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Black Caviar's moment to shine in Adelaide

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 08:26:23 +0900

BLACK Caviar paraded like a Hollywood movie star at her final curtain call before today's date with history - the chance to claim a world record 20 wins from 20 starts.

Her moment arrives at 3.53pm today when 30,000 racegoers will witness a famous sporting moment.

One of the world's most talked about Australians posed for the cameras at Morphettville yesterday afternoon, and stretched her legs during a quick swim.

Black Caviar's trainer, Peter Moody, has seen it all before but still marvels at his great mare's poise. "A couple of years ago she wouldn't have coped with (the attention) but she's learnt about her own importance now," he said.

"She'll stand there and pose and then you've got about a five-minute window to take a shot of her before she decides it's time for a sleep, a feed and to be left alone."

The equine superstar had her first look at Morphettville racecourse in the small hours yesterday morning, just half an hour after stepping off the truck that brought her from Melbourne overnight on Thursday.

She was led around in a quiet trot and walk by a pony for 20 minutes.

Moody flew into Adelaide at 2pm yesterday and checked over his stable star, quickly giving the all clear on her attempt to record her 20th consecutive victory.

But he did confess he fears her losing a race.

"I would fear it most for the people around her and for the greater public," he said.

"It's amazing how she has captured the hearts of the people. If she is defeated she will lose that aura of invincibility.

"I lose 25 or 30 races a week because I have so many runners so I'm pretty numb to it I guess."

The crowd will be at fever pitch, but Black Caviar will be "chilled out" in the lead-up to her historic record attempt at Morphettville.

Sky Racing has brought its helicopter and camera equipment, including a wireless mounting yard camera and head-on super slow-motion, to South Australia for the first time to showcase the unbeaten super-sprinter.

South Australian Jockey Club chief executive Brenton Wilkinson yesterday described Black Caviar as "always chilled out" when she was not racing.

"She is the most relaxed, beautiful animal I've ever seen," he said.

"She doesn't expend any energy unnecessarily."

Mr Wilkinson said a viewing area would be set up near the rear parade ring so that racegoers could see and take photographs of Black Caviar prior to her big race.

"Like an airport line-up, people will be able to see her," he said. "She just walks around all day because she prefers to be moving than tied up ... she just wants to go for a walk."

Mr Wilkinson, who has seen Black Caviar at interstate meetings, said she appeared to grow in stature right before a race. "Once the saddle goes on she knows it's time to do some work," he said.

"(Jockey) Luke Nolen will take her in front of the crowd before the race and he will go back past them so that all the crowd can see her," he said.

Mr Wilkinson said racegoers wanting the best view of Black Caviar in action should position themselves on the derby lawns or the lawns in front of the grand stand area.

"There will be limited seats in the grandstand and 12 superscreens on course."

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts a partly cloudy day with isolated showers until the afternoon and a maximum of 21C which will be perfect weather for racegoers keen to parade autumn/winter fashions. Milliners have also been busy, creating hats featuring Black Caviar's colours.

An all-day shuttle service will also run from Currie St to Morphettville and from the Oaklands Park train station to the track, with extra tram services and buses also on duty at the park-and-ride service at the Entertainment Centre.

WHAT MAKES HER A CHAMPION:

WEIGHT - She weighs in on raceday at 580kg, which is massive for a horse. As a sprinter, the muscle bulk has to be greater and tends to lead to a heavier weight.

HIND QUARTERS - Black Caviar's are mighty impressive and the major reason for her explosive speed. During a race she can exceed 75km/h.

JOCKEY - Luke Nolen is no nonsense and no "show-pony". He plays his role and has been the ultimate professional.

TRAINER - Peter Moody, left, is close to being regarded as an all-time training great. Genius has many guises but when it comes to preparing a horse to compete at its best, the Queenslander has few peers.

STAMINA - Her trainer is confident Black Caviar could run out 2000m and win - but he's not been tempted to try. The work required to prepare a middle-distance champion is double that for a sprinter and with her well-documented dodgy front legs, Black Caviar would be unlikely to cope with the work.

