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Let the Kids and their Grandparents Bond in these Upcoming Events in Morningside

For the Easter holidays, Brisbane City Council’s Gold’n’Kids program have a few activities which will provide an opportunity for seniors and children to bond and have some fun together. Here is a list of their events in Morningside.

Egg Carton Greenhouse

Monday, 9 April 2018 (9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)

Photo credit: CC-BY/ dustin larimer /Flickr

Perfect for the Easter holiday, these egg carton greenhouses are a simple way to get children into gardening and growing their own sprouts. Get your kids excited as they take their own greenhouse home.

As part of the Gold’n’Kids program and the Embracing 2018 Active and Healthy Challenge Activity, get a chance to win great prizes by participating in the activity. Visit the  Active and Healthy Challenge web page and fill out the form to enter the draw.

Booking is required to join the activity. Simply email the Beelarong Community Farm at education@beelarong.org.au or call 0401 168 657 to reserve your place.

Cost of joining is $5 which is inclusive of the materials to be used. Don’t forget to wear old but comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and enclosed footwear. Participants are asked to meet at the Beelarong Community Farm shed.

Venue: Beelarong Community Farm, Corner York and Beverley Streets, Morningside

Terrific Terrariums

Thursday, 12 April 2018 (9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)

Photo credit: CC-BY/ Martha W McQuade /Flickr

Get creative with new and recycled materials to make a mini terrarium of your own. All materials will be provided, but you can bring your own glass container and your collection of small objects like shells and pebbles to personalize your project.

This activity is also part of the Gold’n’Kids and Embracing 2018 Active and Healthy Challenge Activity which gives you more chance to win great prizes while having fun. Just don’t forget to register at the Active and Healthy Challenge web page.

This activity also costs $5 inclusive of the materials to be used in the activity.

Booking is required to join the activity. Send an email to the Beelarong Community Farm at education@beelarong.org.au or call 0401 168 657 to reserve your place. Participants of the activity are asked to meet at the Beelarong Community Farm shed.

Venue: Beelarong Community Farm, Corner York and Beverley Streets, Morningside

Fish Wise

Saturday, 14 April 2018 (8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.)

Photo credit: CCO Public Domain / Free-Photos / Pixabay

Perfect for older people who are fishing enthusiasts, Fish Wise is a great way to introduce fishing to the younger generation.

Learn the basics of fishing or brush up on your skills and meet new friends. Beginners can learn knot tying, bait presentation, rod casting, and other tips to make your next fishing trip more successful.

This activity is also part of the Gold’n’Kids and Embracing 2018 Active and Healthy Challenge Activity which gives you more chance to win great prizes while participating.

This event is free but bookings are essential. Call 2 Bent Rods on 0403 713 820 to reserve a place.

Remember to wear clothes and footwear that you don’t mind getting wet. Make sure to bring a towel, spare clothes, and snacks.  Participants are asked to meet at the picnic shelter near the jetty.

Venue: Colmslie Reserve, 420 Lytton Road, Morningside

Morningside Studio Offers Glimmer of Hope for Lovestar in Aftermath of Fire

Photo Credit: Lovestar Facebook

In 2013, while on maternity leave after giving birth to her third child, lawyer Helen Bayley finally heeded the nagging call of her creative self. She left her law practice and instead created heart-shaped vases inspired by the old-fashioned ceramic wall decors.

In just few months, she received thousand of orders from across the world. By then she decided to formally set up the company Lovestar with the support of her husband, Cris Bayley.

Helen and Cris Bayley
Credit: Lovestar Facebook

By 2014, the lawyer turned artist transformed a section of their Queenslander in Norman Park to a workshop place for her creations. A few months after, Lovestar had set up its headquarters in Moggill.

More orders piled up which eventually led to Lovestar opening a studio in Morningside, where the designing was being done.

On the 26th of February 2018, sadly, a fire broke at Lovestar’s headquarters in Moggill. The fire destroyed everything inside the warehouse.

