There’s no need to travel far for a fun summer swim as Fortitude Valley’s X Cargo makes a splash with its unique take on summer swimming — a shipping container pool. The open-air, multi-use entertainment venue, located at a former empty parking lot in McLachlan Street, is also launching its first-ever X Cargo Pool Club to help you beat the summer heat.
Beginning 1 Jan until 1 March 2020, the X Cargo Pool Club will open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. X Cargo is turning its Eats Alley shipping container into a swimming pool to allow Valley locals and their guests to make some cool plans and dive into the summer party vibe.
Guests will have the option to rent a Cabana (for group use) or sunbeds (for individual use). Each rental is time-sensitive as X Cargo Pool Club will only accommodate 65 people per session to avoid crowding the party venue.
Good for eight people Private waiter and waitress service Towel service Ciroc bottle service Sun packs, including sunscreen
11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. *Strictly a 3-hour session per group
Sunbeds
Sessions
One person per sunbed Towel service
11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. *Strictly a 2-hour session per person
A total of five cabanas and 12 daybeds will be available per session and all guests have access to a private pool club bar with an exclusive menu, a DJ booth and private toilets and change rooms.
Secure your slots online whether you plan to come as a group or soak in the water solo to meet other cool people at the venue. If your group would like the place all to your own for a private party, The X Cargo Pool Club is also available for hire for The Baller package. Inquire about this service by emailing poolclub@xcargo.com.au.
Staying in town for the rest of the holidays? Check out these five stellar options for celebrating New Year’s Eve in and around Fortitude Valley.
Whether 2019 has been your best year or the worst one yet, New Year’s Eve, and the promise of new beginnings that it brings, is still an occasion worth celebrating.
If you happen to be staying in town and you still don’t have a NYE event lined up, here is a list of our top picks a Valley celebration you won’t soon forget.
1. Rico Bar and Dining
Photo credit: Rico Bar & Dining/ Facebook
Welcome 2020 with one of the newest dining spots at Eagle Street Pier, Rico Bar and Dining.
Despite being new to the scene, Rico Bar and Dining has already been making a name for itself for its sophisticated (and delicious!) menu and one-of-a-kind indoor/outdoor dining experience.
Whether you’re in for a casual meal or a romantic, sit-down date, Rico is undoubtedly one of your best choices.
“Friendly staff, great service and food was delicious. Located by the River with fantastic views. Would recommend and will be back again.”
“This new restaurant is nothing but PERFECTION. Thank you to your professional staff and house manager who treated us so warmly. Everything we had to eat and drink was delicious, nothing to fault. The views are breathtakingly beautiful and you nailed your decor. I can’t wait to come back and enjoy RICO again. Well done to you all.”
Celebrate New Year’s Eve with flavour at Rico Bar and Dining over a feast of shared plates, Latin-inspired three-course meal, and overflowing drinks at the bar.
Rico’s NYE dinner has two seating times—an a la carte menu from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., and a three-course set price menu for $110pp at 8:00 p.m.
To book your slot for a sit-down meal or a spot with a view for New Year’s Eve at Rico Bar and Dining, click here.
2. Cloudland
Photo credit: Cloudland/ Facebook
Cloudland’s New Year’s Eve Ball is all about the glitz and glamour. If you’re in the mood to socialise, party, eat, drink, and dance the night away, then this place is for you!
Choose between the the Crystal Garden Soiree ($149pp), Elyx Cocktail Lounge ($199pp), and the “Play Among the Stars” VIP Ball Experience ($199pp), all of which are served with premium food and drinks, plus a jam-pack lineup of entertainment for the entire night.
Cloudland’s Elyx Cocktail Lounge and VIP Ball will also be serving up fresh oysters at the bar and free-flowing champagne and Belvedere Vodka to all its guests.
Get ready to be transported back in time as Baedeker Winer Bar is transformed into a lavish, seductive and secretive 1920s speakeasy for New Year’s Eve.
All guests are invited to dress in their finest 1920s-inspired attire as they are ushered towards the hidden bar and be taken back in time through a night of jazz, cocktails, burlesque, immersive theatre scenes and dancing, and more.
