Sometimes life just gets in the way. Over the last year, I think I can count the number of times I have headed out to take photographs on one hand. I could make any number of excuses, but in real life I just hadn’t felt like it. Work has been busy. Writing and reviewing has been taken a little more energy than I expected. And I just haven’t felt in the mood.
Continue readingThis crossed my desk today, from the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in Melbourne. They are organising some great opportunities in conjunction with Brickvention, coming up at the end of next week:
WORLD’S BIGGEST MINIFIGURE SWAP
LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre at Brickvention 2019
LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre is hosting the World’s Biggest Minifigure Swap at Brickvention 2019, Australia’s premier LEGO® fan convention taking place from 19-20 January at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne.
Trade your superhero for a villain or your pirate for a police officer at LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre’s Brickvention booth, whereyou’ll have over 3,000 LEGO® Minifigures to choose from!You might even get lucky and find that one Minifigure you’ve been searching for, such as the rare C-3P0 or the popular Harry Potter!
“Last year we hosted a swap meet with over 1,500 Minifigures – this year we’ve got double the fun making it the World’s BiggestMinifigure Swap. LEGO® fans of all ages can recycle their pre-loved or duplicate Minifigures to refresh or complete their collection,” said Dave Holder, LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Master Builder.
Continue readingIn which I throw caution to the wind and make a completely unknown purchase at LEGOLAND Japan. What I found was ultimately intriguing…
It was 1:30 in the afternoon, and I was running out of time.
I was standing in the shop at LEGOLAND Japan, at the tail end of my whirlwind visit to Japan. After several days in Osaka, and another few at Japan BrickFest, I had made my way to LEGOLand Japan. I had to catch a train at 2pm, in order to make my back to Kansai Airport for an early evening flight. I picked up a cap, a multicoloured elephant bag charm and a LEGO City Airport enamel badge – all exclusive to LEGOLAND Japan. Most of the actual building sets I could find elsewhere. And then I saw it.
A transparent plastic box, with LEGOLAND Japan’s logo on the side. In this box was a cardboard dragon, emblazoned with Knight’s Kingdom, Dragon’s Apprentice. This is one of the roller coasters at LEGOLAND parks, which I had not had a chance to ride on due to time constraints. I picked it up and was intrigued. It rattled as if it contained several poly bags. Any indication as to what was inside was written in Japanese on the bottom. I could not read the shelf label, and the battery in my phone was failing – so I was reluctant to use an online translation service. I picked it up, took it to the register and purchased it. After getting it home, it sat on a bench for a few months.
Today, I picked it up and looked at the base. There was a label I could not read, due to my near absent knowledge of Japanese script. That is not entirely true: there was a date that read 2018-07-18. What could that be? This was after I returned home. Perhaps it is a use by or ‘Best before’ date. I was intrigued. I agonised over the possibilities that might be spoiled by opening the ‘Thing mint in box,’ versus my curiosity, and spoiling the mystery by running the label through a translation program first.
I opened it.
I popped open the seal on the plastic box, and the dragon car shaped box glided out, like the way a roller coaster car glides towards the pickup chain. After a cursory inspection, I opened the mouth. Inside was a white confectionary, in its own transparent packet, about 2.5 cm in diameter, printed with the Knights Kingdom logo on the side. I prodded it: it was soft. Not mint in box, so much as marshmallow.
Now the conundrum: until now, everything was still intact apart from the seal on the outer box. But the ‘best before’ date had passed: should I return it, or throw caution to the wind and test it out?
I tore open the packet, and bit into it. The coating was slightly powdery. As I bit into the marshmallow, it became apparent that there was a chocolate filled centre, adding a interesting texture and flavour to the experience.
Mystery solved. Delicious. Was it worth the 1200 yen? For the joy it brought me in speculating over its contents, as well as the inner taste sensation, I would say yes.
Have you ever made a mystery purchase, and been completely surprised by what you got in the package? Why not comment below. As for the Marshmallows? Perhaps I’ll have another. Until next time,
Play Well!
I walked on in, the lights shone bright
The buckets hung on walls of white.
Inside were parts of every type
But was the trip really worth the hype?
