MID WEEKLUNCH RUN NEWS
From Diane Holmes

Thursday 11 February 2010

Although it wasn’t forecast there was some welcome relief today from a very hot week. We were greeted with overcast skies & even & little rain when we met in the hills at Crafers for the beginning of the first run for 2010.  It was a shorter run than usual as we travelled down Greenhill Road, which affords one of the best views of the city & today it looked especially appealing to see it without sun for a change.

Our destination was The Windsor at Windsor Gardens & it was a first, but unlikely to be a last visit to this venue.  I would be interested to know the history of this hotel, however it is the extensive newly-renovated premises at the back, which concern us now. Our group of around 50 members fitted very comfortably into the large open plan dining room. The seniors’ meals were available at $11.50 including a free vegetable & salad bar with a wide variety of delicious choices on offer.  The seniors’ menu had a great selection including a curry of the day, lamb shanks & salt & pepper calamari.

The lunch runs present a great opportunity to get to know fellow members so please consider coming along at any time to join us for the day. We look forward to meeting new members & also those who have recently entered retirement.

Next mid week lunch run will be on 11 March to The Tonsley, Clovelly Park & if you would like to participate please phone us as bookings are essential. Diane & David Holmes Ph. 8336 4557.

MID WEEKLUNCH RUN NEWS
From Diane Holmes

Thursday 14 January 2010

This month we meet for lunch only & the runs will resume in February once again. The Alma Tavern was the venue & although we’d lunched there three years ago the interior had been completely transformed since that time. The three course seniors’ menu was available to the 46 members participating in the event.

During the summer months we tend to focus on places in the suburbs, away from the threat of bushfires in the hills & country areas. The opportunity also allows us to linger longer over lunch as afterwards there’s a shorter drive home & during the cooler months you can look forward to lengthier drives in the MGs.

Please keep it in mind that if you are free on the second Thursday of the month & would like to participate in the event, it only takes a phone call to make a booking.

Next mid week lunch run will be on 11 February to The Windsor, Windsor Gardens. If you would like to come please remember to book as we need to confirm numbers for the venues. Diane & David Holmes Ph.8336 4557.

MID WEEKLUNCH RUN NEWS
From Diane Holmes

Thursday 12 November 2009

David came up with the idea for the mid week lunch back in 2004 when he was president & at that point in time we had no concept of how this event would develop over the coming years. It is held on the second Thursday of each month & November was the last one for the year as we take a break in December. Thank you to all the members who participate in this experience, whether it is on a regular basis or a casual one.  We can see it is a growing market as our members enter retirement with available time on weekdays and MGs offer a fabulous interest for these years.  In fact they are an ideal leisure pursuit at most times throughout our lives.

November’s lunch run happened to coincide with the second heat wave Adelaide has experienced so far this spring. Most of us travelled in air conditioned plastics to air conditioned venues, but unfortunately I discovered on the day that The Great Eastern Hotel which held our booking for lunch was in the process of improving its system.  We met at the Victoria Hotel & drove north through the hills in a wonderful sea of green foliage & caught our last glimpse of the green hills before they are toasted gold for summer.

At the November lunch we were given a couple of new venues by our members to check out for next year so it is great to see that we can still find new places to visit. Your suggestions are very much appreciated so please keep them coming for us all to share.

Next year we will be meeting for lunch at the Alma Tavern, 66 Magill Road, Norwood on 14 January, 2010 at 12.30pm. There is no run this day, however they will resume in February, 2010. Please remember to book if you would like to participate. Diane & David Holmes Ph.8336 4557

MID WEEKLUNCH RUN NEWS
From Diane Holmes

Thursday 10 September 2009

Members all the way from Clare with Mick Mitola

Some more of the 50 members along for the meal

Spring has arrived & it was certainly evident when we drove down to the Hotel Elliot this month. It was a magnificent day to view the green countryside, which continued all the way to the south coast & the transformation was beautiful to see. The Wallis Tavern at Mt. Barker was our meeting place & we appreciated the generous space provided by this venue as our attendance had expanded to 70 members, which happens to be the largest gathering so far for this event.

We were really pleased to welcome the group from Clare & Mick Mitolo, Mike Herbert & Col Chapman also made their first appearance at the lunch run. This drive was a little longer than usual, but worth the extra travelling time as the hotel provided an excellent menu matched with very proficient service for the full dining room.

The Muirheads and the Browns

It hardly seems possible that there are only two more occasions for lunch in 2009 as we will continue with the tradition of a break in December. However we will be meeting in January to begin it all over again for 2010. Next year is in the planning stage & we can look forward to visiting some new venues as well as returning to some of our favourites.

