Getting Sweaty in the Capital

So it turns out that I’m a bit of a gym hussy. In my four short years living here, I’ve tried no less than seven different gyms: Club Lime and Club Pink, Fernwood Belconnen and Civic, Anytime Fitness Gungahlin, the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) gym, and my work’s little gym. Oh, and I also just bought a coupon for a month’s membership at the Australian Institute of Sport gym. I swear I’m not commitment-phobe… I just enjoy exploring the different options (especially if it means I can snaffle a cheaper membership price).

Since I’ve sweated and wheezed at so many of Canberra’s gyms, I thought I’d share my views on the pros and cons of each. Winter is now in full swing – meaning many part-time gym bunnies go into hibernation – but there’s a lot of deals around aimed at luring new members away from the couch and into a Pump class. Perhaps you could use my handy-dandy guide to help decide which gym you, too, would like to sweat and wheeze away at!

Thai Bliss…

Following on from my recent post about massages and spa pedicures, I decided to try something different and treat myself to a traditional Thai massage at Thai Bliss. It had been a long week and my back was achey and tense after a minor car accident last week (nothing to worry about, folks, ’twas just a wee rear-ender – my car’s bum has seen better days, though!). With doctor’s clearance, I made a beeline for the parlour as soon as I finished work (note that they’re open from 10am-10pm everyday, so there’s bound to be a time that suits you).

Brunch at Poachers Pantry

So, I’m probably one of the very last Canberrans to try out the uber-popular Sunday morning brunch spot that is Poachers Pantry. It only took me four years of hearing about how wonderful this winery-smokehouse-restaurant-cafe was before I decided to finally venture out there and judge for myself.

It was yet another dreary summer’s day in Canberra (which I was rather disappointed about, because the previous day had been glorious – blue skies, fluffy white clouds, deliciously warm) and my housemate and I felt like doing nothing more than lazing around the house. But we’d already booked a table at Poachers Pantry and I knew how busy they would be – it would have been bad form to cancel at such a late stage.

Summer Shape Up with the HerCanberra Ladies

As a budding blogger, I really enjoy checking out other blogs – each has their own flavour, style and focus. Mamamia (one of Australia’s biggest blogs aimed at women) and Riot Act (a well-known Canberra blog that In the Taratory have previously featured in) are two of my current faves. It was through Riot Act that I came across HerCanberra late last year. As the name suggests, it’s targeted at women in Canberra – and, like In the Taratory, they also frequently write about happenings here in our Capital. Their focus is a little wider than ours, which makes for interesting reading.

Anyway, I’m probably going to get into trouble with T1 for spruiking our ‘competitors’ (hehe) so I’ll get on with the point of this review! HerCanberra launched a great initiative back in January: the HerCanberra Summer Shape-Up. Heaps of Canberra fitness businesses joined in for the action, offering special discounts and free classes for readers. From power yoga,boot camp and self defence, to personal training and dance classes, there was something for everyone. Over the course of eight weeks in January and February, ladies could sign up for any or all of the free trials. I went along to quite a few classes here and there – it was a great way to find a new hobby without committing to a term’s worth of fees.

Lunching Ladies at Prince Palace Chinese Restaurant

As an owner of a Canberra Entertainment Book, I’m always keen to try new restaurants on the promise of discounted food. Yep, call me a cheap-skate if you wanna! (*On a side note, sales for the 2012-13 edition of the Canberra Entertainment Books will be starting soon. I reckon keeping an eye out for them – they’re jam-packed with various discounts and you’re bound to find something that suits you. It only took me two vouchers in savings to recoup the initial $55 outlay on the book. Plus, the profits usually go towards a local sporting group or school, which I’m more than happy to help out. Ok, plug over!).

 

So when my friend and decided to head out for a last minute lunch on the weekend, we had a quick flick through my book and settled on the Prince Palace Chinese Restaurant in Belconnen. Colleagues at my old workplace had been there many, many times for the popular Yum Cha lunch, and had always returned with full tummies and content looks on their faces. A promising sign of decent tucker!

 

T2 does Teppanyaki at Shogun Restaurant

I am a massive fan of Japanese food. Sushi, sashimi, okonomiyaki, miso soup, tempura vegetables, Edamame beans… my mouth is watering, just thinking about it all. Japanese cuisine is fresh, filling, healthy (well, most of the time, that is!) – and, for me, it conjures great memories of my past travels to the Land of the Rising Sun. I’ve yet to find a Japanese restaurant in Canberra that I really love, but I do quite enjoy Iori in the city. Sizzle Bento (a sushi chain store that can be found in Westfield Belconnen or Garema Place) is okay too – but nothing quite beats the authentic stuff!

Anyway, I digress. This isn’t a post about where to find yummy Japanese food in Canberra (be sure to let me know if you have any suggestions, though!) – it’s more about my recent teppanyaki experience at Shogun, in Civic’s Garema Centre.

Spring Dining at Bella Vista

As you can probably tell by now, T1 and I are north-sider girls. So the various restaurants on Belconnen’s Emu Bank strip are frequent dinner destinations for us both. T1 has already written about her recent Haha Bar and Zambrero experiences (both places I’m also a big fan of) here and here. I’ve yet to try Sanur’s Balinese restaurant or the Prince Palace Chinese restaurant (both of which have garnered positive reviews from friends), but I do particularly enjoy the odd laksa at 2 Yummy BBQ Noodle House or a chicken stirfry at Thai Chiang Rai.

This time, it was Bella Vista that was on my radar.

A Feast for the Senses

Every year that I’ve lived in Canberra, I’ve always made big plans to attend Floriade Nightfest…. and, every year, something has always come up that has prevented me from going. Yeah, I know – Floriade is the ultimate touristy event to attend, and this blog is meant to be all about exploring Canberra’s lesser-known gems. But this year I was determined to join the masses and smell the roses. Spring seemed like it had well and truly set in for the year, so my friends and I decided to get organised early and buy our tickets in advance. Hmm, perhaps not the smartest move in hindsight…

On the morning of NightFest, we awoke to grey skies and drizzling rain. Gone was the sunshine and warmth of spring that we’d enjoyed over the weekend – suddenly, it felt like the middle of winter again. By mid morning, two of my friends pulled the pin and forfeited their tickets (Floriade doesn’t allow date transfers, unfortunately). Luckily, I still had two others who were willing to brave the inclement weather and accompany me to the event (they probably had the same mentality as me – what a waste of $25 not to go!). So we pulled out our brollies, coats and gloves and braced ourselves for the chilly night ahead.

So, what does T2 reckon about Canberra in general?

Canberra. The mere mention of this word usually results in a screwing-up-of-the-nose or rolling-of-the-eyes. I’m now used to this reaction when I tell interstate friends where I live. But, after three years of being based in our nation’s capital, I’ve come to realise that there’s much more to the city than meets the eye. While it certainly is public servant territory here, it really doesn’t have to be all work and no play.