URBAN ESCAPE Relax, dine and unwind in St Kilda - URBAN RETREAT
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URBAN RETREAT
URBAN ESCAPE
Relax, dine and unwind in St Kilda
112 { nourish magazine www.nourishmag.com.au
112-117_Urban Retreats St Kilda.indd 112 26/05/14 5:37 PM
Not everyone has the luxury of jetting off to an
exotic locale with the anticipation of luxurious
spa treatments and prescribed meals on
hand. That’s why a little adventure in my own
backyard of Melbourne was a welcome option
to unwind and debrief after a long week at the
office, writes anji Bignell.
I
remember my first memories take in the Melbourne skyline. It’s so
of St Kilda were traipsing the relaxing and quiet that it is hard to
foreshore for live music and bars believe that I am looking out onto the
along Acland street during the St cityscape while snuggled up within
Kilda Festival – the gritty underbelly the soft, calming interiors of the spa.
of its little side streets, filled with Spa director Lyndall Mitchell has
local sticky-carpet haunts and people spent years developing the concept,
spilling out into the summer night. design and spa treatments of Aurora.
The St Kilda Festival is still a The idea and logistics behind running
yearly tradition, yet the scene has a luxurious spa retreat within the city is
changed over the years in this seaside somewhat of an anomaly in Australia
playground only six kilometres from – especially to such a high standard of
the city centre of Melbourne – service and tailored treatments.
burgeoning spa, food, local community “Seven years ago there were no such
markets, music, art and lawn bowls things as urban retreats in Australia;
have intermingled to make this the however, they have been quite
perfect place for an urban escape. prevalent in the global spa world for
quite some time, especially in the US
reLaX and Europe,” Mitchell says.
Nestled within the heart of The It’s about achieving maximum
Prince hotel, I had no idea this urban results in a short period of time. And
sanctuary even existed. Above the it works.
lofty staircase and greeted by the
tranquil sound of water trickling
down the sides of its entranceway, Try: Signature Kitya Karnu
I’m instantly charmed by Aurora Spa
Retreat and the myriad of delicious- This is a unique, deeply relaxing
smelling lotions and potions (that massage in a private steam
are made locally and of all-natural room. The treatment uses
ingredients) that surround me. aromatic body oils to massage
The first tier of my spa journey is to the body, pure mineral salts for
get changed into my robe and settle a full body exfoliation followed
in to drink a unique, blended tea and by a creamy walnut wattleseed
exfoliant to completely detoxify
and lift dead skin. along with
“BURGEONING a nourishing hair treatment
SPA, FOOD, LOCAL and face cleanse and masque,
COMMUNITY MARKETS, the body is then softly stroked
with cool river stones in a ritual
DownloaD
your free
DownloaD
MUSIC, ART AND LAWN that centres and revives the
in-site
&in-site
app
your free
scan page
app BOWLS INTERMINGLE energy chakras – this one-hour
for& gallery
scan
page for TO MAKE THIS THE treatment will guarantee to
sT KilDa have you revitalised for the
image
gallery
PERFECT PLACE FOR week ahead.
AN URBAN ESCAPE.” aurorasparetreat.com.au
www.nourishmag.com.au nourish magazine } 113
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URBAN RETREAT
Chefs Ashly Hicks and
Circa lounge
Lyndon Tyres are advocates for
sustainable, organic produce used
within the menu, where possible.
The dishes reveal characteristic
earthy undertones from the
DownloaD
your free clean, fresh ingredients utilised.
in-site app
& scan page
& scan Minimal fancy embellishments
for gallery
page for
circa image are needed to bring out the
gallery natural flavours of the produce.
Try: Sher Wagyu rump
with burnt onions and
truffle mustard and a glass
of Victorian shiraz.
The perfect romantic, winter
interlude at:
circa.com.au
UnwinD
The integrative, relaxing experience
Dine and some freshly shucked oysters of my day is completed with a short
There are so many options for eating with cucumber and whey, I’m stroll to the lift, which takes me
out in St Kilda, it could well be a not going to lie to you, I felt like, straight to my room for the night.
matter of what kind of experience quite possibly, the luckiest woman The Prince hotel is a sleek, sexy-
you are after. alive. Oysters were followed looking building with minimalist
Located below Aurora, within The up with the smoky flavours of style that doesn’t compromise on the
Prince Hotel building, Circa seemed roasted duck, kohlrabi, lovage usual mod cons. My double room
like the obvious choice after floating and green plum and, afterwards, has a queen-size bed, luxurious
away from my spa treatment (laden a dessert of coconut with malted bathroom and bathroom products
with delicious spa goodies like the rose milk, honeyed fig and ginger and some South American chocolate
and shea hand cream and rosemary and served with Ron Zacapa rum as a welcoming gift upon arrival.
clove mentholated scrub, to continue on ice – the recommendation Unpretentious and accessible in
my spa experience at home). from my wonderful sommelier pricing, The Prince is still stylish and
Whisked to my table and – the perfect choice for this allows me to unwind from my week,
served a glass of Moet to sip on standout dish of the night. knowing that I’m just minutes away
Aurora Spa Spa director Lyndall Mitchell
114 { nourish magazine www.nourishmag.com.au
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The Prince hotel
Acland St. Cantina
• Walk the solar system along the
waterfront – a council collaborative
with artists and scientists who have
designed and constructed a model
of the solar system, where every
metre walked represents 1,000,000
kilometres within a 5.9km distance.
