Community Spotlight: April 2018

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Community Spotlight: April 2018

Chairs at Backyard.jpg

 

Hello everyone,

 

It is that nice part of the month, when we get to know a little more about a fellow community member. Last month, we had a lovely Community Spotlight by @Lawrene.

 

This month, we are hearing from a host who I think many of us have a soft spot for here in the CC. Introducing....

 

Robin.png

Mount Barker, Australia

 

How long have you been hosting for and why did you first start?

I had my first guest (Luke) exactly 3 years ago today, 12th March 2015! Oh dear, it was like waiting in the delivery room for your first born to arrive, pacing around waiting for that knock on the door and opening it to my new hosting career. I had on two occasions used Airbnb previously as a guest and I have always been one of those annoying people who likes to be a part of anything. I love company. My hosts on both occasions wanted to find out a bit about me and I found I enjoyed the dialogue that hosting opened up and I wanted to have and be a part of that.

 

Tell us a little about your listing

We bought this property in June 2009 and it was derelict! It hadn't been lived in, or opened up, for a decade. Everything was still here just as though Joyce had walked out yesterday...her hairbrush on the bathroom hand basin, her towel behind the door, her clothes, letters and personal effects scattered everywhere. Although Joyce had departed, nature had moved in though! Termites had eaten out the roof structure! Possums and birds were either resident, or had left abundant traces of their residence right throughout the property. I spent 4 months getting the main home liveable for Ade and I then turned my attention to what was a 60M2 (645 ft2) double garage and storeroom on the rear of the house block. I wanted somewhere for my daughters to stay when they came to visit and for friends. It was pretty basic to start with, a second hand double bed, a few old cupboards that I removed from the main house. I did put in a new ceiling though and gradually worked my way down this space filling the cracks, painting and finishing by polishing the old concrete floor. I never know when to stop though and once I had made up my mind that Airbnb was for me I chased down a great bed, put in an air filtration system, a fridge and bench, did a bit of mosaic work, air conditioning, a library of sorts, stuff that I would want to live when I was away. It is still really just a room, sleeps two very comfortably, with another good quality sofa bed that will sleep a further 1-2. I don't think I will ever finish it though, every week something happens to it, something gets upgraded, probably to keep ahead of the tax man!

 

How long have you been part of the Community Center and why did you join?

When I created a listing I stumbled on the Community Centre and spent some months just reading. I was such a 'greenhorn' at the whole hosting business. It took me six months to get that congratulatory email telling me I had successful hosted 5 Airbnb guests.....whacko! Those months of reading were great for me and I am sure saved me making many hosting mistakes. Contributors like Dave & Deb, Clare, Deborah, Helga, Gerry & Rashid gave me such confidence, I could never repay these guys enough for their help, and around Sept 2016 I got brave enough to make my first post.

 

What is your favourite thing about the Community Center and if you could make it better what one thing would you improve?

I do struggle with the odd challenge at home and the CC enables me to leave my issues behind and try and be constructive in other areas. I feel I know a lot of people on the CC, I have learned something of their character, and whenever I have something I am not sure of I know I can get good constructive support here. Contributors come and go, but the support always remains. One thing I would do to improve the CC!.....Fix the direct message 'reply' button!! That 'Oops, can't send your message just now' is a source of continual frustration.

 

If you could live somewhere else in the world where would it be?

Moorea! Closest to the main island of Tahiti. Moorea is paradise on earth, not just for it's spectacular beauty but the way the Tahitians live. Local custom says, no building can be higher than the tallest coconut palm so, when they construct a building they start at the top of the hill and build down.

 

Are you fond of music? What would be your ideal genre to hear on the radio?

I love music, I pay my piano for around an hour a day, have all my life. Favourite genre would be Jazz/Latin American music....Antonio Jobin, Joe Gilberto, ('Girl from Ipenema', all that stuff). My favourite artist is jazz pianist Keith Jarrett. Some people don't just play music, they are music, he is a true genius, and I play his 'Danny Boy' absolutely faithfully, note perfect, and wish that arrangement had been my own!

 

Do you have any hobbies? If you were to try one new thing what would it be?

My hobbies (apart from the piano) are doing my mosaics and drinking good wine! There is always an hour in my day for a bottle of red! At the age of 73 I have to understand that taking up new hobbies means I have a finite time in which to perfect them. Just standing in front of the toilet bowl for more than 30 seconds now means I have used up a sizeable chunk of what is left of my life! I do want to get back water skiing again. Had a boat for many years and it was one of my favourite sports. My balance is still good enough and to get out on the river again would be heaven!

