Venturing into the city bars

There are some wonderful laneway bars around Adelaide these days. If you have visited Adelaide many years ago, you will not recognise it! The State Government has made a project of reinvigorating the city by approving warehouse conversions into funky night-time venues as part of their Laneways Masterplan. If you venture in to Leigh Street or Peel Street in the West End, you will feel like you have been transported to Europe, with tiny cosmopolitan bars in a variety of themes dotted everywhere.

We attended a few Cabaret shows this year and explored some of the laneway bars before and after shows. For Leigh and Peel Streets, catch the tram and hop off at the Town Hall stop. Walk north along the western side of King William Street, turn left at Currie Street and right in to Peel Street. There are several bars and restaurants, including a hidden bar beneath the Bread and Bone Wood Grill. If you, like we were, are on your way to the Adelaide Festival Centre, it's just a five minute walk across Hindley Street, along Bank Street to the Adelaide Railway Station. From there, the quickest way is to walk down through the Railway Station directly to the Festival Centre. Enjoy!

Photo from eaters collective on unsplash

The Market Shed on Holland Street

I returned to the Market Shed on Holland Street this morning for breakfast with friends and, as usual, was not disappointed. If you are in Adelaide on a Sunday morning, this market is a must for breakfast, coffee, brunch or lunch.

The Market Shed was inspired and developed by Jono Kaitatzis and his family who own the IGA next door on Gilbert Street. Jono felt that there was a disconnect between people consuming food and wondering where it has come from. The market's eclectic range of stall holders take great joy in explaining where and how their food and products are produced.

The shed is fitted out beautifully - there several rustic little nooks to explore and relax in. You will not be disappointed!

The Market Shed on Holland St is open every Sunday from 9am - 3pm.

photos catherine, festival stays

Kazbar on Goodwood

My son and I just enjoyed a late lunch at the family owned and managed Kazbar on Goodwood, next door and in the same building as the Capri Theatre. We both dined on the Zaatar and vegetable pita which is one of the most delicious food choices I've made in a long time! The owners make the zaatar using fresh herbs from the family's grandfather's garden - and it sure beats our dried herb mix we have in our kitchen!! The pita was cooked to perfection - crisp and golden on the outside and soft in the middle. The olives, tomato, cucumber in the pita and yogurt on the side were all equally scumptious. I highly recommend a visit or several to this wonderful place. It's becoming very difficult to choose between eateries along Goodwood Road!

Womadelaide and the Adelaide Fringe

The festive season is almost upon us and soon afterwards the Adelaide Festival season! Adelaide comes alive February to April every year with festivals and fast cars.

Our favourites are the Adelaide Fringe Festival 12 February to 14 March and Womadelaide 11-14 March 2016.

The Adelaide Fringe 2016 will include a wonderful array of arts and entertainment including cabaret, comedy, circus, dance, film, theatre, music, visual art and design. You can book tickets here for performances that are likely to sell out early and you can also spend time in the beautiful Garden of Unearthly Delights, soak up the atmosphere and decide what you'd like to see based on what's on at the time. The Garden opens on the 11th February.

The 2016 Womadelaide line up looks amazing, with Angelique Kidjo & the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra being an enormous drawcard. Also one of our family's favourites, the Cat Empire is returning for this wonderful four day music festival in the stunning Botanic Park. The setting is just gorgeous, with stages and stalls set among the Morton Bay fig trees.

Visit the Womadelaide website for more information and to book tickets.  

The Goody Patch

The Goody Patch is a community garden located at 12 Surrey Street, Goodwood. The land is owned by Goodwood Primary School and managed by the school, Unley Council and community members. The Goody Patch is turning 10 years old and this weekend members are celebrating with a party at the patch, Saturday 24th October 12-2 pm.

The Goody Patch has grown over the years, starting with a small area between one of the two tennis courts and the street. With Goodwood Primary School Council support, Unley Council grants and fantastic community participation, it has grown to include one of the two tennis courts (one that was very badly cracked with weeds growing through the asphalt). It is a beautiful place to visit, with community art, places to sit and contemplate as well as edible and non-edible plants to enjoy. You can even taste some of the produce from edible garden plots, marked 'community'.

You can visit the Goody Patch website here and the FaceBook page here.

Sushi Q

My family of 4 went to Sushi Q last night for dinner. We usually go to the Sushi Train at the Metro (and also the ones on Gouger St and Grenfell St) which has been our closest and best sushi train. We thought we'd try Sushi Q because it's a short walk from our house, although we were worried that the sushi may not be as fresh as the one at the Metro shopping centre simply because of the smaller turn-over. We need not have worried as we were very happy with the sushi and with the staff. We were able to request sushi that wasn't already on the train with a very positive reception from the staff. We were particularly impressed about things like: washable sushi covers and hand-made cloth drinks coasters. These kinds of environmental touches stood out for us. Also, every plate was $3!!

