A Magical Day Out in Brisbane
For Mother’s Day this year, I got the ultimate gift – a weekend away, kid free!
Catch up with What Women Do Alone and Sex and Marriage.
On the actual Mother’s Day day, the Husband returned from a week long work trip to Las Vegas, and let’s face it, the work component was probably minimal.
So to keep my crazy in check and give me something I really wanted, the Husband let me choose a day, any day, and I was given a night away by myself to enjoy however I so chose.
Being the good wife I am, I suggested that we ditch the kids and have ourselves a nice couple’s getaway – all the way to our own little Vegas, the one, the only – BrisVegas!
The Sun is shining…
…The birds are singing, the kids are with their grandparents and I’ve let my freshly washed hair down!
I wanted to be somewhere pretty with pretty people, so I could get pretty and be the pretty people.
And so I picked the liveliest and most vibrant part of Brisbane and promptly at 2pm, we checked into Sage Hotel in James Street, Fortitude Valley.
Sage Hotel, James St – Image Credit: WikiMedia
For this little getaway, for once in my life, I wanted to be amongst it. I didn’t want to spend my weekend on the couch watching TV, it feels like that’s what my life has turned into.
Either parenting, working, or laying on the couch like a fucking sloth.
But not today, Satan, not today!
Harvey for the win
Today, I wanted to have lunch in a beautiful place and drink some delicious wine so I can report back to Lindalin.
And there’s nowhere more beautiful than Harveys Bar + Bistro and I’m not even being paid to say that.
In the afternoon sun, with the rain sprinkling down, we drank, we ate fish like fancy people do and we spent an obscene amount of money on lunch for just the two of us. It was amazing.
The Husband
After lunch, we had an outfit change and hit the streets looking for transport in the form of Lime Scooters!
Our ultimate destination that evening was a 50th in Kangaroo Point and we wanted to ride in style. Or like goofy motherfuckers with their green helmets on their heads and their pride flapping around behind them…
But – no scooters could be found.
What was found though, was Eleven.
Eleven, twelve, martini apple pie…
I think it’s worth noting that although I’ve been a Brisbanite for almost 20 years (cue sad story about the Yugoslav war and becoming a refugee and all that…) there are so many parts of my own city that I have never seen. It’s actually embarrassing.
So, when I started telling people about this amazing bar the Husband had taken me to, they would all look at me like I had just moved here from Yugoslavia.
Eleven has been around for a while apparently, I have just been the couch sloth for so long, I hadn’t a clue that this little piece of heaven existed.
And exist it did!
My Apple Pie Martini and the Husband’s Scotch or something…
This Apple Pie Martini was exactly what it promised it would be. It was delicious, it was cinnamony, it was full of hope and life and alcohol.
I was vibing with my drink, enjoying the view with my Husband, engrossed in the pretty people and my life was complete…
…Until I finished my martini. Because then it was time to move on and see the rest of Brisbane.
You guys – we were going bar hoppin’!
EEEK!
Next stop – Lime life!
Licking the cinnamon and the husband off my lips, it was time to hit the pavement with the coolest Brisbane transport device in town – the Lime scooters!
We walked to the Valley side of the Story Bridge and there, like a little pot of endoftherainbow gold, were a bunch of green scooters lined up, waiting for their opportunity to dazzle us with their speed and grace.
Lime Scooters – Image Credit: Canberra Times
And boy, did they deliver.
I have never been more exhilarated in my life (possible overstatement). The wind in my hair, the fear that I will end up splattered all over the road in my heart, the adrenaline trying to keep me alive – it was all happening at the graceful speed of probably 7km an hour, but I haven’t had that much fun in a long time.
The Husband, ever the confident scotter-er, even for an Asian, raced across the bridge, and had to wait for me to scoot along like the old lady that I was. As we we reunited I couldn’t get the grin off my face. He was like “what is with you?” and I was like “WOOOOOOOO!”
SO exciting.
And then he took me to somewhere slightly less impressive, but a Brisbane icon nonetheless.
The Story Bridge Hotel Experience
Hmm, how to describe a much loved Brisbane icon…
Let’s just say it’s no Eleven.
I have never been to the Story Bridge Hotel (I’m hearing the gasps all over), but I mean, I haven’t been to many places in Brisbane so I guess it’s not too surprising.
What was surprising was the popularity of this pub.
I ordered myself an Espresso Martini and if I had just looked around and thought about the establishment, I would have known that was probably not a good decision to make. I can see that beer would be their thing – but cocktails were not.
It was like a syrup martini and let’s just leave it at that. I had some water to wash it down and our next stop was our final destination – a celebration with friends!
Eagles Nest, you sure impressed
Situated on a rooftop (aren’t rooftops all the rage now??) Eagles Nest in Kangaroo Point made for an amazing venue for a 50th birthday party we attended – which by the way, Chelsea, you don’t even look 50. 48 at best. Killing it, my friend.
Eagles Nest – Image Credit: Easy Weddings
As is fitting for a party, it was an open bar and the catering was so delicious, it wasn’t even funny. I made friends with a cheese platter and couldn’t deny my obsession with little goats cheese tartlets and wagyu beef toast thingies that were brought around. The only real complaint I have about it all is that I had so much fun and ate so many hors d’oeuvres, that we missed an opportunity to go out and have dinner to wrap up our weekend.
I mean, tough life, right?
I don’t need to tell you that we uber’d back to the Sage, slightly on the wrong side of drunk, but ever so on the right side of “FUCK YEAAAAA!!”
A day to remember
The next morning at 8am, after a full night’s sleep, with two hours to go until we had to check out, we put on Captain Marvel courtesy of the Sage, ate a bag of Burger Rings, a bag of Snickers Pods and our all adult weekend was complete.
Reflecting on the weekend, I was so elated at the experience I had and all within 20 minutes of my home.
So thanks Brisbane, you beauty.
Until next time, stay cool San Brisvego…
B.
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