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A Day Trip to Merrick’s Creek Winery

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When it comes to wines regions in Victoria, we are certainly spoilt for choice. Drive an hour east and you’ll be in the heart of Healesville, drive an hour north and you’ll be in the Macedon Ranges or drive an hour south and reach the famous Mornington Peninsula.

Last Sunday, we took a drive along the coast to Mornington. Our destination? The recently opened, Merrick’s Creek. Recognised for their award winning Mornington Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Merrick’s Creek opened earlier this year, and is a family run affair with Peter Parker, a Clinical Psychologist who’s in charge of bottling the delicious grapes and his friendly son, Sam bringing his knowledgeable, attentive service to the table.

The cellar door is beautifully set right next to the vineyard and the space feels intimate and cosy, almost like you’re walking into an old friend’s home, complete with an open air patio and fireplace. Perfect for a cooler winter’s day. There was no air of pretension at this winery,  just a humble and inviting cellar door with incredible views.

Upon tasting the Pinot Noirs, we decided to sit down for a lazy afternoon meal. While the menu is limited in food options, every single dish that we ordered was delicious, seasonal and flavoursome.

Our favourite dish was the twenty month aged Italian proscuitto di Parma, Shaw River buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil with ciabatta. The tomatoes were juicy and fresh, the mozzarella was creamy and soft, and the proscuitto was heavenly. The tarragon marinated mushrooms with ciabatta was a tasteful side dish with it’s earthy flavours.

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The white chocolate mouse mini pots with fresh passionfruit was a splendid way to end our meal and almost had us licking the pots…almost. We were at a winery after all.

There was something about Merrick’s Creek Winery that captured our hearts. From the friendly service, to the delicious wines and food, the whole afternoon was relaxing and has easily become one of our favourite wineries along the Mornington Peninsula.

When: Open 12pm – 5pm, every Saturday, Sunday and all public holidays

Where: Merricks Creek , 44 Merricks Rd, Merricks – corner of Yal Yal Rd.

Visit Merricks Creek website.

 

The Light in Winter

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As the chill descends upon Melbourne, celebrate The Light in Winter’s 10th anniversary with a vibrant program of art, music and performance from dusk. The symbolic Indigenous Campfire will remain burning at Federation Square for the whole of The Light in Winter season. Go warm yourself by the campfire and enjoy the vibrant lights, music, dance and storytelling.

When: Until July 17

Where: Federation Square

Visit the website here.

Directions from The Swanston Hotel: Take any of the trams going down Swanston St towards Federation Square (Tram No: 1, 3, 8, 16,  64, 67, 72,)

It’s Snowing on South Wharf

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If you’ve never experienced snow before, you’re in for a treat as winter has come alive on South Wharf’s Duke’s Walk! For the next days (until July 10), Dukes Walk will be shooting our snowflakes from their artificial snow machines along with large ornamental fir trees supplied by the Mornington Peninsula Christmas Tree Farm and plenty of special food and drink discounts for the whole family to enjoy.

Enjoy the winter wonderland sensory experience every evening between 5pm – 8pm before dining on family-friendly and wallet-friendly meals provided at South Wharf restaurants between 5.30pm – 7pm each night. Special winter drinks and dishes for adult dining will be also be available after 7pm, complete with beautiful waterside views and all within easy reach of the central city.

When: July 1 – July 10

Where: South Wharf

Visit the website here.

Win a Double Pass to Our Kind of Traitor

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While on holiday in Marrakech, an ordinary English couple, Perry (Ewan McGregor –THE IMPOSSIBLE, THE GHOST) and Gail (Naomie Harris – SPECTRE, SOUTHPAW), befriend a flamboyant and charismatic Russian, Dima (Stellan Skarsgård – AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO), who unbeknownst to them is a kingpin money launderer for the Russian mafia.

When Dima asks for their help to deliver classified information to the British Secret Services, Perry and Gail get caught in a dangerous world of international espionage and dirty politics. The couple is propelled on a perilous journey through Paris and Bern, a safe house in the French Alps, to the murky corners of the City of London and to an alliance with the British Government via a ruthless and determined MI6 agent (Damian Lewis – HOMELAND).

From the writer of DRIVE adapting the hit John Le Carré novel – the mind behind TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY –this taut thriller twists and turns its way around the world with dramatic consequences.

We have 5 double passes to giveaway! Visit our Facebook page for details.

Peninsula Hot Springs – Award Winner

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There’s been no better time to soak those winter chills away than now. Peninsula Hot Springs, located just a little over an hour’s drive from Melbourne has just been announced as the winner in the World Luxury Spa Awards Mineral Springs Spa category held in Switzerland on June 18.The World Luxury Spa Awards aim to recognise world-class spas where the winners and finalists were selected by means of an annual voting process with thousands of spa guests from 144 countries were given the opportunity to vote online.