• Barefoot bowls at St Kilda
Bowls Club is a Melbourne
institution and induction into
the relaxed atmosphere of St
Kilda. Grab a cold beer on a
sunny day and join in for a bowl
with young and old alike.
• Lunch at Captain Baxter serves up
from the city. Breakfast at Acland entertainment the best local produce with a view
St. Cantina the next morning was a Well known for attractions like Luna of the St Kilda waterfront. A tasty
great South American single-origin Park, the St Kilda Sea Baths and the mix of Asian street-style tapas
coffee and fresh tortilla, all set within rock ‘n’ roll hall of Melbourne fame, and main meals to share (with
a cheerful, diner-style interior. The Espy, there are countless other gluten-free and vegan options) and
activities available for the local day- a cheeky cocktail list. Standout
tripper or visiting tourist including: dishes are the yellowfin tuna,
Try: The Prince Winter Short • The first Saturday of each month, coconut, tamari almonds, mojama
Escape for two package. the Veg Out St Klida Farmers’ and nashi; and the pork hock
Market includes an incredible array croquettes with truffled gribiche.
stay at the four-star hotel for of market stalls selling organic vegies, (See chef Matt Dawson’s
just $175 a night and enjoy a herbs, juices, free-range meat and recipe on the next page).
welcome drink upon arrival,
wine – directly from the growers captainbaxter.com.au
breakfast at circa, standard
double room with queen-size and producers. (St Kilda also has a
bed, wi-fi and late checkout at community garden that houses over For more information on St
one-pm. 145 individual plots that locals tend Kilda and its attractions visit:
theprince.com.au to, and the list to own one is long). stkildamelbourne.com.au
vegout.asn.au
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URBAN RETREAT
Q&A: Matt Dawson
Nourish chats to
Captain Baxter’s
executive chef
who shares one
of his recipes.
Where or
what is your
inspiration
behind the versatile
Captain Baxter menu?
We really liked the idea of
social eating and fun while also
trying new dishes and kicking Captain Baxter’s DIY Shawarma!
back with a cocktail. Dishes • sumac, dried Turkish chilli flakes to
ingreDienTs
are designed to surprise and garnish the yoghurt and breads.
make eating ‘entertaining’. Lamb
Inspiration comes from local • 200g boneless lamb shoulder meTHoD
country background merged • olive oil (to create paste) Lamb
with culinary travels to • salt (to taste) Bash olive oil, salt, pepper, fennel
experience the exotic cuisines • pepper (to taste) seed and garlic in a mortar and
from around the globe. • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
pestle and rub into lamb.
leave for four to six hours.
• whole garlic pod (each clove
Where do you source your separated and peeled) preheat fan forced over to 250°C.
produce from and is your when oven is hot, place lamb in
menu seasonal? Pickles roasting tray with 200ml water.
The menu is seasonal and takes • 750ml water
put lamb in oven and reduce
advantage of produce such as tuna, • 150g sugar temperature to 100ºC and
oysters and other produce that • 60 g salt cook for six hours.
is optimal at certain times of the • 1 bay leaf (in the time it takes for the oven
year. I am a big believer in ‘great • 250ml white vinegar
to reduce from 250ºc to 100ºc, a
food comes from great ingredients’. crust will form on the meat while
• 10 cardamom pods the inside remains juicy.)
Our produce is sourced from the
• 1 cinnamon stick
best providers to deliver fresh and Pickles
sometimes surprising dishes. • 10 juniper berries
fill saucepan with water.
• 6 star anise
place sugar, salt, bay leaf, white
• 3 cloves garlic, bashed vinegar, cardamom pods, cinnamon
• 1 bunch pickled turnips sticks, juniper berries, star anise
and bashed garlic in water.
• 1 bunch baby beetroots
Bring to the boil. in the meantime,
Soused onions cut up turnips and beetroots.
• 1 red onion, cut 1 cm thick once boiled, pour over cut turnips
• 1 tsp salt and beets and leave for two days.
• 1 tsp sugar Soused onions
• 1 tsp sumac mix all ingredients together and
• 200ml white wine vinegar place in a zip-lock bag overnight.
Ocean views at Captain Baxter
Tahini yoghurt when ready, mix together
with picked parsley.
• 200g greek yoghurt (hung overnight)
• 1 tbsp tahini Tahini yoghurt
Hang greek yoghurt overnight
• lemon juice to taste
in muslin cloth.
• 1 clove garlic
mix all ingredients (including
• salt and pepper hung yoghurt) together.
To garnish To serve
• ¼ bunch picked parsley Drizzle lebanese flat bread with olive
• 1 lemon, quartered oil and char in frypan or over bbq. fill
• 4 small lebanese flat with lamb, pickles, onions and yoghurt.
Captain Baxter bread, oil and bbq sprinkle with sumac and chilli flakes.
116 { nourish magazine www.nourishmag.com.au
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Certified Organic
Gluten Free
Cane Sugar Free
112-117_Urban Retreats St Kilda.indd 117 26/05/14 5:37 PM
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