In N Out Burger LAX

Due to catch a flight out of Tom Bradley International Terminal at LA Airport. Looking for a double double, a cheese burger and a 3X3X.

The drive in queue stretched all the way to Westchester drive. We were lucky and a car drove out and we were able to park.

When we got in our order number was 63. They were currently serving order 33. How were we going to get to our flight. We could see the planes taking off outside.

NO fear. Press on with the orders. We had the secret menu X3X3 which is 3 patties and 3 cheese with extra pickles.

3 loads of fries. Dr Pepper and lemonade. Or 3 combos for $20.

We got our order in 10 minutes. They served the 30+ orders while keeping up with the anaconda line of cars in the drive in. There was a guy taking orders all the way to Westchester.Here's the engine room.

Worth a visit if you are flying in or out of LAX. About 10 minutes by car. We even had time to drop off our rental car at Hertz and catch the shuttle bus to our flight.

Catch Calgary

Seafood lunch at minus 10 degrees in the Oil Capital of Alberta.

We had just driven in from Banff. Walking around Calgary CBD. Looking at the parking stations. Then did some window shopping along Stephen Avenue ( shopping mall section). We had seafood at the corner of 8th Avenue and Stepehen Avenue. See http://hyatt.com/corporate/restaurants/catch-oyster/en/catch-oyster.html

Lots of model sailing ships decorated the restaurant.

 Oysters to start at 6 for $12, Two sauces to go with it. One a spicy sauce.We also had the clam chowder. Which was thick and wholesome.

 Really sweet mussels. Cooked with garlic and tomatoes.

 Prawn salad was simple but the baby spinach was coated with lovely salad dressing.

 Thai noodles with seafood

 For the teenager with a big appetite a salmon burger with a big mess of fries.

Lakeview Lounge, Fairmont Hotel Lake Louise

After 12km hike from the Lake to glacier lookout recuperated in the Lounge. And enjoyed the view.

We had hot chocolate for $10 per glass. Best hot chocolate in Canada.

We also had the bison sandwich which tasted like gamey beef for $20. Came with a boiled egg, pickles and french fries.

 The onion soup was $12 and had cheese and bread floating on the top. A nice savoury broth for the chilled extremities after the hike.

Certainly a peaceful resting spot after the walk in the snow and ice.

A nice warm oasis in the cold of minus 5 degrees centigrade in the Canadian Rockies.






12km in the snow was a great workout. We had no snow shoes or cross country skis.

Sydney Park Hyatt - The Living Room at The Rocks

Late night coffee after viewing the Sydney Harbour bridge lights with my Canadian friend.

Pavlova a dainty little thing. We had this with coffees and liquers. The prices are not for the faint hearted and fortunately my Canadian colleague was earning Canadian dollars.

For the menu see http://sydney.park.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/TheLivingRoom.html

The view from the living room/lobby of the 6 star hotel in the evening. We must try and get back here to try the high tea. This appears to be well publicised on the website.

The tea setting with chocolates. The service was elegant and very unobtrusive. We really enjoyed the evening and I am sure my friend went back to Canada with a good sense of the ambience of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the rocks.

Sergeants Mess Sydney 2014

What a fantastic setting for a wedding.A little bit of chic.

Music from the quartet.

View from the restaurant & function centre. 

The place http://www.sergeantsmess.com.au/?ref=ww Sergeants Mess in Sydney.

The food. Giant black tortellini alternating with pork belly as the starters. The prawn fritters served as horsdouveres were crisp and delicious.

Salmon alternating with lamb.

Wedding cake desert with ice cream. Moist rich wedding cake.

More deserts if you were still hungry.

Our accommodation at Meriton world square in Sydney. See http://www.meritonapartments.com.au/sydney/world-tower-sydney Just below it was world square with a 24 hour coles and a late night asian grocery shop. Also lots of retail and shopping.

Room views at 72nd floor. Darling Harbour.

 The Chinese Gardens from 72nd floor apartment.

3 bedroom apartment for about $700 per night.

The middle room.

Night life and buskers outside the Meriton. Energy and lots of party left in the crowd.

The 25 meter lap pool on the 62 floor. 40 laps for a 1 kilometer swim. Then 5 minutes in the sauna throught the door seen in the middle of the pool photo.

View of the Sydney Tower from the pool.

The price of petrol in Sydney while we were there. This was good for the people mover for all the people who attended the wedding from out of town. 

The wines we drank. Looking horizontal after too many bottles.

The view from the gym on the 61st floor. Mainly running and cycling machines and no weights.

