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notalwayslate · 5 years

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Who Protects The Monsters Part 1

Summary: When a string of mysterious deaths are rumored to be the result of creature attacks, the town of Storybrooke calls upon legendary hunter, Gabrielle VanHelsing, to track down the murderous monsters.

Unbeknownst to VanHelsing, his daughter Bell has secretly partnered with his greatest enemy, the king of darkness, Rumpelstiltskin, to prove that the real killer is a human who is framing these creatures of darkness for the murders.

What happens when Belle the daughter of famed monster hunter, VanHelsing, falls in love with his sworn mortal enemy,Rumpelstiltskin?

For Rumbelle Monster's Ball

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21017084/chapters/49985492

The faint galloping stride of horses lured Belle’s attention away from the novel she was currently reading. Springing into action, her hands grappled over the numerous disheveled books laid out on her father’s desk. She let out a sigh of relief as her fingers found her secret leather journal buried beneath a sizeable volume on ancient werewolf folklore.

As the sound of horses drew nearer, she bolted out of her father’s office, making a beeline for her bedroom. Safely tucking the journal beneath her mattress, she headed for the living room, just as a loud thud hit the roof followed by storm of shrilling caws.

Concerned by the commotion she ran to the front door flinging it open. Inwardly she groaned at the unpleasant sight of Gaston Legrume standing in her yard with a handful of rocks in his hand. Baffled she was about to ask him what he was doing, when he pulled his arm back lunging a large rock up at the roof. A tiny shriek pierced the air, as a small black bird fell dead to the ground before her. A rush of anger flooded her heart at the sight of the poor dead creature.

“How dare you!” she roared storming down off the porch, heading straight for him.

Casually he looked down at her with a smirk of amusement, fueling her anger even more. Lifting her arm, she smacked the remaining rocks from his hand, before giving him a hard shove. Although she used all of her strength to push him, he stood unmoved, steady as a tree, peering down at her with a mocking grin.

“Your daughter is a feisty little thing isn’t she?” he chaffed his stare fixed on her, as he spoke to her father who sat on his horse a few yards away.

Incensed by his total lack of regard for the creature’s life he just took, she fought her primal urge to slap that smug grin off of his stupid face. Even though he towered a good foot and a half above her, she stared the buffoon down with a fury hotter than a thousand suns. Leaning over, he brought his overbearing presence mere inches away from her face.

“I was only trying to help,” he taunted her in a long drawn out patronizing tone. “This place is infested with crows. Every time I come here there are more than ever before. If I didn’t know any better I would say this place is cursed.”

“The only curse here is when you come around,” she spat out feeling a tad jovial as the arrogant smile fell from his face.

“Play nice you two,” her father chided, dismounting his horse.

Taking a step back from Gaston, she acknowledged her father’s words by giving him a curt nod. Her focus stayed on her father as she watched him take Phillipe back behind the house to the open paddock. Once he was out of view, Gaston’s looming shadow casted over her.

“I can only hope you have that same fire in the bedroom.”

“That is something you will never know,” she fired back taking a step forward to put some distance between them. She cringed as his pompous laugh slithered into her ears.

“Oh we will be married soon enough, and I assure you I look forward to seeing what else your crude little mouth is good for.”

“I will never marry you.”

She stomped up the porch stairs, ready to slam the door behind her, when he called out.

“You know, any maiden out there would die for the chance to have just ten minutes with me, let alone the honor of being my wife. What makes you think that you are so damn special huh?” he pondered bringing his hand up, stroking his chin, as if he was contemplating some great thought. “You know your father mentioned that you have been spending a lot of time with the Lucas girl over the last few months.”

Utterly confused as to where he was possibly going with this, Belle turned around shrugging. “So?”

“I’m just saying if that is the type of thing you are into, I’m sure we can come to some type of agreement. Our marital bed will certainly be large enough to accommodate another, I mean, as long as I am there of course. We can invite the Lucas girl in time to time, as well as other ladies, of my choosing.”

Scoffing she wasn’t the least bit surprised by his assessment. Of course if a woman showed no interest in him, his fragile male ego would assume she had to be gay. Turning on her heel, she walked back into her home, slamming the door behind her.

Stewing she retreated to her father’s office as the front door opened behind her. Not having the patience to deal with Gaston for a moment longer, she was about to tell him exactly where he could go, when her father’s face appeared in the doorway.

“I asked Gaston to go fetch some firewood.” He said smiling at her, taking a seat on the settee against his office wall.

“Thank you, Papa,” she breathed out a sigh of relief, moving to join him. Reaching for his hands, she sat next to him. “I’m glad your back. How did everything go in town?” “Fine,” he replied giving a stiff nod. “Mrs. Potts funeral is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. It appears that the scoundrels that broke into the morgue last night for some ungodly reason stole her eyeballs.”

Belle was certain that the temperature in the room had risen by ten degrees, as a nervous sweat built on her upper lip. Trying to keep her shaking hands still, she averted her eyes from his certain that they screamed loud and clear her guilt in the theft at the morgue.

. “Do they have any idea who the thieves were Papa?”

“The guard said the one man had papers, proclaimed to be a doctor, and the second man wore a rather large hat. But for the life of him, he couldn’t remember their names, or recall what their faces looked like.”

“Strange,” Belle croaked out, clearing her throat. It had been Rumple’s suggestion to send Dr. Frankenstein, and Jefferson to do the task. Judging by the guard’s fuzzy memory, it appeared that Jefferson’s special brew of coffee, worked perfectly. With the victim’s eyes secured, she just had to wait for Rumple to come back from his travels, with the collected ingredients needed for the spell. Soon they would learn who the real murderer of Mrs. Potts was.

“But on a brighter note the town is throwing a party next week in appreciation for slaying the monsters that killed those poor women. Gaston and I are to be their honored guests.” Her father looked so proud of the accolade that it broke her heart to speak ill of it.

The nightmare had begun four months ago, when Ashley Boyd, a young maiden of 16, was found floating face down in Lake Placid. The town was outraged by her death, and the outrage, grew into a mob of panic and fear, as Ashley’s older sister Drusilla emerged from the woods, claiming that she had witnessed a sea creature murdering her sister. It was only logical that a town gripped in fear of a monster turned to her father, Gabrielle Van Helsing for aid. Long retired, her father was as surprised as she was at the town’s accusations of a murderous amphibious monster on the loose. It had been almost 15 years since anyone claimed of a monster attack.

Although her father’s mind was still sharp as a tack for the hunt, time had betrayed his body, leaving his physicality waning. It seemed like a perfect match when Gaston, widely known for his superior hunting and tracking skills volunteered to assist her father in the hunt of this monster. With her father’s expertise, and Gaston’s physicality, no creature within a 100 mile radius was safe.

The town let out a sigh of relief when Van Helsing and Gaston returned with the head of the creature that had supposedly killed poor Ashley, but when her sister Drusilla was found a month later with her throat slashed, the town once again demanded the head of the monster that did it. Once again Belle’s father and Gaston rose to the occasion, bringing justice for the young maiden’s death, but were soon facing another murder, the latest being Mrs. Potts who was found strangled in the woods.

“Belle, you must really learn to get along better with Gaston.”

Rolling her eyes she tried to give her father some clarity on what type of man Gaston really was. “He’s terrible father. He’s conceited, and boorish, and he always says the crudest things when your back is turned. When you stop your…association with him, I plan on never seeing that troublesome oaf again.”

As her father’s grasp on her hands tightened she could sense that he was growing more irritated.

“And what’s so terrible about him, hmmm?” Her father scolded, his hold becoming unbearable. “He is a hero. He’s made a name for himself now, protecting people from monsters. At the festival next week, the town will be gifting him with the same honor they gave me all those years ago, an acre of land for every monster slain. Given time, he will have as much land as I do. He will be able to build an estate, provide you with the life you have been accustom to.”

With some force, she was able to pull her hands free from her father’s death grip. She bit her tongue trying to stop herself from lashing out and saying something that she couldn’t take back. It was true that she had enjoyed the life her father provided for her. They lived far out of town, on 27 acres of land, one acre for every monster her father had killed over his lifetime. He had cleared two acres of the land to build their home, surrounded by acres of undeveloped forest. She enjoyed the isolation, leaving her plenty of time, to read her father’s extensive collection of books on the supernatural.

While most little girls grew up with skills of cooking and sewing, Belle learned about the creatures of the darkness. She developed her writing skills by transcribing her father’s explorations, as he dictated his adventures to her. Many of the books that filled their library were written by her own hand. Secretly she had hoped to one day publish them, to educate the public on the creatures that they long feared. Although her father’s tales talked of monsters soulless nature towards violence, Belle secretly theorized that perhaps they were just misunderstood, and that it was man that brought the violence to the monsters.

“Now Gaston has let his attention be known to me that he would like to enter a courtship with you.”

Her eyes widened in fear. He wouldn’t. The father she knew and loved wouldn’t subject her to a life shackled to pompous arrogant ox.

“And I have agreed to it.”

Her stomach dropped, as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Calm down child. It’s not marriage. At least not yet. But I think you should take the time to get to know him, see what he can offer. You might be surprised to find a little bit of your father in him.”

This couldn’t be happening. Shaking her head no, she wiped away her tears. Now, she thought to herself. Do the brave thing, and bravery will follow. She needed to tell her father the truth. She needed to tell him what she had secretly been doing the last few months, and with whom.

“Papa, monsters didn’t kill those women.” She shouted out waiting for his reaction, but was hit with his silence. “It’s just what someone, the real murderer, wanted us to believe. Those women died by human hands.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Her father snarled. “Gaston and I caught the monsters that did it.”

“You caught monsters Papa, but innocent ones. Don’t you understand, there is a murderer about, and they have framed these creatures?”

“Enough!” her father‘s voice bellowed through the air as he walked towards his desk in a fit of rage. “I will not stand here and listen to these unfounded accusations on my character or your future husband’s. We hunted and killed the creatures that murdered those innocent women, and if you speak one more word of this fictional nonsense, than I will have no choice but to have you committed for medical observation for hysteria.”

Mouth agape, Belle stood shell shocked at her father’s threat. Who was this man before her? The man threatening to put her in an asylum was not the same man who raised her to be bold and courageous. He had changed over these last few months. These murders had boasted him back into the spotlight of the people once more, and it was obvious to her that he reveled in being their savior against the wicked in this world. Who needed a daughter’s love, when you had the admiration of a town?

Afraid that one more word may cause him to follow through with his threat, she glumly sat back down, clasping her hands together in her lap. There was still so much left unsaid, but if she told him that she had been investigating these murders behind his back with his sworn mortal enemy, the King of Darkness, Rumpelstiltskin, and had in fact fallen in love with him, and had been carrying on a relationship with him for the last few months, she was certain that she would be in chains at the asylum by sundown.

She sat motionless, but could clearly see her father pacing around, fiercely running his hands through his hair. It took several more minutes before he regained his composure.

“There are so many stories here in this library.”

With the soften tone in his voice, she chanced a glance at him, finding some type of solace in the spark of familiar warmth in his eyes.

