Events Archives — Abode Hotels

Fitz’s Challenge 2018

October 11, 2018 By Andrew Sanchez

On the last Sunday of October each year, south Canberra’s mountain ranges team with over one thousand road cycling fanatics. Hosted by Pedal Power ACT, Fitz’s Challenge is one of the toughest road cycling competitions in the country. Five hilly race circuits ranging from 50km – 255km test riders’ ability and agility, with the longest ride featuring the legendary event’s name-sake, Fitz’s Hill.

Fitz’s Challenge Community Ambassador Jen Faerber is no stranger to a long distance hill climb. She’s also closely connected to the competition’s official charity partner, The Kids’ Cancer Project, who raise much-needed funds for children’s cancer research projects.

Fitz’s Challenge Community Ambassador Jen Faerber.

How would you describe your cycling experience? What kind of rider are you?
I’m a recreational rider. I love being out on the bike, enjoying the speed, the scenery and the weather. I used to live on Vancouver Island and use my bike for transport, which meant a lot of riding in the rain. Now I’m a fair weather rider, on a road bike and a mountain bike. I most enjoy riding alone. I find it slightly meditative to just go at your own pace, exploring and taking in the scenery.

Why are you tackling Fitz’s Challenge this year?
I do enjoy riding, and I don’t feel like I’ve been doing enough lately. Knowing this event is around the corner will encourage me to get out regularly and take on some hills. I think it’s really important that women claim some space in the sports and activities they enjoy, most of all to give other women and girls the idea that they might enjoy it, too.

Have you done anything like this before?
I had never even been on a road bike until I got myself on the 2013 team riding the Tour de Rock, a huge fundraiser on Vancouver Island for the Canadian Cancer Society. We rode 1200km in 13 days, stopping in at lots of schools and fundraising events along the way. For that ride we trained three times a week for about six months – around 40km of hills on Tuesdays, 40km of speed/intervals on Thursdays and a long ride of up to 140km on weekends.

Cotter Road Climb. Photo: Epsom Road Studios, supplied by Pedal Power.

Fitz’s Challenge has five ride lengths ranging from 50-255km – which ride are you doing?
I’ve chosen to do the 50km ride. I generally enjoy hills, but it’s been so long since I’ve done any regular training that I think it might be a rude shock when I try the route. I have no desire to ride 100km in one go ever again, so I hope this will be a nice day out! I’m also not competitive at all and I know a big focus of Fitz’s Challenge is individual achievement – not racing the other participants.

What does The Kid’s Cancer Project mean to you?
Cancer has been a big part of my life. I had non-Hodgkins lymphoma when I was 11 years old, but was considered totally cured after about 10 months of chemo and two years of check-ups.
I have a few ‘late effects’ as they’re known (holey teeth, low fertility) but the most significant lasting effect has been how close my family is and how we appreciate the most basic things, like having a meal together. The Kid’s Cancer Project funds research into childhood cancer that has already totally transformed the experience of a child undergoing treatment. My treatment was primitive and blunt compared to how targeted they can be now. I’m so grateful that people like my oncologist Dr Luce Dalla- Pozza are still working, 22 years later, to make even more improvements and that they’re receiving funding from the Kid’s Cancer Project to do it.

Fitz’s Challenge takes place on Sunday 28 October 2018 at various locations across the Brindabella Ranges, ACT.
Abode Hotels is proud to be the preferred accommodation partner for Fitz’s Challenge 2018.

DESIGN Canberra 2018

October 11, 2018 By Andrew Sanchez

A city renowned for innovation, Canberra has a rich history in remarkable design. From the cutting-edge ‘garden city’ vision of city designers Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, to the modernist and brutalist city architecture, the evolution of Canberra since the early 1900s is played out through its ever-changing design landscape.

The DESIGN Canberra festival is a city-wide celebration that brings the capital’s creative community to the fore. A collection of events, exhibitions, talks, tours, activations, markets, collaborations, artist studios and open homes transform Canberra in to a hub of all things design.

We Dance Together artist installation by Jodie Cunningham. Photo: 5 Foot Photography, supplied by CraftACT.

We speak with this year’s designer in residence Chelsea Lemon about her involvement.

For the past two years, DESIGN Canberra has selected a local designer to create the look and feel of the festival, including a feature piece that will align the festival’s aesthetic with this year’s theme of ‘geometry’.

