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GCF at the Astor MkII - August 2024

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 It was 9 o'clock on a Saturday, and the usual crowd shuffled in .... [Billy Joel, Piano Man, 1979]. It is now the 15th year of the GFC Celebration (from commencement in 2008). You do the maths... Well, it wasn't at all. It was 12.30 on a Friday, and Richard von Witt, Marshall Kimber, Merv Simmons, Jim Paltos, Peter Larkey, Stephen Porter, Hugh Griffiths, Chris Cunningham, Roger Kimber, John Upcher, Rob Fay, Alan Haig, Hayden Peck, Tony J Kozlow, Dick Friend, Bill Jarvis and himself entered the private dining room at the illustrious Astor Grill, 157 Macquarie St, Hobart. It was the worst of weather and the best of internal clime at the Astor, yet Charles Dickens was not mentioned at all, although tales of many cities were given to regale the diners. Rocky Doniz (maitre-d'hotel) and Alan managed our crowd, and delivered the finest food available to human kind, and the best wine. The new decor in the dining room was very much appreciated: fresh and lively, comforting and clea
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GFC at the Astor - November 2023 - King Charles and the Window Tax

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 'Twas 45 days prior to Christmas, and just a fortnight after Halloween. What would the GFC Members do with their time between buying up at the supermarket to entertain their family and enrich the cultural imperialists? "I know" said Chris Cunningham - "have a GFC lunch at the Astor and explore the fragile existence we all have between birth in pain, and death in pain". And so it was to be. The painful subjects were raised and dealt with, and general agreement forged (in the sense of being acknowledged and shaped, not in the sense of telling pork pies). Waiter Bradley on behalf of maitre d'hotel Rocky Donaz assisted our GFC Survivors (you are nothing in Australia unless you can be described as having survived something, even if it is only death from which you have survived). Wonderful fare, fresh mushrooms recently imported from eastern Victoria - exporter image:  A few brave souls missed the lunch, due to engagements at their health clinics (some would appe
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Ball & Chain Welcomes the Post GFC - June 2023

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 In exhilarating style, the GFC reconstituted for 2023 at the delightful Ball & Chain Grill, under tutelage of maître d'hôtel Craig Farrer and Matthew at the grill. 20 larger than life likely lads assembled around the front of house bar for pre-luncheon refreshments, after (no doubt) grueling strategic and logistical exercises: ie getting dressed and into a cab to the city of Hobart. Birthday boys Merv Simmons and Roger Kimber were marched in to the tune of 2001 A Space Odyssey - totally fitting the circumstances. Merv had been in the Good Paddock, but was still able to walk through the menu, hauling in vast quantities of beef from King Island. Image: Matthew Davis at the helm of Bistro Central - Ball & Chain Grill centrepiece Image: Jim Paltos of Melbourne, flew direct to the Ball and Chain from Tullamarine - he will do anything to get away from Desparate Dan's Victoria Jing made sure we had a booking, provided us with Pale Ale Cascade for starters, and delivered the m
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The Astor Grill Welcomes the GFC

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Conversation with the dog at noon on 29th October 2021:  Me: "I'm just heading out to the GFC lunch at the private dining room at the Astor Grill. I'll be home by 3.30pm Dog: "Bullshit. You'll be lucky to get home by 6pm. Merv will be there and he has no 'OFF' button" And so it proved to be. The part-time members of the Wuhan Waistcoat Society (that is, anyone with a waistcoat, fob watch and associated accoutrement) - images here of the author, Merv Simmons and Max Reed - joined to combine to a total of 19 members of the GFC at Rocky Donaz's Astor Grill. The rain poured down in what we remember as the wettest October in memory. Some said they don't remember it ever being that wet, yet were unable to say that was because they simply didn't remember or that it had not been that wet. Round and round went the discussion, as it can sometimes do with gentlemen.  The window panes frosted over, snow was swirling around Mount Wellington. Peter Lark
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