NRTW HISTORY - MELBOURNE '05  

Friday 28th

JANUARY

THE RETREAT HOTEL

26 Nicholson Street,

Abbotsford

TEL: 94191459

Andy has been harping on about this place since I started doing the NRTW, and finally I got round to granting his request. I can see the attraction. Very traditional with the tin pressed ceilings and the pigeon hole style rooms.

We all sat out on the pavement. Lovely evening for it. Steve Foster turned up for a quick break from the frantic pace of adapting to a new addition to his family. It was also good to see the likes of Dom, Greg, Don and his other half who are currently still classified as non-regulars.

It was also good to see the newly weds - Rich and Deb finally turn up after a busy evening of renovations. - I guess that's what newly weds get up to in their spare time apart from the obvious 

However, as the fun started it was closing time at The Retreat (11pm !! - Honestly ! - one would have thought one was in Pome Land). So we went round the corner on the request of Rich who is local (not for long !!)  to the area.

GUEST APPEARANCES

Dom,

Don and partner

Greg

Friday 4th 

MARCH

THE CRICKETERS ARMS HOTEL

69 Cruickshank Street,

Port Melbourne

TEL: 9646-3306

Andy's recommendation for last month was one thing, but Maree's recommendation this month pipped last month's to the post !

It was another out-of-the-main-drag kinda' place, that took Borath, Jane, and I a little while to spot (not surprising considering Borath doesn't carry a Melways in the car). 

Once we found it, - from the outside, it almost looked dingy, then you set foot inside, and  realise that it goes on for ever. - As you walk in, there is a local's hang out to the left, a silver service area to the right, a large and smart regular dining area further in, and a sports viewing come beer garden at the back. - How big is that !!!

10 out of 10 for the pub grub there too ! -Definitely one to write home about.

We had the NRTW stalwarts there including Mark & Genine who continually make a tremendous effort with baby-sitters and timing, and our special surprise guest - Gary Waters.

Well, we didn't stop there, 'cos we did a mini-crawl of Port Melbourne, on the expert guidance of our local for the area namely Maree.

Ended up at the pub formerly known as the Elephant & Wheelbarrow on Bay Street, and now renamed 'The Local'.

Had an absolute ball. - Thanks Maree. 

I think I am going to carry on with the "local's recommendation" theme. It appears to be good fun, and everybody gets a go at their preferences !

GUEST APPEARANCES

Gary Waters

Friday 8th 

APRIL

PLATFORM 3

472 Church Street

Richmond (opp. The Great Britain)

TEL: 9427-1233

Fresh back from the exciting but chaotic world of Sri Lanka, we really didn't know what to expect. In fact we didn't know whether we were coming or going, due to still suffering bouts of  jet lag. 

Why on earth were we suffering from jet lag 1 week in from our arrival I hear you ask ??? 

Well that was entirely our own fault. The idea of going straight down to our local for a quick hot toddy before bed time following our 40 hour stint of  no sleep turned out to be a really stupid idea !!

Anyway, coming back to the night, apart from not being able to find the place due to my numeric dyslexia (corrected in the address details provided below), we finally found it. 

It appeared that we were going to be the only ones there from our lot, but we moved upstairs where there were two very adequately sized rooms - one decked out with a fire place, in a generally Victorian style. The other with a much more modern feel with two entire glass paneled walls overlooking Platform 3 (I presume). 

Great place if you want to never make it home on the train after a hard day at work !

I was confident that at least Begona & Horst would turn up considering it was mainly there suggestion for try it out, and that it was local to them.

Suddenly everyone started trickling in with no signs of stopping. Before we knew it, there were at least 25-30 of us slowly and heading on our merry way, until Matt and Hayden turned up..... 

They certainly put a wild spin on the night considering they probably started on the turps, a good 5 hours before we did !! 

(I hasten to add, it was all in good fun - before people start casting aspersions on poor Matt & Hayden, whom I am sure felt like a frontal lobotomy the next morning !!)

Turned out to be a corker of a night, which for some reason always ends up with a hot dog or two when held in Richmond.

GUEST APPEARANCES

Bloody loads of mates ...

Horst & Begona

Mark, Zoe, and friends (Matt, Hayden - the party animals)

Debbie

Nancy

Saturday 30th 

APRIL

THE TOORAK LION

8 Jackson Street

Toorak Village

Toorak

Since we've been doing the rounds with the 'local's recommendation' theme, I thought we'd sneak our own one in there this time, (greedy I know - but of course don't forget that it's virtually Andy's local as well, and we were celebrating his naturalization too !)

....but please keep your recommendations coming in !

It truly is our local. It's the best one I've ever had - considering the number of complimentary drinks Jane & I get every time we go there (far more than we purchase), thanks to the generosity of the Manager ! The least we could do is to bring our mates in for grog & grub considering the outstanding service  they have.

It was a  quieter occasion this time, with just the stalwarts in attendance, - probably quite apt, considering I really wanted to keep the peace with the staff there, for obvious reasons !

I think Greg Hartley, Begona & Horst now qualify as regulars. Begona & Horst do a great job making it  on a Friday, considering the hours they work - but I did get the subtle hint that Saturdays might suit them more, so I might make some changes in the future, and have a few NRTWs on Saturday once in while!

Tell us what you think of that as an idea ?

 - and before you get a chance to air your much valued opinion on the matter, I will be holding the next one on a Saturday, as it coincides with my birthday (28th - if you didn't already know ;-) )

GUEST APPEARANCES

Just the family reunion !

