Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder…read more This term is often used to express gratitude for what Gods creation has made. The Botanical Garden in Adelaide CBD (Common Business District) houses decades and centuries of trees from the beginning era of Australia or in fact the World as it stands. We ran into a tour guide that explained the existence for a majority of the trees here to have been here since the early 1800's and as such, the garden has protected and ensured the area is well taken cared of. What a wonderful place to be among feeling the energy of the earth surrounding this unique and quiet garden. Adjacent to so many other iconic establishments in Adelaide CBD, the Botanic Gardens has trails, a park itself for picnic (which we did), and plenty of green passage and shades to relax and bask in. One day of this place is never enough to experience the beauty of nature.

Beautiful early evening stroll in the gardens…read more After an afternoon at the adjacent Wine Museum, we decided to walk through the Botanical Gardens located in the north terrace. There are several entrances, one being right at the museum's patio. There are also several large posted maps to check out. Like the beautifully restored Palm House built in 1877, First Creek Wetland, the Amazon Waterlily Pavilion, the Santos Museum of Economic Botany and the Bicentennial Conservatory. At the Visitor Information Centre and Diggers Garden Shop, you can purchase a variety of seeds, gardening books and garden tools. If didn't eat at the Wine Museum, you can grab a bite at Simpson Kiosk or. Café Fibonacci. The Botanical Gardens Restaurant offers a fine dining experience. The Garden is open 365 days a year and entry is free. Free guided tours are provided by the Friends of the Botanic Gardens, departing from the Schomburgk Pavilion at 10.30am daily (except Christmas and Good Friday).

Think of the Veale Gardens as a scruffy, hand-me-down donning little sister of the Botanic Gardens…read more Complete with her own feisty personality (and charm). Located in the parklands south of the city between Peacock Road and Sir Lewis Cohen Ave. Veale Gardens is a tad edgy in that it's a bit of a vagrant's hangout--certainly don't go there at night. But during the day it's an appealing spot for a stroll, a sit or a chat. What sets it apart from other areas of the parkland, in my opinion, is not the rose gardens, it's the small ridge which adds some topography and the abundance of water features, many running down the the ridge. OK, the roses are nice too. There's also a small river (long narrow pond) that runs parallel to South Terrace with an amusingly abrupt start and finish. The whole lot is surprisingly well maintained and complete with novelty self-washing toilets and home to the Adelaide Pavilion, a charming ivy laden private function venue. South Terrace tram stop (free ride from the city) is right there. Apparently Veale Gardens is somewhat of a notorious gay hook up area at night? I'm oblivious to these things but a Wikipedia search dugg up a little goss... According to the wiki page the toilet block was removed in 2006 to discourage this!

Adelaide's seamy side…read more A recent sunset picnic with friends at Veale Gardens to take advantage of the beautiful in-season rose garden was disappointing. What is a delightful day time setting with lush green lawns, meandering creek and well kept flower beds becomes (as previously noted) a less than idyllic setting as dusk approaches. The families and dog walkers quickly disperse (obviously they've been before!) and the darker side of Adelaide starts emerging - the rubbish bin trawlers (sort of ok unless their bags stink) and the nightly migration from the Western Tce side to who knows where accompanied by belligerent requests for money for whatever (less than ok). We tolerated for half an hour or so but as we seemed to be well placed in the middle of the transit route for frequent requests we finally gave up and left. I would not recommend for a summer evening's picnic or stroll any time near sunset. Enjoy the scenic setting 10.00 to 5.00 (4.00 in winter)! Such a shame as the Adelaide City Council do a fantastic job maintaining these beautiful gardens - check out the roses in October and the Wisteria in September.

This place was rather interesting, though I probably shouldn't be too surprised at such a place…read morebeing located in the middle of the Botanic Gardens. As the name probably indicates, it is a museum about plants that people can make money off ot. Yeah, it does sound a little boring, but I suspect most people when they hear the word economy, their eyes probably glaze over. Anyway, as I mentioned, it was pretty interesting, especially seeing all of the categories of plants that had been arranged into, especially a lot of our fruit. Honestly, who would have thought that potatoes and tomatoes are both members of the nightshade family (and are actually members of the same family). Oh, and the other pretty cool thing about this place is that it is free to enter, which is honestly always a good thing.

