This morning we're gonna be doing something that we have never done before
I don't even think I know anybody who's done this in Brisbane
This is exciting
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Hey you guys Phoebe here from Little Grey Box with Matt behind the camera and
today we are in Australia in sunny Queensland because we are exploring our
beautiful hometown, Brisbane
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To help you travel well we're going to be sharing
all of our experiences and travel tips of the next few days so make sure you
subscribe and say hello in the comments below you guys
Queensland's capital city is home to around two and a half
million people now Brisbane has a thriving food
arts and cultural scene and of course Matt and I are biased we think it is the best
city in the whole of Australia you guys but it is also the gateway to all of the
amazing things that Queensland offers you have got the Gold Coast to the south
Sunshine Coast to the north, out west, you've got the gorgeous
Darling Downs region and of course it is going to be your gateway to the
rest of far north and tropical Queensland as well
We are staying here at Rydges South Bank you guys, now
South Bank is the perfect place to stay you've got easy access to
all of the cultural art scenes, you've also got plenty of good restaurants
cafes and bars to choose from and the CBD is a short walk away too you guys
Now Matt and I are going to catch a show at QPAC this evening so we thought we
thought we would come here to Soleil which is the poolside bar
at Rydges South Bank, they have got amazing cocktails I've gone for a
Cosmopolitan, Matt's got a gin and tonic and we've ordered some food from their
delicious grazing menu too
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So South Bank is Brisbane's cultural and arts hub this is the precinct for all of those kinds of
experiences and behind me you can see the Queensland Performing Arts Center
which is also known as QPAC and tonight Matt and I are going to see
The Book of Mormon that is something I've wanted to see for a really long time so I'm really
excited about it but whether you're staycationing or coming from out of town
you know if you come to South Bank and you want to stay at somewhere like Rydges
catch a show it all just ties in perfectly and with all that good food
and wine in the neighbourhood too you guys it is just the perfect combination
Now South Bank was actually originally designed for World Expo 88 Matt yes he
went to World Expo 88 I was a mere baby so I didn't attend but now it has been
totally redeveloped there's all these gardens they have all kinds of
activities you know free events and really fun things you can do throughout
the year so make sure you jump on that Visit Brisbane website they have some
really good insight on there for you but whether you're coming you know just for
a holiday or you're staycationing this is the spot for all of the best fun things to see, do and eat
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So what I love about Brisbane and what you guys aren't quite feeling right now
is the temperature it is so beautiful and warm and this is what I love about
Brisbane I mean the weather it is so perfect it's a beautiful night there's a
gorgeous sunset happening over there it's got a really community safe
friendly feel to me and it's just such a welcoming place it's so livable so if
you come here you really want to get outdoors you really want to enjoy the
city see the lights have some drinks eat some good food this is the place to be
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Alright, you guys, so obviously there isn't gonna be any filming once the show gets started but...
we are both so excited Matt has no idea what this is about
No
The set looks amazing the Lyric Theatre is huge we have amazing seats, dead centre
I've really been looking forward to this
You guys, that was so, so good I don't really know what I was expecting from
The Book of Mormon but it was so, so funny so if you haven't really heard about it is
based on the Mormon Church and it was written by I think is it Trey Stone...
...Matt Stone and Trey... the guys behind South Park and all of
that kind of stuff so it was really really really funny Matt was like
What is this gonna be? and he had the best time too we just had tears rolling down
our cheeks it was so much fun. It just reminded me to kind of get out there and
do things like that I.. I quite often don't think to do things like that
I need to start doing more of them because that was a real real fun night for us
But you guys I am absolutely exhausted it is
like three hours past my bedtime so we're gonna go back to Rydges, get a
really good night's sleep and get up in the morning and have a really fun day around Brisbane
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Good morning you guys, we are starting our day at Rydges South Bank
We're having breakfast at their Bacchus Restaurant
They've got loads of good food up there there is a pancake machine, there's a full honeycomb
Barista-made coffees, ahh yes thank you Let's give this a go
Ohh, that's really good that's good coffee
So I had the best sleep last night our room is so good I can't wait to show you guys later
But what I like about it most is it goes really really dark I know that sounds weird but if there's any kind of
light in the room I can't sleep in there and that room is pitch black so I had a really good sleep
just not enough of it! Matt and I were up early this morning crushing the gym
We're trying to get fit, aren't we? Yes, he's nodding
We are going to finish off this breakfast and then we are gonna head out and show you a bit more of Brisbane
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So it's only taken us a couple of minutes to walk from the hotel down here
to South Bank now it is a Saturday you guys, so they are setting up the markets
these are gonna go all day and all night so if you are visiting on a weekend
make sure you come and check them out I would just say it is extremely hot and
Brisbane weather is like a subtropical humid climate so make sure you're
drinking plenty of water you want to have sunscreen on, covered up, hats
rest and really stay hydrated it is gonna be your best friend but like I said if you
are here in the weekend make sure you come down and check out these markets
there are lots of handicrafts lots of great food to try and you've got all these
good bars and restaurants around this place too
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This area is known as Streets Beach
and you would not believe how inviting that water looks right now I am
so hot it is a really hot and humid day today but you guys this is the perfect
spot to come for a swim both Matt and I have been coming here for years when
you're a little kid you come here with your family you swim all day you know
you eat a great picnic lunch and then you go home all tuckered out. For visitors this
is a must visit spot because it's so unique you've got Brisbane CBD in the
background the Brisbane River running along in front and then of course this
man-made beach if you really want to get some great Instagrammy pics I would
recommend coming at sunrise get here really really early before
anybody else does and you should get it to yourself and of course I would just say
just keep in mind there are a lot of families here so if you are taking photos
and that kind of thing just try and avoid all the little kids if you can
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Getting around Brisbane is really really easy now of course you can use Uber and things like that
If you have the time I would definitely recommend you hire some bikes and kind of ride along the
foreshore here it's especially lovely at night you can stop for you know a nice
refreshing drink along the way but if you want to get around during the day
free and easily the CityHopper is a great option it is a free little ferry
service that runs and it will drop you off at different points between the CBD
and different areas around Brisbane so you could easily do a CityHopper crawl
during the day or just use it to get from point A to point B and it's such a
great way to see Brisbane, really get on that water see it from a different angle
and experience river life
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The Howard Smith Wharves is the perfect spot to come for a nice cold beer it is so
hot today and I really need this to cool down, plus some water of course
now what's great about this spot is that it wraps around the water, you can see the
Story Bridge behind me and the CBD in the background It is just gorgeous now ideally I would
say you want to avoid the heat in the middle of the day and come here in the afternoon instead
you get that really beautiful golden afternoon light It'll be a bit more bustling, more people, you know
more drinks and there are some great food options down there too
there's a gelato shop, schwarmer, tacos and of course you can eat and drink at spots like
Felons which is where we are right now But you guys this looks so good...
