Miss Amelie

What a beautiful name for a beautiful restaurant.
Miss Amelie.
David Kapay has certainly created a very special eating experience in Wodonga.
Places Victoria has a lovely little blurb about Miss Amelie's origins, use the hyperlink to have a read.

I am going to tell you about our experience at Miss Amelie.
As you should know by now ( go read the blogs people, go read the blogs) HR gets one weekend a month as a weekend. HR likes to 'do something' on these weekends. 'Doing something' is generally HR code for going away. HR generally likes to find a good food experience on these trips.
Ok here is where it gets complicated but bear with me.
I am a Lions fan. David Kapay is a Lions fan. We both use Twitter. We follow one another on Twitter as Lions fans. David Kapay was Head Chef at 25Toorak Road (go and read the bloody blog!!!). HR and I dined at 25Toorak Road.
Right, connection established.
When David and his family returned to Wodonga to create Miss Amelie HR and I decided that at some stage we would make a trip to Wodonga and visit the restaurant.
Last weekend we made the trip to Wodonga. Less than 4 hours from home. A lovely drive down the Hume Highway. We stayed the night at the Comfort Inn Blazing Stump a very nice Junior Suite at a reasonable price.
HR and I are not late diners, we like to eat around 6 o'clockish. Of course we're flexible when we're 'away'. Table was booked for 6:30.
It was with a sense of anticipation that we drove out to Miss Amelie. Lots of parking was the first tick. Then a stroll around the old railway station absorbing the atmosphere before heading in to Miss Amelie.
What a lovely room!!!!

 Simple, elegant, clean, black and white with glorious splashes of pink. I really like the fact we can see our chefs as they prepare the delightful foods for our delectation. Watching them interact with each other you could see they were truly happy to be there and totally enjoying their craft.

We had decided not to drink alcohol but when the 'Miss Amelie' cocktail was described to us it seemed a shame not to try one! I'll tell you the ingredients after I go back next time. Suffice to say it was a refreshing pink drink that was a lovely confluence of flavours.
The menu had just the right amount of choices. Some restaurants overwhelm with choices and that can be a pain.
HR chose the 'king prawns, café de paris butter, wild fennel, sorrel' and I had the 'seared scallops, butternut pumpkin, beurre noisette crumble, cured pig’s cheek'.  I enjoyed trying HR's prawns, they were delightfully tasty. My scallops were perfect, a terrific combination of tastes and textures.

For mains HR chose 'goat shoulder ragu, pappardelle, green olives, pine nuts, meridith goat's cheese'. OMG it was to die for it was so awesomely delicious. I shall be having that next time! I had the 'seared duck breast, parsnip puree, poached rhubarb, macadamias + baby onions'. Never having tried duck before I was being brave and I am so gad I was brave (you can see images of all these delightful dishes at Miss Amelie Gallery). Crispy skinned duck breast beautifully presented and so delicious to eat.

Each dish was a symphony for the senses! Beautifully presented, the fine white china acting as a blank canvas for the chef to create a beautiful picture. The different textures and flavours combining to tantalise the taste buds. The delicious aromas tickling the nose.

The courses were not served one on top of the other but a perfect amount of time elapsed between them. It was great to watch the room fill up and hear the hubbub of happy diners around us.
HR and I were discussing retirement plans but the way things are going that will be a long way off!!

Of course we HAD to have dessert. Who has a peanut butter sandwich for dessert in a restaurant? HR does that's who. 'peanut butter + jam sandwich, raspberry sorbet, white chocolate crumb' I have never seen a peanut butter sandwich look quite that delicious (for the record I detest peanut butter but damn I was tempted to try this thing). I of course had the 'lemon soufflé, poppy seed sablé, french meringue, cheesecake ice cream. The soufflé was perfectly heavenly and a truly sublime experience in eating. I do LOVE a good soufflé. HR had a cappuccino and I had a green tea.

We left totally satisfied on all counts:

• Terrific location
• Great parking
• Fabulous room
• Wonderful atmosphere
• Incredible food
• Lovely staff
• Reasonable prices 

As Molly Meldrum would say 'Do yourself a favour' and find the time to experience this all for yourself.
David Kapay and his staff have created a supremely wonderful dining experience that is accessible to all!!! Congratulations and keep up the good work.

