Babysitting, boats and a taste of carny life.

Had a babysitting gig Tuesday, 4 kids, pizza, soft drink, caramel popcorn and chocolate whilst slung across mattresses and lazy boys in the lounge watching Harry Potter 5 projected onto a precariously pinned bedsheet, watched Mr. & Mrs Smith for the first time, enjoyed it in spite of the controversy it started! Made pancakes from a packet for the first time, burnt pancakes, ran out of maple syrup, honey just didn't cut it. Dropped kids to school, dropped mini van back to it's owners, pondered over the political debate between radio presenters on whether or not to drug test receivers of welfare payments, discussed these ponderings over a glass of bubbles with a much loved girlfriend Janet.

Friday already and our Gold Coast Show Food Fantastic Extravaganza begins with a green curry bang and the chef demos keep coming 10am-3pm!  Woody of Thai Thai claimed several new fans, as did The Wine Barrel, Samphire Bites, Glass and Inside Taste!  discovered Mason Wines.  made a new friend in the owner.  looking forward to visiting the Eagle Heights winery soon for a delicious red. 

early arrival of slumber at 5.30pm.  4am to rise and head to Palm Beach markets. First day of spring, not a cloud in the sky. Wished for a happy day. Wish granted babysitting twin 3yr old girls for high school girlfriend. Got duped by the cheeky monkeys who made me believe they were afraid of the dark. Duped again into giving them treats secretly adoring every minute of their antics, let them wrestle with each other and delight in fits of giggles. Let them fall asleep on me and I bathed in our comforting cuddle puddle. Listened to them snore and wondered how long I had to lay there until I could carry them to their beds? Made the move after half an hour. Success!

1Am to bed, followed by the alarm, Snooze only once and burst into action, 7am. Load up the ute with my salvaged, restored, refurbished homewares, head to my partner on the carny circuit's, load her wares along with our jointly purchased marquee. Big day that shopping day, including a forklift 2 free cappucinos and a relaxing chit chat on a gorgeous display 7 piece outdoor bar setting, brushed timber, extremely comfortable and available for just $799 courtesy of Bunnings.   Thanks Steve!  Arrive in Currumbin and set up the markets with fellow creatives and budding entrepeneurs, a la moi.  Giggle with our neighbour under fruitful lemon and orange trees, search for rocks to stablize our display on our sloping position.  success!  admire our stall - so inviting, so colourful. . . . so bias!  taste homewares time to sell.  another happy dance soon follows.  decide happy dance needs some work.  more sales ensue, day's declared a success!  Home to stew on the market in 2 weeks time and  source new wooden pieces for restoration and a lil' tlc.  Work on website, work on advertising, work on marketing our new concept of a floating restaurant!  search for participants to trial tour including 3 hour cruise on an open air boat, 3 course sit down dinner, 9 tables with bar, glass of bubbles and amuse bouche upon arrival, bottles of wine with dinner, live music, for just $65 per person.  Max. capacity of 36 guests.  maiden voyage to take place Thursday 27 September, 6.30pm departure!  Please contact p: 0406 783596 e: tastetours1@gmail.com for further

details and menu!  Looking forward to hosting these with a new menu and cruising location each week!  So excited!  Hope you 'get on board' too! xx

Market or not to Market?

So, been doing a bit of research lately, trolling around the various markets of Broadbeach, Surfers, Miami Marketta, Palm Beach, Burleigh, Nerang and really, here's where I'm after your feedback. . . . ... . . . . . To market or not to market?  I have found there to be a large gap in the food stalls for healthy options.  I know you're at a farmers market, you're surrounded by healthy fruits and vegetables, but nothing put together.  It's all bacon and egg rolls, turkish quesadilla's, deep fried falafel or chicken and cakes, let's not forget all the delicious sugary delights to indulge upon.  I'm all about the healthy eating these days, not just to keep the fat at bay but for cleaner healthier insides, for the positive all over feeling I get, Also, I'm getting older and with disease and terminal illness on the rise instead of diminishing I want to reap the benefits from nutrients, anti-oxidants, vitamins etc., because the earth provided us seeds to sew, grow, eat and repeat!  Plus I now have a business and see potential opportunities available for healthy and delicious salads, wraps, gluten free muffins and muesli bars. . . . . YUM!  Now doesn't that sound more appetising than a hot dog?