“Have I ever told you my favorite story?”

The side of her mouth twitched, as the smile she tried to give him faltered under the weight of her heartbreak. She had joyfully heard this story hundreds of times before, but today her ears did not want to hear it.

“Once upon a time, there was a man. A ruggedly handsome man, if I do say so myself,” he chuckled.

“The man had dedicated his life to fighting the evil in the world. He fought many of battle, coming out of each one victorious, as well as a little wiser than he was before. As the man grew more enlightened, he learned of a weapon. A weapon forged of darkness, a dagger that wielded the power to lead all of the darkness and evil in the world. In the right hands, that weapon could be used to banish all of the ungodly creatures and monsters from the earth, freeing mankind from their villainous clutches.”

It was such a strange sensation to hear the familiar words of his story, but have them feel so foreign at the same time. The distorted perspectives that he father had instilled in her as a child about monsters and creatures of the darkness had been forever altered when she fell in love with Rumpelstiltskin. As her father continued with the story, she couldn’t help but wonder how he would react if he knew that she had held that very dagger of darkness in her hands a mere month ago.

“Soon the man decided that if was going to win the war against these monsters, that he needed the weapon. Legend had it, that it was in possession of their king, the King of Darkness. And so the man dedicated his life to finding the King and destroying him. He relentlessly searched for him, for the dagger, hunting down every lead, every whisper of where he may be. One tip led the man into a forest where he had never trekked before. Lost, the man wandered around the unknown forest for days until he stumbled upon an alarming scene. ”

Belle’s pulse quickened, her stomach twisting in knots. What was wrong with her? She knew this story. She lived this story, and yet today something anew was bubbling up inside of her. Flashes of a forgotten long ago sprung forth into her consciousness.

Her mother’s blue eyes. A yellow blanket. A small wooden cup of warm goat’s milk.

“The man was taken aback when he saw a woman lying motionless on the forest floor. Above her was a towering monster, a beastly thing growling and vicious.”

Screaming. Walls shaking with anger.

Closing her eyes she tried to barricade the flood of buried memories.

“But what astonished the man, was not the growling creature that he saw, but the young child, the young girl that stood between the woman and the beast. She couldn’t have been more than four but she stood tall, ready to defend the woman against the monster.”

Distressed Belle opened her eyes, as her father moved to sit next to her. He continued his tale, oblivious to the inner turmoil that his story was causing her.

“Her brave little blue eyes locked onto the man’s. It was in that exact moment that the man saw a kindred soul in the little girl. Without a moment of hesitation, the man rushed in, saving her from the beast. Sadly the woman on the ground, the girl’s mother, had already succumbed to her injuries.”

Feeling like her mind and heart was lost in a muddled haze, she blinked slowly, as her father brought his hand up to cup her cheek, tears welling in his eyes.

“It was that day that the man’s life changed forever. Although the man slayed many a monsters in his lifetime, his greatest accomplishment, his greatest achievement was getting to be that brave little’s girl father from that day forward.”

Looking into her father’s eyes, her sanity desperately tried to cling to the love and affection that she had for him.

“My brave little Belle,” he smiled gently in awe of her. “You were always a protector.” He brought his lips to her forehead giving her a light kiss, before standing up to move towards his desk.

She loved him. She loved him so dearly, that she stayed silent for years, burying the truth of that day, so far deep down, that she allowed herself to truly believe the story that he told her time and time again. But now, the secret of that day burned inside of her. She wanted to say it, but when she opened her mouth, the words burned her tongue leaving her speechless.

She didn’t really want to know, did she? She was going to leave it be, keep the trauma of that day buried until the memory of the monster’s face that day pierced her soul.

“And what about the monster?”

Her voice was tiny, fragile. She wasn’t sure her father even heard her until he stopped suddenly his posture stiffening. Be brave she thought to herself, knowing they were at the point of no return.

“What did the man do the monster?”

All she heard was her own ragged breathing, as she waited for his reply. Keeping his back towards her, he turned his head slightly, as she gazed upon the silhouette of his face.

“The man did what he did best. He slayed the beast.”

“You killed my father,” she whispered revealing the dark truth of that day, and just like that all of the suppressed memories of her father, her real father, came flooding back to her.

He was angry all the time. She would lie in bed at night, clinging to a yellow blanket, as her parents fought. The walls would shake, as plates and dishes shattered against them. Then one day, her mother bundled her up, told her father was sleeping and that they needed to be quiet. Her mother already had two small bags packed for them, and they left the house as quiet as two mice. They were a good distance away from the house, when Belle remembered her yellow blanket. Her mother had told her they couldn’t go back, but she had screamed as loud as she could, terrified to go anywhere without it. She wrestled her hand away from her mother, and bolted back towards the house to retrieve it.

She could see home in the distance, when her father came barreling out of the cottage, storming straight past her, his sights set on her mother. With a raging passion he grabbed her mother, shaking her before throwing her to the ground, her head crashing against a giant boulder. Running to her mother, she had tried to wake her up, but she wouldn’t move.

Her father was sobbing. She stood up, ready to tell him to help Mama wake up, when he suddenly dropped to his knees before her, blood spluttering from his mouth. A man she had never seen before stood behind him, pulling a long jagged knife out of her father’s back. Before she could even look away, the man slashed her father’s throat, his blood splattering upon her tiny face. Terrified as both of her parents lay dead before her, she stood frozen, her eyes locking on the stranger.

“I killed a monster that day,” Her father replied coldly.

“He was my father.”

He turned in a flash, his offended eyes boring into her. “I am your father.”

Looking back she couldn’t remember when she first started replacing the made up beast’s face with her own father’s. It made her wonder what other lies Van Helsing instilled in her at such a young age. What other history did he rewrite?

Awkward tension electrified the air between them, neither knowing what to say next.

She loved him. In all sense of the word he had been her father for the last 16 years, but this revelation made her question what type of man he truly was. He had experience in easily taking a human life, something she never thought he was capable of before. Did he have something to do with these women’s murder?

The front door slammed open, as heavy stomping entered their home. She didn’t have to look back to know Gaston had returned. Looking at her father, the anger in his eyes dissipated into a look of despair.

Her instinct was to go to him, wrap him in her arms, and tell her father that she loved him no matter what, yet she just stood there utterly completely lost to the flurry of emotions battling within her. She heard the creak in the floor board behind her as Gaston’s booming voice called out.

“So what’s for dinner?”

Belle felt as if she was having an out of body experience, as she went through the motions, preparing their dinner that night. She and her father had not said two words to each other, since leaving his office. She needed time to process everything, before making any life altering decisions regarding their relationship. For once she was actually grateful that Gaston was there for dinner, demanding as usual all of the attention, and conversation center around his favorite topic, himself.

She ate in silence, noticing her father drank more that night, than he was typically accustomed to. Belle had no doubt he was trying to numb his own pain over their argument. Gathering the plates, she made her way to the kitchen, as Gaston talked to her father about the town’s festival the following week.

“Of course Belle will need to be on my arm,” she heard Gaston command. “It would be an excellent time to announce the news of our courtship.”

Bile rose in her throat, at the thought of having to parade around town on that pig’s arm, pretending to be ecstatic over the thought of spending her life with him. She wouldn’t do it. She couldn’t do it. Her heart, her love, belonged to another. There was only one man she would spend the rest of her life with, and it certainly wasn’t Gaston. Wiping her hands, she threw the towel down, bursting into the dining room, poised for a fight.

“Don’t you think I should have some say in this conversation, since you are talking about my life?”

“Please Belle, men are talking here.” Gaston scoffed.

She clenched her hands into fists of rage. She would not tolerate another second of this bullish imbecile’s presence. She refused to stand there calmly as her very life was being dissected and planned right before her very eyes. Her back straightened, as she stood tall ready to unleash a tirade of every ill thought and notion that she ever thought of Gaston Legrume, when the sound of fluttering wings caught her attention.

Instantly she glanced towards the window, her eager eyes landing upon the familiar one eyed raven perched on the sill.

He’s back, her inner self rejoiced as a blend of relief, excitement, and arousal spread throughout her entire being. Her father and Gaston’s voices faded into the background as white noise, as she walked over to the window, placing her forehead against the cool glass. She ran her finger down the panel along the outline of the bird, silently cursing the barrier that was between them. She wanted to scoop the raven in her arms, tie a message of love to its leg, and send it back to its master.

“Get away from the window darling, you’ll catch a chill,” her father spoke softly, his first words directed towards her all night. Sighing, she stepped away from the window, watching as the raven flew away into the early evening sky.

Holding her breath, Belle tiptoed past her father’s bedroom door, his loud snores bellowing out into the night air. She grabbed her green cloak off the hook, fastening it over her crisp cotton white nightgown. Slowly she opened the front door, just enough, so she could slide her body through, closing it with one small click.

The cool dark night air awakened her senses as the full moon blanketed the forest before her in a warm inviting light. The last five hours had dragged on for what felt like an eternity. It hadn’t been until the sun had long set, and she feigned a headache, that Gaston had finally taken his leave, and her father shortly thereafter fell into a drunken slumber.

Entering the forest, she heard a crackling of leaves on either side of her. Although she couldn’t see anyone through the thickness of the trees, she knew she was being followed on all sides. While anyone else would be terrified of the sounds in the darkened forest, Belle felt a wave of calmness and peace wash over her. Here she was safe, here she was protected. Restless to see her lover, her pace quickened as she neared their usual meeting place, a small clearing by the river.

Once there, she closed her eyes as the sounds of the forest tickled her ears. She heard an owl in the distance, and the babbling sound of the river. Her pulse quickened as a congress of ravens whirled overhead.

Biting her lip, a warm body rush of desire filled her, as she felt his hot breath tickling the back of her neck.

“Beautiful young maidens, such as yourself, shouldn’t be left alone in these woods after dark,” his voice purred in her ear. “There are monsters about my dear, and you look good enough to eat.”

Heat coiled in her belly at the feel of his hands on her hip. Every lady like social grace she had ever learned went out the window as she pushed her rear out to brush against him. He let out a small hiss as she rubbed herself against his hard bulge.

“Minx,” he uttered playfully as she laid her head back against him, exposing her neck to his soft kisses.

“Well, what do you expect when you ah…” she paused as his slick wet tongue grazed against her pulse point. “When you leave me for seven days.”

“Trust me, my sweet, it was even harder for me,” he confessed, wrapping one arm around her waist, pulling her back flush against his body.

Part of her wanted to turn around and face him, missing the taste of his lips, but the continuous feel of his hard cock rubbing against her rump was too wickedly gratifying to stop. It felt so good. Judging by his staggered breath, he was just as aroused as she was. But before she surrendered to their fever of passion, her heart needed to say something first.

“I love you, Rumple.”

His grinding ceased at her words, as he wrapped both arms around her waist, laying his forehead against her shoulder.

“I love you too,” he professed.

“I don’t know if I could have lasted another day without you,” she confessed with a hint of sorrow in her voice. “Gaston asked my father today to court me.”

Fueled by jealousy his arms tightened around her.

