!

Beautiful china complete with the lavender motif

You can get plain scones too – lavender is not obligatory!

Tea room setting

The sun finally reappeared

Devonshire tea – always a good option!

Afternoon Tea in Hohenschwangau

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December 4, 2015

It seems to be the time of year when everyone is slightly frazzled trying to get through the rush of things to do before Christmas! Household Le Chic seems to be no exception! We are, however, very much looking forward to having our daughter, Mlle, back with us for the festive season. She’s flying in from London in a couple of weeks time to enjoy some Perth sunshine and catch up with family and friends. It was only 6 months ago that we were all sitting together in the beer garden of the Hotel Mueller in Hohenschwangau, Bavaria. It was an idyllic spot in which to enjoy ice creams and a lovely cup of tea after our trip up to Neuschwanstein and the Marienbruecke.

Monsieur Le Chic in the beer garden at Hotel Mueller Hohenschwangau

View up to Neuschwanstein Castle

Cherry ice cream sundae!

Ice cream selection

Mlle and Le Chic En Rose – afternoon tea time

With the horse and carriage staging-post adjacent to us it was a good vantage point for horse and people watching.

Love the horses!

Another group of tourists en route to Neuschwanstein

Horse and carriage stop right outside the Hotel Mueller Beer Garden

The wonderful views up to Hohenschwangau Castle in one direction and Neuschwanstein in the other were the icing on the cake and we could have happily whiled away several hours if we hadn’t had to head off to catch the last direct train back to Munich.

Hohenschwangau Castle as seen from Hotel Mueller Beer Garden

View Of Neuschwanstein from our afternoon tea spot – Hotel Mueller Beer Garden

View of the Alps from our tea table

Hotel Mueller gets good write ups on TripAdvisor from satisfied guests who have enjoyed its traditional Bavarian ambiance combined with modern comforts. Certainly we would consider staying there or back in the small town of Fuessen if we visit the area again. Not surprisingly Hohenschwangau was well geared up for visitors with a number of other hotels and eateries. It didn’t feel unpleasantly crowded but we were there in the quieter spring season before the summer crowds arrived. After tea, we had just enough time for a quick stroll back down the main street and a lingering last look at Neuschwanstein Castle before we headed off to Fuessen station via the 78 bus.

Another cafe/restaurant in Hohenschwangau

Hohenschwangau Bus Station

Last lingering look at Neuschwanstein perched above us

Purple Haze Jacarandas In Perth

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November 27, 2015

We first arrived in Perth just over 25 years ago. It was the middle of spring – more like a very hot northern summer! Perth was a profusion of colours as flowers and trees began to bloom in the warmth of the spring sunshine. The gorgeous purple hues of the flowering Jacaranda trees especially caught my attention. I had never seen anything like them before and ever since then it has become a spring highlight when they first start to appear in late October. In fact they are not native to Australia at all originating in Central and South America (see here for more details). However they flourish in the warm Australian climate and so many people wrongly assume they are native. The Jacarandas were just starting to come out last month when we had friends from the Uk visiting but they are really at their best right now in November. Here are a selection of photos taken recently in and around Perth of the gorgeous Jacaranda trees currently in bloom!

The beautiful Jacarandas in the centre of Perth

View overlooking the Jacarandas from office building central Perth

The purple trees against the azure blue sky

Jacaranda lined avenue Parliament Place Perth

Another stunning Jacaranda!

Sun filtering through the Jacaranda trees

Jacaranda trees in full bloom in central Perth

Jacaranda trees in full bloom in Perth

Another avenue lined with beautiful Jacarandas

Timeless Classics : La Belle Paris Encore

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November 20, 2015

I first published this post soon after I started my blog last year and I’m republishing it this week as a tribute to one of my favourite cities (see link below). Heartfelt condolences to everyone affected directly or indirectly by the tragic events of the past week.

Timeless Classics : La Belle Paris