Yes - as my Anon commenter on my last posting about GYC pointed out - tomorrow is Rita's birthday. Above is a cake made by Cartouche - I presume he had me and my birthday in mind when he made it and snapped it for me!
I'm NOT out wining and dining tonight - I'm packing for some days away in the nation's capital. The flight out is at the ungodly hour tomorrow morning of 9.00, and I must fly via Sydney, so look out Krispy Kreme shop at Sydney Domestic airport!
So, no posts between now and next Thursday, I'm afraid. I'll assume you're all wishing me an extremely happy birthday; a beautiful meal out with my brother in Canberra tomorrow night; and a healthy final year of my fifties! The surprise birthday party can wait till next year (if I manage to survive Number 59)!
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17 comments:
Happy Birthday Rita. Have a great trip and a fine meal.
Ta muchly Sir G.
All the very best to you from (the real) Rita!! Have a great time in Canberra and I look forward to another year of intelligent and thought-provoking posts. I'm only a year behind you.... :-)
Looks like I got the date wrong yesterday, Rita (JS was my source!) Enjoy Canberra and your birthday. Give my regards to Pip!
Happy Birthday! Say hello to Rudd for me (oops, I think he's still away...)
Thanks Rita ii. Looks like we'll be "celebrating" being 60 in two years time!!
Thanks Anon2. I passed on your regards to Pip. He took me to a restaurant called "Anise" in Civic.
We tried to get into many but it looks like everyone in Canberra was out and about last night (and maybe every Sat night!). The meal, although expensive by Tassie standards, was not hugely to my liking, and we had to wait ages.
I ordered Salad of Soft shelled crab with pomelo, mint & lime ($19.50) for entree because I'd never had it before. I didn't like it. Thank god my brother ate his Kingfish ceviche ($18) and mine. Our niece made a beautiful choice with the Twice cooked onion and gruyere souffle ($18) which I wished I'd ordered after tasting hers.
For mains, I resorted to a steak. Yeh it was a boring choice, but I just didn't fancy roo or anything more complex on the night.
I'd secured my Krispy Kremes at Sydney airport, so we went home for dessert!
Lonie - Rudd is pretty upset at missing my visit. He's requested an audience later this year. I'm busy over the 2020 period!
Happy B'day Rita.
A couple of ads in the positions vacant Saturday have got me wondering. Is the Astor "Hoping for an Anchor"? and has someone "Piccked a couple of Lillies - could be Karma in the house - sorry, that's Kara in the house!"
Thanks Gobbler.
Anon 9.48 - I don't quite get your references, sorry. Hopefully someone else will. I observed John Caire outside the Astor Grill yesterday morning on my way to the airport in the taxi. Thought to myself there could only be one reason why he would be there at that time!
happy birthday Rita
If Janet Jeffs is still cooking in Canberra, it would be woth a taste. As for the Krispy Kreme thing! Seriously horrid!! I bought a couple in Melbourne on your recommendation. I can eat most things, but KKs just don't do it for me at all. Have a great time in
Canberra.... 3rd fav city after Adelaide and now Hobart.
Hey Sands - Can understand why KK's aren't your thing! Remember I have a mega-sweet taste for all things rubbish! Where does Janet Jeffs cook?
Thanks for the birthday greetings though.
Hi Rita Have just got home from our first dining experience at Kuzina - Monday night, really busy. As a past employee of Nick's, I wish him every success as he truley deserves it. He has so much passion, energy and vision and brings it together with a genuine desire to professionalise the service industry. Congrats to all his team for an outstanding job well done. Rita - can I recommend Kuzina as a future Monday night bloggers venue.
Done deal! We're there as soon as we can arrange it! Any takers want to come along on that one? Please email me via the Email Rita facility.
After visiting a friend at the RHH, called into an iner-city Hotel for a pre dinner drink. Girl walks in, in school uniform, gets changed and then becomes bar-person/waiter. Is she 18? - I don't think so. Is she supervised? No! Why do novice people (with more money than brains and no hospitality experience), think they can waltz into our industry and think it's as easy as pulling a beer and grilling a steak.That's why visitors rate our service industry so poorly - Will the hospitality industry ever be run by 100% hospitality professionals?
Mmmm. What uniform? If a high school, she would probably be only 16 tops. But if it was a private school, she could have been grade 11 or 12, and could therefore have been 18.
Was the service at this inner city hotel less than professional? Sometimes on the job training can be good, and result in very competent staff.
Susannah
Hi Rita, Hope your birthday went well. John Caire has taken over the Astor. Paint job and refurb but apparently the same menu (or at least style). Rebecca Ratcliffe is heading up the kitchen. They are due to open on the 28th. Me thinks it will be same old stuff, different colour.
Anon 9:48 - Very interesting you should say all that. lots of movements and rumblings around old Hobart Town. PB has a new chef, David Martin. Certainly be interested to watch that space.
Word on the street is two big charity degos heading south this year. Keep posted for details soon.
Hi Susannah
Yes, the service was far less than professional - on the job training? There was no-one training her - she was in fact on her own! No eye contact, eating her dinner whilst on the phone, customers waiting to be served, no recognition - It was a joke - not to mention the legalities of a minor being in charge of the bar/restaurant. I couldn't believe this sought of thing was going on in iner city Hobart!
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