 

If you were hosting a Community Center dinner party, what would be on your menu? 🙂

Depends on the time of year. I do love my cooking as I have to do it all now and have come to understand the consequences of what you do in the kitchen. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks but, I am learning! For entree I would serve Quail in Aspic: This comes cold as a rectangular block on the plate with a large sprig of mint. Meat is stripped off the carcass of the bird, mixed with Thyme, red grapes and finely cut roasted chestnuts and set in weak strength Cognac aspic! Main would be Salmon Wellington: A side of Atlantic Salmon topped with cream cheese, chopped leak, Dill and rolled in Fillo pastry sprinkled with poppy seed and served with a mushroom roasted in foil with plenty of butter, and asparagus spears! Desert would be a Creme Brulee. I have finally got it to the point where I don't burn the milk and I get a reasonable crust!

 

Tell us one fact about you!

I hate gardening! Ade loved it but can no longer take part so, when she is here she sits on the verandah with a bottle of bubbles and 'barks' instruction at me to the point where the only gardening I want to do is dig a hole, climb in and pull the earth back over me!

 

 

Thank you Robin for taking the time to share a little more about yourself. There are so many interesting part of your life and personally I am so pleased you feel the Community Center is a little haven for you to share what you are going through and talk with others. Thank you for everything you do for our community here.

 

 

Please do feel free to response to Robin with any questions about the above or share any nice comments, I am sure he would love to hear from you. 

 

Lizzie

 

 


--------------------


Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

43 Replies 43
Lawrene0
Level 10
Florence, Canada

Always a pleasure to read what you write, @Robin4

Your dinner party wins, hands down!

Absolutely agree about the good constructive support. This is a nice place full of good people, like you. I think of you as the definitive Airbnb host: self-reliant and genuinely interested in every guest, in other hosts, in creating a community. 

Thanks again for this series, @Lizzie

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Lawrene0

I have just finished another dinner party tonight (my sisters 70th)...time being 11.24pm Thursday. It was simple with Pork belly, MSA beef and chicken skewers with baked potatoes and a cold veg/mountain blend rice and green combined salad.

I didn't take a photo of tonights effort but this is the same done a couple of months ago except that l have now added Avocado and a bit more baby spinach and basil!

 

CAM02428 02.jpg

Reasonably intense marinades but really nice flavours. I made four generous sized skewers per person and they all disappeared, and desert was a NY style cheescake with orange and apricot glaze which I am really getting to perfect now. When l can do it without consulting the recipe, I reckon I have mastered it!

I would seriously like to host a dinner party Lawrene because I get so much enjoyment out of cooking. The thrill of putting something nice in your mouth that you have created is a great feeling.

 

@Alexandra, wouldn't it be fabulous if we could talk Holland America Line into taking over the 'Pinnacle Grill' on a Caribbean cruise and staging an Airbnb dinner evening.  I am a 4 star Mariners Club member but I don't think that would be enough clout! Maybe get someone like uncle Brian on board! I would sure be up for that! I just love showing off!

That would be a 'Bucket List' item!

 

Cheers.....Rob

@Robin4, despite being a few months old, this salad still looks very fresh! and it's making me hungry.

I enjoy reading your contributions to the forum, thanks Robin.

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Christine1

Hi again Christine, I really hope your hosting is continuing to go top shelf for you.

That particular shot was one of two from my Australia Day street dinner where I invite the street in for an Aussie celebration each year, but the one the other night looked the same, just a couple of little extras.

 

I never seem to take before dinner shots of my dishes because I am just so involved with the preparation and getting it on the plate that I just don't get around to ' snappin' away!

Here is the remains of the baked cheesecake desert from the other night, very rich with the apricot/orange glaze and the walnuts. The slight issue with NY style baked cheesecakes though, they are so dense that they hang on your chest like a war medal for an hour or two after eating them.

IMG20180428112626.jpg

 

Some people prefer the lighter fluffy style of the simple whipped lemon cheesecake and that's understandable. The only concession I made here, I whipped the cream that went on top into a really soft texture.

 

Oh where would we be without enjoyable food and cooking Christine!

 

Cheers.....Rob

OH Yum @Robin4

Hosting is still going great. So much so, that I close the books occasionally, for personal time or family and friends.

Your posts and pics are so much more entertaining and evocative than mine.

Do luv a full baked cheesy cake. For sure that's the real deal.

You're makin'me hungry again. 

 

#:)

Alexandra316
Level 10
Lincoln, Canada

Very nice, well-written profile @Robin ! Interesting stuff. Maybe we should all have a dinner party at some point: that would be pretty cool. Not sure what continent it'd be held on, but it would be fun figuring that out.

What a lovely start to my day ! Thank you 

@Lizzie for featuring one of the most popular, beloved hosts in our community center. 

@Kittie-and-Chris0, I can't seem to get onto a tag to respond to you, In hope you come across this!

How are you guys going, nice to see a comment from you. How is that Plus listing going for you?....I hope I didn't tread on your toes there a month or so back!

 

Cheers.....Rob

Kimberly54
Level 10
San Diego, CA

Wow! @Robin!  Thank you for sharing this!  SUPER impressed with the piano and the work in the kitchen. 

 

I completely agree, I've learned a TON from the CC, and am super grateful to have found it.

