When I was invited to GlobeCast's Melbourne Cup Day lunch over a month ago, I can't say I was that excited. After all, how much fun could a long lunch devoted to watching a horse race be? Especially when it wasn't even in Melbourne!
However, as details started to unfold about this event-that-stops-the-nation, including the fact that most of Australia (including our office) takes the afternoon off work (Victoria and Canberra shut down for the whole day!), that men and women in every state wear their finest garb to various Cup related functions and that there would be fine food, wine, sweeps and prizes for the best hats in store for us at the Maitre Karl restaurant in Willoughby, I started to feel more festive!
And what a fabulous afternoon it was, once we got there. We arrived long after the 12pm expected time, due solely to the infuriating habit the bosses' have of overloading us with all-but-impossible-to-meet deadlines minutes before we leave to go anywhere. We weren't too late for the entrees and champagne though or to place money in the sweep. I had never done this before and had no real clue what I was doing when I handed over my $5 note to a chap with an anxious expression on his face in return for a piece of paper with a horse's name on it: 'Viewed' - no one had even heard of it. I reassured my boss (who had placed a large bet on the favorite) that I never won anything. Meanwhile...
The restaurant, which seated about 50 of us, was delightful, managing to be both intimate and homely without being in the least bit twee or cramped. Charming, patient and efficient French waiters served plate after plate of exquisite European cuisine to the spirited crowd even while prizes, presents, races and the dreadful Latino Elvis impersonator were obstructing the way. I wasn't expecting anything special when I mentioned that I was actually a vegetarian (couldn't quite face the scallops and mussels) but the chef managed to rustle up some amazing dishes for me- there were even real truffles in my risotto!
As for the race itself, some of us had high expectations and a fair bit of cash to lose on the horses while others (me included) didn't really understand the form or particularly care what happened - we were just having fun - although the mounting anticipation was contagious regardless of our agendas. When the time eventually came for us all to stop chatting, pause chewing, down our cutlery and grab our sweep strips in order to watch, it was all over in a flash, even ending with a blurry photo-finish. Imagine that, a whole day centred around a five minute race! That doesn't even happen back home. As for me, I had no idea that I was holding the name of the winning horse in my hand until at least 3 minutes later! I had won $55 - I couldn't have been more thrilled! My boss muttered something about the unfairness of me winning and him missing out - "it's just not fair!". What could I say? I made up for it buying buying him a drink or two at a bar in Surry Hills later that day. I never expected him to agree to a drink as he and I have never really engaged in small talk before and The Clock on Crown Street isn't exactly his typical type of watering hole but Bridgitt and I pursuaded him to join us (well I did) and we found ourselves getting very merry with him several hours later!
I'm no political animal and don't want to step in with pithy aphorisms about this week's Presidential Elections but I want to say something about it. After the long and extensively covered campaign, it was a huge relief and deeply moving to watch the votes roll in for Obama on Wednesday. A chill went down my spine when I saw him up on that stage with his family receiving the results in front of thousands of his supporters and many millions more besides watching it through television screens around the world. Whatever he does next and however he copes with the extremely high expectations people have placed upon him to carry out what is arguably the toughest job on the planet, this is such a massive step for America and thus the rest of us too. I hope for everyone's sake that he proves his worth and is given the chance to fulfil his promises.
Ric and I are off to Stockton Beach (near Newcastle) tomorrow for a weekend of camping, eating, drinking, fun and games with some friends who are in the RAF. Unfortunately for our single friend who's coming with us, most of the boys will be spoken for. The forecast isn't too promising - rain and/or drizzle all day (typical!) which means we're relying all the more heavily on there being a tent for us to use, else we'll be sleeping under the stars! There's something very Glastonbury-esque about this plan all of a sudden...
Worse still, I think the 'pom' a work might have given me her sore throat which led to her having tonsillitis and possibly Glandular Fever!! I'm dosing up on vitamins tonight...
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