Photo from Yelp

Adelaide Farmers' Market

Our family has been going to the Adelaide Farmers' Market at the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds ever since it started in 2006. We often go there for breakfast or brunch as well as for the wonderful fresh produce and goodies.

My youngest son's most recent favourite is pizza from Poh's Jamface stall. For those who are not familiar with Poh Ling Yeow, she was the runner up in Channel 10's MasterChef Australia in 2009 and is one of Adelaide's favourite celebrities. Prior to her fame as a cook, she was already a succesful artist, makeup artist and actress. You will find Poh preparing and serving in her stall with her two partners. The pizza is simple and delicious: a briefly deep fried flat bread base with house made salsa, grated parmesan and a scattering of basil leaves. 

I like to buy Fleurieu Milk and Paris Creek butter from the market for guests when arrivals coincide with Sunday and when not, I buy these from a Foodland Supermarket because Foodland supports local primary producers - and importantly also sells those item. For guests staying over Christmas, I leave a small hamper of goodies from the Farmers' Market: e.g. Coriole olives, Woodside Cheese Wrights' cheeses and crackers and jam from Ruby Spoon or Poh's Jamface. I also used to purchase eggs for guests but now our own lovely backyard hens supply these!

Unley Swimming Centre - opens tomorrow!

A sign that summer is on its way to the Goodwood area is the opening of the Unley Swimming Centre. The Unley Swimming Centre boasts an outdoor Olympic sized pool, a small pool for beginners and a toddler pool, all within beautifully maintained grounds with plenty of sun and shade. Several years ago the future of the Unley Pool (as it is known locally) was under threat because of a leak. The Unley community ensured that the pool was repaired and now there is also a skate park and landscaped parkland surrounding the pool. It is also en route to the Mike Turtur Bike path and to the city bike route. Goodwood Railway Station is just next to the pool.

If you're staying in the area for a while in summer, why not buy a season pass and take a friend with you for a mate's rates discount (see below)!

The pool is opening hours are:

Mondays to Fridays 6.00 am to 8.00 pm
Saturdays 6.00 am to 6.00 pm
Sundays 9.00 am to 6.00 pm 
Public holidays 10.00 am to 6.00 pm 

For more information visit the Unley Swimming Centre.

SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre - update 2019

There have been so many people enquiring and making bookings because they or their children are participating in events at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre I thought I'd write a post about it!

It is an easy 20-25 minute drive to the centre from either Goodwood or Millswood apartments, depending on the time of day. Clarence Park house is even closer.

If you would like to visit the centre's website, click here.

Below are google map directions to the centre from Adelaide Millswood Apartment.

The South Australian Government in association with the City of Marion and the Australian Government built the South Australian Aquatic and Leisure Centre, completed in 2011. The centre provides all-year round aquatic facilities for the community, athletes and major events. It is currently managed by the YMCA.

The decision to build the centre resulted from an investigation in 1999 into the needs for aquatic recreation facilities in the inner southern suburbs and the lack of any swimming pool in SA which meets the FINA international competition standards (the body governing international aquatic sports competitions).

Construction began in October 2009 and the centre was opened in May 2011. For further information regarding the history of the aquatic centre, visit Marion City Council

Two Sisters Food and Wine Bar

Since early 2015 we have been watching and waiting for the opening of Goodwood’s new wine bar, owned and managed by sisters Nicole and Kelly-Ann, opposite the Capri Theatre on the corner of Gilbert Street and Goodwood Road. For information on what they’re up to, check out their Facebook page or their website.

We have been twice now on a Friday night, the first time in its inaugural week of business. It was well worth the wait! We have known one sister, Nicole, for many years when she was our local hairdresser before she sold her business to start a family. Nicole and her sister (with heir mum's help) developed the idea of a wine bar for the area and have created a hip, intimate space in which to enjoy superb local wines and tasty morsels to go with them.

We were delighted to chat with Nicole as she told us about the divine paté made exclusively for the sisters by the local butcher and the bread from Boulangerie 113 further up the road. So good to see the trend of supporting local business.

Two Sisters fosters a great atmosphere and adds to the developing buzz in Goodwood. 

It is open Thursday to Sunday for local wine, cocktails, beer and platters. Live music on lazy Sunday afternoons...We’ll be back!

 Photos from the Two Sisters Food and Wine Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Two-Sisters-Food-Wine/635525633260616?sk=photos_stream