Monday, April 10, 2006

Blackheath Food & Wine Fair

Morgan and I decided to get out of the city over the weekend and spend some time in the fresh air of the Blue Mountains. My friend Andrew F lives in the beautiful village of Blackheath, which is about an hour and a half drive out of Sydney. Morgan and I both like to bushwalk, and Morgan also has a friend who has just purchased a guest house with her partner a few weeks ago (they also inherited the website, which they are in the process of re-doing), so combined with the Food & Wine Fair on in Blackheath we had lots of incentives to make Blackheath out destination.


Balloons
Originally uploaded by Other Andrew.



The Food & Wine Fair was small but excellent, and it seemed like almost all of Blackheath turned out to enjoy the festivities. Blackheath has a strong tourist focus, and some very good restaurants, produce stores and galleries. The food retailers and restaurants had sidewalk stalls selling little tasting of some fabulous food.


Cupcakes
Originally uploaded by Other Andrew.



We wandered around the Fair for a while and tasted some very nice food. It was quite a cool day, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky and it was pleasantly warm in the sun. Andrew has been living in Blackheath for about 18 months and has become a popular member of the community, it seemed like every few metres we stopped and met some of the lovely people that Andrew knows. Blackheath also seems to have a small and friendly gay and lesbian community, so Andrew is not The Only Gay In The Village.


Breads
Originally uploaded by Other Andrew.



I bought a delicious loaf of Olive & Rosemary Bread which Morgan and I devoured for brunch the next day.


Morgan & Andrew F
Originally uploaded by Other Andrew.



This was only the start of Saturday, afterwards in the afternoon Morgan and I went on a wonderful bushwalk for a couple of hours. Morgan has posted some of the photos from the afternoon already in this post of his. I was tired last night so only uploaded a few photos from the Food & Wine Fair, with the rest probably uploaded later tonight. More of my photos from the Fair are here on Flickr.

We had a wonderful time in each other's company. We spent from Friday night all the way through to Sunday night together and had a great time. Late Saturday afternoon we visited Morgan's friend Dawn, and her partner Bridget, at their new guest house, and enjoyed a lovely afternoon of their fantastic hospitality with drinks and nibbles by the open fire. We went to a fantastic Italian restaurant for pizza after returning from the mountains on Saturday night. We went for a stroll through Annandale and then through Newtown on Sunday and then had a great dinner together last night. So much packed into one weekend, and yet if never felt rushed.

Once I get the rest of the pics up on Flickr I'll post some shots from the stunningly beautiful bushwalk we took in the mountains.

22 comments:

Mikey (TLE) said...

Sounds like you lads had a great time. I look like I will be in the Blue Mountains this weekend, though no "rumpy pumpy" as it will be with Steve, my "best straight mate". So pleased for you both. TOA and Morgster, Miss Eudoxia is in Sydney over Easter (Sunday and Monday possibly). Any thoughts about the four of us doing something? Oh, and to Bodhi and Speedboat, the Moulin Rouge "quote" is actually a quote from a song called "Nature Boy" featured in the film. The lyrics are by (I think) Nat King Cole. Wouldn't want TOA being sued by Cole's estate over misattribution (grin).

The Other Andrew said...

Hey Mikey, sounds like the start of a plan. I'll be in touch with Miss E and let you know. My friend Stephen is in town from Bisbane as well, so I be fitting in catching up with him too.

Have fun with Steve in the mountains, where are you off to?

Anonymous said...

The plan sounds good to me, too.

Mikey (TLE) said...

OK, we have the formings of a plan. We will liaise as needed. Not sure if we will be doing a day walk around Katoomba or whether we are going to do the 6 foot track walk over two days. That would involve camping out overnight. Please hold all "Brokeback Mountain" references, thank you... Bodhi, that means you. I am keen to try and get to Vulcans for some chequerboard icecream but we'll see how that goes.

The Other Andrew said...

I have the skinny that "Ashcroft's" is better than "Vulcan's". Morgan and I had a little tartlet from Ashcrofts street stall and it was DELICIOUS. The decor in Ashcroft's is really nice too. Plus it's run by a nice lesbian couple (although I think two gay guys run Vulcan's?).

If you and Steve stay overnight and decide not to camp (ooh err) I can recommend a guest house! It would be nice to send Dawn & Bridget some business too.

Bodhi said...

Geeze, trust the resident lawyer to get all technical (re Moulin Rouge) and ruin all the fun (re no Brokeback Mountain references) ;-)

Mikey, your no pun at all.

