Take pleasure in the beauty of springtime and catch up with good friends, whilst enjoying bramble-inspired food and drinks, at the Bramble in Bloom gin garden. This pop-up at Riverbar and Kitchen on Eagle Street will only be around until 29 Nov 2020.
Bramble in Bloom is a collaboration between Riverbar and Kitchen and Bombay Sapphire‘s newest drink, Bombay Bramble, a 100% natural fruit infusion of blackberry, raspberry and gin.
Photo Credit: Bombay Sapphire/Facebook
Partake in a special seasonal menu featuring savory snacks like beef skewers marinated in herb seasoning, beetroot-cured salmon with cream cheese and blackberries, and buffalo curd paired with soft and warm flatbread. These bites will go well with exceptionally concocted Bombay Bramble cocktails.
Bookings aren’t necessary at Bramble in Bloom but you can secure seats in advance to avoid disappointment.
Enjoy the sunshine and the riverside breeze with the best view of the city. For a glorious nightcap, Riverbar and Kitchen is also open until midnight every Friday and Saturday.
Felons Brewing Co at Howard Smith Wharves recently expanded and opened a new Felons Barrel Hall by taking over Howards Hall, the massive space for functions and events next door.
Since the pandemic struck, Howards Hall has been an idle space, unused and in need of a bailout. The transformation to Felons Barrel Hall has been a step in the right direction to revitalise this restaurant and bar precinct.
Howards Hall, before the pandemic crisis Photo Credit: Howard Smith Wharves/Facebook
Pre-pandemic, Felons Brewing Co was always packed with patrons, especially on weekends. With the new venue, guests have more spaces to drink and dine at guaranteed tables and seats.
To distinguish the two venues, Felons Barrel Hall plans to take it up a notch and bring a fresh selection of food, crafted drinks and cultural performances.
The new bar and restaurant will take inspiration from popular beer halls in Europe. Inside, barrels of wine are lined behind the bar with four different beer tanks churning 6,000 litres of beers regularly. But since a really good drink needs to age, the newly-crafted flavours at the new site won’t be ready by 2021.
Photo Credit: Felons Brewing Co/Facebook
However, visitors eager to check out the new drinking spot as soon as possible could still be able to enjoy their fill as Felons’ range of drinks, including the seasonal and limited flavours, are all on the drink list.
Food choices paired with a stein of beer include classic beer hall choices like BBQ chicken and pork chops or lemony buttered prawns, crabs and oysters. The menu consists of modern dishes with an Australian twist.
Photo Credit: Felons Brewing Co/Facebook
“After 2 years of brewing beer for the good people of Brisbane we’re excited to embark on a new adventure that redefines beer and the brewery experience,” the company announced on Facebook. “Felons Barrel Hall is a modern Australian take on a German beer hall. Come enjoy a space which masterfully blends punchy flavours and bold sounds, all washed down with the refreshing range of Felons beer.”
Rationale, a leading Australian luxury skincare brand, has moved to a bigger flagship store from Ann Street to James Street in Fortitude Valley. The new space has more treatment rooms to provide a variety of dermatological services to its patrons.
As new store opens, Rationale also introduces its expanded Essential Six Collections. As with the previous sets, these collections offer a personalised product line-up for different and ever-changing skincare needs.
Named for the “six pillars of lifelong skin vivacity and luminosity,” the Essential Six Collections comprises colour-coded cleansers, moisturisers and serums that bring the following benefits:
BRILLIANCE
The Brilliance Collection is the finishing facet of your morning.
CLARITY
The Clarity Collection offers a nightly ritual for skin refinement and radiance; equilibrium is elegantly restored, crystal clarity is cultivated.
INTEGRITY
The Integrity Collection offers inspired creations for the evening, designed to strengthen skin’s most precious, yet elusive, qualities.
RENEWAL
The Renewal Collection ushers skin through a most profound journey of overnight rejuvenation and repair.
RESILIENCE
The Resilience Collection restores skin’s inherent fortitude, enhances clarity and reanimates luminosity with a suite of nurturing and protective formulations.
VITALITY
The Vitality Collection simultaneously delivers superlative skin rejuvenation and intensive antioxidant nourishment.
