Brisvegas and beyond

Chicken Pesto Vege Pasta

2012-01-19T20:07:00.000-08:00

So, first off the rank in healthier recipes this month is a quick and easy pesto pasta. Numminess

Ingredients

(Serves two)

Spiral pasta for 2

8 Kalamata olives

3 Mushrooms

6 Semi-dried (or Sun-dried) tomatoes

Half a bunch of broccolini

1 tbsp Olive oil

1 tbsp Sun-dried Tomato pesto (or basil pesto)

1/2 tspn mixed Italian herbs

1 tspn of Crushed garlic

Small handful of grated parmesan
1 Chicken Breast

It is delicious and fresh. Perfect for a summer meal.

Put the pasta on to boil.
Roughly chop the Kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Slice the mushrooms. Chop the broccolini into inch size pieces. Chop the Chicken into bite size pieces.
Heat the olive oil on medium-high. Add the garlic, herbs and Chicken. Cook for a few minutes then add the vegetables (except broccolini). Stir for 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms have a slight golden colour. Add the broccolini and stir for another 2 minutes to heat through, but still maintain the crunch.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Once the Pasta is al-dente, drain most of the water, leaving about 2-3 tbsp in the pan with the pasta.
Tip the cooked vegetables into the pasta, add the pesto and mix on a medium heat until everything is combined nicely. Remove from the heat.
Dish this up and sprinkle with parmesan.

My boyfriend and I really enjoy this one. The Kalamata olives give the dish a saltiness, and the tomato and broccolini a hint of sweetness. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did. (Simply omit the chicken to make this Vegetarian)

Today I was booked

2012-01-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, today I was booked, in a good way. It is that time of year again. Lifeline Bookfest. The time for all bibliophiliacs to rejoice and join as one to converge on the Brisbane Convention Centre. With everything from kids books to science fiction, and cooking to humour, the Bookfest has something for all book lovers.

Separated into the 3 sections the Bookfest has something for every budget, even some PS2, Xbox and PC games, DVDs and CDs. The three areas are the unpriced section, where you normally pay by the book size, the Priced Section, where books are all $2.50 this year, and the Quality Section. Today was a bit more of a browsing expedition for me, and I intend to return again later in the week, and as Bookfest is open from this last weekend to Sunday 22 January, there is plenty of time for everyone to stop in. Today I managed to pick up the first Manga in the "Return to the Labyrinth" story. This is something I have been wanting to read for ages.

Browsing through the titles there were yet again plenty of copies of Dan Brown's Davinci Code, and this year there was nearly half a table covered in the Twilight series. I love looking through all the cookbooks to try and find something a little different. Last year I picked up a great Moroccan cookbook. I look forward to returning later in the week to search through the rows and rows of books to find further treasures.

Happy New Year! and non-resolutions

2012-01-05T04:15:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of 2012. Mine has held some ups and downs, but I am trying to remain positive. Now to talk about those wonderful New Years resolutions that people always make, but rarely stick to. As you may have noticed from some of my food posts I love sweets, and making sweets. No I am not talking about giving up these wonderful treats (that could quite likely send me over the edge frankly). I am proposing an effort to make some healthier treats.

To my friends out there who occasionally enjoy my biscuits, chocolates, or baking, I will continue to produce these yummy treats, but for home and for my health I am going to try to make my cooking for home happy and healthy. Good yummy treats, but good for me too :) There will be photos, there will be blog posts, and there will be disaster. This is not a New Years resolution... this is just a new lifestyle choice. Now to check what ingredients I need to make my Choc Chunk Cookies for visiting friends this weekend. See, not a resolution, so not breaking anything.

Shaz's Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2011-12-23T15:41:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone. This Christmas I am spending with my wonderful boyfriends family for the first time. In an effort to pitch in I am bringing sweet treats. My baking efforts have included Chocolate chunk cookies, Gingerbread and Chocolate brownies. To top it off I have also made Chocolate truffles and will be making Tiramisu. I have been a baking and chocolate queen this week.

Firstly lets have a look at the Chocolate chunk cookies. My work colleagues always love when I bring these into work. My secret is...... doubling the vanilla and using milk and white chocolate melts instead of chips. I am a big fan of vanilla, and if I am putting it in a recipe I want to taste it. Hence the double shot of vanilla in these cookies.

