Reviews by Lian_Li
I have to say, I'm in love with this place. I love not only the lovely ladies who run it. I love the concept behind it also.
AND I'm Really very much enjoying the Craft class's. I have finally found in Bendigo, a place where I can go to learn and feel comfortable doing it.
• I have taken many classes over the years. Never have I found a place to just sit, share and can be totally at ease within yourself and its ambiance.
• I have enjoyed my time within S'wing Cafe so much in the Yak-n-yarn class
• (bring your wool and needles for only $4 for the ENTIRE MORNING)
• Children's Morning's, Kids hear a story while mum goes to natter!
• I'm shouting S'wing's praise to who ever will listen, LOUDLY!!!
• I feel all craft is a long lost tradition to be passed on. This is a place that is Conducive to creativity, to sit without Noise as there is room's in a lovely Old Home Setting that has been Beautifully refurbished.
Its not only that time's are changing so much. Men saying home to look after the kids while his wife goes to work, both working to support their family, we all live in this ever changing world.
A woman's place is no longer just in the home, Its her duty to create using every aspect of her skills as a housewife, she can not only create a beautiful home in which to live, a family other's would like to spend time with, food that others would like to eat-try-learn how to make- share recipes and so on.
A woman, any woman has within herself to pass on to the generations that follow and those in front of her, her craft in all aspects of being a woman.
Through the generations there have been subjected to many fad craft's but with anything there are always the one's that stay with us. I feel those are being lost, S'wing Cafe have within your wall's not only a place for anyone, Male Or Female to be creative, but a place to also learn that is conducive to fill your creative needs whatever they be.
Also helping in your way to keep these crafts alive as they should be, passed on from one to another through the Generation's.
Sewing, Knitting, Crochet, Paper Craft, and much more, as do our Men these day's. What can be more Cathartic than to break up a few tiles and create a beautiful Mosaic to go in your home.
Anyone can do these with someone to teach them how. These Craft's are not only being lost, but also are the place's in which you go to learn them. They aren't even taught in schools anymore. I feel so very humbled to be apart of this beautiful place S'wing Cafe has created, so I can now learn have a chat and be sociable another skill that is being lost due to social media.
Social media has it's place, as has everything, but to be able to interact with others is something you again learn. I feel you have provided, such a place with in the S'wing Cafe.
NOT JUST THAT… But you can also Buy Handmade Craft all made by Local's.
As they are an offshoot of Radius Disability Service's, http://www.rds.org.au/ they also do Catering, screen Printing, Calico Country, Mail House packaging, Property Management (Gardening).
There is So much more to S'wing then just these things.
They provide a service to all, from Business to the Homemaker, Power person, to relax, kick back AWAY from the Hustle and Bustle of the CBD.
Call in for coffee and cake or a Scrumptious home made Lunch served to you by the Intellectually disabled who is being trained, giving much lost self esteem, along side their own Qualified Pastry Chef.
A place we can all feel at ease. In an at Home Setting, cute refurbished House made suitable.
Ramp Access. Great Service, Book a Function or call in for lunch to see the girls.
Say Hiya to Laura a Dynamic young Lady who has put her heart into this Dream.
FREE Disable Parking on street, Also a couple of Off street Parking FREE.
Approximate cost: $Minimal
I always seem to go back to La Porchetta for the pizza. My fave pizza shop shut down and there just isnt a decent authentic pizza about or if there is one, they don't deliver.
La Porchetta delivers and they have authentic pizza with heaps of toppings, they deliver in record time, its always hot when it gets here and the staff are friendly and helpful.
They have other dish's as well, but I go for the pizza.
I have been doing my Meat shopping here for many years and have never had a bad cut of meat.
I find the staff helpful and friendly all of the time.
Theres always heaps of parking also has a few disable spots.
They have just completed some renovations and the shop is now much bigger.
Herbs for curry dishes, Bread from the Good Loaf and FISH in one of the many freezers
I'm a huge Fudge lover and was happy to find Maldon now ha a Fudge shop.
Its hand made in the shop and displayed nicely behind glass. The newly made is kept under also behind glass all sits there ready and waiting to be cut up into lovely decent size oblong blocks.
From memory it was $4 for one block the more you buy the cheaper it get's to buy 5 get 1 free $20, heaps of flavours with more being made daily. You can try each one, making it easier to choose.
The staff is happy, friendly and helpful.
Lots of lovely gifts here also, but I go for the fudge.
I have purchased a few things now from Scoopon, i've had only one problem as well, that was handled well with a good result ending in full refund in no time at all, with a very happy end result.