WILL TO WIN - Trainer Bart Cummings says horses are naturally competitive beasts - and he should know. Only Hay List among her many rivals has made Black Caviar work for victory. We should be grateful to him. In those moments when the world's two best sprinters have levelled up with 200m to go it becomes all about desire.

COURAGE - At just her fourth start Black Caviar ripped open a chest muscle as she left the barrier gate. The injury she sustained required five months away from the track - but she still won the race.

BREEDING - Her dam, Helsinge, never raced but she was very well bred. The grandam is Scandinavia who was a star sprinter just before the turn of the century. Her great grand-dam was Song of Norway who was by Vain, regarded as the greatest ever Australian sprinter - until Black Caviar came along.

Christmas and New Year in Glenelg

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:28:02 +0900

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

That’s right. The warmer weather is here, the Christmas trees are up and the carols are playing in every store. Yes, the holiday season is upon us!

It’s been a busy time in Glenelg over the last few weeks. Santa was in town for the annual Glenelg Christmas Pageant, the Glenelg Beach Handball season has started, and we were inundated with visitors for the 2011 Asia Pacific Games bowls tournament at the Holdfast Bay Bowling Club.

Today marks the start of the beach volleyball season, with the SA Open Beach Volleyball series happening today at Glenelg Beach. Come down and enjoy the sunshine, volleyball and tunes from local Adelaide DJ’s thanks to Soundpond.net.

Tomorrow night the Glenelg Brass Band will be playing Christmas carols in Moseley Square for your enjoyment, so bring a chair and enjoy an evening of music.

If you still haven’t put up your Christmas tree yet, come down to the Glenelg Football Club this weekend and buy a live Christmas tree. This is a fundraising event for the Make a Wish Foundation and all proceeds from the event will assist to grant the wishes of Children with life threatening medical conditions.

Still to come this month is the 125^th Bay Sheffield on the 27^th December, the 175^th Proclamation Day Commemoration on the 28^th December and of course the big one, the city of Holdfast Bay’s Glenelg New Years Eve celebrations.

Holdfast Bay's New Years Eve event is more than just fireworks bringing in the New Year, its an opportunity for friends and families to celebrate the beginning of a new year in the unique Aussie way - at the beach! Once again this year visitors to Holdfast Bay will enjoy an additional family-friendly fireworks display at Glenelg, at the earlier time of 9.30pm, this is in addition to the midnight show at Glenelg. The City of Holdfast aims to deliver an evening full of entertainment and fun on the Glenelg Foreshore stage including Peter Combe and the Bellyflop in a Pizza Band, Acoustic Juice, and plenty of roving entertainment. This years celebrations also includes a vibrant MC to take visitors through the journey to New Years Day. Plus of course you will be able to indulge in great local food and delicacies!

History of Glenelg and the Atlantic Tower

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:20:19 +0900

A lot of people often ask me about the history of the Atlantic Tower and Glenelg, so I thought I would share some of that history with you.

The Atlantic Tower

Construction on the Atlantic Tower began in the late 1960's. The building was one of a proposed series of cylindrical towers running from Anzac Highway through to Jetty Road. The Atlantic Tower was actually the smallest of the four proposed cylindrical towers. The other towers were proposed at 16 levels, 18 levels and 24 levels. It was envisaged that each building in the complex would have a helipad on its roof, with the complex having a private fleet of helicopters to fly its occupants to work in the morning and back in the evening.

Mid way through construction, the developer went broke, leaving the Atlantic Tower as an empty shell for 8 years until it was bought by a local developer. The fourteen story tower was finally completed in 1980 and was Adelaide's tallest residential building at the time.

The motel began trading in 1980 and was originally known as the 'Adelaide Atlantic Motel'. In 1992 the motel had a change in management and the name was changed to 'Atlantic Tower Motor Inn'.

In 2008 the Atlantic Tower Motor Inn began a massive refurbishment which has so far seen the complex increase it’s capacity to 36 rooms, of which, 20 rooms on the 9^th to 11^th floor have been fully refurbished including 4 new Premium Spa Rooms. The remaining 16 rooms are scheduled to be refurbished over the next 12 months.