Recipe

125g unsalted butter

3/4 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons of vanilla essence (it is worth getting essence or even vanilla paste if you can)

2 1/4 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon of bicarb

1 cup of white chocolate melts (roughly chopped)

1 cup of milk chocolate melts (roughly chopped)

It is a basic recipe, and simply a case of preheating the oven to 180 C, then creaming the softened butter and sugars together until light and creamy in texture. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium until well combined. Add the sifted flour and bicarb and stir until they are well mixed in then add the melts. Using a desert spoon, place spoonfuls on the baking tray (lined with baking paper, no greasing or flouring required). Place them in the oven for 10-12 min until the are turning golden. Remove from the tray with spatula and place on a cooling rack, then repeat. This recipe makes between 3-4 dozen depending on the size of the biscuits.

I will post the other recipes over the coming days but here are some pics of the yummy foods I have prepared. Merry Christmas everyone :)

Two Cups (Upper Edward St Spring Hill)

2011-12-21T23:10:00.000-08:00

I have been walking past Two Cups in Spring Hill everyday for the past six months. I have always seen happy smiling faces coming out and have admired the Quote chalk board out the front. For six months I have been saying I should try them soon. But whether I was running late for work, or had other things on my mind, it just never happened. Until this week.

With the Christmas rush on for all workplaces I have been starting work a bit earlier a few days this week. On Thursday morning I had not had a morning cup at home and was sleep walking to work. As I approached Two Cups I could smell the coffee and breakfast foods. I could see a couple people enjoying a full cooked breakfast out front, and the sounds of friendly laughter from inside. I admit my body was just crying out for coffee/caffeine but my logical mind had no objections.

As I entered I was greeted by the barista. He was serving what sounded like a long standing customer, but he took the time to ask what he could get me and put my coffee in the queue. Once he had finished serving the customer he turned to me and a had a friendly chat, even though it was 6:45 in the morning. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him make my latte as I could tell he knew his craft well. I even ended up with a little latte art on my cup instead of the normal pour and serve that some cafes do. Two cups also advertises coffee courses, and a book on how to use your home machine effectively. Very tempted on both accounts.

I've been back in a few times since and the service is always great, as are their homemade sweet chilli and cheese muffins. Definitely a place to check out if you enjoy good quality coffee and a friendly atmosphere.

In the Land of Christmas fun

2011-12-16T23:22:00.000-08:00

Phew, all the Christmas shopping complete. Yay!! Feels good. Now I just need to wrap the rest of them and I'm all done.

Now to get the baking mindset on tomorrow. On the cards are Chocolate chip biscuits, Gingerbread, Chocolate Brownies and Chocolate Truffles. The plan is to take a goodie basket to my boyfriends parents place for Christmas day :) I can't wait. I think I am finally starting to get in the Christmas spirit this year :) With only a week to go it is about time. Also, as this is the first Christmas with my boyfriend I cannot wait to see him open his gifts.

So today I bought ingredients for the above mentioned treats and tomorrow I melt, bake and ice. It's going to be an epic day. Tonight I am off to my Boyfriends work Christmas Party. We are going to Sunnybank for yummy Asian food. I will try to sneak some photos and post a review tomorrow (while things are baking).

Merry Christmas to all my friends and family. May you all have a wonderful and safe holiday season. I look forward to catching up with you all soon.

Brittle failure may still be sweet

2011-12-12T03:55:00.000-08:00

What the brittle should look like

So I'm attempting to make Peanut Brittle. I followed the recipe exactly but the toffee did not colour and when I kept cooking it waiting for it to change colour.... it turned to sugar again. I'm not sure what went wrong at this stage. But I now have a tray of roasted peanuts coated in a fudgey substance. I'll wait and see how it sets, but it is definitely not the right colour. Time for some more research into Brittle basics I think. I'll post some photos tomorrow after it has set and I have attempted to cut/break it.

