And you thought Masterchef was a cooking competition

Well hello CocoBongo followers Bazel here, sorry it’s been a while. Ok, so who’s a fan of the reality TV Cooking shows? I’m not, but there I’ll be glued like 3 million other addicted Australian’s judging contestants on their controversial strategies, the conspiracy theories and loving the sick appeal their adventurous personalities have on me.  DAMN you!

Masterchef is one of those shows which is packed full of wannabes who mostly have no idea how to cook…. but alas this is the beauty of it!

Townsville will be exposed to a similar extravaganza but with a little more pizazz and way more fun! A little birdie told me that the Watermark is scouting Townsville’s next big thing in the cooking stakes. Secret Chef is your chance to compete in one cook off over five days with ten finalists shortlisted to duke it out in the Watermark kitchen. These lucky participants   will be judged by an expert panel of critics and also selected radio listeners to give ‘The People’s Choice Vote’

With enthusiasm for food and a combination of brilliant organising by the Watermark, 10 lucky entrants along with their recipes will be chosen to compete for $1,000 in cash and $2,000 in prizes proudly sponsored by 'The Good Guys and Fenwicks'. Not only will they win these great prizes but the winning dish will be named and showcased in the Watermarks new menu. 

Five lucky winners will be selected, a winner from each day of the week, will then be judged in the grand finale ‘Townsville Greatest Lunch’

One of the draw cards of this exciting project will be the Watermark giving the community a chance to have its say, using their taste bud skills not their cooking to join in the festivities. Not only will this be an opportunity for those eager foodies to taste but they will be able to judge the amazing food by simply booking themselves in to the ‘Secret Chefs Greatest Lunch’ and be a part of selecting the final five contenders.

You know, apart from being innovative and interactive, it’s also a chance to reflect the multicultural face of modern Australian food.  It could be Mum’s Greek heritage Moussaka recipe or that uncles Malaysian chicken inspired dish, it’s your chance to be a part of something bigger than your Grandma’s kitchen.

This challenge is a serious high pressure scenario but the pay-off I feel is worth the risk…

Don’t forget to call Lissa from the Watermark to submit your recipe or to book a seat for the Grand Finale.

Do you think you have the flare to win?

Don’t miss out guys to register visit www.watermarktownsville.com.au

Cheers Bazel

 

Work Hard Play Hard

Hiya Sage here! It all started with an unexpected phone call......."Consortium staff you guys have all been doing a great job, pack your bags you're heading to Mission Beach!" I thought why the hell not, I'm not going to miss this!

10.00am Wednesday morning the Consortium crew met up as scheduled.

Before we knew it, we hit the road with startling parallels from the movie Cannonball Run ha ha we had four cars off up the high way with the first critical stop stocking up on the quintessential 'junk food' ready for the impending road trip (I'm such a sucker, using any excuse to label Dorado's, snakes and gallons of soft drink as an important food group) There's nothing like the anticipation of the open road, the fun ahead, no rules and no restrictions.....LOVE IT!

2nd stop. The lovely town of Ingham, ahhh the 'The Pub with no Beer' was fantastic for a cold beverage and a quick debriefing on the next stop. The next stop was a pub along the road of a seaside town called Cardwell and was the perfect location to meet the friendly locals.

Which who, quickly confirmed, that until meeting the Consortium crew they thought Yasi was the biggest storm that had passed through their wee small township;) Bringing some of that famous Consortium charisma, we had the entire pub in stitches and I would have to admit it was a refreshing change to the familiar pace of Townsville.

Then onto the gorgeous Mission Beach and what sensational weather it was! We were all booked in to a quaint place called Mackay Inn, right in the heart of Mission Beach, easy walking distance to all amenities and most importantly right amongst the bars!!! Now at this point of the trip I was very intrigued..... what exactly does Mission Beach have to offer...I did have my doubts?

Ok, so the weather was stunning, it was about time to get the 'kinis' on and start the party. It wasn't long and we were taking full advantage of the resorts rock pool with corona's and wine in hand (can’t help  but to have a cheeky perv too hehe) The sun shining, beautiful tropical surrounds, a pool and a cold drink (also that deafening Irish laugh!! AKA Kerry), all this was indeed a awesome surprise!

Michelle and Jarrod quickly got us moving to the next scene of the crime. A walk down the road to a cool little Island style bar along the beach called the Shrubbery. Michelle knew the owners Megs and Rod- these guys were legends! They took us in like the mischievous Townsville cousins that everyone has to put up with but will miss us when we leave. This place was subtropical at its best, peering through lush green foliage to the ultimate sandy beach just steps away.

We drank, dined on a selection canapé's and laughed so long and hard about a multitude of epic stories, I swear we solved the worries of the world a million times over until the sun took its last wave over the horizon.

