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Middle Eastern Restaurant Ehden Bar and Kitchen Debuts in West End

Photo Credit: Ehden Bar & Kitchen West End/Facebook

Craving for some Middle Eastern foods such as hummus or baba ganoush? Head over to Ehden Bar and Kitchen in West End, a new restaurant serving modern Australian cuisine, alongside flavours of the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

Settle in and start off with some roasted cauliflower hummus served with fried chickpeas and cumin or get the refreshing beetroot hummus. Other options include tons of mezze (small plates of savoury snacks) like the pacific oysters, house-made Lebanese sausages, crumbed feta stuffed olives and aioli, and BBQ octopus.

Photo Credit: Ehden Bar & Kitchen West End/Facebook

For mains, the whole grilled chicken is an ideal sharing dish, served with heirloom tomato, cucumber fattoush salad, rustic fries, coleslaw and grilled pita. They also serve freshly shucked oysters best paired with a cocktail or wine from their drinks menu.

Restaurateur Simon Barakat is behind the newest addition to the West End eatery. He also co-owns two of Brisbane’s most celebrated restaurants, The Defiant Duck in Newstead and Il Verde in Fortitude Valley.

Mr Barakat got the name of the restaurant from Ehden, a mountainous town in the northern mountains of Lebanon. It’s surrounded by a stunning forest and refreshed by a breathtaking water stream which bursts off it’s eastern mountain.

“For over 400 years, every summer the people of nearby coastal village of Zgharta leave their homes and migrate to Ehden to enjoy the cooler days, time with loved ones and the beauty of the area. This place is where our story begins,” Ehden Bar & Kitchen posted on their website.

True to its name, Ehden’s function venues are ideal for get-together. The ‘Garden of Ehden’ is an exclusive garden oasis that can seat 60. Those who want to keep it private may opt for The Cellar, an underground bar and dining space. Like The Cellar, the main bar is ideal for hosting a private dining event or stand-up cocktail party.

Ehden Bar and Kitchen is now taking bookings for lunch and dinner. They are located at 400 Montague Rd, West End and opens seven days from 11:30 am until late. They will be closed from 23 December 2019 and will reopen on 3 January 2020 with the normal trade hours. Visit their Facebook page for more information.

Make Your Own Gin at This West End Master Distillers Experience

Brisbane Distillery at Jane Street in West End brings the “school spirit” to a different level with its very own gin school where you can learn how to make your own distilled botanical-flavoured drink.

Brisbane Distillery’s Master Distillers Experience is a two-hour class for up to 24 people held above the main distilling room on the top loft. Before the class starts, you’ll go through a tasting session to pick your favourite flavour, which you’ll be making during the class.

*Photo Credit: Brisbane Distillery/Facebook*

With over 100 botanical ingredients to choose from, you could easily concoct a personalised drink to take home or give as a gift. Some of these ingredients include the basic juniper berries, heaps of herbs, fruits and flowers, or a unique choice of about a dozen Australian bush food.

Once you’ve picked out the flavours you want, the guiding team will help you distill the drink using one of Brisbane Distillery’s copper stills. Whilst you’re learning the step-by-step process, you’ll also have a chance to sip different gins from the distillery. That’s right — you’re actually encouraged to drink alcohol during the class!

To make the experience more fun, invite your friends along so you can be in the same class together. Sign up for the gin school online. Classes are held at 2:30 p.m. or 6:00 p.m.

Brisbane Distillery is currently the only gin distillery in West End. Here, expert distillers can mix a 100ml bottle of personalised drinks but you can also choose from the variety of blends they have at the bar.

This site is open Monday to Sunday from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m. but the hours are extended until 11:00 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday.

This West End Walking Tour Will Help You Get into Sustainable Fashion

Sustainable fashion is a growing movement that, among other things, fosters positive changes in the way people buy clothes, shoes and accessories to benefit the environment. If you’re interested in learning about this lifestyle or if you want to find out where to get ethical and locally-made products in West End, then you must join the sustainable fashion walking tour on Saturday, the 7th of Dec 2019.

