Very good boy heads into retirement

One of the most popular characters in the Melbourne hospitality industry is heading into retirement.

Mr Walker, the canine ambassador the Park Hyatt Melbourne, is hanging up his collar after years of loyal service as a greeter and companion.

Mr. Walker, a nine-year-old Labrador, will step into retirement in line with expert recommendations that guide dogs retire at this age to enjoy a relaxed and happy life.

During his tenure, Mr Walker earned several Employee of the Month awards - a testament to his dedication and charm.

He has been an official ambassador for Guide Dogs Victoria, who trained him before his hotel stint.  

He will continue to serve on his current schedule - Monday to Friday 3:30-5pm until January 16 - offering guests and staff with an opportunity to spend time with him.

To honour Mr Walker's contributions, Park Hyatt Melbourne is sharing his story and celebrating his legacy online and across social networks in the days leading up to his retirement.

Guests, staff, and the community are encouraged to share their memories and moments with him using the hashtag #ThanksMrWalker

“Mr Walker has been more than just our ambassador; he's been a friend, a source of comfort, and a beacon of joy for countless guests and team members over the years” said Oliver Kahf, the hotel general manager.

“We are grateful for all the happiness he has brought to our hotel and look forward to seeing him enjoy his well-deserved retirement.”

Mr Walker will be replaced by Charlie, a playful six-year-old Labrador who will join as the resident dog ambassador from February 20.

For more info visit www.hyatt.com.

Pub thieves think Clarkson's glasses are top gear

When you are a celebrity with a pub you are apparently fair game for souvenir hunters.

Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has described the theft of branded pint glasses from his pub as “worse than galling”.

Clarkson owns the The Farmer’s Dog in Burford, Oxfordshire, producing Hawkstone beers. He has pleaded with libationists to stop their larcenous ways.

Clarkson revealed that on one day last week 104 pint glasses “went missing”, which was making it harder for the pub to turn a profit, website the drinks business reported.

“People seem to have it in their heads that if they come in for a pint they are entitled to go home with the glass in which it was served,” he said.

“Last Sunday 104 [pint glasses] went missing. And that cost must be added to the £100 a day we spend on fuel for the generator, the £400 a week it costs to provide warmth on the terrace and the £27,000 a month we must spend on parking and traffic marshals to keep the council off our back.”

Some of the Hawkstone-branded pint glasses have already appeared on ebay.

To dissuade thieving tipplers from pocketing his glasses, Clarkson has resorted to printing new beer mats featuring his face and the words: “Jeremy is watching. Don’t steal his pint glasses!”

Clarkson’s pub is located just 15 kilometres away from the motoring journalist’s Diddly Squat Farm.

First we take Paris, then we take Berlin

 

Travelling by train is often the best choice in Europe - and two of the continent's great capitals are now linked by a direct high-speed train connection. 

Germany’s Deutsche Bahn and France's SNCF introduced a daytime InterCity Express (ICE) service between Paris and Berlin last month and are planning to add a second route between the two capitals in 2026.

Taking advantage of its new fleet of 322 kph ICE3neo trains, the once-a-day service takes around eight hours in each direction, also serving Strasbourg, Karlsruhe and Frankfurt on its 878km trip.

The trains link Paris Gare de l'Est with Berlin Hauptbahnhof. 

Fares start from around $100 Aus and each train has capacity for 444 passengers, of which 111 are in first class.

The new high-speed ICE service is the first direct daytime train between Paris and Berlin since the 1990s and complements the Nightjet sleeper service introduced in 2023.

Unfortunately, speeds on some section are reduced with trains having to use lower speed lines, but the service is expected to prove popular with both business and leisure travellers. 

The price of a Paris-Berlin ticket varies depends on many parameters such as whether you have a discount card or an SNCF subscription, the dates of the journey and the railway company.

For more details see https://www.sncf-connect.com/train/trajet/paris/berlin

New direct rail route to link Bangkok with Penang

Here's a new rail journey that sounds exciting.

Thailand’s State Railway (SRT) and KTMB, which operates trains in Malaysia, will shortly launch a direct train service connecting Bangkok, Thailand, to Penang, Malaysia.

Previously, travellers had to switch trains at the border. The SRT cancelled its previous daily express service between Bangkok and Butterworth in 2016.

The Bangkok-Penang train route will begin with a six-month trial period to assess the viability of the service.

Key benefits for tourists will include seamless connectivity with the service from Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Terminal (above) to Penang, with stops at Padang Besar and Butterworth.

The route provides an opportunity to experience the diverse landscapes of Thailand and Malaysia, from bustling cities to serene countryside, and connects two rich cultural hubs.

Bang Sue Grand Station (officially known as Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal) is the new central railway station of Bangkok. The station will be the terminus for all current long-distance rail services and future high-speed railways, and through-trains for the SRT commuter lines and 3-airport HSR line. It is also connected to the mass transit system in Bangkok via the MRT Blue Line.

The railway companies of Malaysia and Thailand have also extended the route of the MySawasdee tourist train further north to Surat Thani.

MySawasdee operates only during holiday periods, taking travellers from Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai. 

The extended route to Surat Thani is expected to boost seasonal tourism to Thailand’s resort islands of Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Pha Ngan.

How to avoid making a fool of yourself at cellar door

Winemaker David Lloyd tells it like it is. 

He recently posted on LinkedIn a notice that he used to have displayed when he owned and operated Eldridge Estate on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. 

Lloyd is now semi-retired in Tasmania, making small batches of the Odd Couple pinot noir in partnership with Michael Twelftree, but his words remain as relevant as ever. 

