Now for something completely different

[Mareblu]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Thanks Linda, 75 today, just come back from a bone density test. Looking forward to dinner, but will it be as good as Donegans? Shea was excellent on the grill.🥩

Just the sight….my mouth waters as I type😆. So glad you took these memory snaps🙏🏻

[MMDown Under]

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

Thanks Linda, 75 today, just come back from a bone density test. Looking forward to dinner, but will it be as good as Donegans? Shea was excellent on the grill.🥩

Wishing you every happiness on your 75th birthday, Les.  That looks like a grand celebration.  

[Mareblu]

1 hour ago, Mareblu said:

Just the sight….my mouth waters as I type😆. So glad you took these memory snaps🙏🏻

PS:  ‘48 was a great year😜

[possum52]

Happy Birthday Les. Enjoy your birthday dinner.

[NSWP]

On 5/2/2023 at 8:53 AM, Mareblu said:

Happy, Happy Birthday, Les.  We’re all thinking if you, and wishing you the happiest of days, particularly this evening’s family dinner gathering 

🎉🎈🎂🍷

Well Zero Bar and Grill, ex Donegans. Good but no where as good as Donegans, the oysters Kilpatrick were ordinary compared to Oysters Donegan. Steak was good, 400gm New York Cut but pepper sauce ordinary. Others said the pastas were very good. Service from the two wait staff was very good. Busy as bus trip in, 34 seniors staying at motel. I rate it all at 7/10, whilst Donegans was always a 9 or 10.  But worthwhile trying it out.

 

For the information of you cruisers who visit Batemans Bay.

[Blackduck59]

9 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Well Zero Bar and Grill, ex Donegans. Good but no where as good as Donegans, the oysters Kilpatrick were ordinary compared to Oysters Donegan. Steak was good, 400gm New York Cut but pepper sauce ordinary. Others said the pastas were very good. Service from the two wait staff was very good. Busy as bus trip in, 34 seniors staying at motel. I rate it all at 7/10, whilst Donegans was always a 9 or 10.  But worthwhile trying it out.

 

For the information of you cruisers who visit Batemans Bay.

 

Thanks for the restaurant review Les, good to hear the food was at least good. It is always so hard when someone takes over a well loved restaurant, they will always be trying to live up to the past standard. Much like so many cruisers on these boards, disappointed with the current state of cruising. I'm not an old hand at cruising, almost all of my sea time was in navy ships many years ago while I was in Sea Cadets. So we really don't know what "used to be"

We had some visitors in Victoria today. Celebrity Solstice and the Royal Princess were alongside. They picked a great day to visit, the weather was excellent. As it turned out we had a power outage at work so I was off after 1030hrs. We drove by and there were quite a few people wandering around with the obligatory tourist maps. I hope they enjoyed their visit and our little town is a highlight in their voyage.

[Mareblu]

33 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Well Zero Bar and Grill, ex Donegans. Good but no where as good as Donegans, the oysters Kilpatrick were ordinary compared to Oysters Donegan. Steak was good, 400gm New York Cut but pepper sauce ordinary. Others said the pastas were very good. Service from the two wait staff was very good. Busy as bus trip in, 34 seniors staying at motel. I rate it all at 7/10, whilst Donegans was always a 9 or 10.  But worthwhile trying it out.

 

For the information of you cruisers who visit Batemans Bay.

Thanks, Les, sounds like you really enjoyed your birthday gathering, and your review shows promise for Zero.  As Lyle writes above, opening in the shadow of a loved and well-patronised restaurant us a huge task.   For Donegans’ loyal regulars, of course, it’s almost an impossibility to measure up, but maybe in time…

[Aussieflyer]

On 5/2/2023 at 11:00 AM, NSWP said:

Thanks Linda, 75 today, just come back from a bone density test. Looking forward to dinner, but will it be as good as Donegans? Shea was excellent on the grill.🥩

Late to the party Uncle Les but warmest wishes for your birthday. Hope you had a lovely night out (even though the food wasn't as good as under the previous owners). 75 is quite a milestone (though I am not far behind).

