The other night I went out with three female friends to celebrate their birthdays. While I anticipated an evening of lashings of fluid, exquisite food and infinite chatter, I hadn’t banked on the evening providing a peek inside the celebrity lifestyle.
A few years ago some members of this gang of four accompanied me to Incontro in South Perth (review can be found in http://www.theweeklyreview.com.au/). There we experienced head chef Peter Manifi’s divine chocolate donut concoction, and as soon as we set our spoons down we made a pact to return another day just for dessert. A few days later we heard that Peter had opened a sister restaurant Beluga in Claremont Quarter, so we decided to check that out instead.
Arriving a little early two of us slipped into The Duchess for a quick drink before making our way over to Beluga.
Stepping inside Beluga we were ushered past the open kitchen into a small area separated by a chainmail curtain. While we could no longer experience the theatre of the open kitchen, the privacy was much appreciated, especially since the acoustics meant we could hear each other a little easier. Besides sometimes our dinner conversations can become quite revealing … revealing words I hasten to add, incase you’re getting the wrong idea.
What followed was a shared selection of: New Norcia Flatbread; beer battered oysters that even got the tick of approval from the most oyster-averse amongst us; an insanely creamy mushroom polenta; a decent garden salad; beer battered squid; and their signature dish of roast Banjo Dorper lamb shoulder. The lamb arrived at the table on the bone and then proceed to slide off right in front of our eyes. Dessert followed, also shared: a light chocolate mouse; a caramelised banana topped chocolate brownie; and a cannoli with hazelnut and pistachio cream. Sadly no photos, though I’m sure there’ll be a repeat visit, with camera.
Finally stepping around the chainmail curtain we realised we were the last to leave, an occurance that seems to haunt me these days no matter who I go with.
I know what you’re thinking no celebrity lifestyle in any of this, but wait there’s more ….
Making our way back to the basement car park we walked past the entrance, not recognising the now gated loading dock, as the one we had entered earlier. After a double take we noticed a large sign informing all that the car park closed at 10pm. Now well past midnight we four stood staring at the sign willing it to change.
Sure we could leave the car overnight, but then we read the ‘Recovery Fee’. At the same time the cars owner realised that the car also contained her garage door opener, and being security minded this was the only access into her home.
Panic started to set in as we stood on the darkening Claremont streets, streets that any woman growing up in Perth knows, are best walked through rather than lingered upon, especially after midnight. There was nothing for it we had to get into the car.
Thankfully one of our fabulous four noticed an after hours security number. The guard arrived within 10 minutes and we explained our dilemma. Somehow we managed to present the perfect combination of panic, calm and gratitude, without talking over each other, an achievement sadly lacking during our earlier dinner gabfest.
And then it happened …
The security guard walked us through the laneway to a colossal roller door, where we stood side by side in a line staring ahead. Imagine the huge Myers roller door that holds back the salivating masses prior to the Boxing Day Sales.
Turning a small key the door inched up to reveal all … the Claremont Quarter link… glittery stores, soft golden lights, and magnificent window displays … Claremont Quarter opening up like a oyster revealing it’s pearl … for us.
The four of us strolled through Claremont Quarter, the guard leading the way and I found myself pondering …
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I’d love to have seen a photo of us all as the door opened, I’m sure our eyes would have been as wide as when we’d spied our first bike under the Christmas tree.
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So this is what it must feel like to be an ubber celebrity, one who gets stores opened so they can shop in peace, the likes of Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor or Za Za Gabor in their heyday perhaps.
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I have to admit it felt a little bit Sex And The City. The only thing left to do was to work out who was who … though perhaps best not.
Footnote: Incase you’re thinking of going to Claremont Quarter in the evening but worry about parking access after 10pm, fear not, there is another entrance to the carpark evidently … but where’s the fun in that!
2 Comments
Haha, sounds like quite a night.
yep can’t imagine ever getting a whole shopping centre opened again, once in a lifetime I’d say