Other high-rise development

Many other high-rise buildings exist in Glenelg, including the fifteen-story Stamford Grand hotel on Moseley Square, built in 1990.

The recent Holdfast Shores development, starting in the late 1990s, included the construction of the Marina Pier apartment building with its own private marina in Glenelg North and the Pier Hotel. The development was met with strong opposition, from both local residents and the City of Holdfast Bay, fearing over-development would ruin the area. Parts of the plan were scaled back, with the apartment building scaled down from fifteen stories to nine, and the cinema complex cancelled.

With the success of the Marina Pier, developers were quick to draw up plans for two other high rise buildings on the foreshore; another apartment complex and a hotel. Again these developments were met with strong opposition and the apartment building idea was abandoned. The original hotel proposed was to be called 'The Promenade', and it was planned to have been a 6-level $50 million, 5 star hotel. It was to have 180 rooms, a 2-level ballroom, function room, gaming room, swimming pool, gymnasium and a 213 space carpark. The plans were delayed however, resulting in the original plans being scrapped and the current Pier Hotel emerging. The current Pier Hotel is one level taller and contains 216 apartments (as opposed to hotel rooms). The name 'Pier Hotel' is in homage to the original Pier Hotel, which was demolished in 1988 to make way for the Stamford.

Four other high rise buildings were also originally planned for Colley Terrace at the time, including a 12 story, 300+ room hotel, a 12 story luxury apartment complex and two other 5 and 6 story apartment complexes. The 5 story apartment building went ahead but the local council blocked the plans for the other buildings. The developers were forced to come up with a universal solution, as opposed to 2-3 individual buildings and that solution was the Liberty Towers apartment complex, which was completed in 2004.

Glenelg history

Glenelg is a popular beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Located on the shore of Holdfast Bay in Gulf St Vincent, it has become a popular tourist destination due to its beach and many attractions, home to several hotels and dozens of restaurants.

Established in 1836, it is the oldest European settlement on mainland South Australia (the oldest being Kingscote on Kangaroo Island), with the proclamation of the colony of South Australia. It was named after Lord Glenelg, a member of British Cabinet and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.

Through Lord Glenelg, the name derives from Glenelg, Highland (previously Inverness-shire), Scotland. In Scottish Gaelic the name is Gleann Eilg. The name Glenelg is noteworthy for being a palindrome.

Prior to the 1836 European settlement of South Australia, Glenelg and the rest of the Adelaide Plains was home to the Kaurna group of Indigenous Australians. They knew the area as "Pattawilya" and the local river as "Pattawilyangga", now named the Patawalonga River.

Settlement

The first British settlers set sail for South Australia in 1836. Several locations for the settlement were considered, such as Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln and Encounter Bay. The Adelaide plains were chosen by Colonel William Light, and Governor John Hindmarsh proclaimed the province of South Australia at the site of The Old Gum Tree in Glenelg North on 28 December 1836.

The first post office in Glenelg opened on 5 December 1849; the first postmaster was John McDonald of the St Leonard's Inn. A telegraph office was opened in September 1859 and the two offices amalgamated in 1868. The post office building on Moseley Square was built in 1912 and was used until 2010 when the post office moved into the new Bay Junction shopping complex.

Construction of the Glenelg Institute, which is now the Glenelg Town Hall started in 1875. The institute opened in 1877, with lecture rooms, a concert hall and a library. The classical structure was designed by Edmund Wright, whose works include the Adelaide Town Hall and Adelaide General Post Office on King William Street. The hall sits on Moseley Square, just off the beach. The city council acquired the hall in 1887. Today it houses restaurants and the Bay Discovery Centre, a free museum about Glenelg’s history.

Jetty

In August 1857, construction of Glenelg's first jetty commenced; it was opened on 25 April 1859. Costing over £31,000 (pounds sterling) to build, the structure was 381 metres (1,250 ft) long. The jetty was used not only by fishermen but also to accept cargo from ships, including a mail service operated by P&O, until Port Adelaide replaced it as Adelaide's main port.

There were several additions to the jetty. A lighthouse was built in 1872 at the jetty's end, but a year later it caught fire and was cast into the sea to save the rest of the structure. A replacement lighthouse was built in 1874, and was 12.1 metres (40 ft) tall. Other additions include public baths, an aquarium, a police shed and a three-story kiosk with tea rooms. The kiosk structure also housed a family.