Richard Parker launched Rationale in 1992 using Australian botanicals as the main ingredients. Before establishing its own retail stores, Rationale was only available at dermatology offices and skincare clinics.
His creations have given rise to a cult following among beauty bloggers, celebrities and make-up artists. The beauty brand has an online shop as well.
The Elephant Hotel, a 132-year-old heritage-listed site in Fortitude Valley, is changing back to its original name as The Prince Consort. Under the new management of the owners of Tilley & Wills Hotels, this old site is also getting a massive makeover.
New spaces for drinking and dining, apart from the hotel’s own kitchen, will soon make up the refurbished site as The Prince Consort enlivens Wickham Street with some “friends.”
Once completed before the end of October, the bar and dining spot will feature 400 Rabbits Tequila & Taco Cantina, The Garden Bar (open-air oasis with stadium screen) and Parlour Bar (with state-of-the-art TAB facilities) on the ground floor.
These venues will carry 89 beer taps ranging from international and Aussie brands, contemporary and modern brews, and a creative cocktail selection that packs the punch.
Photo Credit: Facebook
An ornate staircase to the second floor will lead to the La La Land luxe supper nightclub, whilst the antler-suspended hallway will direct visitors to The Bowie Rooms — inspired by icon David Bowie — for functions and events.
These event spaces are prepared to deal with COVID-19 restrictions using 2020 technology to a century-old hotel. For instance, La La Land has a livestream facility, where it may beam the parties to other parts of the world.
The third level will have The Yorke Suite, a music district rental space for Brisbane creatives. The hotel will also have its Naughty Corner — you’ll need to visit to find out what it has to offer!
Head Chef Jack Powlay will debut the new menus when the gastro-pub site opens and he’ll take charge of at least three kitchens — the main hotel, 400 Rabbits and La La Land.
Whilst The Prince Consort spruces up, the music bar, Greaser, will keep trading and feature its popular Comedy and Karaoke Night every Thursday and live music night every Friday and Saturday. The gaming lounge, Footy Tipping, is still up and running, as well as the Valley Wine Shop.
Photo Credit: Facebook
“We are delighted to announce that we’ll be returning as The Prince Consort! That’s right, our stunning 132-year-old heritage-listed site will be reclaiming its original name in all its former glory,” the hotel management posted on Facebook. “We’ll be taking a little downtime to spruce up the old gal, and returning as an entertainment destination with something for everyone including live music, DJs, pub trivia and everything in-between.”
“Now, a new era beckons under the ownership of Tilley & Wills, and we are so excited to see the next chapter for this beautiful hotel!”
The recent purchase of The Fantauzzo Hotel by Syrian billionaire investor Ghassan Aboud has taken Brisbane’s hotel market out of the doldrums and injected a healthy dose of confidence in the resilience of the local hospitality industry.
It has been announced that Mr Aboud bought The Fantauzzo Hotel from the Art Series Hotels (ACCOR) for a reported $70 to $75 million. The handover will take place in early 2021 and the site’s new name will be unveiled in the coming months.
The transaction is only the second major hotel acquisition in Australia since the pandemic after Gold Coast’s Guok family purchased Byron Bay’s The Bower Hotel in August. It will also mark Crystalbrook Collection’s entry in Brisbane.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Upon the completion of the handover, The Fantauzzo Hotel will join Mr Aboud’s hotel chain portfolio – Byron in northern New South Wales, Little Albion in Sydney, Kingsley in Newcastle, Superyacht Marina in Port Douglas, and Bailey, Flynn and Riley in Cairns.
According to Crystalbrook Collection chief executive Geoff York, a well-located hotel that attracts specific consumers and has fantastic facilities will always win in the market over other hotels. Thus, they expressed interest in The Fantauzzo Hotel in August.
Overlooking Howard Smith Wharves and located below the city’s iconic Story Bridge, ACCOR opened The Fantauzzo Hotel with 166 rooms in mid-2019.
Named for portrait artist Vincent Fantauzzo, ACCOR purchased the hotel from the Manta Group in 2018 and revitalised the property with its rooftop pool next to the Fiume bar, the renowned Italian Polpetta kitchen and bar, its business and meeting facilities, and its fitness centre. Some 300 artworks and digital displays of Mr Fantauzzo are also placed all over the interior.
