Birthday Weekend

It was my birthday on Saturday and it was definitely a celebratory weekend, full of feasting, partying and merriment.

There has been a cafe just around the corner from my place pretty much for ever. I am told that once upon a long time ago it was a milk bar, but it's been a cafe for the 8 years that I have been in Mount Helen. It recently changed hands and is no longer a country cafe with American 1950's/60s diner vibes but has  transformed into a modern wood fired calzone cafe, with a wood fired oven built by the owners who also make their own sour dough bread and pizza dough.

I met Freyja, Simon and Lindsey there on Saturday for a birthday breakfast. Lindsey and I shared a bacon, egg and cheese "toastie". Simon had a four cheese toastie. I don't think they do vegan food options so Freyja had to be content with an oat milk latte. My toastie was delicious and the hot chocolate was excellent. And pleasingly it was very busy. We had wondered how the new place would do - the previous cafe was well supported by a local group of bikies who were there in force every Saturday morning. There were no bikies there last weekend but I don't think we need to worry!

Lindsey and I then headed to Melbourne for the work Christmas party, once again at The Skinny Dog in Kew. We went there last year and really enjoyed it. Lindsey and I also enjoyed getting onto the tram at the stop outside the flat and getting off it again right outside The Skinny Dog. It was a good afternoon. Lots of people came, some brought their children. We had wine and beer and soft drinks and later in the afternoon we could have cocktails to use up the bar tab. (I didn't have a cocktail as such; I had been drinking Bucks Fizz, mixing Prosecco and orange juice, and I stuck with that.) We had delicious munchy things, bowls of hot chips (the children almost inhaled the chips) lots of fun.

Bucks Fizz hides a multitude of sins 😆

Lindsey and I had thought about going out for dinner but decided that we weren't all that hungry so bought chicken and salad from the IGA and settled into the flat for the evening.

And then met Freyja and Simon on Sunday morning for another birthday weekend breakfast, this time at Kissaten in Alphington, where they serve a fusion of Japanese and Australian food

A Japanese infused Smashed Avo on toast,  bacon on the side.
The avocado was smashed with peas, edamame, mint and 
a nori dukkah

Freyja's deconstructed Shiso onigiri
She had it with tofu on the side

Then Freyja and Simon went about the rest of their Sunday and Lindsey and I came home. We had thought we might go to a Christmas Makers' Market at the Mining Exchange in Ballarat but could not find a parking space anywhere even remotely near so went to the supermarket and the Source scoop shop instead. 

And then we went to our respective homes.

Before I went to Melbourne I had made a start on weeding and clearing the patio. I had not got around to picking up the grass and I haven't swept all the leaves and dust and stuff up. I thought yesterday afternoon that I could go out and at least pick up the grass

I might do that today instead.

(Where was Ian through all this feasting and merriment, I hear you ask. He's in Japan making merry for a week with Austin, Kaori and Tatsuki so wasn't available for merry making in Melbourne.)