For now, we're just doing the investigative and market research to check viability but it seems like there is a niche in 'the market' (pardon the pun) and TASTE  TOURS has every intention of filling it!
If you have a suggestion of what you think would make a great snack or lunch option at the markets, please let me know and we'll see what we can do!!!  Until next time, have a great week and keep smiling! xo

FOOD FANTASTIC @ The Gold Coast Show!

TASTE  TOURS has been given the fantastic opportunity of opening the FOOD  FANTASTIC  tent on the first day of the Gold Coast Show, 31 August!  With approximately over 20,000 visitors expected to attend this year it will be wonderful exposure and a chance to showcase to the Gold Coast locals and visitors just what talented chefs we have at our disposal.

Showcasing their talents in 45min. chef demonstrations will be:

10am-10.15am    Woody of THAI  THAI  cooking a traditional Thai Green Curry with coconut rice
11am-11.15am  Warren of THE  WINE  BARREL cooking pork belly with chilli caramel and prawn & coriander dumplings
12pm-12.15pm  SEBASTIEN of INSIDE  TASTE curing salmon with                                                        fruit sferification
                                                     1pm-1.15pm    James of SAMPHIRE  BITES schucking and                                                                                garnishing Oysters  
Be sure to come on down and show your support, sample the delicious meals cooking in our kitchen and enter the draw to win a TASTE  TOUR of your own!

PAPERWORK. . . . BLAARGH

I always look forward to the end of the financial year.  The chance to start fresh and anew, the intention to keep organised and up to date in all areas of business, car maintenance, personal development and health.  The nice little 'bonus' to that hits my bank account at the beginning of the month, soon to be depleted before the end of the month. . . . . .  and so it goes.  Somehow, I inevitably get off track rather early in the piece and keeping my cash book up to date is the real thorn in my side.

My system is this: throw every and any receipts into a bowl housed next to our fruit bowl.  Once a week, I clean this bowl out, right up any tax deductions and purchases into my cashbook so that I can be ready to submit my monthly and / or quarterly P&L Report to my business mentor at NEIS.  This is a job I procrastinate on quite a bit. . . . . .  this and the whole social media stuff!  So, the picture above is basically a picture of what I have to do today.  Complete all entries, photocopy and then file all receipts for if and when I ever get audited.  I know I could have a computer cashbook, but I do actually enjoy making the entries and I find it quite relaxing, meditative work - like a sudoku; I enjoy numbers, enjoy putting them in all the right columns and making sure each column adds up the way it should.  Nerdy I know but we all have our idiosyncrasies. . . . .  if this is the worst of mine, it aint half bad I reckon!

Quiet Essentials

Staying motivated is hard for everyone at some point in their lives – whether completing school / uni assignments, meeting work deadlines, doing the housework or finishing your knitting or papier mache project! For myself, most important in staying motivated is a tidy and private work area. At the time of opening business my study space had been temporarily occupied by my brother in law for 6 months. Once vacated, I came to realise I did not possess a desk. Rather important oversight. Thanks to my beautiful friend SEWELLE and her mother in-law, I have now inherited a family heirloom and perfect work space for me to spread out, get comfortable and put my head down and bum up. And just in time. It's been a hectic week following the Great South East special we had air Sunday promoting Taste Tours, bookings for a 50^th birthday party, 70^th birthday party, 3 lunches and an end of year Xmas party all in 5 days. Time to put the head down again and get back to it! So happy to be so busy. Have a great week all! T. x

The Great South East!

Approximately 6 weeks ago a motley crew of 8 guests, 1 guide, a TV Host, Cameraman and his assistant spent the day eating, drinking and filming a segment to promote TASTE  TOURS and lastnight it made it's debut on Channel 7's The Great South East!  This was a fantastic opportunity given to me and now I just need to ride the ripple it created and surf it as far as it will carry me!

The feedback myself and the restaurants received has been outstanding and rewarding in itself and the bookings have already been coming in along with more facebook likes and more sign ups for the Supper Club.  It is very exciting times.  Stomach butterflies are fluttering, mind bees are buzzing - I can't wait to get out there tomorrow to do some hotel rounds handing out my brochures and see how many more people caught TASTE  TOURS on the show yesterday.

I will try to put the segment up on facebook or the blog sometime soon, but in the meantime, here are a few photos and a link to the Great South East's website where we are currently featured.

