More quickies for the drrons.

[drron]

Then out for an early dinner though Mrsdrron couldn’t help going into a shoe shop.
When in Melbourne we usually have a meal at Tsindos Greek restaurant in Lonsdale street. Nothing fancy just family comfort food with a bottle of wine.
Mrsdrron had the lamb cutlets and I had the combination family favourite- moussaka,stuffed capsicum and a chicken casserole.



After we walked a couple of shops up and bought bakclava, Turkish delight and a macadamia pie for afters.

 

[zig]

Then out for an early dinner though Mrsdrron couldn’t help going into a shoe shop.
When in Melbourne we usually have a meal at Tsindos Greek restaurant in Lonsdale street. Nothing fancy just family comfort food with a bottle of wine.
Mrsdrron had the lamb cutlets and I had the combination family favourite- moussaka,stuffed capsicum and a chicken casserole.
View attachment 306911
View attachment 306912

After we walked a couple of shops up and bought bakclava, Turkish delight and a macadamia pie for afters.

Haven't been here for quite a few years, but did enjoy Stalactites for lunch yesterday.

 

[drron]

Breakfast at the IC. Served in the restaurant on the Flinders lane entrance. Pretty good. First the view.



The spread.


The hot dishes which were tomatoes. mushrooms. baked beans. chipolatas, scrambled egg, bacon and potatoes.


Also an egg station.



And make your own juice.

 

[drron]

Walking back from dinner on Wednesday night. Some nice buildings though they do try and hide them.

 

[drron]

Then Thursday walking around the shops.




And we came across a photo shoot.



The flowers outside the Town Hall.

 

[Ade]

Stalactites

Love Stalactites. Spent many a night with mates there after a few (or lot) . Never tried the Tsindos yet. May be next time I'm in MEL.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

So today we had dinner in "Ronnies" restaurant at the IC Rialto Mebourne hotel, it is opposite side to the check in. One of 2 restaurants in th IC, listed on the hotel website, we had $US100 credit to use courtesy of Amex. So after dinner and signing the bill, we were told, it is not part of the hotel, so going to the reception, and complaining, did nothing, our 100$ can only be used at the bar and snacks !!
Moral of this story = if you have a credit with a hotel from a third party, ( ie: Amex !) make sure you know which venue you can use it at ON CHECK IN !! It will be A bloody long time before drron gets me back into a Mel hotel. I am a very cranky old lady !!

 

[VPS]

So today we had dinner in "Ronnies" restaurant at the IC Rialto Mebourne hotel, it is opposite side to the check in. One of 2 restaurants in th IC, listed on the hotel website, we had $US100 credit to use courtesy of Amex. So after dinner and signing the bill, we were told, it is not part of the hotel, so going to the reception, and complaining, did nothing, our 100$ can only be used at the bar and snacks !!
Moral of this story = if you have a credit with a hotel from a third party, ( ie: Amex !) make sure you know which venue you can use it at ON CHECK IN !! It will be A bloody long time before drron gets me back into a Mel hotel. I am a very cranky old lady !!

that happened to me at the Hotel X in Brisbane and the funny thing was they tried to charge me for a KitKat from the mini bar which I hadn't consumed even though I had the mini bar credit

 

[drron]

An update on the credit problem. Service recovery was good. Manager there for our check out at 0630. Apologies accepted by me though not by Mrsdrron. Discussed ways to prevent it happening in the future, I said you need to say that the restaurants are excluded and then say what the credit can be used for. He accepted that and then offered points at the rate I could buy them.5000 was the number and I said half jokingly that there recently been a 100%bonus so immediately it became 10000. I was happy.

 

[drron]

On thursday night the rain was quite heavy. We went down to Ronnies restaurant at 1730 but they said they were booked out. Got a reservation for the same time on Friday night. booked with our hotel room number.
Fortunately we had an umbrella so set off up Collins street. About 2 doors up there was a restaurant with empty tables who could fit us in so we ate there. Freyja -https://www.freyjarestaurant.com/

Fortunately it was very good. First the views inside and out. Strange art.




For entrees I had the kingfish carpaccio with fennel and garlic aoli.It was very nice.


Mrsdrron had the asparagus on onion jam with a mushroom broth. It was excellent.


She then continued with the John Dory with spinach. again very nice and cooked perfectly.


I had the duck with endive and fingerlime. this was excellent.


We shared a rhubarb, apple and icecream dessert. mostly apple with very little rhubarb.


We did enjoy and recommend this place.

 

[drron]

Friday we thought we would use the City circle tram and visit a few of the Gardens. For some reason the City Circle tram wasn't running until Monday. We took advantage of the free CBD fare and caught a tram to the top of Flinders street and started with the tresury gardens. We passed a duck family. Mother duck thought mrsdrron got a bit close to the young ones and launched an attack but missed.


We then visited the memorials in the centre and stopped at the Emergency Services memorial.



This fellow needed their services. Obviously lost touch with his family and was extremely agitated.

 

[drron]

Treasury gardens continued.





At this point the weather was terrible. On the BOM app it was 14.5C but a bitterly cold wind had the real feel in single figures. Mrsdrron decided to walk back down Collins Street to the hotel and I carried on heading to the Carlton gardens.


Tianjin Gardens.



And the College of Surgeons building and gardens.

 

[drron]

So to Carlton gardens and the Exhibition Hall.

 

[drron]

A lovely oasis.










And I approved of this sign on the footpath outside the gardens.

 

[drron]

So I now wandered a rather long way back to the hotel.



Some buildings in need of some loving,others already feeling the love.

 

[drron]

Then the old Fire Station now a museum.







The Anglican church across the road was a tiny bit smaller.




Then a wander into the parliamentary gardens.

 

[drron]

In our cities we are now forced to put up with these.


The orange ones are from the Neuron company. They seem to be preferred by people who haven't got one. Neuron that is. Couldn't have picked a better place to abandon it! Later on 3 young men were riding theirs down Flinders street on the wrong side of the road and crossed an intersection on the red light. Their helmets were dangling from their machines. That upset me until in realised that they didn't need helmets as nothing to protect up top.

I then spied wedding photos being taken on the Parliament steps.




What you see in a no parking zone.




After I took General gordon's Picture I started off and realised I was in the middle of the wedding party. Several of their guests were taking pictures.

 

[jukebox333]

They've captured Liz quite well, but they seem to have put a few extra pounds on Phil the Greek....

 

[drron]

Fancy General Gordon being loved by Victorians.


Then off down Collins street. Chrissy decorations going up.


And an appropriate floral display for 11/11 at 45 Collins Street.






Then down Swanston Street to Flinders. A blast from the past.


And the pub built on the block of land bought by John Batman in the first Melbourne land auction.

 

[drron]

Past Flinders street Station.



I presume one of the earliest Customs houses was somewhere around here.


The Yarra is just across the road.


Then up Highlanders lane to the IC. I thought the Scots had something to do with the name but apparently named after a hotel - The Royal Highlander. Not all buildings in the best shape though.




And business not so good now.


And the last place on the Intersection with Flinders lane is Rutherglen House. Said to be one of the few standalone houses in the CBD.