“And my father agreed to it. They plan on announcing it next week. ” her confession was cut off by his clawed hand wrapping around her throat.

“You’re mine,” he hissed possessively.

After a moment, his grasp loosened enough on her neck so she could turn around to face him. His long green talons lightly scraped along her skin. Staring him straight in the eye, she leaned in close, his fingers still wrapped around her throat.

“And you’re mine, Rumpelstiltskin.”

His lips crashed hard onto hers, her mouth greedily welcoming the taste of him. His hand moved from her throat to her back, hauling her towards him. Delving her hand into his hair, she grasped it between her fingers, giving it a slight tug.

His tongue slid into her mouth, causing a pool of wetness between her legs. She didn’t want to wait a moment longer. Putting her hands on his chest, she pushed herself away, his lips desperately trying to follow hers. Slowly she took a few steps backwards as her eyes locked on his darkened lust filled stare.

Silently she brought her hands up, untying the cloak from her shoulders, feeling it fall from her body to the ground behind her. The crisp night air did nothing to cool her overheated body as she stood there before him in a sleeveless thin white cotton nightgown.

His hungry eyes roamed over her body as she stood before him, her chest heaving in carnal anticipation. Desire shot through her core, as he lowered his head, licking his lips, like an animal ready to pounce on its prey.

He took two long strides, before his strong hands lifted her, cupping her ass as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She wrapped one arm around his neck, the other she slithered down in between them, to unfasten his leather breaches. He plucked a kiss from her lips as her fingers grazed over his freshly exposed hard member.

“Hold on to me, love” he gritted out, as she wrapped both arms around his neck clinging to him, as he lowered them to the hard ground.

He placed one hand behind him, steadying himself to sit down with his legs out, as she straddled him. Face to face, she reached down, grasping his cock, lining him up with her entrance. She let out a soft cry, followed closely by his low groan, as she slid down onto his cock. Placing her forehead against his, the two lovers moved together as one.

He reached for her nightgown now bunched up at her waist, pulling it off over her head in one fell swoop.

“Beautiful,” he whispered as he peppered small kisses along her breasts. The sensation of his wet lips on her puckered nipples drove her wild, and she found herself grinding harder down on him. She cried out, as he held onto her hips, thrusting up, filling her as far as he could go. She threw her head back, her long hair tickling her bare back.

Lost in throes of passion, she was vaguely aware of their surroundings, until a horde of sticks snapping and leaves crunching intruded her ears. Eyes snapping open, she stopped mid thrust, as Rumple laid still beneath her. She held her breath, as her eyes scoured the forest around them.

Hundreds of glowing eyes surrounded the two lovers. Small eyes, big eyes, from the top of the trees to the forest floor stared upon them. It was not people who watched them, this she knew. It was his subjects, the creatures of the darkness.

She looked down at Rumple, his glittery green skin, sparkling in the moonlight, as his eyes held a question of a shy hope and fear. She knew she should be mortified, hide her naked body from their prying eyes, and yet she had no desire to do so. She loves their king. She wants to show them, prove to all of them that her world and their world of darkness can join together as easily as the two bodies before them.

She grinds against Rumple once more, drawing words of love and devotion from his lips. She knows the creatures eyes are upon them, as he lifts his trembling hands cupping her breasts. Glancing out into the forest, her eyes convey a silent promise to them all. She loves them, and will protect them with her dying breath.

Her climax draws near, as she quickened her pace, feeling him deep inside of her.

“You are their queen,” he proclaims. “My love, my life, My Belle.”

His words push her over the edge, as she tightens around his cock, drawing his own orgasm. Wolves howl into the full moon night sky as his seed pulses inside of her. Breathless she falls forward onto his chest, letting out a sigh of contentment as his arms quickly wrap around her.

They are still joined as she lays her head on his beating heart. Neither speaks as they bask in the afterglow of their love. She shivers as the night air sweeps over her naked flesh. She feels him move his hand, blindly searching for her cape nearby. He soon succeeds, covering them with the green cloak.

“If that is the type of homecoming I get, I should go away more often,” he teases stroking her hair.

“Don’t you dare,” she playfully chides, kissing his chest. She chances a glimpse into the forest, not surprised to see all eyes have disappeared. She knows that even though she can no longer see them, they haven’t ventured far, especially the wolves. They have a sworn oath to protect their king, and in turn now…her. There was no place safer for her to be, than surrounded by the monsters and creatures of the darkness.

As protected as she was in her lover’s arms she couldn’t dispel the growing worry in her heart. Soon they would learn the truth of who was really behind the murder of Mrs. Potts, and she prayed that her suspicions were wrong.

“So I take it you were able to acquire what was needed?” she asked a hint of uneasiness in her voice, as his hand lightly strokes her naked back.

“Yes,” his voice was low. She knew he felt no joy in the subject matter. “It took a little longer than expected, but I was able to obtain all of the ingredients we need for the spell. If things go as plan, we should be able to see the last few minutes of Mrs. Potts’ life through her own eyes.”

He took a deep breath, her head moving with the fall and rise of his chest.

“Sweetheart, I know this isn’t easy for you, if you…”

“No,” she interjected cutting off his concern as her chin pressed into his chest. “We need to know…I need to know the truth. If someone is killing these women, and framing monsters for it, they have to be stopped. Even if it’s…” she couldn’t bring herself to finish her thought. What type of daughter was she for even considering the notion that her own father could be involved in these killings?

Using one hand to push himself up from the ground, Rumple held her as he moved himself into a sitting position, with her straddling his lap.

“I promise you Belle. If by the slightest chance your father somehow is involved in this, he will be safe from me and mine. No harm will come to him by my command.”

She knows that his words are truthful, but wonders if he learned of her father’s threat to put her in an asylum, if he would still hold true to his promise. It was one thing to harm someone else, but if her father harmed her in any way, no promise would stop Rumpelstiltskin in exacting revenge.

“Time is of the essence. Should we go to the dark castle tonight to start the spell?” she inquired, stunned when he shook his head no.

“When all is revealed Sweetheart, there is no going back. Soon we will find if a murderer is from my world, or yours. Either way, as King of the Darkness I will have to bring some balance back to this world of chaos. There are many ways, many different paths that this could take us down. So forgive me, but just for tonight, I do not want to think about what lays ahead, but savor the now. Tonight is ours.”

Looking into his eyes, Belle could see that he was as worried as she was of what this spell would uncover. If Gaston or her father were somehow involved in all of this, she wasn’t sure what she would do.

“Tomorrow, then,” she agreed.

“You do know that no matter what happens tomorrow there is only one path that is certain?”

“Which one is that?”

Placing his hands on her cheeks, he gave her a small smile, his voice intent and sincere.

“The one where you and I are together.”

Rolling her onto her back, all worries of tomorrow faded away, as the king of darkness and his queen made love under the moonlight.

#rumbelle monster's ball #rumbelle fic #rumbelle

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jeremiahbaquero · 6 years

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The Inability of Letting Go

Title: The Inability of Letting Go

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Past Mateo/Marcus

Time: Late 1800s

Summary: Before he met Clarence B Whitlocke, he knew Marcus Morgan; the man who got him in to the trouble he ran from and lead him into the arms of The Companions

“I need some space.”

It was honest, the most honest he had been in years. He became smothered by the men and their closeness, he woke early in the mornings just to have silent minutes alone. Landing into town was a blow that he learned how to fall into with practiced ease. Three weeks in and he found himself courting a beautiful woman, she would follow him into his room at night and emerge before breakfast. A schoolteacher; she made sure she was never seen with a cowboy with long hair. He didn’t mind her sneaking around; it didn’t bother him at all what she did to placate her busy mind. He had done the same thing when he buried himself in people when his heart hurt and his spirits down in his boots.

“California sounds nice this time of year.” Mateo tossed the newspaper down on the bedside table, earning a surprised exhale from Clarence when he lowered his own book.

“So you'll be gone a year then?” Clarence watched when he sat himself down on the edge of the bed and when Mateo didn’t answer him, he nudged him with his boot.

“Seems that way, don't it?”

“I'll miss you, brother, tell him I send my wishes.”

“No you won't, but it'll be good for us all.”

If he thought back through all of the memories he held since he learned to walk, there a single man who got him into his trouble. A white man with flushed cheeks, dark hair and a smile so big that it ate up the rest of his face. Barely two years older than him, they were just boys on a farm with imaginary barriers between them. Marcus stood on the verandas beside his father and sister, and Mateo stood under the burning Texan sun, tending to the horses. He wished he could draw, capture the way Marcus smoked cigarettes with an air of disinterest as his father ranted about life in the East. He would inherit the land and the business, but when Mateo made the effort to watch Marcus Morgan, he couldn’t ever see the boy settling in to the life. He turned nineteen at the end of January; the Brizuela brothers and a few other men were the only workers who stayed behind in the winter. Mateo had nowhere to go and Texas stayed warm in the cooler months. He had heard about snow and on the journey from Mexico he had seen snowcapped mountains, but he didn’t wish to experience it without any furs or wool.

His family worked on the ranch, all of his brothers; his sister stayed in Mexico with his parents. Everyone he wanted to speak to spoke Spanish. He was one of the youngest boys who worked in the field and he had grown up with horses enough to consider them his friends. Sugar was his favorite, a black Steed who was notoriously difficult to ride.

He liked the challenge. Not speaking English wasn't isolating; no one he cared for spoke the language. The European drifters that passed through in the search of an easy way to make money were not the men he wanted to befriend.

He remembered the parties that the workers threw, how in the corner of the room he would see Marcus. He was the first man he ever kissed. He only arrived in the late evening, once his father retired to bed. He never stayed long, only long enough to have a drink and dance with a few. He stayed closer to the walls, as if he was trying to avoid being seen by anyone who would report his whereabouts to his father. He danced with Mateo once and when the music stopped, Marcus's grip stayed true on Mateo's waist.

In April, his father arranged for Kitty Lehane to come and be his wife. He had heard the gossip from the women who worked in the kitchen. He heard how Marcus had threatened to pack his belongings and run West, only soothed by Maria. He wasn't surprised when he started seeing Marcus around the workers houses more often, avoiding the older woman that his father intended to marry him off to.

“Un beso?” His fingers were light on Mateo's forearm, not gripping, not holding. He didn't think Marcus had ever taken something by force. Bearing no resemblance to his father, Mateo was naively sure that one kiss would not hurt. In hindsight, he knew he shouldn't feel loose again and his mouth confident.

“Un beso.’ He turned himself so he was no longer trying to escape the room and placed a hand at Marcus's cheek, in case he had mistranslated. Marcus was taller than him; breaching six foot, while he stood at five ten on a good day. When his lips touched his, Marcus pulled them back in to the comfort of the shadows. “Más.”

“Mañana?” Marcus asked, when he brushed away the strand of hair that fell from the loose knot Mateo had tied his hair into.

Mateo shook his head and when he saw the hope that Marcus held disappear, he leaned forward to kiss him again and whispered into his mouth. “Ahora.”

“Ahora?” Marcus asked, hand at the small of Mateo's back, stumbling through his words.

