The view or two from my "office"

Late morning office was Cullen Wines where I tried a vertical of the Diana Madeline: ‘21, ‘23, and ‘24.

In my view the ‘21 is a keeper and will develop really well, ‘23 was okay but not even close to ‘21… while’24 is too early to tell.

While chatting with staff I asked when they’d last opened a 2017 because I have a few of these.

I was told the have very few left and almost fell over when he showed me what they are selling for.

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Next office was a nice winery and restaurant at Cape Naturaliste called Wise.

Menu, review and more photos here for anyone who’s interested.

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Cape Naturaliste, Western Australia.
 
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Is that the QF A350 ULR next to the CX?
 
Late morning office was Cullen Wines where I tried a vertical of the Diana Madeline: ‘21, ‘23, and ‘24.

In my view the ‘21 is a keeper and will develop really well, ‘23 was okay but not even close to ‘21… while’24 is too early to tell.

While chatting with staff I asked when they’d last opened a 2017 because I have a few of these.

I was told the have very few left and almost fell over when he showed me what they are selling for.

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Next office was a nice winery and restaurant at Cape Naturaliste called Wise.

Menu, review and more photos here for anyone who’s interested.

View attachment 517025
Cape Naturaliste, Western Australia.

I’ll be checking my Cullen red wines as soon as I get home! I know I’ve drunk all the Fred Cullen Chardonnay that I had, but there are a few bottles of Madelines if I remember correctly.
 
A lovely day at Versailles, particularly as our small group had behind the scenes access to the royals’ private rooms. It was a bit of a shock coming back to crowds in the Hall of Mirrors!

This original clock was found in a carnival in USA.

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Louis XIV’s bed chamber. The curtains and other draperies were replaced in 2024. The original manufacturer was still in business. Just! The museum gave them a selection of five patterns to choose from, but the manufacturers refused, showing that they still had the original design. Amazing! This is silk embroidered on silk cloth, with added gold thread embroidery and hand made tassels. The cost was something like 1,200€ per square centimetre to make!!!

EDIT: It might have been a later Louis, as married to Marie Antoinette. It became confusing after a while between XIV, XV, XVI, etc.


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Europe has been experiencing a heat wave, as you are all aware. Most fountains throughout France were turned off. Versailles had some working, but areas of lawn were not being watered. Beautiful formal gardens, but no colour at this time of year. Give me Monet’s garden anytime!

The Orangerie.

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Fuji is hiding as it’s apt to do in summer. Fun fact, this is the view from one of the top floors of the Mercure Haneda, its address is 1-2-11 Haneda, Ota-ku which was part of the old Sega HQ back in the day
 
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View from a 20th floor room on the Setia Convention side of Amari Spice Hotel Penang, my go to in Bayan Lepas, close to the airport to avoid the tiresome Penang traffic jams.
Last picture at dusk shows roof garden of the convention centre, accessible from L4 of hotel or from the street, lifts inside the convention building, escalators/stairs outside the building.
 

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