2018’s designer in residence, Chelsea Lemon, is an esteemed Canberra creator. Lemon’s medium of choice is timber — and her fresh take on traditional woodworking techniques serves up a contemporary perspective that pushes the boundaries of typical Australian furniture design. Her innovative style, flair for artistic finishes and tenacity of craftsmanship make her the ideal candidate for the designer in residence post; promising dynamic geometric arrangements that inherit the interactive quality of her coveted parquetry technique.

“I have been involved in DESIGN Canberra since it began in 2014, so it is a festival which I really value. Not only does it bring together the creative community within Canberra, but it immerses the broader population in design, bringing an incredible aspect of the city to life,” says Chelsea.

On the affinity Chelsea feels with this year’s theme of ‘geometry’; “I often use deconstructed geometric shapes within my designs to reconstruct new images and forms, which fits perfectly with this year’s aesthetic theme. I also use a decorative woodworking technique known as ‘parquetry’ to create my work, however for the festival I leaned towards the use of layered shapes and colour to create a sense of growth,” she says.

Curl Dish. Photo: courtesy of the designer.

“When developing the concept for the feature design, I wanted to create something that people could recognise, yet was a piece that the eye could explore. I also considered the theme of geometry and sketched iconic buildings within Canberra that were constructed through diverse geometric architecture. The buildings that I sketched are used for various purposes – they bring together design, community, and global connections.”

From 5-25 November 2018, Chelsea Lemon will be the designer in residence creating new work for DESIGN Canberra exhibitions, whilst also creating a bespoke gift for festival partners.

For more event information visit the DESIGN Canberra official website.

American Masters

August 1, 2018 By Andrew Sanchez

One of the extraordinary things to happen in Australia in the 1970s was a commitment to art on the world stage. The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) was central to this, acquiring major works in anticipation of its opening (then expected for 1978), and the expansive vision of its first director, James Mollison.

The American Masters 1940–1980 exhibition, which opens at the NGA in August, tells the story of the incredible American collections through the work of a generation of young Americans who challenged local traditions and reinvented modern art. The exhibition brings together the major movements between 1940 and 1980: Abstract Expressionism, Colour Field, Pop and Photo-Realism, Conceptual, Land and Performance Art.

Painted in 1952, Jackson Pollock’s Blue poles (1952) is one of the most famous paintings of this period, largely because of the scandal prompted by its acquisition and the price that was paid by the NGA in 1973, which was then a record for the artist. Headlines such as the Daily Mirror’s ‘Drunks did it’ and The Age’s ‘$1.3M art “Trampled on after booze-up”’, fuelled the controversy and prompted misinformation about Pollock’s methods. The painting is clearly the result of an extended campaign: while Pollock often started with his canvas on the floor, the complex layering is evidence of the effects of constant movement, from his dripping and pouring of paint, to the white lines applied when the work was attached to a wall and the eight ‘poles’ of the final stages.

For the American Masters exhibition, Blue poles is juxtaposed with the NGA’s outstanding holdings of paintings and works on paper by artists in the New York School – Willem de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Mark Rothko, Motherwell and Phillip Guston, among others – to demonstrate how they were both an inspiration and a catalyst for change.

As well as highlighting Pollock’s impact, the American Masters exhibition shows how artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Andy Warhol, Donald Judd, Claes Oldenburg, Eva Hesse and Chuck Close propose new ideas about art, its subject matter, substance and form. Visitors will experience paintings without edges, objects made of strange materials, environments and performed works of art. For example, by rediscovering the NGA’s collections of classic Pop Art we see how Andy Warhol’s ironic use of celebrity culture influences the world today. Elsewhere the exhibition explores the ways in which Louise Bourgeois’ fabulous obsessions play out through sexual politics and apparently limitless landscapes. In other galleries, we experience how the cool, manufactured surface of Donald Judd’s boxes adapt to their surrounds and Eva Hesse’s delicately formed substances seemingly threaten to fade away.

The final section of the American Masters exhibition is devoted to light. Bruce Nauman designed the true artist helps the world by revealing mystic truths (window or wall sign) 1967 for a large shop window at the front of his studio in a disused grocery store in San Francisco. This richly coloured and elaborately constructed neon sculpture suggests a sense of anticipation for the future and marks the ways in which artists embrace new materials and technology. Nauman liked that his statement is true and not true at the same time, a ‘totally silly idea’ and yet entirely believable. Here is an icon of the NGA’s collection, another fabulous example of the gallery’s ambitious program to bring international art to Australia.

Entry to the expansive and stunning American Masters 1940–1980 is free because of the support of the Terra Foundation for American Art. For the exhibition’s exciting program of events, visit the National Gallery of Australia’s website.