I picked up a cup, and scanned the wall.
What should I take, I want it all.
Over one hundred different parts
Just where does one begin to start?
The choice is hard, my brain went wild.
So hard to calm the inner child.
I looked for tiles: that was my dream,
First I found the white ice cream.
Regular bricks: red, pink and blue
I left them be, but what about you?
Left wing, Right Wing in Light Stone Grey.
Some jets complete it: what more to say?
Turntable bases caught my eye
I stacked them up, two hundred high.
How to use them? To decorate
a wall to make my next MOC great.
The garden, too, could stand to gain
Some bamboo and flowers if its all the same.
Clips and bars: grey and yellow
And those small flames, well hello!
So many parts in green of sand:
plates, clips, curved slopes all come to hand.
And telescopes, what about those?
I could use them to make an amusing nose
I stack my cups with bricks so bright:
Yellow and pink, a sherbet fright.
And then trans clear – slopes and bricks
When stacking up became quite thick.
But careful as you scoop parts up,
for if they fail to reach your cup,
Before too long they reach the floor,
and to step on them is sore.
Someone said, I don’t know who,
“It’s best to wear a safety shoe”
Its good advice, from someone kind
to give an adult piece of mind.
Another plan then sprang to mind,
with another project close behind.
As I filled the cup with different bits,
I knew my wallet would feel the hit
of expenses incurred with each cup,
as I moved along to fill them up.
One Large, One Small – enough today
But in the future: who can say?
The range was good, selection fun,
but I wonder if I jumped the gun?
A better plan to go and shop
for parts but to know just when to stop.
I’ll come again in three months time,
when the pieces change – that will be fine.
An autumn day, sky full of sun
made this LEGO store a bit of fun!
The retail store located at the new LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne opened its doors this week, ahead of the of the Official Ribbon Cutting Next Week.
If you have seen a LEGO Store before, you probably know what to expect.
If not: there are LEGO sets at retail prices (10% off for annual pass holders), small exclusive sets, lots of gear and books that you will not normally see conveniently located all in one location.
And a Pick-A-Brick Wall. I have seen Pick a Brick walls before. I have even selected bricks from them previously. Even though this one is operated by Merlin, PAB at the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne is charged by the cupful ($14.99 small; $29.99 Large), rather than weight (Hooray!) But it’s a little different when you have a little time, in your own city and go to visit it for the first time….it didn’t quite drive me to song.
You do not need a ticket to the Discovery Centre to enter the store.
Except on dedicated AFOL nights, adults must be accompanied by a child. This is an international policy in LEGOLAND Discovery Centres. It is a play centre, after all…
Play Well!
We have just received a few details for the Brick Factor competition to determine the resident Master Builder at the new LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in Chadstone this weekend…
We’d love you attend Brickfactor – a unique public audition where candidates will be faced with thousands of LEGO® bricks and partake in a series of LEGO® building challenges in a bid to win the job of Melbourne’s Master Model Builder.
Hosted by Andy & Ben from CH9 show The Block. Bring all the family to enjoy a fun day out. Key timings of the event below. Continue reading
We have exciting times ahead in Australia: Recently we had the opening of the first Certified LEGO Store on the Gold Coast. Meanwhile, a lazy 18 hour drive (approx 1759 km, 1087 miles) away in Melbourne, we are looking forward to the country’s first LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre opening in mid April.
In coming weeks, we will see the Brick Factor Competition, which will see some of our top LEGO builders vying for the role of Master Builder for the centre, but today, we have something a little special.
While others were comparing the size of the queue and pick-a-brick hauls, a small number of Melbourne’s LEGO Bloggers and Instagrammers had the opportunity to visit the building site with members of the team from the LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre. Located on the top floor of the recently redeveloped area of the Chadstone Shopping Centre, the LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre is located opposite the cinema complex.
At this stage it is very much a work in progress: the builders are on site, fitting out is incomplete and bubble wrap abounds! As such, we had to don our hard hats and high-visibility vests for the purposes of the walk through.