If you happened to catch the segment and have any feedback, PLEASE send it on through.  Negative, Positive, Ideas all welcomed!  Have a great week! T. x


http://www.greatsoutheast.com.au/gsec2cqw/story.asp?weekID=988&storyID=4548

It has been a thoughtful week!

Even though the attendance was low due to lack of advertising, we had a successful day at the LIFT Positivity Day last Sunday as part of the Surfers Paradise Festival, almost selling out of our Wheat & Gluten Free Muesli Bar, Tabouleh & Smoked Trout Salad and Mixed Bean Salad. The positive feedback was the most valuable thing we came away with. That, a thirst for more and over-stimulation of the imagination assessing any and all possibilities for future endeavours and potential growth within the business. We have discussed at least a dozen different options and most of them require in depth research before we can make any of them work, but hopefully by 18 August we'll be able to reveal some of our plans! So stay tuned!

Taking time out for myself this week, friends and I headed to the Tivoli in Brisbane Tuesday night to see The Tea Party rock out. It was a fantastic concert supported by Dallas Frasca whose raw bluesy vocals captured my attention. If you have a chance to catch either, they are well worth the listen!

And yesterday saw me gallop off to “Tradie for a Lady” day down at the Southport Turf Club. What a concept! Not looking myself, but just LOVE being a wingman, scoping out the talent and offering moral support. . . . . a potential pick up tactic or two. . . . . . The races started around 1pm and by 4.30pm I sensibly called it a day!

This week it's head down and bum up as Teamkitten and I keep each other motivated in our varying ventures. I'll be doing the rounds of hotels in Surfers, Broadbeach and surrounding areas to introduce them to the Taste Tours & Inside Taste products before our TV Spot on Great South East airs this Sunday 29 July at 5.30pm. Don't Miss it!!!

Until next time, have a great week! May it be filled with much light, laughter and love. xo

Cook, Sew, Success?



Sewelle, Jimmy, Jasper and I in her backyard beside the lemon tree



It's been a hectic and productive couple of weeks with preparation for LIFT coming along smoothly albeit the tummy, hips and thighs have been taking a beating what with all the recipe testing!  Nonetheless, it's all excitement in our household as we prepare for our first festival and outdoor event.  Sebastien has been baking banana breads, pastry cases, stewing up syrups and chutneys and picking grapefruit sized lemons for fresh lemonade.  I've been prepping signage, getting the word out, liasing with the event staff as well as making apricot logs and day poi hopefully to be sold at the Mothers 4 Peace stall!  I'll try to bust on down for a display if service is slow!

To keep the brain from frying I've been relaxing with a couple of great reads:  If you're into Running in any way at all, Born To Run is all about ULTRA's, Leadville, Tarahumara, Iskiate, debating Nike vs. Vibram and so much more.  It has been an incredibly motivational read for an ACL Rehabilitant (is that even a word) and as it also mentioned Aron Ralston and I had that lying around thanks to my Kiwi mate Ringo, I am now quickly plowing the pages of Between a Rock and a Hard Place.  Most of you have probably heard of the story but like me, not had the guts to devour the grittiness you know ensues.  Trust me - it's much less gruesome and far more inspirational than you would have imagined!  Anyways, we've just finished treating ourselves to a date break to see The Amazing Spiderman - *hint*  soooooooo not Amazing!  V Disappointed.  If you liked the first one, watch it again.  The first hour of this 'new' instalment is 'exactly' the same.  No extra features, no new gadgetry or special effects-  identical.  Boo.  And I've FINALLY finished my tax return.  Yay!  Can't wait for that return to be in my hot lil' hand!  Adios Amigos!

It's Official!

Tell me if I'm alone here.  You're starting a business.  You do up the Business Plan.  Register your Name.  Get Insurance. Get Business Cards printed.  Create your online presence.  Attend Networking Functions.  But it's not until your first PRINT Ad that it's becomes a reality.  I am in business.  I am a business woman.   I'm so excited!
For those of you who don't know me all that well, opening a business all my own was a dream for at least the past 10 years, probably more.  I just never had the confidence in myself to go out on a limb and risk it all.  Fear of failure my greatest obstacle next to lack of finances.  Whilst doing my Business Course it soon became apparent that failing is most budding entrepeneur's greatest fear and rightly so in my opinion.  Seven months into business and only now has the fear of failure dissipated.  Why?  I've already succeeded.  I've done something I never thought I'd have the knowledge, money or kahones to pull off and I'm proud of myself.  If it all starts going tits up, sure it will totally blow, but it won't break me and it will certainly not be the end of the world nor the end of my ambitions.  Our failures are just stepping stones to our successes and I'm sure even Richard Branson or Bill Gates path to success look like a dried up riverbed!  So, don't give up on yourself and don't give up on your friends or family pursuing their dreams.   Without the support of my friends and family I would never have gotten this far and for that I am eternally grateful.
Pick up the latest edition of Dining Out Magazine to check out our advertisement and if you want to help business succeed, tell a friend, book a tour or Inside Taste Experience.  Mention this blog post and I'll give your group a 10% discount!  Now That's a Tasty offer!!!

