Fim Fam - Day 1

(Front counter to Innocent Bystander: Michael Lowe)

Armed with my camera pack, a carry on luggage and over 100 business cards I had collected from the Australian Tourism Exchange, it was finally time to hit the road. What happens, apparently, after these travel expos is the tourism boards will send media off to familiarize (they call them “fams”) themselves with the area, see new properties and experience tours in order to get their region in a magazine. No complaints here.

Despite an early pickup, I was all for getting out and exploring what the state of Victoria had to offer. With that, I was whisked away in an unmarked van with 9 other journalists on what was very uncreatively named “Media Post West: Melbourne South East Touring Triangle Familiarisation.” I can tell you’re on the edge of your seat now, aren’t you?

Anyway, the following posts will be a basic play-by-play highlighting some of the interesting (and not-so-interesting) hours of the day in itinerary-esque fashion. (This is basically what my itinerary looked like)

Day 1: June 19, 2009

0815 Check out and pick up
Please be ready, with luggage, in the hotel foyer for pick up by Tourism Victoria.

1030 Morning Tea
Innocent Bystander

This was the probably one of the more interesting stops we made. Smooth jazz weaved its way around stacks of wine bottles, a foosball table and a vintage Pac-Man arcade game. Long tables invited guests to sit down for breakfast, tea or a glass of wine from the tap. We had entered one of Victoria’s most prestigious wine countries: the Yarra Valley.

The Innocent Bystander was a café and winery wrapped in one with a character all its own. A giant rubber band ball hung from a kitchen light while plastic dinosaurs, Legos and a Batman Pez sat atop a heat lamp. In the bathroom, a Monty Python soundtrack echoed against the stalls, the words “Decaf coffee is like kissing your sister” was written in chalk next to the café and a hanging sign announced “Unattended children will be given double espressos and made wild promises about what Santa is bringing them.”

(Rubber band ball at Innocent Bystander: Michael Lowe)

Such was the atmosphere within the Innocent Bystander.

1200 Leave for Yarra Valley Wine Tour

(Wine barrels from Innocent Bystander's winery tour: Michael Lowe)

Now, you’re probably saying, “Oooo! A wine tour! How glamorous!” Yes, it’s all fine and good, but after doing a wine tasting at Innocent Bystander, we commenced to go wine tasting at the Tarra Warra Estate, Dominique Portet, De Bortoli, Balgownie Estate and I’m sure I’m missing one more. All very tasty and fun, but when I was asked what I wanted with dinner, there was no doubt in my mind I was getting a beer.

(Dominique Portet, himself, pouring us wine to taste: Michael Lowe)

1730 Check in Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort and Spa

Five and a half hours later we were allowed to check into our accommodation, smack dab in the middle of the Yarra Valley. The estate felt like a classy summer camp with fresh air, bright stars, and a seven-course meal to be finished off with about four pounds of deluxe cheeses. They had that at your summer camp, right?

(Whirlpool shower with window exposing your behind to the living room: Michael Lowe)

It was when they brought out a shot-glass filled with a frozen pesto sorbet, topped with foam and garnished with a vertical fried spaghetti noodle between courses three and four that I learned what an amuse-bouche (literally translated from French as “mouth amuser”) was.

Oh, the things you learn at summer camp.