 

On Monday our beautiful shed that housed all of our machinery and acrylic burnt down. Fortunately no one was injured. Unfortunately we lost everything we use to make our products. Small business is hard yakka and this was a particularly tough day for us. I wanted to thank all of the firefighters from the Pullenvale station for their tremendous efforts in getting everything under control. And I’d also like to thank ALL OF YOU here on @Instagram for sending such beautiful messages of love and encouragement. It has been the biggest motivator to keep on going. There is still some stock in our studio in the city where we dispatch all of our orders. We’ve updated the website to reflect what is left. It may take some time to fully get back on our feet, but please know that we’re here and we’re not going anywhere! A few things may change, but who we are and what matters to us won’t. Much love, Helen and everyone from the Lovestar Team x

A post shared by LOVESTAR (@lovestarloves) on

Ms Bayley described the incident as awful but her husband remained optimistic. In media interviews, Mr Bayley said that they still have stocks left at their studio in Morningside. The products in safekeeping in Morningside would allow them to get by for the next six to eight months whilst they recover from the aftermath of the fire.

Mr and Mrs Bayley recalled how they started the now globally popular heart-shaped vases by selling no more than 10 pieces in a local market. They only expected to sell a piece but all 10 were sold in a matter of minutes. A friend who used one of the vases for her online store posted a photo of it in Instagram. Hours after the post, emails and orders for the vase came pouring in.

Ms Bayley’s creations had since been featured in magazines like House & Garden, Elle, Instyle, Marie-Claire, Cosmopolitan, Yen, Frankie, Inside-Out, Real Living, and leading Australian design blog, The Design Files.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Pullenvale station officer Craig Meade estimated that the couple lost $45,000 to $75,000 due to the fire. But, whilst the loss of ten thousands of dollars will no doubt impact Lovestar, Mr Bayley saw a glimmer of hope as long as the finished products were safeguarded at their Morningside studio.

 

Beelarong Community Farm in Morningside Offers Healthier Food Options for the Neighbourhood

In the corner of Beverly and York Streets in Morningside sits a 4,000 square-meter community farm. Quietly nestled within its urban environment, this farm is open to everybody, particularly to those who want to promote and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle by growing food locally and devoid of any chemicals.

Credit: Beelarong Community Facebook

The Beelarong Community Farm was established in 1994 based on a needs survey which revealed that social isolation is a major problem within the Morningside community. The survey also showed that residents within the Morningside Ward desire friendship and want to become part of social support groups. They also longed for more access to additional parks and gardens.

In 1997, through the help of public officials and community members, the Beelarong Community Farm was started. It has since offered residents the camaraderie they so desire, whilst serving purpose to the community as a whole.

Today, the not-for-profit association thrives through membership and plot rentals for those who want to grow their own provisions.

The farm will welcome new members in March. The month is also brimming with different workshops that teach people to make healthier and more sustainable food.

What’s on at Beelarong Community Farm in March

Credit: Beelarong Community Facebook

The following events are suitable for ages 50 years and over. A walking tour of the farm is already included in each of these workshops. Everyone is advised to wear closed footwear and to bring their own apron.

Chutney workshop

 6th March

9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

 Learn how to make a delicious bottled chutney

Cob oven cooking

 8th March

9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

 Learn how to prepare and cook damper and pumpkin scones in the community farm’s cob oven.

Bonus: How to make lemon butter session will also be conducted

Balinese Cooking

 11th March

11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m.

 Learn how to prepare and cook fragrant and spicy curries, sambals (chilli sauce), noodles and salads.

Thai Curry Paste

 25th March

2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 Learn how to make a variety of Thai curry pastes from scratch and how to alter the heat to suit the taste.

Planter Pot

 26th March

9:30 a.m. 11:30 p.m.

 Using natural and recycled hessian, learn how to make an environmentally friendly plant pot useful for herbs, cacti and small flowering plants.

To become a Beelarong Community Farm member, fill out the forms here.

To know more information about the workshops being offered, please click here.

Indel-Ability Arts Scheduled to Perform at the Adelaide Fringe 2018

Photo Credit: Indelability Arts ltd. Facebook

In 2015, Rebecca Roberts founded Indel-Ability Arts, a theatre company based in Morningside. The company’s main purpose is to give artists with disabilities the opportunity to work in the arts.