The kiosk was wrecked in a storm in 1943, and the entire jetty was destroyed by a freak hurricane in 1948, most of the structure washed away and the rest unsafe. Just two weeks later, local council began drafting plans for a new jetty and construction was completed in 1969. The new structure was just 215 metres (705 ft) long, less than two thirds of the original jetty. The second jetty continues to stand today, at the end of Jetty Road.

Amusement

Glenelg has been a popular spot for recreation and leisure for much of its history. Following the success of Luna Park, Melbourne, a similar amusement park was constructed on Glenelg's foreshore in 1930. Luna Park Glenelg was placed in voluntary liquidation in 1934, and all the rides (excluding a single carousel) were disassembled, purchased by the directors, and transported to Sydney, where they were used to create Luna Park Milsons Point. The park's managers claimed that the reasons for the closure were the inability to make money from the park as it was, and opposition to changes from Council and residents, who were afraid that "undesirables" would be attracted to the area.

Built near the former Luna Park site was Magic Mountain, which first opened in 1982. It featured water slides, mini-golf, bumper boats, dodgem cars and many other amusements and was popular with many Adelaide residents. It was also extensively criticised and called an eyesore; despite this it was heavily popular with young children and teenagers.

As part of the Holdfast Shores development, Magic Mountain was finally demolished in 2004 and replaced with The Beachouse, a modern centre with a more conservative design which still incorporates the historic carousel; it opened in mid 2006. A 25-metre single-arm Ferris wheel is a popular amusement during school holidays and is a prominent feature of the area.

Wallis Cinemas opened South Australia's first multi-screen cinema in 1971 when the single-screen Glenelg Ozone was purchased and transformed into the Glenelg Cinema Centre. The Glenelg cinema centre was a very popular attraction until Greater Union Megaplex Marion (now Event Cinemas) opened in 1997 with 30 screens. From that point onwards the Glenelg Cinema Centre’s patronage continued to decline until it finally had to close it’s doors in February 2009. Local residents fought to keep the building, hoping that a new owner could be found. Protests were held and a Facebook page was created with over 2500 members in a bid to save the complex. In the end developers won the battle and in 2011 the building was demolished to make way for another shopping complex.

Transport

The suburb is bordered by Anzac Highway, the road link to the Adelaide CBD. Jetty Road is the main shopping strip in the suburb, and runs down the middle. The Adelaide Metro operates several bus services from Glenelg to various destinations including the City of Adelaide and Adelaide Airport. The local council operates a free loop bus service in the area.

The only tram line still operating in Adelaide is the Glenelg Tram, which runs from Moseley Square, along Jetty Road though Glenelg, to the Adelaide CBD and Entertainment Centre. The route dates back to 1873 and is occasionally still operated on weekends and holidays by the historic H-Class trams, circa 1929. Weekday service was taken over by modern Bombardier Flexity Classic trams in 2006.

Recreational boating is popular in Glenelg. To the north is the mouth of the Patawalonga River, which has been dammed to create an artificial boat harbour with a lock down to the sea.

Events and attractions

Jetty Road is a long ribbon of shops, entertainment facilities and other commercial activities - it is the main shopping precinct in Glenelg.
There are well over 50 restaurants, cafe's and bars in Glenelg.
Glenelg is home to Temptation Sailing, a unique charter boat which runs a daily 'Swimming with the dolphins' experience.
Glenelg is also the home of the Bay Discovery Centre, a free museum about Glenelg's history.
On the foreshore of Glenelg is The Beachouse, a massive entertainment complex with waterslides, rides and games.
Glenelg is the finishing point of the annual City-Bay fun run held in September. The run is 12 km long.
Glenelg is home to a team in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), the Glenelg Tigers.
Glenelg is home to the Glenelg Seahorses in the South Australian Grade Cricket League.
The annual Bay Sheffield race is held at Glenelg in December.
The annual celebration of the Epiphany for the Orthodox faithful of Adelaide, accompanied by the Greek festival of the Theophany.

