Lakes Entrance - does it stack up

Lakes Entrance is a great place to live, it provides us all with so much to be thankful for, the access to water, the views, nature and its natural attractions close by, even the weather, the worst of which seems to miss us and go out to sea or up in the ranges to our north. I love living here.....,

Lakes as it should be busy & vibrant

Hendo’s Cafe - “Good to go back to the simple things of life – good honest food!”

Hendo’s Cafe at 77-81 Main Street  Bairnsdale.     Ph: 5152 6742                                                    Mon - Fri  5:30- 3:00      Breakfast served until 10-30am    External catering by arrangement.

Location:  Just on the left as you arrive in the main street shopping strip in Bairnsdale, Hendo’s Cafe  has on street parking  right outside, but be careful of the high kerb and fairly steep camber on the road. The café is wheelchair accessible and has clean washroom facilities including a baby change table. 

Simple yet comfortable seating at tables which can be altered to suit groups and décor which gives a sort of country feel.   There is a well-placed separate kid’s corner (“Coopers Corner”) ideal for the younger ones, and high chairs are available.  Ordering is at the service counter at the front and drinks/meals are served to the table.  Tables can be reserved as can the meeting room and street-side seating is also available.

 Menu:    Hendo’s is a café geared to serve breakfast and lunch plus coffee and nibbles throughout opening hours, plus take-out food for those who eat at their desk or elsewhere.  All the usual menu options that you would expect in a venue such as this, and always with some hot specials on the go.
The beauty of Hendo’s is its plain simplicity a roast every day, a pasta dish a rice dish, a pie or pastie ,beef rissoles with thick gravy are nearly always on the menu, and they sell out fast so don’t be late ! Here again the simple pleasures of life like date scones are made daily. Large yet light and served with butter and jam heated slightly so the butter soaks into the scone…Mmmmm.  I am sure you get the message, “Plain Jane” no nonsense food.

 Experience:   I always get a welcome  with a smile, no matter how busy they may be, someone always welcomes you and the same as you leave, a thanks or similar.  Whilst at the table “Hendo” may wander round and have a chat, homely, friendly professional customer service as it should be.  Never hurried, yet tables are cleared quickly and without fuss.
On this visit we just wanted a good hearty hot meal, “The Boss” loves Hendo’s roasts and on this occasion it was lamb, thick tender slices served with a plate full of veggies, carrots, cauliflower, scalloped potatoes, broccoli and pumpkin. Meat with thick gravy and five veg, awesome, simple, hot and tasty.

I fancied the sausage curry with rice and a serve of those scalloped potatoes, again a good serve, hot and tasty, I could have had it hotter but for general taste it was mild and perfectly acceptable, I just hit the black pepper on top!! I have to admit having a date scone with butter and jam afterwards, and as usual enjoyed every crumb, washed down with a long black.  No tea for me that day.

Summary:    It is good to go back to the simple things of life and enjoy a good simple hearty meal.  At Hendo’s this is what you will receive every time and at very good value too. No wonder it is popular with so many. Specials are limited so get there early so you don’t miss out, but there will always be an alternative dish to savour, that is why I keep going back.

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Save our young drivers - we MUST do more.

Headlines in the Herald-Sun today, (29th August 2018), reveal that 725 deaths occurred in the under 25 age group in the last decade in Victoria. Countless more are seriously injured and are the leading cause of hospital admissions in the 15 to 24 age group in the 2016 -17 financial year. 725 deaths that could be avoided.  East Gippsland is 15th out of the 79 Local Government areas, with a staggering 17 road deaths in that age group.  Nothing to be proud of. 

Lakes Entrance power outage- who is open & who is closed

Tuesday 28^th August there are to be some major interruptions to the power supply in Lakes Entrance.

I have complied an alphabetical list from information seen on Facebook to try and assist you all finding out who is open and who is closed.  This is by no means a complete listing but I hope it may help. 

First the good news who is open, then the bad news those who are closed. I have added any comment from Facebook. This is up to date as of 9am Monday, feel free to add comments and complete the listing. I will try to update as time permits. 

