Heart & Souls of Greater Sydney | Community
Heart & Souls of Greater Sydney
Phone: +61 422 209 819
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25.01.2022 ‘From Criminology to Floristry’ Meet Liz from Blackheath Creative, a wonderful store on the other side of the tracks at Blackheath, just a stones throw from the main T-intersection. It is well worth a wander to the ‘other side’ to explore the delights therein. @theblackheathcreative... I originally studied criminology at university and ended up working at an investment bank in the city. Eventually though, I moved up to the mountains for a tree change and to be closer to family. With the tree change came a career change and I became an artist and started painting flowers because I just love them. So much so, that my three daughters and the dog are all named after flowers. Once the girls were grown a bit I studied floristry as it was always something I wanted to do. I had not planned on opening a store but the opportunity arose and I just ran with it. So I’ve created a space for local artists to sell their works. When I first started painting I was so intimidated by approaching people to sell my work so I’ve wanted this space to be a welcoming space where artists don’t feel intimidated about finding an outlet for the things they produce. It seems to be working as I am constantly being approached by artists and makers who want me to sell their stuff and I just love having this collection of beautiful things around me. I have also added the floristry component into the store which requires me getting up at 3:30am every Thursday to head down to the Sydney flower markets which is a challenge but I still really enjoy it. Not so enjoyable is the paperwork that is involved with running a business but it’s all part of this great experience. #floristry #flowers #art #crafts #paintings #jewellery #kidsclothes #felttoys #everykindofbeautiful #bluemountains #visitnsw #visitbluemountains #blackheath #greatersydney #heartandsoulsofgreatersydney #community #handmade #madewithlove
20.01.2022 Let me know which greeting you’re choosing to use in these non-shaking-hands-times? Chaitanyashree (pictured) recommends we use the Namaste greeting . Meaning: I bow to the divine in you". (It may help us consider each other more respectfully in the supermarket). ... What are you using?
20.01.2022 Who doesn’t love a bit of bootleggin’? Meet Kelly the owner/creator of The Bootlegger Bar in Katoomba. Located just across from Katoomba Station, Kelly has created a ‘must visit’ venue that has captured the whole bootlegging vibe in a perfectly legal way. @bootleggerkatoomba ... Having been an honouree Katoomb-ian for over 8 years now, (which isn’t long compared to some mountain goats) I created ‘Bootlegger’ because I wanted to bring a unique flavour, to an otherwise very full table. We offer hearty meals with a dash of class, a ridiculously broad selection of spirits, intimately incredible regular live acts and speciality cocktails or classics done right. We have tried to create an experience whether people live 100 metres away or 100 kilometres away, that’ll leave them satisfied to the brim and thirsty for more. #spirits #cocktails #wine #bluemountainsnsw #fromthegrill #burgers #lowandslowfood #shareplates #veggiedishestoo
18.01.2022 It’s not about winning, its about doing your best Meet Tim and Karl. I ran into them at the Blue Mountains Portrait Exhibition at the Cultural Centre in Katoomba where Tim’s entry of Karl has been the talk of the town. These mates are a little too hard for me to categorise so will let them explain to you themselves. ... TIM: I’m into art including photography, laughter, pro wrestling, acting and puppeteering. I was in Malaysia recently for the International Puppet Festival. My group didn’t win but it’s not about winning, it’s about trying your best (he says earnestly with a sarcastic grin). KARL: I’m into wrestling, martial arts, acting, I read a lot of old English, Norse and Chinese literature, and I write a lot plus play chess and work as a Barista at the Cultural Centre’s cafe. We met two or three years ago and have been wrestling, doing tag team and training together