A Cheesy Weekend in October

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:25:26 +0900

For all the cheese lovers out there, Australia’s premium cheese festival, CheeseFest 2011 is being held this weekend in Rymill Park, Adelaide.

Enjoy cheese sampling, cheese cooking, cheese making demonstrations and cheese master classes, plus competitions and games.

As well as all things cheese, a selection of South Australian wines, local brewers, restaurants and food producers will be serving up their delicacies for you to enjoy.

CheeseFest is being held on Saturday October 15 from 12:30pm – 7:00pm and Sunday October 16 from 11:00am – 6:00pm. Tickets are available at the gate for only $15. For more information visit the CheeseFest website.

It's Showtime in September

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:41:44 +0900

The Royal Adelaide Show is just around the corner and this year’s show is going to be bigger and better than ever. The show runs from the 2^nd to the 10^th of September at the Wayville Showgrounds.

The Royal Adelaide show has something to entertain everyone. Major attractions include rides, showbags, animals, fast cars, go karts, fireworks, wrestling and much much more.

Getting to the Royal Adelaide Show is easy. Simply Jump on the tram at Jetty Road, Glenelg and get off at the Goodwood Road stop. There’s a tram every 15 minutes!

If you’re coming to Adelaide in September make sure you visit the Royal Adelaide Show.

Royal Adelaide Show links:

My experience as a guest at the Atlantic Tower Motor Inn

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:59:30 +0900

I’ve worked at the Atlantic Tower Motor Inn for nearly six years now and I know just about everything there is to know about how things work around the place. Up until now however, one of the things I’d never done is to actually stay in the Motel as a guest, and experience the business first hand from the guest’s point of view. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for years but just never got around to it.

The idea of staying at the motel for a night came about a few weeks ago. I decided I really wanted to treat my partner to a special night out, to show her how much she means to me. So I organised to stay at work for a night and have dinner upstairs at the Top of the World Revolving Restaurant.

At this point you’re probably thinking, “why would you take your partner to work for a romantic night out?” Well the answer to that question is quite simple: because I know how good the new Premium Spa Rooms are, and I know how good the food at the restaurant is. I personally think that the new rooms are equal to, if not better than what most 5 star hotels offer, and for a much more reasonable price. Also, I don’t know of any other hotel with colour changing mood lighting in the room. This is one feature that really offers that wow factor.

In the afternoon just before our romantic evening, I organised for an amazing bouquet of flowers to be delivered from Glenelg Florist. I placed these in the room along with my partner’s favourite chocolates and a bottle of her favourite wine in an ice bucket. I then turned on the mood lighting and the air conditioner, and placed some battery operated candles around the room (I didn’t want to use real candles as the fine for setting off the fire alarm would have definitely ruined our romantic evening!)

A short time later my partner arrived and we began our evening with a couple of glasses of wine out on the balcony, taking in the amazing views overlooking the marina. We then proceeded upstairs to the revolving restaurant for our meal.

It had been a couple of years since I had eaten in the restaurant and the food was even better than I remember it. We started off with a simple platter of house made dips for the entree, which had plenty to keep us going while we chatted away until our mains arrived.

For the main course I decided to have the beef fillet which was crusted with dijon and dukkah and sat atop a scrumptious potato roesti. It had candied shallots to the side, was topped with crispy prosciutto and finished off with a sticky shiraz jus and truffle oil. The beef was cooked to perfection and it was simply the most amazing mix of flavours I’ve ever tasted. My partner was equally impressed with the chicken breast dish that she ordered. Her chicken was stuffed with semi-dried tomatoes and Australian brie, baked in the oven and served with a seeded mustard mash and a creamy basil pesto sauce.

As it was a special occasion we also decided to treat ourselves to dessert. I had a beautiful flourless orange cake served with a Grand Mariner infused orange glaze and my partner had a gourmet sundae. All in all I would have to say that it was the most amazing meal I have ever had, all complemented by amazing views and the wonderful restaurant staff who kept us entertained throughout the service.

After our fantastic dinner and a couple of bottles of wine, it was time to head back to the room to try out the spa. We laid back in the spa for an hour or so, watching a movie on Foxtel and relaxing. After the movie finished we decided to call it a night.

