CHESTNUT DAYLESFORD

We were very lucky to be gifted a weekend away before we have our first baby – yes, a babymoon!  But I also thought, with Valentines’ Day around the corner, this would be a great idea to share!

We have visited Daylesford a number of times for a range of reasons: to attend weddings, a weekend away to celebrate an anniversary or birthday; or just escape the city for the day for lunch.  Daylesford is about an hour and a half from Melbourne, so it is a great country escape!  You can check out my review of The Stoney Cottage, including some other places to eat and shop here.

Chestnut Daylesford was the perfect place for us.  It is pet friendly and had everything we needed to enjoy a few days away together to relax.  I even had two baths! This is a very rare and unusual event for me (I am not usually a bath person).

Chestnut is a studio style accommodation, which has been built in the back part of a weatherboard house (which is used as a two bedroom accommodation option).  It is in an excellent location; walking distance to the local main street, great restaurants (for example, The Perfect Drop and Kazuki’s) and the Convent Gallery (in case you like Art or are attending a wedding there).  

Beautifully furnished, I highly recommend this as a place to stay for two people and a pooch and it is very reasonably priced.

Chestnut is one of three properties managed by the owner Lise, who is just lovely.  Breakfast provisions are provided and the kitchen has many of the essential items you would need if you wanted to cook a meal.

If you are looking for a modern, comfortable and convenient place to stay, this is for you! We have stayed here twice now and would definitely return.

Where: 34 Hill Street, Daylesford, Victoria, Australia

Bookings: Via www.stayz.com.au here.

MAGIC MINT CAFÉ – INDIAN CUISINE

9 Hall Street Moonee Ponds 

Fully licensed (BYO wine only)

Lunch: Mon – Fri 11am

Dinner: Open 7 nights from 5pm

www.magicmint.com.au

To eat in or take away?  That is sometimes the question…

After almost three years of living very close to this place, we decided it was time to try it.  I wish we had gone sooner!

When we arrived there was only one other table (a large group) in the restaurant.  I started to wonder… but soon decided there was probably more demand for take away than eating in… and it was a horrible winter’s night.  When we were about half way through our meals, however, the place was more full.  So maybe it is a bit of take away and a bit of eat in…

From top: Aloo Gobi, Saffron Rice, Beef Saag

The food was wonderful.  The fit out of the restaurant is fine.  The service was good.  The toilets were a bit of shame. 

Oh well, back to the great food!

We ordered two curries, rice and two garlic naan, which was perfect amount of food for the two of us.  Usually, we tend to order the classics when we have Indian (Rogan Josh, Butter Chicken), but tonight we thought we would try something different.

The first was Beef Saag.  This was a lovely smooth, thick, mild curry.  The meat was cooked perfectly in onion gravy with spinach puree, cream and ginger as a garnish ($13.90).  Very moreish!  It’s a great one to keep dipping your naan into.  There wasn’t anything left of it when we had finished!

The second curry we chose was Aloo Gobi Matter a mild to medium vegetable curry with cauliflower, potatoes and peas and the occasional fresh burst of coriander ($12.90).  Also very good and probably a good choice to go with the Saag.

The saffron rice we ordered was great, with the occasional cardamom pod ($4.50).  And the naan, oh the naan!  It was probably the best naan I have had in ages!  Really soft, stretchy, delicious and not too oily ($4.00ea).

Our food bill was $39.30 for two. I would say that is pretty good value!!

We will definitely going back to Magic Mint and are happily making this our new favourite local Indian.  Take away might be on the cards next time, but it is sometimes good to get out of the house!

THE HOLLYWOOD COSTUME EXHIBITION - ACMI MELBOURNE

Picture from ACMI website

Where?  ACMI MELBOURNE

Federation Square, Melbourne


Ph +61 3 8663 2200

How much? Tickets $20 per adult (less for children, pensioners and family/other groups)

When?  Wednesday 24 April - Sunday 18 Aug 2013

Open daily 10am - 5pm (Thursdays until 9pm)

More details: http://www.acmi.net.au/hollywood-costume.aspx

“No food, drinks, photographs or totes” says the guy at the entrance to this exhibition.  The first three requirements I understand.  But I do wonder why I can’t take my tote in. Do they think I might bag Spiderman’s costume?  I eventually decide it is because if everyone carried a tote, there might be a little too much tote bumping when it gets crowded.  Today, despite it being school holidays, the crowd is fine.  I get to keep my tote.  Phew!

We float down the escalator into a dark exhibition room in what feels like the basement of ACMI. 

The first thing I see is Nicole Kidman’s face on screen about A4 size, sitting atop one of her Moulin Rouge costumes.  She is hanging from the ceiling, perched on a swing. 

While at first, the face-on-projected screen is a little strange, it does work well in creating a more life like representation of the actor who wore the costume.  It takes you back to the relevant film, perhaps even the precise scene (depending on how familiar you are with the film).

The number of costumes represented is deceptive.  That is, there are far more than you think.  This really only occurred to me after I had seen everything and was looking at a list of all that is on show.  Music from a selection of blockbusters fills the room.  You can read about the costume, you can listen to actors, designers and directors tell their perspectives, you can get rather close up to the costumes and truly appreciate the intricate detail in some of them (particularly the Elizabeth costumes!).

The thing that struck me was the size of the Spiderman costume and the size of Batman’s costume.  Much bigger than I imagined!

There are some truly iconic costumes at this exhibition and I suspect many would be recognisable for any age group, regardless of your level of film buff-edness.  Some that come to mind include: Harry Potter; Spiderman; The Titanic; Fight Club; Moulin Rouge; Chicago; The Addams Family; Chicago; 101 Dalmatians; The Blues Brothers; Elizabeth; The Iron Lady; The Wizard of Oz; Breakfast at Tiffany’s; Kill Bill; Gladiator… the list goes on!  There will be something here that you will recognise and I am sure something will surprise you.

TIPS:

• If you are driving into the city to see this exhibition and you are ok to walk a little, I recommend parking at the botanical gardens.  It is $1.50 per hour (up to 4 hours available – just check signs) there, which is a massive difference to the prices you will pay in the car parks nearer to Federation Square.
• Make sure you look up to the ceiling at this exhibition or you will miss some very famous costumes!
• An hour should give you heaps of time to comfortably wander through and read most of the commentary. 
• Pre-purchase your ticket here to avoid waiting in the queue.

Note: no photos are allowed in the exhibition so all photos above have been sourced from the internet.