“Ahora… Y mañana.” Mateo nodded, reaching down and untucking Marcus's shirt tails.

One evening turned in to weeks; nights where he crept in through Marcus's window and kissing him while his wife to be slept in the room next to theirs. They were spent in the dark, candlelight being the only thing that illuminated the room in the summer nights. Both were sensible to let Mateo leave before dawn, until they weren't.

“My Spanish isn't good enough to keep up with you.” Marcus kissed along Mateo's neck, his hands at his waist, their legs tangled, Mateo's hands roaming his chest. He didn't understand the words he said and Marcus felt how his grip tightened on his bicep. “I want to talk to you, find out where you lived before; if you would be interested in staying here with me once my old man kicks the bucket.”

“Marcus… No entiendo.” Mateo whispered as he pulled him back up so they were face to face; his hands at his cheeks, his palms feeling his soft weekend stubble.

“I know-- I'll get better at Spanish.” Marcus kissed his thumb, pulling Mateo back on to his lap.

Since leaving Texas, he had only seen Marcus once more. He barely remembered the day he left the ranch; he remembered pain searing through his entire body and what John Morgan left him with he carried around as a badge of honor. He remembered thinking that when he was murdered by the Scotsman, he would be thrown into the river, limp and lifeless and Marcus would be given a nice funeral. He remembered sticky blood As he was dragged across the dusty paddock, only in his trousers, his long hair sticking to his neck and back with blood with each breach of his skin. As he rode, he hoped that he would remember him; he looked different, he had cut his hair and he was no longer a sweet sixteen and seventeen.

He had heard that Marcus had bought a piece of land by the sea, a farmhouse overlooking the great Pacific, acres stretching out towards the North, full of fertile soil and animals he had rescued from other farms. He visited and although the Marcus had married since their last meeting, there was no awkwardness between the pair, Marcus's Spanish had improved and Mateo's English had improved. They spent hours talking and in the morning, Mateo went out to work with the cattle again.

He stood at the edge of the property, staring down the path, an empty feeling brewing in his stomach and spreading out through his arms and legs. The sign that stood on the corner of the path was no longer there. He remembered helping Marcus carve MORGAN into the wood. With no sign, he decided not to ride Daisy down the path to the house. The path was overgrown, green shoots and plants had turned into a dull brown, scorched by the sun and neglect. No one had been down the path in months. He had missed him. Nearly two thousand miles, months traveled and he had missed him, he left three days before the letter arrived in Clarence's mailbox; informing them of the turn of events.

“Can I get you something to drink, friend?” The bartender offered when Mateo sat down at a stool, putting his head in his hands.

“I remember the Morgan farm down by the sea.” He muttered, looking up at the man. “Did he move recently?”

“Morgan? He died about four months back, they found his body down by Promise Creek.”

“Marcus?”

“His wife left; place has been abandoned ever since.” The bartender took out a glass. “Folks say that it's haunted down there.”

“I will need that drink.”

#agt the cattleboy #agt #the inability of letting go #agt writings

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yahoosg-feature · 5 years

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5 things you probably never knew existed in Gold Coast… until now!

Turns out there’s more to an Australian getaway than expansive beaches and sandy surf spots. Whether you’re there with friends or family, Gold Coast is never short on activities to keep you and your crew entertained.

We reveal some of the latest and best of what this iconic holiday destination has to offer that you probably never knew about!

A party every weekend at NightQuarter

A post shared by NightQuarter (@nightquarter) on Mar 18, 2018 at 1:00am PDT

NightQuarter is Gold Coast’s newest food carnival that’s home to over 60 different food vendors and exotic micro-restaurants, each serving up a collection of specialty dishes, mix-and-match eats, and drool-worthy desserts from all over the world.

What you didn’t know…

A post shared by NightQuarter (@nightquarter) on Mar 22, 2018 at 3:00pm PDT

Good food aside, the fascinating ‘shipping container city’ hosts a party every weekend. This is where local artists and touring musicians take centre stage at the NightQuarter’s outdoor event space, The Paddock, for a night of music and dance.

Beer lovers and barbecue fans get the chance to indulge in a full range of wood-fired barbecues, boutique brews and interstate beers at The Backyard Bar and Barbecue, the perfect place to relax and knock back a cold one.

http://nightquarter.com.au/

A whirlwind ride on the HyperCoaster

A post shared by Warner Bros. Movie World (@movieworldaus) on Apr 1, 2018 at 12:00am PDT

“Don’t look down!” would be appropriate advice for anyone about to embark on this beast of a machine. Warner Bros Movie World‘s new DC Rivals HyperCoaster is “the longest, tallest and fastest rollercoaster in the Southern Hemisphere”.

At 61.6 metres high, the DC-inspired HyperCoaster sends riders hurtling through 1.4 km of twists and loops at 115km/h speeds that includes a menacing 89 degree drop into the lair of the Joker �� Batman’s most iconic supervillain. It’s sure to thrill parents and children alike!

What you didn’t know…

A post shared by Warner Bros. Movie World (@movieworldaus) on Mar 4, 2018 at 11:00pm PST

This thing even rides backwards. #omgyes or #awwhellno? We’ll let you decide.

https://www.hypercoaster.com.au/

Take to new heights at SkyPoint Observation Deck

A post shared by SkyPoint (@skypoint_au) on May 26, 2018 at 1:00am PDT

How high you ask? 230 metres above sea level to be exact. That’s how high you’ll be taken to when visiting the SkyPoint Observation Deck, located on the 77th floor of the Q1 tower.

Renowned for being the tallest residential building in the world, SkyPoint offers stunning views and mouth-watering fares where you and your children can indulge in both food and scenery at the city’s highest dining destination, SkyPoint bistro + bar.

What you didn’t know…

A post shared by SkyPoint (@skypoint_au) on Mar 29, 2018 at 1:00am PDT

Those with children aged 12 and above can embark on the exhilarating SkyPoint Climb (Australia’s highest external building climb), which rises a further 40 metres from the building’s peak for unparalleled 360° views of the beachside city and beyond.

https://www.skypoint.com.au/

Feel right at home at the Worendo Cottages

There’s no place like home at the Worendo Cottages as you take part in an invigorating farm stay experience set in the peaceful Lost World Valley, overlooking the stunning mountains of Lamington National Park.

The family-owned business includes cottages for both couples and families alike and offers unique outdoor activities like feeding farm animals, roasting marshmallows by the fire, winery tours, exploring the legendary views of the Widgee Valley or channelling your inner chef at the Wild Lime Cooking School.

What you didn’t know…

Perhaps the best part about the Worendo Cottages is that it’s conveniently located just 90 minutes away from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, ideal for mixing a coastal blue holiday with a dose of countryside green!

Eat, drink and interact at The Collective

A post shared by The Collective Palm Beach (@thecollectivepalmbeach) on Apr 24, 2018 at 12:29am PDT

Gold Coast’s latest dining sensation, The Collective, features five individually owned restaurants, one bar, and a rooftop bar and dining experience that includes spectacular ocean views.

Originally the old Palm Beach post office, the venue has transformed into a vibrant foodie playground, sitting over 300 people in an open outdoor setting with live musical acts, a relaxing dining area and communal tables where hungry patrons can congregate.

What you didn’t know…

A post shared by The Collective Palm Beach (@thecollectivepalmbeach) on Nov 20, 2017 at 6:09pm PST

Fussy eaters need not worry. The menu here is sure to please even the fussiest of children and foodies, offering everything from Mexican tacos to oriental stir-fry, Italian pizzas to Japanese-inspired dishes. There’s also a specialty food menu for vegetarians, vegans and those with gluten-free diets.

http://www.thecollectivepalmbeach.com.au/

What are you waiting for?!

There’s more to see and discover than you think! Experience the best of Queensland with 5 times weekly non-stop flights from Singapore to Gold Coast at affordable prices thanks to Scoot.

Use promo code ‘ILOVEGC’ to get 20% off your flight. Book by 24 June 2018 and travel by 15 November 2018. Terms and conditions apply. Click HERE to book now!

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travelonlinetips-blog · 5 years

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New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/best-gold-coast-restaurants-by-precinct-2/

Best Gold Coast restaurants by precinct

If you can’t find a rockin’ place to eat on the Gold Coast, than you’re doing something wrong. In fact, there just aren’t enough mealtimes in the day to get through this mammoth list of Gold Coast restaurants and cafes that are truly local faves.

We’ve broken it down by precinct, starting north and heading our way down the coast, so no matter where you’re staying, the best eats and Insta-opportunities are just moments away!

Southport

The go-to for authentic Asian eats on the Gold Coast, you can expect to rub shoulders with office workers by day and dim sum lovers by night in Southport (or SoPo as the kids at Randy Wallhole like to call it).

Randy Wallhole is basically all your childhood breakfast dreams realised. Start your morning with their iced latte Coco Pops – yep, literally Coco Pops served over an iced latte (Tobys Estate none the less) – or go old school with a Mum’s Special Jaffle (aka Heinz spaghetti and cheese).

If you’re feeling a little more grown up and sophisticated, they do bagels too.

Then, make a beeline for Blendlove. While they serve a full plant-based food menu here (try the Magic Mushrooms with basil vegan mince and cashew aioli for brekkie, and gluten-free BBQ Ranch Burger with housemade bean and kale patty later on), we’ll admit, it’s ALL about the raw desserts and bowls.

Top your choc berry ripe smoothie bowl with flaked coconut and caramel buckinis, and take away a slab of Cheezecake made from the flavours of the day.

If you’re after cheap, quality Japanese BBQ, head for JFX where you can grill your own or fuel up with a tasty bento or ramen. For authentic north Chinese Uighur cuisine, grab a table and BYO at Xin Jiang, or join the queue for yum cha at Top One at Australia Fair Shopping Centre.

Also check out… Chinatown Street Markets are on the first Saturday of every month from 5pm to 9pm.

Main Beach

A bundle of fish and chips or a Chiko Roll are just as at home in Main Beach as the swanky prix fixe lunches found along Tedder Ave. One thing’s for sure, Main Beach packs a lot of culinary punch into its patch.

Head to Marina Mirage for the pick of the bunch, like Glass Dining, which fits like Cinderella’s slipper every time you visit. Start with a mixed dozen of the freshest oysters and wash them down with one of Glass’s signature cocktails as the sun sets over the marina. (Psst. You might have seen it in our list of 11 Gold Coast restaurants with epic water views.)

Just down the road you can treat yourself to a swanky high tea (gluten-free options available) in the Le Jardin Lobby Bar at Palazzo Versace. For Italian, book into Ristorante Fellini, or there’s good ol’ fashioned fish and chips at the Omeros Brothers.

Also check out… Pick up just-shucked oysters and fish and chips at Peter’s Fish Market – one of the best spots for fish and chips on the coast.

Surfers Paradise

For first-timers to the Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise usually becomes the epicentre of your stay.

On the eating front, options span the entire spectrum – from Shake Shak-style burgers and frozen concretes at cult burger joint, Betty’s Burgers, to unbeatable water views (and insanely good oysters) at Seascape.

