Friday 6 April 2012

days when it's not what you think...and being childish

With many things in life, it's location, location, location.....in Australia any house near the water attracts premium prices in estate agents windows. The same goes for venues....if your cafe, bar or restaurant is on the seafront, or by the river, you're quids in.

I'm a country girl, but Perth is a beautiful city, surrounded by water ,with stunning vistas wherever you look.



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A popular watering hole on the banks of the Swan River is not only in a fantastic location,



 it has a wonderful name

I



I know.....call me childish, but I sniggered uncontrollably when I saw the sign for the first time five years ago. Knowing the Aussie sense of  openness and sense of humour, I thought I had a fair idea of how the bar got its name, which made me laugh even more.

It turns out that how the bar got its name is not what you think though....it's all to do with a cormorant.....allegedly....

One story has it that when the name for the bar was being decided a shag (a type of cormorant) swooped down into the water and emerged with two fish, and someone immediately said "Gee, thats a lucky shag".

So that's one version and it's true that there are alot of shags about even though I didn't manage to photograph one.....but I have evidence. I don't know about lucky shags...they're definitely shitty shags....




 It's a great place for drinks late afternoon , sitting outside....just admiring the view....



The place is filled with both tourists and locals, and those who arrive by boat and moor alongside....


Drinking in the sunshine, the view and a cold beer on a warm Perth afternoon ...what could be nicer?

Perhaps a bottle of wine?

A week later, I was in the bottle shop . I really fancied an ice cold bottle of rose....and I wanted it there and then. Looking along the rows, I saw a few that looked ok, and several that I knew would hit the spot because I recognised the vineyard, the variety of grape etc.

And then I saw one bottle.....I couldn't miss it....the label was so appealing...and so was the branding....I had to buy it....


Have you tried a bonking frog? I know...another really childish moment.It could have tasted like bilge water, but I had to try it. I suppose it's the equivalent of backing a race horse because you like its name. Ignore its form, the going, the jockey....just go for the name.

And that my friends is what I did - and what a lovely earthy merlot it was too.

So I guess I struck lucky....like that shag, or some Australian who got more than a beer at a certain bar....


Today's track is from John Butler Trio...I fell in love with this band and this track on my first trip to Perth and saw them play live two years ago in Fremantle.There's no video but just sit back, relax, listen and enjoy (with or without a glass of bonking frog...)





5 comments:

  1. Lovely photos.I wish I was there. My fist though was shag was a type of bird so I must be a good girl. I reading this with a glass of wine but certainly not a bonking frog!

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  2. Hello Cassam....I'd never heard of, let alone seen a shag so you're one up on me!So surprised by how nice the bonking frog was though!

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  3. I lived in Orkney for 12 years where there are hundreds of shags, cormorants and assorted birds. I *still* howled with laughter when I saw the name of that bar though and my first thought definitely wasn't 'bird'. Love it.

    Must try a bonking frog one day. :)

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  4. Oh good Shirley...glad it's not just me! And yes.....why not re the wine??

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  5. Well, I'm sure I don't know what you're all talking about ;-) Glad you enjoyed your Bonking Frog, Bridget!

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