Engineer Andy's Journal: Tuesday and dinner on the esplanade (again)

Tuesday at work was reasonably uneventful. I had left my office key back in my unit, so when i rocked up to work at 7, expecting my boss to already be there. He'd been and gone to a site visit leaving the office locked. Figuring it couldn't be too long til someone else arrived, I sauntered off to find coffee to while away what i thought would be a short delay. One coffee turned to two as the rest of the office arrived at a more sane hour. I got in at 8 when one of the drafters arrived, but it did give me reason to pause and wonder why on earth I was working so early (even if part of the time I get in early is to type up this and review the night's dozen or so emails)when:
a) I don't get paid for the extra time I'm in at the office (salary, and it is a hard process to get paid overtime approved)
b) Even working long hours there is always far more work than I can get done (global shortage of engineers, clients not paying the supply-demand curve as engineers cut each others throats)

I do love my work, but long and stressful hours aren't tenable long term without something giving (will be starting tomorrow - by jotting down my journal entry on my organiser in free time away from the office and just uploading rather than typing it in at the office)

Anyway, to the more happy end of the day I met up with my friends and heard of their fun on the reef. They'd been scuba diving, took the helicopter ride, and were generally all worn out by the time we hit hte restaurants. I tried to recall where I'd heard of some of the good restaurants being (not one of the ones on the esplanade - somewhere on the pier), but couldn't so we headed for Italian. It was nice. Really good food, accompanied by a shiraz which was far nicer than most of the Shiraz I have tried to date in Australia.

Anyhow - work calls. with sunshine coming up so early in QLD it is hard to sleep in when your body is programmed to wake when light hits it. will endeavour to not come in so early tomorrow

shiraz

[tuxette]

accompanied by a shiraz which was far nicer than most of the Shiraz I have tried to date in Australia

I normally don't care for shiraz, but The Little Penguin isn't too bad. And yes, I bought it because of the penguin ;-)

Re:shiraz

[Engineer Andy]

Fair call entirely.
I have found most of the cheaper shiraz to be overpoweringly peppery, but on a suggestion i heard on the radio about matching wine to food, if a wine has too much of a particular flavour (bitter, sweet, pepper etc) eat a little food with that flavour then you will be able to taste beyond that. I had some pepper on my veal, and so the pepper in the shiraz dropped into the background.

If you are after some new world red wines - pinot noir from New Zealand is the best that is to be had outsi

Re:shiraz

[tuxette]

Hmm...I'll have to check that out. I've had whites from NZ which were quite exceptional, but I don't think I've ever had any reds from NZ (will have to check the wine database later on).

My favorite new world countries for reds are Argentina and South Africa...

Re:shiraz

[Engineer Andy]

The great regions in NZ for red are central otago and martinborough. Pinot thrives on very well drained poor soil - seems to stress the poor vines into making superb grapes.

I'm a kiwi who fled to Australia for the sun, but still likes the wines (and beers) of home. Australia is very parochial about its wines, and the wine stores have fairly limited international ranges (although it does have to be said that they are pretty good at the wines they make).