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What is Open

MEDICAL Services

Lakes Entrance Community Heath: Clinical and nursing services are not effected they have a generator.       Allied Health Service not operating.
Cunninghame Arm Medical Centre. Emergency Doctor 9am till 2pm then as usual.

then....

Aldi 
Beaches Coffee 
Betta Electrical and Homemakers Open 9am til 5pm
Dahlsens timberyard.  No power so no eftpos. Cash or Dahlsens account sales only.
Foodworks 
Footbridge Mini golf and Lollyshop open from 11am - have generator!
Hair + Salon
Lakes Grain Shed  - open we will have no power. Cash only and hand written receipts
Lakes H Hardware open 7am til 5pm
Lakes Secondary College - open but no heating etc. rug up. Charge laptops  BBq lunch. No Canteen
Lakes Primary - open for parents unable to keep kids at home
Lifestlye by the Sea open 11-30 til 3pm
Lonsdale Cruises  - boat will have power
Pinocchio Inn restaurant open from 5pm
Shaboutique Desinz open from 1pm

Stitches N Things - I have a generator !!

Todd Clinics
Water Taxi and Short Tours by Skipper Pete - weather permitting
Woolworths and Woolworths petrol

Wyanga Park Winery  - open and cooking open fire going too!
Vet Clinic John Ward open 11am til 2pm

What is CLOSED

Albert & Co

Amcal Chemist  - possibly 9am to 2pm

Bakers Delight

Bella Vita Jewellers

Bendigo Bank Agency -  If you need to do any banking on that day you'll have to go to Bairnsdale

Boatshed Cafe

Bold Dance & Arts  

Bowls Club  -  re opens from 2pm

Bridgestone Tyre Service  - closed for the day

Catuzza Boutique
Central Hotel  - open around 3

Charnwood Cafe

Danielle Milito Massage

Destiny3 is out for the day

Esplanade Travel
Fish a Fare

Fresh Hair
Funkey Monkey
Just Books  

Kalimna Hotel -  closed for lunch  - re open for dinner

KFC  - will be closed until 2 or 3pm
Lakes Auto Parts

Lakes Newspower will be closed all day  - Lamannas Newsagents will be open from 6am till 12 for newspapers and mags. Longer if its busy

Lakes Senior Citizens Op Shop

Lakes Sports and Community Club closed  - will be opened at 2:30
Lakes Toys

LESC

Library open all day, with limited services

Millers  - till 2pm

Maccas till 2:45pm

Nick’s  - hoping to be open for dinner.

Reggies

RSL  - closed till 3pm

Salon Classique - open from 2pm
Seagulls 
Subway

 Hope this is helpful to all

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Lunch at Albert & Co- just checking up !

Albert & Co:   Coffee – Food – Catering.   

201 The Esplanade, Lakes Entrance VIC 3909   Ph: 03 5155 1209

Hours: from 6:30am:  Check for closing time. Serving Breakfast- Lunch and Dinner (advise to book) “Pleasant, comfortable, can be a busy venue , but busy for very good reason”

Part of the Bellevue Complex

Location:   Being a local, I have followed the progress of this business in all its forms, many coffees, breakfasts, and some would say, too many lunches, some external catering, and evening meals. This is a light, bright, venue catering not only for coffee and meals, but also external catering and the bar scene, having a relaxing lounge type area adjacent to the bar.

Front windows open to create Al fresco feel

Part of the Bellevue Motel complex,  Albert & Co has a main street location with both on street and in house parking.  Access from the street is via four steps with hand rails but for those who prefer or need a flat entry, good access is via the hotel entry and through the bar area. If you park in the road careful of the road camber when you open your car door. It is steep.

Seating is plentiful and varies from comfortable chairs to slightly higher side benches with plush cushions. Either suited me both being well placed and comfortable. Full table and bar service is available here and there are high chairs available for the younger devotees of this establishment. Full washroom facilities are available just down the main corridor of the hotel. 

With open style planning, Albert & Co is clean cut with crisp décor and windows that fully open onto the street and harbour beyond providing a feel of being “al fresco” whether or not you are actually dining in or out. 