If you haven’t been before, or are just in need of a hot soak, the Peninsula Hot Springs are the perfect winter’s day trip! With   over 20 different types bathing experiences (including a cave pool, reflexology walk, Turkish steam bath (Hamam), sauna, cold plunge pools, family bathing area, massaging thermal mineral showers and hilltop pool, offering stunning 360 degree views of the region), it’s the ideal social thermal bathing experience for groups of friends and families.

Where: Springs Lane, Fingal, 3939 Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia

Visit the Peninsula Hot Springs site

 

 

What’s On: July

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Winter has well and truly set in, but the cold weather has never stopped Melburnians from having fun. We’ve found some of the hottest events for you this July which will make you want to embrace the cold and see you emerging from your winter hibernation.

Laneway European Night Market | Fridays, July 2 – August 12

Pretend you’re travelling through a European winter at Madame Brussel’s Laneway European Night Market. Inspired by the Christmas markets in Germany and Switzerland, the market will be filled with  rich European spiced aromas of mulled wine, German sausages, freshly baked pretzels and live music.

Melbourne International Film Festival | July 28 – August 14

Returning for it’s 65th year, everybody’s favourite film festival will see over 300 movies hit the big screen for a cinema extravaganza. Expect the best international cinema, documentaries and Australian cinema.

The Finders Keepers Market | July 22 – July 24

Etsy lovers, your arts and craft dreams can be found here. More than just a market, there’ll be over 250 independent designer stalls plus live music, food and crafty community vibes.

Gertrude Street Project Festival | July 15 – July 24

See the streets light of Fitzroy and Collingwood light up with art installations for the Gertrude Street Project Festival. Pick up a program and go on a self-guided tour visiting the northside’s buildings, laneways, footpaths and tree trunks and take in a different view of the city.

Winter Date Night | July 13 – July 14

Turn up the romance for Winter Date Night at the Coburg Drive-Ins. Winter is the perfect time to get extra cosy and sneak in a few cuddles under the blanket while watching Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates & 2D Ghostbusters on the big screen. Tuck into food from Melbourne’s finest food trucks before the show!

Want to find out more about what’s happening in Melbourne? Sign up to the We Know Melbourne mailing list here to stay in the loop.

Celebrate Bastille Day in Melbourne

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Celebrate France’s national day at  the Bastille Day French Festival with a weekend filled with French food and culture. Now entering it’s second year, the festival will once again offer a taste of France to Melbournians.
Snack on the very best French food and goods displayed in a wide variety of stalls and be entertained by live entertainment, conferences, movie screenings and children’s activities. There’ll also be cheese and wine masterclasses, or our pick of the festival  a Champagne & French Pastries Masterclass.
When: July 16 – July 17
Where: State Library of Victoria
Visit the Bastille Day website.
Finders Keepers

The Finders Keepers Market

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Etsy lovers, your favourite arts and craft market returns to Melbourne this July. The Finders Keepers Market will take over the Royal Exhibition Building for a massive three day event, featuring over 250 independent art and design stalls in the world.

Since launching in 2008, the markets now promotes and supports over 1200 sellers each year. Expect to find some lovely local makers from Melbourne, as well as talented favourites from all around Australia.

Once you’re all shopped out, stick around for the good food and live music, and make a day of it!

When: July 22 – July 24

Where: Royal Exhibition Building

Visit The Finders Keepers website.

Gertrude St Projection Festival

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Gertrude Street Projection Festival are celebrating their eighth year this July with another spectacular show illuminated by the visions of talented projections artists. From Friday  15 July to Saturday 24 July, Fitzroy’s buildings, laneways, footpaths and tree trunks will be lit up with site-specific, curated projections.

Celebrates and connecting our diverse community, the diverse arts program will allow  us to see familiar spaces and buildings in new, inspired ways.

When: 15 July – 24 July

Where: Fitzroy and Collingwood

Visit the GSPF website.

 

City Shapers Festival – Heineken®

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Heineken®  are bringing their  City Shapers Festival to Melbourne on 4 August. Keeping it a secret to exactly where and what you’ll be doing, guests can expect to be taken on a worldly adventure through some of the most unique experiences Melbourne has to offer.  The festival will open your eyes through a series of striking murals designed to shape the way cities look, evoking more emotion into their environments.

The journey will start at an iconic Melbourne train station where you will board an exclusive Heineken® train before being transported to a secret location, where Heineken® will transform an unassuming venue into a dynamic festival space, full of intrigue and worldly discovery. There will be a number of unique experiences at the event, from the vibe of bustling Asian cities to a trendy jazz club in New York and dazzling performances. Guests will be in for an epic night as Heineken® finishes with a performance from a surprise international act. 

The evening will be filled with  exciting surprises and unexpected reveals so guests should prepare for a legendary evening as Heineken® promises to throw one of the biggest parties of 2016.

Keen to go? Well, you’ll need to win tickets by heading to the event page at www.heinekencitiesfestival.com.au 

When: August 4

Where: Secret Location

Follow: @Heineken_au and the hashtags #CityShapersFestival #OpenYourCity.