On another note I may be attempting chocolate brownies tomorrow night :)

The Toast of Tea

2011-12-04T03:45:00.001-08:00

I'm a fan of tea, whether it is a cup of English Breakfast to start the day, a nice Earl Grey to warm me up on a Winter afternoon, or a cup of soothing Chai to finish the day. Tea and the subtle (or not so subtle) variations in the blends will always bring a smile to my face. I think it is partially that memory of being a child and having mum fix me a cup of tea and a milk arrowroot biscuit for afternoon tea.

Recently I visited The Tea Centre on Little Albert Lane. Firstly, I love walking into this place and feeling like I have stepped into a wonderful fragrant tea house. From the wall of tins containing tea from all over the world, to the variety of tea pots and cups to purchase, this place has the perfect cup of tea for any palate.

On this visit I had the Pai Mu Tan Stockholm Blend and a sinful little Pavlova with fresh fruit. I have to admit that I am partial to the White teas when I go out. I have so many varieties of tea at home so when I go out I enjoy having something a little different. The Pai Mu Tan Stockholm Blend is white tea with orange blossoms, rose petals, safflowers, calendula blossom, vanilla and apricot.

The wait staff are very good at the Tea Centre. They give you just the right amount of time to peruse the menu, and then provide your order quite quickly also. The tea comes out in it's own little pot, and they let you know how much longer to leave it steep. My tea is a very light floral flavoured tea with a slight sweetness from the vanilla and apricot. I've just poured the tea into it's cup and taken the first mouthful when my sweet treat arrives. The little pavlova is actually two small meringues sandwiched with cream, kiwi fruit and strawberry slices. There is more of the same on the top as well as a drizzling of passionfruit. It was a purely light and delightful afternoon treat.

When I finished my tea and wandered around the store the have a look at the tea pots the staff were friendly and answered all my questions. I highly recommend The Tea Centre for a quiet relaxing afternoon (or Morning) tea. Stop in to sample their hot or iced teas, or even a coffee if you prefer. Stay and enjoy Devonshire tea or one of their sweet deserts. Have lunch and enjoy a Chicken filo wrap, or quiche and salad. And definitely stop in to look at the wonderful assortment of tea pots, especially with Christmas just round the corner. You may find the perfect gift for that special person.

Brisbane Botanic Gardens

2011-12-03T17:26:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day in Brisvegas, enough cloud cover to keep the temp down, and a cool breeze off the Brisbane River to make being outside a delight. How to spend such a great day? Why exploring the streets and parks in Brisbane.

After grabbing a Toffee Nut Frappuccino I was off to explore.

Starting in Post Office Square I headed back towards the Queen Street Mall. I then headed down Edward St to the Brisbane Botanical Gardens. I hadn't been in a few years, but this place has a timeless relaxed feel. With plenty of grassed areas and a couple play areas for the kids the Botanical Gardens is great for both the family outing as well as for a nice romantic picnic. I spotted both during my walk.

Walking though the gardens it is quite easy to forget you are actually in the middle of the city. There is plenty of wildlife in the park and the traffic noise just fades away. I was lucky to grab a few images of Australian wildlife as well as the (non-official) bird of Brisbane (the Ibis). With so many in and around Brisbane I sometimes think they should be.
I would highly recommend spending a nice relaxing afternoon in the parklands. With a nice picnic and some reading material, or that special someone, it is just what the doctor ordered.

Chocolate, Movies and Aroma Garden

2011-11-18T22:34:00.001-08:00

So I turned the big 33 recently. As it was the middle of the week I had the day off from work to spend it with my Mister. The morning began with a nice walk through Spring Hill to ostensibly pick up cream for the pancakes I was making for Breakfast. Yes, I cooked breakfast on my birthday, but for a good reason... that being the banana syrup I was making to go on them. Now that the price of bananas has gone down they are re-entering my diet. Yay!!!

After the yummy breakfast we relaxed playing PS3 and computer games before heading out to our first movie of the day. We were off to Cineplex at Southbank. Cineplex is great for movies and snacks. With tickets from $6.50 (before 3:30pm) to $8.50 for normal 2D movies, and a large drink and popcorn for $7.90 it is possible to go to the movies for under $20.

Anonymous was good. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I've since been informed that it is factually incorrect, with the timings of the plays and historic events completely out from reality. Still it was enjoyable.

