Around here - Snow Peas

I don't have a lot in my veggie garden however what I do have is thriving.  Snow peas are super easy to grow and taste so fresh and I've loving picking them.  The lettuces are amazing and I have gifted 3 to family and friends all very appreciative of the fresh produce.  Also I've grown a heap of rocket which is thriving as well.  I want to plant some spring onions this afternoon as I have some space in the garden. 

Chinese Cabbages growing well.

Around here - Perth Trip - Part 2

Here's a few more photos from our Perth which seems like yesterday we were there.  My sister is in Brisbane for another night and then is flying back to Perth tomorrow night.  

While we were in Perth we had big discussions about "Customer Service" at cafes and restaurants and the use of QR codes so you can individually order your meal.  There are pro's and con's for both.  The cafe we went to a lot when I was in Perth in January have introduced QR codes to order and there were 3 of us at the table and all three of us had to order our food.  Since I was there in January my credit card expiry date had changed so I had to update the same card details with a new expiry date in the app rather than quickly change the expiry date.  I tried to order the orange juice and coffee and bacon and eggs several times and updating the cart and it didn't work.  I think it took me more than 5 minutes to get my order in and then our food all turned up at different times.  My sister has a very specific order for her coffee which wasn't on the menu and there was no space to write a note.  If she was served by a person she could give them her order however instead she ordered a hot chocolate to make it easier however it wasn't what she wanted to order.  My sister who lives in Perth had been going to this particularly coffee shop just wants to be able to walk in and order a coffee over the counter from a person however you have to do everything yourself and at the bottom of the cart in the app it offers a section to tip them three different percentages.  

We started going to a different cafe up the road called Oxford Yards where the service was outstanding, and as soon as you walk in the Manager says hello to you, and bring you water and the food is delivered to your table in 5 minutes of ordering.  Friendly, great food and outstanding service and it makes a difference.  We ended up having a big chat with the Manager and staff about the QR codes and he said they thought about it however if everyone ordered on the QR codes they couldn't control the orders in the kitchen as in they could get 30 orders all due at once and that wouldn't be good.  They like people coming to the counter to order and then they can get the meals out in under 5 minutes.  It was exceptional everytime we went there.

There are cases where the QR codes are good ie a big table full of people ordering and paying for their own food instead of splitting the bill at the end of the evening.  At Gage Roads where there is seating for 1500 people, having QR codes is a must and makes so much sense.  Not having to have staff to take orders and handle money is absolutely the right place for QR codes.  There are staff at the bar of course where they serve you however the food is ordered through the QR codes and then delivered to your table.

In the world of technology and everyone has to "do it yourself" however it's not cheaper and then they expect a tip for it.  It just seems crazy.  At the supermarket you do everything yourself and in the last six months I went through a checkout as it happened to be empty and it felt really weird to put my things on the conveyer belt and for someone to scan and pack it.  Weird that the normal back in the day now felt weird, and we just expect to do everything ourselves but still pay the same price as if someone was employed to pack and scan our groceries.

It's school holidays in Queensland for the next two weeks before starting Term 3 and on the count down to my daughter's last year of school.   Have a good week and enjoy some more photos from Perth.

Perth Skyline

                                                                               Sittella Winery

Food for our Sunday lunch at Sittella Winery

Looking out the window of our Airbnb and a rainbow.

Gage Roads at Fremantle and the Gage Roads Brewing Company

My sister and niece.

Fantastic service and food at Oxford Yard Cafe in Leederville.

The friendly Manager & staff at Oxford Yards Cafe.

Kings Park on a wet afternoon.

 

Kings Park and another rainbow.

My niece's daughter is so cute and cuddly.

Around Here - Perth Trip - Part 1

On the 1st June, my sisters and I headed to Perth to my nephews wedding using up our final flight credits from 3 years ago.  While we all arrived in Perth on the same day, we were on different airlines and different planes so my sister had 3 trips to the airport on the Thursday to pick us up.  

The wedding was on the Friday afternoon and it was so lovely.  My nephew looked handsome and his bride was stunning in a silver gown she made herself.  The bridesmaids were in a green colour and these dresses were also made by her as well.  The wedding was at a Hotel on the Rooftop and it was a clear sunny cool day which was lucky because 2 days later it rained non stop the rest of the week we were there.  In fact they had more rain one night than in 37 years so it was a lot of rain. 

Our trip is basically all family time which is just the way I like it, catching up for breakfast, or lunch, and roast dinners.  We went to the Casino one night for my favourite Sweet & Sour Pork dish and some games of Keno.  While we were there we went to see two movies, the first one being "The Book Club - The Next Chapter" which we enjoyed.  The next one even though it had a great cast was so boring and weak which was "Maybe I Do".  It took forever to get to the punch line and there were a couple of funny bits but it was really slow and boring.  I'm happy to watch a movie for what it is but this was surprisingly disappointing.

My Niece's baby who was 6 weeks old when I was over there in January is now 6 months old and is so cute laughing and interacting with everyone.

This was the Airbnb two of us stayed in for 5 days and then when my sister flew home for work we checked out and I went to my sisters place down the road.

This is the building we were at the back on level 2.

Can you believe it there were people swimming in this pool and it was a cold day.

Toby relaxing on the couch.

Roast dinner at my sisters.

On the Sunday we had lunch at Sittella where my niece got married 3 years ago.  She wanted to show us where she got married.  We were originally going to Perth for the wedding in April 2020 and 3 weeks before the wedding it got cancelled due to the pandemic.  When it was rescheduled to November, 2020 unfortunately none of us could get over to Perth.  

Beautiful Roses in the Garden at Sittella

We had lunch on the deck.

The newly weds catching up with family.

We went to the Margaret River Chocolate Co which is just outside Perth.

I really wanted to bring these large freckles back for my kids but I knew they would get broken on the fight so I got them a Chocolate that had a Quokka on it instead.

Me in Chocolate Heaven, so much to choose from.