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My name's Jay and I want to share a little about me to the world. ▽ Queen of Diamonds. xx. Instagram
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Layout made by tkhAll Opinions and Thoughts are my own, I'm not affiliated with any company. Each post is chosen to benefit or be of interest to my readers. Everything is written by my own personal opinion and uninfluenced by sponsors or gifts. Any sponsorship or gifted reviews or posts will be stated otherwise and based on honest opinion. |
It was getting to a stage where work and uni and just everything seemed to be getting a bit too much and I felt like I needed to hide away and really get away from it all. Being just the tail end of winter it was very cool up in the mountains sitting around a high of 2 or 3 degrees. Utilising the most of the winter season to be cosy and hide in a blanket and the warmth of a fire and a mug of tea sounded like the RnR I needed so onward to the Blue Mountains we went! 
Lachlan being the best driver the whole way up
. Leading up to the weekend one of the owners of our cottage, Belinda, kept me well informed and was super friendly and professional in every email, providing all the details of our stay to come and keeping some treats to herself. We stayed in her adorable Tricklebeck Cottage about 5 minutes drive from the town Blackheath.
Upon opening the door we were greeted by some relaxing jazz music, the lights on and happy and a lot of delicious goodies. Belinda and Deb really know how to treat their guests and we truly felt special and welcomed from the second we drove in.
As well as the above they provided us with more than enough provisions to have a delicious breakfast the next day. In the fridge were more little treats, one of which was some fresh apple juice; I have never had apple juice taste that delicious! 
 
During the afternoon we had some rainy nights which we spent cuddled up by the fire going with some tea and a movie or a nice soak in the spa bath. Hearing the rain on the roof and being warm and munching on roasted marshmallows has got to be one of the most satisfying things ever.
 
We explored the small town of blackheath and took in all it's little gems and honesty.
An old theatre (The Victory Theatre) in town was an iconic part of the town, an old large movie theatre that has been shelled out and revamped as a Antique centre and cafe.
  
The place was full of surprises and amazing little quirks from the past, we spent ages in there just exploring and looking at some great little pieces.
Back at the cottage Belinda and Deb had left us a little guide for the best things to do around the area. We heeded their advice and went on some gorgeous walks looking over Megalong Valley, visiting some alpacas and stopping by some iconic cafes. If it weren't for their advice we would never have seen some amazing places.
 
One of our bushwalking highlights was "Mermaids Cave", the walk was short but steep and the sight was absolutely breathtaking. It took us a while to find but the all the uturns in the world were worth this visit.
Going down into the cave I felt like it was out of a fantasy story stepping down on stone carved steps into this secret rainforest.
 
The cave led to an enclosure with a cascading waterfall, trickling into multiple lagoons.
The whole area was enclosed by natural rock protecting it from the elements. We were lucky enough to go when no - one was around making the whole experience personally memorable.
  
Definitely a highlight out of all the walks we did during our trip!
After a long morning of many bushwalks we read and heard all the raves of a near by tea house so we treated ourselves to some afternoon tea at the Megalong Tea Rooms.
 
The place was cosy and warm, a great welcome from a cold and tiring morning and the table setting and atmosphere felt just like home. The tea rooms held an air of tradition to it and all the staff had a great smile on their face and were happy to recommend.
 
I had the famed Apple Pie and Lachlan had Fruit toast with Ricotta and Honey. Accompanied by an Irish breakfast and Orange Pekoe the tea house was a great wind down from an active morning and was a great prequel to a well deserved soak and nap.
All in all the trip was a great escape away from the world and to spend some time just exploring and winding down in the mountains was just what I needed.
The weekend went away far too quickly and next time I definitely want to stay longer.
Enjoy guys xx
Labels: 2014, adventure, australia, blackheath, blue mountains, cottage, explore, getaway, new south wales, romantic, travel, tricklebeck, weekend
Hey everyone!
If you follow my instagram you'd see that I had a recent getaway to The Star and needless to say it was absolutely luxurious!Last time I went to the star I was walking through the casino all starry eyed learning how to play card games and wondering how expensive their electricity bill must be for the casino alone, this time was a little different. We stayed in the Jewel Suite of the Darling and made that home for a couple of nights while we soaked in the beauty of our lovely city in all its grandeur. The staff and members of the Star were all incredibly helpful and friendly and the overall design of the hotel really left us in awe. 
The suite had these amazing floor to ceiling windows that left the whole place beautifully lit and a really interesting asian-esque vibe to it.
The towel robes were the best I've ever used and they sell them as well for about $125, at the time I was thoroughly considering it.
The staff were lovely although they tried to turn down our room around 3 times after it already had been but they were always so polite and apologetic every time. 
Dinner was at Umi Sushi the second night and wow is their Sashimi plate absolutely delicious!
I've never tried flathead and Scampi sashimi before so that was an interesting twist and I'm always excited to try something new! As always Sashimi never disappoints but the oyster marinade was just to die for, that lemony soy sauce and spring onion mixture was just amazing. Umi Sushi usually is bustling but on this particular Sunday night they were quiet, they had a great Miso and the range of rolls was different and unique. To our dismay some things are seasonal so we didn't quite get to try all the things but we're definitely keen to go back again. 
We dabbled in a bit of the shopping as both Zara and Oroton were on great sales.
Lachlan managed to snap up some great buys at Zara but as always I was just completely duped of sizes which is always sad. 
On our last day we were strolling around the Food court of The Star and decided to try out Ribs & Burgers. They did not disappoint and certainly one of the most fancy places I've come across in a food court. At first we were a bit concerned about the price but upon receiving our food and trying it, for the amount of food and quality you receive it, it's definitely worth it. The onion rings were not as I expected, I was expecting chunky thick rings covered in batter (I'm not a huge onion fan) but instead got these lightly fried thinly sliced onion rings which surprised me but the onions were nice and sweet and that aioli was to die for.
You could tell that Ribs and Burgers use quality products and the food is well worth the price.
Another place to cross off the list!
We later went to Messina Gelato and all I can say is that it's a must visit, Salted Caramel and White chocolate oh my.
They make their own gelato every day and every flavor is created on site. , Eg. Apple Pie flavored gelato is made after an actual apple Pie is made and incorporated into the gelato by hand.
A visit to the star, whether your into the gamble, want a dance or a big foodie and relaxer like me is definitely something you want to cross off your books.
Let me know your experiences there in the comments below.
xx.
Labels: 2014, casino, city, getaway, review, ribs and burgers, sashimi, Sydney, the darling, the star, weekend |