After the movie we went to Max Brenner for chocolate what else. As always the wait was long but the food was yum. I think part of the charm of waiting at Max Brenner is using the time to change your mind about what you are going to order... over and over again. I had the Sundae and Mister the Waffles. My favourite part was eating the little pot of melted chocolate :)

We then walked back into Brisbane to enjoy a late lunch/early dinner at Aroma Garden. This suited me and my Mister perfectly as they have a broad range of food. He had the Chicken Parmegarna and I had the Chicken Tikka Masala. I love the flavour of my food. I could tell it was homemade and although not technically perfect it was tasty and came with really nice papadams. The meal was probably a bit over priced for what it was (over $20 each for the mains, even though they were a good size). It was nice and the service was decent but I've had better meals for less at other restaurants.

After dinner it was to a free movie care of @reviewbrisbane. We were lucky enough to win tickets to see a preview session of Immortals. Visually pretty fantastic, the movie was good but seemed to lack a little in the way of script. The actors were decent and the cinematography nice, it was just that feeling of missing something.

All in all it was a great birthday, made even greater by spending it with my Mister.

King of Yum Cha

2011-11-18T20:04:00.001-08:00

Recently I shared a wonderful lunch with friends at King of Kings in Fortitude Valley. We went for the Sunday Yum Cha. The food and service were amazing. I particularly enjoyed the prawn and corn dumplings and the garlic chive dumplings.

The atmosphere was exceptionally busy, but happy. Everyone was having a great time. The wait staff were very attentive. In fact if I have any criticisms it would be that they could be overly attentive. We were there for a birthday lunch and as such were waiting for people to arrive and for the birthday girl to open presents and such. Even though it was clear that we were not ready to order (people were standing around the tables chatting) they came back repeatedly. Other than this minor inconvenience the lunch was fantastic. The food was delicious and plentiful. The tea was refreshing.

Over all I would recommend this restaurant to everyone who enjoys delicious asian cuisine. It was filling and inexpensive (we split the bill amongst the 8 people at the table and it came to $12.50 each) while catering to various tastes and needs.

Ten Movies I am looking forward to

2011-11-18T19:02:00.001-08:00

Yes I know this is another off topic post, however I love my movies :) So here it is, the 10 movies I am looking forward to seeing over the next few months. (please note I have already seen Anonymous and Immortals - thoroughly enjoyed both - which is why they are not on this list) These are not in any particular order.

Melancholia - Kirsten Dunst and the end of the world. This movie looks stunning.
The Debt - Sam Worthington takes down a war criminal... who can argue with that.
Moneyball - a movie based on the way stats changed an entire game, and Brad Pitt looks great in it.
John Carter of Mars - As a fan of Science Fiction (films and books) I cannot wait to see John Carter.
Mission Impossible: Ghost protocol - The original Mission Impossible movie with Tom Cruise was great and I am really looking forward to the latest installment.
Tower Heist - This one looks hilarious. With a great cast of comedians I know this one is sure to make me laugh.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of shadows - I can’t wait to see this one. Holmes and Moriarty face off :) yay!
The girl with the dragon tattoo - I loved the original and I am really looking forward to seeing what the director of Fight Club, Seven and The Social Network will do with it.
The Muppets: I grew up watching the Muppets and can still remember watching Kermit sing The Rainbow Connection. Definitely need to see this one :)
Underworld Awakening - A big fan of this series. Love all the movies and I am looking forward to seeing Kate Beckinsale reprise this role.

There are a few coming up in 2012 that I can't wait to see also.

I shall exercise

2011-11-11T03:37:00.001-08:00

Off topic a bit here, but I joined a gym!!! I am quite excited to be going back to the Gym. It's been awhile and I am really looking forward sweating my butt off... literally. The aim is to go 3-4 times a week. Hopefully I might be able to fit a shift in on the occasional lunch break.
As mentioned in my previous post work has been very hectic and I have been finding myself mentally exhausted but not sleeping properly. Hopefully this can help me sleep better as well as the obvious health benefits. I have my first PT session on Tuesday :)

Lack of Blog posts... I'm sorry

2011-11-08T05:31:00.000-08:00

So life has brought me long work hours and short amounts of fun time. While I have managed to visit a few great places over the last couple weeks I have not been able to blog about them :( This lack of Blogging will hopefully end this weekend when I shall post photos of a yummy Yum Cha lunch at King of Kings in Fortitude Valley. There will also be a few pics from the nieces Ballet recital in Maleny and their gorgeous Borzois, Oberon and Adonis. Stay tuned for blogging.

