from the south coast: the 1950s cottage

While away we stayed in a gorgeous newly-renovated 1950s cottage in Kiama - complete with a beautiful frangipani tree and an abundant vegie garden (broccoli, limes, kumquats and parsley). I like to play "if this was my house I would..." and so I revelled in the galley kitchen, open-plan living and corner sash windows that received the most glorious morning light. We barbecued our breakfast and spent lazy mornings watching the Olympics before we headed out.
 
Daniel and I joked about the fact that our family holidays could also be referred to as..."a tour of the region's playgrounds." Most days we would head to a new park to trial the swings and watch a very fearless Poet throw herself down the slide (that girl, she is going to do amazing things to my nerves). Our favourites included the new and rather amazing playground at Coronation Park (ocean-side) on Manning Street in Kiama and the web-like Spiderman-worthy park in Gerringong. 

We've been fortunate to go on a couple of holidays this year for work/play and there's few things that make travelling with children that bit easier. Whenever we book accommodation I make sure there's a washing machine (less clothes to pack, a smaller washing pile on return home) and a bath (for instant calm and to induce sleep). I always pack lunch boxes full of food for the trip including sandwiches, rice crackers and fruit (the remnants of seaweed crackers are littered over the back seat of my car - hmmmm) but I'm still keen to discover other travelling snacks - any suggestions?

For Che I pack a bag of books, paper, crayons and some balloons (instant entertainment that, hopefully, lasts for days) and Poet is usually happy with the tupperware containers and just-gathered rocks and shells from the beach. Tell me, what are your must-have items for family holidays? 

Poet wears black linen overalls c/o eco bohemia

from the south coast: a winter getaway

We like holidaying in the low-season when the beaches are empty and it's just the locals in town. The wintry, blustery goodness of a seaside escape was just what we needed; no deadlines, books instead of computers, all the time in the world to let the wind tussle our hair.  

When we felt like wandering away from the shore we drove to Berry where the main street offered so much delight. I'm pleased to say that this sweet country town lived up to its reputation (and to all those features in Country Style). 

Beautiful nature is everywhere on the South Coast so here's my guide to the eateries and shops that will satisfy your tastebuds and empty your wallet:

• berry sourdough cafe is a renowned artisan bakery located in a rustic century-old building. The food is sublime - great coffee, rich pastries and just-baked sourdough (white, wholemeal, rye...) but the service....hmmmm. If I were you I'd go to their just-opened...
• milkwood bakery on the main street. There you can get beef bourguignon pies topped with croissant-worthy pastry, pear and ginger tartlets, exquisite brownies and the full range of woodfired sourdough breads without having to wait hours to eat it.
• fancy seafood of the same high quality? Head to Gerroa where the blue swimmer offers a European-inspired bistro setting (dine-in and takeaway). Try the beer-battered fish, amazing burgers and homemade aioli (Daniel may have said something akin to: "Jodi, you have eaten a lot of aioli today." - it was good aioli)
• I had read so much about Roots and Wings so I was a little excited to finally visit this stunning boutique. It was full of rustic, minimalist homewares and contemporary organic-inspired clothes in a spring/summery colour palette. I declined the offer to try on the $580 maxi skirt (it was amazing) and purchased a bassike striped top (you can never own enough stripes) and a basil, lime and madarin candle-in-a-glass-jar instead.
• Perhaps my favourite part about Berry was Lisa Madigan's The Store....more on this white-washed gem next week (but a visit there did result in my latest scarf - see above).

Have you spent time on the South Coast? If so, what's your favourite thing about it?

from the south coast: are we there yet?

We've just returned from a week on the south coast; the beautiful land where green rugged hills meet the ocean. Quite strange to stand on a windswept beach and have cows grazing behind you. 

In the days before we left home I wrote list after list. As I went about washing, gathering, packing and checking I couldn't help thinking about the work of the muma before a holiday. I began to reminisce about the times, as a child, where my brother and I would sit in the packed-to-the-roof Datsun and wonder what on earth our parents were doing. "Can't we just go..." we'd moan. 

If I could, I would tell my ten-year-old self that mum was:

• doing a final check of every room to make sure the necessities were packed
• adding an extra this and that for every family member - just in case
• doing a quick tidy-up of the house (there's nothing worse than coming home to mess)
• washing the last of the breakfast dishes
• watering the plants
• making sure there were enough snacks for the trip
• filling up water bottles
• checking the supplies in the first-aid kit
• grabbing the ice-cream container and a few towels (we were carsick kids)
• packing the half-full bottle of milk, the butter and the fruit that was about to turn (no waste in our household)
• reminding our neighbours to collect the mail and put our bins out

...and dad? He was closing all the windows, setting the timer on the lights, loading the esky, unplugging the appliances and checking that the chooks had enough food and water.

Now I know exactly how mum was feeling when she would lock the door and get in the car, completely exhausted and absolutely ready for a holiday. After she asked us if we needed to go to the toilet she'd declare it time to go and with the windows rolled down we'd settle in for the drive north.

And I would try my hardest not to ask the dreaded question...

"Are we there yet?"

We found four ViewMasters and a collection of slides in an op-shop for $2. The perfect holiday entertainment that sparked oh so many childhood memories.

from the apple isle

from the city (melbourne)

from the city (sydney)

from the river house