Thursday 2 November 2017

I let my boyfriend post - Nagambie


So for this week's post, I thought it'd be fun to let my boyfriend write about the latest place we went to visit! I was pleasantly surprised when he actually was keen to get it done and he was pretty good at it! (at least i'll have someone to fill in when I'm feeling lazy.... JOKES)

Saturday morning everything was prepared, sausages, veggies, bread, hotel reservations and most importantly, beverages.  For those of you that do not know, Nagambie is a small town approximately 122kms from the Melbourne CBD. Well known for its watersports and of course the birthplace of the one and only queen of Australian horse racing... Black Caviar! 

After driving 90 mins, we approached the signs that read "Nagambie", and shortly after arriving into town, we were met by the local police. So after passing my first ever breath test we continued down the main road until we came to our place of stay, The Nagambie Motor Inn.







Simple yet a very inviting little inn. The owners and staff were extremely hospitable and friendly, even informing us upon arrival that we had been upgraded to a king room at no extra cost! The room was quite cozy, with a king size bed, TV, small kitchenette area and even a dining table for two. Would definitely recommend The Nagambie Motor Inn for anybody who is interested in exploring the area or if you just need somewhere to stay whilst passing through!





Once we had a little look around the town (a few very cool antique and second hand stores), we made our food, had some drinks and settled in for the night. The real adventure wouldn't start until the following morning!

Sunday has arrived! Check out 10am. Handing back the key to the room, we asked the owner if there was anywhere she would recommend for us to visit at this time of year. Out of all the places that were mentioned, one really jumped out at us... Mitchelton Winery! But first we had to find somewhere to have breakfast. After a quick google search, we found Phillips & co, which was almost hidden in amongst an IGA and bait and tackle store.

A hidden gem I thought! Which yes it did turn out to be that way. The food was to die for and the freshly squeezed juices were amazing!!


After breakfast, we headed to Mitchelton Winery. Fully equipped with red, white and sparkling wines, it also had a Chocolate factory and cafe! Knowing that chocolate and wine are two of Karine's favourite things in this world, I knew that this would have to be the place to visit before returning to Melbourne.














Ayyyy? How great was that post? Thanks Dylan!

Location: 4770 Mitchellstown Road, Nagambie
Website: https://www.mitchelton.com.au

I had such a blast at Nagambie with Dylan and even though it was a very small town, there were some pretty cool things to see and do!

Have you ever been to Nagambie?

Lots of love, Karine xx

Friday 27 October 2017

Food Truck - Donut festival


Scrolling through my Facebook feed looking at dog memes, I was quite happy and satisfied but I had no idea that the next notification was going to make me even more happy. As a little red "1" popped up, I noticed that it was an invitation to not only a Donut festival but it was at a Food Truck park!
Now if that doesn't scream heaven, then I don't know what does! I immediately accepted and decided that I HAVE to go!

Getting ready for the festival included a full hour of fasting to ensure that the maximum amount of donuts can be consumed at the place.

Preston is a 49 minute drive (49km) from mine and a 30 minute drive (11km) from Melbourne CBD. The drive was so worth it!

Full of yummy delicious foods and fun activities for the whole family, this place is definitely on my list of recommendations! Other than donuts, they had a wide range of other food trucks available including seafood truck, ice cream, churros, corn, chicken and more!

 











I was very impressed with this place which has been well thought through! Even though I expected it to be a little bit bigger than it was, I really enjoyed my time there! The vibe was great with people of all ages able to find something of their taste. 

Kids were entertained by donut games and competitions while the parents could relax with a glass of wine or beer from the bar! 


The wide range of food available was excellent! As each truck provided something different and brought something interesting to the park, I had to try to figure out what I wanted to get! I ended up just getting donuts... Since that was the main reason for visiting the place! But a few friends and I shared Calamari and chips (Absolutely fantastic!)

  

And they also allow dogs!!