In the can!

Exciting news for business! Channel 7's Great South East TV show contacted me to see if they could do a feature piece on the bizo! Um, hell yeah! What a fantastic opportunity for me and a giant leap in the right direction for more exposure, potential bookings, advertorials etc. This is just the opportunity I'd been hoping for since the advertising budget became non-existent and I started making withdrawals from the 'BF' Bank. The day was off to a rocky start. Signage for the vehicle wasn't ready in time, the producer was ill and the Gold Coast weather completely defying it's "beautiful one day, perfect the next" stigma. A few more hiccups along the way and finally we got into our groove.  On board FLASHIMO'S, Sofic Formica and crew in tow and off to our first stop on the tour, Entree's at GLASS Restaurant.

Beautiful Imperial Ice White Moet, Pork Belly, Oysters, Salmon Mousse, Calamari, Scallops and 5 takes on my greeting (still wasn't happy with it)!  Fantastic start!  Let's keep the mojo flowing!

Venture the short walk to OMEROS  Bros. for a gorgeous marina view soaking up the welcomed sunshine.  Moreton Bay Bugs, Prawns, Greek Salad, Smoked Salmon, more Calamari and more Oysters.  Not a usual recurrence on a Taste Tour let me just point out here. . . . but for filming purposes. .  ..  Topped off with the most delicious iced water (thanks to our friendly waiter for the secret recipe!) and reisling and then we're strolling and filming along the broadwater.  Very talented walkers we had in our group too, or so I thought until Woody stood on Juliet's shoe and off came the heel and not 5 minutes later, so did mine.

Luckily, I used to be a bit of a Macgyver fan back in the day so quick stop into the local convenient store for a rubber band and hey presto. .. .. .. . worked for about 3 minutes.    But at least I stayed positive and kept focus.  On with the show!  A minor misunderstanding with the elevator and a small wait for coffee and we were finally filming our final segment with bubbles, cheese and fruits with the most spectacular view on the Gold Coast to behold from SKYPOINT Observation Deck.  Once it was in the can I breathed again hastily followed by what was left of the bubbles.  I couldn't kill the nerves before filming and believe me they were still there with me to the very end and what a blissful drowning they had!

Lists for life

Ready?  Okay, so, for those who have been with me since the beginning (that is, blog-birth) you will already know this social networking stuff is all new to me.  Facebook, well, I've been a member since 2008 enabling family and friends (lets be honest here. . . . . MUM!) to follow my travels, join on my adventures through photos and I not need to bore them or myself with slideshows or retelling stories upon my return.  But the rest of it I avoided like the plague.  Of course, if you are reading this, my BLOG, then you know there has been a huge shift recently, and I blame BUSINESS!

Since starting my own business, I have been forced to join the masses on Twitter, Linked In, About Me, True Local, I've created 3 websites to run with my Official Website and started this, My Taste Tours Blog, all in the hope to connect with potential customers, network, advertise and promote the business.. . . . . . . . . . .  And then I'm told most of you just want the inside scoop, those juicy snippets that will leave you wanting more and returning as an avid and loyal follower!  This I find simply fascinating!  why?  Well, to understand why this is soooooo fascinating to my little noggin:

1. I do not have TV - all right, don't freak out.  We actually do own a TV but we CHOOSE not to have the coaxial Cable to CONNECT to TV.  WHY? Personal choice, but I find TV brain deadening and a waste of time when I could be productive or proactive.  Don't misunderstand.  I LOVE to be entertained but I think we've gone too far.  I mean, come on, the KARDASHIANS?  Even typing the name here makes me cringe!  I can't believe people actually want to sit and watch spoilt, unintelligent, talentless, uninteresting people for 1/2 hour- 1 hour doing what. . . . . shop?  eat?  cheat with Kanye West?  What words of wisdom could the Kardashians, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Jersey Shore, Kendra, Lara Bingle POSSIBLY impart that would make my world SO changed for the better, SO remarkably enlightened?  I tell you now, NOTHING!  If THESE are the people I am to be educated and enlightened by. . . .. . . . well. . . ... . . .. . now you know why we do not own a coaxial cable!
2. I just finished watching "Julie & Julia", fantastic movie by the way, and this is a movie based on the real life heroine JULIE who discovered blogging and like me, prior to being apart of the culture, believed it to be a self indulgent hobby, self depricating, self adulating; who would POSSIBLY be interested in my world.. ... . . mundane, repetitive, unadventurous, tedious, un-documentable.  Turns out, if you have a fantastic vocabulary, reveal yourself to the public, flaws and all, are compassionate and evoke wit in your writing, you could find yourself the editor of a very popular blog and even swindle yourself a book deal. . .. . ..  This is not me. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . but wouldn't it be wonderful?!
3. If i find the idea of blogging so self indulgent, why did i start one?  Well, it was not intended, but as I state, I blame business.  Starting a business these days, there is so much to think about.  I would never have thought anyone would subscribe to my rants, yet amazingly enough, I have attracted views, comments, followers and even I don't find the stuff I'm writing about very interesting. 

Yet, people do find other's stories inspiring, motivating, thought provoking, entertaining and this is why Blogging has taken off.  And whilst I may be a hypocrite right now, I'm trying to stay on board my pony and at least stay on the tail of my competitors and oponents by getting involved.

Now, back to these 'juicy personal snippets' I was talking about.  I thought, I'd start adding in some of my brains more inventive moments.  They happen none too often and may more often than not be ramblings, sometimes alcohol fueled, sadly, mostly not.  And I've Nothing juicy to report right now, more of a gripe that I'm sure many women can relate.

LISTS rule my life right now.  I've always been a 'lister'.  Through school, in various careers, household chores, calendars.  You get my drift.  Right now I have approx. 10 lists on the go. And then some of those lists have little sub-lists underneath them.  And this is my gripe:  If I'm making lists to keep track of all the things I'm to do, how do I keep track of the lists?  THIS is my current quest!  I will keep you posted!

It's all good news. . . . . .

Okay, so, I've been a bit slack in my posting, but in my defence I have been very busy!  End another week at the Finance Brokerage and prep for sailing Saturday morning 8.30am!  Windy conditions, 15-20knots, close-haul tack and gybe skills tested, no one overboard, a successful day at sea!  Ready for a solo voyage anyday now!  Arrive 1.30pm for hair appointment.  Mission: cover up uneven $11 packet colour.  Result: Gorgeous, deep red over brown.  It's love at first sight!  Cost:  Gulp. . . . $223.15.  Curse thick long locks, impulse shampoo/conditioner combo purchase and vow not to return for at least 4 months.. . . . . even though I feel fabulous!  Bed at 8.30pm. . . . am I getting old?  Sunday arrives as does household chores.  Squeeze most in before a Spotlight wool hunt with SEWELLE and her 2 kidlets.  Start birthday skarf, unravel birthday skarf, start again and knit like the dickens (what the hell is "the dickens"?  A strong wind?  The Dickens family were reknowned for completing all tasks with lightening speed?) whilst Sebastien completes revamping the back fence with friends.  Yahoo!  One step closer to getting ourselves a dog!  A wet Public Holiday comes and goes and anxiety sets in for the BIG  EVENT the following morning!

The BIG  EVENT?  A TV Advertorial piece with "The Great South East" to be aired in approx. 6 weeks time.  8 guests + Guide, Tv Host Sofie Formica, Cameraman, Assistant, filming at over 6 locations including 2 restaurants and SKYPOINT.  It was a stunted start as weather wasn't co-operating but once we got into the swing of things (and I got my interview over and done with) it was a breeze and a very pleasurable and enlightening experience.  HOW did I get this amazing opportunity?  Included in the GC Tourism Membership is a Media package which allows it's members to upload Press Releases, New Business Proposals, Products etc. to be accessed by over 10000 journalists & publishing houses.  Say, The Sydney Morning Herald is doing a feature on Gold Coast Tourism, they research GC Tourism's archives, my Press Release catches their eye and hey presto, I'm on TV!  I anticipated and hoped my investment with GC Tourism would pay off but I had no idea just how quickly!  AND, the news just keeps getting better!

