Melbourne drinks and dinner - 14th Aug 2010

[munitalP]

Re: Melbourne drinks and dinner - 14th Aug 2010

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Hi all

I propose that August 14 be the next Melbourne drinks – a Saturday (gasp!) with a slightly different format. 3 different restaurants with 3 totally differing cooking styles.
Here goes...

Starters

Lagerfield. A bar where we can have a few drinks with easy secure parking (good if planning a taxi home) and not too expensive. Found at the Melbourne exhibition centre end of the Crown casino complex.
Suggested time - 1600

Entrée

Peeking Duck. A quick trip to Quanjude – Peeking Duck Specialist since 1864! – for a round of Australia’s best Peeking Duck and maybe a wine or beer to wash it down! Suggested time 1800 – 1900

Main

A La Carte Menu: Skirt up toward the top of town and into the Rydges for mains – Suggested time 1930 - ??? Platinum cards will look after 50% of the dinner and drinks bill here - so indulge!

A La Carte Menu: Skirt down toward the bottom of town and into the Press Club for mains – maybe George will rear his smiley head and say hello! Suggested time 1930 - 2200

Desert

Up the road to Rydges where the nicest desert menu will mysteriously halve in price before your very eyes! Suggested time 2200 - 2230

Night Caps

Well looky there – isn’t that 18o6 across the road!

The suggested times are there for anyone wishing to attend just for that part of the evening.

Anyone thinking about coming from interstate, I have put the following (quickly) together:

14-Aug	
        SYD/MEL		QF419	900	 $99.00 
	BNE/MEL		QF611	755	 $155.00 
	ADL/MEL		QF678	940	 $79.00 
	PER/MEL		QF480	610	 $330.00 
	HBT/MEL		JQ702	915	 $92.00 
					
15-Aug	
        MEL/SYD		QF442	1500	 $129.00 
	MEL/BNE		QF618	1515	 $203.00 
	MEL/ADL		QF685	1500	 $146.00 
	MEL/PER		QF777	1505	 $369.00 
	MEL/HBT		JQ709	1525	 $112.00 

Grand Hyatt			         $250.00 
Hilton South Wharf			 $265.00 
Intercontinental Melbourne		 $220.00 
Marriott					 $225.00 
Westin					 $295.00 
Crown					 $275.00 
Holiday Inn					 $221.00 
Novotel					 $229.00 
Formule 1					 $69.00

The hotel prices are straight from Wotif.

Hope to see lots of faces - the restaurants require bookings so hopefully the dates work well for all and I can get bookings done at least 2-4 weeks out. I will make a booking for 10 at the press club ASAP though.

munitalP

 

[Siegfried]

Just a comment re the accomodation - I used to use Wotif regularly until I was booking for a RTW holiday with my boys last year. I stumbled across booking.com, which seems to have a fair selection of Aus accommodation, and beats the hell out of Wotif for the USA and Europe. I found the prices on booking.com as good or better than Wotif, with no booking fee, and the hotel charged the CC on checkout instead of Wotif's upfront payment model.

 

[Keith009]

I will be able to make this one, subject to some unforseen extension of my stay in SFO.

Put myself and +1 down as Platinum.

 

[oz_mark]

Just a comment re the accomodation - I used to use Wotif regularly until I was booking for a RTW holiday with my boys last year. I stumbled across booking.com, which seems to have a fair selection of Aus accommodation, and beats the hell out of Wotif for the USA and Europe. I found the prices on booking.com as good or better than Wotif, with no booking fee, and the hotel charged the CC on checkout instead of Wotif's upfront payment model.

Actually, booking.com is what drives the hotel bookings on this very board. See Hotel Bookings under travel services.

 

[Siegfried]

Well #%& me sideways (to use the vernacular). I've never ventured into that section of the site before. I just assumed that there would have been a relationship with HotelClub, given that the AFF Gold membership gives a discount on bookings through them.

