Hello Monday graphic

Hello Monday

Hey everyone, I’m so excited to be back today! I’m joining Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday. It’s time to catch up on a super fun three-day weekend that just flew by way too quickly!

Friday

I had Friday off from work because I had accumulated enough time for a day off. It was amazing not having to get up so early and I spent most of the day enjoying my time at home. I even got a head start on a few weekend tasks and it felt like I was winning! We went for a walk and saw some beautiful spring blooms that I shared on Friday favourites. Spring is coming!

spring flowers

Surprise Dinner Destination

Then in the evening, we went out for dinner to celebrate Steve’s birthday. I kept the location a surprise and didn’t tell him I had booked a table at Mr Wong’s a famous modern Cantonese restaurant in Sydney that we’ve both been wanting to try. He was convinced we were going to Hungry Jack’s which is our version of Burger King. Hahaha!! I assured him we were definitely not and to wear something nice!

We caught the train from Allawah station so by then he knew we were going to the city. While we were on the train, he kept trying to guess where! He was like a kid and he was making me laugh so much. In the end, when I wouldn’t give anything away, he made me promise that if we didn’t eat enough at the restaurant “could we please go to McDonald’s as well”…sheesh!!

It was a good 10-minute walk from Martin Place station and Steve walked like a champ! Before his knee replacement, we would have taken it real slow or even caught an Uber. So that’s massive progress and it makes the whole surgery so worth it!

When we turned into Bridge Lane, Steve still had no clue. The alleyway was dark and mysterious—exactly the kind of place where you’d expect something shady to happen. He was completely confused! But as we reached the end, there it was, tucked behind a wall—the famous Mr Wong’s. Steve’s expression was priceless and the surprise was worth every bit of the secrecy.

Bridge Lane

Mr Wong’s

Before we went, I had spent some time looking at the menu and decided that the best option for us was the Banquet menu. There were just too many delicious dishes with incredible ingredients to choose from. Steve felt relieved that we didn’t have to make any decisions and could just sit back and enjoy a variety of dishes. He was still in shock that we weren’t sitting at a fast food joint—such little faith!

Just like all the reviews said, the food and service were amazing! It was definitely a feast, and we loved everything from the delicate kingfish sashimi to the Angus beef cubes that melted in your mouth. One of the standout dishes for us was the Balmain bugs. In case you’re not familiar, Balmain bugs are a type of Australian slipper lobster with sweet, delicate meat. They were so good! We enjoyed ten dishes in total, including dessert, and no, we didn’t need to hit McDonald’s afterwards!

Mr Wongs banquet menu

Mr Wongs

Dim sum

fun three day weekend- Mr wong's prawn dim sum

fun three day weekend- Mr wong's prawn toast

I loved the little touches, like how they brought out the dessert with ‘Happy Birthday’ written on it.

birthday dessert

Palmer & Co

After dinner, we decided to continue the celebration and head to Palmer & Co. A prohibition-style bar where all the bartenders were dressed in 1920s attire-so cool! There was also a jazz band playing some contemporary tunes. Steve had a cider, and I sipped on a glass of bourbon that felt like it would have been perfect with a cigar. I’ve never had a cigar, but the whole atmosphere really got to my head! I also tried straight bourbon with ice for the first time and was surprised I enjoyed it (maybe a little too much!)

Palmer&co

Cousin Connect Saturday

We were set to host Cousin Connect on the 10th, but Steve thought he had shingles (it turned out to be eczema) and Sam had a bad cold. So, we rescheduled for this past Saturday, which was also Steve’s actual birthday. It turned out great that we could all be together to celebrate!

Cousin S put together another one of his amazing charcuterie boards.

fun three day weekend post-charcuterie board

I made pulled pork that we enjoyed with bread rolls and coleslaw. Oh, and I also made rice for my little cousin E, who, apart from my mum, is the biggest rice lover I’ve ever met! Cousin T made pigs in blankets, and my aunt brought guacamole.

fun three day weekend post-cousin connect dinner

We played our usual board game and laughed so hard at some of the things the cousins came up with. Cousin J even suggested making Cousin Connect T-shirts featuring some of the hilarious one-liners! I think it’s a great idea!

Sunday

Sunday was recovery day after all the eating and fun. We watched a couple of episodes of Blue Bloods and then thought we better get started on our “homework”.  As I shared in another post, we’re heading to L.A. next January. Along with Disneyland, we’re also planning a visit to Universal Studios, which I’ve heard has an incredible Harry Potter-themed area. The thing is, none of us have ever watched or read anything Harry Potter-related. So, we figured it was high time to start!

We watched Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone and we loved it! I was surprised to see The Dowager from Downton Abbey in the film!

fun three day weekend watching Harry Potter

We’ve also realised that we better get started on watching The Simpsons, as Springfield is also such a big part of the Universal Studios experience. I know, I know—clearly, we’ve been living under a rock because we must be the only ones who haven’t watched these two major pop culture hits!

And that wraps up our very fun three-day weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by today, I’m jumping off the computer to go have dinner and catch up on some more homework!

Happy Monday!

name graphic

hello Monday graphic

12 thoughts on “Hello Monday”

  1. It sounds like Steve had a fantastic birthday. What a great surprise for him with the meal out. The food looks and sounds amazing and the bar looks like great fun.
    The cousin connect get together looks brilliant. What a feast!
    Oh wow! I thought everyone had seen at least one of the Harry Potter movies. I love the Simpsons, it’s so easy to watch.
    Have a great week! x

  2. What a lovely surprise meal for Steve! Well done!

    I can’t believe you’ve never seen Harry Potter! Universal does an amazing job with that part of the park, and you’ll definitely appreciate it more after seeing the films. My son has read the books but I never did. I think every English actor makes an appearance in the movies at least once (okay, maybe an exaggeration, but you’ll see some more familiar faces). Enjoy!!

  3. That Palmer & Co. seems like such a fun place! Oh, y’all will have so much fun in L.A.! Planning for a trip is half the fun for me. Have a great week!

  4. That birthday dinner sounds amazing! I love that he was so surprised and the food was so good. Your cousin connect dinner sounds wonderful, as always. While my boys/family are huge Harry Potter fans but we had never watched the Simpsons until after our first universal trip.

  5. What a fabulous birthday treat, belated happy birthday to Steve. Well done for keeping it a surprise. I’m glad he didn’t have shingles and that you were eventually able to have your cousin connect, what a wonderful spread as usual.

  6. Pingback: Friday Favourites - PLAYWORKEATREPEAT

  7. Pingback: What's Up Wednesday - PLAYWORKEATREPEAT

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.