What a surprise I got to see the transformation of Shangri La Reception Lounge. This has been an…read moreiconic function centre in the bayside area for over five decades, with many a wedding, birthday and school formal celebrated there. I knew the facade had changed and it had undergone a makeover, but imagine my surprise when I discovered the new restaurant there had really good a la carte food, like pale ale battered wild barra and cajun kangaroo steak - right here in Wynnum! So the old function centre is now a gorgeous reception and function area with three huge spaces including a ballroom, and has a 40 room hotel wing as well, but the biggest surprise of all was seeing the tasteful formal garden to the rear, completely hidden by the front sections of the complex, and perfect for weddings, or my friend's daughter's senior formal, as was the case here. I'm booking in for dinner.

From the owner: Shangri La Gardens -- part of the Clem Jones Group -- is located in the Brisbane bayside suburb of…read moreWynnum West. The function and reception centre at Shangri La Gardens has been a Brisbane landmark since the early 1960's and caters for a wide variety of events -- conferences and corporate meetings of all sizes, private parties, family and community celebrations, wedding receptions, and more. The Shangri La Gardens team is made up of loyal, local, and long-serving employees who can assist you in organising your event. Many couples who held their wedding receptions at the venue have returned to mark their silver, golden, and even diamond anniversaries. The children of some of those couples have also celebrated their marriage at Shangri La Gardens. Since 2006 the centre has included a 41-room four-star motel, and Sylvia's Restaurant and Wine Bar, named to honour Sylvia Ada Jones (nee Murphy), the wife of former Brisbane Lord Mayor, Dr Clem Jones (1918-2007).

Good selection of craft beers and cider, only, which what the bench is…read moreYou can order food from Italian restaurant next door or other restaurants near by or bring food with you Trendy cool small bar. Had guy playing guitar in amongst people small enough to do this acoustically last we were there Nice

Visit the Bench in Cleveland it's a haven for great craft brews and will be served with friendly…read moreand welcoming greetings. If you are not sure what to have why not ask one of the wonderful bar staff for a taste test (chances are it will be one of the owners...for that personal touch). I highly recommend the tasting paddle for an all round tasting experience. The team knows what's good and what works to tempt your palate. You can trust their advice. At the Bench they value quality vs quantity and will have limited edition runs of the best beers around. You'll need to be quick for these. I recommend the Stone and Wood for those who normally like a mainstream drop, this is a great little conversion piece. But for those who want a little more adventure the Mornington "Brown" is a winner (it's my pick anyway...this week) :) Food is available from local restaurants who can deliver to you directly at the Bench and menus are available. Look out for speciality beer and food pairing nights as well for a real treat. So much more in this wonderful venue, like them on Facebook and subscribe to their news and blogs. Hope to see you there soon. Cheers :)

Since the change of ownership the place has been revamped and is a favourite place to come for a…read morequiet time away from the noise. Food menu is quite extensive and although I haven't sampled everything on the menu what I have had has always been delicious. Lots of outdoor seating as well as indoor; take your pick. Can be quite busy at times so is worth making a reservation.

Strangest seafood chowder i have ever had. Where was the white creamy base that is so common with…read morethis dish. Instead it was 4 mussels and 4 prawns and pieces of bread served up in a base of some gray colored concoction. Out of respect to the person paying for the meals, i did not send the meal back to the kitchen for an explanation. Observing other peoples meals in our group, i would say the comments were hit and miss. Personally, i will not be returning.

Can't beat a great Aussie fish and chip shop at this scenic location by the Cleveland Point…read morelighthouse. Excellent potato scallops, oysters, crumbed cod, and tasty calamari. Can get a little busy so grab a table quickly and line up for your order around the corner.

The title 'Light Space' suits this place well as it is one bright and funky looking place. I do not…read moreoften attend functions but when I have, they have generally been held in dull and stuffy buildings or hotels. 'Light Space' offers a refreshing change to this with its minimalist industrial chic design, high ceilings and modern architecture. Situated in the Valley (on the border of Newstead), it is also an easy location to get to. I came here for the UQ Architecture 2011 exhibition and was impressed at how fitting of a venue this place was for it. The space was divided in 2 large rooms, one loungy room with a wide bar and the other area was as the exhibition space. The white walls and bright lighting really worked well in showcasing the 80+ student works that were being presented. Overall, this was an ideal place to fit all student works plus accommodate to the 200-300 people that attended the event. The size of the bar is very wide, which is practical when serving a large group of people thirsty for some free booze. The decor and layout of 'Light Space' makes the place very versatile. I can imagine it would be a great place to host a wedding or large party. The high ceilings, white walls and amount of space would make this a great place to shoot audiovisual material in. If you have a medium-large sized function/exhibition/party to organise, or need a studio space for a photo shoot, you might want to look into hosting it at Light Space.

What a beautiful venue. Take the existing and versatile blank canvas and turn this event space into…read moreyour wildest dreams. I was fortunate to experience the space in full swing over the weekend at Pinot Palooza, an event that brought together local wine makers, punters and food vendors. By virtue of seeing the pre-event organisation on the day I sense this is a tightly run ship and for personal events like weddings and such, this is what you want. There's plenty of scope to create the style and atmosphere you want in the area with two large hall-like spaces. There's office space above that is used by an ecclectic group of creative businesses including photographers, a media agency, architect and online fashion store. And as a little tid bit; there's also a bee hive on the roof by Bee One Third. Nifty huh?