Not Happy

Well that was pretty bloody ordinary. To say I am miffed is an understatement. I am borderline furious actually.
4 weeks ago I made an appointment to see a 'professional' service provider in the cosmetic solutions industry. Yes I was looking at a non invasive facelift type procedure - all the rage and no down time.

Sunday I got a text asking me to confirm my appointment and I duly responded with the required 'Y'.

I forgot to tell HR about the text and so today he rang them to confirm. Whilst on the phone they asked if I could go in earlier as they had had cancellations. HR indicated this was highly unlikely as I was at work and I was already finishing early to make the 4 o'clock appointment. HR advised me of this conversation but said the appointment was still on.

3 o'clock I get to my car to discover 7 missed calls and two texts. Remember where I work I cannot have my mobile phone with me for security reasons.

I call the number in the text. I ask them what is going on. The person was all. 'oh I don't see your name here who are you again?' I repeat that I have an appointment at 4 and that someone, obviously not her, has been calling me. 'Oh she is in with someone I'll get her to call when she gets out. What is your number?' Fecking heck I think you HAVE my number if the texts and missed calls are anything to go by. I repeat my number five times before they finally get it right. 'She'll call right back' Yep no worries there might be a black spot on my way in to you but keep trying. 'Oh yes we will call for sure'

I drive from work straight there and am 15 minutes early for the appointment. No phone call. No text.
I park the car and walk into the building. The door is locked and the lights are off.

How totally bloody rude!!! How bloody unprofessional!!!
They couldn't be bothered hanging around for my appointment cos they wanted to go home early.
I already knew what I wanted from these people and this appointment was a confirmation and then book for the 'procedure' worth $2,500. I took time off work and was so excited.
Guess I will just have to find somewhere else to spend my money eh?

Hair

As you all know I moved interstate earlier this year.
A good move mostly, the usual hiccups - settling into the new location and job, learning to live with HR again after 18 months of blissful peace.....
I think the worst thing about moving is trying to find the right 'support' team; you know - hair stylist, colourist, beautician and nail tech.
Three months in and the search continues, though I MAY have the hair stylist, colourist and beautician sorted. The nail tech not so much.
I had intended to continue getting my hair done in Queensland - once a month when I go up to visit Mother. Sadly every fricken Saturday I go up my stylist is not working!!!!
So I tried the local hairdresser in the local mall and while they did a reasonable job and didn't cost the earth the atmosphere wasn't quite what I wanted. I mean when I go to the salon it's all about ME!!! The interaction with my stylists etc must be positive, fun and at my whim. So I asked around at work and they recommended a place in Canberra, but on reflection it looked very young, not for the more mature person such as myself so I kept looking.
Then one day I was stuck at the lights and just idly surveying the scene when what should I see to my left but a hair salon. When I got home I googled the shop and lo and behold they had a website. Right then...I made the call. an appointment for Thursday afternoon.
I duly turned up for said appointment. We spent time discussing what colour and style I wanted. My hair will no longer hold red colours they fade quickly and look nasty. I decided to get the red out. An hour later the foils and colour were in. 45 minutes later the colour was set and time for the wash. The best part of going to the salon is the head massage!!!! Then it was time for the cut. The manager of the salon cut my hair and I am really happy with the style. Then came the drying and styling. The colour is gorgeous! Hardly any red left.The foils are subtle and natural looking. I actually look younger with this cut and colour!!
Three hours have passed and I am quite hungry as I thought this would take 90 minutes tops and then I would go and have dinner with HR. Now it is time for the 'beauty' Eyebrows waxed and tinted and of course the top lip rip!!
Because my hair is so fair whenever I get an eyebrow tint it can be quire scary lol. All of a sudden I have eyebrows.
It was after 9 pm when I got out of there and I went in at 5:30, almost 4 hours. I think it was worth it.
I am going back again. When I am sure I am on a winner I will name names!
Now if I could just find a decent nail tech.......