Long Beach

We only discovered this summer just gone the recently rejuvenated playground down at Long Beach in Sandy Bay, and it's quickly become one of our favourite outdoor haunts. There is a fantastic multi-level play structure, with slides, rope ladders, suspension bridges, tunnels, spinning things, ramps, poles and more. There are plenty of swings, a climbing wall cubby, a balance wheel and it's all surrounded by clean sand and tanbark, tall shady trees, large lushly green grassed areas and flanked along its length by the lovely, and eminently swimmable Long Beach. You can also barbecue your lunch (if you can dibs a spot!) under a large pavilion. The beach itself is clean, gentle and edged with a new cement promenade.



There's an awesome ice-cream shop around the corner, where you can buy a generous single scoop, in a waffle cone, for a measly $2, splash out on a double for $3. They don't have a huge range, but they've got all the basic flavours, and for a two-buck treat, I'm not complaining.

There is a well-paved path running the length of the beach and around to Blinking Billy Point (where you might find an accommodating rock-pool or two) and then to Blinking Billy Beach, another lovely beach, very much quieter than Long Beach (but it's seriously a five minute stroll) but just as nice for swimming and poking around for smooth stones.



Long Beach is a fantastic day out. There is plenty of parking by the playground, always a bunch of kids to muck in with, and it can cost you nothing if that's all you have.

Where: Beach Road, Sandy Bay (left off Sandy Bay Road as you leave the city, just past Lipscombe Larder, but that's another post...!)

Salamanca Market

Lots of locals like to pooh-pooh Salamanca as being full of tasteless crap catering only to tourists, and yes, it's true that there are a lot of tacky souvenirs available, but you just can't beat it for atmosphere.

On a sunny, blue-sky day, the many spreading green lawns, the buskers, the food stalls, and best of all the Hobart City Council mini-tractors that are left with keys in the ignition, kids crawling all over them and the council workers happily turning a blind eye, make a morning spent mooching around the market a very pleasant one indeed. I usually make sure to scrape up $3 for a bag of Oliebollen, the delicious Dutch fruit donuts made fresh on-site at one of the stalls (their tempura mushrooms are also excellent!). For an outing with kids, you've got loads to see, Princess Park just around the corner, the docks a stones throw the other way, and the CBD a stroll away.

There's a reason it's famous around the world. It's noice.


Oliebollen: DO NOT miss out on these.

PS: I've labelled it as pram-friendly, but you have to pick your routes. There is loads of space to park a pram and lay about on the grassed areas, and it's not impossible to meander through the stalls with a pram, even a Hummer like ours, but be sensitive to the fact that you're taking up more space than the average punter, and watch out for those ankles!

Princess Park

Princess Park, on Hampden Rd in Battery Point, is a favourite city hangout of ours. Nomatter the weather, it is always populated by at least a few kids (more often than not swarming with them), so it's toddler heaven! Three slides, pirate ship, sand, grassy hills, and a stone's throw from the likes of Salamanca, the picturesque streets of Battery Point, Sandy Bay or the CBD...what's not to like? It's a beautiful park with a fabulous view over the water and lots of shaded spots to sit on a warm day and picnic, play and people-watch.

Australian Wooden Boat Festival

The Hobart docks filled with masts, rigging and beautiful planked decks (please forgive any awkward, un-boatsy language - I am but an ignorant landlubber!) last weekend for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival. We went down for a look on its final afternoon, under a rather grim grey sky, and peeped through the temporary fencing at the wonderful array of wooden vessels both large and small. We were unfortunately taken aback by the steep entry fee - even at the last day discount of $15 we thought it a bit rich to get a slightly closer view than that seen through the fence, so we looked for free!!


(I love this photo. "Mate! Come back! The festival's this way!")

TMAG

TMAG, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, has had something of a serious facelift since I was a kid. It's now a very contemporary, lively and exciting place to visit. There was a stunning exhibition about Tasmania's indigenous people, the old faithful natural history section, but with some fresh new animal pelts for petting (see photo) and a fantastic and interactive Antarctic exhibit, complete with drawers full of taxidermied antarctic birds and a big slab of ice to touch! There is a scale model of Mawson's hut which I could've spent all day peering into. See bottom left image. Or better yet, go to TMAG and peer in yourself!



There is also a discovery centre for the kids, and its heart is in the right place, but I look forward to it receiving a bit more attention in coming years. There are some very exciting looking artist's models of future plans for the museum, so I think it's only going to get bigger and better. The museum shop is also new (to me, anyway!) and was a pleasure to browse through with some gorgeous books. The courtyard area to the side of the museum, near the Bond Store, is a lovely open area. It's just a great, easygoing place with a relaxed vibe and will become much more of a hangout as my son gets older.