In the morning, we awoke feeling incredibly refreshed. The new beds in the Premium Spa Rooms are really comfortable. It has made me want to get a new bed at home, knowing how good a sleep I am missing out on! After getting up we made ourselves a coffee and moved over to the chairs by the window. There we sat taking in the morning sun and having a quick look on Facebook with our laptops. It wasn’t long before our breakfast arrived. I had organised the night before for us to have room service breakfast delivered in the morning. We sat at the table in the room and enjoyed our bacon and eggs while watching the morning news.

After breakfast it was time to check out. It truly was an amazing night away, one which we both thoroughly enjoyed and would love to do again.

If you would like to book a night away like this, why not have a look at our new Premium Spa Rooms and some of our amazing packages. Our friendly reception staff are more than happy to arrange things like flowers, chocolates and champagne for you. Also, guests that stay with us get 15% off their food bill when they dine at the Top of the World Revolving Restaurant during their stay.

It's all about the Kids in July

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 20:43:25 +0900

Children and parents will be thrilled these school holidays with the return of the Great Jetty Road Treasure Hunt. Taking place from Monday 18 - Friday 22 July 2011, this much loved school holiday activity takes children on a voyage of discovery around the Jetty Road Glenelg Precinct collecting all sorts of treasure from participating businesses. Starting at 10am at The Beachouse, Glenelg, the first 300 children each day purchase their very own Treasure Hunt Bag and treasure map for just $5. With maps in hand the excited children head off around Jetty Road and its side streets collecting free gifts such as fruit, toys, ice creams to name but a few. The last stop on the map is the Bay Discovery Centre in the Town Hall where you have a chance to answer a question to go into a prize draw to win one of two $50 Jetty Road Gift Cards. The Great Jetty Road Treasure Hunt is always a fantastic, great value way to keep the kids entertained while indulging in a bit of retail therapy and a bite to eat on the way. Maps go on sale at 10am but each day the line starts growing much earlier so get there with plenty of time to spare to avoid disappointment.

The National Railway Museum in Port Adelaide is holding its annual Thomas the Tank Engine event, A Day Out With Thomas. Kids will be delighted at the change to ride on Thomas the Tank Engine. As well as train rides, there’s also stage performances, merchandise, colouring competitions, face painting, Jumping Castles and more! The event runs from Saturday 16th July to Sunday 24th July.

From the 21^st to the 24^th July you can catch the latest Disney on Ice show, Worlds of Fantasy, at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Rev up for non-stop fun with four of your favourite Disney stories. Thrill to high-speed stunts as Lightning McQueen, Mater and the crew of Disney/Pixar's Cars race across the ice. Dive into The Little Mermaid's enchanting undersea kingdom and experience the 'Circle of Life' with The Lion King. Then enter the mystical world of Pixie Hollow with Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies as they reveal the magic that lies within! From wheels to waves, Pride Lands to pixie dust, your family's favourite Disney moments come to life at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy with dazzling skating, special effects and beloved characters certain to create a lifetime of memories.

Sea, Wine and Cabaret in June

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:52:45 +0900

Another long weekend, another plethora of things to see and do in Adelaide and Glenelg. Locally, the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club is hosting the IRB championships for 2011. The Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) is the work-horse of Australian surf life saving clubs. Since its introduction into surf rescue in the 1970s, it has revolutionized rescue procedures on our beaches, and consequently, has been involved in saving many lives. The purpose of IRB racing is to improve the skills of the IRB drivers and crews in order to improve safety outcomes on our beaches. IRB crews consist of a driver and a crewperson. The objective is to rescue a 'patient' or 'patients' from the water in the quickest time.

The long weekend also sees the return of the annual BankSA Sea and Vines Festival in McLaren Vale. A celebrated event in this renowned wine region that attracts large crowds every year. During the Sea and Vines Festival, the local wineries perfectly match their wines to delicious seafood delights. McLaren Vale venues offer a specially created seafood meal, as well as most wineries having options of an alternative, non-seafood, children's and vegetarian dish. There's plenty of entertainment on offer too. McLaren Vale is where the vines meet the sea, located in the Fleurieu Peninsula and a short drive from Adelaide.

