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Perth, Western Australia: Amanda's Garden Fete, The Corfield Tavern - Day 13

The Amanda Rose.  F inal full day of our trip to Perth. Enigma and I headed over to my sister's house, to pick her up, and then meet my brother and Mum at Amanda's Garden Fete in Gosnells (not far from Southern River road). Luckily we got parking right opposite the gate when another car pulled out at just the opportune moment. About 5 or so minutes later my brother and Mum arrived, also managing to find parking not far from the gate. Amanda's Garden Fete is an annual charity event that takes place on a weekend, toward the end of October, raising funds for meningococcal disease awareness, support and research. Aside from being able to explore a beautifully maintained private garden there are Devonshire teas, a sausage sizzle, musical entertainment, seek and find game for kids, and stalls selling plants and other bric-a-brac. Entry is $5 per person. Overview of the plant buyers section with many flower varieties on offer. If you're particularly about buying plants then y
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Perth, Western Australia: Dr Russell's Imaginarium, Fremantle markets, Cos Baby Café, Bathers beach, South Cottesloe beach - Day 12

Doctor Who Police Box at Dr Russell's Imaginarium. This one wasn't bigger on the inside. T he second last day of our Perth trip was a Saturday, and turned out to be another day my partner, Enigma, and I could spend doing our own thing. Dr Russell's Imaginarium Museum Since it wasn't too far away we headed out to Guildford in the morning to visit Dr Russell's Imaginarium Museum and Toy Museum that had been closed when we attempted to visit with my family a few days earlier .  We were a little surprised to discover there was actually $2 entry fee, for which you get two penny coins to use in the old style Peep show machine (mostly vintage photos of topless ladies), and moviola machine, which is a giant flip book type affair using photos to create a movie scene. I think it had a story but I wasn't able to follow it very well. Also, if you make a purchase your entry fee is deducted from the price. Entrance to Dr Russell's Imaginarium. You can see the Police Box

Perth, Western Australia: Gosnells Parks and Railway Markets - Day 11

Gosnells City Council has always been supportive of the arts to the point where you can see many examples of public art throughout the town centre. G osnells the suburb, or even the City of Gosnells , isn't really a destination at the forefront of anyone's mind when visiting Perth. Even now, after so much money has been spent on making pleasing community spaces and facilities, in the 24 years since I moved back to South Australia. It's certainly a much more pleasant looking place to live now than it was during the years I grew up there, from the age of eight. My family moved there from South Australia (after a brief eight month stay in Kelmscott while we waited for our house in Gosnells to be built) at the beginning of 1978. Today's plans were for my mum and I to catch up for lunch and do a bit of a walk around Gosnells - where she still lives - though not in the original house we had built, which was sold years ago. Usually it's a chance for me to see what's ch

Perth, Western Australia: Guildford Antique/Arts and Craft Store Strip, Guildford Hotel, The Margaret River Chocolate Company - Day 10

Dr Russell's Imaginarium  Sign. T oday's plan was another family outing with Enigma and I along with my brother, sister, and Mum. My brother had suggested we all meet up in Guilford , a suburb (and historical town) of Perth, which was around 15 to 20 minutes up the road from our apartment. In particular he suggested browsing the many antique, arts, and craft stores in the main part of the town. There was one in particular he wanted us to visit called Dr Russell's Imaginarium , which specializes in old movie memorabilia. Sadly the physical store closed at the end of 2023 (see link for more info). Our meet up point was Alfred's Kitchen , a train car out door burger café that opens after 5pm that is the longest running roadside kitchen in Perth. My brother suggested it because he knew it would be closed and we could use the carpark which was virtually across the road from the antique store strip. Enigma and I arrived just as my brother texted to say he, my sister, and Mum

Movie Review: Force of Nature - The Dry 2 (2024) *No Spoilers*

Eric Bana returns as Detective Aaron Falk in Force of Nature - The Dry 2 , and that's the only real connection between this and 2020's  The Dry . This is an all new mystery set in a new location. I will say, given that it's either wet or rainy, with the incoming threat of a major storm for most of the movie, the filmmakers really missed a trick in not renaming the film, The Wet. Back when I reviewed the first film I noted that I would love to see the second book made into a movie too, and here it is. This time Aaron and his detective partner, Carmen (Jacqueline Mackenzie), head into the mountains to investigate the whereabouts of a missing informant, who disappears on a workplace, team bonding retreat. All the performances in this film are easily on par with the first, though I do think some pretty outstanding actors really didn't have a lot to do here. In terms of mystery the first movie was better constructed as a who dunnit film you could play along with. Here you mo

Perth, Western Australia: Mandurah Foreshore, Hotel Clipper, and More Family Catch Up - Day 9

Mandurah foreshore train and playground. The train is not usually this spooky it was still decorated for Halloween. M y Dad's Partner took Enigma and I on a trip down to the city of Mandurah for the morning. Mandurah is just under an hours drive from Perth, with a very nice foreshore area that has plenty to see and do beyond visiting the beach. Stingray? Photo: Enigma The plan was for my Dad's partner to keep an appointment she had with a friend in Mandurah, long before we even booked our trip, while Enigma and I checked out the foreshore area. After which we would meet up for lunch, and then go visit one of my step sisters and her family. At the foreshore we were dropped off at the 30 minute parking bays just up from the enclosed Kwillena Gabi Pool, which is a safe swimming area that is fed water from the sea (although I don't think this area is looking directly out to sea, it's more of an inland water way. However Enigma did get a photo of a small stingray swimming by

The Barossa Valley Chocolate Company Nightlight Outdoor Cinema, Tanunda, South Australia

Pre movie at the Barossa Valley Chocolate Company outdoor cinema. This is the view from the VIP seats. You're a bit further back but you get a slightly higher chair and a small coffee table. W hile it may not be as big as the Chocolate Shop Enigma and I recently visited on our trip to Perth, Western Australia,  The Barossa Valley Chocolate Company  has a good range of chocolates in it's own, onsite store, and a pretty decent size café that's open seven days, from 10am-5pm for gelati, coffee, and cake, and 11am to 3pm for lunch. They do encourage you to book for lunch. We had no idea this place existed despite on living around a 30 minute car drive away. To be fair, as near as I can tell, from their website, they've only been open since around 2018-19 and have been winning awards for their chocolate ever since. The main shop area. The wall on the left is where you can select your complimentary 250g chocolate box if you purchase a VIP ticket. The Barossa Valley Chocolate

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