Hotels are the hotbed of restaurant stars in this precinct, with Bazaar at QT Gold Coast offering a gourmet buffet like you’ve never experienced before. If it’s a Friday night, make a bee-line for Rumba Caliente at Stingray Bar, where you’ll be transported to Latin America with empanadas, Cuban espresso martinis, and Latino jams.

Get your teppanyaki on at Misono at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa – which claims to be the largest teppanyaki restaurant in the country – or experience Asian fusion delights at Catch Restaurant in the Hilton Surfers Paradise.

After you’ve eaten your way around the hotels, head to the 4217 complex for an excellent brew at Paradox Coffee Roasters, wings and burgers from Brooklyn Depot, or a gooey woodfired pizza from Salt Meats Cheese.

Also check out… Cute cafe Bumbles (okay, technically it’s Budds Beach but at just a two-minute amble from the bungee bullet).

Broadbeach

Just six kilometres south of Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach is a food lover’s mecca, with everything from Bavarian to Middle Eastern, through to high-class Japanese and vegetarian on the menu.

If you’re into sharing, pull up a seat kitchen-side at Social Eating House + Bar for a theatrical dining experience, or keep the carbs coming with authentic pasta and pizza at Rivea Italian

We’re not surprised Kiyomi scored a coveted chef’s hat in the 2019 Nation Good Food Guide. Tucked neatly away inside The Star Grand, this modern Japanese restaurant hits all the right notes. (Read our full review in this post.)

If Asian fusion is more your bag, check out Mamasan Kitchen + Bar (hello, spanner crab ravioli dumplings!) and Hideaway Kitchen and Bar.

From yellowtail sashimi and Thai-style ceviche, through to dumplings and wontons, every variety of Asian street food garners a mention here. Wash it down with imported Asian brewskies or a local Balter can.

Looking for breakfast? If there was an award for the prettiest cafe on the coast, we’d give it to Elk Espresso. Always buzzing and always adorable, this Broadie cafe starts the day with the likes of blueberry pannacotta, and basil and chilli scrambled eggs with goats cheese, and warms up to hearty salads and burgers at lunchtime.

Also check out… Epic vegetarian eats at The Cardamom Pod (also in Southport).

Mermaid Beach

Once only seen as a strip of the Gold Coast Highway where Sizzler and Hooters laid their claim, Mermaid Beach is now a hot foodie haunt with everything from meatballs to perfectly flaky croissants.

If you like your margaritas spicy and your empanadas stuffed with pumpkin and salted caramel, slip into Bonita Bonita for blow-your-mind Mexican. While you’re waiting for a table, road-test their cocktail list in sister bar, Bon Bon, right next door.

Consistently rating its pants off on the Gold Coast dining scene since the doors opened in 2010, Little Truffle is on an unassuming corner but once you step inside, it’s so Frenchy; so chic. We love the Monday to Thursday three-course deal for $60.

Looking for something more casual? After lighting up the backstreets of Miami with Paddock Bakery, the owners decided to open Bam Bam Bakehouse in homage to artisan croissants through to a full bistro menu. Order the croissant French toast. Don’t ask questions.

When we said Elk would win the award for cutest cafe on the coast, we had forgotten all about everyone’s favourite Disney movie (and also Gold Coast cafe), Little Mermaid.

Just like Ariel’s high notes, Little Mermaid’s menu is filled with sweetness, from the Nutella & Grilled Strawberry Toastie with flaked sea salt at breakfast time, to jugs of rose-infused sangria and Stone & Wood beer-battered fish and chips come nightfall.

Also check out… Etsu Izakaya for sublime Japanese.

Nobby Beach

Ten years ago, Nobby Beach wouldn’t have been a blip on the food radar, but this beachside strip now has some of the coast’s most-wanted menus and linger-all-afternoon vibes.

Hellenika could be credited with starting the movement, the Greek baby of restaurateur Simon Gloftis, that will want you leaving more with every mouthful.

From zucchini chips to wood-fired octopus and melty lamb ribs, you can’t go wrong here. But if we were the betting type, we’d put our money on the $88 signature banquet, which takes the decision-making out of the equation so you can just indulge in the seemingly endless stream of dips, saganaki, calamari, salty pork belly, fish, salad, baked lamb and greek sweets.

If you’ve got a hankering for Cocowhip, superfood salad or big ‘ol bowl of sweet potato fries, wander down to the beachfront to BSKT. You can downward dog before or after you eat with their yoga studio just upstairs.

For a slice of Italiano in Nobby Beach, intimate pizza and wine bar Gemellini (sister restaurant of Gemelli in Broadbeach) is ready and waiting to serve you with piping hot, cheesy arancini, traditional pizzas and nonna’s secret bolognese recipe.

Also check out… The Yard for shakshuka eggs by morning and cocktails and cuca tins by afternoon.

Miami

A blink-and-you’ll-miss it suburb snuggled in between Nobby Beach and Burleigh Heads, the Gold Coast’s Miami is less ’80s TV cop dramas and South Beach pastels, more hipster grunge and vegan delights.

Housed in a cute cottage, Paddock Bakery brought queue-inducing dippy eggs and salted caramel cruffins to the backstreets of Miami in 2014, and locals have been addicted ever since. We don’t know what we love more – the purple eggs (poached eggs served over house woodfired toast, slathered in beetroot and za’atar puree and topped with fetta) or the eggy custard tarts… or the, well, everything!

Head to Greenhouse Canteen when you want to treat your body like a temple and your Instagram feed like a boss. Working under the tagline, “Cruelty-free and killing it”, you can expect brain-tricking dishes like smoked jackfruit enchiladas with turmeric rice, cucumber guacamole, sour cream and pickled cabbage, and an epic plant-based grazing board.

If cheap and cheerful Chinese is more your cup of (Jasmine) tea, Miami Rice will keep your belly happy and Kung Po your taste buds with Malaysian and Thai dishes sidling up alongside your chow mein and Cantonese crispy roast duck.

Also check out… Miami Marketta for a smorgasbord of food truck eats and live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night under the fairy lights.

Burleigh Heads

The list of epic eats in Burleigh Heads is as long as the sets of perfectly peeling waves curling around the headland, best watched from a picnic rug on the hill. From beachfront fine dining to rooftop bars and backstreet secrets, you’ll feel completely satiated here.

The fresh catches flown in twice-daily, the crisp, white tablecloths and the smooth-talking sommelier are just a few of the reasons why we’re sure the judges awarded The Fish House a chefs hat (again) in the 2019 Australian Good Food Guide. The views and the tasting menu are what takes it over the line from fine to freakin’-fabulous-every-time for us.

Across the road, in prime beachfront territory, Rick Shores (named one of the Australian Financial Review‘s 2018 Top 100 Restaurants) offers up its trademark Thai twist, with goodies like crispy tofu sliders with pickled kimchi through to sticky pork belly with wok-fried pak choi and yellow peach.

For casual eats and curl-your-toes coffee, head to Canteen Coffee and Kitchen or local fave Commune.

When the sun starts to shimmy its way down towards the horizon, the rooftop at Justin Lane is where you want to be.

Also check out… Willow Dining Room for tapas by candlelight.

Currumbin

It’s hard to go past the Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Life Saving Club – perched on the most impressive piece of waterfront land on the entire coast – but the dreamy, beachy strip of Currumbin has plenty of other food stars in the lineup, too.

Start your day the right way with an acai bowl from the kings of the purple berry, The Salt Mill, or munch on breakfast bruschetta and bircher at Elephant Rock Cafe.

Also check out… Biker hangout Iron and Resin Garage on a Sunday for great coffee, live tunes and a rolling roster of food trucks.

Coolangatta

Home of pro surfers, one of the coast’s most famous breaks, and right on the border of New South Wales, Coolangatta is Queensland’s final frontier when it comes to beachfront eats done right.

If you’re into cafe hopping, you’ve found your zen. Plan to spend a morning at longtime local fave Cafe Dbar, then check out Rockleigh Cafe (can you say all day brunch?!) and Black Sheep Espresso Baa, which you’ll find in The Strand.

Make a sneaky sidestep to Griffith St Larder. They do a mean breakfast, but let’s face it, with the sweet treats being dealt from their window, we know it’s all about the doughnuts. And the cakes. And the muffins. (Okay, we’ll stop now.)

Later on, tame your tapas cravings at BiN 72 or discover Americana in full swing at Eddie’s Grub House, with burgers, Southern fried free-range chicken, and Texas chilli cheese fries just some of the waistband-stretching wonders on the menu.

But perhaps our favourite food baby on this end of the coast comes from Tupe Aloha for its Mexican delights and tiki cocktails. Because, let’s face it, how can you not love tiki?

Also check out… You can’t leave Coolangatta without a triple scoop from Gelato Messina.

*For more ideas, check out our 48 hours in Coolangatta post.

That should keep you full! Are there any you think we’ve missed? Add your favourite Gold Coast restaurant to the comments below.

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dangerouslyclosetothesurface · 5 years

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Mission Crit 6 Weekend

MC4 Alleycat, Friday: (Strava) - Met up with Jacob at our usual spot (Masonic and Geary) and went down to Cupid's Span. There were many more people there than usual alleycats. This did not deter us. - Manifest #1: South Park, Transamerica, Beale St Plaza. - Went towards South Park, but I cut over kinda late on Embarcadero because traffic, but fortunately was still going in the right direction. - Mini-manifest: Clyde/Lusk, Willie McCovey statue, 51 Federal. - Jacob took us to Willie Mays statue instead. Also a bunch of people were congregating toward us, and I looked on my phone and realized it was something across the way (also I could see the statue in the distance) so I did not follow the main bunch. - Then Clyde/Lusk, then a brief hiccup when we went down the wrong side of Federal and made an unnecessary loop. We still got it though. - Continued onward to Beale St. - Then to Transamerica Pyramid. - Mini-manifest: Empire Park, Peter Macchiarini Steps, 555 California. - Empire Park was right around the corner. Then the steps, which we had to run up because ain't no fuckin way I be biking up or down that shit. Then 555 Cal. - Back to Cupid's Span - Manifest #2: Civic Center, Alamo Sq Painted Ladies, Duboce Steps at Buena Vista, Dolores Park (upper corner where the urinal is). - Civic Center first. Went down Mission cuz fuck Market. I ain't tryna dodge no buses. Lost Jacob at 1st or so, kept gunning it down Mission, got a red on 6th so cut over to Market and made it to 7th between the lights, then it was a straight shot down McAllister. Waited for Jacob, then we headed off to Painted Ladies. - Grove (hit that fuckin stupid light at VN) all the way up. Climbing got rough at the last bit. - Then Steiner to Fell (thank god it was the downhill portion from Steiner on) towards Panhandle. Up Baker. Up all the way. Jacob caught up with me because he took Broderick (smart!) and ran up the steps. Also, Duboce Steps look great. Good job, rotation apprentices!!!!! Also I miss BV. - Then we took 14th (Duboce was too steep and scary for me) and did a sort of wiggle situation. Someone at Market and Noe said something hostile to me that I didn't understand. I got to Church and 18th and as I was going down 18th I knew I should go inside the park, but the light was not to my favor, so I just went up Church like a chump. Got one block, then legit had to walk from Hancock to 19th. Then got back on and met up with Jacob. Then we were home free. Dolores to 18th to Guerrero to 16th to Valencia to Market to Gough. - Pas Normal at 149 Gough end. - Results: 17th/18th and 3rd WTF - Stuck around to get my racing stuff and a bit of swag, shot the shit with Jacob, then we headed out. - Market to Wiggle home. - Got home, unloaded racing materials, packed, swapped out my wheels for my H Plus Sons/Phil Wood and applied chain lube to everything. Then went to sleep.

