Experience your first look at the city’s most exciting new venue, The Laneway. Leading Queensland Architecture and Interior Design firm, Arkhefield, have contributed their designs to one of the first laneway transformations in Brisbane City as part of the ‘Vibrant Laneways and Small Spaces’ program. The Brisbane City Council initiated the program through the City Centre Master Plan to convert some of the city’s forgotten spaces to vibrant meeting, retail and dining destinations.

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Delicious treats for Christmas and the holidays have arrived at Monty’s Chocolates in Paddington. In keeping with their mission to bring the world’s finest chocolates to Australia a whole new range has arrived. Charbonnel et Walker have released a new delight - Banoffee Truffles - which are a handmade creation of white chocolate, butter, natural banana extracts and caramel enrobed in a milk chocolate shell.

New products from France include orange confit in dark and white chocolate. The orange confit is like a firm jelly similar to a fig paste in texture.  It contains real fruit and peel.  There are many other fruit-based delights and floral flavours like rose and geranium as well. I’ll be going for the Caipirinha Truffle myself!

Monty’s Chocolates are at 155 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington and are open 9 - 5 pm  Monday - Friday, 10 - 4 pm Saturday and 11 - 4 pm Sunday. They close about 5pm on Christmas Eve.

P: 0401 067 394, 07 3369 3135

montyschocolates@yahoo.com.au

A great gift idea for the person who has everything (and loves food) is a gift certificate from Foodscape Tours of Byron Bay. Newly launched this year, the company specialises in food-based tours of Byron Bay where you can sample everything from gourmet coffee through to unusual local native produce. There are group tours by air-conditioned bus around the region or walking tours around downtown Byron Bay.

Sample the best of the region’s foods, enjoy the magnificent scenery and meet some great people at the same time. And if you have visitors from afar it’s a great way to show them just how beautiful this part of Australia is. Visit foodscapetours.com.au to plan a trip for yourself or buy some gift certificates for some very lucky people.

The Pink Snapdragons launch their calendar for 2010 on Thursday night, October 15 at the Moreton Bay Boat Club, Bird O’ Paradise Parade, Scarborough at 6.30 for 7pm. Their aim is to raise enough money to fund a trip to Canada where they will take part in the International Dragonboat Festival for breast cancer survivors in June 2010. Inspired by the movie ‘Calendar Girls’,photographer Rosie Bozzi recruited a cast of talented volunteers to create this cheeky and cheerful calendar.

All are welcome to the launch to enjoy a drink on arrival, nibblies and dancing. The ‘Pink Ladies’ as they are affectionately known will show us all how to party! RSVP to caroline@penson.ph

People can donate by going to the website www.pinksnapdragons.com

Copies will be sold at selected outlets as listed on the website

Running from September 30 until October 18, the Italian Film Festival is being screened at Paddington’s Palace Barracks Cinemas and Palace Centro in James St, Fortitude Valley. It features a selection of Italy’s most highly acclaimed and multi-award winning contemporary films sourced from the Cannes, Berlin, Rome and Venice film festivals. ‘Genova’ pictured here, stars Colin Firth, Hope Davis and Catherine Keener and is on general release from November 5.

Coco Republic is definitely one of the ‘go-to’ furniture showrooms in Brisbane if you are searching for something sensational that will make your room come alive. Their showroom in Fortitude Valley is filled with amazing pieces that you will want to take home with you. Everything from French Provincial dressers through to sexy Art Deco-inspired cocktail tables.

The staff are passionate about their product and to this end they have introduced a series of Lifestyle Lectures which aim to create a sense of ‘community’ around the brand. High profile industry speakers are invited to give talks on everything from property through to design and culture. “The aim is to make this an educational experience for clients, one they will learn from and take something away” says Susie Thompson, the media and events manager at Coco Republic.

Rhonda Bannister, Editor-in-chief of Graphic Publishing, along with Damian Hackett, CEO of Place Estate Agents gave one of the first lectures on September 17. On Thursday October 1, designer and architect Nic Brunner and magazine editor Margie Fraser will give the next lectures in the series. If you wish to attend please RSVP to rsvp@cocorepublic.com.au

It is the perfect time of year for a Sunday drive. The glovebox must be stocked with any combination of red frogs, chips, Maltesers, fruit, Mentos, Fantales and Allen’s Snakes (according to a quick office poll).

I recommend heading south to the Tweed River Art Gallery in Murwillumbah. There’s a great exhibition on until September 27, the Olive Cotton Award for photography. It’s open Wednesday - Sunday, 10am - 5pm and you can have lunch at the gallery. The view is incredible as is the gallery’s design. The gallery is sort of in the middle of nowhere and that’s what makes it so appealing. A drive, some art, some lunch … and an ice cream on the way home. Now that’s a great Sunday!

Tweed River Art Gallery
2 Mistral Rd
Murwillumbah NSW 2484
Gallery/Cafe Hours Wed Sun 10-5
Ph 026670 2790.

It’s cute, quirky, tongue-in-cheek, retro glam and we love it! The Cobwebs range has been added to our ultimate gift list - check out this great online shop to get some very cool and funky teatowels, napkins, luggage tags, passport wallets, sleeping masks, curtains, throw cushions and beauty accessories for ladies with high fashion taste and a great sense of humour. With christmas fast approaching, we have already sourced some gal-fab inspired pressies for our girlfriends! www.cobwebs.com.au.

Found via Modamuse, the modern mobiles by Puka Puka are the creations of trained architect and jewllery designer Nina Still in Sydney. We are loving the modernist origins of these artful playthings - they are inspired by the Australian landscape, but to our eye they also have the visual delight of a Matisse papercut artwork, with the cool factor of Scandinavian-esque design. Puka Puka mobiles are made from materials like translucent polypropylene and plywood to give them a lightness that allows great movement and playfulness. You can buy them at the designer’s online store www.pukapuka.etsy.com.

Spring and Summer = beautiful colour and scents from nature. Bring that in to your home with Saison’s new range of scented candles, room sprays, boxed scented leaves, heavenly soaps and travel candles from some of the world’s most outstanding purveyors of fine fragrance. The whole collection not only smell divine and add ambience to any space, but are all packaged in some design-worthy prints and wrappers to make them the perfect gift for someone special … or just to treat yourself, anywhere, anytime, for any reason at all! For more information visit www.saison.com.au.