Photo Credit: Facebook
In June, the hotel received the Gold Award at the Brisbane Design Awards 2020! Hibernating from the COVID-19 for several months, the hotel restarted business by 31 July and it has been gaining strong weekend bookings.
The transformation of Boom Boom Room Izakaya, a Japanese-inspired restaurant and bar in Brisbane CBD, is almost ready as the underground dining spot marks its opening day on Friday, 2 Oct 2020.
Located below Donna Chang‘s modern fine dining Chinese cuisine, the cocktail bar formerly known as The Boom Boom Room shifts its concept to create a more restful, comfortable and safe eatery whilst retaining its dark and moody ambience.
Nehme Ghanem of The Ghanem Group — the same company behind Byblos, Blackbird Bar & Grill and Lord of the Wings — worked out the shift to Boom Boom Room Izakaya pre-pandemic. The timing of the concept’s redevelopment seems to fit the current state of the food and hospitality industry.
The Ghanem Group didn’t tweak a lot of the old bar’s interiors, whilst only removing and replacing some of the furniture with heaps of gorgeous red velvet chairs.
Photo Credit: Facebook
However, the former bank vaults of the Queensland Government Savings Bank have been redesigned as private rooms with classy velvet drapes for those small-scale private parties.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Featuring a new Japanese menu from the creative taste of chef Jake Nicolson, Boom Boom Room Izakaya offers food bites and snacks like Barramundi katsu bao burgers with bacon or miso-glazed toothfish yakitori with shichimi pepper and bonito mayo.
Aaron Clark, the beverage director, has also come up with cocktail concoctions with distinctly Asian flavours like green tea, pickled ginger, cherry blossoms and lychee.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Table bookings are now accepted for the big opening day. Phone (07) 3243 4000 or email info@boomboomizakaya.com.au for enquiries.
You may also register your details at the official site to be the first to get the updates.
It’s always nice to have a creative and decorative masterpiece amongst all the gadgets and machines in your home. If you’re looking for new exciting pieces for your collection, an eclectic exhibition titled Primaveral, will be on display in Fortitude Valley, and you can have the artwork of your choice in a Buy Now, Pay Later scheme.
The group exhibit feels fitting amidst the uncertainty today. Primaveral means “of or taking place in early spring.” In the changing of the season, these artists continue to create, discover, evolve and find new meaning in what they do despite the setbacks and challenges.
Happening at Mitchell Fine Art,Primaveral features the following artists: Ann Thomson, Bernard Ollis, Carlos Barrios, David Hayes, Deirdre Bean, Franck Gohier, George Gittoes, Jeff Makin, Margaret Loy Pula, Matthew Cheyne, Min-Woo Bang, Mirra Whale, Peter Hudson, Steve Lopes, Stewart MacFarlane, Adrian Jangala Robertson, Annalisa Ferraris, Idris Murphy, Kenny Pittock, Kim Wilson, and Maximilian Daniels.
Their creations, showcasing a range of genres, times, themes and forms, will be exhibited from 2 Sept to 3 Oct 2020 with a special program on Saturday, 12 Sept 2020, at 2:00 p.m. The event is free but registration is necessary per COVID-19 precautions.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Touring the exhibit is also possible virtually through Facetime or Zoom. Photos of the masterpieces are shared in smaller screen resolution at the online gallery.
Easy Payment Scheme
Mitchell Fine Art supports Art Money, a fantastic scheme for interest-free loans to buy art.
Launched in 2015, Art Money enables every art lover to start or build their collection by paying the initial 10 percent of the artwork’s value with the rest paid up in a staggered arrangement over nine months, at no interest.
For the RSVP, the virtual tour, or to inquire about the artworks and Art Money scheme, phone 07 3254 2297 or email gallery@mitchellfineartgallery.com
An affordable and trendy clothing store in Bowen Hills is experiencing massive growth in sales and staff despite the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to a major boost from celebrities like Ariana Grande and Gigi Hadid.
Verge Girl is fast becoming a favourite label of young women, particularly in the U.S., after big names like Ariana, the Hadid sisters, Kendall Jenner, and Kourtney Kardashian were caught wearing the brand.
Grande, for instance, posted a photo of herself wearing one of Verge Girls’ creations on her Instagram account. The outfit, Holidaying In Italy Knit Set ($119), immediately sold out.
