Eating in Japan

Life is good at Oceans Resort Hotel, yummy!

Well Oceans Restaurant and Bar has landed for the final night in Japan.  Well our round the world at Oceans meal game has finished for Japan.  The real hard part of being a General Manager with such a wonderful Restaurant is that you have to taste the food.  It is just one of those parts of the job that has to be done, regardless.

So with a sigh (oh please note the sarcasm I am dripping on my sentences here) I ordered from James our Japanese dish.  Marx, one of our newest staff members then brought to my office what I can only say was a delight of the senses.
Smoked Salmon Sushi, Vegetable Sushi, pickled ginger, wasabi (shaped as a leaf) soy sauce, Chicken teriyaki and Beef teriyaki served with chilli aioli.  Prawn Tempura, Scallop tempura and broccoli tempura served with a crisp vegetable salad.  Tuna Sashimi with an avocado and wasbi mousse AND miso soup!  WOW.

James our Chef preparing for the taste-buds

I didn't get my playing card like the rest of our customers as it will be a bit unfair when it comes to going in the draw for the cash win and playing the game of chance.  I think I can live with that.

So as we close our restaurant for the evening and our customers get back in their cars and head home, or for the lucky ones take an elevator ride to their rooms we will say farewell to Japan.  We will however start to get ready for our next port of call which is Sweden, landing Monday evening the 7th May.

So you may have missed out on coming to Japan with us, there were of course many of you that didn't miss out and actually came twice.  However we are in Sweden next week and I look forward to handing out even more game cards.  I will start preparing myself for that job of tasting the food. 

Can I also add that as of tomorrow we have our new Menu starting.  We are cooling down here in Tutukaka, (not as much as the rest of country), so our menu will start reflecting that.  You can check out the new menu here, as of tomorrow, being Friday 4th May.  I suppose I better start getting ready to taste that too, oh the things you do, the things you do.  Might have to start doing a few more runs out to the lighthouse and back, but it will be soooooo worth it:)

Tasting the Med in Tutukaka

We love Wednesdays at Oceans in Tutukaka.  We get to travel the world in the food way.  Last week was Tex Mex, yeeeeee ha.  But tonight, oh yes tonight we got to light the candles, put on some sexy music and taste the Med.  YUM. We got to welcome our regulars and got to meet new people to the Oceans experience.

The Wednesday Night Buffet really has it's own following.  $19.50 for a long buffet full of food and not only the healthy stuff, (and not so healthy but tastes really good food) but also the wonderful array of desserts.  I am a person who believes that all meals are just the road to the dessert.  Infact there are many times that I will start the dinner process with dessert so I can be assured there is room for it.  I would recommend doing this on a Buffet too, especially the one like tonight.  Ask Sebba, he will tell you because he is awesome

So as always with every post I have promised to find my meaning of life with every day.  And my meaning of life is finding that moment that makes you go ahhhhhhh and smile.  It is finding the good in a day.  And that today was knowing the warmth was inside, the food was inside, that wonderful cooking smell was inside and I was inside enjoying it all:)

Cantab in Northland

Well I missed the blog for Friday.  With very good reason I will have you know.  Oceans was rocking, restaurant full, customers waiting for tables, bar humming with that good vibe that you get on Fridays at Oceans. 

Joeren from Dive! Tutukaka was celebrating his birthday at Schnappa Rock, just down the road so all up Tutukaka had that fabulous Friday night feeling.  Not so great for the Saturday Morning buzz.

Not only do I love Fridays but really it has become a bit well known with some of our locals.  It is a chance for us all to catch up after the week and prepare for the weekend ahead.  You will drive into Tutukaka and think "does anyone really live here?"  The answer is a BIG YES and they are awesome.  The fact is that Tutukaka is not just the Marina area, only so many people can live in the direct area.  But Tutukaka and Ngunguru (settlement that is 4k before you get to Tutukaka from Whangarei) are just two small populated areas of an amazing coast and we are going to be blogging about those too!

So we say farewell to Friday and say happy birthday to Jeoren.  Sleep and wake to SATURDAY.  Ohhhhhh how I waited for this Saturday.  It was like the Christmas countdown from childhood.  Crusaders in the final.  The bar staff in red and black, Crusaders Music (Conquest of Paradise).  If you don't know the music we have added on the link below. 

	Vangelis - Conquest of paradise .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

primed to activate from EVERY speaker we could find, TV's operating and the rush of dinner service to get through as everyone tried to gulp down their food before kick off.  And as is typical with the Christmas countdown of childhood, you find you are ready and waiting way before you are able to rip off any paper.  So you wait,............

Finally I got to turn down the CD music (felt like a DJ with our sound system) and pushed the crusaders theme to full. 

For those of you who haven't guessed or don't know, I am 100% true blooded, forever loyal to the Crusaders!  Steve and I may find ourselves anywhere in NZ or the world doing what we do, but our drawers are FULL of red and black gear, we will always cheer for the red and blacks, we will respect the team where we reside but always Crusader fans.  And that is what was great about this final, NZ united!  We were all for those 80 minutes Crusaders fans. 

