Hobart – gourmet food, art/design wares and a blushing moment

Well we’ve only been in Hobart for 3 days now and I can’t believe how much we’ve eaten, drunk, looked at art and bought lots of goodies.  From jewellery to porcelain & paper art works to smelly cheeses and boutique beer we are having a ball.  Hobart is a small but quaint city with lots of boutique shops, an array of gourmet food and nice pub/hotels which are pokie machine free!

I have been speaking to the shop owners who have all been helpful and loving my highly organised note pad and folder containing pages taken from Country Style and Frankie magazines (some of these go back a few years and have been hoarded in my travel box for that “one day…when I go to…”.  It really is a nice experience to be able to tell the owners I’ve come to their store based on my research and word of mouth.  Australia has so much to offer when it comes to boutique/art/design/food shops that exclusively support young and upcoming artists/designers as well as those with a passion for good sources of food.  Such a nice change to shopping malls and online shopping. While these 2 have their pluses/minuses nothing beats going out in the fresh outdoors (well windy, drizzly, cold, sunny in Hobart so far!) to experience first hand what small business owners have to offer.

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So, if you are going to Hobart, I can recommend the following:

the disensary – beautiful clothing and body luxe items

Ruby’s Room – a gorgeous smorgeous kiddy shop – cushions, clothing, toys and all things nice

Pitbull Mansion – I bought a dress (expensive but don’t tell Adam!) – I could have bought more…but I’d have to work more! Mmmm no thanks I’m on holidays 😉 – featured image from Pitbull Mansion Facebook page.

Luxe – At first this looks like a bridal shop but once you go in it has so much more on offer. Beautiful tops/shift dresses/jackets and more.  If only I had more money….

Jackman & McRoss – I was given 2 verbal recommendations as well as my raggedly eared copy of Country Style June 2010 which listed this “worth pining for”.  OMG I had the most amazing salmon/scrambled eggs on rocket/aioli on brioche with the best coffee so far.  They don’t have a website…but are located at: 57-59 Hampden Road  Battery Point TAS 7004, Australia.  BTW – cute shops and beautifully preserved colonial homes are dotted along this road and worth the walk to Battery Point.

A common ground – Okay this is my blushing moment.  As I was shopping, Adam came to tell me that the gourmet farmer I liked from SBS TV was in his shop.  Well, of course I had to go that very minute and check out Mr Evans as he was way more important than some divine peice of jewellery!  His first name escaped me as I was so excited about meeting the food critique who had left city life to go back to where the food comes from and start up a farm to plate concept.  He also happened to be a bit on the  cute side hence my need for speed….anyway, back to the shop.  We enter, he’s serving someone, I’m in a daze, he offers cheese and I’m yes, yes and blurt out “I’ve been watching your series and love it”.  The lady next to me looks quizzical and looks at him.  He smiles.  I’m like “OMG…he’s the gourmet farmer! Don’t you know?”. No, she says fairly blandly.  Well I carry on like a smoked pork* and relish in telling her about his farm, his pigs, smokehouse, his cheeses and anything else that comes to mind.  But at one point I must have just decided to stare…at him…maybe because he was even better looking in real life…and eventually Adam’s sweet voice pricks my ears….”Honey…for the 4th time…which cheeses are we buying?”.  OMG…I’m so embarrassed…caught out big time and realise how pathetic I’ve been with my drooling/swooning and silly behaviour.  But who cares!  It was fun meeting him, buying the gourmet goodies and knowing that Adam can’t wait to tell people about my blushing blonde moment of swooning (and drooling) over a local farmer in full view of him (the hubby…oops!). *apologies for the edited version of the colloquial Australian version “carry on like a pork chop” meaning that someone (moi) behaves in a silly or stupid way…”

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