Mission Crit, Saturday: - Woke up and went to get charsiu because I wanted to test my 48x15 wheels. But it was SO FUCKIN WINDY that I determined that I would just stick to my normal wheelset (QR Shimano front and Mavic M4 rear), which is 48x16. Cuz I wanted to make sure I had absolute control, and figured I wouldn't need the extra gear inches cuz wind? Also I bought way more charsiu than I planned (2.4lbs) and had to hold the large foodcontainer in my hand while biking in the wind because I stubbornly refused to bring a bag. - So I swapped my normal wheels back on, ate 0.6lbs of charsiu, and went for some warmup turns and such around my hood (Spreckels/Rhodie Loop/Bison Paddock) ~7mi. Left my straps on because I thought straps would be more challenging to do hairpins in. - Then headed out to the course to set up at garage and get there in time for open course laps. Took a really chill Clement -> GGP, and then someone from the men's field stopped next to me at the edge of Stanyan, and said hello, and I decided to follow him down Oak. Oak was actually a lot smoother to ride than Panhandle (there were like twenty billion peds in Panhandle, also). Made it to course and said hi to Josh at SFBMA tent, then went to garage and put my stuff down with Ariel and Sydney. - Got settled, swapped over my pedals for clipless, put on my shoes, got my bike and shoes and *watermelon helmet!* approved at the bike check station. - I decided I wanted some Clif bars and fortunately Safeway had *the best flavor!* (pb banana, with chunks of dark chocolate). It was a pain to go in and out of the course though. - At 1:15ish we did open course laps, which felt alright. I was a little intimidated that everyone was surging around me, but it was a good warmup, basically. - After that, men's qualifying heats started. I watched the first two laps of the first heat, but that made me more nervous so I went back inside to wait for my qualifier. Also went to change out of my unfashionable-bum fashion and into my bike clothing. - Around 15:00 we decided to try out these Tacx rollers that were there, and I noticed that my front wheel was kinda tilted weird? It may have been the rollers but it also may have been me. So I took it over to the bike inspection and this man was like "QR is not legal. You can't race on this wheel." So then I asked around, including asking the person who a-ok'd my bike, and some course marshalls, who radioed my question to the officials, and they were all like, you need a different front. - THEN I spent a good fifteen minutes scrambling before I asked Josh if he had a front wheel, and PRAISE the lord cuz he did and he was like ya sure you can race on mine. Took my bike over and he got it sorted in minutes. Then walked back over (had to wait to cross the course while the last men's qualifier was going on) just in time to pump up the wheel fully and get ready for my qualifier. - QUALIFIER: lined up and such. I was very amped to go into the first turn (hairpin), but everyone else was kinda chillin', and I found myself going too fast, and had to commit to doing the hairpin on the inside, which was mad sketch, cuz I basically cut off everyone who was going at a reasonable speed all organized and lined up, and I am not proud of it. As a result, everyone else then picked up speed and started fuckin surging. In my mind I was like holy fuck why did I just do that what have I done. But whatever, it was too late, so I was like, ok guess this is my life now. It was going ok, but I was confused and frightened and not very focused, so I neglected to do the only thing that matters (one of), which is looking through the turns, so at 18th and Treat, I was fuckin looking at the barricades instead of through my turn, and unknowingly did a sketch move which another rider yelled at me for. Then that freaked me the fuck out, and I was like holy shit what did I do why did I get yelled at, and then I just kinda let them go ahead so that I could be away from people and thus not endangering them ha Anyway it was fine after that. It was very windy, and I was falling behind, because I am very weak at endurance, and I kinda felt it at like 7 laps to go (this is too soon to be feeling that way), and a few riders caught up to me and tried to let me use their wheel, but even then I was too slow, and my Treat and Harrison turn was too sloppy (as was my hairpin). Made it 8ish of the 10 laps before motos caught up with me and pulled me. - Many, many, many people were cheering for me, which was awesome! But then I felt like I let them down. - A small group of people were really into my watermelon helmet and they told me they were cheering for me! That was nice. - Also, I found the rider that yelled at me to apologize and ask what I did wrong, and she explained that I slowed very suddenly and she and another rider on her wheel almost plowed into me as a result. She was super gracious about it, and explained that I really want to move my whole head and shoulder when turning, so that my whole body and bike will follow. I've been given this advice before, but I guess I hadn’t really internalized it. - After that, I had to wait for finals, and I still felt kinda bummed out about not finishing qualifiers, or bummed out in general, even though logically, I knew I accomplished what I set out to accomplish, which was to qualify (I slotted 31st? which seems reasonable). Killed some time listening to music and trying to smooth over my mental struggles and feelings of failure, ate some sushi from Gus's, as well as all three of my Clif bars (I didn't buy enough), drank some cold brew for energy. It was mostly overcoming a mental battle with myself. Got on rollers again for a bit, did some stretches, killed time, walked around to look at tables. - FINAL: resolved my internal conflict, and set my mind to do two things: look through turns and breathe. We lined up, and going into the first turn, a bunch of people in front of me went too close to the barricades and toppled over on themselves. Subsequently, a few people directly next to / in front of me also toppled over (nothing serious). I caught the slightest bit of that crash, and my shoe totally just ripped open. But then we all got up and had to gun it. I was like, tryna fix my shoe and it was definitely busted. That made me more cautious. Anyway, then I basically stuck to Sydney's wheel and used her line as a mental guide. Also, I kept repeating to myself reminders to breathe and look through turns, which was extremely, EXTREMELY helpful. I stayed focused and did not think about weakness or struggle. Just concentrated on making every turn as safe and natural as possible. I was pretty nervous about hairpins though, because my fucking left foot was not at all secured to anything. Fortunately, I've ridden without foot retention so many times (why, Jessica) that it was tolerable. Thank you previous self for doing dangerous shit to prepare for this moment. I was basically riding Sydney's wheel and not really passing anyone because I was afraid they'd use my wheel? And also to conserve, but then I realized I could be going faster and thus should be pulling, so I got next to Sydney and was like yo stay on my wheel and then we went for like another lap or so, but it was not enough, and moto caught up with us and we had to exit with 18 to go, ha. - Overall, I was way more pleased with my finals result than my qualifiers. Felt like I had the correct mindset in finals, and I just needed to nail down a better strategy. That part I can definitely work on, and is much easier to do than overcoming self-doubt. - Changed out of my jersey, swapped my pedals back to straps, shotgunned a beer with Sydney, and watched the rest of women's final, which was so inspiring. Went to return Josh's wheel but we didn't have a pump so I just kept it for the time being. Thought about heading to the afterparty at Thee Parkside but felt way too tired so I just headed home. On the way home I stopped by Halu to grab a celebratory drink (they also fed me a bit), and caught up with the homies there. It was nice. - Home. Shower. Sleep.

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brandonsdrunkagain · 7 years

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Last of the beer mail from @bigb65, sad but happy to have them all! Black Ridge Brewing's Folklore Imperial Stout, super boozy, Grand Teton Brewing's Snarling Badger Berliner Weiss, @bigskybrewing Pack Train DIPA and Slow Elk, Smoked Porter from Black Ridge, Mount Jumbo IPA from Highlander Beer, Barrel Full of Monkeys Russian Imperial Stout from Paddock Wood, really nice, and Upslopes Imperial India Pale Ale in a stove pipe can. All these knocked me on my ass!

#craft beer #craftbeer #montana #Canada #beer #drunk #beer mail #shit ton of beer #big sky #upslope #russian imperial stout #berliner weisse #Porter #black ridge brewing

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daughtersofbeer · 5 years

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Drinking Beer in Saskatchewan: Part I

For the recent August long weekend I went to a family reunion in my dad’s hometown of Turtleford, Saskatchewan. It prompted a discussion with Cherryl that went something like this:

Annette: Hey I tried some great beer while I was in Turtleford - seems like the Saskatchewan beer scene has really grown since I was there in 2012. I’ll be sure to post what I tasted.

Cherryl: You know your unfinished post from the last trip is sitting in the drafts folder.

Where did those 7 years go? It is interesting to see the beer I tried then. Only two of the breweries were local, Paddock Wood Brewing and the employee-owned Great Western Brewing. Half Pints is from Winnipeg (Cherryl and I would later have our fill of this beer when we went to Interstellar Rodeo), The Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion is from Ontario and the Chocolate Bunny stout is from Rhinelander Brewing in Wisconsin! Interesting mix. Think I picked up these beers at the liquor store in Lloydminster, but who can remember now.

What I do remember is how much I love going back to SK and seeing all my dear uncles, aunts and cousins, diving into our family’s history and the unique beauty of the prairies. Makes for some nice beer photography. Let’s see if I can do a little better with our recent reunion in Part II, at which our Cousin of Beer Blair gathered up a bounty of beers for me to try.

#turtleford #saskatchewan #saskatoon #skcraftbeer #great western brewing #half pints brewing #rhinelander brewing #paddock wood brewing

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greatdrams · 8 years

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Nonesuch Distillery, Distilling the Sloe Way

This article has been a long time coming; I first visited Rex Burdon, owner/operator of Nonesuch Distillery, about four months ago, the day after my Tasmanian Whisky Academy introduction to distilling course. Nonesuch Distillery is located at Forcett,Tasmania, on the way to historic Port Arthur. Rex kindly opened his distillery (a humble shed) to the TWA students and answered our many questions during an all-access tour of his innovative Tasmanian craft distillery.

Nonesuch is famous for its gin and in my opinion Rex’s London Dry Gin is the best Tassie has to offeras well as being excellent value for money. In addition to the traditional London Dry Gin, Nonesuch also produce a popular Sloe Gin and a unique Sloe Malt.

Gin is a centuries old distilled spirit that derives its aroma and flavour from aromatic botanicals, predominately Juniper berries.

Gin can be produced by adding botanical flavouring to a neutral spirit, distilling a spirit with natural botanicals (seeds, leaves and berries etc.)that are exposed to spirit vapour or by distilling a spirit with natural botanicals macerated within the still itself using a calico bag, not unlike a giant tea bag. The resultant gin can be distilled once or multiple times, filtered or unfiltered with each method producing vastly different results. In fact, it is very difficult for any two gins to taste the same considering the possible variation in botanical ingredients and production method.

