Flight Plan: Emirates First Class Private Suite

“Would you care for a shot of Grey Goose vodka with your caviar?”

Caviar with a traditional selection of finely chopped onion, chopped boiled egg, sour cream and lemon, served with crisp melba toast and soft blini pancakes. And a shot of vodka!

Such is life as a passenger in the Emirates First Class Private Suite. Nothing is too much trouble for the cheerful and friendly flight attendants, who introduce themselves as you board and explain the many features of your suite and the extensive menu, from which you can order anything at any time.

Pollen, Singapore

Pollen is an appropriate name for a restaurant set in the stunning Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. The towering SuperTrees that could have come straight out of Avatar are the awe-inspiring backdrop to your buggy ride to the restaurant.

SuperTree Grove

Admirals Arch, Remarkable Rocks and Clifford’s Honey, Kangaroo Island

Instead of taking our food and wine tour with Lisa from Blue Ray Lodge, my boyfriend and I go for a leisurely 150km drive to Flinders Chase National Park to visit the Remarkable Rocks. As mentioned previously, we had done basically no research before coming to Kangaroo Island so we were both completely unaware of the existence of the Remarkable Rocks, however, after testimonials from both Lisa and another couple staying at the Lodge, we were convinced. Lisa mapped out a route for us, with our first stop the beautiful Pennington Bay.

Pennington Bay

Blue Ray Lodge, Kangaroo Island

I have to admit that I didn’t know much about Kangaroo Island, except that it had great local produce and stunning scenery. That was enough to pique my interest, so when I saw a voucher for a two night stay at Blue Ray Lodge, including home-cooked dinner and breakfast and a half-day farm and winery tour, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to find out more about the Island. We arrived on a gloriously warm weekend in September, and after stepping onto the tarmac at Kingscote Airport, I quickly realised that my winter coat was completely unnecessary. After a quick tour of Kingscote, the largest town on the island, we headed to Blue Ray Lodge at Penneshaw to be greeted with this amazing view.

Blue Ray Lodge backyard

DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition, Melbourne

“Prepare for awesomeness!”

So says Po from Kung Fu Panda and that’s what you should be ready for if you visit the DreamWorks Animation exhibition at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) at Federation Square in Melbourne. Celebrating 20 years of DreamWorks, this exhibition is sub-titled Journey from Sketch to Screen and demonstrates the creative process of making an animated movie from start to finish. As huge fans of Shrek, the aforementioned Kung Fu Panda and pretty much all of DreamWorks’ filmography, my sister and I were desperate to check out this exhibition on our recent trip to Melbourne.

Scenes from Shrek

Quarters at Flinders Hotel, Mornington Peninsula

Friends had frequently told me about the incredible variety of things to do in the Mornington Peninsula, from visiting wineries to relaxing at the beach, wandering through hedge mazes or floating away in hot springs. So when I came across a group buying deal for a two-night stay at Quarters at Flinders Hotel, I immediately snapped it up. Mornington Peninsula is an easy 60-90 minute drive from Melbourne (depending on where you start from), with Flinders Hotel located on the eastern side of the peninsula. The hotel’s location means that it’s only a few minutes walk to the closest beach and Flinders Pier.

Flinders Pier

Nobu, Southbank

Nobu Matsuhisa’s first restaurant in the USA was located in Alaska and went up in flames after just weeks of trading. It’s fair to say that things have only improved since then. Nine years after his ‘Bombe Alaska’ (yep, I went there!), Nobu opened a Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant in Beverly Hills and soon became one of the world’s first celebrity chefs. There are now 22 Nobu restaurants around the world, including one in Melbourne which opened in 2007 at Crown Casino.

Nobu

Vivid Sydney – A Festival of Light, Music & Ideas

I’ve been to some stunning cities all over the world, but I have to say: Sydney, you really know how to put on a show!

Sydney Opera House

Giovanni’s Table, Rhapsody of the Seas

As mentioned in my review of my South Pacific cruise on the Rhapsody of the Seas, my boyfriend and I took advantage of a pre-paid dining package which allowed us to eat at all of the specialty restaurants on board for USD55. A couple of days after dining at Chops Grille, we went slightly more casual at Giovanni’s Table, an Italian trattoria.

There were a few items that I had in mind for my appetiser, but I eventually went for the almond crusted scallops which I may say, proved to be a good choice despite the dull presentation. The scallops were cooked perfectly and the pesto almond topping was well seasoned and delicious. My only complaint was that there were only two of them – I wanted more!

Capesante al Forno –
Oven baked, almond crusted scallops with red bell pepper pesto

Chick-In, Melbourne CBD

Newsflash: KFC is the next big thing.

I know what you’re thinking: I’ve come a bit late to the party, considering Kentucky Fried Chicken commenced operations in 1930, however the ‘K’ I’m referring to is Korean. In the past few years, Korean fried chicken has rapidly been appearing on menus all over Sydney and Melbourne.

Following the recommendation of the Melbourne Urban Walkabout Guide, I headed down a laneway close to Southern Cross Station in search of a tiny Korean restaurant by the name of Chick-In, for a quick snack before an AFL game. Having only finished our meal at Bistro Vue a few short hours ago, my boyfriend and I were not hugely hungry, however the exorbitant prices at Etihad Stadium do encourage you to fill up before you make it to the game.

Chick-In