Sit inside feels like outside

Menu:   I was there for lunch, the menu is in itself quite small but when added to the breakfast menu (served until 3pm) a very good range of items is available including vegan, GF items and a kids menu.  Quality locally produced/grown/sourced ingredients are used in preference to others supporting our local economy.

The Lunch menu provides for a sharing platter of smoked meats, cheeses dips and pickles, good old fashioned fish ‘n chips, but other items are added regularly  to suit the season and availability of locally soured produce.

Experience:   I am a coffee regular at Albert & Co, for good reason, it is a pleasant venue, comfortable with good access.  Staff are well- dressed in a smart uniform, attentive, professional and friendly. Tables are cleared and cleaned quickly and without fuss, water is provided almost immediately on your arrival.  Having previously enjoyed the breakfast menu, especially “The Albert , I was keen to try the lunchtime offerings on the new menu.

Pie with Mash and salad

I went for a home baked pie with parmesan pastry served on a bed of mash, made from local “spuds” and a side garden salad. A serve of tomato based relish topped off the presentation and added a slightly spicy twang to the meal.  Here, I have to say, that there was a slight mix up with the contents of the pie. I need not go into detail but let’s say what I was served differed from the announced menu item. This was dealt with admirably by the staff on the day, a simple mix up or omission, could happen anywhere, what impressed me was the manner in which it was dealt.  Never the less the pie (chicken, vegetable and curry, was tasty, well filled, the pasty light with that parmesan twist in the taste. It was browned well on top and was not too heavy at the base. The mash was beautiful , creamy and tasty, a generous serve and the garden salad certainly fresh and a good mix of salad items. This is the second lunch time pie I have enjoyed here and the quality was maintained. 

Fish of the Day - Flathead tails

 The “Boss” had the fish of the day which was flat-head tails served with flat cut chips (real chips), and a garden salad which again was generous and a good mix.  All served with a tartare sauce which added a good twist to the dish. I tried some of those chips they reminded me of many years ago, when all were hand cut and fried in a fry pan, tasty, crispy, light and with soft centres.

Light Bright Crisp and Clean

                 Summary:    The ambience of Albert & Co provides for a relaxing comfortable and enjoyable lunch and I am sure will be the same for an evening meal. Don’t forget that the coffee is also excellent here and with a good range of teas, shakes, chocolates, fruit juices and other blends you will never leave thirsty, there is an ever growing range of house made cakes and slices, then, of course there is the bar! A busy venue especially at peak times, but busy for good reason.

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And where I ask do you get a Bloody Good Coffee ?

Of course at .....Bloody Good Coffee:
309 Esplanade  Lakes Entrance.  Ph.: 5155 5633 Open 7-30am till 5pm 7 days.
“Where you do get a “Bloody Good Coffee”

What is Bokeh? - for all you budding photographers.

Photography has been a hobby of mine for many years, I turned it into a business for seventeen or so years, even teaching the art for a couple of years at night classes.  I thought I might share some simple aspects of the art with you, and just some of the results.  Here goes - In photography, "Bokeh" can be described as the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image and is produced and controlled by the lens. Also described as the way the lens highlights any out-of-focus points of light providing a fore or background of interest yet still enhancing the main subject matter.
OK, for any budding photographers, I will describe below how all this is achieved, for those who are not into photography, or simply don't really want to know,  I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Bairnsdale Bowls and Croquet Club - relaxing tasty a top spot for lunch or dinner.

“Krakkerjack Bistro”   54 Grant Street, Bairnsdale Victoria 3875    Phone: 03 5152 3796
BISTRO OPEN Lunch 12 - 2pm.  Dinner 6pm - 8pm.  7 days (closed Christmas Day & Good Friday)

Entry via rear car park - good access

Sometimes is is a good idea to re-visit locations just to see if things have changed. This week I opted for the Bairnsdale Bowls and Croquet Club, to give it the correct name, is it up to the same standard?

Gippsland Motoplex - presents some great events supporting our region

The Gippsland Motorplex (aka Bairnsdale Dragway), few realise that this facility, operated by volunteers, not only provides for a range of motor-sport, but also, by holding a number of events throughout the year brings considerable economic benefit to the businesses in the area and provides a off road and safe training and education base not only for young in-experienced drivers, but for all drivers at whatever skill level they may have reached (or think they have).