ever since. We do lots of things together - we’re in movies together. We won an award last year for a movie and about to star in another movie coming up called Scratch the Surface where I’m the main bad guy and Tim is one of my henchmen. Look out for it. HSGS: I hope that has cleared up what these two fabulous guys do. At least they provide lots of ideas for hashtags #wrestling #prowrestling #puppetmaster #puppetry #puppeteer #martialarts #englishliterature #norseliterature #chineseliterature #writer #chess #barista #baristalife #bmcc #bluemountainsportraitsexhibition #portraitphotography #katoomba #culturalcentre #thelistgoesonforever # #BlueMtns
17.01.2022 Today Heart & Souls of (Greater) Sydney turns Six. This couple are the first people I ever bowled up to on the street and asked if I could take their pic and ask a few questions. ‘Bowled up to’ probably isn’t quite accurate. Truth be told, I ummed and aahed for quite some time before nervously approaching them, hoping I didn’t appear like some nutter who had a thing for taking photos of strangers. It turns out this lovely couple were, at the time, a pair of newly-weds fro...m Melbourne who were heading off to Bali in a couple of days for their honeymoon. They had just sprung a surprise wedding on their friends and family who thought they were going to an engagement party. This first great experience gave me a thirst for more. I had decided to start the page just a couple of days earlier whilst starting treatment after breast cancer surgery. In my usual style, I needed a happy distraction, a new project that took my focus off my problems and placed it in a more gratifying place. Something I’m now so glad I did because whenever I look back at that time, my memories of treatment and appointments and continuing tests pale in light of the joy I experienced at meeting so many wonderful, new and interesting people. Many have assumed I modelled the page off Humans of New York (HONY) where in fact the idea was sparked by a Japanese photographer named Shoichi Aoki who photographed the passing parade of vibrant young people dressed in quirky vintage clothing in the bubbling suburb of Harajuku in Tokyo. The part that HONY played was to show me it was possible to create a Facebook page rather than adopt Aoki’s method of fanzines and books. After only six months on the streets with my camera I had to get back to full time work and, sadly, my page had to take a back seat. Then, four years ago, in another plot twist, I moved to the beautiful Blue Mountains and have only posted sporadically, basically only whenever a festival was on. More recently, however, I have been spurred on to reinvigorate the page to help our fabulous business owners find a platform to a mostly Sydney audience, and to let people see the quality and calibre of ‘Souls’ we have tucked up here in these here hills who are starting businesses for all the right reasons - not just for the money. The reality none-the-less is that they do, in fact, need money. The fires have created an economic downturn that experts are saying may take a year to recover from. Whilst this is the reality our businesses are facing I will continue to post their stories of the passions that drive them and my hope is that they will capture your interest, inspire you and entice you to come and visit our Mountains and their businesses. So, when you visit, be sure to tell them Deb sent you. Happy 6th Birthday!!!!
16.01.2022 When: Saturday 8th February 2020 Time: 11.00am -12.00pm Where: Charleston For Charity dance for charity in front of the HM Pavilion at The Hydro Majestic, Medlow Bath, Blue Mountains. ... Cost: FREE (gold coin donation towards Blue Mountains Rural Fire Service.) The Hydro Majestic Hotel will revive its most mischievous traditions and host the ultimate day-long vintage revelry on Saturday, February 8th. The Roaring 20s Festival celebrations will high kick off with a community Charleston for Charity dance in front of the Majestic Pavilion at 11am. With prizes galore, the naughty knees-up will be an opportunity to don your most sophisticated 1920s-inspired costumes befitting the elegant venue (eg: feather boas, spats, fedora hats).