National Gallery of Australia
24 August-11 November 2018
www.nga.gov.au

Family fun at the snow

May 2, 2018 By Andrew Sanchez

Up for an alpine adventure? The family-friendly Snowy Mountain resorts of NSW are an easy two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Canberra and offer skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing trails as well as childcare and lessons for all levels of expertise.

The ski season runs from June to early October so plan your trip, book your accommodation and hire your gear early. Options for getting to the snow from Canberra include staying with Abode Hotels and taking a day trip with Murrays Coaches, or driving and staying at a motel or caravan park in Jindabyne or in one of the lodges in the ski resorts.

To make sure everyone is confident on the snow, organise a professional lesson or two at your chosen resort and consider enrolling the kids in a catered day or half-day program. Now, you’re free to hit the slopes!

Skiing can be exhausting so when the kids are with you, remember to take regular refuelling breaks over a mug of hot chocolate. Maybe even mix things up a little with some tobogganing or a swim in the pool at Thredbo.

To challenge them, you might like to let your older, more capable children ski separately and meet up with them later to do a run together. Finish off your day by warming your toes by the fireside of one of the family-friendly restaurants dotted around the resorts, some of which provide unforgettable views of Mount Kosciuszko.

Where to ski

Perisher Blue offers a wide variety of skiing runs, night skiing, firework displays and a snow tube park. Its Discovery Kids learn-to-ski program caters to children aged 3 to 4 years and its Perisher Kids to children aged 5 to 14. Older children can also take a crash-course with a 3-hour group lesson.

perisher.com.au

Selwyn Snowfields has exceptionally low prices and introduces children to the snow as early as 18 months through its Mini Mites, Mighty Mites and Mega Mites programs.

selwynsnow.com.au

Thredbo provides dedicated beginners’ slopes and a range of outdoor snow activities for all ages. The resort’s alpine village also has a 50-metre heated pool with waterslide and Australia’s longest runs and offers catered full and half-day ‘Thredboland’ programs that entertain and teach skiing to children aged 4 to 6.

thredbo.com.au

Charlotte Pass is one of NSW’s smaller ski resorts and offers a beginners’ area with snow tube park as well as daytime and evening children’s activities. Its all-day kids’ ski program caters to 3-12 year olds and includes beginner to intermediate lessons, a hot lunch and indoor activities.

charlottespass.com.au

Top 6 Snow Trip Tips

Save money by looking out for ‘kids-ski-free’ resort deals in June and September and borrowing ski gear from friends and family.
Hire your ski gear in Canberra, Cooma or Jindabyne rather than in the resorts – it’s cheaper and by booking in advance you’ll make sure you get the sizes you need.
Choose to ski at a resort that has a kids’ ski school or day program as well as a variety of restaurants within easy reach of the snowfield.
Check the road conditions at Live Traffic NSW. If you’re driving a two-wheel-drive vehicle between the June and October long weekends, it is compulsory to carry properly- fitted snow chains. Hire these in Canberra or Jindabyne.
Rest and revive and save money by shopping for food in Cooma and packing daily lunch boxes.
Stay warm and safe and never travel alone. More about alpine safety can be found on the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service website.

Where To Eat

Snowgums at Perisher has a fireplace to relax by after a day on the slopes and offers spectacular views of the snowfields. In Jindabyne, Bacco Italian serves traditional and gourmet pizza and pasta the kids will love and the always busy Sundance Bakehouse is pure pie heaven – pick one up for breakfast. The Bowlo Bistro provides good-value family dining at the end of the day with a salad and vegetable buffet. Located at the top of Snowgums Chairlift just off the top of the Crackenback Supertrail in Thredbo, Black Sallees serves a hearty winter bistro-style menu fast, so you can eat then be back on the slopes before you know it. Also perched high above Thredbo Village, at the top of the Kosciuszko Express Chairlift, is Eagles Nest, Australia’s highest restaurant, serving warm winter fare with a side of live music on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Planning the road trip? Abode Hotels is the perfect place to stay. With flexible room types, self-contained rooms, fully equipped with kitchenettes and washer and dryers will make your stay as comfortable as possible.

Book our Ski Stopover Package, which includes:

Accommodation in a spacious studio apartment with a discounted room rate
Two Abode thermal mugs, accompanied by hot chocolate sachets
Bottled water
Unlimted Free Wi-Fi
Free Parking*

*Terms and conditions: Travel dates from 01/06/18 – 09/09/18, subject to availability. Special offers only available during the promotional period. Tickets and inclusions not refundable for cash. Free parking is not available at Abode Woden, and is subject to availability.

