For many the idea of building a green house can be a bit overwhelming and some feel the costs are too high. Composition Construction has just released a new environmentally conscious building alternative that provides home owners a “green” choice when it comes to building their new home and have created some fantastic pricing packages. Visit www.designerecohomes.com.au and see the full details.

The construction focuses on 5 key elements that promote green living. These include orientation, insulation, thermal mass, ventilation, and flooring and can save you money. For example each home is custom designed to your individual building block and incorporates the use of the northern aspect to reduce your energy usage, and therefore reduce your cost of living.

Composition Condstruction build all throughout Sydney and as far south down the coast as Moruya. These homes are also eligible for the “Generation Green” home loan discount of 0.5% off the variable rate through the Bendigo Bank. This can save you up to $57,000 over the loan period on a loan of only $150,000. These are significant savings. When you combine this with your new 6 Star rated Designer Eco Home, you will really see not only financial benefits for you, but also global benefits for the environment.

So while we don’t normally promote nepotism on this blog, we hope you let this one pass! We can all do our bit to promote eco living and reduce the effects of climate change. For more eco tips please visit this great website Inhabitat which believes ‘green design will save the world’ and is a website I blogged about in May.

Packed at 10am with mothers and children, the café and bookshop (new and used) has a warm, relaxed atmosphere.

The most important thing though – how was the coffee? I would have to say pretty good and the vintage cups and chocolate treat are a nice touch. Two coffees and babycinos for $6 is a bargain in Cronulla. Apparently the food is good too, but that will have to wait til next time. Must get back to work at some point.

For more information, please see Anna’s Shop Around The Corner’s Facebook page.

Anna’s Shop Around The Corner

Shop 6, Munro Park Cronulla

9527 7090

Beach & Bay Realty staff members are making a conscious effort to drink and eat out and about in Cronulla (hard life we know!). We will then be posting reviews of the places we visit for the public to see. If you would like your business reviewed, please give us a heads up! We love eating. To see Rachael’s review of Banyan Tree Thai in Cronulla, please see here.

He took me to Banyan Tree – a fairly new Thai restaurant in the Cronulla development on Croydon St. The restaurant has a warm atmosphere with lots of red, purple and orange featured in the décor. It’s modern and definitely not your typical takeaway Thai – more upmarket and trendy.

We shared 3 courses and it was a beautiful culinary experience!

Starting with entrees we had the Diamond Bags – a money bag style dish with pork, kafir leaves & lime with a delicious traditional sweet chilli dipping sauce. These were crunchy, full of flavour and a great start. We also had Autumn Rolls – BBQ Duck in rice paper rolls. I’m not a huge fan of rice paper anything but the sweet and spicy dipping sauce made up for it. We ended up eating all the decorative carrot and lettuce on the plate, just so we could finish the sauce!

Our mains arrived promptly (though not fast enough to make you wonder if they just banged the dish in the microwave). I ordered the PP Island Curry which was absolutely delicious. It was a little spicy but bearable (I’m a wuss), and creamy with a coconut milk. There were plenty of prawns and fish pieces and with the coconut rice we also ordered I couldn’t finish my bowl.

Gabe had the barbequed Octopus. Now I’ve never tried octopus and I don’t think I will ever again. I’m writing it off just as I have oysters – because if something has a strange texture, it’s not getting eaten by me! The oysters were rubbery and I didn’t like the feeling of 8 tentacles on my tongue.  I had to ask Gabe if you were meant to swallow them whole because they were so chewy but according to him they were pretty good as far as barbequed octopus goes.

Even though we were both full, Gabe insisted we have dessert so we shared the Banyan Tree Sweet Roti (and I’m really glad we did, especially as it got the octopus taste out of my mouth!)

This dish was delightful. A scoop of icecream with peanuts on one side and this melt in your mouth roti (like a crepe) was cut into bite sized pieces and drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce.

The staff were lovely, atmosphere friendly. A little dark but this allowed for more intimacy I thought. Gabe and I had a lot to talk about though and the open plan table setting didn’t particularly suit us as you are backed on to other patrons. A corner table would have been preferable so we could have talked as inappropriately as we wished but the amazing desert made up for it.

The prices were fairly reasonable for the average human I suppose but a bit expensive for two uni students. The total bill came to $70 not including wine. But I would highly recommend Banyan Tree for a special treat for students instead of packet noodles, or a nice meal for couples and families on a weeknight or weekend. 3.5/5 stars

Banyan Tree Cronulla – Menu

Kylie Emans had a quick chat to a staff member at the library this week and found out that the Sutherland Shire Council spent $130,000 establishing new collections for the library. There is a wide range of books – fiction & non-fiction, magazines, school resources and the 2^nd largest audio & visual collection in the Sutherland Shire. In addition to this – there is a much bigger and brighter kids corner, a play station for gamers, several computers with internet and a wireless network which can be connected to via a $2 card. There are also lots of lounge chairs and tables and soon to be areas where the public can eat sandwiches and drink coffee (thanks to the café next door).

During the last 4 months there has been a much higher usage of the library with an increase in the number of registrations and loans – if you haven’t been down there yet, please go check it out! For more photos see here.