 

As for gardening... I liked it a lot when I was in my EARLY 20's.  Now?  Not really, so I get help, and except for a couple of pretty shrubs and a few palm trees, EVERYTHING on my property is edible--and it does NOT look like a farm.  The borders are various vegetables, a few above-ground raised beds... and a handful of cute chickens (and a guardian goose)--all raised by kids in our neighborhood, so they're more like puppies--they play outside all day, fertalize everything (you have to pay REAL MONEY for this stuff at the garden store), eat up bugs, and they keep the grass cut for me! (and don't forget the FRESH EGGS!).  Fruit trees, etc... really, everything you see, you can eat! 

 

As a 'foodie' (you obviously are!), you would LOVE something like this.

 

I've also got a gig going with a little local market... I either give or sell my excess to them (in exchange for whatever I want), and they also give me their 'scraps.'  Nothing bad at all, but doesn't belong on the shelf--for my hens!  So no grocery bills. 

 

As connected as you are in the kitchen... hahaha! Just a thought!

 

Best always,

Kim

I WONDERED where she was disappearing off to during the day!I WONDERED where she was disappearing off to during the day!I had no idea how easy it was to have chickens.I had no idea how easy it was to have chickens.

 

 

 

 

Kim
Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Such nice photos @Kimberly54, it is great you have chickens and all your neighbours love looking after them. I bet the eggs are wonderful. 🙂

 

I grew up having chickens in our garden and we had a very impressive cockerel, called Heathcliff (I'm not sure if someone in my family was reading Wurthering Heights at the time!). I loved collecting the eggs every day. 


--------------------


Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

Sandra126
Level 10
Daylesford, Australia

You're lovely, Robin, always enjoy what you write! I want a piano now. Not a massive fan of gardening either, but when you have a garden, needs must... Best thing about gardning is watching trees grow.

Ria16
Level 10
Northland, New Zealand

What a lovely read. This little place sounds so loved.  Well done.

I’d love to see the before photos of the renovations. 

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Ria @Kelly149 @J-Renato0 @Kimberly @Christine 

This may not be the appropriate place to place these photos but Ria you asked so hopefully @Lizzie will relocate them if she feels the need.

The thrill of what happened here was the doing of it myself. I did not have any other tradespeople in here and the house was in appaling condition!

This first shot is the rear of the property when we purchased it in June 2009 and the second shot was one year later....

It actually looked a lot worse than this picture shows. Inside it was disgusting.It actually looked a lot worse than this picture shows. Inside it was disgusting.

Garden is a lot more overgrown now.Garden is a lot more overgrown now.

While I was working I had the need to have an ablution area of sorts so the old toilet stayed connected while I did all the demo work.

I was starting to regret what I had taken on at this point.I was starting to regret what I had taken on at this point.

 

 

This was to become the Den.This was to become the Den.

Starting to take a bit of shape.Starting to take a bit of shape.

This how it ended up.This how it ended up.

The other end of this area had been the Laundry...

This was well into the reno, cupboards and wash trough gone.This was well into the reno, cupboards and wash trough gone.

 

Cupboards and a bit of tiling going in.Cupboards and a bit of tiling going in.

The end result.The end result.

The bathroom was in the way of half the kitchen and the lounge room.The bathroom was in the way of half the kitchen and the lounge room.

That wallpaper is blown up from the picture by the kitchen door.That wallpaper is blown up from the picture by the kitchen door.

The wallpaper is blown up from a picture I took of two Adelaide Rosellas that settled in the Elm tree in the rear garden. The TV is motorised and goes down behind that small sideboard.

When I got the house livable I turned to the cottage....

This is how it started off!This is how it started off!

Our first bit of garden!Our first bit of garden!

 

Once I got the holes in the roof fixed I started on the entrance door.Once I got the holes in the roof fixed I started on the entrance door.

And this is how it looked when we started hosting.And this is how it looked when we started hosting.

Every man needs to have a 'man cave' this is how mine started off, and where mess is concerned, this is much like what the main part of the house looked like inside.....

This was crawling in cockroaches and vermin!This was crawling in cockroaches and vermin!

Ade very rarely gets an invite up here. Mind you to start with nothing would tempt her here..

I have everything I need here to keep my sanity.I have everything I need here to keep my sanity.

DSCN2041.JPG

 

 

Through that doorwayy I have a half decent workshop with all the tools I need to do whatever I want around here.Through that doorwayy I have a half decent workshop with all the tools I need to do whatever I want around here.

The property still has a lot of 'doggy-eared' corners and maybe I will never get it exactly where I want it but it's been fun to this point.

 

Cheers......Rob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

I really like seeing these photos of your home transformation @Robin4. I did laugh a little at the photo of you on the loo, you do look a little worrief...it is good you were sitting down! 🙂 

 

It must be very satifying to look back at these photo though and see what you have achieved. Not everyone would have taken on a project like this. 


--------------------


Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.