Britt’s List founder and editor Brittanie Dreghorn will lead the walking tour from 9:30 a..m. to 12:00 p.m. To begin at the clothing shop Nook in Browning Street, Britt will then take her guests to the rest of the stores in the area that cultivate sustainable fashion.

As a tour attendee, you can take advantage of the exclusive store discounts that come with your ticket purchase to this event. You may also personally speak to the store owners and designers about the ways they create and sell products whilst reducing their carbon footprint.

Britt will also impart her knowledge on ethical fashion and renewable energy in manufacturing, as well as highlight Australian brands that are part of this movement. A thought leader in the industry, Britt launched Britt List in 2017 to raise awareness and profile brands that are trying to reduce the damages they create in the Earth.

Each participant in this sustainable fashion walking tour will receive tote bags filled with gifts from the sponsors and stores. Slots are limited to 15 participants. Book your ticket online.

Locals Urged to Have Their Say on Proposed Green Bridges Connecting Toowong and St Lucia to West End

Two of the five green bridges being proposed by the Council will connect St Lucia and Toowong to West End. Members of the community are invited to have their say about these projects before Friday 6 December 2019.

The West End-St Lucia green bridge will connect pedestrians and cyclists from the University of Queensland at St Lucia to West End, Highgate Hill and the Brisbane Central Business District (CBD) and vice versa.

The proposed alignment is from the corner of Keith Street and Macquarie Street in St Lucia, extending across the Brisbane River to the southern end of Boundary Street in West End.

*St Lucia-West End bridge proposed alignment*
*Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-and-transport/roads-infrastructure-and-bikeways/*

Another project, the West End-Toowong green bridge, will serve as the link between West End and Toowong business area, rail and ferry services, existing walking and cycling network, as well as the proposed St Lucia to West End green bridge.

The proposed alignment will extend from near Archer Street in Toowong, across the Brisbane River to Orleigh Park, and near Forbes Street in West End.

*Toowong-West End bridge proposed alignment*
*Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-and-transport/roads-infrastructure-and-bikeways/*

Locals are invited to have their say by answering the online survey here. Alternatively, they may visit any of the following community information sessions:

Date	Time	Location
Thursday 14 November 2019	11 a.m. – 2 p.m.	Reddacliff Place, 266 George Street, Brisbane City
Saturday 16 November 2019	7 a.m. – 12 p.m.	Davies Park Markets, West End
Monday 18 November 2019	4 p.m. – 7 p.m.	South Brisbane Sailing Club, West End
Tuesday 19 November 2019	4 p.m. – 7 p.m.	Ground level foyer, Queensland Multicultural Centre, 102 Main Street, Kangaroo Point
Friday 22 November 2019	10 a.m. – 1 p.m.	St Lucia Community Hall, 27 Guilfoyle Street, St Lucia
Saturday 23 November 2019	10 a.m. – 2 p.m.	Captain Burke Park, 117 Holman Street, Kangaroo Point
Monday 25 November 2019	3 a.m. – 6 p.m.	Toowong Library, Toowong Village Shopping Centre, 9 Sherwood Road, Toowong
Tuesday 26 November 2019	10 a.m. – 1 p.m.	Queen Street Mall main stage, Brisbane City
Thursday 28 November 2019	10 a.m. – 2 p.m.	Bellbowrie Mobile Library, Bellbowrie Shopping Plaza, 37 Birkin Road, Bellbowrie
Saturday 30 November 2019	2 p.m. – 8 p.m.	Bretts Wharf, Hamilton
Sunday 1 December 2019	8 a.m. – 3 p.m.	Riverside Markets, City Botanic Gardens, Alice and Albert streets, Brisbane City
Tuesday 3 December 2019	3 p.m. – 6 p.m.	City Botanic Gardens (near Alice Street and Edward Street roundabout), Brisbane City

Learn more about the project and feel free to provide feedback by:

emailing the project team
writing to:
Green Bridges for Brisbane
City Projects Office
Brisbane City Council
GPO Box 1434
Brisbane Qld 4001

In all, the Council is looking to deliver five green bridges across Brisbane:

Kangaroo Point Bridge -from Alice/Edward Street roundabout (near the City Botanic Gardens) to Scott Street, Kangaroo Point
Bellbowrie Bridge – from the river end of Weekes Road in Bellbowrie to Grindle Road in Wacol
Breakfast Creek Bridge – from Kingsford Smith Drive at Albion to Breakfast Creek Road at Newstead.
St Lucia-West End Bridge and Toowong-West Bridge

It’s “All Systems Go” for West End State School Expansion

The sod has been turned, signalling the start of Stage 1 of the West End State School expansion project.