All of us then strolled, or should I say, rolled, back up the road into the delightful cottage restaurant. We pretty much had the run of the place with the owner Barbra taking great care of the crew with the popular little restaurant booked out for just us. We had the spoils of a gorgeous dinner patiently waiting upon our arrival. I don't get this often: an eclectic atmosphere and irresistible company....it was spot on! We were genuinely blown away at what Barbra and her chefs had prepared. They had out done themselves and honestly not what I was expecting for such a secluded place.

So anyway, over dinner Jarrod got up and gave a speech (OMG what is this larrikin going to say) But when Jarrod began to explain about the great significance of every ones roles at Consortium it was actually really inspirational, I don't need to tell you what he said, but everyone was very humbled by the appreciation.

Then there was Chris the DJ's speech.....

Well, this was definitely motivational, with Chris standing up, raising his glass and yelling "let's all get shit faced!!"

It all got pretty loose after that. My boarding school days surfaced, with beds being short sheeted, toads waiting in ambush under the covers for unsuspecting crew members and palm leaf props used as imitation peacock dances? Hilarious stuff!

The evening was ended with the surfer- style beach bomb fire to the very wee small hours!!

So much fun.....and I would like to put out a big thank you to Jarrod and Michelle for the trip to Mission Beach

It was good to get the band back together!

Kisses Sage x

The Cannonball Run!!!

Would you like to WIN Groovin The Moo Tickets? Well thats easy! Just become a Google Follower or Email Subscriber and you get that very chance;) This will also include VIP tickets to the ultimate after party at Consortium! DONT MISS OUT!

Glitterati

Hello my fabulous Cocobongo followers:) what a gorgeous night Saturday night was. There were drag queens and kings, money rain and lots of debauchery! LOVED IT! I still have glitter in my hair and is a constant reminder that "YES" that just happened. As you'll see from the photos below it was a night of glitterati and we look forward to the next big event- WHO WILL WIN THOSE LADY GA GA TICKETS??!

Kisses Sage x
Ps would you like to WIN Groovin the Moo tickets?? Well it's easy just sign up to be a Google Follower or Email Subscriber (top right hand corner) and you will go in the draw. This also gains you exclusive entry into Consortiums Official After Party.

Three Big Sisters

Hi CocoBongo followers it's Sage here. How about exploring one of Australia’s most ancient landscapes?

A short drive west of Sydney boasts a world heritage spectacular. This special place evolved millions of years ago and just happen to create one of the most magical natural wilderness called the Blue Mountains. Now, if you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting, and you’re looking for something that completely draws you in with its iconic adventures and extravagant beauty, well this awe-inspiring place is definitely worth going to see.

Jarrod with his three sisters

From its tremendous mountains, escarpments, waterfalls and caves this breathtaking area has a true sense of 'dreamtime spirit' forging lasting memories.

The McCracken’s sent through some great photos and details about their recent trip and we were only too happy to share. Given they only had a few short days to explore they found everything they wanted to do with time to spare for overall relaxing.

This gorgeous destination caters for many traveller’s with Michelle McCracken explaining to me that it didn’t matter what budget you had, the accommodation beamed quaint old world charm. Michelle said “We chose to stay at ' Lilianfels Mountain Resort and Spa', which is placed on the edge of an astonishing 1,000 metres above sea level escarpment”

Lilianfels Mountain Resort

This 5 star resort has a glorious old manor style with all the cosy creature comforts you would expect when visiting a mountain retreat. Everything about this resort sounds fantastic, the staff, and the luxurious spa treatments and of course the food report Michelle gave was pretty amazing. Also recommending the decadent high tea or a Devonshire tea sitting by one of the very homely fire places... hmmm sounds exquisite.

"Savour superbly polished cuisine in a atmosphere of gentle sophistication" -Sydney Morning Herald

On their second day, sunrise brought the inspirational beauty of the 'Jenolan Caves’ which is an underground wonderland and some of the most magnificent limestone cave systems in the world.

 These caves have impressive crystal clear underground river systems with Michelle telling me “Exploring the amazing caverns and seeing the extraordinary limestone formations truly gave a phenomenal underground experience that is so surreal you would think you had just entered a Lord of the Rings movie scene”

High tea looks amazing!

Michelle, Tahnay and Summer outside of the Jenolan Caves

 
Cave tours take roughly an hour and a half and anybody can have a go. For the more adventurous they also cater for the rough and tumble abseil types. This is definitely out of my comfort zone but sounds pretty exciting to me!

Also on a side note: a trip to the spectacular 3 sisters is an Australian must see with a ride down on its scenic sky rail over-looking the valley below...gorgeous!

  Till next time peeps

 Kisses Sage x

PS: want to win 2 tickets to Townsville’s Groovin the Moo music festival with exclusive entry into Consortium for the official after party? Become a Google Follower or Email Subscriber and you go in draw it’s that easy!

Summer, Tahnay and Jarrod exploring the caves