Sandi Sieger’s guide to what’s hot and happy(ning) this week. Eat, drink, buy, try, visit, read, be merry.
EAT: BrewDog Pentridge
BrewDog Pentridge, the first bar of the partnership between Australia’s leading pub operator Australian Venue Co. (AVC) and one of the world’s largest craft beer bar operators BrewDog, is a pumping spot located within the walls of the iconic Melbourne prison.
Situated within the historic E Division building at Pentridge Prison, BrewDog Pentridge is a go-to destination in Melbourne for craft beer lovers. The restored interiors offer a nod to the history of the site, while the sprawling beer garden offers a modern and casual experience.
BrewDog Pentridge is spread across two levels, with an indoor dining room and quiet den space on the ground floor, three function spaces on level 1, plus a relaxed outdoor beer garden with BrewDog container bar, bookable spaces and games area.
The mouthwatering food menu – featuring 50% plant-based items – will satisfy every taste bud with weekly highlights including BrewDog’s signature, all-year-round specials, 2-4-1 Vegan Mondays and All You Can Eat Wings on Wing Wednesdays. The food is good. Really good. Super satisfying. Generous. Tasty. You won’t be disappointed.
BrewDog Pentridge, E-Division Building, 1 Champ St, Coburg.
DRINK: Melbourne’s First Dedicated Bottomless Coffee Cocktail Brunch
There’s no brunch without coffee and there is no bottomless without cocktails. Luckily Spanish liqueur Licor 43 has teamed up with popular Southbank restaurant Asado to create the perfect Bottomless Coffee Cocktail Brunch to satisfy the foodies and coffee lovers alike —a Melbourne first in dedicated bottomless coffee cocktails.
The new brunch menu is available for a limited time only, from the 18th of February to the 18th March and is $130 per person for a two hour sitting, with guests treated to a delicious selection of dishes inspired by Argentinian and Spanish fusion and tempting coffee cocktails. Licor 43 is the perfect liqueur to accompany coffee. Its delightful taste and golden lustre is derived from an age-old recipe consisting of 43 natural ingredients.
The cocktails on offer include the Shaken Espresso 43, a delicious cocktail that combines the bitterness of coffee and the Mediterranean citrus notes of Licor 43. Also available is the Tiki 43, which displays a refreshing combination of citrus juices, espresso and rum pairing perfectly with the citric nuances of Licor 43, as well as a refreshing Licor 43 Sangria.
To accompany the cocktails is a set menu of mouth-watering dishes such as Empanada De Carne, Ocean Trout Ceviche and Roasted Chicken with Salsa Brava. To finish it off, dessert will be an Alfajor, an Argentine cookie filled with dulce de leche. Asado pays homage to the incomparable style and culinary ethos of slow-cooked barbeque, while spicing things up with Spanish flair.
The Bottomless Coffee Cocktail Brunch is inspired by Australia’s love of coffee cocktails and the ever-rising trend of coffee culture continuing to sweep the nation. Licor 43 emits a bright golden glow that reflects its Mediterranean heritage. Although perfect when enjoyed with or without ice, its flavours are so harmonious that it simply invites other ingredients, such as coffee, to be mixed with it and is unmatched in its versatility.
Licor 43 cocktails are best served with friends in tow, so grab a group of your closest pals and head to Asado for delectable food and tasty coffee cocktails. Licor 43 and Coffee: The Perfect Match.
To book the Bottomless Coffee Cocktail Brunch head to www.asado.melbourne.
BUY: Sun Safety with Solbari
Stay sun-safe and stylish whilst enjoying long summer days with Solbari; a sun-protective clothing, hat and accessories brand that specialises in UPF50+ protection.
Solbari’s mission is to empower people worldwide to live a sun smart life through education and awareness of the importance of skin health. Aiming to break generational habits of not protecting one’s skin from the damaging effects of the sun.
All Solbari fabrics are independently tested and rated by an Australian Government agency as UPF50+, which is the highest sun protective rating in the world for fabrics. This certification affirms that every Solbari fabric protects the skin from at least 98% of UVA and UVB rays. In comparison, research shows that ordinary, non-sun-protective clothing may be equivalent to wearing only an SPF5+ sunscreen.