As you can see another tough day at the Office!

Next mid week lunch run will be on 8 October 2009 to the Lobethal Hotel, Lobethal & if you would like to participate please phone GERALDINE HOUGH THIS MONTH Ph. 8251 4807

From Diane Holmes

Thursday 13 August 2009

When we first visited Grumpy’s Brewhaus in March 2008 it was during the longest heat wave on record in Adelaide. This month we were warmed by the wood fire as we shared a variety of delicious pizzas & the price was still the same at $10 per head.

We arrived earlier than our usual time of 12.30pm. & by 12.40pm the serving was underway & the lucky ones were already tucking into the food. As Grumpy’s is not open to the public for lunch on Thursdays we had the place to ourselves.

Fifty members were in attendance this month & it included first timers Rick Charlesworth & Christopher Hunt.
We welcomed back some of our regulars, who have been on holidays & there are more travelers returning from their vacations next month when we go to Port Elliot.

On Friday David & I called into Chappy’s Resaurant to book for our November lunch to find that Mark has sold his establishment this year, however he is only a short distance away at the Great Eastern Hotel in Littlehampton.  He has already renovated the pub dining room, which now seats 75 people & his chef has also moved to the new location so that will be worth a call.

This morning we were pleased to receive a booking from Clare for our lunch to Port Elliott for a group of six people driving down in 3 MGs for the day. Please take the opportunity to join us for any of the lunches throughout the year as we do enjoy meeting new faces.

Next mid week lunch run will be on 10 September to the Hotel Elliot at Port Elliot & if you would like to participate please phone us as bookings are essential. Diane & David Holmes Ph.8336 4557.

From Diane Holmes

Thursday 9 July 2009

Mick O’Sheas Irish Pub is one of our most popular destinations for the lunch runs & we were there back in September 2007. The half price menu for mains & sweets is still a highlight of their establishment & our members enjoy taking advantage of this fabulous opportunity. The number of members present each month has increased during 2009 & we were close to 60 for this month. Unfortunately David & I were unable to make the run this time, although we were available for morning coffee at Crafers. It was quite a disappointment for us as we were blessed with a cloudless winter’s day & it was a perfect occasion to drive with the tops down.

Unfortunately when I checked the magazine calendar for July 2009 I found that the mid week lunch run destinations were not correct for the coming months, however the website has the correct details. I will note them here for future reference for the members, who don’t rely on the internet. In September we are travelling south to Hotel Elliot at Port Elliot & October sees us heading for the hills to the Lobethal Hotel, which we visited once before in April, 2005 so that it will be new to many of the members. We agreed that we would return to Chappy’s Restaurant at Littlehampton for our final lunch of the year in November & I plan to book that one very shortly.

David & I are always open to suggestions for venues & it is very rewarding to find that places, which would suit our group, keep presenting themselves. We have met a number of new faces to the lunches this year & we look forward to meeting more in the future.

Next mid week lunch run will be on 13 August 2009 to Grumpy’s Brewhaus at Verdun & if you would like to participate please phone us as bookings are essential.  Diane & David Holmes Ph. 8336 4557.

MID WEEKLUNCH RUN NEWS
From Diane Holmes

Thursday 11 June 2009

We were lucky to have a sunny winter’s day as David & I have just driven home from Willaston in the late afternoon light & what a beautiful scene surrounded us on the journey back through the lush green hills with the beautiful gum trees catching the last rays of sun. Such a fitting end to a very pleasant day shared with 53 members attending this month’s lunch run.

We were pleased to meet Gary Chapman & his wife Jenice, who came along for the first time. They were members back in the 50’s & have just recently returned to the club. It was great to catch up with Bev Waters & Stan & Jan Ward, who met us at the pub for lunch. 

The invitation is there for members to come along to any of the runs, which suit, or if you are available for lunch only, you just need to make a booking.

David is now our official photographer as sadly Jim Underwood is no longer with us. Jim was such a willing worker for our club & he had kindly given me CDs of the many lunch runs he had photographed over the years. How much I value this collection of shared memories for without the images so much would be lost to us.

This venue was recommended to me & although I had passed by it on numerous occasions I hadn’t considered it a destination point. It was quite a surprise what they offered for $10.95, especially as it included senior’s discount!  We could choose from the specials board (not often available to a group) plus soup, a salad bar as well as a selection of ice cream. And the group certainly lingered there, especially the ones in the northern suburbs.

Next mid week lunch run will be on 9 July 2009 to Mick O’Sheas Irish Pub at Hackham & if you would like to participate please phone us as bookings are essential. Diane & David Holmes Ph. 8336 4557