Out & About - Blackwattle Cafe

Back in August a dear friend of mine left Sydney for northerly climes - very sadly.
Anyway as a farewell get-together she took me to the Blackwattle Cafe in Glebe. It is situated in an old house that has been recently renovated. It used to look like this -

photo from wikipedia

Bellevue House was built in 1896 and is listed as a building of historical interest. It would have been a gentleman's residence then but it's use has changed over the years. It became part of the industrial landscape of Glebe from the 1920's and after 1970 it fell into disrepair, unloved even when the area around it became a park. Eventually it was restored and rather nicely on the inside I think.

You can also sit outside with a great view of Blackwattle Bay and the Anzac Bridge, but it was too cold for us on the day we went.

What did we have to eat? I wish I could remember!
It was very nice as were the desserts.

Sunday Snippets - a walk in the park.

A great way to spend a Sunday - a bushwalk in the middle of suburbia, in Lane Cove National Park.

Biking riding - another beautiful winter's day.

Despite the dire forecasts of the weather it turned out to be a great day for a bike ride.

Around the Bay Run.

Across the new Ironcove bridge.

Past a crumbling ruin (and some very nice places which I managed not to get photos of)

 

 With views across Cockatoo Island to the city.

To Cabarita Park.
This is a place I have never ever been to before and neither has Mr planet (who grew up in this city)

Not a bad lunch spot and it was well-underused.

This edifice at Concord piqued our interest - what could the "B" stand for? *

Along the Millenium pathway...

And back home.

*Bushells. (Used to be tea but now processes coffee).

Five fabulous Friday Finds

So much fabulousness everywhere at the moment!

He are some snippets of gorgeous to brighten your weekend.


I'm a sucker for Japanese art and imagine how fab it would be to carry this around with you all day.

wallet and phone pouch by TinderandBloom

Just loving the whimsey of these clocks by iluxo, couldn't decide between this or the Paris one!

Sydney clock by iluxo

Wooden't you just love to have this fabulous shelf as a feature on your wall?
I also have a few old books I could put on there.

Atlas by designlipe

If not - or maybe, as well you could hang this bookshelf on your wall.
Does this look like your bookshelf? It is a bit like mine!

Illustration by BookCub

And I can't go past some pretty earrings.
These look like they would be so light to wear and I can just imagine how they would swing as you walk!

native american style earrings by Anabel27shop

What fabulousness have you found this week?

What's your style? Industrial chic or cosy colonial?

Now I am not and interior designer, nor an expert on architectural styles, but last weekend I was lucky enough to stay in 2 totally different places, and it got me thinking.....
What is my style?

Is it the cool modern interiors of the Harbour Rocks Hotel in the Rocks area of downtown Sydney or the grandmotherly comfort of a guest house in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney?

Here is our room at the former -

and some other images from their website -

image courtesy Harbour Rocks Hotel

 The hotel has been sculpted out of heritage listed buildings that are 150 years old. Built on the site of Sydney's first hospital the buildings have most recently been used as workshops and flats.
Their website has some photos of the buildings before they were renovated - quite a job!

image courtesy Harbour Rocks Hotel

I wasn't sure how to describe this style of decor.....Industrial Chic?
And sure enough when I googled it - up popped these images -

image from apartmenttherapy.com

image from Bonnie's murals and more

image from twistedsifter

What do you think? Your style or no?

And now for something completely different.....
In complete contrast our accommodation the next night was more cosy, colonial country.
Kurrara Guest House in Katoomba is an one hundred and twenty year old custom-built guest house.
Katoomba has long been a tourist destination due to the amazing scenery and temperate climate so it's not surprising that some enterprising business people built these guest houses.

I must say that I'm not a great fan of tizzy, chintzy places but Kurrara has just the right amount of comfort and period style without being too OTT!

Actually Kurrara falls into the Federation period of architecture, which was the start of an individual Australian style. Typified by verandahs, shingles, gable windows and the use of ausralian motifs.
Kurrara is a very sweet example of this style which is being lovingly refurbished by the present owners, the lovely Evelyn and Iain.

So what's your style when you are looking for accommodation?
Or is price and location your only consideration?

7 things sunday - places I have lived - blogtoberfest day 30

1. Kidderminster
Kidderminster is where I was born and spent the first 18 years of my life.
It is in the West Midlands of Englad is is well known for -
carpets
a football team called the Kidderminster Harriers
a local paper called the Kidderminster Shuttle.
Famous people from Kidderminster include Sir Rowland Hill who invented the postage stamp and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame ( brush with fame - he used to come into a pub I worked in....)
There is a statue of Sir Rowland Hill in the middle of the town...but I don't think there is one of Robert Plant!

Kidderminster, Worcestershire, a photo by lisby1 on Flickr.

2. London. I lived (boy, did I live !!) and studied in London. In lovely south Kensington near Kings Road, Chelsea and also in North Kensington near Portobello Road where the awesome markets are.

Portobello Road market

3. Reigate. Where I worked as a house-mum in a boarding school for a while.
I can only remember that there was a pub across the road and there were some nice walks in the area.

Reigate Heath windmill image from wikipedia

4. Sydney. I lived in a few places in Sydney, none of which had this view -

5. Blue Mountains, west of Sydney where I have lived off and on for a few years.

6. Parkes - famous for The Dish

7. Tucson - famous for being in the desert and hot and having these amazing, enormous saghuaro cacti.

tucson photo from flickr

How many places have you lived in?
Where have you lived? Anywhere exotic?

One more day of blogtoberfest tomorrow!
If you are taking part - how are you going? Did you manage to post every day? Or did you take some time off?

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

Blogtoberfest

Hi! and welcome to October and you know what that means don't you?

Blogtoberfest!




"What?!" you ask!

Well - blogtoberfest is a month long festival of blogging hosted by tinniegirl.

We'll try very hard to blog every day and visit other people's blogs and revitalise and refresh our blogging mojos!

Sounds like fun doesn't it?

So far there are 90 bloggers signed up to join in, so if you'd like to join in too pop on over here.

Some bloggers are having giveaways which you can find at CurlyPop's blog.

What have I got planned?

I'll be showing you some of my creations and some places I visit.
I'll share some tutorials with you and continue my occassional series of selling ideas.
I'll be having some Wednesday wishlists and taking part in Our creative spaces on Thursdays.

Is there anything else you'd like to see?

How about a lacey installation hanging about above a Sydney street?
I think it gets lit up at night and is probably pretty nice then. During the day it just looked like a fishing net!

Here is the sandwich I had whilst inspecting said fishing net!
Yum! Veggie sandwich on a fresh wholemeal roll from the sandwich shop behind Sydney Town Hall.