At the Adelaide Festival Centre, you can experience the Adelaide Cabaret Festival every June beginning on the Queen's Birthday long weekend. Over the last ten years the Festival has become a major event in the international and Australian arts calendar, as the most comprehensive cabaret festival in the world with a reputation of highlighting the best local, national and international artists in the cabaret genre, with classic and contemporary cabaret performances.

A Wicked May in Adelaide

Wed, 04 May 2011 13:36:24 +0900

Coming up this Sunday is Mothers Day. It's that one Sunday in May where we head over to our mum's to shower her with love, gifts and carnations. Our way of saying thanks for all the love and support she's given us throughout our lives.

A great present for mum (or just a treat for yourself), would be tickets to Wicked. Playing all this month at the Adelaide Festival Theatre, Wicked is the untold story of the Witches of Oz. It has become one of the most beloved musicals of the past ten years, garnering praise from audiences and fans the world over. The excellently produced "prequel" companion to The Wizard of Oz focuses on the life of the Wicked Witch of the West and her fall from grace. This production is a must see. Tickets available from Bass.

On Sunday the 15th of May, Adelaide's Psychic Expo is coming to Morphetville Junction. The new age festival features Clairvoyants, Mediums, Psychic Artists Tarot & Palm Readers, Aura Photography Massage, Reiki, Natural Healing, Book Tarot Card, Crystal, Jewellery Stalls & More!

Then later in the month, James Blunt comes to town. For one night only, Blunt will be performing at the Thebarton Theatre to celebrate the launch of his new album: Some Kind of Trouble.

Sweet Treats and Long Weekends in April

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 21:21:03 +0900

Holidaymakers are enjoying an extra long 5 day weekend this weekend as Anzac Day joins up with Easter. Locals and tourists are flocking to Glenelg to take advantage of the wonderful weather and festivities. There's plenty to see and do, and of course the shops are open! Harbour Town has organised a range of holiday activities for the kids including performances, face painting and more.

Yesterday saw Glenelg hosting a one day round robin Beach Rugby tournament down on the sand. The event was open to anyone who wanted to join in. The Salvation Army performed in Moseley Square at lunch time as people dined at Glenelg's many cafe's.

Tomorrow will be an early start for some as Glenelg holds the ANZAC Day Dawn service at Lights Landing, Holdfast Shores Glenelg. The official parade for all veterans and ex-service personnel commences at 5:45am from Moseley Square (Colley Terrace end) and proceeds along Colley Terrace to Lights Landing Memorial. The ceremony will take place at 6:00am to 6:45am with a breakfast being served by the Salvation Army, after the ceremony at Wigley Reserve.

On Monday horse racing fans will be able to join in the fun of the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival. If you're not planning to head to Oakbank you can still enjoy the festivities and watch it on the big screen at the Allan Scott Park Morphetville Racecourse.

Racing through March

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:14:42 +0900

What a busy long weekend it’s been! Thousands headed to the Morphetville Racecourse today to see Muir win the 2011 Adelaide Cup. The weather was perfect, the outfits were stylish and the champagne was certainly flowing!

The festivals have continued in March with the Adelaide Fringe Festival still in full swing. The Fringe finishes on Friday so there’s still some time left to catch a comedy or dance show, or just hang out in the Garden of Unearthly Delights.

The long weekend saw the return of WOMADelaide for its 19^th anniversary. The WOMAD - ‘World of Music, Arts & Dance’ festival was co-founded in the UK by Peter Gabriel and was first presented in Australia as WOMADelaide in 1992. Since then it has gone on to become one of Australia's favourite outdoor festivals.

Starting on Thursday is the Clipsal 500 Adelaide. The Clipsal 500 is a round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, Australia’s largest domestic motor sport event. With over 250,000 patrons expected to attend the event over the four days, it’s going to be a busy weekend for Adelaide. So, if you haven’t already booked your accommodation for next weekend, my advice would be to book now, before it’s too late!