 

[oz_mark]

Subject to some random unforseen problem, put myself + 1 down as platinum.

Might even stay in town that night:!::shock:

 

[serfty]

I looked at the HSW (Hotels by Hilton - Hotel Reservations, Deals, and Room Rates) and see the $265 flex, AAA (RACV) flex rate is $251 and prepaid rate is $212. I get 20% of any of these and HHonors Gold benifits.

Considering - I'm off to the 'G the next day.

 

[JohnK]

Sounds like an interesting night planned.

I just assumed that there would have been a relationship with HotelClub, given that the AFF Gold membership gives a discount on bookings through them.

Really? How much discount?

 

[Siegfried]

Sounds like an interesting night planned.


Really? How much discount?

5% according to this thread http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...rivileges/5-discount-off-hotel-club-7508.html

 

[JohnK]

OK. Thanks Siegfried.

 

[munitalP]

Back ON TOPIC

The Press Club are a bunch of totally unreasonable bunch of lizards, so a restaurant change is happening. They will only cater a group of 8 or more as a set menu - I wont even mention the price for risk of heart failure of some of our more fragile members!

I will research and get back....


munitalP

 

[bossreggie]

What about Number 8 at Crown?
OR the Rydges Restaurant again that was pretty good too!

I think Myself and +1 should be OK.

I work until 5.30 though.

 

[munitalP]

What about Number 8 at Crown?
OR the Rydges Restaurant again that was pretty good too!

I think Myself and +1 should be OK.

I work until 5.30 though.

I was very impressed with Rydges - plus the price was good ( ), that could well be the choice then - I'll contact them and see if there have been menu changes at all

munitalP

 

[munitalP]

OK -New menu...


Hi all

I propose that August 14 be the next Melbourne drinks – a Saturday (gasp!) with a slightly different format. 2 different restaurants with 2 totally differing cooking styles.
Here goes...

Starters

Lagerfield. A bar where we can have a few drinks with easy secure parking (good if planning a taxi home) and not too expensive. Found at the Melbourne exhibition centre end of the Crown casino complex.
Suggested time - 1600

Entrée

Peeking Duck. A quick trip to Quanjude – Peeking Duck Specialist since 1864! – for a round of Australia’s best Peeking Duck and maybe a wine or beer to wash it down! Suggested time 1800 – 1900

Main and Desert

A La Carte Menu: Skirt up toward the top of town and into the Rydges for mains – Suggested time 1930 - ??? Platinum cards will look after 50% of the dinner and drinks bill here - so indulge!

Night Caps

Well looky there – isn’t that 18o6 across the road!

The suggested times are there for anyone wishing to attend just for that part of the evening.

Platinum

Oz Mark + 1
QF009 + 1
Bossreggie + 1
munitalP + 1

Gold

Serfty?

Silver


Nup

 

[serfty]

Count Jenny and I in!

Can't make the pre-dinner and may not make it by 6:00pm (trying) but definite for Rydges @7:30pm

 

[Bundy Bear]

Holding Melbourne drinks and dinner on a Saturday do you want some interstaters to turn up. :?:

Put me down for Silver

 

[oz_mark]

I was very impressed with Rydges - plus the price was good ( ), that could well be the choice then - I'll contact them and see if there have been menu changes at all

IIRC it was a pretty new menu last time we were there.

 

[munitalP]

Bundy, you could be our special surprise guest!

munitalP

 

[oz_mark]

I looked at the HSW (Hotels by Hilton - Hotel Reservations, Deals, and Room Rates) and see the $265 flex, AAA (RACV) flex rate is $251 and prepaid rate is $212. I get 20% of any of these and HHonors Gold benifits.

Considering - I'm off to the 'G the next day.

HSW is one possibility for me (be gold by then). IC also figures in my calculations (need some stays to get back to Plat, and I do have a breakfast voucher...)

 

[munitalP]

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