16.01.2022 A good product speaks for itself no matter what’s around it. Meet Ra, the owner of Cafe del Ra, at his latest enterprise in Katoomba. Following on from his successful cafe Big Beet, Cafe del Ra offers many of the old faves. In Ra’s usual style, this new venue is loaded with charm and character. Set in the arcade of Katoomba Antique Centre (shop 114/118 Bathurst Rd, Katoomba), this new venture is sure to be the hub of Katoomba in no time. Insta: @cafedelra... When I was little my dad would always be cooking in the house and he’d put on charity dinners so I’d go to these dinners with him and help out. I’d be a waiter and would clear up . Meanwhile, I was always wondering about what I wanted to do when I grew up. When I left school, and sticking with what I knew, I did a TAFE course and then worked in different pubs and restaurants around the place. Finally, I realised that I’m already doing what I wanted to do so decided to start my own cafe. I wanted to create the kind of place that I would want to go to - something unique and interesting. So I started Up Beet and fitted it out with minimal cost by just being clever with second-hand bits and pieces. That did really well and was always busy but then I had to move across the road while I was building the big shop, Big Beet. Big Beet turned out to be a tsunami of ‘busy’ with five or six staff and one hundred seats to manage. It had struck a chord with customers who loved what I had created. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and do my best to create a great product - I don’t want good coffee, I want great coffee and the food, although unpretentious it has to be great too. I believe that when you have a great product it allows you to have artistic license with how you present that product. For instance, the music I play, by usual cafe standards, would be considered inappropriate but that’s my point of difference and that’s how I roll and I find people come to understand its part of the experience. A good product speaks for itself no matter what’s around it. Unfortunately, because my focus was solely on giving people a great experience I eventually got swallowed up by bills and taxes and had to close. However, the right place has come up now and I’m in a cracker of a new venue which is just perfect - it’s a manageable size and it’s already set up so all I’ve had to do is bring in some equipment and just slip in. Already my customers have started coming back and things are looking good. #coffee #smoothies #juice #toasties #chiapudding #daalnrice #greatfood #cafe #katoombacafe #visitbluemountains #livelocal #holidayherethisyear
15.01.2022 Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Meet Anna and Dom, the young guns at Katoomba Street cafe. @katoombastreetcafe I guarantee you’ll love what they have on offer with the new menu they’ve just created. ... It’s been both our dreams from a very young age to have a cafe. Dom: I was about five yrs old when I started cooking and saying I wanted to be a chef and own a cafe when I grew up because I just loved food. As I got older I fell in love with cafe culture. I especially love breakfast because it’s the most important meal of the day. Anna: I’ve always loved getting to know people. I originally wanted to be a dancer but I soon realised that it’s a short lived career so went into hospitality at around fourteen yrs of age and absolutely loved it. So, six months after we started dating an opportunity came up to buy this cafe so we jumped on it thinking what could go wrong...? We opened on Australia Day 2019 and just a few months later at Easter the dishwasher broke down and we lost power to the kitchen plus we couldn’t open the till and the EFTPOS went flat, all during our first prime four day holiday trading period. On another occasion our coffee machine broke down and we had to shut down for another four days. Also Anna has been managing personal loss with some deaths in her family and now we’re dealing with the downturn in trade due to the recent bushfires. All this whilst trying to work out how to run a business at the ripe old age of 21 and 22. But we’re pretty proud of how far we’ve come and reckon we can face anything after this last year.
14.01.2022 It’s funny how life has a way of connecting things to open up your path. Meet Gary, probably the Mountains’ premier landscape photographer. Running two or three workshops a month, selling prints, licensing to tourism magazines and guiding professional photographers from around the world to best locations is how Gary has found a way to make a living from his passion. PS: Harp playing is just another of Gary’s many talents. ... https://garyphayes.photography/ @garyphayesphotography (FB) @garyphayes.photography (INSTA) I got my first camera at 12 years of age and had a darkroom under the stairs and was fascinated by the process of taking a pic in the morning, processing it, having a print by lunchtime and being able to share it with friends, which was the most important part. I then went on to work in New Media and Music - at the BBC as Interactive TV Producer, and at The British Record Industry Trust School teaching music production and studio recording. I was, however, always drawn on weekends into the wilderness to capture nature through photography. In 2000 I was on an assignment in Western Australia for the BBC and whilst there took an off-road trip into a forest area and discovered a studio in the middle of nowhere with a photographer and his wife which opened my eyes to a different lifestyle driven by passion rather than being tied to the grind of a full time job. This discovery sowed the seed. In 2003 I made the big decision to put everything in storage and travel the world to find somewhere to live. After travelling to many countries I found myself standing on an escarpment in the Blue Mountains looking at the mist in the valley and realised this is the place I want to be. Work, however, took me to America where I luckily met a chap who was running an innovation lab in Melbourne. Through this connection I was headhunted to run an innovation lab in Australia. After working seven years there I got a job at the ABC. Throughout this time my partner and I would come to the Blue Mountains every weekend to get away from our busy schedules. She’d sit by the fire and read a book and I’d go exploring with my camera. Then in 2013 we moved up here. It was like being shot from a gun - from busy, well paid jobs with no freedom to now doing what I wanted. I started sharing on social media and I found my photography attracted those looking for personal connection rather than fine art works with people asking, can I buy that and can you teach me how to do that so we then bought a house with a studio where I set up a gallery which transforms into a training room to run my workshops. So I now I have my gallery/studio in the bush.
