The Carrington Hotel
A brand-new public house is in the works on the fringe of Fortitude Valley’s central party precinct, taking over the building formerly home to scruffy boozer Sabotage Social. The Carrington Hotel is the name of the newcomer and is the brainchild of Peter Stark – the owner of The Montague Hotel in West End. The venue’s interior is currently undergoing some aesthetic tweaks, highlighting the building’s existing raw exposed brick, pressed-metal ceilings and polished concrete. With a capacity for 300 patrons, The Carrington Hotel will boast two beer gardens, an on-site bottle shop and an adjoining sports bar upon completion. This brand-new venture will reportedly emphasise a multi-faceted offering, headlined by boozy lunches, a signature cocktail and infused-vodka program and a menu of modern Australian eats. Brad Cochrane will be overseeing the bar, which will pour craft beers, global wines and specialty spirits, while executive chef Craig Watson is curating The Carrington Hotel’s menu. Using a custom-built Texas smoker, The Carrington’s kitchen will dish out whiskey-infused wagyu sirloins, smoked barbecue lamb rump, baked brie with crusty bread, popcorn pork with tomato salsa, share-style platters and much more. Doors are scheduled to officially open in mid-July – rest assured we’ll be giving you a closer look come launch.

Victoria Park Vision
Over the weekend, Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced to The Sunday Mail some big changes for Herston’s Victoria Park Golf Course. Plans have been put in place to transform the site into a brand-new park, one that is double the size of Brisbane’s own City Botanic Gardens. Works will start in 2021 to convert the 45-hectares of council land into a vibrant park, which will feature connections to the forthcoming Brisbane Metro through stations at Herston and Kelvin Grove. The project – titled Victoria Park Vision – will look to retain the golf course’s popular function centre, wedding venue, putt-putt course and driving range, while also considering the possibilities for new entertainment facilities. For more information on the development, read on here.

Kizakura Sake Masterclass
If you’ve ever dined at Harajuku Gyoza, there’s a high chance you’ve witnessed the lively celebrations that occur when a table orders a round of sake. Safe to say the dumpling outfit is a huge proponent of sake, so what better location to host a sake masterclass? Harajuku Gyoza on Albert Street will be welcoming Japanese sake master Toshi Maeda of Kizakura for a night of sake tasting and education, complemented by a special tasting menu assembled by Harajuku Gyoza’s executive chef Matthew Fosker. Expect the likes of sashimi of Hiramasa king fish paired with Kizakura’s Junmai Daiginjo sake, seared wagyu sirloin with yakiniki sauce and a sip of Kizakura’s Yamahai Jikomi sake, and slow-cooked pork belly kakuni paired with Kizakura’s Kimoto Yamadai Tokubetdu Junmai sake. The event will be taking place on Wednesday June 26, with a second masterclass event taking place at Harajuku Gyoza’s Broadbeach Beer Stadium the following night. You can get your tickets here.

Winter Seasonal Flavours at Milton Markets
The seasonal change isn’t just bringing with it some cooler temperatures, but also a host of newly in-season produce. Milton Markets is celebrating the chill with its Winter Seasonal Flavours festival, taking place on Sunday June 16 . More than 150 stalls will be setting up from 7:00 am, serving fresh produce, tasty eats, artisan wares and more. The Fonzie Abbott crew will also be on hand, pouring hot cups of brew and hosting a coffee cupping workshop for the serious caffeine aficionados. Rug up and get in early to snap up the best of the new season!

ChocFest
Sharpen your sweet tooth – Portside Wharf is hosting decadent extravaganza ChocFest on Sunday July 7. From 10:00 am, the precinct will be transformed into a sugary haven, with Portside Wharf’s various vendors hawking an assortment of treats until the early afternoon. Expect chocolate nachos and chocolate churros tacos from Burrito Bar, chocolate biscotti and cannoli from Belvedere Bar N Grill, honeycomb crumble shakes from Hello Harry, Milky Bar martinis at Byblos and Italian hot chocolate and Nutella pizzas from Gusto da Gianni. Dendy Cinemas Portside will be hosting a special screening of Chocolat that afternoon – a perfectly sweet finish to a day of indulgence.

If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].