 

[Blackduck59]

We have a trio of Princesses visiting today, Royal, Crown and Majestic are having nice weather today and the will be here until 2200hrs. Ruby Princess is doing a quick stop tomorrow.

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

We have a trio of Princesses visiting today, Royal, Crown and Majestic are having nice weather today and the will be here until 2200hrs. Ruby Princess is doing a quick stop tomorrow.

I’m sharing your excitement. enjoy!!  I always envied Vancouver!

[Blackduck59]

34 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I’m sharing your excitement. enjoy!!  I always envied Vancouver!

No they're here in Victoria, it's unusual to have 3 ships from the same line on the same day.

[MMDown Under]

2 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

No they're here in Victoria, it's unusual to have 3 ships from the same line on the same day.

Yes I know so unusual. So common in Vancouver

[Mareblu]

Well, whether we're monarchists or republicans, we all need to acknowledge that no nation on earth does pomp and ceremony like the Brits.  Really enjoying watching the spectacle right now.  Chicken roasting in the oven, which I'll serve with a champagne reduction.  I've named it "Chicken Windsor" 🙂

[Mareblu]

PS:  I probably should've opened a Coronation thread, but it's something different, most certainly.

[Mareblu]

Definitely calls for a g&t tipple and toast😜

[NSWP]

50 minutes ago, Mareblu said:

Definitely calls for a g&t tipple and toast😜

Toast? Vegemite or Marmite on that? 🇦🇺🇬🇧😆

Indeed, a grand occasion  is the Coronation. God Save the King !

Edited May 6, 2023 by NSWP

[lyndarra]

Yawn.🥱

[MMDown Under]

10 hours ago, Mareblu said:

PS:  I probably should've opened a Coronation thread, but it's something different, most certainly.

And receiving publicity worldwide.  I’ll be watching all day as I fell asleep last night.

The British are in a class of their own for Pomp and Ceremony and organisational skills.  I went to Windsor for Harry’s wedding and to see it first hand is impressive. I’ve also enjoyed events for the Queen in London.  

[MMDown Under]

Sorry to hear about the out of control bush fires in Western Canada. How frightening for 25,000 having to evacuate at night!  I hope fire fighters get the wildfire under control soon.

[Blackduck59]

3 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Sorry to hear about the out of control bush fires in Western Canada. How frightening for 25,000 having to evacuate at night!  I hope fire fighters get the wildfire under control soon.

Unfortunately we have had several years of wildfires in the summer. These seem very early in the season. So far we haven't had a huge amount of fires in BC but it has been quite a dry winter. I know that in past years Canadians have been grateful for the help of our Ozzie friends who have come to help fight the fires. I also know there are Canadians who go down under to help during your fire season.

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Unfortunately we have had several years of wildfires in the summer. These seem very early in the season. So far we haven't had a huge amount of fires in BC but it has been quite a dry winter. I know that in past years Canadians have been grateful for the help of our Ozzie friends who have come to help fight the fires. I also know there are Canadians who go down under to help during your fire season.

It is a big problem when both countries have bushfires at the same time!

[possum52]

51 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

It is a big problem when both countries have bushfires at the same time!

It would be extremely unusual if both countries had big bushfires at the same time and needed each other's help as our seasons are not the same. We are not going to have large bushfires in Australia at this time of the year and Canada is not going to have large wildfires during their winter/our summer.

[MMDown Under]

1 minute ago, possum52 said:

It would be extremely unusual if both countries had big bushfires at the same time and needed each other's help as our seasons are not the same. We are not going to have large bushfires in Australia at this time of the year and Canada is not going to have large wildfires during their winter/our summer.

It happened last year for a short period and that created a problem,  yes unusual

[mr walker]

On 5/6/2023 at 9:44 PM, lyndarra said:

Yawn.🥱

Yes, not something that interested me _ I watched the footy 🙂 

[possum52]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

It happened last year for a short period and that created a problem,  yes unusual

When was that Marion? The last big fires in Australia that we needed help from Canada were in December and January 2019-2020 and the last time Australia sent firefighters to Canada was in July 2021.