13.01.2022 Everyone walks out smiling Meet Selena and Matt from Way Too Fancy on Katoomba St, Katoomba. It’s probably the most eclectic shop you’ll find in the Mountains with their stock ranging from motorbikes to fine delicate jewellery. They stock vintage clothing and unique, end-of-line shoes, shampoo and body care products, energy stones, artwork...you name it, they’ve got it. Matt also does mobile phone repairs and reconditions old phones plus sells cases for all the different mo...dels. And best thing is...everything is at a reasonable price. We had been selling at the markets all the stuff we had collected too much of and things were selling quickly so we knew that people liked what we liked. It seemed the weirder our stuff was the more people loved it so we decided we should expand to a shop because we just knew it was going to work. We wanted to call the shop WTF but couldn’t do that so decided on Way Too Fancy even though we’re not fancy at all but we wanted to keep the WTF letters. Everyone who comes in comments on how unique we are and many have even said it feels like a Melbourne back alley style shop. So we’re always finding out what people want then we go looking for it and people love that and that’s what make us happy, seeing people so happy with their purchases. We also get people who just come in and just want to talk. And funny thing is we have a leather psychiatrists style lounge in the shop where they’ll often sit so we feel like psychiatrists sometimes but as long as it doesn’t get too draining, we’re happy with that. @waytoofancykatoomba #vintage #eclectic #vintagefashion #shoes #jewellery #crystals #energystones #artwork
12.01.2022 A place both wonderful and strange. Meet Meredith, owner of Odd Mountain Oddities. Shop 2, 81-83 Katoomba Street. Katoomba. If you’re wondering why things are a bit odd in the Mountains then perhaps this shop has a bit (or a lot) to do with it. Fashioned after the Victorian era "Cabinet of Curiosities" - or "Wunderkammer" - Wonder Cabinet which displayed objects commonly categorised as natural history, geology, ethnography, archaeology, religious or historical artifacts, ...works of art and antiquities, Odd Mountain Oddities is sure to have the perfect gift for that weird friend or family member who has everything. https://oddmountain.com/ @oddmountain I’ve always had a dark fascination about life and death and everything in between and already had quite a good collection of oddities when I was made redundant from my job in Sydney over three years ago. It was all quite impulsive, but rather than finding another job in Sydney and commuting a couple of hours a day, I decided to give this a go. I started very basic, taking stock from my own collection and added just a few products I sourced but I seem to have a knack for finding odd things and have built up the business with quite substantial stock levels now. People also bring me things and fortunately there’s enough people who are also into weird things as I’m still here three years later. #oddmountain #keepkatoombaodd #taxidermy #curios #visitbluemountains #holidayherethisyear #katoomba #lovelocal
10.01.2022 I connect people to wild places. Meet Caro who is a Mountains resident, the creator of Lotsafreshair, an influencer (that title makes her cringe) with 15,000+ YouTube followers and 60,000+ followers across all channels, a travel writer for Great Walks magazine, Australian Traveller and other outdoors media as well as a producer and content creator. I was always a super organised kid but creative as well and always thought you could only ever do a job that was either one o...r the other. So I spent a big part of my life doing admin and organisey-type jobs until I fell into TV production through my photography and creative side. Then I thought, ‘OMG! I’ve finally found my thing and that ‘thing’ is called a producer.’ As a producer you are a storyteller, but also a ‘make-it-happener’ with schedules and budgets to manage. That’s where I find I sit well, being able to do both - bringing out a story and making it all happen. Aside from that is my passion for the outdoors and bush walking which was something I relegated to just doing on weekends. I joined Sydney Bush Walkers Club and through them got involved with search and rescue with, what is now known as, SES Bush Search and Rescue Unit. I was involved in searches as a volunteer whilst working as a producer and suddenly realised that we’re looking for people who are lost because they just don’t know, what they don’t know. I saw it as a communications problem that needed to be fixed. So back in 2012, when blogs were just starting to get popular, I decided to give it a go. I wanted to come from an Australian voice speaking in the outdoors space as our conditions and culture are so different to US hiking/outdoors bloggers. That blog is called @lotsafreshair (https://lotsafreshair.com) and aims to achieve 3 things... * to educate people - tell them ‘how’ to do things. * To inspire people to go to the places they love, like our beautiful Blue Mountains * And to encourage people that they ‘can’ do it. Now they know HOW, now they know WHERE, they can actually do this and have a life that’s connected to wild and natural places - a place connected to the green stuff (this is where I get teary) - away from stress and digital connection and where they can find peace. If I can help people connect to that place, in a safe way and come back with a great story to tell others, my work is done.
09.01.2022 We had no idea how hard it would be when we set out which makes it so much sweeter now we’re actually open and brewing beer. Meet Harriet and DJ the owners of Mountain Culture Beer Co, a craft brewery at 23-25 Parke Street, Katoomba. From this heritage listed building they make beers to suit every palate from easy drinking, lagers to continually changing experimental beers for the craft beer nerd who feels like they’ve tasted it all. They also serve natural wines, local c...ider and burgers. This couple have truly run the gauntlet to bring this superb business to the Mountains’ community and its visitors. Mountain Culture Beer Co I kept saying to DJ, ‘You’re too good to not have your own brewery, you have to just do it’! Of course I was saying this as a biased wife, but I also knew his passion, his determination and that what he does is exceptional - he’s won countless awards and is well-respected in the industry. However, it took a long time for this passion for beer and our love for the Mountains to finally come together. After regular trips escaping from Sydney to Leura, where my mum lives, we decided we wanted to make our ‘escape place’ our home. This turned out to be a lot harder than we ever imagined. After looking for about three years, we finally found this building. So we leased it, but it took us 366 days just to get the approval to say yes, you can do a brewery here. Then we had to actually fit out the place which meant a complete transformation, installing all new electricity, all new plumbing, new concrete floors, new windowsbasically, all new everything. In terms of the aesthetics though, our goal was always to make the old bones shine again, so we stripped back everything to bring back the original features. We sandblasted the walls to reveal the original brick, removed ceilings to expose the old wooden beams and any trusses and things we removed for structural reasons, we turned into our tables. We also built a new deck out the back because we knew it’d be a prime spot to sit with a beer and mates and watch the sun set over the gully. DJ then set up our brewhouse. His passion for crafting beer means he goes the extra mile so of course, he had to get a completely customised brewhouse. What this means is that we can we can play around with grains to create really cool brews with unique flavours. He also installed a reverse osmosis filter, which means he can completely change the water profile. Given water is one of the four main ingredients in beer, it’s just another way he can brew something special. In fact, for our lager, he completely stripped the water here back to nothing, then added minerality so that the water matches the exact profile of Pilzen, in the Czech Republic. Because their water is so soft, it makes for a really crisp, clean lager. It’s one of our best sellers, and I guess an example of our commitment to produce great beer and create a memorable experience for anyone who walks through our doors.