Where: 40 Macquarie St, Hobart
Opening hours: 10am -5pm daily (excluding Christmas day, Anzac Day and Good Friday)

Odd + Even Makers' Market

The Odd + Even Makers' Market ran yesterday in the Peacock Theatre and the adjacent courtyard, at Salamanca Place. A great location, a wide range of stalls from Tasmanian designers and crafters and a relaxed vibe. Some gorgeous things were on sale, often by the makers themselves. The products ranged from jewellery, cards, clothes, toys, homewares, bags...you know the drill!

It's great to see yet another locally initiated opportunity for small-scale designers and makers to tout their wares and meet the peeps. I love to look, and occasionally fondle (the products, naturally!), and one day at the end of the rainbow I would love to shop!

(The interior of the Peacock Theatre...the natural rock wall of the old quarry is built into the theatre. Cool!)

Glenorchy Library Toddlers' Rock 'n' Rhyme

The Toddlers' Rock 'n' Rhyme at Glenorchy Library is a delight to attend, and easily the best of these I have had the pleasure of participating in! The Children's team just happen to be an extremely affable bunch of folks who clearly get along well and enjoy each other's company. Led by Phil and accompanied by Lynn (retired but still devoted, with her trusty guitar) and various other children's team members, the session consists mostly of songs and nursery rhymes with the occasional story and lots of enthusiastic audience participation. The dancing at the end is a bonding, energetic climax!

Where: Glenorchy Library, Terry St, Glenorchy.
When: 10.30-11.00 every Wednesday morning, recommencing Jan 14, 2009.

Intercity Cycleway mural

Intercity Cycleway, near corner Derwent Park Rd.

The Churros Cafe

The Churros Cafe, located in Moonah's Island Markets, is an understated little gem. Great fresh churros (Spanish doughnuts - long ridged deep-fried cinnamon-dusted delights with thick chocolate dipping sauce for the mighty price of $4.00 a serve [take a friend!]), fresh authentic paella, and something called a cold caramel souffle...

...all served with a smile by the friendly Spanish tias...that's aunties to you!
I will be making regular outings to Churros to sample the various other eclairs and baked goodies, and to have a soul-food Spanish chat to the senoras.

Where: Island Markets, 54-56 Gormanston Rd, Moonah.

Island Markets

Island Markets in Moonah is an undercover market housing a small selection of stalls (naff crafty stuff, some overpriced flea market things, plants, eggs + honey, handmade chocolates) with a fruit/fish/meat section (the live fish in the tanks are a huge hit with the kids - both big and little!) and a fantastic liquidation outlet selling clothes, DVDs and books. I can't go in and leave without a new addition to the home library! There's also a manchester liquidation outlet which I haven't yet looked at.

The fruit and veg section usually has some great specials on a few things and always very competitive prices on everything else. There's also a cheese store by the carpark entrance (Wicked Cheese Co.) which does a mean chilli camembert!
A fun outing, some good shopping, books agogo... if only there was some lawn outside for the restless toddlers, you could make more of a day of it!

Where: 54-56 Gormanston Rd, Moonah (accessible from the Intercity Cycleway)
http://www.islandmarkets.com.au

Royal Hobart Showground Sunday market

The Sunday market at the showground is a bit of a mixed bag. There are several second-hand dealers charging their optimistic second-hand prices, a few drop-ins trying to clear the house of junk, and a fair whack of kitsch (the bad kind!), tat and crap, including the widest range of awful skull-art tees I've ever seen. I'm mesmerized every time by the lolly stall chock with sherbet bottles, White Knights and many other sugary concoctions. It brings out the 10-y.o. in me, and she begs in ever-increasing tones for two bucks to spend! Most of the stuff is overpriced, but if you hunt and don't have high expectations, you can find a bargain still. It's populated mostly by slightly scary northern suburbs types (of which I am now one!) and can be a bit of a freak show, but for an entertaining Sunday outing, a mere 10 minutes walk along the Intercity Cycleway from Glenorchy centre, I think it rates OK.

Just a word on dagwood dogs. I made a mistake, alright? The first bite was kind of delicious in a greasy, nostalgic way, but by the end I knew that baby done a bad bad thing.

Where: Howard Rd, Glenorchy


(I got a novel, kids book, two cars and a Fisher Price Xylophone for $8.50 total. Not a bad haul!)

Tricycle Cafe Bar

The short and sweet of it:
Tricycle Cafe Bar is a cute little spot in the Salamanca Arts Centre, with great coffees (about $3.50 apiece) and a fantastic decor. Lush flocked wallpaper and cool old trikes hanging everywhere. Plenty of room to bring a pram, a few different areas to sit, both outdoors and in, and ample elbow room. Next time we have a breakfast budget, would love to come back and eat.