This is the last of its kind--the Museum of Economic Botany. The last time I was here, I was a…read moreyoung child, so I don't have strong memories of it at all. Being at the Gardens today, I thought, well, I'm here, I'm going to have a look, and I'm glad I did. The museum contains a wide variety of exhibits. From German papier-mache fruit, fungi and vegetables to actual seeds and fronds of real plants, to various historical items made from plant material--ie: carved wood, woven fabric, bags, didgeridoos, lace, linen fabric, rose water, alcoholic drinks, teas, medicines, etc--the place is full of interesting things. And the building itself is stunning. The ceiling is particularly lovely, so when you visit, make sure you look up as well as around you. This is a lovely place to have a look around, and experience history in a different way, especially the history of the land and the uses of the fruits of the land. I highly recommend it.

It's really clear that this is something that everyone HAS to do at least once in their life. Gold…read moreGrass plucked my Moonlight Cinema cherry and thank goodness for that. I hate to say it but I don't know if I could go again without being Gold Grass. Tickets were over $30 and you got a bean-bed and a complimentary cidar. It was fun, I have to admit. The issues I had were probably minor overall and hopefully this review will save someone from the madness we experienced so listen carefully. Make sure you have printed out your ticket, NOT your receipt. If you take your receipt to the front of the line to get scanned, you will have to go back to the box office to get the tickets printed out. Take some food if you don't want to wait in line for a VERY long time and on this particular night, they sold out of ice blocks and ice creams. It was a great night. Would I do it again? Yep, but only if I didn't mind parting with over $30 for Gold Grass. I loved having the extra space!!

4-stars, but only if the stars align. The perfect conditions:…read more If it's a hot day, rug up anyway - it gets much cooler in the Botanic Park than the surrounding city. So make sure you have something to keep you warm, even if it has been a hot day Arrive early. Films begin at about 8.30-9PM, but consider getting there at 7.30 when the cinema opens. You'll want a good spot on the grass. Bring a picnic and some wine and make an evening of it. Bring some cushions, or hire a beanbag. The beanbags are comfy, and the ground is cold. Bring bug repellant. No explanation necessary. If you do all that and have picked the right movie, it's a great relaxing night out in the fresh air with great food and drink. If you arrive late and get a crappy spot at the back, it can be terrible.

As a first time volunteer and a first time attendee, I found the experience exhilarating. So…read morevibrant and colourful is this festival that it left me on a high. For those who have never been, you are missing out! This world music festival is a must for young and old and everyone in between. It is fun, it is vivacious and it embodies a global community spirit. The food stalls were fantastic, featuring cuisines from all around the world. I felt spoilt for choice. The entertainment and speakers was world class. One of the highlights for me this year was hearing David Suzuki speak. He is one of earth's greatest ambassador and I have a deep respect for him. It is a clear testament to just how wonderful this festival is by the high profile personalities and acts it drew. Massive kudos and high fives to the organisers and volunteers for making this festival successful every year. My only regret is not attending all the years before this. I look forward to next year's festival with much anticipation.

