Hornsby Adventures

As with my Gladesville's Pocket, I must preface "Hornsby Adventures" is a retrospective and given I have time on my hands, I might as well make use of it, pound the keyboards and share my story!

Hornsby.  A much maligned yet interesting public transport interchange.

As a Boarder, more importantly as SENIOR Boarder, we were allowed shopping afternoons where the objective would be to select the furthest boundary, "shop" (or in our case perhaps sneak a cigarette or two), wait until the last possible moment to jump back on the train, get off at our station and race madly to the dining room with the inevitable facetious apology to the Head Table and slink in to our seats and prepare for a meal of mush.

Having not been back to Hornsby since those days and with my infamous lack of direction a conundrum was thus presented and therefore needed to be tackled.  To public transport or not to public transport.

Now for those of you who aren't familiar with the 2095 post code, whilst it is indeed (in my humble opinion) heaven on earth, it's not the most user-friendly area for public transport to anywhere other than the much loved Manly Ferry ride to Circular Quay.

After much discussion a decision was made.  Drive in the hope that for once the "I know where I'm going" statement would be proven to be correct and against the odds it actually did!  Hooraaaay!

Navigating the Westfield carpark was another story entirely.

iPhone in hand, off we headed, with the first visual being the singularly most impressive fountain this Chick had seen in quite a while, beautifully surrounded by an incredible range of stalls ranging from Gozleme (to which the 2095'er must confess had never heard about let alone eaten...didn't take long to put that to rest and from first bite a total convert!) and a treasure trove of organic produce, old fashioned chutneys, home remedies and more.

Colleen the Chutney Queen

Mosswood Organics

Amphore

creative angle

Who knew the love affair with their meat would begin but a short time later

Organic herbs to grow and enjoy

Beautiful product

Now the 2095'er knows there many changes and fantastic additions to this market since her original visit back in 2010 and there's a SERIOUSLY cool Hornsby Directory that contains some great photos!

I would also thoroughly recommend That Hornsby Blog & checking out Hornsby Markets on Facebook.

In the meantime this 2095'er really must diarise another visit to this organic haven

Thursdays @ Double Bay

Every Thursday it's a double ferry ride that's in store for 2095 girl to get to the 2028 postcode.  Therefore a double enjoyment of Sydney Harbour to enter the realms of what once was my stomping ground when fresh out of school, otherwise known as Double Bay.

In it's prime Double Bay was simply THE place to be.  Knox Street humming to the wee hours at the Cosmopolitan Centre, watching the Mr & Mrs Beautifuls do whatever it is that they do, seeing boarders stumbling from one pub to the next (specially after GPS Regatta!), wannabe's trying to be cool and not quite making it, underworld legends sharing a cigar and brandy and us fresh out of schoolers thinking we were incredibly hip happening and knowing it all!

Times changed and the Bay changed.  As a kids we would get all dressed up (patent leather shoes shining smartly, Sunday best clothes adorned) and go visit family friends who owned a house with it's own private jetty, meeting incredibly glamourous people (for one was an international model whose boyfriend at the time was The Electric Lounge Lizard or King of Cool) and generally running amok.

Sadly the cool factor slowly disappeared and in it's place remained what could only be deemed a sad shadow of its former self.  No more "Double Bay, Double Pay"

But as we know we live in world which is cyclical and thankfully, albeit slowly, the Bay is being boosted back to it's former glory with one of the prominent additions being Double Bay Organic Market.

And it's been an absolute delight to watch this market grow and develop and have stalls that fit in with it's surrounds.

First stop always is a coffee with the king of caffeine Ali

to be accompanied by a freshly baked French Torte

perhaps needing healthy kick (and remover of guilt) with some Common Ground Green Drink

before getting the surprise of my life seeing Ian taking his daughter on a ride around the streets

then coming back to hang out with some Vintage nuttiness with Linda

which is conveniently not far from Milne's white balsamic

just in time for lunch (low carb of course)

ending with a final flourish and purchasing some amazing grass feed beef from Jim

basket almost full and ready to replenish next week

Not sure where to go?

Guilfoyle Park, Bay Street Double Bay

Thursdays 8:30am - 2pm rain hail or shine!