Stormageddon 15 October 2011

2011-10-17T02:00:00.000-07:00

Brisbane has some wonderful weather, and we can go from clear blue skies to dark, to dangerous clouds, to blue skies all within an afternoon. Saturday was a lovely day and the that afternoon storm hit. I had gone outside to get some shots of the clouds as it came across when lightening hit nearby. I was rushing back indoors as the rain and hail hit. It was pretty spectacular. I didn't get many shots but here they are.

Images of Brisbane

2011-10-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

I've been on a bit photo binge the last few months, my favourite subject the architecture and sites in Brisbane. From South Bank to the Fortitude Valley I have snapped shots of buildings I used to take for granted.

South Bank/South Brisbane

Brisbane

Fortitude Valley/The Valley/Tenneriffe

The Perfect BREW?

2011-10-07T06:19:00.000-07:00

I love my coffee. My friends and family all know this and pander to my expansive diatribes on the topic. I do not like to put them through it too often though.

This afternoon I visited Brew in Brisbane for the first time. I have been walking past Burnett Lane off Albert Street (Adelaide Street end) for months and always say "I must go there one day." Well this afternoon I did, and I enjoyed it greatly.

Walking down that alley you are not quite sure what to expect. There is a small chalk board and some stools arranged at the end of the alley. There does not appear to be a barista in sight. It is not until you get just inside the entrance that you realise there is much more to Brew than meets the eye from Albert Street.

There is music, and art (photography at the moment), food and beverages from coffee to wine and beer and spirits. Although we only had time to sample the coffee today I am dying to go back and try some of the tapas, snacks and cheeses they have on offer.

The barista was friendly and helpful. She had a great sense of humour and spent time talking to her customers while providing great service. The coffees came out with a couple chocolate covered coffee beans, a personal favourite. The music was unobtrusive. It provided great background to chat, but at the same time you could hear the other person speaking. The layout also helped with this and even though there were people seated within a few feet I never once overheard their conversation.

I was so impressed with the coffee and service at Brew that I am planning on taking a friend there tomorrow. I can only hope that she enjoys it as much as I. Photos to come...

More reviews of Brew here...

Octoberfest/Orktoberfest/Ocsober

2011-10-03T03:02:00.000-07:00

I know I normally stick to looking at Brisbane, local events and photography, and while the following doesn't exactly look at these, it does look at events taking place this month. It seems these days that months of the year are being adopted by different events or charities. Of course we are all familiar with Oktoberfest, a glorious German tradition that had been adopted throughout the globe. Over the last few years we have also become familiar with Movember, raising money for a great cause. This year however I have seen the clash of the October festivals.

Black Forrest Cafe Restaurant (Highgate Hill)

Tradtionally October has been a month long salute to good beer, good friends and good times. I myself have participated in beer tastings, wonderful meals at the Black Forrest Cafe (Highgate Hill), and general revellry. When I started seeing the media for Ocsober I became a little intrigued. And then I heard about Orktoberfest. Yes Orks, Warhammer 40K Orks to be precise.

So what are these events on this month?

According to the Ocsober Website -
"Ocsober is a fundraising initiative that encourages people to give up alcohol for the month of October. The money raised goes to Life Education, the organisation behind the iconic educational mascot, Healthy Harold. For over 30 years, our loveable giraffe has been teaching Australian children how to enjoy a healthy lifestyle by resisting participation in drug and alcohol abuse. This year, Ocsober aims to raise $750,000 to help Life Education and Healthy Harold go into even more schools across Australia."
A worthy cause, and I understand that focusing on drug and alcohol abuse during a time of year when people may take alcohol to the excess.