The Baedeker Speakeasy is open for guests who are 18 years old and above only. Admission costs $220pp. To book your ticket, click here.
4. Za Za Ta
Photo credit: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/
Experience Za Za Ta’s soulful blend of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine with a modern twist for New Year’s Eve. This new eatery is having two dinner settings, both of which are specially put together by Za Za Ta’s head chefs Roy Ner and Daria Manca.
First dinner setting costs $109pp. This includes Za Za Ta’s Feasting Menu and a glass of Moet Champagne. Dinner slot for this ticket is from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Second dinner setting costs $149pp. This includes Za Za Ta’s Feasting Menu and a 3 hour special beverage Package. Dinner slot for this ticket begins 8:30 p.m. onwards.
Visit Za Za Ta’s eventbrite page to secure your seats and for more information about their NYE offerings.
5. Altitude at Foresters
Celebrate New Year’s Eve at one of Brisbane’s most exclusive rooftop bars, Altitude Bar at Foresters.
Photo credit: https://forestersfv.com.au/
From 8:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. all guests will get to enjoy a 5-hour food and beverage package, this includes an assortment of canapes, a wide selection of beers, wines and cocktails, plus a glass of champagne to clink on by midnight to celebrate the start of the new decade.
For more fun and entertainment, Altitude Bar will also be having groovy beats played by invited DJs under the starry night sky. And as an added bonus for all, the bar has an enviable skyline view that gives all guests an automatic front row view of the fireworks display happening on New Year’s Eve.
Ticket price for this event varies from $48pp to $156pp. Click here to book your spot for Altitude Bar’s NYE celebration.
Howard Smith Wharves would soon have its own ferry terminal as Council pushes forward with the project which is now in its design phase.
In 2018, then Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced the Council’s plan to expand the river transport network with a new ferry terminal for revitalised Howard Smith Wharves
The new ferry terminal will be the first expansion since 2015 and would be an addition to the 25 existing terminals from University of Queensland at St Lucia to Northshore Hamilton.
“With regular events planned at Howard Smith Wharves’ exhibition centre, as well as the restaurants, bars and public parkland expected to attract large crowds, the terminal will provide convenient public transport to the site,” Cr Schrinner said.
Brisbane City Council and Howard Smith Wharves Consortium will be jointly funding the Howard Smith Wharves terminal, which location and initial layouts is currently being investigated.
So far, a possible location being considered is towards the upstream end at the River Shed building. River-based geotechnical investigations have been undertaken at the proposed location last April 2019.
Photo Credit: 2019 Howard Smith Wharves / howardsmithwharves.com
The Howard Smith Wharves terminal project is currently at the design phase and updates are to be released as it progresses.
A piece of furry good news for dog owners! The three-month trial allowing dogs on Brisbane ferries has officially begun Monday, December 9.
Following a survey that had over 5,000 responses, of which 86 percent said “yes” to the trial, Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey announced that dogs will be permitted to travel on CityCats, under certain conditions, from Monday to Friday during off-peak times and all weekend.
“This is something Brisbane residents and visitors have wanted to try for a while,” Mr Bailey said while making the announcement at Teneriffe with the RSPCA and Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ).
“We’ve seen dogs allowed on public transport in cities across the world, including Sydney and Melbourne, so why not give it a go right here in Brisbane.”
“We believe the dogs on ferries trial is steering Brisbane towards pet-friendly policies of the like seen across other major cities in the world,” RSPCA QLD spokesperson Michael Beatty said, who also encouraged people to provide feedback on the terms and conditions of the trial.
“We understand there is a degree of anxiety from a small group and that is why muzzles are part of the trial, to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all.
“For many dogs and their owners, this will be the first time travelling via ferry, so we’re introducing a number of conditions to make sure everyone is safe when they travel,” Mr Bailey said.
“This is about making sure we get the right balance between comfort and safety for commuters while making sure there is space for dogs on ferries too.
“We’ll evaluate these conditions of travel as part of the trial.”
Pet owners, however, need to make sure that they only have two dogs per handler and that they carry waste bags and clean up after the dog. All waste should be taken off the vessel and not put in vessel bins or left on board.