There is always great deals for going overseas and short trips around Australia that help us to see this wonderful country of ours.
Also heaps of items for gift giving and to spoil yourself.
Scoopon is one of only 2 group buying site's I make use of.
I ran in quickly off a bus trip we were on, on the day.
There was hot food, cakes, snacks hot and cold drinks.
I bought some bird seed as there was birds of all colors to have heaps of fun with, we had a great day because of the bird seed we bought there.
They also have gifts, I found them to be a little expensive as they were the only shop for a few mile's.
Well worth a run in if you're there, it will add to the fun of the day with the birds.
I had a lovely time doing a little shopping in here some time ago. Its a great place to get a few great bargains, the seconds/discontinued line shop is behind and the shop on the corner. Both are lovely and have lovely very helpful ladies running them.
This day I was in the seconds shop in the rear and found a stunning dress marked down from $127 to only $45, I bought it a little big for our 2year old so it fits for longer. Also found gorgeous handmade felted slippers for $20 they were just to cute not to buy them.
All sorts of natural items to buy to keep baby's skin healthy. Well worth a look if you're in town.
I have stopped in Gaffney's a few times now each time thinking they can't possibly be rude everytime to all these ppl or they wouldn't be in Business? or is it just me?
Well again yet another visit to gaffney's thinking I might just get better service this time, I was wrong.
Three times the girl called out " can I help anyone?" I raised my hand as I do and again nothing, I'm a little over Gaffney's and don't think I'll even bother again, their stuff isn't that great anyway, I've had better and I didn't in the end get what I'd asked for so all in all another disappointing visit there on my way through.
The Pastry on the tart was way to think as was the pastry on the vanilla slice was tough and rubbery and the custard in the vanilla slice was a little old, It seemed like it had been standing for some time. And I feel they are overpriced, $4.50 for a vanilla slice is a tad much.
We stumbled upon the winery on a pleasant Saturday drive while looking for something else that has closed down.
I saw Cafe and thought, "yep Sunny day (one of the first for this spring), What would be better than sitting in the foothills of Mount Alexander covered in green grass slurping a fine Red?"
But I don't drink red's, but what pulled me in was a sign that I had never seen before in the middle of nowhere that said COFFEE, well it said Cafe, But Cafe implies COFFEE now doesn't it? So up the bumpy wine'dy track to see a small guest house that was in fact the cafe winery/cellar door.
Set out with window's all around inside was table's and chairs all set up for light lunch's and coffee that was Lovely, I don't think I have had many coffee's that were like that one to tell the truth, I'm not really a coffee drinker either more a Tea Girl myself, but found the coffee here to be delightful, not to strong that I had to add 20 pounds of sugar just so I could drink it.
The Lunch menu looked lovely offering ox cheek that is my fave, but as we had just had lunch in town I didn't order anything for lunch.
The winemaker Bill is also the chef and the wine maker, so I really feel I need to go back to taste the beef cheek as the coffee was amazing and he really knew what he was talking about with his wine's. Both Sandra and Bill were lovely ppl and did like a bit of a chat, telling us about their wine's and winery.
We didn't try the wine's but will next time we go for a drive we will call in for lunch a wine tasting and Coffee to follow, as Bill was talking about having a small coffee menu to come also.
So I will look forward to our next visit.
My son had Jamie and Kim at my grand-daughter's 6th Birthday Party. It was a huge hit with everyone who came that day and the talk of the playground for over a week following lol.
Jamie came with all sorts of australian wildlife baby's and a couple of adults. He was very professional yet heaps of fun.
He showed and allowed the kids to handle the animal's and taught them about the snake's he had to show on the day.
Jamie came with Snakes, a small Croc and lizards and a few of our furry friends as well, Possum, Wombat a Beautiful Adult Dingo and more.
As he speaks about the animals he teaches the kids about them, he also teaches everyone about snake's as he is a licenced handler.
Jamie and Kim were great with the kids, there was over 20 kids at our party that day as well as adults.
We are in Bendigo, Jamie is from Ararat and he was cheaper to hire for the party than anyone in our area. He was a little late, but he didn't know the area and my son's isn't on the maps as yet.
His fee was around the $300 mark, I thought was very reasonable as other's in the area cost more and they didn't have to travel that far.
Very happy with Jamie and Kim and I would recommend them for any children's event.
Well!! any event where you would like to learn about our aussie bush animals really. It would be a huge treat for those in aged care also to handle the animals.