Putt Putt

No American beach vacation is complete without a family round of miniature golf. As the weather warms up in Perth, I'm reminded of summer evenings at Maple Breeze, Putts up Dock, and $2 mini golf at Ocean Beach at Tuesday night Cruise nights.

From volcanoes to whales to iconic windmills, and pirate themed courses in Hilton Head, the more obstacles to lose your ball in the better. Apparently there are several choices for mini golf in Perth, and if you're willing to drive, apparently Wanneroo Botanic Gardens are the best.

But if you'd like to combine your Sunday arvo with a visit to the wineries and lunch at a brewery in the Swan Valley, Oasis mini golf and Supa golf is the place to go.

Simple artificial turf and sandpits, some holes were deceivingly challenging, and more than one golfer lost a ball in the blue colored water (luckily they provide a net to retrieve your ball).

There were no whales, but there was a pig in the way.

The rules are the same on the other side of the world, though there was some compromise when combining rule interpretations from the midwest, Texas, the Netherlands, South America and Australia. Luckily we all can get along.

Pizza in Perth

Australia has excellent Asian food. Vietnamese. Thai. Chinese. Japanese.

Australia is a master of Indian curries.

Australia has delicious Indonesian food.

Australia has delectable South African, Moroccan, Nepalese, Peruvian, and decent Brazilian food.

Australia can even do a mean Italian bolognaise. 

But Australia doesn't get pizza. Proper New York pizza? Forget it. 

A buttery Chicago deep dish? Good luck.

Growing up on  plethora of local pizza joints, I realized that I've been spoiled. From Golden Pizza to Ocean Pizza, from Mystic Pizza which inspired the movie and Pizzeta Pizza which delivers by boat, and even the least favorite Nick's, I've had a lot of pizza. I even had a birthday party at Papa Gino's where we played pin the pepperoni on the pizza. I had resigned myself to Dominos as the closest to "suitable" pizza, that doesn't taste like thin cardboard that came from my freezer. It's not bad, it just doesn't taste like "pizza" to me. The crust, sauce and cheese don't meld together into one heavenly mouthful. Usually there's just not enough cheese, too many fresh toppings, and the sauce only disapoints.

After more than 2 years, I have found a suitable pizza. I was at my replacement Australian family's, who ordered pizza for Wednesday dinner. The pizza arrived and I asked where it was from: Little Caesars. Huh? The boxes were simple brown cardboard. No logos. This was clearly not the "pizza, pizza" Little Caesar's I am familiar with it.

Enter the Quatro Formagio aka four cheese. This may have been the richest pizza I have eaten. But I like cheese, and this was yum! And it was even ok with a little extra pineapple. We also had a Greek Lamb and one with Peri Peri chicken. Yes, they're a little wanky. But that doesn't mean they didn't taste good. THe real standout was the sticky fingers desert pizza. Now the only time I"ve gotten dessert pizza is off the Pizza Hut buffet when I was a kid. But this was Sticky Date pudding on a pizza and I have never tasted anything like it. A think cake lie "pudding" crust, sweet cinnamony sugary topping with white chocolate bits that melt as soon as they touch your tongue. I'm salivating thinking about it.

Now this Little Caesar's is in the Hills. For those of you who have never been to Perth, that's considered "forever" away (yes, I can see the hills from my apartment). But when you don't have a car, ts a bit of a trek just for pizza. It turns out, Theo's, a sister pizzareia, opened just across the river in Victoria Park. Pizza two weeks in a row? I'm in!

This time I picked them out. One very Australia things about this pizza joint, is that it puts pumpkin on everything. Goinig in, I even though it was festive for Halloween.

So of course we had to try the pizza with pumpkin and beetroot, then one with half chicken fettucine alfredo and half chicken with pine nuts and other deliciousness, and good old Hawaiian. They've changed the menu since then, so I clearly cannot remember their hipster names, but you get the gist.

And of course we got a Sticky Fingers. Do you not know me and my sweet tooth?!

Yes, the pizza's good. Or maybe I was just hungry. But for now, it'll do, despite it's ridiculous Perth price. But my heart will always belong to the place where a simple cheese pizza is all you need - Ledyard Center's one and only Valentino's.

Mission Jack o' Lantern

Yes, I see all your beautiful jack o' lanterns on Facebook. 

 

Australia might be a little be behind on the whole Halloween thing, but they're catching up. The past few years, they've even been selling carving pumpkins (with the disclaimer that they're not for human consumption). Thus, I was shocked when I learned that one 26 year old and one 28 year old had never carved a pumpkin. Nor had the related 5 year old and 2 year old. Hoorah! It was my American mission to share my years of jack o' lantern carving with my Aussie hosts.

Note: Coles is one of the two large grocery store chains in Australia. This is their ad this week.

 I should be able to find a pumpkin.

Two weeks ago: I saw two very large pumpkins in Coles Victoria Park on my run home from work. $3 per kg. My mind still doesn't work in metric, but it's probably not cheap, but worth it. Though they might be a bit two big to fit in my running backpack. 

October 31st, 6 hours until pumpkin carving time: I enter Woolworth's in the city (the other major grocery chain). They have a display of random Halloween candies, decorations, and costumes. But no pumpkins.

October 31st, 5 hours and 45 minutes until pumpkin carving time: I walk down the street to Coles Raine Square, also in the city. No pumpkins in site. Mind you, there were plenty of costumed folk making their way to the Halloween festival in Northbridge (on a side note, Australian's are much more gorey with their Halloween costumes. An investment in fake blood makeup might be worth a consideration), and other staff in stores were dressed in full Halloween paraphernalia. It's not like they forgot it was Halloween in the Perth CBD. 

October 31st, 4:40pm, 20 minutes until pumpkin carving: Enter Coles Bayswater. No pumpkins in the produce section. IN a last minute ditch, I see a Halloween section over on the other side of the store. Just lollies, toys, and very whiny children. Luckily i had my back-up plan to the next nearest Coles that I could arrive at in 11 minutes.

October 31st, 4:57pm, 3 minutes until said pumpkin carving: Arrive Coles Bassendean after Google Maps lied to me and told me it was not where it really is. Rushing through the neighborhood, avoiding the early trick or treaters (the orange and black balloons mark the participating houses and not everyone has caught on to the tradition), I sprint through the shopping mall, only to reach a closed entry gate. Stores in Australia close at 5pm on Saturdays, and apparently, this one was not accommodating last minute pumpkin shoppers. I wander around the small produce stand, and seriously consider carving a butternut squash. But I know that it would not be an authentic experience for these 4 first-timers.

My 2015 jack o' lantern mission was a fail. 

Coles Jack O' Lantern-1

Yowie the Witch-0

Please note that I Was so excited for the occasion, I even bought a costume!

October 31st, 6:27 pm and 27 minutes past said pumpkin carving: Plan B is enacted, and we make some very beautiful & "scary" paper plate pumpkins. The first-timers don't know the difference and think it's the most fun ever.

Just wait until I show you how it's really one and  we carve the real thing...