New Premium Spa Rooms

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:34:12 +0900

For the last 6 months we have been working on four brand new Premium Spa rooms. These new rooms have been built them from the ground up and feature all new modern fixtures and fittings.

We are very excited about the new rooms, a lot of thought has gone into the design and features so that staying in a Premium Spa room is truly an experience. Things like big double opening doors to the ensuite that allow you to see the LCD TV from the large two person oval shaped spa, and speakers in the bathroom ceiling so you can hear it. The rooms also have DVD players so you can bring your favourite movie or listen to a CD, or you can use the AV and USB inputs to connect your own devices.

Probably one of the most unique features of the new rooms is the mood lighting throughout. In the evening you can choose to have your room lit up in any colour you want or set it to slowly cycle through the different colours. Then during the day you can take in the magnificent views from your private balcony.

If you have an anniversary coming up or just want to treat your and your partner to a night away, spoil yourself and book one of our new Premium Spa rooms.

Festival Fun in February

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 12:50:41 +0900

The sunny weather continues throughout February as Adelaide goes into festival mode. The Adelaide Fringe Festival started on the 24^th of this month and runs all the way through until the 18^th of March. With hundreds of different acts from comedy to dance to art displays - there’s something to entertain everyone.

The 2011 SA Caravan and Camping show has been running all week. Around 40,000 people are expected to attend the show this year at the Adelaide Showgrounds, Wayville. The show is one of the biggest shows at the showgrounds, second only to the Royal Adelaide Show in September.

Down on the sand, the annual Glenelg Beach Volleyball Tournament is attracting teams from all over Australia. There are extra courts set up for locals and holidaymakers to have a go and local DJs supplying the summer soundtrack thanks to soundpond.net.

Last weekend Glenelg played host to Tropfest, the world’s largest short film festival. Hundreds of people pulled up a spot on the grass out the front of The Beachouse to view South Australian local films and live band performances.

The Atlantic Tower Motor Inn’s new Premium Spa rooms are nearing completion. We have given a couple of the rooms a trial run and the feedback has been fantastic. Check back next month for more info on these new rooms.

Sunshine and Sport in January

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:43:11 +0900

2011 is upon us, with January seeing the last ever Tour Down Under for Lance Armstrong. This event spans South Australia from as far north as Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley, down to the McLaren Vale region, through the Adelaide Hills and over to the Murray River.

Lance along with Australia’s own Robbie McEwan were joined by thousands of cyclists in Glenelg at Wigley Reserve (the park across the road for those that don’t know) for his Adelaide Twitter Ride. This is the second year Lance has arranged an impromptu ride, with each of the 4000 or so riders donating $50 towards QLD floods victims.

For a bit of fun, Glenelg hosted the South Australian leg of the Havaianas Thong Challenge on Australia Day. Adelaide’s Favourite Beach was covered in a sea of 443 white oversize floating thongs in the perfect summer’s day.

A Busy December at the Bay

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 10:41:54 +0900

We have been spoilt with some fantastic weather this so far this month around Adelaide – a great start to summer.

The Ashes Second Test at Adelaide Oval saw one of the highest attendances on record. Despite all the support for the Aussies after the draw in the first Test, England took the first win.

On Sunday December 12, the annual Toy Run left Glenelg with around 15,000 motorcyclists who cruised up to Hahndorf with about a quarter of a million dollars of toys to donate to the St Vincent de Paul Society. One of our staff, a keen motorcyclist, joined in the convoy and reported that it was a fantastic day with a great atmosphere as always. Roads lined with spectators, perfect weather, food and entertainment upon arrival at Hahndorf oval – and all for a good cause.

In the Days following the Christmas weekend is the 124^th annual Bay Sheffield Carnival. Colley Reserve is the venue, but you will see athletes spread all around the grassy areas of Glenelg near the Marina while they warm up for their events. The Bay Sheffield is always one of the best examples of Glenelg during summer – a great family atmosphere and fun in the sun set in picturesque surrounds.

Don’t forget New Years Eve at the Bay! Holdfast Council is having not one but two fireworks shows at Glenelg of the Jetty – one at 9:30pm for the kids, and the other at Midnight. Entertainment in Moseley Square kicks off from 8:30pm.