                            

                                                                                                                                                              Holding events such as listed below, also provides an outlet for those who enjoy burnouts, drag racing, and the like, and at the Gippsland Motorplex  all this can be enjoyed in a safe and controlled environment keeping such activities off our roads. The events bring thousands, yes thousands of visitors to our region, they spend in our local businesses adding to business viability.

Truck Drags 

Gippsland Motoplex is in need of support, curiously and despite many requests and submissions, our Local, State and Federal governments conveniently turn a blind eye and whilst supporting on paper, fail to provide any real funding support for either the educational, training or sporting facilities. Makes you wonder how serious they are about reducing road trauma and carnage and supporting tourism and local business? Any sponsorship or funding proposals are always welcome.

Local haulage operator wins the Drag Race 

Anyway enough of that for now,  here is a listing of the events planned so far into January 2019. For more information contact go to:
Gippsland Motoplex on Facebook or Email:  Bairnsdaledragway @yahoo.com

29th September 2018

7th and 8th December 2018

4th 5th and 6th January 2019

Put these dates in your dairy, if you have never been try it out, it is a great family friendly venue with full facilities and catering on site. 

Or if its a swap meet you are after then the Lakesters Rod and Custom Club are holding one

Here's the info...

Works on New Sea Walls near Coastguard base starts Monday 13th

Replacement of the seawalls near the Lakes Entrance Coastguard station begins Monday 13th!          It makes me wonder why they laid a new footpath about 9 moths ago and then promptly fenced it off, but it seems finally we will see some action and have a continuous safe and access friendly footpath between the Coastguard Base and Bank Jetty. Hooray.
Reproduced below is the Shire announcement for your information, I have added some photos from around 2014 for comparison.

It's Cafe Culture Time - September 7th at 7pm

 A little time to get organised and enjoy a good night out and some great food. Book yourselves, organise a group, tell your friends, last resort, go on your own and in any event, enjoy great company and good music while enjoying the gastronomic delights at Albert & Co in Lakes Entrance. These opportunities are limited, and so is space, so make a booking, grab your tickets and turn up early so you can enjoy "Happy Hour" at Albert's bar with a few nibbles. Better still enjoy a meal beforehand with some local wines, there are Friday special menus available. Celebrate the start of Spring.

All in Black and White – a different view of our region

I vividly recall developing my first roll of film, a 620 size from a Kodak Box Brownie camera in the cupboard under the stairs in my parent’s house, I was aged about 8 and it was for my photographer badge in Cubs, (now Cub Scouts). 

Water on Rocks and a Rough Sea

Cann River Cafe - take a break on your journey and enjoy.

Cann River Cafe.  6 Princes Hwy, Cann River VIC 3890       Hours: 6am till 5pm daily

Located in the main street next to a small bakery (that is another blog), on the South side of the main street. Parking right outside and easy access inside. The cafe is a mix of cafe, local produce and gifts with a small garden setting to the side.

What's a life worth? Take a day out - it may save yours or someone else's

What is a life worth?   Can you save your own life?   Can you save another's life?

Simply, the answer is YES.... read on if you want to find out how. Our roads are an ever changing scene, our vehicles continually updated, but do we update ourselves, does our experience match those changes? Have we up-skilled our driving techniques to accommodate new technologies, new road conditions and perhaps our own changes in driving ability both physically and mentally?
Here is a way to come to grips with those questions aimed at the learner probationary driver and those who are still new to driving.

WARNING: Some Images below are graphic. Viewer discretion is advised

Hot Rods in June – colour in the midst of winter

From time to time it is great to see the number of car clubs that visit this region. We have some of the best driving roads in the State and this is confirmed by regular rallies such as the “Alpine Rally” and the “Tarmac Rally” which have made Lakes Entrance their base.

Public Opinion makes the Difference - a win for Myer Street and Bullock Island.

In company with many other locals, I attended the information session provided by VicRoads at the Lakes Entrance Mechanic Hall yesterday. It was pleasing to note that, due to public opinion and feedback, VicRoads have amended their plans and we are advised, will not be closing off Myer Street at its intersection with the Esplanade. Hooray !