Reflections of my Week

Sometime last week, we celebrated a birthday, a death and resurrection and the beauty of nature. Not all on the same day, it would have been too much!

On the anniversary of the BIL's birthday, we had a family dinner in a chinese restaurant. Lobster noodles is a fixture in these dinners and the one we had was delicious, as always. His wife did a good job reserving lobster parts for him even as he was busy with cracking lobsters open. Goes to show that a woman's nesting instincts is always present.

It was the holy week and we attended a passion play. For two hours, we followed Jesus's life as he preached, was tortured, crucified and raised back to life. Hallelujah and glory to God! 

Some scenes were confronting, whoever who knows the Bible would expect nothing less. The acting, costumes, execution (no pun intended) were great. The commitment by the actors, who must have spent countless hours learning and perfecting their scenes, were terrific. A fair few people were weeping by the play's close, so moved were they by the play.

A long weekend, great weather and God who still lives. We need to celebrate! We went to Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden to see the newly constructed (has been new for the past 5 months) Chelsea Flower Show Australian submission. It was a rusty metal flower sculpture. But the rocks and the composition of the lake and flowers were beautiful. There were so many varieties of flowers, including some native lotus (my description, may not be fully accurate) in the beautiful small lake in front of the sculpture. I believe the sculpture is intended to be a secondary feature, and the plants being the stars of the show.

Now, for some reflections of the events of the past week.. most people know how to critique others but they do not realise they also do the same thing that they hate. So, keep your opinions to yourself, except when you find a tree hollow to whisper, or shout them into.

Nature is healing to the soul. Except when you get bitten by a spider in the park. So wear long pants and shirt when you go walking.

 

Project Dim Sim, Wantirna

Trying new things, go to different places, these experiences are good for the brain, so say the experts. I wonder if it applies to trying new restaurants? Because that is my favourite past time!

We went to Dim Sim Project in Wantirna Mall for dinner. They sell more than dim sim, there are also beef noodles, main dishes, and set meals. Of course, the frozen dim sim section was a popular choice among the locals. Many people came for takeaway at the restaurant also grabbed a few boxes of frozen dim sim for steaming at home too.

We ordered the salt and pepper chicken rib ($20) and beef with kailan ($20). A big bowl of rice is a must ($6).

Crowd favourite deep fried anything is a winner. The beef with chinese brocolli was also good. Tendered beef (thank you, baking soda) and crispy green vege is a short of my canto standard but it was not bad. The vege was skilfully fried but no breath of wok.

 The menu for dishes is very limited, but it is good value for the food we got. If you don't mind the small menu, the restaurant is worth revisiting.

South Melbourne Mussel and Jazz Festival 2024

This Labour Day weekend has been as hot as being in a sauna, great for detox. I sweat when sleeping, eating, and everything in between. I'm sure I have already shed 1kg in water alone. 

Our laziness in organising any trip at all this long weekend was rewarded. I cannot imagine walking and exploring multiple place in the hot, unrelenting ray of the dragon breath that is the sun. Sometimes procrastination does pay, kids.

We mostly did the essentials like grocery shopping, cooking, and chilling at home watching YouTube on Saturday. Then on Sunday, we went to the South Melbourne Market for their annual mussel and jazz festival. 

There were music from all directions - jazz band playing on a pop up stage as we enjoyed a bowl of coconut cream chilli Portarlington blue mussel and a duo of trumpeters singing a raucous rendition of The Saints go Marching In as we enjoyed a borek ($5) and stir fried noodles ($15.90).

A line of stalls in white marquees served dishes such as mussels $15-18, fried rice with mussels, seafood paella, raclettes (be still, my churning stomach! We got diarrhea once after eating raclettes), fried calamari, cold drinks and many more. We had no problems getting a place to sit while having our bowl of mussels. 

The cooler part of the market was in big demand. Many more people were eating shucked oysters, Moreton Bay bugs, lobsters, prawns bought from the three or so seafood shops in the cool interior of the market than mussels in the heat on the street. At 1pm, one shop was starting their end of day sales so we bought a tray of scallops and a whole barramundi for $10 each. When we steamed the scallops with XO sauce later that evening, they were so juicy and retained their shape so well, unlike the frozen ones which are infused with so much water and ice that it shrinks to 1/3 of the size. 

We spent 2 hours exploring the market and eating, then went to National Gallery of Victoria to see the Triennial. We found a shortcut into the gallery from the carpark, which saved us time trudging in the heat from the back of the gallery, up the slope. So I would say it was a good Sunday despite the heat!