I won't lie the result was gutting but there was soooo much pride in what the boys achieved. over 300,000 kms traveled, no home ground and the stress of having a homeland that was hurting from the recent earthquakes.  Respect is also given to the Reds with the flooding and the attack of Mother Nature on their homeland.  So if I was being honest it really was a final of two deserving teams.  Both played well and both played a hard game.

As the bar emptied after the game and we started to lock up and prepare for Sunday it was still a good day.

Sunday is Sunday, a day to rest and relax, we have to say good bye to some of our guests but we get to welcome new guests.  Bitter sweet.  And paradise for me was found this weekend in being a part of something wonderful.  I am not trying to shake my promise of finding my meaning of life in every day, but I am being honest.  this weekend it was in so many moments that there are none that have ownership over another.  And I am looking forward to welcoming the new week ahead and our new guests and those returning to visit and stay with us again

Thursday and tsunamis

Can you believe it is Thursday again!!!!!  Is it an age thing or a reality thing when all of a sudden days and weeks are seemingly stolen from right under your nose?  You barely have mourned the loss of yesterday before you are farewelling today, surely that isn’t right.

Another beautiful day tin Tutukaka

So we woke again to a beautiful Tutukaka day, they have to be coming from somewhere right?  So where ever it is that is cold, raining and grey, we pass on our apologies we also pass on our sincerest thanks.

At 7.03am there was the earthquake located at the Kermadic Islands and 20k deep, registering at 7.6.  I have to say that the response of Civil Defence, the locals and visitors was fabulous.  Cell phones not only chimed with the warning, they rang with people ensuring the message was getting out, then the chimes and rings where joined with the sound of the civil defence alarms.  One located outside Schnapper Rock and the other located on the corner of Oceans Resort Hotel.

View from Ngunguru School

Ngunguru School was fantastic!!!  Having two young children attending and the knowledge that the school sits practically on the beach it was a wonderful relief having the knowledge that the school is well and truly ready.  Children were photo registered, lined up and marched promptly up the hill to a safe place, a place where all parents knew.  When my two got home that afternoon and were grilled “in a nonchalant way” not only were they aware of what was going on and aware of the serious nature of the situation, they were also relaxed and feeling safe.  AWESOME.  Of course there was concern if “Mum and Dad were going to be all right” and that is normal, and they have been reassured that we too have a safe place and a list of rules that we follow when the alarm sounds.

However it didn’t eventuate to much marine wise but it did allow the people of Tutukaka the ability to realise that the situation, should it occur again, has its process, has its communication and has very skilled people ready to jump into action.  Coastguard NZ and the other volunteer services all ready to go should they have been required.  It also gives everyone the chance to review any processes.  If it should ever happen as an extreme event I can put my hand over my heart and say I feel safe living here.

Oksana, Lukasz and Carlie

I am an incredibly proud Cantab, I will be wearing my red and blacks on Saturday.   Today I was proud to be a Tutukakian (not sure if that is a word), what a wonderful, wonderful bunch of people live on this coast.  You really do need to meet them

Click here to see a video that features two of our locals about the tsunami today being interviewed, one of which is the wonderful Kate Malcom from Dive! Tutukaka.  Kate and the team at Dive! Tutukaka have a great product and are very proud of the coast and the beauty of our Marine world.  So if you are coming this way and want to see why we were voted the second best coastal area by National Geographic head out on Perfect Day, you will never question again:)

Kind of obvious where my paradise was today, my meaning of life.  It was the pride to be a part of this community and a part of our team.  You will see it and feel it when you arrive here too.

and it's Tuesday!!!!!

What a fantastic way to wake up this morning!!!!  First slept in so woke with that kind of panic feeling that you get, one way to get the blood pumping, better than a coffee hit really.  Secondly when throwing back the curtains saw that Tutukaka had put on a fabulous blue sky for the day, I say Thank you:)



Oksana, always smiling!!!

 Then it was down to the office for the typical office day, I am not much of an office person I much prefer to be out and about talking with guests and working out the front, but alas there is always office work no matter where you work.

Tuesday is two courses for $40 at Oceans Resort Hotel, so I was back down to the restuarant with the children this evening.  How fabulous is having a Rib Eye, MR cooked to perfection followed by Cream Brulee finished with a hot chocolate?  I mean really people that is a fabulous Tuesday!!!  I work here but even if I didn't I would come here for dinner, the menu is fantastic and the new Winter weekly specials are fabulous.

We are also preparing to welcome tomorrows conference group with us.  Love getting to meet new people and sharing the magic that is Tutukaka.