Credit: Indelability Arts ltd. Facebook

Right from the start, one of the company’s goals has been to perform at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, which is known to be the Southern Hemisphere’s largest and Australia’s biggest ticket-selling, open-access arts festival. Almost all artists dream of performing at the festival’s stage.

In 2016, Indel-Ability Arts made headlines when it launched its first main stage show, the “Look Mum… No Hands (The Legless Bar Years)”. The play was written and performed by people who identify themselves with having disabilities.

Credit: Indelability Arts ltd. Facebook

The show had been in development since 2015 with the support of Brisbane City Council’s Community Development and Capacity Grant. Its premiere happened in September 2016 at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

“Look Mum… No Hands” has since became a yearly offering and has in fact enjoyed three consecutive sold-out seasons.

Finally in 2018, Indel-Ability Arts received the welcome news that the Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund has awarded them grant to help them perform “Look Mum… No Hands” at the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2018. They are scheduled to perform on the 24th, 25th, 27th, 28th of February and the 3rd, 4th of March.

Since its inception in 2015, the theatre company based in Morningside has been home to community members with disabilities who want to express themselves and be in a place where they feel that they belong.

Credit: Indelability Arts ltd. Facebook

Indel-Ability Arts wishes to bring all of their 15-strong cast and crew to the festival. But, since they are a non-profit organisation, getting the whole team to Adelaide will incur additional cost. To this, the group accepts any donations, no matter how big or small to be able to bring the house to the prestigious stage.

Credit: Indelability arts ltd. Facebook

With the community’s support, they can take the show to Adelaide and make it Brisbane’s one proudest moment.

If you would like to help, click here.

Death Valley Calls All ‘Whimpers’ for Wings Eating Competition

Death Valley is hosting a chicken wings eating competition on the 16th of February. Contestants will have to finish six pieces of chicken wings drenched in Teek’s Carolina Reaper Wing Sauce.

Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Not quite.

Teek’s Carolina Reaper sauce is made from Carolina Reaper chillies, the hottest chilli in the world, according to the Guinness World Records. It actually beats Australia’s very own Trinidad Scorpion “Butch T” grown by The Chilli Factory which was the Guinness’ hottest in 2011.

Carolina Reapers
Credit:
Richard Elzey/Flicker under Creative Commons

 

Trinidad Scorpion Butch T Pepper
Credit: Richard Elzey

Carolina Reaper chillies average 1,569,300 Scoville Heat Units or SHU, the units used to measure the heat of food. It can get as hot as 2,200,000 SHU. The jalapeño pales in comparison at only 2500 and 5,000 units.

Death Valley claims that their wings menu is the hottest that anyone can get from any establishment all across Brisbane because of this house-brand wings sauce. This, the slated competition is aptly called the “HOT AF HOT WING CHALLENGE.”

Contestants will each be given six wings soaked in the Hot AF Carolina Reaper sauce. They have to wipe their plates clean like they have just been taken out from the washer. Not a drop of sauce should be left behind. They are also not allowed to drink anything as they finish up their wings. Lastly, contestants should be more than willing to have their photos taken before, during, and after eating.

Credit: Death Valley Facebook

The Carolina Reaper’s initial fruity and sweet taste, similar to a hint of cinnamon, should not fool anyone. Death Valley jokes that they’re “not so sure if the only dude to eat 6 is still alive”.

The world’s hottest chilli is cultivated by Ed Currie from the PuckerButt Pepper Company based in South Carolina. It has taken him 10 years to perfect the crossing between Sweet Habanero and Naga Viper chillies.

So what’s at stake?

Those who will finish their six pieces of wings will receive $30 tabs of Fonzie Abbott beer, a brand that will also have a tap takeover in the same night. They will also receive the Death Valley Beer Cult Lighter a month before other patrons receive theirs. They will also be invited to an exclusive end-of-year dinner paid for Death Valley. More importantly, they get to have bragging rights to eating (and surviving!) the world’s hottest chillies!