Surfers Paradise Alliance called this morning confirming a place for us at their Positivity Day promoting healthy lifestyle and eating with the strong possibility of also participating in A La Carte in the Park.  Both of these events will see us promote our INSDIE  TASTE side of the business with Sebastien cooking up tasty treats of: smoked salmon blini, crepes, charcuterie & cheese boards, spicy crabcakes to name a few.  Very exciting news!

And to keep the momentum going http://www.outdownunder.com/ also called this morning offering me advertising space through their tourist guide and website.  Out Down Under promotes gay friendly tourist options -  I have been looking for a way to promote Taste Tours to my perfect customer and I think I've found it.  I hope it's affordable as I'm sure Taste Tours would be an attractive tour option for this demographic and If it works well, I may have my answer to promoting the Singles Dining Tours!  I'm looking forward to starting those tours already!

So whilst I was looking forward to a wee rest, it looks like I've a few busy weeks ahead completing applications and proposals, getting signage made, menus ready and keeping anxieties at bay!
 BRING                          IT                         ON!

PARENTS NIGHT OFF!

For the months of June/July Taste Tours and FaB Nannies are offering all parents the night off from cooking, cleaning and kids! • 3 delicious courses at 3 of the best restaurants on the Coast • Beverage package to accompany each course • A Knowledgable Guide highlighting local events and areas of interest for tourists including quality restaurant options • 3 HOURS “FaB Nannies” BABYSITTING SERVICE FOR UP TO 4 CHILDREN! Tours run with 6-12 guests WALKING TOURS from $240 PER COUPLE!!! 0406 783596 or email tastetours1@gmail.com to book. www.goldcoasttastingtours.com

Weekender. . . . . No Bender

Awake, Saturday morning to the rhythmic sounds of rain on the window.  Quickly realise we are sailing today.  Whilst dialling the yacht club's number, say a silent prayer it's cancelled.  No answer.  Suit up for a sail in the rain :-(  Tacking, Gybing, Knotting - wet, yet, a surprisingly GREAT day for sailing!  Lunch beside pelicans at Charis Seafood.  Enjoy the rest of the weekend out of the rain and snuggled on the lounge watching Young Adult (Mediocre), King Kong (tops) and SATC Season 6 (Smith Jerrod. . . . . delicious!).  Found an old friend on Facebook.  Throw in a bit of Angry Birds for some diversity.  All in all, very relaxed.  Preparation for the busy week ahead!

Welcome GLASS Restaurant

Apart from the great menu and excellent service, this restaurant is all about Location, Location, Location!  Perfectly situated beside the Marina, you can dine and dream with the Gold Coast Hinterland serving as a stunning backdrop.  Inside the restaurant there is a view of another kind and another of my favourite features of GLASS.  The open air kitchen allows you to watch the chefs in action; prepping, sauteeing, frying, plating and straight to your table.  I love this aspect as when you're on display, it ensures hygienic working conditions, professionalism and true talent to work under the pressures of a kitchen without taking short cuts or losing your cool!
Recently serving celebrity diners Harvey Keitel, Guy Sebastien and Ronan Keating, this fine dining restaurant offers an elegant and enjoyable experience but be sure to book in advance as they often host large events and their popularity sometimes makes a reservation difficult to secure.

GLASS Restaurant will feature on our newest WALKING TOUR to be run lunch and dinner, 7 days a week!  For more information call 0460 783 596, visit our website http://www.goldcoasttastingtours.com/ or http://www.glassrestaurant.com.au/

Weekend Blues!