I've been attending the World Music Art and Dance festival in Adelaide (WOMADelaide) since it first…read morebegan back in 1992, when I was 11. Since then both myself and this festival have grown bigger and bigger. In recent years the festival has gone from biannual to annual and from three days to four. It's mainly known for its world class world music performers, 70% seem to be somewhat unknown to the audience that throngs to this experience every year. That's half the fun, seeing performers you've never seen before and going "hey, I like that". These artists also sign autographs and CDs during scheduled sittings. The amount of space of Botanic Park that is covered by the festival is almost all of it, ergo really really big. Either print out a map and schedule from the website beforehand or get one from one of the information areas. There's also a phone app which I've not yet used but I will. Stage 1, the main stage, is always exposed to the sun during the day, so too Stage 2 so hats/umbrellas are recommended. There is a St. John's tent where you can make a donation and get sunscreen though, or buy a whole bottle at National Pharmacy's trailer. To keep cool there are water stations where you can fill up you water bottles and sprinkler tents to run through. The Morton Bay Fig Stage is a smaller stage set amongst the Botanic Park's giant rooted trees. One year whilst at the MBF stage the crowd burst into dancing whirpools and I and my Callipo were whisked away by these happy tides to the sounds of Romanian gypsy violin. There are a host of other stages including those designed for workshops and more intimate performance, about 8 or so stages in total. Parking is difficult and beer tents are plenty so go the public transport route. Many walk from the Adelaide train station but there are usually additional event specific buses and designated taxi areas. The only booze on offer is Coopers, a collection of SA wines and Aussie Cider, my favourite! There's also a specific Coopers garden bar. The food is from all corners of the globe and delicious. With that in mind the organisers have added a Taste the World stage where artists and chefs are brought together to teach the crowd some of their favourite dishes. Now tickets are expensive, or at least more expensive than they used to be, but the experience is worth it. Many chose to volunteer their time to the festival in exchange for a pass and I too did that one year. You work a set amount of hours on agreed days, then the rest of the time at Womad is yours. The bar is frantic but fun. It has almost become an Adelaide rite of passage to try and sneak in to WOMAD but it being nigh on 20 years since it first began, security has worked out what it's doing. A lot of people try every year to scale the botanic gardens fence into WOMAD but this is the worst place to try of all of them. One year a friend of mine tried that, slipped, and impaled himself by the bicep on the spiked fence. He didn't see any of WOMAD just the nearby Royal Adelaide Hospital. He very luckily missed a crucial nerve and he is not the only case of impaling on that fence, so just buy a ticket!

Once a year on the foreshore of Glenelg, Openair Cinema graces Adelaide with it's presence bringing…read moreyou the latest movies and cult classics all under the stars. There is nothing quite like being outdoors sitting in a beanbag, with blanket and a glass of wine. It is just so relaxing and a great opportunity for a family outing! Openair Cinemas are not all about movies though, they also have DJ's and musicians playing during the day. I love that they are using the space in this way! It is almost like it's own little festival. This year we were fortunate enough to be in the Star Class area to see the cult classic Grease! This was a super cool sing-a-long screening with all the words subtitled in cartoon graphics. I think I was laughing more than what I was singing. What a fun idea. So, what is Star Class you say? Well, you get treated like a VIP in the Star Class area! There is a reserved area right at the front and you are offered glass of wine, bean bag, and fluffy blanket to keep you warm. Oh wait for it... if you want a few more drinks for the night there is wait service! All you have to do is put your hand up and a waiter will help you with your request. That is my idea of VIP service. If only there was a massage option as well? The other great thing about Openair Cinema is that you can bring in your own picnic! I love that they invite you to bring in some food. I know lots of people work on budgets, so this is a great option if you want to feed the kids and friends. I was so excited about this; I packed a basket full of cheese, dips, chips, veggies and fruit. I actually made a platter. It was great! The one thing to remember is to dress warm for this event. As the set up is right near the shore, there are some winds at night that are a little chilly. I suggest keeping an eye on the weather and dress comfortably. Otherwise, it is a great night and I look forward to go there again!

I came here with the sister, brother in law and kids after the sister received free tix to see…read moreDespicable Me 2. Thought the location by the beach was amazing especially seeing as the cinema is held outside. The set up was very "beachy" / "summery" with plenty of deck chairs to sit on. Plenty of drink choices to choose from and the Famous Ben & Jerry's ice cream. We arrived whilst their was a dj still playing and the atmosphere was alive with the thought that summer is on her way. The screen was a blow up screen. Almost like a jumping castle but with a screen so that the film could be projected onto it. It was very cool and exciting for the kids to watch it rise especially as it was accompanied by some music. All in all a great fun night out with the family on a warm summers night :)