On a side note, Carolina Reaper is rich in capsaicin which is known to have cancer-fighting properties. The chilli fruit, which was commonly misidentified as a vegetable, also makes the body produce endorphins after consumption.

To know more about the competition, please click here.

Fighting Hunger Gets Bigger in QLD With FoodBank Morningside and FareShare Partnership

There are 400,000 Queenslanders each year who experience food insecurity, half of them are children, according to Foodbank. Food relief charities in Queensland are turning away 134 people a month on average and 72 of whom are children, Foodbank says in its 2017 hunger report.

This situation, however, is about to change step by step.

In September 2017, Foodbank Morningside, Australia’s biggest food relief organisation, and FareShare, the country’s largest charity kitchen from Melbourne, signed an agreement to reduce food waste and fight hunger in Queensland.

In January 2018, FareShare has acquired a property at 46 Steel Place in Morningside, where Foodbank Morningside plans to build a kitchen for cooking healthy delicious meals to be given to Queenslanders in need.

The kitchen is expected to be operational within 2018.

Foodbank is distributing more than 35 million kilograms of food and groceries yearly or 172,000 meals a day across Australia. It provides 63 million meals a year to more than 2,600 charities and 1,750 schools in the country.

FareShare, meanwhile, is already cooking 5,000 free meals a day being distributed to soup vans, homeless shelters, women refuges, and community centres across the country.

With the new Morningside kitchen, and the partnership between Foodbank Morningside and FareShare, an additional five million meals a year will be cooked and be distributed for free.

FareShare Queensland general manager Kellie Watson said the Morningside facility was chosen because it is conveniently located near the Brisbane CBD. This ideal location encourages participation from businesses and is more convenient for commuting volunteers.

FareShare will be accepting volunteers for the kitchen in Morningside. Interested individuals can contact them as early as now to be updated on progress.

FareShare also accepts corporate volunteering where employees of companies can do volunteering as group.

Friday Fun Days for Families at Cannon Hill’s Lollipops Playland and Cafe

Fridays are fun days at Lollipops Playland and Cafe in Cannon Hill.

Lollipops Playland and Cafe at Shop 5a 1818 Creek Rd, Cannon Hill, is an indoor play area where children can play all day. At the same time, it is a cafe which serves delicious coffee and quality food.

The first Friday of each month is “Disco Night” where parents, children, and Lollipops the Cat will party, to the beat of its favourite music, the Boogie. “Disco Night” runs from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There is a $10 fee for the kids. Parents can get in free.

Meanwhile, the third Friday of each month is “Nerf Night”. Nerf guns are already available at the Playland starting at 7:30 p.m. No need to bring any gear or do anything else other than have fun. How easy is that?

Lollipops’ facilities ensure that children can engage in physical activities whilst still being secure and safe. All kids entering are given wristband security so they may roam freely around the facilities without the need for their parents to run after them. The area for younger children is padded so they can enjoy the day like the rest of the older kids.

Lollipops the Cat during Disco Night
Credit: Lollipops Playland and Cafe Facebook

The playhouse has been the go-to place of playful kids since 2003. Lollipops has been their favourite place for its obstacle courses, tunnel slides, ball pits, wobble bridges, jumping castles, and climbing areas. The Teacup Ride has always been a hit for the young ones whilst bigger kids have always been drawn to the level 3 Air Play, the area where they can play soft ball shooting.

Here’s what other customers say about Lollipops:

The area is also available for rent for disco-themed birthday parties. For more information about their party packages, click here.

What’s On at Morningside’s Southside Tea Room in January

There is always something going on at the Southside Tea Room at 639 Wynnum Road, Morningside. It is just the start of the year and the place already has the whole month of January planned out with activities for both children and children-at-hearts.

Plaster Fun House on 5th January at 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Credit: Southside Tea Room Facebook

Plaster Fun House, a monthly kid-friendly event at the Southside Tea Room, is back for 2018. As always, participants will be painting their plaster pieces which are shaped into their chosen cartoon characters. For $20, anyone can do their art pieces while sipping wine and chomping on a burger. Those who are below 18 years old are welcome to the event as long as they have guardians with them. Materials such as glitter and spray varnish are already included in the purchased tickets. For bookings and reservations, please click here.