Another week comes to an end at the Brokerage!  Dinner at http://www.1two3restaurant.com.au/ with friends amongst the Blues Festivities. Beef Cheek for Sebastien, Sumac Beetroot Salad & Blueberry Caprioska for myself!  Early to bed.  Early to rise.  Sailing Lessons with Sebastien @ Southport Yacht Club on a Laser near Crab Island.  Laugh at Sebastien capsize his boat.  Thank my lucky stars it wasn't me!  Lunch at Accordian, Harbourside Markets.  Too much cream on the Pesto Gnocchi.  Ponder the enormous size of hamburgers these days.  Prep for INSIDE  TASTE function.  Crawl through roadworks from Surfers to Broadbeach.  Receive a whole lot of love from the Swan Family - curled and girled Monique in particular.  She gets it from her Mum!  Rock up a storm on the guitar, bongo's and flute - Johnny on vocals.  Adele's Someone Like You his encore.  Appreciate REAL music from new discovery, The Tom Richardson Project with SEWELLE.  Dine on the best Spicy Chicken Quessadilla's  East of GC at Guzman & Gomez under the Oracle Building.   Drive home to bed.  Dream about music.  Awake thinking of music!  Throw on The Doors whilst I vaccuum and fold washing.  Leave Taste Tours brochures on car windows at Kurrawa Surf Club Carpark.  Free Advertising.  Yay!  Introduce Sebastien to The Tom Richardson Project.  Introduce Sebastien to Guzman & Gomez Burritos.  Meet friends for event highlight DIESEL.  Share a bottle of Merlot.  Inspect the Moon's craters and Star Clusters through high powered telescopes at Australian Geographic's Star Gazing night. Meet passionate and interesting characters Norman and Kent.  Get a quick lesson on the South Celestial Pole and Regal Kent - Star, not new friend.  Put on calendar to attend again next month!  Back for my third lot of Quesadilla in 2 days.  Loving Black Beans.  Plan to make a Chilli or Daal with lentils, black beans and kidney beans.  Fall asleep doing required physio stretches.  Jampacked fun fueled weekend.  Expectations for more of the same this week!

Welcome The Wine Barrel Restaurant!

Taste Tours are honoured to introduce The Wine Barrel Restaurant, Mudgeeraba - the latest restaurant addition to join our existing Partners! The Wine Barrel is a family owned and operated restaurant located on Railway Street in Mudgeeraba. The Tapas menu compliments the A La Carte menu nicely and therefore the variety is plentiful. All produce is sourced locally and organic and free range produce is used wherever possible.

I have dined at The Wine Barrel on several occasions securing our favourite corner table by the fireplace. I highly recommend them for their creative menu, talented chef and the excellent service! Usually Sebastien and I are eager to try whatever is new on the menu, otherwise we usually go for a few of our favourite Tapas dishes to start and finish off our bottle of red over a shared main.

Right now is the time to take advantage of this hidden gem, with the winter fast approaching, cosy up to your bottle of red by the stone fireplace and share a tapas or two! New seasonal additions to the menu include: Crispy Skinned Confit of Duck with Colcannon Mash and a Port Wine Glaze and Soft Centred Chocolate Pudding with Candied Mandarin and Double Cream!

Visit their website, http://www.thewinebarrelrestaurant.com.au/ to peruse the menu and check out their gallery!

Sticky Date Pudding!

So, in preparation for an upcoming INSIDE  TASTE experience, 'Le Chef' Sebastien has been perfecting his recipe for Sticky Date Pudding - my second favourite dessert of all time!  Needless to say, several quality checks were done on this batch!  For this event we are providing our Finger Food Menu (still to be added to the website) so we cooked up regular sized puddings as well as the mini's!

For those new friends not up to date with Business, INSIDE  TASTE is an off side to TASTE  TOURS.
INSIDE  TASTE offers the ultimate in VIP dining bringing the service and expertise of our fully qualified chef direct to your door and in the comfort of your fully serviced holiday apartment or home.  All culinary creations are prepared on site with fresh local seasonal produce.  Perfect for any family whilst on holiday, intimate dinner party, anniversary or just a great excuse to take the night off from cooking and spoil yourself!

Catering for all dietary specifications including celiac, gluten free, vegan etc. was high on our priority list for INSIDE  TASTE.  It is something that is more and more sought after when dining out and codes: gf, v etc. becoming more and more prevalent on restaurant menus.  The industry is improving, but we've still a long way to go accommodating all allergies and diets.  This is why INSIDE  TASTE  is such a fantastic option. A Gourmet menu catered specifically to meet dietary requirements AS  WELL as being delicious and exciting for the palate!

Sticky Date Puddings fresh from the oven!  Serve warm with caramel sauce, vanilla ice-cream and why not add cream as well for that truly decadent datey delight!

INSIDE  TASTE  experiences offer 2 courses with Amuse Bouche from $85pp and 3 courses with  Amuse Bouche from $95pp.  Menu's can be viewed online at http://www.goldcoasttastingtours.com/.  Please contact 0406 783596 to check availability and make your reservation at the restaurant that comes to you!

