In seeking the sea for our weekend away, the best option I came up with at short notice was a beachfront cabin at Easts Beach Holiday Park, located a few kilometres south from the centre of Kiama. It suited us as our aim was R&R rather than the touristy-restaurant dining thing. And, it was a good opportunity to further our nifty thrifty October and locavore endeavours.
To this end I packed a selection of goodies on hand from our fridge into a cooler bag with a couple of bottles of wine so we could have a leisurely picnic after our dinner time Friday night arrival.
Online reconnaissance indicated an Easts Beach Holiday Park Kiosk with good offerings including coffee, which covered off our needs for early Saturday morning.
When I discovered our visit coincided with Kiama Produce Markets an exception to the R&R rule was made and after walking the beach drinking coffee and exploring rock pools, we ventured out mid Saturday morning into Kiama.
The markets are in the park around the harbour walk. A nice surprise was Mr Apples from Batlow, usually at my local Eveleigh Markets in Sydney, who upon seeing me put aside the last half dozen pears the G.O. has become very fond of, and wouldn’t accept payment.
As our last stop for the morning was to be the Kiama Fisheries co-op, we bought Lime Infused Dijon Sauce and gluten free olive & rosemary bread to accompany our planned seafood dinner, and lemon curd cupcakes for afternoon tea with the kiosk’s excellent coffee.
Foraging put us in need of brunch. The gastronomic selection of market offerings made it difficult to choose but we settled on a homemade rabbit pie for me, and 2 duck pies for the G.O. which we ate sitting on the grass under a Norfolk Pine gazing out over the harbour.
On a last circuit of the markets I stumbled on a box of $2 books while the G.O. was buying fresh orange juice. I couldn’t go past a retro foodie gem, the Australian and New Zealand complete book of cookery, the last published 1981 revised and metricated edition (first published in 1970), which eBay lists as vintage and could be worth as much as $9.50.
After a wander around Kiama’s shops, we headed for the seafood co-op and on the way back were sidetracked by a walk around to the blowhole before we headed back to our cabin to spend a sunny afternoon strolling and contemplating the beach in the sunshine.
After the sun and a couple of glasses of wine went down we were ready for our D.I.Y. local seafood dinner: oysters, prawns, farmed yabbies and grilled scallops, which although the cool night and wind shifted us inside we dined with a prime and private view of the ocean.
Sunday morning found us moseying along the beach with coffees in hand, collecting a couple of overnight washed up beach rocks and shell souvenirs (which we borrow and return at a later date).
Later we took a short drive out to picturesque Jamberoo village to check out the Jamberoo Arts & Craft Markets, where the stall holders and merchandise appeared to be collectively remnants of the same era as my cook book purchase.
No joy at the markets so after a stroll around Jamberoo we headed back to our cabin to enjoy the sun and a typically coastie brunch of tasty works burgers from the kiosk.
Although we had the option of 4 pm check out, cloudy weather coming in signalled the end of our respite, so with sand between our toes and warmth still in our skin, we joined the flock heading back to the city and real life.
daleleelife101.blog 
Sounds really lovely and relaxing. The Kiama area is on our list of places to visit. Maybe we could meet you for a coffee! Love the invented word ‘metricated’ on the cookbook! X
LikeLike
Any excuse to visit Kiama works for me 🙂
Yes, metricated defies spellchecker.
LikeLike
What a shame I’m too old to emigrate. You make everywhere sound so tempting.Every time you mention food I start to salivate like one of Pavlov’s rats.People rush round bringing me bibs.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
LikeLike
Oh yes, I love my food 🙂 If I could I’d ship you a taste of the pies and cakes.
LikeLike
You’re NEVER too old, David 😉
LikeLike
A wander on the beach, a market, delicious food…. This sounds like my perfect weekend break, complete with rabbit pie, YUM!