Education Minister Grace Grace and Member for South Brisbane Jackie Trad have also officially named Hutchinson Builders as the official contractor for the $25.7-million, during the sod-turning ceremony.

Expected to be completed in mid-2020 and cater to over 1,700 students, the expansion project will see West End State School “transformed into a larger campus that can cater for the growing number of enrolments,” Ms Trad said

“West End State School is a popular school in my electorate with 1,100 students currently enrolled at the school, only set to increase.

“We’ve listened to what parents and carers have said and incorporated their feedback into the project,” she said.

“All new classrooms will be connected by a green-space campus heart, giving students a dedicated space for outdoor learning and play.

“That was one of the most important issues that parents raised, and I’m pleased to see that we’re delivering on that.”

West End State School expansion — *Photo credit: The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2019 / qed.qld.gov.au*

“I’m extremely excited to see our school campus transform and capture the essence of our education direction for the students at West End State School,” Principal Kim McNamara said.

“We’ve been on the journey since the concept design development, and across the board the collaboration has been remarkable, to ensure our students are equipped with modern and specialised facilities.

“Growth brings excitement, new people and new challenges, and with abundance of outdoor and flexible spaces planned, the students will be empowered to achieve their personal best.”

About West End State School expansion

The West End State School (WESS) expansion project is aimed at accommodating the enrolment growth at the school, which currently has more than 1,000 students. Designed by Cox Architecture, the project will deliver new teaching and learning spaces, along with outdoor play environments for the students.

Stage 1 will deliver a new three-storey learning centre on the corner of Horan and Ambleside streets which will include 16 learning spaces, outdoor landscaped areas, and a new pick/drop-off zone.

Stage 2 of the construction is expected to be completed in 2022 which is broken down into Stages 2a and 2b. Stage 2a will include the construction of a multi-level facility which will contain the administration, library, and 15 classrooms, to be located on Ambleside Street.

Stage 2b will include a creative learning centre with an undercover car park, to be located on the corner of Horan and Vulture streets.

Applications for Brisbane’s Creative and History Grants for 2019-2020 Now Open

Did you know that you can apply for a grant with the Brisbane City Council to fund your projects as an artist, creative or art worker? Whether as an individual or as a group, you can secure funding between $10,000 to $30,000 through the Creative and History Grants if you have a brilliant idea that would also benefit West End or the rest of Brisbane.

In fact, applications are now being accepted at the Council for three types of grants below:

GRANT		DEADLINE of APPLICATION
Creative Sparks Grants Program Funding: $10,000	For creatives whose initiatives will help enrich Brisbane’s cultural, social and economic status.	Monday 9th of Dec 2019
Lord Mayor’s Young and Emerging Artists Fellowships Funding: $20,000	For budding creatives who want a career in the arts. Age limit: 17 to 30 years old	Monday 9th of Dec 2019
Innovation Grants Program Funding: $30,000	For innovators with unique ideas, products or projects.	Monday 16th of Dec 2019

If you’re interested in giving this grant application a shot, the Council is also willing to help you prepare a good pitch by hosting a Creative Grant Information Sessions for the first two weeks of November 2019. Attending one of these sessions will provide you with more information to ensure that your application will be picked, such as:

the different creative grant programs available
grant guidelines and application forms
advice on project eligibility and
tips on making an application

Take note of the time, date and location of the Creative Grant Information Sessions below:

Date/Time	Location
Monday, 4 Nov 2019 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.	Brisbane Square Library 266 George Street, Brisbane City BOOK YOUR TICKET
Wednesday, 6 Nov 2019 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.	Nundah Library 1 Bage Street via Primrose Lane, Nundah BOOK YOUR TICKET
Thursday, 7 Nov 2019 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.	Seven Hills Hub 28 Tallowwood St, Seven Hills * near Ron Hurley Theatre BOOK YOUR TICKET
Monday, 11 Nov 2019 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.	Indooroopilly Library Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, Level 4, 322 Moggill Road, Indooroopilly * inside Indooroopilly Shopping Centre BOOK YOUR TICKET
Monday, 11 Nov 2019 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.	Garden City Library Level R4 – Yellow Car Park Garden City Shopping Centre Corner Logan Road &, Kessels Rd, Upper Mount Gravatt BOOK YOUR TICKET
Thursday, 14 Nov 2019 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.	Visible Ink 5 Green Square Cl, Fortitude Valley BOOK YOUR TICKET

The Brisbane City Council provides grants annually to support and encourage talented local artists, innovators, historians, as well as organizations in their field of expertise. More than a source of funds, the help from the Council brings more opportunities for grant recipients to secure future stable projects or network with the leaders in their industry.

Grant holders, on the other hand, can contribute to the social-economic and cultural progress of Brisbane. This arrangement is a win-win situation for everyone.

Fredericks Wine Bar Pops Up In West Village Until December

If you’re thirsting for good vino, but you’re tired of going to the usual spots, then head down to Fredericks on Boundary Street. This pop-up bar, which opened in West Village in September, will serve you up a good time but it won’t be around for a long time as the bar will fold by December.

It’s hard to miss Fredericks in this stylish West End precinct with its glowing neon lights and eye-popping decorations. Named after Fredericks Peters, the inventor of Australia’s famous Peters Ice Cream, this open-spaced bar is at a great spot overlooking the old but historic factory.

A concept collaboration between restaurateurs Paul McGivern, Bailee Dewes, and Daniel and Amelia Miletic, as well as designers Jon Dowding and Chrissy Feld, Fredericks has 90 seats and an extensive wine menu from Australian and New Zealand producers and a substantial craft beer list. The spritzes incorporate some of the flavours of the beloved ice cream products, while the cocktails include creative concoctions like Lemon Drop or Planters Punch.

These drinks pair up well with a range of sophisticated bar food like manchego croquettes, mixed olives, gruyere and greens toasties, cheese platters and salumi plates. Diners, however, may also order from The Garden Pantry next door for a fuller meal.

The bar is like a test-run for what visitors can expect from the West Village. A permanent watering hole for drinking, lounging and relaxing with friends will be setting shop in the future but as the collaborators said, it’s still unclear if they will be behind the bar.

Fredericks is open every Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. It’s open for hosting events and private drinks as well.

Have Your Say on the Dornoch Terrace Safety Improvements Project Concept Design

The concept design for the Dornoch Terrace safety improvements project — between Gladstone Road in Highgate Hill and Hardgrave Road in West End — has been released for public commenting.

Dornoch Terrace is a section of the “Brisbane River Loop” which runs from the Brisbane City to St Lucia University Campus, Indooroopilly, Chelmer, Yeerongpilly, Dutton Park, Highgate Hill, West End, and then back to the City.

This section has been considered as a cycling black spot due to the number of recorded cycling crashes over the past five years.

The safety improvements project thus will involve providing safe and continuous cycle facilities; reducing the speed of cyclists and vehicles; addressing safety concerns caused by vehicles turning; providing a signalised intersection at Hampstead Road and Dornoch Terrace; and improving pedestrian crossing points.

Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / yoursay.brisbane.qld.gov.au/dornochSIP

According to the concept design, Dornoch Terrace safety improvements project will deliver the following key improvements:

Continuous bike lanes on both sides of the road – Bike lanes on both sides of Dornoch Terrace will be upgraded, which will involve the construction of a 1.2km dedicated safe space for cyclists between Gladstone Road and Doris Street.
Reduced-speed shared space – a shared space for cyclists and motorists at the intersection of Dornoch Terrace, Ganges Street, and Hardgrave Road.