Also, the dog should remain under control at all times so as not to disturb other passengers and must stay with their handler outside the ferry cabin at the rear of the vessel.
Fortitude Valley’s LONgTIME, a popular Thai restaurant, has evolved into sAme sAme. From its former home in Ann Street, the new foodie spot, which opened in early November, has relocated to the dining precinct on Ada Lane, where its owners hope it will live on with much success as its predecessor.
As they say, it is “same same but different” as the new restaurant‘s core menu pretty much covers the very items served at the old place, such as the lobsters, grilled chicken in lemongrass, crispy pork belly, char-grilled beef short ribs, and curries with coconut and turmeric. However, LONgTIME’s successor will be serving up something new on the menu as well, including some seasonal recipes.
Photo Credit: sAme sAme/Facebook
Photo Credit: sAme sAme/Facebook
The new restaurant’s open kitchen with a charcoal fire pit is two times bigger than Longtime’s, providing the staff, led by head chef Ben Bertei, with more flexibility to work, operate and cook lighter meals. Unlike LONgTIME, this new foodie spot is serving lunch on selected days so visitors have more options to keep coming back.
Seating is 20 seats fewer than the old digs but the ambience is brighter and lighter with its neutral colour scheme. There’s also a long communal table that works as the restaurant’s centrepiece.
However, unlike LONgTIME, there will be no long queues by the back alley whilst guests wait for a table to clear. Instead, diners can head upstairs at LOS (Land of Smiles), where there’s a comfortable 45-seater bar, to enjoy some drinks before meals. LOS boasts of a long drink list, including tequila, and it’s open until 12 midnight.
sAme sAme is open for dinner from Tuesday through Thursday whilst lunch and dinner are served from Friday through Sunday. Meanwhile, LONgTIME will now be used as an events place for group functions.
The former Trails Ltd Ice & Cold Stores heritage-listed site on Bridge Street, Fortitude Valley is now a Stone & Wood Brewery. Officially opening its doors on the 31st of Oct 2019, the famous Byron Bay brewer has 150 seats for the ultimate beer lover thirsting for good-tasting hops.
Stone & Wood Fortitude Valley has the same casual and chill ambience comparable to its first site. As you drink your favourite bottle or glass, you’ll be able to enjoy a variety of eats from a rotating selection of local food vendors that will offer food to complement the beer’s taste.
The opening month has kicked off with Mr. Bunz‘s popular crackling pork bao, king brown mushroom bao and peking duck bao.
Stone & Wood Fortitude Valley, however, is not a pub for late-night unwinding with your pals with musicians providing entertainment. It is a purely working brewery for walk-in beer drinkers and there won’t be spirits, TAB and cocktails for sale at this site.
But the venue is spacious enough to hosts community events, private functions, workshops and training. Catering packages will be available by mid-November.
Does your dog like music? Can your four-legged pal groove to the beat? If you’ve got a furry friend who has a penchant for moving and getting up on its hind legs to dance with you, then sign up for the dog-friendly silent disco, Dogs & Beats, that’s rolling in Fortitude Valley this Sunday, the 10th of Nov 2019.
Prohibition Brisbane, a premier party place located at 206 Wickham Street, is hosting its first-ever doggie disco party to benefit the RSPCA. Since it’s a silent disco, presumably with humans wearing the headphones, the loud music won’t be a distraction nor a stressor for the little pooches.
All setup and ready for the dog-friendly silent disco. Photo Credit: Prohibition Brisbane/Facebook
Have a great time on the dance floor as you shake your groove with your dog. You probably do this at home with your furry pal anyway, so why not dance in the company of other dog owners and get to meet new people (and pets!) of the same interest?
It could be fun to make human and furry friends at this event but you’ll never know until you give it a try!
The Dogs & Beats silent disco will run from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. However, the event is open to doggos less than 25kg only. The puppers must also be leashed during the event to avoid any incident.
For every Dogs & Beats ticket purchased online, half of the proceeds will be donated to the RSPCA.
A sweeping celebration of art, music, food and fashion will be underway at The Hidden Lanes Festival in Fortitude Valley on Saturday, the 26th of Oct 2019. This free event will feature over 50 artists who will showcase their talents, ideas and creations to bring heaps of experiences for families and groups to enjoy.
