Toowoomba – What to do

11/07/202011/07/2020

This good old fashion Australia regional town is a large enough to get lost but small enough to walk around.

Situated only 90 minutes from Brisbane it is the last of the larger towns going west and is renown for it’s pretty gardens and flowers.

I have been coming here for years and have always had a pleasant stay. The town folk are friendly and it is a much different vibe to the closest Aussie cities of Brisbane and Gold Coast.

I am usually here for a work engagement, children’s sporting event or visiting family.

This visit we decide to pop up for 2 nights as Covid restrictions means no international travel, so it’s time to revisit our famous Aussie towns.

We stay in a beautiful airbnb and do a lot but also nothing.

Toowoomba, being the city of gardens, does have many beautiful outdoor spaces. Gardens, flower shows, a Japanese garden and just walking through the beautiful wide streets will leave you inspired.

In September is the famous flower show but every time of year there are delightful gardens to have picnics in or wander through.

The other places of interest are Cobb & Co museum, the beautiful architecture of the CBD and Picnic Point.

The town is perched up quite high on what is called the scenic rim. There are many walks to do along the rim but this weekend we are blessed with rain so don’t venture too far from our airbnb and friends.

For a great coffee head to Nick’s place called Wendlands Fine Foods. Although there are many awesome coffee houses around town.

Preston Peak Wineries is a ten minute drive south of town but is closed for a private function on the day we go but has beautiful commanding views over the Lockyer Valley.

The main shopping precinct is called Grand Central and is like every other big shopping centre in the world but great if you do want to catch up on some shopping or having retail withdrawals.

All in all Toowoomba is a great rural country town and very different to the sea towns in Australia. You will need wheels to get around and if you are willing to explore can pick up some mustering, polo games, dirt bike events and more.

Bluesfest Byron Bay

01/06/201801/06/2018

The Byron Bay Blues Festival

AKA Bluesfest

It’s my “many-ieth” time to the Blues Festival experiencing the eclectic line up of blues and rhythm artists from around the world.

In the past I have seen James Brown, Elle King, The National and many amazing artists.

This year is also special but I have time on my hands and it is a whole different ball game.

With a 5 day pass and VIP pass you can really relax and not race from tent to tent trying to squeeze in as many artists as possible.

I’ve decided to camp – which is great. You meet fellow festival goers and can make new friendships quickly. The thing I really like about camping is the ability to bubble out from the festival madness and have reprieve.

The thing I don’t like about camping at the festival is that the days can start early if a baby is crying and the nights can go long if people decide to start a mini party. Both of which happened on the same night on my stay.

The toilet facilities are basic at Blues and it really makes you value the luxuries of a home shower.

The staff are really friendly at the festival although beaurocracy seems to have gone a bit mad with multiple people involved with the process to “manage” people to find a camp site. None of which is needed at other festivals.

Beer, wine and water ran out by early afternoon on Sunday which left a lot of people disgruntle this festival. I couldn’t understand why water had run out and how that could occur in 2018!

Alas fortunately for Blues Fest this year, the artists got the festival over the line. Seal, Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crowe, Rag Man, and Bones, Morcheeba, Prince’s back up band, John Butler Trio and more… made for another sensational year.

One day is fine, 2 days better and VIP a must.

You can grab tickets here.

The Bangalow Food Festival

30/11/201730/11/2017

Bangalow is a funky town twenty minutes inland from Byron Bay. It’s also reasonably close to the Gold Coast and a day trip is easy.

Bangalow has a many festivals, markets and events and is worth visiting.

Last minute we decide to head to the Bangalow Food Festival. With no expectations of the festival, we were stoked to be heading Byron way.

The kids are a little older now and I am happy to give them a little bit of freedom and money to buy their own food.

My friend’s children are there aswell so they hang out together.,eating plates of dumplings, to pulled pork to home made ice cream.

There are a few scattered cooking segments, a chief cook-off and food tasting. But missed most of it.