09.01.2022 We all need to understand the human body and ourselves. Meet Chaitanyashree who runs Kundalini Enterprises at Shop 8 in the Town Centre Arcade on Katoomba Street. He is a Sound and Herbal Therapist, originally from Nepal where he trained under his spiritual teacher, Premangee. The shop has only been open in Katoomba for nine months now but he has been operating in Nepal & Australia since 2010 with his wife and a devoted team. His studio in Sydney is located in Newtown. His ...name in Nepalese is broken down to two words Chaitanya means Divine Radiance, Shree is one who takes another to that place. So it is fitting as a teacher and healer that this should be his name. www.kshtherapy.com As a child, I came from a very spiritual family who would go to the temple at least once a week but usually we would go more often because we have lots of festivals in our culture. In every temple there are lots of bells hanging around with different sizes, shapes and sounds and I always found them fascinating. My biggest motive when I went to the temple was to find the biggest bell and put my head inside it and ring the bell. The imprint of that sound went into my system and that was the start for me and ever since the sound has been calling me. At 17 years of age I began meditation with my spiritual teacher and with continued training eventually became a sound healer, especially with the singing bowl. I have also been running groups where we work with the elements to raise the vibration and consciousness of the earth. I also work on the human system in the same way which is very important. We all need to understand the human body and ourselves. My therapy helps people by releasing stress and anxiety and balances the body, mind and inner self. When people come in with all these things going on in their life and walk out with a big smile on their face it makes me very happy. I believe being in the mountains is a good place for people to receive this treatment as there is a special quality here for healing.
08.01.2022 The doors of Mount Vic and Me are open. Meet Kara from @mountvicandme whose iconic shop in Mount Victoria, upper Blue Mountains, is a breeding ground of creativity. You’ll also see her products sold in other shops around the Mountains and beyond inc online stores such as Etsy, Farmhouse Direct, Natural Selection Souvenirs, Scandi Down Under and The Sockery. Her range of giftware and fabrics which cover cushions, chairs, lampshades and ottomans are truly unique and joyful. ... I started my business in 2013 when I woke up one day, after being a graphic designer and illustrator for 20+ years, and decided I didn’t want to work for anyone else anymore but instead use my skill set to create my own range. I started with three cards initially and sold those to local shops. I used the proceeds from those sales to grow the collection. I now produce one hundred and fifty cards all of my own designs. Where I usually depict Australian birds, animals and flora, my current passion is the politicians. This came about when I entered the Blue Mountains Portrait Prize in 2018 with a portrait of Susan Templeman, our local representative, whom I had been chatting with about all the things she lost in the 2013 bush fires including all her chooks. So I did an artwork of her with her chooks around her feet and with her red Dorothy there’s no place like home shoes on, and a black cockatoo above her falling from the sky. Afterwards people started asking if I’d do other politicians. So I have grown that collection which has been a lot of fun with the designs of Pauline Hanson and Tony Abbott being quite playful. These designs feature on cards, mugs, tea towels, stubbie holders, fabrics and snow domes. So if you want a Bob Hawke snow dome, I have one. #greetingcards #politicians #cushions #mugs #teatowels #socks #snowdomes #australiandesigns #mountvictoria #creativepeople
07.01.2022 I’d like to grow carrots better Meet Shirley, aka the Baglady, who comes from a background in journalism, broadcasting, teaching, acupuncture and natural therapies. As a result of this background Shirley is accustomed to, and welcomes, the opportunity to have her voice heard. Her latest initiative with her FutureASAP campaign is to invite people to send her pics of them doing something they’re proud of (sustainability-wise) and/or something they’d like to be doing better. F...or instance, Shirley said she’d like to be growing carrots better. http://futureasap.com @Future ASAP At the age of fifty in 1995 I took a vow in the Conservation Hut at Wentworth Falls to dedicate twenty years to inspiring people to look after our beautiful planet. This is because I heard a talk with slides about our vanishing wilderness. It made me wonder what I would say to my children on my deathbed if I did nothing. This is now my 25th year of DOing. In 2001, for the Howard government funded campaign NPBAN (National Plastic Bag Awareness Week) which was my idea and run by Clean up Australia, I dreamed up the Baglady character. When I strung those bags around my neck and stepped out into the world really good things started to happen. I knew it was the perfect thing for me to do because politicians and the media seemed to see me as harmless and non threatening and it made people laugh which meant I could get my message across in an inviting and welcoming way. When people asked me why I