yep
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The Queen Street Mall is the heart of Brisbane's CBD if you're visiting from out
of town this is really spotty you wanna come and check out if you're keen for
some shopping and whatnot they have got stores lining both sides you guys
everything you could ever need or want there's some really cool older building
facades which is really nice, those heritage-listed building shopfronts that they retained and then
built the stores in the back of I love that kind of thing
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After all that outdoor adventuring Matt and I needed a chance to cool down
rest and recharge before our delicious dinner tonight so we are back here at
Rydges South Bank now this place has recently completed their
30 million-dollar all room upgrade so the rooms here are pretty schmick and I
thought I would give you a look at ours the name of it is a king... suite... river view
there are so many names so many words in that name I think that's right
but I believe this is the best room type that they have and it is really, really
generously sized they have this extra seating area here personally I've been
using that area to do my makeup but it's also used to really nice spot to sit if
you've been ordered room service behind me they have the mini bar of course they
also have a microwave an espresso machine with the pod capsules they have
this great little kind of kitchenette area this is something I really love to
see in hotels personally now this area behind me to the left this is fantastic
they have this huge L-shaped couch and a gigantic television come through into the
boudoir so they have this bedroom with another really big television mounted on
the wall the bed is a king size and it is very very comfortable and this room
you guys it is really dark and it's very quiet you know you've got a kind of a
major road across the river there and when you're out on your balcony you do
hear some road noise but as soon as you shut those windows shut these doors shut
those curtains it is dark and quiet and here it is perfect we had the best sleep
last night so in here this bathroom is really modern and everything's well
designed and then this shower which is really great good water pressure and
nice hot water and plenty of it which is really important as we all know
So our balcony wraps all the way around and yesterday Matt and I were out
here taking photos and some guy walked out on that balcony I was so embarrassed
but we have the balcony out here you can see all of West End and out
beyond out to... is that Mt Cootha out there? Matt's nodding, yes... my Brisbane geography
is right so you can see all of this here and then this balcony wraps all the way
around behind me it's pretty windy you guys look at all of that you even have to leave the
room to see Brisbane you can order off their in-room replenish menu just sit in
there with some wine and food and enjoy yourself and feel like you are making
the most of Brisbane without having to set foot outside
Today is not quite over just yet
you guys we caught the sunset from our room and now he has come down to Bacchus
to try their amazing degustation now they have your kind of classic
option and then they also have vegan vegetarian option which is what I'm
going to be doing. It says it's a 4-course but I'm counting about 8 on there
by the time they add all the breads amuse-bouche, and there's like a herb sorbet
and petit fours on there we are going to be stuffed
I've worn a baggy dress in preparation
For our amuse-bouche we've got the world's cutest taco
among some other tasty treats
I'm going to eat this like a giant
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Being here reminds me of the day I actually left my job
not the day I quit, I mean the day I actually walked out this is it, I knew I was never coming back
Matt picked me up from work, we got all dressed up and went to our favourite restaurant in Brisbane
and we just blew all this money on this incredible dinner
we just celebrated it was so much fun entree, main, dessert, all the drinks
and we were so happy and it was
such a really great moment for both of us and I'm so happy we celebrated that like that with a meal
Good morning you guys, now look Matt and I have lived in Brisbane
for a very long time we feel like we have seen and done it all but today we
are doing something we have never done before this is something I don't even
know anybody that has done this we are doing a scenic helicopter flight
around the Brisbane CBD and I am so excited I've not even so much as
put a drone up around Brisbane it's gonna be so great to see the city that
we love from a different angle we're gonna get in that chopper and we're
gonna go for a flight... my belt just came off
let's go
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Oh my goodness that was so much fun
the guys who run it are just so professional it just made my heart so full to see my
hometown and it looks so beautiful that was an absolute highlight experience and
I can't think of a better way to follow that up than with an in-room champagne breakfast
Helicopter ride, Moet, who am I?
We have had so much fun showing you around Brisbane
Now we've really only just scratched the surface and we only showed you a
little bit of what Brisbane has to offer including a little taste of South Bank
and through the CBD but there is so much more to our hometown and we would love
to show you more so hopefully we get the chance to do that and if you ever come
to Brisbane I hope you have found these tips helpful when you're planning your
trip now you guys that brings our video to a close I really hope you enjoyed
watching it if you don't already a be sure to subscribe right now so you never
miss an episode and say hello in the comments below have a great weekend and
I will see you with a brand new episode next week
Love ya!
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