Opening Hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9.30am – 8pm
Wednesday, Friday: 9.30am – 5pm
Saturday 9am – 12pm

External Book Return Chute available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

“It’s on again this Sunday. The Best Little Bookshop in Town will be showcasing some of the Sutherland Shire’s best local talents. Regular Archibald entrant David Fisher and the hugely talented painter and cartoonist, Jacqueline Maureira are amongst the locals who will be selling on the day. There will also be hand made clothes and jewellery, home made nibbles and an enticing range of 2^nd hand designer vintage clothes and shoes.”

You see BLB isn’t just your average bookstore. They dabble in all sorts of things – from holding regular writing classes & book clubs to having alternative therapies such as Reiki & Naturopathy available on site. This year they are also hoping to house live music on the weekends.

But first & foremost they are about books. They love books. They know books. And they love to share this knowledge with others.

I first came to know Jan, one of the lovely owners when I was in highschool & living in Bundeena. It was always a treat to spend half an hour browsing in her shop & taking a new (used) book home with me on the ferry. She always greeted me with a smile & a recommendation. I remember when I finished my HSC she gave me “The Persistence Of Yellow” – the most gorgeous book I have read to date (it still sits on my bedside table).

The Best Little Bookshop In Town is in Cronulla Mall, Cronulla Street. (Just opposite the train station)

If you want to subscribe to BLB newsletters, shoot an email off to Grant at grant@bestlittlebookshopintown.com.au

We haven’t had a speciality pie shop in Cronulla for quite some time and it really is an Aussie tradition. Whether you eat yours on a hot summers day, at the footie or while on smoko’ break, meat pies are ingrained in Aussie culture & where better to have a pie shop than right in Cronulla Mall!

I went up and had a chat with the owner yesterday and Greg told me a little bit about his business. Greg & his family are local Sutherland Shire residents and have previously owned a pie shop in Mittagong. Greg said he received over 150 job applicants from his little sign out the front – and has now employed and trained a staff of locals.

Cronulla Pie Shop will offer 15 types of pies, both meat & vegetarian, & they also bake fresh cakes every day on premises. There is plenty of seating space in the mall & the shop has been beautifully fitted out, looking very fresh & modern.

At Beach & Bay we offer holiday accommodation properties in Cronulla & also sell Cronulla real estate so love to know exactly what is going on in the area.

Being a small independent agency we also love to support local small businesses and so encourage anyone and everyone to go try a pie!

Cronulla Pie Shop is located in Cronulla Mall – Cronulla Street. (Next door to Rundles & Payless shoes.)

During the month of November men are encouraged to grow a mo and raise money and awareness for The Prostate Cancer Foundation and Beyond Blue. (I think secretly men love the opportunity to look like a Mexican drug dealer or 70’s adult film star!).

Northies Cronulla raised over $2000 last year and aims to at least double this figure in 2009. Starting at 7pm and finishing up at midnight Northies will hold a best mo character competition, have stand up comedy, a Movember raffle, fundraising awards and live music.

Discounted $3 drinks will also be available to encourage you to spend more money on the raffle. It’s going to be a great night and I encourage locals to get down and show your support. I will be taking social photos on the night and can’t wait to see how all the mo’s have come along!

If you can’t make it down on the night please check out their fundraising support page and make a donation. It really is a great cause!

Visit here to donate.

Details: Thursday 26th November 7pm – 12 midnight

With extended daylight savings sun there is no excuse not to visit the beach or get outdoors, even if it means a quick dash to the water after work or a brief stroll on The Esplanade just before sunset.

The water is now warm enough for the average Joe to start swimming, not just the diehard leather tanned regulars who make South Cronulla Pavilion their second home.

SHARK SAFETY

To coincide with our return to the water the NSW Gov has launched its SharkSmart campaign. This isn’t intended to scare you away sending Jaws tingles down your spine; rather it’s a practical guide to shark safety that any Australian swimmer should know.

Top tips include;

• Avoid water at dusk & dawn when sharks are most active
• Don’t swim or surf near schools of baitfish
• Avoid murky water
• If injured and bleeding, leave the water
• Avoid swimming alone

SUN SAFETY

Slip. Slop and slap people! There is no need to bake your precious skin; it’s just not worth it and you will look older before your time.

For more tips on staying safe outdoors please visit the Cancer Council.

THE SEA LIFE

The Sealife is the brainchild of local photographer Matt Johnson, and it is a daily surf & photographic email report on Cronulla beaches. Matt’s emails are entertaining and the photography is simply stunning! It is a highlight of the day receiving The Sea Life and I encourage others to sign up to the newsletter. Both Natalie Vials & Kylie Emans are huge fans!

CRONULLA REAL ESTATE

Cronulla properties are highly sought after and Beach & Bay Realty is always keen to market the diverse range of properties Cronulla has to offer. The market is really taking off and many families hope to buy and move in before Christmas. So if you’re thinking of selling and would like a quick sale please call or email the office for an appraisal.

Smart Art Cronulla is now called Artwork2u. The name was chosen to better reflect the core of the business, i.e. we bring the art to the customer.

We specialise in affordable decorative art and no matter what your artwork requirements are, we have a solution;

Real Estate – If you are selling your house, try our short term leasing option to add to the visual impact of your property

Corporate – We offer a free Business Consultation and provide the option of rotating your artwork every 6 months

Residential – Purchase direct from the showroom or book a free, no obligation Home consultation

Interior Designers – We offer free viewing of artwork on site for you and your client

To learn more about our services and how we do all the work for you, visit our new website – www.artwork2u.com.au

Beach & Bay Realty: If you would like your Sutherland Shire business to be featured on our blog please contact info@beachandbay.com.au