As someone who occasionally helps out at a cellar door, I can assure you that if you follow this guide you will have a much better tasting experience. 

Open your eyes, perhaps, to styles that you think you don't like. And make friends with the person pouring.    

But, most important of all, just don't be a dick.   

Join an expert for a lavish weekend celebrating fine Tasmanian wines

So you really enjoy cool-climate wines from Tasmania?

You don't mind splashing out on a special weekend of indulgence.

Wine writer and educator Tyson Stelzer might have something that is right up your alley with his Tasmanian Wine Weekend on May 23-25.

Stelzer, one of the world's leading experts on Champagne, will showcase top Tasmanian winemakers and their wines for what he describes as "the ultimate opportunity to immerse yourself in the places, people and processes behind not only Tasmania’s greatest sparkling wines, but its finest pinot noirs, chardonnays and rieslings, too."

The event will be be held after vintage in the Coal River and Derwent Valleys outside Hobart.

The weekend promises "lavish lunches, a cocktail-style dinner, prestige sparkling masterclass and a gala dinner, all in the presence of Anna Pooley and Justin Bubb (Pooley Estate), Steve and Monique Lubiana (Stefano Lubiana), Natalie Fryar and Hugh McCullough (Bellebonne and Wellington & Wolfe), Ed and Jen Carr (House of Arras) and Liam McElhinney (Lowestoft)".

The event coincides with the 30th anniversary of House of Arras and the 10th anniversary of Bellebonne, and the weekend will showcase more than 40 of the benchmark wines of current and back vintages from each of the six estates, matched to dishes crafted from the finest and freshest Tasmanian ingredients.

The all-inclusive weekend features all wines, meals, transfers via Apple Isle Tours and a choice of accommodation at Prospect Country House, Acquila Eco Resort or Travelodge Hotel Hobart Airport. Special rates are also available should you wish to extend your stay.

There will be free time for an optional helicopter tour, round of golf, or just or to relax.

"My Tasmanian Wine Weekend has been in the making for more than two-and-a-half years, and I am very excited to welcome you to experience the incredible people, places and wines of Tasmania," Stelzer says.

For full details: https://www.tysonstelzer.com/tyson-stelzers-tasmanian-wine-weekend-23-25-may-2025/

Morris family marks 165 years of wine tradition

When you walk into the Morris cellars in Rutherglen you can literally smell the history. 

In Rutherglen, north-east Victoria, the glorious fortified wines produced here hark back to a different time in Australia. Think muscats, topaques and tawny styles refined over the years. 

The Morris family has now been involved for 165 years, making wines and now whiskies. 

The refurbishment of the iconic cellar door and the ushering in of sixth-generation chief winemaker Madden Morris continue the family tradition.

Back in 1859, George Francis Morris established a small vineyard and winery outside Rutherglen, with a trial vineyard plot 3km west of the current Morris location. 

By 1885, plantings had grown to over 600 acres, making Morris the largest wine producer in the southern hemisphere at that time. 

In 1897, Charles Hughes Morris, son of George, established a new vineyard, the Mia Mia Vineyard, where the winery and distillery stand today. 

To secure the property, Charles was reluctantly forced to sell the family’s beloved prize-winning racehorse, Fairfield. It is an image of Fairfield that adorns the Morris logo today. 

Local legend Mick Morris commenced his first official vintage as winemaker in 1953, quickly becoming a pioneer of durif as a table wine varietal. 

Mick’s son, David Morris, became the fifth-generation winemaker in 1993 and his son Madden (below) is now in charge of winemaking. 

Morris of Rutherglen, now part of Casella Family Brands, has grown to become one of the most acclaimed fortified, and now whisky, producers in the world. 

An experiment to revive the original 1930s dormant copper still in 2016 saw the creation of a premium single malt whisky. Today, flavours come from finishing in casks which have held a selection of award-winning Morris fortified wines. 

Madden Morris grew up walking around the cellars, learning directly from his father, David Morris, and grandfather, Mick Morris. 

“It is a fantastic achievement to be able to celebrate 165 years of Morris winemaking,” Madden Morris said. "And we look forward to continuing the guardianship of Morris winemaking going forward into future  years.”

For more info see www.morrisofrutherglen.com.

Brits want an extra public holiday to mark 80 years from the end of World War II

It sounds like a rort to me but there is a campaign in the UK to create an additional national holiday in 2025 to mark 80 years since the end of World War II.

The 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day could become an extra bank holiday, creating a four-day weekend, news hub Travel Mole reports.

Commemorations will take place around May 8.

There is speculation an official bank holiday could be earmarked for May 9 or 12 or added to the summer bank holiday on August 25.

Japan surrendered in August 1945, marking the end of fighting.

Only a handful of World War II veterans remain alive. 

There is a huge groundswell of support for an extra bank holiday, a survey conducted by the Daily Mirror before Christmas revealed. But who would not vote for an extra paid day off work?  

I'd bet most people would vote for a public holiday called "Nigel Farage is a genius day" if it gave them the day off.

Dick Goodwin, VP of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, said: “We are looking forward to celebrating with the remaining Second World War heroes - they deserve Britain’s gratitude and respect for their courage and sacrifice.

"We are looking forward to the bank holiday and stand ready to help.”

The government has yet to make an official statement on a possible extra bank holiday.

“The 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day will be moments of huge significance for our country, and the government is committed to commemorating the occasions appropriately,” a spokesperson for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said.

“We will announce the Government’s plans to mark the occasion shortly.”