Celebrating Food and Wine
Little Valley Lane, Bakery Lane, Winn Lane, Lucky Lane and California Lane will each have various establishments participating in the food fare for The Hidden Lanes Festival. Led by The Bowery, visitors may enjoy a sampling of gastronomic delights and satisfying meals from Italian, Korean, Japanese and American cuisines.
Whilst savouring different flavours, visitors can sit down and chill amidst an abundance of live music. Each lane will also feature different musical acts at stages set outside The Bowery, Phase 4 Records, Laruche, Tym Guitars, The Zoo, Little Valley and at corners of Winn Lane, California Lane and Bakery Lane.
Among the featured musical acts and DJs for this year’s Hidden Lanes Festival are:
Some live entertainment and venues are strictly for *18 years old and above. Be sure to show a valid ID in case it will be checked. Look up the schedule of performances so you may be able to plan your visit carefully.
Aside from the live music, there will also be 19 masterclasses and activities where visitors may learn cookie decorating, dumpling making, or preparing cocktails, among other workshops. Below are the schedule of the classes. You may book a slot in advance online as spaces are limited.
Photo Credit: The Hidden Lanes Festival
Celebrating Fashion & Style
When you’re done eating, drinking or joining the activities, you can unwind and do some retail therapy or pampering at the fashion and beauty establishments participating at The Hidden Lanes Festival. So you can cover a lot of ground, check out this map to chart the stores you’d like to visit for discounts and deals.
Photo Credit: The Hidden Lanes Festival
Celebrating the Laneways
Do you have out-of-town guests you’d like to bring to the festival? Sign them up for the Heritage Tour or put your name on the list if you’d like to learn the interesting origin and development of Fortitude Valley’s Laneways. This guided walk will bring you to the oldest preserved commercial buildings in Brisbane, which were built around the 1800s, including an apothecary and one of Brisbane’s longest-running music venues.
The Hidden Lanes Festival is a FREE event. No need to pay for an entrance or masterclass fee. The events begin at 10:00 a.m. and end late in the night.
Are you part of the vegan community in Brisbane? Then don’t miss this special two-day event featuring everything plant and natural-based in Bowen Hills from the 19th to 20th of Oct 2019.
Happening at the Exhibition Building in the corner of Gregory Terrace and Costin Street near the Brisbane Showgrounds, the inaugural Brisbane Vegan Expo will open at 10:00 a.m.
The event will not just showcase vegan food and drinks but also vegan skincare and healthcare products, plant-based clothing, household goods and heaps of other interesting items free of animals and animal by-products.
Expect more than 100 exhibitors at the visitors at the Brisbane Vegan Expo, including some fo these businesses below:
Have little time to shop and prepare healthy food? This store conveniently cooks, packs, chills or freezes healthy, nutrient-dense, low-allergy meals for delivery to your home or workplace.
Featuring a pantry full of vegan biscuits, sauces, spreads, snacks, confectionery, ready-roasted meals, oven and grill dishes, dairy-free cheese, sausages, jerky and a variety of other food, this is the store to visit if you need to start a healthy animal-free diet.
This shop makes small batches of handcrafted, 100 percent chemical-free, Australian-made skin care products for your healthy skin care and maintenance. If you’ve got sensitive skin or develop skin allergies from other brands, check out this healthier option.
Discover the wonders of a Japanese style treatment therapy to refresh and strengthen your body and mind. Consultants and therapists will be at the stalls to impart tips and advice, as well as to conduct a 15-minute or 30-minute session.
Photo Credit: Kohki Therapy/Facebook
For the full list of exhibitors, visit the official site’s listing.
Meanwhile, Australian animal rights activist James Aspey will be one of the special resource person of the Brisbane Vegan Expo. Known for his advocacy against cruelty to animals, Aspey did not speak for a full year in 2014 as part of his protest.
Since then, however, he has helped raise awareness on his advocacy by conducting various speaking engagements about the significance and impact of going vegan.