Canberra Region Truffle Festival, 2018

April 30, 2018 By Andrew Sanchez

The ultimate foodie event, the Canberra Region Truffle Festival 2018 is an annual celebration of the rare Black Winter Truffle.

More than 250 tasty events this winter will explore the magic of the Black Winter Truffle. They include degustation dinners, dishes at cafes, truffle hunts, cooking classes, demonstrations, farmers markets and more.

1 June – 31 August 2018
Various venues around the city and region
www.trufflefestival.com.au

Truffle Dish. Image Credit: VisitCanberra

FOODIE FACTS

Truffles in the Canberra region

Sometimes referred to as the “diamond of the kitchen”, truffles are a fungus that grows underground when the roots of particular trees such as oaks and hazelnuts have been infected with a mycorrhiza (or fungus root).

Originally confined to the wild, research during the past 100 years, particularly in France, has led to truffles being cultivated as a domestic crop.

The Canberra region produces the Black Winter Truffle or Périgord Truffle (T. melanosporum) which forms in summer and slowly matures during autumn. When they are ready to harvest in winter, truffle farmers find the fungus using dogs that have been specially trained to detect truffle aroma.

Taste and aroma

The taste on the tongue can be sweet, sour, bitter, salty and “umami” (savoury), but the aroma in the nose can be much more discriminatory: musty and sweet, a very intense mushroom overlaid with other notes including “forest floor”.

Truffle flavours and aroma enhance and intensify those of other foods. For example, a steak with truffle sauce becomes meatier, eggs are transformed into a gourmet item, and every aspect of the meal becomes more satisfying.

Don’t be fooled about the aroma of truffle oils! This has been redeveloped by chemists and what you’re smelling is ‘Truffle Aroma’, not truffles.

Cooking and storing tips

Truffles are seasonal, and fresh is always best! They go well with simple dishes involving eggs, mushrooms, chicken, pasta, potatoes, risotto, Jerusalem artichokes, and celeriac, and also in sauces. Always shave truffles as thinly as possible because the greater the surface area, the greater the aroma.

Truffles are best stored in the refrigerator in a large jar, each wrapped in paper towel and should be used within three weeks. If yours grow some white mould, brush it off under running cold water, then dry and place back in the jar and fridge.

Try storing them with fresh eggs so the truffles infuse the yolks with their aroma. Truffles can also be preserved by snap freezing, but this process will reduce the aroma and mean you have to use or shave your truffle while it is frozen because thawing will make it rubbery.

This information has been kindly provided by the Canberra Region Truffle Festival which takes place during the Australian truffle season (June to August).

Abode Hotels is the perfect place to stay when visiting the Truffle Festival. With five hotels, located conveniently in town centre locations, Abode Hotels has the Canberra region covered. Book your stay with us below. Be Smart, Book Direct to receive the best deal.

Anzac Day in the capital

March 29, 2018 By Andrew Sanchez

ANZAC Day in the capital.

Like the qualities of courage, mateship and sacrifice that inspire it, ANZAC Day commemorates more than the anniversary of the World War One landing on Gallipoli in 1915. Every year on 25 April, its spirit continues to be relevant to Australians’ sense of national identity and inspires events all around the country.

Anzac Day in the capital. A grandfather and grandaughter at the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial. Image credit: Visit Canberra

In Canberra, the Australian War Memorial’s Dawn Service, National Ceremony, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commemorative Ceremony and Last Post remember those who have served, continue to serve or died for our country in war or conflict, and attract thousands of people to Anzac Parade and surrounds.

Everyone is welcome to attend the ceremonies, which include a veteran’s march, laying of wreaths, observance of one minute’s silence and the sounding of the Last Post – the military bugle call – that signifies the end of the day’s activities.

Learn more about the commemorations that take place on Anzac Day in Canberra on the Australian War Memorial’s website, which also features information about the free reserved seating that’s available every year, local road closures and the times to arrive. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

Anzac Day in the Capital – dawn service. Image Credit: Visit Canberra

Abode Hotels is the perfect place to stay when visiting the capital. With five hotels, located conveniently in town centre locations, Abode Hotels has the Canberra region covered. Book your stay with us below.

Canberra Wine Week

February 28, 2018 By Andrew Sanchez

Canberra Wine Week is a series of exciting events hosted in and around the Canberra District Wine Region to celebrate all things food and wine related.

Last year there were over twenty events hosted and this year is set to be bigger and better.