Verge Girl founders Natalia and Daniella Dionyssiou said that orders continue to come in when other retailers are struggling in this pandemic crisis. More than 60 percent of their sales come from online U.S. customers and whilst shipping may cost more, the demand for their items is greater.
Part of the appeal of their brand is affordability and style, with new designs coming out every week. The sisters also believe that they click with consumers because of trade directly to their target market. Their designs are not meant for selling someone else’s products. Apart from these reasons, their social media strategy is unshakeable.
Natalia and Daniella credit celebrity stylists for lending credibility and exposure to their brand. It’s these stylists who have reach out to the sisters for the clothes and the duo sends anything they like.
Verge Girl opened its first store in Brisbane in 2007. Natalia and Daniella were 17 and 19 at that time but their small fashion house in the city was always “crazy busy.” They transitioned to a fully operational online business in 2013 and maintained the warehouse in Bowen Hills.
Natalia and Daniella recently expanded this warehouse as the demand grew. Whilst there might be a chance of setting up in the U.S., the sisters said that they will still remain a Brisbane-based team.
“We are definitely here to stay. Brisbane is home.”
Brisbane lands in the fifth spot of cities around the world with the most expensive parking fees, a survey from a car maintenance company in the U.K. has revealed.
Analysed in the survey were different carparks in shopping centres, airports, city halls, stadiums and on-street parking in 65 major cities across the world.
New York ranked the highest with a parking rate that’s 354.75 percent higher than average. Boston (282.85 percent), Sydney (210.98 percent) and London (191.07 percent) were in the top next three spots, while Brisbane (173.62 percent) claimed number five.
The following rates are Brisbane CBD’s average hourly parking fees:
$17.82
airports
$16.88
shopping centres
$46.43
stadiums
$16.88
city hall
$4.69
on-street parking
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said that the survey’s result isn’t surprising but the Council has been keeping parking rates in the CBD as “low as possible.” A spokesperson also said that the fees increased to just $1.20/hour since 2002.
In suburbs like Fortitude Valley, South Bank, and in the CBD, for instance, there are some carparks that cost $5 a day on the weekend.
The city also has early bird rates and other schemes that were not accounted for in the data. These schemes enable motorists to plan their trips ahead of time to secure good rates.
However, parking services companies like Secure Parking, Wilson Parking and Westfield Scentre have also been urged to consider lowering their fees, especially in this pandemic crisis.
Crowbar in Fortitude Valley has announced that it will be dimming the lights and closing its doors after eight years in the business. The stage for live music, which has showcased thousands of Brisbane’s best local music talents, is pulling the plug due to the current pandemic crisis.
In a statement on social media, the management of Crowbar said that the decision to close was made with a heavy heart.
“We’ve shared thousands of gigs, good times, beers, shots, singalongs, laughs, hugs, tears and triumphs with friends from all around the world,” the statement read. “These are trying times for the music and entertainment industries and the future is uncertain for a lot of us, but we hope to be back in Brisbane sometime with a very loud bang.”
Following the unfortunate news, patrons, promoters, and even bands who performed on the Fortitude Valley stage have been posting and tagging the entertainment venue’s social media accounts, as they shared their best memories of Crowbar.
“Thank you for hosting some of the best nights and gigs Brisbane has seen over the last 8 years. Hopefully, you’re able to make the return sooner rather than later. We love you and we will miss you greatly,” one Crowbar follower said on Facebook.
“Thank you for being the best venue to play in Brisbane. I’ve played and seen some of the sickest gigs here. Crowie was the home to a huge chunk of memories that‘ll stay with me for the rest of my life,” Matt of the Walken Band posted on Instagram. “Sending heaps of love, hugs and positivity to all the Crowie family. Thanks for making my life a little brighter.”
Crowbar did not simply become a party venue for Brisbane’s punk, hardcore and metal music lovers. The site was also used for various private birthdays, weddings, corporate functions and even church services.
“It’s really great seeing how many friendships and memories we played some part in for you,” the management said in response to the love and message of support they’ve received.
Crowbar’s online store for merchandise, however, will continue to be up and running despite the venue’s closure. Its outlet in Sydney will also remain in operation.