“The Brisbane Vegan Expo is intended to demonstrate the simplicity of transitioning towards a vegan lifestyle and support those who want to continue along this journey. The journey for some can take time and we recognise the value of providing assistance along the way. We endeavour to inspire and motivate people to consider and/or continue to increase consuming plant-based options,” the organisers said.
Tickets to the Brisbane Vegan Expo cost $12.64 including the fee. Children under 12 years old may enter for free whilst $2 for every ticket sold will go to a vegan charity.
Newly opened Rico Bar & Dining on Eagle Street Pier brings an exciting fusion of Spanish, Australian and Latin cuisines to Brisbane’s bustling inner-city dining scene.
Photo credit: Rico Bar & Dining / Facebook
The man behind Eagle Street Pier’s latest hotspot is Michael Tassis, the culinary mastermind behind Massimo Restaurant & Bar and George’s Paragon Seafood Restaurant. Coming from a family that’s been running award-winning restaurants in NSW and Queensland for more than 30 years, Michael has over 25 years of experience as a restaurateur. His most recent venture, Massimo, impresses with its fresh take on Italian culinary arts.
This time around, Michael has drawn inspiration from Spanish and Latin cuisine in conceptualising Rico Bar & Dining’s menu line-up and overall concept. A day before the opening, Rico Bar and Dining gave a sneak preview of the interior, designed by the same team behind Massimo Restaurant.
57 Deliciosa Dishes
Headlining Rico’s 57 deliciosa menu line-up are the not-to-be-missed Paella, their Pintxo (Spanish Brioche Bug Roll), varied selection of tapas, meat raciones, and fresh-from-the-sea dishes.
The tapa line-up features a selection of slow-cooked, chargrilled lamb ribs, gambas al ajillo, calamari, chargrilled pork belly, empanadas with braised beef cheek, char-grilled octopus, eggplant fritters, and bone marrow.
Photo credit: Rico Bar & Dining / Facebook
Nibbles at the restaurant also include picadas, ceviche cured with lime, chilli and fresh herbs, ensalada, and oysters prepped seven ways at its Oyster Bar.
Photo credit: Rico Bar & Dining / Facebook
Photo credit: Rico Bar & Dining / Instagram
The main dishes are sure to whet your
appetite with its choices of chargrilled pork cutlet, braised beef cheek,
Argentinian style lamb shoulder slow-cooked to perfection, and chargrilled chicken
with chimichurri sauce.
Rico’s signature saffron-infused paella can be seafood, live marron, or vegetarian. (Photo credit: Rico Bar & Dining / Facebook)
For the seafood enthusiast, Rico has equally delectable creations, including ocean trout with saffron beurre blanc, chargrilled barramundi, whole baby South Australian squid with chimichurri, chargrilled live marron, and marinated snapper tail with chimichurri.
All the deliciousness ends with specially concocted desserts, which include Rico’s signature catalana. Check out their complete menu here.
To celebrate their Oct 11 opening, Rico Bar & Dining is giving complimentary cava to all diners upon arrival. Four lucky winners announced on the restaurant’s Facebook page will also be enjoying a $250 dining voucher on the day.
Sea to the City on Opening
Weekend
Rico Bar & Dining will cap its Opening Weekend as the first stop on the Brisbane Bug & Oyster Trail, with special dishes prepared for the Sea to the City event on Sunday, 13 October 2019. Now in its second year, the alfresco food trail will feature 17 of the best Brisbane riverside restaurants. The highlights of the trail also include Georges Paragon and Massimo Restaurant, among others.
Photo credit: Rico Bar & Dining / Instagram
Rico Bar & Dining’s special Sea to the City menu includes Mixed Dozen Oyster Plate with Four Sauces – mignonette, gazpacho, pink pepper and finger lime, along with Spanish Tempura Moreton Bay Bug on Brioche with Cos Lettuce, Chilli & Lime, Aioli. Diners will have a choice of red or white sangria to perfectly complement their meal.
Rico Bar & Dining promises to bring the best in fusion cuisine, blending different cultures through its exciting culinary creations. With stunning views of the city’s river and Story Bridge, this new Brisbane restaurant would be the ideal place for a romantic dinner, a solo dining experience or a simple catch-up with friends.