Where: Salamanca Arts Centre, 77 Salamanca Place, Hobart.

Designed & Made market

The Designed & Made Market, run by the Furniture Designers Association, ran through the day in the IXL external courtyard today. I thought it was going to be quite a bit larger for some reason, and whilst most of the fare was fashionable and interesting, I was disappointed to see the old Huon Pine spice mills making an appearance. The courtyard itself seemed more space than the number of stalls required, so it felt rather windswept and short on people both times we ducked in. I wonder about the wisdom of a market in a spot that is otherwise very quiet on a Sunday. Having said that, it still gladdens the heart to see designers and makers out and about with contemporary work.

Mothers' Market

The Mothers' Market is a collective of creative, skilled and motivated Tassie mums who who wanted an outlet for sharing their wares. This weekend's market was held in the St Georges Church Hall in Cromwell St, Battery Point. An utterly gorgeous venue, the hall was a perfect setting for a delight of a market. Well- stocked, but not uncomfortably jam-packed, there was the usual fare of bags, baked goods, kids clothes, prints, fabric buttons, stuffed toys, cards, Christmas decorations and jewellery. Lots of the imagery that is very in-vogue at the moment: silhouettes of deer and bare trees and bold animals, leaves and retro prints. But all extremely pleasing to look at and touch and imagine owning. (Or indeed buy if you had any spare spondoolies!)
I had the delightful surprise of running into a very old school friend, and the performance piece de resistance had to be the woman who made and served excellent coffees one-handed with a baby on her hip! The essence of the Mothers' Market!

Next market is supposedly March next year. Watch this space for details. Perhaps I will be part of it!

Hana Sushi & Noodles

Hana Sushi and Noodle bar in Glenorchy caught my eye the first day I wandered around my new shopping district. An extensive menu of sushi, sashimi and other cold Japanese snacks as well as a hot menu ranging from Cantonese to Malaysian, it all looked really fresh and tempting. We had a sushi lunch pack for $7.50, consisting of sushi, sashimi, California rolls and that sweet egg omelette stuff (sorry!) and a huuuuge plate of Malaysian Fried Kei Tiew ($9.50) to share between two. Both were very good (although I'm wondering if there was MSG in the noodles judging by my thirst throughout the afternoon...pity) and great value. One serve of the noodles alone would have still been too much for two.
As a lunch spot or somewhere to collect a hearty and tasty take-away, I'd recommend it. (Just be wary if you are particularly MSG-sensitive. I can't promise they don't use it.)

Where: Shop 8, Glenorchy Plaza, 350-360 Main Rd.

Kawasemi Japanese Tea House

I'm far from the first to blog about Kawasemi Japanese Tea House in Main Rd, Moonah, but according to the rules of this blog, it must go on the list.

We'd heard various raves about it for quality and value, so on my birthday we "splashed out" ($45 for three of us!!) on lunch there. The Bento Box, at $15, was a huge feed of excellent fresh sushi, tempura, miso, sashimi and other nibblies I don't know the Japanese names for. I also tried for the first time a truly excellent green tea, Genmaicha if I remember correctly, which consists of a mix of green tea and toasted rice grains, resulting in a gorgeous nutty sweetness that took away the faint bitterness I don't usually love about green tea proper. Delish! There was also a complimentary starter of a spicy noodle salad which took the edge off the appetite and allowed me to savour the Bento Box instead of rushing in like a hog at a trough.

Tucked away in Dickenson's Arcade, off Main Rd, this little restaurant is a great find for the budget-conscious yet discerning!

Where: 109 Main Rd, Moonah.

Jackman & McRoss

(Photo: Pork & apple sausage roll and chorizo and gruyere pastry roll, both with spicy homemade chutney)

We love Jackman & McRoss.

Great coffee, great food, great ambiance!

Jackman & McRoss is a little gem of a cafe and bakery, one of which is found in Battery Point, the part of Hobart so cute you just have to pinch its cheeks and chuck it under the chin! A short walk from Salamanca Market, this bright, airy and pram-friendly cafe (an important consideration for us these days!) has excellent fare (we've tried a couple of the pies) and very good coffee. We sat there rhapsodising over our food and decided it rivalled the very best cafes we've patronised in Melbourne. Its decor is stylish yet understated, the vibe is relaxed and comfortable and the prices are about average for cafes of this ilk. We've also sampled various sweet pastries, filled rolls and savoury tarts, and everything has been unfailingly excellent! This is definitely going to be our Hobart coffee house!

Where: 57-59 Hampton Rd, Battery Point; 4 Victoria St, Hobart; 32 Cross St, New Town