was doing what I was doing I would ask them why they thought I was doing it and I found they would answer their question themselves which I think is very important. After the launch of that campaign I went back to Ireland to support and look after my elderly parents and stayed for ten years. In that time I did six funded projects. Since Northern Ireland is only a little bit bigger than the Blue Mountains, I was able to get involved with schools, councils, media, politicians, businesses, and government departments. I had a very privileged experience there so want to share it and bring it to a much wider audience in Australia. So in 2008/9 I started the ASAP campaign because it is a familiar acronym, meaning ‘as soon as possible’, but I have changed it to mean ‘as sustainably as possible’. I actually like doing things in a way that have a corny or fun element even though my message is very serious - that people need to live sustainably now due to our present circumstances because the things people buy and do make an impact - making things either better or worse.
07.01.2022 I thought, ‘why not give hair a go’. Fortunately this plan worked out amazingly. Meet Max from Max Steel Blue Mountains, a barber shop in Katoomba Antique Centre, 116 Bathurst Rd. Katoomba where you’ll step back in time. Oozing with old world appeal, the aesthetics is only part of the deal. Paired with Max’s skill which can only be described as superb, this business offers the whole shebang. And the good news is...it’s not only just for men, but for ladies too. You’ll be ...also interested to know that, on the side, Max is a music organiser, bringing Heavy Metal music to the Mountains every quarter to play at the Baroque Room. @maxsteelbluemountains After finishing school I didn’t know what I was going to do. I went to University for a week and dropped out. I then went and studied music, joined bands, travelled and had lots of fun. I was also cutting hair in the kitchen for band mates. But when the band dissolved after a few tours I decided to get a trade rather than just do random odd jobs and thought ‘why not give hair a go’. Fortunately, this plan worked out amazingly. I fell in love with a whole new industry and a whole new creative expression. I started that journey in 2011 down at Leura at Euphoria Hairdressing where I was taken on as a mature-age apprentice and it was a whole lot of fun. We had a corner designated for me to specifically do my barbering. It had an old-school vibe with an 1890s dentist chair and some beautiful antiques. I focused on keeping it very traditional as I love that whole vibe and have had many dapper haircuts myself, even with the twiddly pilot moustache. When Euphoria closed I set up my own chair in the Carrington Hotel for a while but soon after shutting up shop there this space came up in Feb 2019 and I jumped at it as I just love, not only my space, but also the great community of businesses we have here. #barber #hairdressing #coolbarbers #barbershop #vintage #stepbackintime #visitbluemountains #lovelocal #holidayherethisyear
07.01.2022 Uplift want to help you become the answer to injustice. Meet Anna the mother of four beautiful girls and owner of Uplift Fair Trade, a shop in Katoomba. Anna also runs Pop Ups and Fair Trade events by engaging churches, schools, businesses and communities with practical change through ethical awareness. https://upliftfairtrade.com.au/... @upliftfairtrade My journey into Fair Trade began when I was studying at Bible College to become a Youth Pastor where I did a subject called Aid and Development and realised very quickly that the issues around helping the poor and marginalised of the world is something I’m very passionate about. At this time I went to the Black Stump Music Festival and heard Tim Costello speak about child slavery on the chocolate fields of Ghana and West Africa and his message just hit my heart. The festival was just after my birthday and so when I got home and saw my children and saw all the chocolate that I had received as birthday gifts I just cried and cried and cried. All I could think was ‘how can I ever, with a clear conscience, consume something when I know someone else’s child has been enslaved and exploited to produce it.’ I started working at World Vision where I learned a lot about how they do aid development. I was learning about human trafficking and slavery in the world and different industries where we as consumers are connected to that exploitation. I then did my first trip to India in partnership with World Vision and Black Stump to see it all first hand. The first beggar we encountered had a huge impact on me. His arms were bent and he couldn’t walk properly. Right behind him was his ‘pimp’, the man who owned him - not hiding behind a tree or standing off somewhere, but right behind him. All my training and theory was confronted with this reality and I realised that giving him money was not the answer. This man needs a sustainable livelihood. I realised Fair Trade was the most sustainable way to help someone. So, in Oct 2016 I opened our shop in Katoomba. I work with 45 groups across India and Nepal who bring together all the products, provide capacity building and training and look after all the artisans as well as providing fair trade certifications. To make it easier for those who can’t make it to our store we have an online store on our website.