Clap Clap Club: Craft & Music Class for two to five years olds on 17th January at 3:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Credit: Southside Tea Room Facebook

Teacher Ritchie Daniell from The Grates and Powerhouse Powerkids – Little kids will teach kids to explore sound and make collage. To make the activity more entertaining, there will be group exercises in rhythm and performances.

For $25, participants are expected to enhance their imagination, improve their motor development and problem solving skills, learn to effectively use their five senses, particularly their visuals and musically. Kids must be with their guardians or parents. For bookings and reservations, please click here.

Rick & Morty Trivia on 19th January at 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Credit: Southside Tea Room Facebook

The activity is a test of knowledge among fans of Rick and Morty. It is a competition that only genuine followers of the show can win. Teams can register here.

Rick and Morty is an American animated science-fiction sitcom targeted for the adult viewers. It is the brainchild of Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon for Cartoon Network’s late-night programming. The adult sitcom follows the misadventures of mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his gullible grandson, Morty Smith. The duo travels from their ordinary life to the interdimensional world. Fans are extra nostalgic about the series as its final airing took place on 1st October 2017. The series had been airing since December 2013.

GOTH Swap on 20th January at 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Credit: Southside Tea Room Facebook

This monthly event at the Southside Tea Room is back this year with the old time favourite bartender, Doominique. This January, only black clothes are allowed for swapping. Attendees will be rummaging through a range of summer goth outfit while Doominique plays classique goth bangers and spooky movies.

Death valley BBQ – Hottest 100 Edition on 27th January at 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Credit: Southside Tea Room Facebook

This regular event will take place particularly on the 27th of January because it is said to be the “hottest 100th day”. For $29, those who would like to attend can pre-order one of the following BBQs in time for the event:

Choices for Smoked Meats:
Hickory Brisket
Pulled Pork
Smoked Chicken

Options for Sides & Fixins
Burnt End BBQ Black Beans
NOLA Pecan Slaw
Maple Tater Salad
Mac & Cheese
Blackened Corn

To purchase tickets, please click here.

Southside Tea Room at 639 Wynnum Road has been an old time favourite among locals for their roaster master coffee from Dragan’s Wynnum roaster, tea from Sydney’s Tea Craft and sumptuous breakfast menus of avocado toast, Cuban bacon and egg sandwiches, cupcakes and neenish tarts.

In the nighttime, the place transforms to a bar where people can play with the pinball machine and card games or simply hang around the retro tables over house-crafted pizza and craft beer. The place also serves cocktails, chips and dips, and varieties of nuts.

Relive Childhood Memories With Australia’s Largest Freeplay Retro Gaming Video Arcade in Morningside

1UP Arcade is Australia’s largest freeplay retro gaming video arcade which allows adults to turn back time a bit with its collection of authentic 80’s and 90’s arcade games.

Credit: 1UP Arcade Facebook

Adults can once again experience what it feels to play the 16-bit and 8-bit gaming or bring their children and introduce them to what classic arcade gaming is really about. They will see the difference of enjoying games at the arcade setting, compared to the experience of playing the same games on their mobile phones nowadays.

The place opened last May, at the basement level of 230 Lytton Rd, Morningside, with its initial 60 freeplay titles. Over the past eight months, the arcade has had new machines arriving every week. 1UP Arcade has Golden Axe, Sega Rally, 4-Player TMNT and NBA Jam, Street Fighter games, Raiden, Metal Slug and The Simpsons, even the old time favourites Mortal Kombat and Final Fight are now in the arcade, just to name a few.

KOF Shockbox
Credit:1UP Arcade Facebook

“We pride ourselves on our collection of authentic hardware. Whenever possible, we’ve rescued, restored and refurbished 100% original arcade machine parts for our machines. This means we go the extra mile to source arcade-grade CRT screens to pair with our game boards and cartridges, so you get the real deal when playing your old favourites. Sometimes we have to make a compromise here and there with reproduced artwork and brand-new or converted cabinetry, but we keep the experience as close to original as we can”.