If you wish to avoid any spoilers of what to expect when you arrive, stop now. All you need to know is: Admission will cost around $32 per person over three years of age. Annual passes are available now for the introductory price of $73 each. Each person over the age of 3 must have a ticket. During public admission times, all adults must be accompanied by a child. AFOL nights are likely to occur on a monthly basis. There will be a shop…
Further details will become available closer to the opening date, which will be in mid April.
So… you love building with LEGO bricks, you have a degree of skill in this area, and you want to change your job? The new LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in Melbourne is looking for a Master Builder: Apply through the link at Merlin Entertainment . The top 100 applicants will go through to the BrickFactor Competition, which is used to select the Master Model Builder for the Melbourne LEGOLAND Discovery Centre.
Read the press release for further details:
MEDIA RELEASE 4 January 2017
SEEKING LEGO® BUILDING EXPERT TO BECOME MASTER MODEL BUILDER
Discover your dream job with LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Melbourne.
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is on the hunt for Australia’s best LEGO® builder! Would you like to play with LEGO® all day everyday? Do you have the nation’s best brick-building skills? If so, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne needs to hear from you.
The search is on for a creative LEGO lover who wants to build a career out of LEGO bricks and join the team as Melbourne’s Master Model Builder in 2017. The position, while unconventional, is 100% legitimate and ensures that one lucky person will land their dream job at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne when it opens in April 2017.
The top 100 most talented and fortunate applicants will be invited to take part in the Brickfactor challenge held at Chadstone – The Fashion Capital on 11 and 12 February to compete for the honour of being crowned the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne Master Model Builder.
This unique public audition process aims to find the most skilled and creative model builder, who will develop new features in the attraction, curate special exhibitions, build new models, and share their special building skills and techniques with hundreds of thousands of children and families visiting the Centre. During Brickfactor, candidates will be faced with thousands of LEGO bricks and partake in a series of LEGO® building challenges.
Drew Grove, General Manager of LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne, is looking forward to finding Australia’s best LEGO building talent, with that spark for creativity and imagination destined for block building greatness: “We’re thrilled to launch the brand new LEGOLAND Discovery Centre right here in Melbourne in April 2017 and to search for the perfect addition to our creative team.”
“The Master Model Builder will play a vital role in bringing excitement to the centre, creating new and amazing LEGO masterpieces in the Creative Workshop, and helping children learn through play,” he said.
Applications are open now for this once in a life time job at www.merlincareers.com.au. Successful applicants are invited to apply to compete in Brickfactor now.
Located inside Australia’s leading shopping centre, Chadstone – The Fashion Capital, the Discovery Centre will be the ultimate indoor LEGO playground with more than two million bricks housing MINILAND Melbourne with iconic buildings and landmarks, alongside a number of LEGO themed zones for kids and their families including an interactive LEGO laser ride, a Merlin’s Apprentice ride and a 4D cinema. The Master Model Builder will live in their special Master Model Builder studio next to the attraction’s Creative Workshop.
A recent SEEK study has revealed that 41% of people plan to change jobs in 2017 but only 22% will actually make the change. LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne is calling on Australians to take a brick out of their box by joining that 22% and get out of jobs they don’t love for a chance to build their dream career into a reality in the New Year.
To find out more about LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and to register for the latest news visit http://www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCentre.com.au
#BrickFactor #LEGOLANDDiscoveryCentreMelb #LEGO #NewYearNewJob
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While the Flagship London Store opens today, we have some exciting news for those of you located on the Antipodean side of the world.
Construction is now underway for the new LEGOLand Discovery Centre, with the opening scheduled for Autumn 2017 -that’s sometime between March and the end of May. Located at Chadstone Shopping Centre, in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs, the time has come to ensure the Miniland Display has everything needed to ensure that the best of Melbourne is represented. They are looking for you to vote for your Favourite Melbourne Landmarks to build from LEGO Bricks.
“...while we can’t build everything we’d love the help of Melbournians to decide which locations we cannot leave out.”
– Rob Smith, Merlin Entertainment plc Divisional Director
Click this link (which points to their Facebook page) to cast your vote. Follow the links to the voting page. DO NOT just leave a note in the comments.
Voting closes on November 30th, 2016 Continue reading
The Rambling Brick 
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