So today I found my paradise in sitting in our restaurant, colouring in pictures with my children and chatting with the locals who filed in for dinner, two of which were celebrating some sigficiant birthdays:)  No names and  no ages will be given out:)  Also hearing a larger table of 16 in our A la Carte restaurant laughing and giggling.  (That is one of the nicest sounds in the world you know, the sound of genuine laughter and I would be surprised if it didn't make you smile when you heard it either)

Bring on tomorrow, I am looking forward to meeting it head on!

Saturday night in Tutukaka at Oceans

WOW what a night!!!!  Now great is it when the wind is howling, and our heavy doors are protesting at the extra work they have to do to keep that wind out and our Bar and Restuarant are full.  The fire was going the music was playing and the kitchen was humming. Our great staff were buzzing around and smiling from ear to ear.

The hotel is full of happy customers and as the night is drawing to an end we are all warm inside.  The Sky TV has the Blues vs. Reds playing, (come on Blues!!!!! I want a Crusaders/Blues Final)  As a team we had a bit of a gamble, coordinated by our Executive Chef Craig, and I am in for the win with a 24- 18 win to the Blues.

I know that I am lucky to be apart of everything that Oceans has.  Our wonderful location, the fantastic team energy, our customers and our friends.  It has been like winning Lotto working in Tutukaka.

So Saturday night at Oceans saw the Saturday special of a free dessert with every main sold.  (I have always been a believer that there is seperate stomach for dessert, so there is always room no matter how yummy your main was).  To finish off this fabulous meal deal we also have $10 Cocktails!  Double Yummy, what does it mean!  So really there shouldn't be any surprise that tonight we had people waiting in the bar until a table became avaliable in our restaurant, there should be no surprise that at the moment the juke box is off as we prepare for the win in rugby, and no surprise that there is still that buzz in the restaurant.

So what was my paradise found today?  That one is easy today.  On the way back from the bar, on my way home, I was stopped in the hallway by two of our guests, who with great excitment informed me how wonderful their meal had been, how great our staff were and how much they were enjoying their stay.  I was so very proud to be standing with them there hearing those words and the genuine way in which they were given.  The icing on the cake was when they informed me they were already planning on coming back in February for a week.  There is no better feeling in the world than hearing that from someone, knowing how hard your team work, knowing how much your team really do care and knowing that it was being appreciated.

So this blog is for my team at the new Oceans Resort Hotel, thank you!  You know that we appreciate you and you know that we love working with you.  I am thrilled that our guests are seeing how special you all are too.

Tomorrow is Sunday and I dare say that Mother Nature will still be flexing her muscles in the morning and we will wake up again to the fresh crisp snap in the air.  But is it SUNDAY and that brings us the $28 Carvery Buffet Lunch,  YUMMY.  See you tomorrow!!!!

The winter treats have arrived at Oceans Resort in Tutukaka

So there is no denying it.  Winter is a reality.  Even though here in Northland we are blessed with the fact that we are considered Winterless there is no ignoring the fact that Mother Nature has no intention of EVER letting you put her in a box.  So today Mother Nature did show us that she was in charge and will do what ever she wants to do.   As a result we woke to a VERY crisp morning indeed.
The good thing about winter (there is always something good to everything, just on some occassions you may have to search a little harder or wait a bit longer), Oceans Resort puts together the Winter Treats Menu.  So for the next few nights we are going to be going through these, night by night. 
Of course I could put them all down in this blog, but that really doesn't give the respect that each night requires, as each night is unique and each one is special.

Thursday Night at Oceans Restaurant and Bar introduces to our locals and ours guests "Kids Eat Free".  So for all those parents out there (I am one myself) take comfort in the fact that we are here and ready.  All of the kids menus are favourites (suggestions from our own two children, Jack 9 and Nikki 8), Steve and Myself, along with our Chef, Crig Esteck, also put that "green stuff" on the plate (Not popular but makes the parents feel better).

So tonight, Thursday Nights, Oceans Resort in Tutukaka will not only feed your children for free if you are eating a main, they also get their choice of drink, Pirates Poison, Mermaid in Pink, Choc Shake, OJ or a fizzy, they also get a dessert.  There it is:)  We have buckets of felts, pencils and colouring books, and a games room that has all those bright lights and exciting sounds.  Your night will be one of warmth, good food, great service and happy, quiet children.  Bliss!

So we thank Mother Nature really. 

So did I find my meaning of life today?  Today my paradise was found in the happy chatter of the staff, to know that not only are we supplying a unique experience for our guests and creating those new memories that make them want to return to us time and time again, there is a true warmth in the knowledge that our staff are also creating new memories.  We are forming friendships that will be called upon for many years to come.  And when you are apart of such a wonderful group of people you can not possibly imagine there is a better place on this earth to be.

The rooms are warm and as people curl up for the night we know that tomorrow we will wake to Friday's treats, the warm fire, the hot coffee, the fantastic Hot Chocolate Drink and Mother Nature might again show us who is boss but really the weather has nothing to do with it.....shhhhh don't tell her that though:)