Pesky SNES and N64 consoles
Credit: 1UP Arcade Facebook

1UP Arcade offers a flat-rate of $15 per entry that can either be used to play unlimited pinball or to play on more than 90 arcade games with included access to 1UP Arcade’s Retro Console Lounge. Those who want to enjoy both packages can pay $25 upfront for all-day, all-games access. For the holidays, 1UP Arcade is selling gift vouchers available for a similar amount and the same level of access.

Lick! Ice Cream Morningside: Five Things to Know About the Newest Ice Cream in the Neighbourhood

Lick! Ice Cream has just opened in Morningside in late November and it has hands down won over the neighbourhood. From its back story on how it became an ice cream icon when it created the Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream for the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association or RNA in 2012, to the brand’s production of more than 600 different flavours since its inception, patrons can very well tell that there’s more to Lick! Ice Cream than meets the eye. Or tongue.

Read: Ice Cream Lovers: Lick! Ice Cream is Coming to Morningside

Discover some fun facts about the newest ice cream shop in the neighbourhood. Here are five things about Lick! Ice Cream that you should know:

Christmas Ice Cream Flavours

Lick! Ice Cream has just released its two Christmas ice cream flavours for kids and kids-at-heart to enjoy. Anyone across Brisbane can go at their shops in Morningside or Graceville to enjoy the Legendary Gingerbread Ice cream and Chocolate Condensed Milk Ice Cream flavours up until Christmas Day.

Lengendary Gingerbread icecream and Chocolate Condensed Milk icecream
Credit: Lick! Ice Cream

Home Delivery at its Finest With Uber Eats

Whether you’re feeling lazy to go out or caught up with too many things to bring the kids out, there is only one destination for takeaways and delivery, where you can find all the best that there is in Brisbane: Uber Eats! And since Lick! Ice Cream is one of the best, it has just announced on 8th December that they are now available for home delivery via Uber Eats. Uber great, right?

Credit: Lick! Ice Cream Facebook

Ice Cream Cakes

Who would have thought that you can have both of your most favourite sweets in one serving? Lick! offers ice cream cakes where customers can choose one flavour for the base, and then four different flavours more for the scooped balls of ice cream which serves as toppings for the cake. Sinfully scrumptious! Lick! Ice cream cakes come in square or circle shapes and are available in two sizes: one for 10 to 12 people and another for 20 to 22 people. Or you can make that 5 to 6 people and 10 to 11 people, if all of you have two servings each!

His and Hers Ice Cream Cake
Credit: Lick! Ice Cream

Vegan/Vegetarians are Totally Welcome!

The sorbets served by Lick! contain no dairy, egg or any other animal product. Through the years, the brand has in fact amassed a loyal following of vegan customers. Interestingly enough, their most favourite order is the Cocoa sorbet.

Strawberry Sundae
Credit: Lick! Ice Cream Facebook

Lick! Ice Cream is Open for Wholesale

Lick! can supply the dessert or ice cream for your stores, restaurants or other small food businesses. The team can either create a personalized flavour exclusive for your menu or you can order from their available flavours. Lick! can also hold a taste-testing events for customers as a means of marketing support.

Charcoal Waffle at Wild Canary Eat Served with Lick! Ice Cream
Credit: Lick! Ice Cream Facebook
Tarte Tatin dessert at The Charming Squire featuring Rum and Raisin ice cream
Credit: Lick! Ice Cream Facebook

Here is one testimonial from among their wholesale customers:

“Customs House has been using Lick Ice Cream for the past 10 years for all our function and restaurant requirements. It has been fantastic dealing with Grant, his passion for the product he produces speaks for itself. The versatility he offers with flavour combinations and ability to create unique ice creams is what sets them ahead of all others. Well balanced sweet and savoury ice creams and sorbets is so important and this is one area that Grant and his team have got down to perfection.”

Lick! Ice Cream Morningside is at 5/591 Wynnum Rd Morningside