Weekend in a Nutshell

Finished week 4 of 7 at the Finance Brokerage where I'm helping friends establish their business . . . . and they mine!  Night spent rugged up on the lounge in the company of 'Friends' and a glass or 2 of shiraz!  Awake, rollover Sebastien and out of bed sneaking a kiss on my way to the bathroom.  8.30am coffee meet with FLASHIMO's for a conference I'll be driving around next week.  Pick up TEAMKITTEN for an afternoon in Byron Bay.  Meet 3 restaurants for potential collaboration.  Stay posted for start date of Byron Bay tours!  Enjoyed Glen Eldon Shiraz and a delicious polenta with sauteed mushrooms, rocket, pecorino and truffle oil for lunch at THE  BALCONY.  Dream and drive around Wategos's Beach.  Catch up on celebrity gossip whilst relaxing on the sand.  Discuss entrepeneurial endeavours.  Finish 2 sudoku.  Shared a laugh with a glassy at the Beachy.  Recommend Tijuana Cartel to 2 french backpackers looking for something to do on a Saturday night.  Dye hair, brunette to red.  Celebrate SEWELLE's 34th birthday bash at a local Indian.  Mmmmmm, Makhani Daal!   Stimulate the brain with discussions on global warming, alternative fuels, salt and the mining industry in Australia.  Sleepytime with happy heart and stomach.  First sleep-in since March.  Surprise visit from a beloved relative.  Relaxed champagne lunch with a girlfriend at Northcliffe Surf Club.  Another solo evening with classic film The Cutting Edge and some sour straps.  Now sipping on a chai latte, listening to Nicki Minaj Starships.  Looking forward to my evening walk date and Taste Tours brochure drop with gal pal!  Love and light, T x

Featured Article on EatDrink

Good Afternoon on this Sunshiney day!

Recently I was contacted by a journalist in Sydney who wanted to do a feature article on me and my Bizo in the Sunday Mail.  It obviously got bumped for something more newsworthy (and lets face it, probably more grim too) - so I did a lil research with the limited SEO skills I have and to my utmost surprise, I found it!  It is pretty much just my standard Press Release but if you haven't read that yet, take a glance, let me know your thoughts and any positive comments you leave on their feedback form will be greatly treasured and appreciated as they will contribute to raising my business profile to the masses!

http://www.eatdrink.com.au/2012/05/all-thats-new-and-exciting-on-the-gold-coast/

Broadbeach Bluesfeast

Blues on Broadbeach is one of my favourite Gold Coast Festivals - it's free fun for all ages, there's a variety of stage settings and sounds from emerging artists as well as old favourites and it's a fairly intimate affair ensuring a good stage view and sound quality from most anywhere. 

So, to get involved, I have devised our "Broadbeach Bluesfeast" tour running May 24-27!
Book a sideline table at Blues on Broadbeach - A feast for the eyes, ears and mouth!
3 delicious courses at 3 top Restaurants and right amongst the action!
Featured musical acts include The Wiley Reed Band, Dallas Frasca, Jon Stevens, Diesel and local favourites Mason Rack. Tours run with 6-12 guests so book now as seats are limited!

$99pp incl beverage package.                        Ph: 0406 783596 or email tastetours1@gmail.com

Hello friend.....

Welcome! to this, the first official blog from an L plate blogger and avid procrastinator when faced with the prospects of Social Networking! With this blog I hope to post recipes from Inside Taste's French Canadian Chef, Update followers with my business adventures, tours, challenges and hopefully, somehow, inpsire others to follow their hearts desires and make all their dreams come true. Starting a business at 33 has been a challenge. Self motivation is high on the list of continuing problems when disheartened or waiting for the business to increase. Constantly inventing creative ways to promote and advertise the business. . . For free or as cheap as possible of course! And then there's the unending financial expenses, staffing, documentation, legal requirements, long long hours. At 33, I still desire the backpacker experience in foreign lands, immersing myself in unknown cultures but a business chains you down for a while. But. . . . Give it a while, my hard work, dedication, time, creativity and using my mind as a magnet to attract all the successes i wish for, may just allow me the freedom to travel, and retire early! I will have a successful business! I will offer tours to suit all Tastebuds! I will open a tour in Byron Bay before 2013 I will host one large event at Skypoint before 2013 I hope in the future you can be part of a Taste Tour or Inside Taste experience and look forward to receiving your comments and feedback along with photos or videos from your experiences with us! L Plater - it's a roller coaster but i'm enjoying the ride!