Nonesuch gin is unfiltered and made in a single spirit run (one-shot method) with natural botanicals macerated within the still for around 18 hours. In addition to Juniper, Nonesuch utilise some interesting botanicals such as lemon myrtle (something I can smell quite strongly in the London Dry Gin) cassia bark (which smells amazing), cumquat and even some native Australia wattle seeds. Rex had this to say about his recipe:

“For our initial expression, we didn’t want to stray too far from what people have enjoyed in their gins for years. Rather we tweaked the amounts so that we achieved a gin that has some sweetness forward along with the juniper and with the citrus notes that appeal to Australians generally. Of course, it had to work with sloes in our Sloe Gin and certainly had to work in my Martini”

The Sloe Gin Rex mentioned is a classic Olde English tipple that is made by infusing the Dry Gin with the fruit of the Blackthorn tree (Sloes). The Sloes infuse in the gin for up to twelve months before bottling. Sloesare not berries and more closely related to a plum. The fruit used by Nonesuch is locally foraged from plants originally brought to Tasmania by early colonial settlers. The resultant mix is a ruby red liqueur with all the aromatics of gin.

Sloe Malt is produced in a similar way but without the use of aromatics.

Instead, a new make spirit (the same spirit that would usually go into casks to mature into Single Malt) is infused with Sloes in small 60 litre containers for around 12 months. Nonesuch Sloe Malt is produced in very limited quantities, is very tasty and is a great base for a fancy cocktail.

In an exciting new development, Nonesuch is also now distilling Whisky and intends to produce a range of styles using different grains and grain combinations as well as maturing in a range of wood types. Current batches are mainly single malt but wood styles for the casks include New American Oak as well as repurposed Bourbon, Sherry, Port and Pinot casks.

The wash used to distil the new make spirit is produced entirely in-house by Rex.

Malted barley is delivered to the distillery door where Rex mills it to the desired consistency using a mill driven by an ordinary power drill. He then uses his own mash tun and flat base fermenter(an unused stainless steel vat) to ferment the barley, feeding the local cows and poultry on the discarded mash. The bespoke mash tun has a hinged base so that it can be loaded on the back of a truck and easily emptied into the adjacent paddocks. (Rex freely admits the idea for this vessel came from fellow distiller Mathew Cooper at Fanny’s Bay Distillery). Fresh from the fermenter, the wash is transferred to a Tasmanian designed and built 300 litre Knapp Lewer still, affectionately named Pandora.

Rex runs his distillery as simply as possible.

There are no temperature controlled fermenters, just a simple heat exchanger, shed insulation, a fishtank heater and a ‘finger’ thermometer. The entire brewing setup cost only $2,200. This is what Rex had to say about his introduction to distilling and distilling philosophy:

“Like most Tasmanian distillers my journey started with a meeting with Bill Lark. Bill enthused me with his passion and we embraced the idea of making a Sloe Gin that we could send to the U.K. and show them Tasmania could make that as well as we make Whisky.Of course, we have to first make a great Dry Gin if we are to do that and Bill and Lyn Lark were exceedingly generous in offering advice.Now we have extended to distilling whisky and we have had amazing support from Fanny’s Bay Distillery’s Mathew Cooper.Our philosophy is simply to produce the amount of spirit to which we can devote the attention to detail that ensures a quality result.founders of this industry in Tasmania have set a fantastic benchmark of quality and it is vital that we all maintain that standard.”

Rex and his partner Annette are a lovely down to earth couple who embody the inclusive and open professional culture that is indicative of the Tasmanian whisky and spirits industry.

They are more than happy to share their distilling experience with anyone who is interested. Rex runs his own intimate distilling experiences where a maximum of two people at a time can spend the day at Nonesuch Distillery and join in the process of making a craft whisky from scratch.

I highly recommend this experience if you are planning a trip to Tasmania or even if you are a local with an interest in distilling. I guarantee you will be well looked after by Rex and Annetteand will gain a unique insight to the distilling process and how a little Aussie ingenuity could save you a lot of money when starting your own distillery.

Shane Kinloch

WhiskyDad.net

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About the author:

My name is Shane Kinloch and I am a dad who loves his whisky. I am not a whisky expert, professional journalist, sommelier or distiller; but I am more than just a whisky drinker. In 2016, I started WhiskyDad.net and hope my writing comes across as no-nonsense and down to earth. I grew up in Tasmania, Australia with a whisky loving Scottish dad of my own who introduced me to the world of whisky. I love writing and feeding off the energy of those in the whisky industry and the passionate people who support it. Hopefully my writing will one day legitimise my whisky habit and perhaps lead to cheaper whisky in the future. I can only dream.

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The post Nonesuch Distillery, Distilling the Sloe Way appeared first on GreatDrams.

from GreatDrams http://ift.tt/2oawf3w GreatDrams Guest Contributor

#whisky #GreatDrams

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canadianbeernotes · 13 years

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Paddock Wood Barrel Full of Monkeys Imperial Stout

Brewery: Paddock Wood Brewing, Saskatoon, SK Style: Imperial Stout ABV: 10% Availability: Limited release; bottles at the Paddock Wood brewery store

Barrel-aged version of the Paddock Wood 1000 Monkeys - a beer that I really enjoyed when I tried it a couple of weeks ago - and I enjoyed this one even more. Pours an almost-black colour with a purple-red glow and next to no head. Aroma of charred coffee beans, dark chocolate, burnt wood and whiskey. Soft, silky body with very little carbonation. Flavour is muted out of the fridge, but when allowed to warm up close to room temperature, it opens up considerably, offering a complex combination of espresso, dark cocoa, rich cream, bourbon, oak and licorice, the latter melding with moderately bitter hops in the long, belly-warming finish. Exquisite!

#Saskatchewan #Paddock Wood Brewing

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travelonlinetips-blog · 5 years

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New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/9-of-the-best-townsville-restaurants-and-cafes-you-need-to-try/

9 of the best Townsville restaurants and cafes you need to try

Something happened to Townsville while you weren’t looking. A serious foodie revolution took over the streets, stealthily throwing up healthy new trends, dishing up international flavours, and stoking the fire of long-standing award winners.

With a veritable food bowl on one side of this city and ocean on the other, chefs here are harnessing the freshest seafood and tropical produce, infusing it all with the north’s unfussy attitude – propelling Townsville City into the upper echelon of food destinations in Queensland.

Hungry? Here are 9 of the best Townsville restaurants and cafes to try.

Donna Bionda

If you’re hungry like a hot-blooded Italian, make like this local and follow your nose to Donna Bionda in City Lane.

The atmosphere envelops you as soon as you pull up a stool in the laneway or slip into the dining room and, with hands wrapped around glasses of pinot noir and platters of fresh salumi and cheese laid out in front of you, you could just as well be in your favourite wine bar in Rome.

Everything on the menu – from the juicy slow-cooked lamb and piping hot pizzas pulled straight from the wood-fired oven, to the truffle-oiled risotto, handmade pasta and a classic tiramisu for dessert – is a harmony of robust flavours and delicate presentation. The service is swift and as warm as the heat emanating from the pizza oven.

Hot tip: Make a booking, especially if you’re heading to Donna Bionda on a Tuesday when their 2-4-1 pizza deal has locals flocking like seagulls to a hot chip from 5pm.

JAM

When a dish has been on the menu for seven years, you’d be a fool not to order it so start your day the tropical Townsville way with the Asian chicken omelette at JAM, made with Saddle Mountain eggs and loaded with snow pea, bean shoot, fried shallots and chilli jam.

Everything on the seasonal breakfast menu at JAM provides a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. Popping with textures and colours a la charcoal sourdough toast and dragon fruit sorbet smoothie, this is a menu made for the ‘gram.

But come back for lunch or dinner and you’ll be treated to an entirely new experience. Think chicken roulade with harissa chickpea crème or pork and ginger wontons with street chilli sauce, and kafir lime mousse for dessert.

Hot tip: Got a special occasion coming up? You can book JAM’s private dining room for up to 18 guests with to a 6-course degustation menu to feast on.

Longboard Bar & Grill

Water views + tacos + beers = a good time in anyone’s language.

Make a beeline for Longboard Bar & Grill for any occasion – from a quick lunch through to “just one beer” – and soak up the Hawaii-meets-Townsville vibes perched on The Strand with Magnetic Island just beyond your bowl of waffle fries (yes, waffle fries. Just order them and thank us later).

The menu dances between American south-west and Mexican, with the likes of braised beef nachos and thick and tangy BBQ chicken wings through to the appetite-obliterating 500gm chargrilled rib eye on the bone topped with chimichurri.

Hot tip: The Sunday Sessions are legendary here and you’ll absolutely need to book ahead.

Miss Song’s

The Ville Resort Casino has undergone a $40 million renovation, with not only a new waterfront pool and deck to take the resort vibes up a notch, but also the unveiling of one of Townsville’s best restaurants.

There may be sounds of the roulette wheel beckoning but keep your eyes on the (food) prize and walk through the fresh lobby to enter a world of Peking duck pancakes and dim sum in Miss Song’s.

This is a place to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into conversation with friends over baskets of steaming dumplings, crab meat and prawn curry fritters, and five-spice crispy pork belly. Keep the share plates coming but save room for the warm apple and ginger pudding for dessert.

Hot tip: Love seafood? Select your own live mud crab from the tank or opt for lobster steamed with ginger, shallot and light soy sauce.

CBar

Neighbouring Longboard Bar & Grill on The Strand, this Townsville institution is a #nobrainer when it comes to lunching al fresco and slipping into serious holiday mode.

It’s the kind of place you head to when you want something more than a pub feed but not so fancy that you’ll be wondering which set of cutlery to use first.

While you’ll find baguettes, burgers and haloumi chips on the menu here, if you’re a fan of seafood, there’s no better spot for some crispy-skinned Australian saltwater barramundi or calamari salad with coriander, garlic, chilli and lemongrass.

Hot tip: Order yourself a cold glass of rosé, sink back into your chair and clear your afternoon.

The Beet Bar

With a city as health-conscious as this one (count the gyms and protein supplement stores as you cruise the streets), you need plenty of (wholefood) fuel to stoke the fire.

Open for about three years, The Beet Bar has become the go-to for superfood bowls, smoothies and quick and healthy takeaway eats on Flinders Street.

Caffeine fiends, have no fear, there’s Organic Fairtrade Genovese Coffee if you like it hot and Mr Bean cold press coffee from Airlie Beach – steeped for 22 hours and tripled filtered – to go with the line-up of gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free raw cakes and slices. Their menu of CocoWhip sundaes will blow your connotations of vegan out of your almond milk.

Hot tip: Order a black detox bowl for a charcoal infused hit of acai… but maybe not if you’re on a first date.

Born Wild

Paleo, gluten-free, vegan… whichever dietary persuasion applies to you, Born Wild in City Lane has you covered.

This once exclusively-Paleo cafe turned more well-rounded caveman has you covered from acai bowls to lactose-free lattes, bone broth to fajitas, and you’ll even find beers in the fridge.

This isn’t just laissez faire attempt at paddock-to-plate either, if you grab Kymbo the owner he’ll tell you exactly which paddock the beef came from on his farm, Catumnal (which has been in the family for over 100 years).