Melanoma is often referred to as “Australia’s National Cancer” as 17,000 new cases are diagnosed every year, and of that, 1,400 cases will be fatal. Additionally, 2 in 3 Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they are 70.
As around 90% of skin cancers are caused by UV exposure from the sun, not only is the main cause of skin cancer undeniable, but this also means that most skin cancers are preventable.
Protecting your skin from the sun is a necessity, and Solbari is a thoughtful, comfortable, and fashionable way to protect ourselves and our loved ones.
Solbari’s best-selling range, the Sensitive collection, is made from a UPF50+ fabric that is a natural blend of cotton and bamboo. This combination is soft and lightweight to regulate body temperature and is also free of any harmful chemicals or artificial fertilisers. Solbari’s other collections include Active, Swim and CoolaSun.
For more information on Solbari visit solbari.com.au
TRY: DIY Nails with Your Own Portable Salon
No matter where you are in the world, the Gelicious Travel Kit ensures you’ll always have beautiful, salon-quality gel nails!
The Gelicious Travel Kit features an innovative little LED lamp that is smaller and lighter than an iPhone. It opens up to simply place over the hand or foot for comfortable, easy manicures and pedicures.
Included in the kit is a choice of gel colour, as well as Gelicious’ proprietary Peel-Off Base and Top Coat. This step enables the gel colour to be simply soaked then peeled off. Unlike a traditional gel manicure, there’s no need to book into a salon to remove the colour. It’s perfect for when you need a quick colour change or you’re on the move.
Gelicious Nail Co is the well-known Australian gel nail polish brand owned by nail expert Tatyana Stojanovic. Gelicious is the only brand with a peel-off gel nail base and top coat, pioneering a new way to DIY gel manicures with salon-quality results. Learn more at gelicious.com.
VISIT: Hotel Vera in Ballarat
Housed at 710 Sturt Street within a glorious nineteenth century mansion in Ballarat’s historic heart, Hotel Vera has officially opened its doors after four years in development. Comprising seven personalised suites and also the new home for award-winning restaurant, Underbar, Hotel Vera offers guests stunning accommodation with an emphasis on carefully curated interiors, thoughtfully selected amenities, and a commitment to sustainability that puts talk into action.
Tastefully juxtaposing period features – five-metre ceilings, original fireplaces, elaborate cornices – with a chic contemporary aesthetic, and the indulgence of king-size beds, spacious bathrooms, and luxe linens, lotions, and libations.
The hotel is the fourth regional enterprise for local team, Martin Shew and David Cook-Doulton and was named in tribute to the latter’s grandmother – who was the embodiment of the attentiveness and unassuming grace that characterises the Hotel Vera experience.
Fifteen Trees will also plant one tree for every guest who stays at Hotel Vera – an enduring reminder of every unforgettable visit.
Visit hotelballarat.com.au for accommodation bookings.
READ: Returning To Adelaide by Anne Freeman
Most women desire a break from the relentless grind of early motherhood, and while some find solace in the escapism that books, television and movies provide, one multi-tasking Melbourne mother, Anne Freeman of Northcote, tackled the problem in a different way — penning her debut novel.
‘After the birth of my second child, I realised that I’d put all my own writing dreams on hold, as if I was waiting for my life to begin when the children were older. That’s when I started writing Returning to Adelaide in the Google Docs App on my iPhone. I only ever sat down while breastfeeding my daughter, so, it was the only way I could do it – cradling her with one hand and typing out my novel with the other. The rest of the time, I buzzed around caring for two under three,’ the multi-award finalist explains.
The story follows the life of Adelaide Jones, a wife and mother who, when her perfect suburban life begins to unravel, is forced on a journey of self-discovery to the Greek island of Ikaria. ‘I wanted to create a situation that made it not only acceptable but necessary for a mother travel to the other side of the world, solo,’ says Anne. ‘I wrote it at a stage in my life when a trip to Kmart alone felt like Club Med, so being forced into a trip to the Greek Islands was a fantasy situation!’
What follows is once-in-a-lifetime adventure which ultimately reignites Adelaide’s tenacity.
Returning To Adelaide is fierce, fabulous and funny – the kind of story that finds you right when you need it, and offers something no matter where you’re at in life.
For more on Anne Freeman and Returning To Adelaide, please visit www.annefreeman.com.au