Orktoberfest
What is Orktoberfest? It is a massive Miniatures game called Warhammer 40K. People all over the world buy, build and paint their own armies then meet up in a large tournament environment during October to do battle. These events happen all over the world. Here is some youtube footage of some of the miniatures ready to do battle.

I suppose the marketing world could continue along this vein if they wanted to. Let's see, there could be Sanuary (promoting workplace sanity), oh and as February already has Valentines Day, why not make it Heartuary focusing on Cardio-Vascular health. Really, the list could go on for all the months of the year. It can be a clever marketing tool for the right event, but an overuse of the one marketing ploy can also desensitise people and what may start off as a clever idea could lead turn out to be hurtful to a campaign.

Dolphins and Polar Bears and Penguins, oh my!

2011-10-03T02:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this was a couple months ago, but as I have been a bit lazy on the blogging front I thought I better get back on board.

After a long public transport trip (Translink, please do a direct bus to the Gold Coast from the rail line. It would be great for tourism) we arrived at Sea World. HUngry from our trip we decided to indulge in a snack before venturing through the park. We then had to protect our food from seagulls galore.

One of the highlights of the day for me was seeing the dolphins. I don't know why but I always feel the heart strings being pulled when I see them. We also visited the Polar Bears, penguins and the aquarium. All in all it was a fun day, although we were disappointed that some of the rides were out of order, or were just not working properly. Seriously, when it comes to 4D movies, Movie World was much better.

Me and my Camera part 1

2011-05-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

I have a new camera!

It's a nice little (ok, not so little) Nikon Coolpix L120. Very happy. Having a lot of fun trying out all the settings and learning what does what.

This weekend was perfect for trying out the new camera. Saturday was spent at West End Markets (photos care of my man - camera had not been purchased at this stage). West End markets (aka Davies Park Markets) are a great place to pick up fresh fruit and veges, meat, seafood and other food items. It is also a great place to go to try out yummy food, pick up little nick-nacks, and meet friendly people.

The markets are on every Saturday morning at Davies Park, Montague Road, West End. Free Entry.

<fresh seafood.. umm yeah, one mum was scaring her daughter silly showing her all the fish. The look on her face was priceless when she got a look at this little guy

We followed up our visit to the markets with yummy fun at Delta Continental on Vulture Street. If you love fine foods or have been looking for that elusive meditteranean ingredient, Delta is the place to go. You enter a typical deli set up with olives, cheese, antipasti, sweets and other treats. In the opposite corner is a little doorway and a small set of stairs leading to a small supermarket set-up with three aisles of delicacies. Orange blossom water, preserved lemons, pasta flour, dried lentils, coffee, feta, parmesan, salami, chorizo, nuts, jams, pastas, canned goods, and olive oil. This place is an Aladdin's cave of wonderful foods.

Time for a coffee... yes! And it was off to BlackStar Coffee in West End (44 Thomas St). I have to admit to being a big fan of Blackstar. From their relaxed atmosphere, to their yummy drinks, this cafe is the perfect place to relax on a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning. I even picked up some freshly roasted and ground coffee for home. :) (my love for coffee will become obvious in coming blogs) The food smelt fantastic and we will be returning to try their poached eggs. mmmmm...

Saturday afternoon was spent at South Bank, followed by a trip to Cineplex South Bank to see The Hangover Part 2. After the movie we walked back in to Brisbane. I was a lovely clear night, if a tad chilly, but I managed to get some nice shots of our lovely city. There are a few shots I am quite proud of, and I'm sure I'll just get better the more I learn about my camera.

Treasury and Expressway

South Bank

Gotham at night

The expressway lights

Hotel Carlton (aka The Myer Centre)

Brisbane City Hall

To be continued in part 2... Dolphins and Polar Bears and Penguins, oh my!

This Weekend in Brisbane (20-22 May 2011)

2011-05-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

So I'm home ill. Not the way I'd like to be spending my Wednesday, work is mentally calling and I know I have left them short staffed for the day... I may be a closet workaholic.

I have spent the morning lazing around the unit watching movies and reading, and as my guilt for taking the day off has kicked in, I have decided to make a useful contribution to my Blog on Brisbane. For anyone wondering, Brisbane has some great activities on this weekend.