Nonetheless, let me just say that I have every faith that you boys are capable of putting the very definition of the word camp into camping. As TOA himself might say, "more camp than a row of chiffon tents".

Personally, I hate camping. Been there, done that, over it. Anything beyond Strathfield is wilderness as far as I am concerned, and anything less than at least 4-star hotel accomodation is "roughing it".

But you kids have fun. Play nicely.

Bodhi said...

A lawyer and his Czechosolvakian friend were camping in the backwoods. Early one morning, the two went out to pick berries for their morning breakfast. As they went around the berry patch, gathering blueberries and raspberries in tremendous quantities, along came two huge bears - a male and a female.

The lawyer, seeing the two bears, immediately dashed for cover. His friend, though, wasn't so lucky, and the male bear reached him and swallowed him whole. The lawyer ran back to his Mercedes, tore into town as fast has he could, and got the local backwoods sheriff.

The sheriff grabbed his shotgun and dashed back to the berry patch with the lawyer. Sure enough, the two bears were still there. "He's in THAT one!" cried the lawyer, pointing to the male, while visions of lawsuits from his friend's family danced in his head. He just had to save his friend. The sheriff looked at the bears, and without batting an eye, leveled his gun, took careful aim, and shot the female.

"Whatdidja do that for!" exclaimed the lawyer, "I said he was in the other!"

"Exactly," replied the sheriff. "Would YOU believe a lawyer who told you the Czech was in the male?"

The Other Andrew said...

Bodhi, you're on your first warning.

Bodhi said...

But Annnnnnnnn-drew ...

*jumping up and down*

he started it!

*pointing wildly*

Bodhi said...

**sulking in corner**

Mikey (TLE) said...

That has to be THE worst lawyer joke I have ever heard, haha!

Bodhi said...

It was the only one I could find with a camping reference ...

sowwy, Mikey :-)

The Other Andrew said...

And what, the rest of us aren't owed an apology?

Mikey (TLE) said...

TOA, this may be your blog, but it IS all about me...

Bodhi said...

universal loving kindness and a big sowwy to all

Anonymous said...

Did you hear about the lawyer from Texas who was so big when he died that they couldn't find a coffin big enough to hold the body?
They gave him an enema and buried him in a shoe box.

Oh okay, the joke isnt it isnt much better. Thought it would take your mind off camping :) I really didnt like 'Break my Back Mountain' (again) it lacked sensitivity, a story line, yucky Heath with his itty bity mouth that never opened properly etc etc.

I really disliked camping after i tried it as a "grown-up" and the tent was distinctly smaller and the ground distinctly harder. Poor Jakes knees; all those rocks....

Michael said...

The soundtrack for this post is SO Robbie Williams' "Heaven From Here". Now THAT is a weekend, muthafuckas.

worldpeace and a speedboat said...

I thought I had left a comment here somewhere... oh well... the essence of it was, I'm sure -

I want one of those cupcakes! oooh!

The Other Andrew said...

They look nummy, don't they.

I feel the need to do some baking. Take a cake decorating class. Become Martha Stewart...

BTW, Speedy - still no baby yet?

worldpeace and a speedboat said...

no dinghy, TOA... everything's ready but no sign of mooring yet... but we're both happy (well, sure, I'm a bit frustrated really) and healthy so that's cool. the Obst has set next tuesday for an induction if there's nothing happening by then. he rocks. mind you, if I still think he rocks after the event, then you know he really rocks ;)

become the Australian Martha Stewart! you know you want to... I think Tonia Todman thought she had it all stitched up... whatever happened to her, apaprt from looking more and more like a SpeedFreak on those Cresta blind ads?

The Other Andrew said...

We'll be on baby countdown over Easter. Be sure and let us know when it's action stations! (BTW, thanks for the sweet Thank You note from the Baby Shower - such lovely old school manners.)

I think Donna Hay wanted to be the new Aussie Martha, but without the prison thing. I don't think she's succeeded though, even though some of her homewares are nice.

worldpeace and a speedboat said...

you're very welcome for the note, TOA - I just love getting them so much that I can't resist... I understand now what mum used to day when we were kids, that bothering to do stuff like that means so much...

I've managed to not really know much about Donna Hay, I must admit... not through any wilful aviodance, mostly just slackness. heh.

the only kitcheny designery thing I own are a set of Nigella Lawson measuring spoons I bought from Remo. they are a bit yummy, and the smallest one measures a pinch. so I had to have them. although I believe a pinch is like a squooge and can't be quantified :)