Friday night I was at a loose end. I had a 10 pm commitment to watch a family member's band at the iconic Hindley St music venue
Jive. So what do you do with such a delay to my regular 9 pm bedtime (as if!).
Well, I decided to have my special happy hour and see what Hindley St has to offer a slightly ageing outrageous visitor.
I bussed in, and alighted in King William Street and began my inquisitive, happy hour or two, from one end of Hindley Street to the other.
My first stop, an elegant Spanish Albarino at Udaberri. The first of the now famous collection small bars in the Leigh St Precinct. It is a classy place, full of vibrant workers, and young couples on their first stop for a night out. It was encouraging to sit next to a pair of young Adelaide lads flirting with the French bartender, and two Chinese students made up to the 'nines.' Multiculturalism is alive and well in Adelaide.
Next stop the best Wine Bar in Australia (according to Gourmet Traveller), the Pink Moon Saloon,
The Top Shelf at the Pink Moon Saloon
constructed in a dead end laneway. A great use of space and an equally beautiful French Chenin Blanc thanks to Joshua, the bartender.
Then to replenish the cash from the hole in the wall and a slow observational walk to dinner.
Hindley Street is always changing, new bars, new food joints, places closed, Imprints Books and the re-invented Greater Union name, GU Cinema, in the old, new, refurbished 1980's Greater Union building just before Morphett St.
Refurbished Cinema in Hindley Street
There is a great vibe, and between 7 pm and 9 pm the street hasn't turned anything like ugly. Even a few dollars in the cap of a few homeless huddled along the way seems ok, though the community of city homeless is another story altogether.
Dinner at Phonatic was fantastic Vietnamese fare. Excellent, if a little contemporary Pho, and a fund atmosphere full of people. They have a growing and deserved reputation though they were a
little overwhelmed by the numbers on this occasion. I had planned a short visit to the Hungry Hippo for a game of solitaire UNO, but I sadly ran out of time. I chose a pre-show drink instead with my daughter and her friends in the most unusual Beer Garden downstairs at Nexus. Off to Jive and the gig, featuring Adelaide's best female artists.
The gig at Jive was great, and what a group of friends and family.
I love the way my daughter, our family, and friends include me in their musical journey as if I was one of them. Of course, everyone needs a little Ray (sic) of sunshine.
It was great to hang out with these great young women making great music happen in Adelaide. Check out
Auguste,
The Porch Sessions and
Nexus Arts.
Beth (Auguste),Sharni (The Porch Sessions), Skye(Auguste and Music SA) and Mindi (Nexus Arts)
I couldn't quite keep up their pace, however, and I fell into a Taxi, for the trip home about midnight. Can I respectfully suggest, as an alternative to Friday night television, a happy hour in Hindley Street is worth considering, to remind you that you are, alive?