What to expect:

wine exhibitions showcasing the very best of Canberra District wineries and producers
interactive workshops whereby you can create your perfect blend of wine
various wine dinners, luncheons, and tastings
live music
winery and cellar door tours.

For more information and to see the full list of events visit, canberrawines.com.au/events/canberra-wine-week

Image Credit: Visit Canberra

Book-in your Canberra Wine Week adventure and lock the dates in your diary, Saturday 7 April to Sunday 15 April 2018.

WHEN:
7-15 April, 2018

TIME:
Varies between events (visit website for more information)

WHERE:
Various venues (visit website for more information)

MORE INFORMATION:
canberrawines.com.au/events

Located in the heart of the Canberra District Wine Region, Abode Murrumbateman is the perfect place to stay when taking part in the Wine Harvest Festival. Book your stay with us below.

Art, Not Apart

February 28, 2018 By Andrew Sanchez

Art, Not Apart is a festival aimed at breaking down boundaries and presenting art that is inclusive and accessible to all.

Representing more than 270 artists and creatives, the program includes exhibitions, performance art, music, interactive installations, cinema, live street art, street food, and a dance party. New Acton is the festival HQ, but commissioned works will appear across the city.

This event is a must see and showcases the local region’s emerging art scene. A day without divide, this year’s theme is “Climax”.

Image Credit: Art, Not Apart

WHEN:
17 March 2018

TIME:
1:00—7:00pm + after parties

WHERE:
New Acton Precinct

MORE INFORMATION:
artnotapart.com

Abode Hotels is the perfect place to stay when visiting the capital. With five hotels, located conveniently in town centre locations, Abode Hotels has the region covered. Book your stay with us below.

Abode Hotels Cartier: The Exhibition Package

February 28, 2018 By Andrew Sanchez

Cartier: The Exhibition is in its last month and offers visitors a chance to experience the breath-taking display of exquisite Cartier jewellery, timepieces and precious objects at The National Gallery of Australia.

Be dazzled by more than 300 design masterpieces, charting the rise of the prestigious jewellery house throughout the 20^thcentury. Exhibition highlights include:

Dame Nellie Melba’sdiamond stomacher brooch,
the Queen’s “Halo” tiara, worn by Kate Middletonat her wedding to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
Daisy Fellowes’Tutti-Frutti Hindu necklace
Barbara Hutton’simperial jadeite necklace
Princess Grace of Monaco’s48-carat diamond engagement ring
Dame Elizabeth Taylor’sdiamond and ruby necklace (a gift from her third husband Mike Todd which also doubles as a tiara)
plus, a selection from the NGA’s exceptional Ballets Russes costume collection.

Exclusive to Canberra, Cartier: The Exhibition is not to be missed.

Cartier: The Exhibition offers a glimpse into the intimate world of Cartier’s famous international clientele from Hollywood superstars to royalty, revealing fascinating stories about the history of the stunning jewellery and the inimitable icons of style associated with them.

Elizabeth Taylor with her diamond and ruby Cartier necklace (1958). Image Credit: NGA

Exhibition highlights include:

Dame Nellie Melba’s diamond stomacher brooch,
the Queen’s “Halo” tiara, worn by Kate Middleton at her wedding to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
Daisy Fellowes’ Tutti-Frutti Hindu necklace
Barbara Hutton’s imperial jadeite necklace
Princess Grace of Monaco’s 10.48-carat diamond engagement ring
Dame Elizabeth Taylor’s diamond and ruby necklace (a gift from her third husband Mike Todd which also doubles as a tiara)
plus, a selection from the NGA’s exceptional Ballets Russes costume collection.

Exclusive to Canberra, Cartier: The Exhibition is not to be missed.

The Queen’s “Halo” tiara, worn by Kate Middleton at her wedding to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. Photo Credit: NGA.

Looking for a place to stay? Abode Hotels has the perfect package for Cartier: The Exhibition. The package contains:

Discounted overnight accommodation
2 adult tickets to Cartier: The Exhibition
A bottle of sparkling wine
Late checkout at 12 pm
FREE parking*
FREE WI-FI
Bottled water

WHEN:
30 March – 22 July, 2018

WHERE:
National Gallery of Australia

TIMES:
Open daily, 10:00am – 5:00pm

MORE INFORMATION:
nga.gov.au/cartier/

START PLANNING YOUR TRIP, BOOK NOW BELOW.

Terms & Conditions: Travel dates from 30/03/18 – 22/07/18, subject to availability. Special offers only available during promotional period. Tickets and inclusions not refundable for cash. Parking offsite at Abode Woden.