04.01.2022 Just wanted to give you the opportunity to see my business page. Come join us in the Mountains for a day! Like the page so you can keep up with experiences you may be interested in.
03.01.2022 Lady Luck began shrouded in mystery, oops, I mean ‘mist’ but eventually cleared for some true Rockabilly and Pin Up fun. #carringtonhotel #visitbluemountains #rockabilly... #pinup See more
02.01.2022 SWING DANCING SOUND LIKE YOUR THING? LADY LUCK FESTIVAL KATOOMBA Sat 18 Jan. ... Sydney Swing Katz free show and dance lessons The Sydney Swing Katz will be performing a live show and providing a free dance lesson in the Carrington Place Marquee, Katoomba Also.... Vintage car show Music performances Markets Vintage hairdressers Lady Luck contest Lady Luck after party. #swingdancing #rockabilly #music
02.01.2022 Even though this is my job, I can’t really call it work Meet Max from Serenity Trike Tours which is probably one of the most uniquely exhilarating experiences you’ll have in the Mountains. Offering a range of tours from 1 hr to a whole day (and in between), Max can work with you to customise the exact experience you’d like and even provides camping tours running for as many days as you’d like. @serenitytriketours... http://www.serenitytriketours.com.au The idea for Serenity Trike Tours came from my love of motorcycles, touring and camping - and not because I love a crazy ride but because of the freedom and access bikes give me to an environment where that freedom is unabated. It’s something I have done all my adult life. When I moved up here from Sydney over a decade ago I got a job at Scenic World. I worked in the kitchen for a few months until a supervisor suggested I’d be good on the rides so I was trained to work on the train and cable ride etc. I’m actually a very quiet person so when I was bombarded with the colourful and loud explanations I had to give, I found it really hard because it wasn’t how I normally express myself. But I did ok for the five years I worked there. Through that period I started thinking about doing something for myself as I was meeting lots of tour operators and enjoyed talking to them about what they did, especially the smaller operators who were doing more creative tours. I knew I could do it well, especially with small groups as I can be personable, I can make people feel comfortable and could show them a good time and have them going away feeling that was really something - all without making it about me. All I had to be was a good bloke and read how people want to be treated. So with all I learned about the industry at Scenic World, I got smart about it and figured out what I wanted to do and then bought my Trike. I’ve now been running since 2013 and love that there’s just so much versatility. One of my first tours was a 12 day camping trip out to the Warrumbungles which was fantastic but I also enjoy just running someone around for an hour showing them our stunning scenery. Whether fast or slow it’s an exhilarating and unique experience I offer. It’s like being on a flying lounge and because people are sitting up high they can feel and see everything around them as there’s no containment or visual restrictions. I don’t have to say anything because people are so wrapped up in their own experience of ‘this is incredible’. I find it very humbling. #trikes #triketours #visitbluemountains
