Weekend retreat

Ah, there’s nothing like a weekend away to lift the spirits and clear out the cobwebs. I’ve just spent a long weekend staying in a beach house at Callala beach, in Jervis Bay. It’s about a 3-hour drive south of Sydney, near a small town called Huskisson, where we take the Travelling Film Festival every year (a bit like the LFF on tour). Good excuse for some of us from work to leave the office and go on a jolly jaunt, staying in a holiday house belonging to a friend of our Operations Manager. So, winter weekends away Aussie-style, this is what it entailed:

In the mornings I woke up early and took a walk along the deserted beach before breakfast – it may be winter but it’s still warm enough to walk along the white sand and red seaweed in bare feet!

The white sands of Callala beach


When I got back to the house we'd cook breakfast. Everything I consumed this weekend was cooked outside on the barbecue, from bacon and eggs or pancakes for breakfast to steaks at lunchtime, or fish for dinner. The best way to eat.

SFF Ops manager Nick cooks pancakes on the barbie for breakfast


Then we'd hang out on the lawn, which is about 5 meters from the beach, watching dolphins leap out of the water as they travel through the bay (so close!) or playing quoits, reading the paper, and other such low-energy pursuits.

Mel hangs out in the garden swing in winter


After a while we dragged ourselves up and out to Huskisson, the nearest town which is about half an hour’s drive through the bush.

Not a road sign you see often in the UK


In a similar way to how granny visits the local church whenever she goes on holiday, I visited the local one-screen cinema, Huskisson Pictures. Our weekend program of films had sold out, and we had some lovely feedback from the locals, who rarely get to see arthouse cinema, so appreciate us bringing films to them once a year. I also had a homemade choc top, which I’d never had before – I can’t believe we don’t have these in the UK, they are a taste sensation! These are icecreams which are then dipped into melted chocolate and popped back in the freezer - the cinema in Husky make their own while the films are on, and they are consumed as fast as they are made.

The local picture house


Another highlight was visiting 'the jam factory' - basically this guy's house in Huskisson, where he makes homemade jams and chutneys. I bought 6 different types to sample, will report back!



Homemade jams and chutneys, and yummy lemon curd

Tiger prawns in Huskisson

Marketing tips for Keith


Then in the evenings we’d wander back to the beach house, light a fire and drink wine, play Trivial Pursuit, and stay up until the wee hours.

So now I feel rested, and really positive about the next few weeks. I’ll be busy with some big developments at work (more about that later), and lots of yoga and pilates to work on my back. Oh, and I’m about the embark on the second season of The West Wing, what an exciting life I lead!

Love to all.
cx