3 Days with Jamie Oliver in Australia

March 2014. Sydney & Geelong, Australia. 



I probably should clarify the title. Jamie didn't come all this way just to see little old me. In fact, Jamie probably still doesn't know who I am, even after spending a few hours with me each day. But, he did come to Australia, and I was fortunate to spend those few hours a day with him, and get up close and personal. Although I'm not a big fan of cooking shows, I admit I'm a bit of a Jamie fan. I always find him engaging and witty, and above all passionate. It was great to see that he's just like that in real life.

To cut a rather long and boring story short, it was a work based visit, and I had to squeeze in a live cooking show (not my gig, but hosted by our charitable arm), a lunch with Jamie for fifty of our VIPs, and a two hour photo shoot at our Geelong Store. Here's a quick rundown of what went on:-
 

Sydney: Top 5 in Five

I often say this and I genuinely mean it - Sydney has the best natural location and setting of any capital city in the world, even if it's not the official capital. The huge natural harbour gives way to a myriad of ferry routes to all parts of the city, the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge are perfectly poised at the gates to the CBD, and there are glorious beaches in every direction. Sydney should be on everyone's list of must see cities. If you do get the chance spend a weekend here, here's my top 5 of things to see.

Mentone Beach, Melbourne.

A Sydneysider last week told me Sydney was better than Melbourne because Melbourne had no beaches. I humoured her a little because (1) as a pom, I've got no desire to get into the debate on which is the better City and (2) I presumed she purposely meant no OCEAN beaches, since Melbourne is surrounded by the bayside beaches of Port Philip Bay. 

Using Melbourne CBD as an Office

I've had a last minute meeting called in the city this morning, due to some problems with a TV sponsorship we're running. Since I have to be back in the CBD at 4pm for a check up, I thought I may as well use the city as an office.

 

A recent study "found people who work from home start earlier, work up to three hours longer and get more done, while they felt more energised, less stressed and had fewer distractions." Is it the same when you're working from the city? Let's put it to the test. 

The Cost of your Coffee Habit

Last year the Sydney Morning Herald declared "forget beer, we're becoming a nation of bean addicts."  

To back that up, you'll find the quintessential image of Australian commuters is no longer a throb of suits and  briefcases... It's one long line of suits holding take away coffee cups. They even invented their own coffee version - the flat white. (For the record, it looks like a latte, tastes like a latte, and smells like a latte.)

Chronic Car Parking Problems for Melbourne rail commuters

I used to commute by train to work in Melbourne, but since my previous employer started at 8am, I never had a problem finding a parking space. Judging by my experience today, I'm thankful I no longer have to.

Sydney to Manly Ferry

24 March, 2014. Sydney, NSW. 

This rates as the best of all the routes on the extensive Sydney ferry network, in my humble opinion. The thirty minute journey ($14 return) from Circular Quay leaves the Harbour Bridge and Opera House in its glorious wake, as it glides out to towards the ocean beach at Manly. 

For tourists, there is arguably no better way to get a photograph of the city's landmarks. It also gives you a glimpse into the fortunate few who use this commuter line to get to work in the CBD, before returning each evening to their idyllic beachside retreats. The dolphins aren't guaranteed unfortunately, but I've been lucky enough to catch them twice. 

Airport Transfer Links to CBD in Australia's Biggest Cities

I generally prefer to use public transport to get from the airport to the CBD, regardless of whether I'm travelling for business or pleasure. I guess it's really a matter of personal taste, but give me the space, peace and reliability of a train over the cramped back seat of a grubby cab as it crawls through rush hour, any day of the week.

It's also the most eco-friendly way to travel, and whilst not everyone may be fully on board the 'green' transport bandwagon yet, at least you can feel like you're doing your bit.

Australia has some of the best, and possibly some of the worst airport public transports links in the world, and having sampled them all, here's a run through of each one:

Pre booking Weekend Parking at Melbourne Airport

I try to make overnight business trips go as smoothly as possible. I get all my tickets organised, pack early and lightly, even have a prepacked bag for toiletries and one for chargers and cables, and of course, I check in and book my airline seats online. I am not too bothered about saving time, I am more concerned about making my life easy. There's enough stress as it is. 

This includes airport parking. I hate all the hassle of long term parking - if finding a free space in a tarmac area the size of ten football fields wasn't bad enough, you then have to wait for the bus to turn up and stop at least a dozen times before you get to the terminal. I also hate getting ripped off, but since I'm not paying when it's a business trip, I hate the hassle even more. So I generally park in the ridiculously over priced short term area at Melbourne Airport (even if it's technically not allowed in the business expense guidelines book - which technically I have never seen.*)

Flying Visit: Things to do in Albury, NSW.

Albury is a large regional Centre in New South Wales. If you just have a few hours in Albury, you can....stroll the Riverside parks that hug the banks of the Murray River...hear the fruit bat colony chattering above the Botanic Gardens... climb the historic Monument Hill to the war memorial... Admire the fine Art Deco buildings in the tree lined town centre... Have a tasty breakfast on the sidewalk at Early Bird cafe... Grab a flat white on the go like the locals do at 1CON1C mobile coffee truck at the CBD servo ... cross the Murray River into Victoria.

The Flying Visit: Rex flys several times a day from both Melbourne and Sydney to Albury. I arrived at the Ryges Hotel at 9pm, had an hour's stroll through the town in the evening, and a ninety minute stroll along the Murray River, and through the Botanic Gardens at 6.30am the following morning.

Top 5 in five: Melbourne Street Art.

February 2014, Melbourne, Victoria.

Melbourne's lanes and alleyways were notorious in Victorian times as the City's worst slums, and cesspits of crime and deprivation. They now feature prominently as one of the major tourist crowd pullers in a city with no shortage of things to see and do. And it's all down to its burgeoning Street Art. Don't mistake it with tagging and illegal graffiti. That's strictly for the amateurs. Here's five of the best ways to enjoy Melbourne's free outdoor art galleries.....

The Point Cook Airshow 2014 Review: The Need for Speed....

2 March 2014, Point Cook, Victoria, Australia.

 

This year marks the centenary of military aviation in Australia, and where better to celebrate it than at RAAF Williams in my hometown of Point Cook. The RAAF base is the birthplace of military aviation in Australia and the oldest continually operating military airfield in the world. They're putting on a special Airshow over the weekend featuring Royal Australian Air Force aircraft from WW1 to the modern day. By a stroke of good fortune, it’s also my birthday today, which means I get to choose what we do. So it’s happy birthday to the RAAF, and happy birthday to me.

Working on Channel 9's The Block: Fans vs Faves

4 March, 2014. Albert Park, Victoria, Australia.

Way back in July, I had no idea that a relatively innocent coffee with a TV producer would lead to my life being taken over by a reality TV show. Especially when I don't even watch them and I hadn't applied to be a contestant in one. Perish the thought. But just a few weeks after that coffee, we had signed up as a show sponsor for the DIY makeover show the Block: Fans Vs Faves, and well that's when my life became a bit mental.