Just another Saturday's work achieved by Steve (now to be referred to as SIR Steve).
Here is the new front and sign. He cement sheeted the front. Will look gorgeous when painted.
We have 3 weeks until opening! Very excited.
And check out Mark's plastering job! We could not get hold of a Plasterer so Mark had a go and the results were great! Clever little button.
It's now a 4 week countdown until we open 'Raw Sugar' and the entire town is getting excited!!!
Steve (Mark's nephew) has almost singlehandedly demolished and re-built the entire room. He has knocked down walls, jackhammered impossible concreting (remembering Ingham is THE home of Mario the Concreter), cut in refrigeration panels, tiled the floor built the baulistrading and as we speak is building and laminating our bar in Cairns. He has done more than we could ever have expected (and more then we deserve!!).
Here are the pics to date. As you can see it's all the cosmetics, the bar itself and shelving to go!
Who can believe we are almost at the end of January!
Mark and I managed to have a gorgeous holiday up north. I have added some photo's of the lovely places we stayed.
We started off in Palm Cove staying at Sanctuary - I would highly recommend it as it was really pretty! Just set back from the beach with a really private pool. The apartment was just gorgeous with Granite benches and the most wonderful alfresco eating area. You could literally make the dining area completely wall-less and just gaze at the bush and tropical gardens.
We didn't do a great deal but lie by the pool and walk along the beach, checked out the local shops and had afternoon naps.
Then we were off down the road to Trinity Beach (our old fave) and stayed in the most SPECTACULAR apartments with gorgeous uninterrupted views of the water (even better than Hamilton). We never wanted to leave. The Managers were just delightful and we jast thought it was FAB!
We spent a few lazy days here and managed to get in some shopping in Cairns (they even have a Myer there....wow!). We also managed to send a day up in Kuranda - just gorgeous! We bought some Art pieces up there and traipsed in and out of all the touristy shops. Some of the Photographers stores were amongst the best I have ever seen....I suppose there is just so much inspiration.
We got the Sky Rail up there and the train back. I would really recommend the Sky Rail and not the train so much - or if you do make sure to book a window seat and avoid the German tourists...they have hard elbows and are determined to get THAT photo at all costs!!!
Then we were off to Port Douglas and the Daintree for a few days before heading home. We stopped at Mossman Gorge on the way to the Daintree and as you can see it was quite lovely.
Hi everyone,
Ever looked around and noticed that you have accomplished NONE of the tasks you set out to do?
I set this weblog up as a means of keeping in touch with everyone and have managed abysmally in recent months, for that I apologise. Take note that keeping it up to date will be my New Years resolution.
Tonight is quiet in Sunny Ingham after a big night last night and another expected tomorrow night (or is that tonight now?) for Christmas Eve!
Steve has been diligently working on Raw Sugar and I will upload some pics between Chrissy and New year. He is so Super-fab Steve and we love him to smidgeons.
Tim is here with us until Christmas night and tonight we have hooked up Mark's new super-duper Mixer/Amp/Speakers and my gorgeous Shure Microphone with some karaoke Cd's and Tim's iPod. I had a great time singing along until getting hoarse. Tim is proving to be quite the little singer himself and I am very impressed....Mark explained how very privileged he is to be using the Shure, it's all MINE! Ahem???? Weirdo, too many Golds tonight methinks.
In any case...have a Gorgeous Christmas and I will write more of an update in coming days.
Wherever you are, whoever you are sharing Christmas will may you and yours have a great one.
Lots of love and prezzies to you all.
Mark and Belinda
xoxoxo
OMG! Tourist season is here! We are flat-chat and getting busier and busier every day.
The restaurant is doing anywhere between 80-105 people for lunch and dinner is averaging 40+ for A La Carte and 100+ for Carvery and Smorgasbords. Apparently its be busiest anyone in town can remember it being and we are more then certainly the busiest hotel in town!
This entire experience is so amazing. Every day we meet a new challenge and are still loving it. Neither of us can recall what it was like to have a weekend or to walk away from a work day without a care in the world....but its so rewarding when people notice the changes in quality and the entire hotel is buzzing.