Hot tip: Stop here to pick up ready-made meals for a pimped picnic and don’t forget the kombucha.

Rambutan

There are three indicators you’ll have a good time here: Rambutan is part of a ‘flashpackers’, there are swings at the bar, and the menu runs the gamut of food you’ll want two napkins to work with.

Mexican and Southern BBQ eats reigns supreme at this rooftop restaurant and smokehouse, set around the pool, where blue and white Parisian bistro chairs and vintage farmhouse tables look out over the action of Flinders Street.

Hot tip: You’ll want to try ALL the wings but our bets are on the Japanese BBQ variety, sprinkled with bonito.

Bridgewater Q Restaurant and Bridge Bar

Feast your eyes first on the supreme river views, then on the next-level menu experience at this super-stylish establishment from the mastermind behind JAM, chef Matt Merrin.

Townsville’s newest food opening boasts a splash of coastal elegance with a restaurant upstairs (more fanciful fare) and a bar downstairs (after-work drinks and nibbles sorted). Tuck into tuna and grapefruit salad with red chilli paste and goats cheese tortellini at the former, or duck spring rolls and charcoal salt and pepper calamari at the latter.

If you’re sticking around for dessert, Matt’s ingredient du jour is ruby chocolate, which he fuses into a delectable strawberry cheesecake.

Hot tip: Time your visit to watch the sunset over the river and you won’t be disappointed.

6 more Townsville restaurants worth checking out:

Shaw & Co – for eight different types of steak and mood lighting in City Lane (hello, date night!)

The Pier – perched over the water, this is the ideal spot to splurge on a seafood platter

A Touch of Salt – for casual fine dining and an exclusively vegan and vegetarian menu to boot

GYO – get hands-on with sukiyaki and shabu-shabu or order up from the Japanese tapas menu

Wild Goose Brews and Chews – two words: chicken schnitzel

The Palm House, The Ville – buffet-style feasting, but not as you know it

Have we left your favourite Townsville restaurants off the list? Tell us about them in the comments below.

*This post was first published in 2017 and updated in April 2019.

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travelonlinetips-blog · 5 years

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New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/a-foodies-ultimate-long-weekend-in-the-scenic-rim/

A foodie's ultimate long weekend in the Scenic Rim

It might seem unlikely to find a foodie’s paradise on the edge of an ancient volcanic rim, but head south-west of Brisbane for just an hour and you’ll land at the Scenic Rim region – a spectacular landscape packed with culinary surprises.

From speciality seafood to award-winning cheese and world-class fruit, the Scenic Rim is an endless buffet of fresh produce and the ultimate spot for experiential diners. Devour the best it has to offer by digging into this long weekend itinerary.

Day 1

12PM: Spicers Hidden Vale

If Brisbane’s backyard has a best-kept secret, Spicers Hidden Vale is it. The true hero of the property – set on 12,000 acres of working farmland in the Lockyer Valley region – is the Spicers’ signature restaurant, Homage.

Head chef, Ash Martin, makes paddock to plate look positively perfect, with a menu incorporating products from the local area and herbs from the onsite market garden. By day, sweeping views of the Scenic Rim are complemented by a gourmet picnic of tomato and goats curd quiche or antipasto vegetables with olives, or seasonal two and three-course lunches.

To cap it off, Homage has been awarded one chefs hat in the 2019 Good Food Guide Awards – so you know it’s going to be worth the pitstop.

2:30PM: Freshwater Australian Crayfish Traders

Driving between Hidden Vale and Tarome, you’ll see why this area is so keen to celebrate its farmers – but stop in at Freshwater Australian Crayfish Traders’ 80-hectare property and you’ll be treated to an even more unique perspective.

Packed with over 70 freshwater dams, it’s home to some of Australia’s best crayfish with this local trader selling up to a million redclaw crayfish each year, as well as a range of other freshwater aquatic fish and shrimps, to the restaurant trade all over south-east Queensland.

Pack an Esky and grab yourself some takeaway crays at a great price.

6PM: Spicers Peak Lodge

The twists and turns your wheels will take to make it to the top of Spicers Peak Lodge are well worth it when you arrive at 10,000 acres overlooking the World Heritage-listed Main Range National Park and Great Dividing Range.

Peak Lodge might be Australia’s highest non-alpine luxury property, but that’s not it’s only claim to fame – the property’s restaurant, The Peak, was also awarded one chefs hat in the 2019 Good Food Guide Awards.

With a focus on ‘The best of Australia’, you’ll be feasting on uniquely Australian goodness with luxury trimmings. The Peak’s menu sates appetites with ingredients such as Fraser Isle spanner crab, Moreton Bay bug and Bowen mangoes.

Rest your head here and all meals and beverages – including the celebrated degustation dinner menu – are included in the price tag.

Day 2

8AM: Stay right where you are

Whatever you do, don’t skip the first meal of the day at Spicers Peak Lodge. The breakfast game is strong here – especially the dressed-up avocado on toast with goats curd, sumac and dukkah on house-baked sourdough.

Or, you can dig into other delicacies like the “Funghi Feast” served with poached eggs, mushrooms, parmesan custard, marinated grains and soft leaves.

11AM: Kalfresh Vegetables

Veggie lovers should make a beeline for Kalfresh Vegetables, Queensland’s largest supplier of carrots. You can stop in at their Kalbar base to see where most of Australia’s carrots, onions, green beans and pumpkin start life as seedlings.

Aside from observing produce and packing, you’ll also stumble across one of Queensland’s most unusual creations – carrot beer. Made with 16 per cent carrot juice, it’s surely the healthiest beer around.

12PM: Fassifern Valley Produce

Heirloom tomatoes have never looked as good as the ones that come out of Fassifern Valley Produce. With colours befitting of such exotic names, brace your taste buds for flavour bursts from their Green Zebra, Tigerella, Ida Gold and Black Cherry varieties, plus the Mortgage Lifter – a tomato named by its grower in recognition of this ruby red fruit being his ticket to a debt-free life.

Bring your reusable shopping bag and stock up at their roadside stall on Boonah-Fassifern Rd, which turns over more than a tonne of fresh tomatoes each week.

1PM: Kooroomba Vineyard & Lavender Farm

Dig into a scrumptious lunch prepared by the chefs at Kooroomba Vineyard & Lavender Farm. While seasonal vegetables are prominent on the menu it is, of course, lavender that plays a starring role in dishes like lavender confit duck leg and lavender crème brulee.

You’ll also find a cellar door and lavender shop here, all overlooking six acres of vineyards, fields of lavender and the Scenic Rim Mountains.

2PM: Naughty Little Kids

Move over Italy; Boonah is serving up some of the best gelato this side of Rome. Dig your sweet tooth into a scoop of Naughty Little Kids gelato on the farm where it’s actually produced.

They’ve put their own spin on the traditional gelato recipe by using goat’s milk instead of cow’s, which makes this ice-cream lactose friendly (not lactose-free), and 100% gluten-, egg- and nut-free to boot. Sensitive tums, rejoice!

3PM: Bunjurgen Estate vineyard

Ah, rosé; the lovable grape combination that merges the crispness of a white with the body of a red and goes down as smooth as a bubbly. If you feel the same way about rosé, make tracks to Bunjurgen Estate Vineyard for their award-winning pink drop.

Wine tastings are conducted in either an undercover outdoor cellar door or beneath a jacaranda tree, allowing you to take in the breathtaking Scenic Rim vistas with every sip. The kind folk at Bunjurgen allow BYO picnics (or fresh Fassifern Valley tomato hauls) too.

5PM: Scenic Rim Brewery & Cafe

Operating out of a heritage-listed old general store, the small family-owned Scenic Rim Brewery & Cafe is dedicated to brewing craft beer with the best ingredients.

There’s a café smack bang in the middle of the brewery’s factory floor, so you can wash down your glass of Digga, Shazza or Fat Man with a tasty treat from their Dutch-inspired menu.

7PM: Ketchups Bank Glamping

You’ve got to love a destination where even the accommodation sounds like something you can eat! Enter Ketchups Bank Glamping and their luxury eco-tents near Boonah, where you’re promised unparalleled mountain views and a relaxing evening in a rugged Australian bush setting.

They offer up BBQ dinner hampers for two, packed with locally-sourced cuts of meat and fresh vegetables ready to toss on your private BBQ or campfire; plus a country breakfast hamper for the AM.

DAY 3

11AM: Towri Sheep Cheeses

Ditch the traditional morning tea and lunch meals and dedicate this day to grazing – on sheep cheese!

Towri Sheep Cheeses, just outside of Beaudesert, won’t just let you devour the cheese, they’ll also teach you how to make it with their ‘art of cheese-making’ class (takes place every second Wednesday).

With 350 sheep on site, there’s no shortage of supplies to make hard and soft varieties. And you certainly won’t leave hungry with morning tea, light refreshments and lunch all part of the package.

3PM: Witches Falls Winery

Follow the ridgeline of this ancient landscape towards the coast until you reach Tamborine Mountain, timing your route to catch the cellar door at Witches Falls Winery before it closes.

Get to know their signature drops with a tasting paddle – a flight of wines will leave you with change from a tenner. If you order in advance, you can pair your tipples with a delicious platter from local deli, The Vintage Pickle.

6PM: Witches Falls Cottages

Stay within arm’s reach of the winery at Witches Falls Cottages – all about location, and offering up a secluded setting for a romantic getaway.

As for food, if there’s still belly room, you can have take-away delivered to your cottage from many of the local restaurants on the mountain or the Witches Falls team can pull together a BBQ dinner hamper complete with dessert.

Day 4

A day of hunting and gathering

Make today about stocking up on local supplies before leaving the Scenic Rim. While most of the suppliers don’t have their own farm gate, they use cafes, restaurants and boutique shops to sell their produce.

Look out for these grocery essentials:

Scenic Rim Olives: The region even produces its own olives. You’ll find them in brine, olive oil, tapenade and dukkah for a salty fix.

Dewar Honey:Making the Scenic Rim all the more sweet, these jars of liquid amber are the work of a third-generation beekeeper.

Farmer Joe’s Garlic and Produce: Warding off vampires this side of the Gondwana Rainforest, Farmer Joe’s garlic business is one of only 30 garlic growers in Australia.

Tamborine Mountain Free Range Eggs: These chickens are so special they have their own guard dog who keeps them free from predators on the 80-acre farm.

4Real Milk: If you’re enjoying a cup of coffee in this neck of the woods, chances are it’s made with 4Real Milk, a pasteurised, non-homogenised full cream milk.

The Lime Caviar Company: The Scenic Rim happens to be home to Australia’s premier grower of native finger limes. They pick-to-order and supply local and international fine dining markets.

Want more? Scenic Rim Eat Local Week is your backstage pass to the farms, wineries and food stories of the Scenic Rim. Eat your way around the region through a range of experiences from long table lunches to carrot-picking!

Have you done a foodie weekend in the Scenic Rim before? Let us know your finds in the comments below.

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