Chronicling The Grounds of Alexandria

We are constantly saying to one another that we need to go to to the Grounds of Alexandria, and we are happy to say that it has definitely lived up to the hype and reputation it has garnered in the two years since its opening. It was a truly unique dining experience and one that goes far beyond just food. Even arriving mid- morning on a weekday, the establishment was bursting with life and filled with everyone from mums who had dropped their kids off at school to the cool, hipster- types taking advantage of the very instagramable surroundings. One of these being the market stalls that host a range of baked goods such as breads, cakes and tarts (which looked almost too good to eat), and also fresh lemonade, fruit and flowers, such as the mesmerising rainbow coloured roses pictured above.

As we waited for a table, we took the time to explore The Ground's rustic and industrial charm, including the outdoor eating area, which has a separate BBQ shack, the gardens where fresh produce is picked daily and used in the restaurant's dishes, the tractor truck, and one of our personal favourites: the animals, including the pig named Kevin Bacon.

We then had coffee and lunch in the cafe, which proved to be flavoursome, fresh and very filling. We would definitely recommend taking a visit to the Grounds and allowing time to explore all the iconic destination has to offer.

The Grounds of Alexandria

Building 7A, No.2 Huntley St 

Alexandria NSW 2015

http://groundsroasters.com

♪♫ Geronimo- Sheppard ♪♫

Chronicling the Art Hunter

In an effort to avoid uni work for one day, we both headed to the opposite side of Sydney,  to check out the eclectic modern works at the Art Hunter exhibition in Alexandria. As dedicated fans of The Cool Hunter and The Writing, we knew that we had to see the innovative installations first-hand. The exhibition showcased an array of undeniable talent including artists; CJ Henry, Oliver Tanner, Hollie Martin, Joe Crossley and Luke Shadbolt (just to name a few). Each work was distinguishable from one another with different mediums and structures characterising each memorable piece. 

Though, we will admit that we got a little giddy when we got to the curtains that shielded Tania Debono's (Creator of the Writing) anticipated installation. We are both huge fans of her work and our own personal Instagram accounts (as well as the blog's) are covered with her scarily accurate quotes from @thewriting. Not only did Tania's art installation verbalise and normalise relatable thoughts, but each quote brought on a memory and subsequent laughter. This particular installation got the better of us and for those relatable quotes that we thought encapsulated parts of our personality, we HAD to take a photo with them. Though, with the words being on the floor, we resulted to lying in the middle of the space, in fits of laughter trying to take images as onlookers gazed confusingly. 

After we left the incredible work Tania did, we went to the adjacent installation to look at Hendrick Gericke's quirky black-lit confession room. Every individual that went into that installation could contribute to the art by writing a confession and taping it to the wall. The space was not only hilarious and entertaining but addictive, and once you started to read other's confessions, you could not stop until you had read them all. We did not exclude ourselves from the hundreds of others involved in this work, and followed suit, adding individual confessions to the walls. If you attend the exhibition (which you will), try figure out which ones were ours, we left a little clue! To finish off the inspiring trip to see some of the most unimaginable works we ever had, we left our blog's little mark in the confessions installation. 

So, if you are reading this post with the query of whether or not you should spend your valuable time in the presence of some of the most unbelievable works in Sydney, then our answer is HELL YES and HURRY UP. Not only is this exhibition a must-see, but it will only be around for a short amount of time, so chop-chop, it won't wait for you. 

We have listed all the important info you need below:

The Art Hunter 

Open for three weeks only at:

90-96 Bourke Road
Alexandria 
(directly opposite the Grounds)

Opening Hours
Mondays - CLOSED
Tue-Fri - Midday until 8pm
Sat & Sun - 10am - 4pm

♪♫ Emmylou (Live)- Vance Joy ♪♫