Located at 518 High St, Preston VIC 3072
Opening times: 
Friday: 5–10pm
Saturday: 12–10pm
Sunday: 12–9pm
Monday - Thursday: Closed

They have different festivals and events every week! To check the list of events and to read their FAQ go to their website: thefoodtruckpark.com.au

Are there any other places you recommend checking out? Leave them in the comments section below and I will try to!

Thank you guys for reading and I hope you have a happy and safe weekend.

Lots of love, Karine xx

Thursday 27 July 2017

The KitKat Chocolatory Store


There comes a time in a chocoholics's life where they feel like they got a chance to see what heaven looks like. My turn was on the weekend! 

So as a formal event quickly approaches, the need to get an outfit, hair and make up booked for the day is something of the utmost importance - or so I thought it was. 

Getting off the train at Melbourne Central to make my way to Emporium, I was amazed by the view. 
There, in front of me, located on the Ground Floor were the words "Kit Kat Chocolatory" in big writing across a red wall. Could it be? Have my prayers been answered?

"Yeah" said Ashley "You can make your own KitKat bar"

At that moment, my heart started racing, my palm got all sweaty yet I kept a straight face. This excitement burning with a cold flame was trying to be contained. I had to try it. I HAD TO.


Walking into the shop felt like I was 6 again... IT WAS SELF SERVICE. Okay so basically, you get to choose the type of chocolate and get a choice of 3 toppings to put on your chocolate bar. 
Coolest thing!





So as I said earlier, you get to choose your toppings but also get to design your package AND name your break! We went for pretzels, mini marshmallows and raspberries, in the lady with the blue background and "Kashley's Rather Dashing Break" as the name and VOILA!

WHAT A MASTERPIECE!

The creation takes roughly 1-3 hours depending on how busy they are at the time and an SMS is sent to your phone when the order is ready! Need to go somewhere and can't wait? No worries! The chocolate is held for 3 days so you can pick up whenever!

Location: 
Shop 156, First Floor, Melbourne Central
Corner La Trobe & Swanston Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Opening Times:
Monday - Wednesday 10am - 7pm
Thursday - Friday 10am - 9pm
Saturday 10am - 7pm
Sunday 10am - 6pm

We shared a bar as it's quite big but my half of the chocolate bar didn't even make it home. IT WAS SO GOOOOOOOOOD OMG!

Definitely recommending this as a place to go in Melbourne! LOVE!


Lots of love,
Karine xx

***This is not a sponsored post, I genuinely like the place***

Wednesday 5 July 2017

Queen's birthday weekend part 2


While still at the Dandenongs, we HAD to go to Sky High, a restaurant at the top of the mountain.

SkyHigh Mt Dandenong is a short drive (just under an hour) from Melbourne City. It has beautiful views that Mount Dandenong has to offer.

This place is gated and opens:
9am to 10pm, Monday to Thursday
9am to 10:30pm Fridays
8am to 11pm Saturdays
8am to 10p Sundays.
Entrance to SkyHigh is $6 per car or $10 for a minibus/ larger vehicle.

We got there first thing after check out. At that point, I had only one cup of coffee so I was buzzing for some food and more coffee!

The coolest thing about this place is that there's so much more than just views, it's a place for the whole family with activities and attractions! Giant Chair, Maze, Secret Garden, English Garden, wishing tree & well all surrounded a beautiful restaurant that served amazing food!








I actually had such a blast visiting all the cool things around the place that I felt like a big child! Climbing trees, making wishes and visiting gardens made me feel like I was back in Mauritius playing in the backyard and exploring!


My favourite thing of all would have to have been the maze! Believe it or not, I had never been in a maze before and I was that keen on trying it out that I looked like a 12 year old running around getting all my stamps!




Overall, this has been such a great and relaxing experience! I was so surprised of how cool it was up there and how much there was to do other than just look at trees, rocks and mountains.

This is definitely a spot that I would add to my list of places to take friends and family to! Great fun for all ages!

Facilities available include wheelchair access, picnic and public barbeque area!

If you do have a day off and not sure where to take the kids, I definitely recommend SkyHigh! You won't regret it!

Have fun for less!

Til next time,

Karine xx



***This is not a sponsored post, I genuinely like the place***