For Movie goers Friday and Saturday nights are the last chance you have to enjoy the Open Air Cinema at South Bank.

Friday you can enjoy The Adjustment Bureu (Matt Damon and Emily Blunt) from around 7pm (doors open at 5:30 and film starts at sunset)
Saturday night brings you Just Go With It (Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston)

Openair has a fully licensed bar and festival food (no BYO) so go along and enjoy a good film out in the beautiful cool night air.

Saturday and Sunday give us the wonder that is Paniyiri. This Greek festival of food, people, fun, and culture is an annual event taking place in South Brisbane at Musgrave Park and The Greek Club. Always a lot of fun and full of wonderful Greek treats like Honey Puffs, Paniyiri is perfect for the whole family. There are amusement rides, fireworks, dancing, cooking demonstrations and Greek Films. Admission is $8 for adults and $2 for Aged Pensioner (children are free).

The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) also has some wonderful and interesting collections on display at the moment. The Let There Be Rock cinematheque brings together documentaries and feature films focusing on the rebellious nature of Rock. There are four documentaries showing this Saturday (21 May 2011):

1:00pm Cinema A - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Murder Ballads 2008 M
2:00pm Cinema A - Six Ft Hick: Notes from the Underground 2010 18+
4:00pm Cinema A - No Direction Home: Bob Dylan 2005 M
8:00pm Cinema A - Wattstax 1973 R18+

And then on Sunday 22nd May you have... Woodstock 1970 M at 2:00pm in Cinema A.

For more information on what is showing a GOMA as part of Let There Be Rock please click here.

Here's hoping the weekend is perfect and clear for all those great outdoor events.

Boggo Road Urban Village and Ecosciences Precinct

2011-05-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

So, on a little bus trip yesterday we went through the new Boggo Road Busway. Soooo quiet. We joked that it was haunted and wondered if the new Boggo Road Urban Village was haunted. The new Ecosciences Precinct is an interesting building and made me want to learn more about it and the New Urban Village.

The Ecosciences Precinct has been built on the old Boggo Road Goal site. Boggo Road Goal was home to John Andrew Stuart and Jim Finch, the men who fire bombed the 'Whiskey au Go Go' nightclub in Brisbane, and Nathan Jones, a serial armed robber who later moved onto become a world champion Strongman, join the WWE for a short period, and then have several small parts in films (Troy, Fearless and First Strike to name a few). Opened in 1903 the prison has been a landmark for many Queenslanders, with the Beenleigh train line running close by.

Now the Boggo Road Goal is becoming the Boggo Road Urban Village. The new Ecosciences Precinct built to research climate change and water issues, and to balance the needs of the environment with needs of industry is an award winning building.

After just looking at it from the outside I really want to have a closer look. The ideas behind this structure and the sense of scientific community they are building here are fantastic. I can't wait for the Boggo Road Urban Village to be completed and see what they accomplish here. They are currently in the phase of appointing a preferred developer. With the public transport infrastructure being set up with the Eastern Busway providing bus services from the University of Queensland and the Eleanor Schonell Bridge at Dutton Park, to the Boggo Road Urban Village, Princess Alexandra Hospital and the South East Busway at Buranda, ease of access to Brisbane and South East Queensland will make this a highly sought after address.

And it begins...

2011-05-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

Good morning world. This Blog is the culmination of several ideas. For a while now I have been developing an interest in photography (though I am in no way a professional, in fact I am very amateur), the lovely architecture of Brisbane and the wonderful places it contains.

I have to admit, over the years of living in and around Brisbane I have been ignorant of many of the delights of this river city. I would walk though on my way to work, head down. I would not see the small cafe hidden down an alleyway, the amazing park lands, the cute little patisserie with it's delectable treats, the gorgeous old terrace buildings. In fact, I used to let our wonderful city and life pretty much pass me by. In the last 18 months I have come to truly appreciate what a wonderful city I live in. The people are fantastic, the restaurants are top notch, and our skyline and architecture unique.

My aim here is to create visual diary of Brisbane and it's people. We have such a wonderful way of life, living, and sharing with one another. I will gladly take suggestions from people for places to share. Please drop me a comment if you would like to see your little piece of Brisbane featured. I'm making a list...