The shared space will have a reduced speed limit of 30 km/hr and will feature an extended raised speed platform and two new zebra crossings: across Ganges Street near Dornoch Terrace and across Hardgrave Road near Ganges Street.

Signalised intersection at Hampstead Road and Dornoch Terrace – This will involve the installation of traffic signals and pedestrian crossings at the intersection.
Slip lane at Gladstone Road – improvement of Gladstone Road slip lane onto Dornoch Terrace is also proposed which will include improvements to the cycling connection and construction of a new bike lane.
New pedestrian crossing points – Three new pedestrian crossing points are also proposed to be constructed: near Dauphin Terrace, near Sankey Street, and west of Colville Street.
Access to Dornoch Terrace service road – This will be an entry-only access from Dornoch Terrace onto the service road which connects to Boundary Street.
Intersection changes -Changes to the form of the road at the intersections of Dornoch Terrace and Katrine Street; Dornoch Terrace and Colville Street; Dornoch Terrace and Colton Street; Dornoch Terrace and Carlton Street
Traffic calming – Changing the form of the road such as kerb build-outs and slow points to reduce operating speeds.

The public is invited to have their say on the concept design for the Dornoch Terrace safety improvements project by completing the Council’s online the survey by Friday 25 October 2019.

Mindful Triathlon Wanderlust 108 to Take Place at Orleigh Park in West End

What is a mindful triathlon? A triathlon consists of three challenging endurance races that test the strength, stamina and speed of the participants. A mindful triathlon, on the other hand, combines running or walking with yoga and meditation for a transformational experience. These will all take place at Wanderlust 108 in West End on Saturday, the 19th of Oct 2019.

Wanderlust 108 is the world’s only mindful triathlon. The movement began in Los Angeles in 2014 and has since expanded to different cities across the world.

Kicking off at 7:30 a.m. at Orleigh Park, participants of Wanderlust 108 will first gather, warm-up and energise with coffee near the 5km starting line. The official race will start at 9:00 a.m., where you can run, walk, trot or skip to the finish line.

By 11:00 a.m., set up your yoga mat at the park grounds for a 75-minute yoga flow session, which will be followed by a 25-minute soul-soothing and muscle-relaxing meditation led by renowned yoga teachers and spiritual leaders.

There’s more to do at Wanderlust 108 when the mindful triathlon is done, though, as this event is also a shoppers market and workshop session. After the mindful triathlon to promote a healthy body and mind, a little retail therapy might also make you feel good. You can browse or shop at the Kula Marketplace for handcrafted pieces, clothing, accessories, food and drinks.

You may also listen in and join the workshops on gut health, hormonal advice, personal power, or Tibetan sound bath healing from experts like Lara Zilbowitz, Donovan McGrath, Kemi Nekvapil, Jordanna Levin, Helen Jacobs, Chantelle Rawlings and Lee Holmes.

The market will open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Ping Pong Will Take Over West Village This September Weekend

Got a zest for sports? If you’re into Ping Pong, then you might want to be at West Village on Saturday and Sunday, the 21st and 22nd of Sept 2019, for a Ping Pong takeover!

Five tables for Ping Pong, also known as table tennis, will be open for both adults and kids to try their hand at this 100-year-old British sport. Open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., you can find the Ping Pong tables at West Village’s The Common.

For $100, you can book a two-hour game to challenge your mates at the Ping Pong table. The session is good for six players and this comes with food vouchers if you’ve worked out an appetite after playing. You may use these vouchers at the Cheeky Poke, Mr Bunz and Salt Meats Cheese from The Garden Pantry.

Ping Pong at West Village will also feature free workshops and demonstrations taking place on Saturday with the schedule below:

9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.	Kids Workshop
11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.	Free family fun
11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.	Professional Ping Pong demonstration
12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.	Free family fun
2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.	Booked Ping Pong sessions

Sunday’s activities, on the other hand, is a free-for-all but expect to wait your turn during peak hours.