Saturday 28th 

MAY

PELICAN'S LANDING RESTAURANT

1 Syme Street

Williamstown

VIC 3016

TEL: 9397-0155

If you took heed of my advice and clicked on www.pelicanslanding.com.au to get a good oggle at the settings I wouldn't have to say a word about it ! - The views from there are spectacular. If you haven't been before  - go in the summer for lunch, - and if you can't be bothered, you would be pretty sad to miss out on what's at your doorstep !

Great way to spend the afternoon having lunch and a few beverages.

Thanks to all who turned up - I think the head count exceeded the 25 seat booking, but it didn't really matter too much as everyone wasn't there all at once.... 

... and thanks for some great prezzies (the good old chilli appeared to be an underlying theme for some strange reason ;-) - more about that later !!!! )

It's always hard once you've settled in, to move on isn't it ?  -specially if you have to convince everyone to go to back across the Westgate for a few more bevvies. Well that's exactly what we did, and back to the Toorak Lion we went.

I did have a good reason to go back there soon after the last NRTW, and that was because it was Steve's (TL Manager), leaving bash.

That's when all the fun started with Jacinta's secret alien blood mix, - and believe Mr. Starritt,  Mr. Pace, and myself - if you happened to spill some we would have had to call in the HAZMAT squad. - What the hell am I referring to I hear you ask ??? - Well it was nothing less that a HABERNARO chilli Vodka. Unbelievably it didn't all end in tears, - oh  - apart from Steve the ex-Manager who decided to neck a whole shot in one go. I think I nearly passed out watching him man ! I guess his absence without leave for about half-an-hour was self explanatory :-0. ( I think Jacinta misunderstood me when I said 'WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T USE HABERNAROS !").

Anyway, Jane & I slogged it out on the dance floor till around 2am. Long Day !!

GUEST APPEARANCES

Steve/Liz and baby Matthew Foster

Shae

Mark & Zoe

Matthew Waters

Sefton Warner

Andrianna and Friend

Friday 1st 

JULY 

STANDARD HOTEL:

293 Fitzroy Street,

Fitzroy

TEL: 9419 4793

A big welcome back to Richard Larcombe ....

From what I can gather, Rich is here to stay - at least until he gets itchy feet again I guess. He has settled in with a new job, and appears to want to get stuck in with some work (God only knows why ? - money is the only thing I can think of.) - Wish we didn't bloody need it !!

Begona and Horst are becoming old regulars these days, which is excellent.

I love The Standard, - its got that English pub sticky beer-soaked carpet feel about it. Apart from that, it has lots of nooks & crannies, has a large beer garden and excellent food.

The only drawback is that it shuts at around 11pm. Yes that's correct 11pm !! (One inheritance from the English theme they should have ditched !)

Part way through, the likes of Kim from the RLM days, and her fiancé came in. They have moved back to Melbourne after Kim's fiancé  got re-stationed back to Melbourne. - That is what I believe I heard from Begona. - So welcome back to Kim too !

Move on we did, - to the Provincial it was - (Jesus, I'm beginning to sound like Yoda). Anyway, we appeared to have gathered a fan crowd who tagged along with us. When asked who the hell they were, they said that we appeared to be having a good time, thus they wanted to join us. When asked where they were from, they said they were locals. - Cool man !!

Had a stonker of a night. Great fun !

GUEST APPEARANCES

Mr Larcombe himself

Shae & Andrew

Richard & Debbie

Kim (from the RLM days)

Friday 5th

AUGUST 

FLYING DUCK:

67 Bendigo Street

Prahran

TEL: 9510 1173

Good to see big Rich in there nice and early with some mates. He certainly is getting back into the swing of the NRTW.

Not so much to say about the Flying Duck that hasn't already been said, but had a great night, and headed home at closing time. 

- Much better state to be in the next day when one has an early one, but its never as much fun !!

GUEST APPEARANCES

Mr Larcombe and his mates

Friday 26th 

AUGUST

NEW ZEALAND:

 (North Island)

A big welcome to Jane & I from the Kiwi's ! - Well we found everyone quite friendly, starting at a hotel in Auckland and working our way all the way down to Wellington via Rotorua. Bleedin' marvelous.

You might think - man that's a hell of a night,  but let me reassure you that it was a long weekend's effort. Mahatma Boothroyd would have been proud to know that we did 3 curry houses in 4 days, with a day off for a silver service dinner that included  NZ's finest Game, 2 bottles Hawk's Bay's finest and an Islay malt (unadulterated - of course) together with a cheese platter to finish !

As for Rotorua, excellent geothermal site with a 5 -10km walk for those who can hack the taste of rotten egg and burnt matches on the back of their throats for a couple of hours - it certainly cleared my sinuses. I specially liked the highlighter pen green lake, but I think Jane was more engrossed in the Champaign Lake,  which I'm sure would have tasted better and certainly looked better than some pommy plonk I've had in my time !

Our verdict  ........

Pros: 

- they call ATMs Cash-points, 

- all 3 of the Curry houses we went to we on par with any good cuzza from England, thus better than Oz in general.

- all petrol stations have uniform pricing.

- No stamp duty on houses

- 1 year's reg on a car is $300NZ only with car insurance optional.

- Very very scenic and fresh.

- Great fashion, food and music culture !!!

Cons:

- Optional car insurance. (Imprisoned if you hit someone and injure them, or worse kill them)

- Red wine is a tad too citrussy for my palate

- Wet and windy most of the time ( We were lucky and missed all that ! )

- Dodgy health system ( allegedly )

We had an amazing time !! - Highly recommended.

GUEST APPEARANCES

All New Zealanders