It would have been good to have more entertainment, music or comedians… and the prices were quite expensive.

However the winter’s sun, the happy vibe, make for a good day out.

Galleria Salamanca – boutique hotel

02/01/201702/01/2017

Coming home to Tasmania is always a buzz.

The kids and I love the festivities over New Years, as the Sydney to Hobart yacht race is on, ex pats fly home for Christmas and the Taste of Tasmania is on!

It’s a great vibe!

Finding accommodation can be a drama though and prices can soar.

We like staying central for a few days over the Taste and stumbled across this newly opened gem. It’s called Galleria Salamanca.

Located right in the heart of Salamanca, access to the surrounding wharfs, town and Battery Point is a cynch.

I love our room, clean, new and open.

The bed is heavenly and the pillows bulky but soft. Lying in bed last night, I make a note to get similar for home. With air conditioning to cool or heating the place is weather proof.

We have a lovely living space with separate bedroom.

Perfect for the kids and I.

I can highly recommend this hotel for your stay in Hobart.

The Great Cornwall Food Festival

26/09/201619/10/2016

Incredibly fortunately for me Cornwall has a food festival on today. Not a “run-of-the-mill” one but the GREAT Cornwall Food Festival. And great it was.

Wild venison, shallots, cornwall potatoes and camembert

Part of this trip for me to capture and talk to people about the currency of food.

Later this year I am presenting at a famous festival and want to have enough of a handle on it to bring to words and imagery that I can convince people to what I already believe.

It’s not just foods nutrient value that makes us healthy, it is the intent, the story, what the sun was doing and more.

Food has its own currency!

So I am filming, talking, writing.

It will no doubt, form the basis of a book to be written in the next 2 years.

I was privilege to chat with so many passionate foodies and all with wonderful philosophies and produce.

A few local farmers understanding that people don’t like to travel to food anymore (hence why supermarkets have been cleaning up the food supply) so are offering home deliveries. Good move people!

Emma helps her family run their vineyard down on the peninsula called Polgoon. Pol meaning pond and goon meaning down the hill. She said their are lots of little ponds dotted along their hilly property.

They make a couple of fruity ciders, the Grumpy Apple being delicious and the others all good too. But I am most intrigued with their wines. Because the climate isn’t a fantastic wine growing region they have to use a few blends to stable the wines. Grape blends I have never heard of such as Rondo and Seyval. I enjoyed them all but settled on the Rose. A beautiful drop and I am looking forward to visiting the vineyard and orchard next trip. Check out their website here.

Hunting used to be a popular sport in Europe but I gather it has received mixed complaints, as now you need an exemption license to hunt and shot.

I am not sure exactly but I do know that Chris from @venisonandgame has it sorted. He shoots all sorts of animals and creates amazing food with them.

Today he was making a few dishes at the festival but the one that caught my eye was the venison tartifilette. Local potatoes, venison, shallots, onions and camberbet cheese. Absolutely delicious!

There were other boutique foods such as Cornish flavoured salts (all sorts of yummy flavours – porcini mushrooms, pepper and pomergranate to name a few), edible insects, ice creams, cheeses, honeys, chutneys and MORE!

I had a long chat with Keith who has his own mead distellery. Mead is wine made from honey and is sweet but delicious. He had a few varieties on offer and of course sampling them all is essential.

Bees are so important around the world and each making their own honey is a process I admire.

The hipster lads at 32south distillery are all over the modern day marketing with a huge insta account and great gins to match.

And my favourite was talking to Hilary who , with many of her keen friends, want to demonstrate to children that food is everywhere and doesn’t come from packets.

EXACTLY! I think as i listen to her tell me about the hedgeways (which reap all sorts of fruit and even hazelnuts), the paddocks and crops. This is what I love about food. And I also believe it is OUR responsibility as nutritionists, parents and custodians of future generations to show kids, to excite kids, where it all comes from. Food is the currency of love and life and yes, it is all around us!