Brisbane BS&B

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Kate and I attended a Beefsteak and Burgundy (BS&B) Wine Club lunch while in Brisbane. The event was held in the United Service Club (USC) which is an easy walk just down the hill towards the CBD from our place on Gregory Terrace.

BS&B is an international wine club and I'm a member of the local club back home in St Marys, Ontario. When travelling I often take time to discover if there's a local club where I'm visiting.

We had attended a similar event here back in 2004 and made friends with several members including Baggins and Murray pictured at left. We met Murray and his wife Joan earlier during this stay at a dinner on the Oxley (a floating restaurant on the river). They're a fine couple and it's a pleasure to know them both.

This BS&B club is a mens' club, many are men only, that meets once a month here at the USC. The dress code has relaxed somewhat in the intervening years (the last time we had arrived in summer beach wear when full dress was expected). So to have the rules about guests -- many wives were present today. At our last event Kate and another lady visiting from South Africa were the only women present. Today it's a full house. The joke they told us before was that wives were allowed at dinner events but lunches were reserved for mistresses and girl friends.

We had a "gourmet" lunch -- toad in the hole! And lots of wines, and after dinner drinks, and discussions about food and wine. And lots of laughs too! We had fun, renewed old friendships and look forward to seeing some of these guys at our next visit. Or perhaps on their travels should they ever come to Canada (Murray and Joan have a connection to Canada having studied here).