 The ambulance on George St rushing to save us from overindulgence. On the Saturday morning whilst going to buy breakfast. near Chinatown

 Foyer of the QT hotel where brother stayed for the wedding. Even more Chic and wooden floors. About $400 to start for a junior suite. See http://www.qtsydney.com.au/

The fire engine turning away from George St. Something you don't want to see when you are on the 72nd floor. 

Chocolateria San Churro Northbridge

Low in blood sugar. Need energy for 20 troopers to hold a wake after a funeral.

Try the 18 churros sand 6 dipping sauce for $39.95

We had the whole back room for 20 people. The music was lively and helped with the wake. Some danced. The hot chocolate and chocolate milk shakes pepped everyone up. The twenty troopers who had been mourning most of the day were able to celebrate the passing of a good person.

A recent study (in JAMA Internal Med Journal see reference below) looked at 1000 people and their chocolate consumption. It appears those who were depressed ate more chocolate then those who were NOT depressed. The study indicates more chocolate is consumed when people are down. However, it does not explain why. We are not sure if it used as a cure for depression or whether it is a comfort food. The comfort food side effects could hit you later as poor health or calorie over load. However, some animal studies suggest show chocolate can boost your mood. So maybe chocolate at a wake is not a bad idea.

Rose N, Koperski S, Golomb BA. Mood Food: Chocolate and Depressive Symptoms in a Cross-sectional Analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(8):699-703. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2010.78.

Or see the article at http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=415834

Penfolds Grange 1993 and 1998

A debate to drink Aust or French wine in Aust? By chance we received 6 bottles of Grange today.

The debate is based on affordability and access. Taste is not the main criteria.

I no longer drink wine so will have to help give the case of Grange away to colleagues who have helped to deliver work above and beyond the call of duty.

The argument is that French wine is cheaper and better to drink then Aust wine so the average punter should buy French wine. However, if you compare prices of premium reds the Grange is about $600 to $800 per 750 ml compared to French red premium wines available in Aust going for above $2000 for 750ml of red. Case in point if you use the Vintage Cellars website and search by country eg Aust and compare with France the prices at the top end of the French wines are at least X3 that of Australian reds.

Use https://www.vintagecellars.com.au/ and you can confirm this for yourself. Vintage cellars is a reliable national retailer.

On the lower end branded French reds in Aust are going for about $8 for 750 ml versus $4.50 for a bottle of Australian red. 

As a case in point using the vintage cellars search engine I would not be able to give away 6 bottles of French wine from Chateau Lafite at the upper end of the premium French red wines available in Australia. Whereas the Penfolds Grange although pricey on average is about $700 for 750ml which is a 60% discount to the French premium of the same volume. 

Of course we are not comparing apples with apples but oranges with apples in terms of taste and bouquet of the product. However, given the debate was based on price of drinkable French vs Aust wines - the Aussies win hands down in terms of premium priced red wine being more affordable. 

So much so that we have the opportunity to give away 6 bottles of Penfolds Grange and we would not be able to afford to do so with the Chateau Lafites available in Aust. As the cost would be much more. See a description and cost of the wines below. 

2010 Lafite Pauillac - This info from https://www.vintagecellars.com.au/Red%20Wine/ch-lafite-pauillac-2010-750ml_8905246

Across any 6 - $2879.99 each bottel

Each $3199.99 Availibility Limited

2010 Lafite Rothschild – Produced from a blend of 87.2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12.8% Merlot.The wine opens with cedar, earth, minerality, cassis and forest floor aromatics. The palate is suave, polished and fresh, with layers of pure blackberry and spicy cassis. This is pure refined elegance. While not the most powerful First Growth, it's the most regal in bearing. According to the Director, Charles Chevalier, part of the reason for the success in 2010 was due to less pumping over than usual. Chevalier added, with the high 13.5% alcohol level, his team spent more time watching over each individual vat during fermentation. Alcohol Content 13% Style Rich & Robust Reds Cellaring Long term cellaring (7 years or more) Closure Cork Origin France, Bordeaux Vintage* 2010

1993 Penfolds Grange - This info from https://www.vintagecellars.com.au/Red%20Wine/penfolds-grange-1993-750ml_192491

Across any 6 - $666.00 each bottle

Each $740.00 AvailabilityLimited

Medium to full red-purple; voluminous blackberry, licorice, black cherry and chocolate fruit aromas completely integrated with sweet vanillin oak on the bouquet; has a texture and structure all of its own, not monolithic, yet meltingly smooth. Maintains the great tradition.' - 94 Points.

James Halliday - Published on 20 Jul 2011 Alcohol Content 13.5% Style Spicy & Flavoursome Reds Cellaring  Medium term cellaring (up to 7 years) Closure Cork Origin Australia, Sa