Next month Mum and Dad are coming to visit and Mum is staying on for a week to spend some time with me YAY! Then September Tim and his cousin (Garry's son) Brendan are coming up and then October sees Garry and Liz visiting us again. It's been great the amount of visitors we have had come see us....but KEEP COMING!!! There's heaps to see and do and the weather is just stunning.
Last month the Ingham Show hit town. It was a really big show. Mark and I were really surprised and as a result we were very busy with all the 'Carnies" eating and drinking here. What a bunch of 'individuals' they were....hmmmmm. Interesting. I've included some shots of the showgrounds as they were setting up. We were too busy to go ourselves so I couldn't get any shots of it at its busiest unfortunately.
We are still continuing with our apartment renovations and are now finishing the spare room, sunroom and pergola area. Can't wait until it's all done and super comfortable for us.
I am in the process of putting together a video on the hotel, the region and I still have snippets of our trip up here (now over 1 year ago!). So if you would like a copy please email me. Mind you its on old-fashioned VHS!!! Does anyone still have a video player???
Please drop us a line and let us know how you are going.
Well I gotta go back downstairs....Saturday nights are very busy in the restaurant!
Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.........
Hello again,
Here are more of the apartment renovations. The lounge room. Again, Mark did a great job on the floors and the new double doors through to our new sunroom! those doors were a fair effort as the walls were brick with 2 inches of concrete on either side. A HUGE mess and Mark's arms ached for days.
I have included the feral 'before' pictures so you can see hoe far we have come.
Not a bad effort for a man that puts in a good 60-80 hours per week running a hotel.
Anyhoo, will write a bit more soon.
Lots of love xoxo
I'm not sure if I mentioned but when we arrived our apartment upstairs in the Hotel was a great size and had all the facilities we required but were...well....feral! I was afraid the carpet may have been alive. We weren't sleeping well thinking there was a possibility the carpet might be hiding dead animal bodies from the Ark.
Mark has worked really hard to give us a new floor and a coat of paint. We also have made an extension and are about to start on the outside balcony over the next few weeks.
Here are some before and mid-renovation piccies. We still have some finishing touches....tongue and groove panelling for behind the bedhead and flooring trim.
I think you will agree it is a huge improvement.
Last month we were lucky enough to have a visit from John, Dawn, Jan and Greg. It was a sensational visit and just what the Doctor ordered!
We had been flat chat from the Italian Festival and managed to get a good nights sleep before they all arrived so were fresh for the visit.
In the few short days they visited us we managed a trip to Lucinda and Wallaman Falls - this was the last time Mark and I have managed to leave the Hotel. It's been THAT busy!
I have added some photos of the family visit. Mark was horrified to have to drag his own parents kicking and screaming from the Pokies room....I think they blew their entire $10...............clearly there is a family history of gambling problems. Hehehe!!
We really must send out a huge thank you to Jan and Greg and all their effort getting John and Dawn to us. Also for making time to come and see us we really had such a wonderful time with you all!
Since then we have been incredibly busy with the Ingham Car Show (bringing another 5000 people into town) and in the last 2 weeks we have had big functions for family reunions etc..
Next weekend we are starting up an 'Open Mike' Sunday Sessions at Lee's. It will be interesting to see the talent in Ingham. We will keep you posted.
Tim will be here next Monday - we are really excited. It's been a long break this time as the school hols were brought forward due to the Commonwealth games. I love chatting to him on MSN though...seeing him in the flesh will be such a treat!
Then Adam arrives the week after to give Mark and I a break. We are staying put in Ingham as there is a lot we want to get done around our apartment and we never have the time to do it. I will also add some pics of the changes we have made to the apartment. We still have a lot to do but we are getting there (between shifts!!). Its really rewarding actually. I have some before and mid-renovation photos of our bedroom.
We are planning a January trip back to Victoria. Probably for a nice 2 week stint. We are looking forward to it. I cant believe it has been a year since this adventure started.
Speak soon, lots of love to you all..here are the pics of our lovely visitors....
Mark and Belinda