LikeLike
We just love the South Coast although we haven’t yet spent enough time there. You would love it, and I imagine the kids would enjoy Easts Beach Holiday Park. As well as the local beach and coast walks etc, the park has a pool, tennis courts, a huge bouncy trampoline thing, movie nights, icecream offers… your travels may possibly bring you north 🙂
LikeLike
I’m one of those people who remember places they’ve been by how good the food was. Your description is so vivid and yummy, that I now feel that I’ve actually been there 🙂
LikeLike
Oh yes, our travel recollections are what we ate where, and e.g. let’s go to Kiama, the seafood co-op was awesome last time.
Thank you. Vicarious travel is one the great things about blogging 🙂
LikeLike
This sounds like heaven: water, places to wander, and a great market. You may have left with the flocks, but birds always remember the way to return – and do. Congrats on the vintage cookbook (never enough books…never)
LikeLike
Heaven is a good description of Kiama 🙂 We are getting better at returning. This is our 3rd visit in 9 years 🙂
Oh yes, finding that book was so good. I’m still happy about it 🙂
LikeLike
Sounds like a good time Ella. Dig that book
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂 The weekend was simple and pleasant, a lovely break. The cook book is a classic. I was thrilled to find it, and for $2. It contains so many food memories for me.
LikeLike
Your escape sounds right up my street 🙂
I love the idea of spending the evening watching the surf and drinking wine.
I’ve just checked the link to the East Beach a holiday park, how amazing to have en suite camping pitches! There’s nothing like that in the UK.
The cookery book was a good find, I love a bargain 🙂
You certainly sound like you had a relaxing time, emerging fresh and ready to face the rat race once more.
LikeLike
The amenities at Easts Beach Holiday Park were impressive, but it is a no dogs park, but other than that you would love it. There are onsite permanent vans (no en suite though) for sale… pity we’re not in the market – spending weekends there regularly would be great 🙂
LikeLike
Sounds just lovely. You made me want to schedule a weekend for my husband now. We have to take the dog though, and it’s always difficult finding a place that is pet friendly.
LikeLike
When I had a dog, I found that we could only get dog friendly private accommodation, rather than in holiday parks etc. And she so enjoyed holidays, as I imagine yours does too 🙂
LikeLike
This sounds like such a nice get-away, EllaDee. Having worked so hard these past several months, I bet the GO loved the break — as did you, I’m sure. One doesn’t always need a week away at a fancy resort. Sometimes, a comfortable spot in a nice setting for a couple of days is all that’s needed. I’m glad you found your spot. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you. We like simple. Sand. Sea. Wine. Good Food. And a comfy bed 🙂
LikeLike
It’s so cool that your local pear seller was there and put items aside for you! It’s so nice when that human connection exists in our markets. Sounds like the perfect thrifty getaway. 🙂
LikeLike
It was pretty good value. Had we dined out, the cost would have almost doubled, and would have taken up precious time away from our sand and sea vantage point.
Mr Apples was surprised but pleased to see me, and to meet the G.O.
LikeLike
Your weekend away sounds like heaven to me. My op shop hunting of the past has netted two old cookbooks that I couldn’t live without. One is a 1954 Italian cook book and the other is a 1968 Every Day Cookbook by Margarite Patten. Both are full of wonderful recipes that the Daughter and I use quite often. Love treasures like these.
LikeLike
Your finds sound like real gems 🙂 I think my find might be the start of a new collection – retro op shop cookbooks.
It was a really nice weekend away – any longer and it would have been so hard to return to reality 🙂
LikeLike
Meh…that’s always the fly in the ointment. The better the holiday the less you ever want to come back!
LikeLike
Woohoo!! I went to Kiama in early March this year with some friends who live in Sydney, to spend the day with some of their friends at the Kiama Jazz Festival. It was a beautiful day – and yes, we called at The Blowhole, too 🙂
Thanks for the reminder!
LikeLike
Excellent, then you understand our affection for Kiama. It is very popular, pretty and close to Sydney 🙂
LikeLike
Sounds like your weekend was absolute bliss EllaDee! It was fun coming around the markets with you, and walking along the beach exploring, enjoying the seafood feast …. great luck to be there on the produce market date … and to meet Mr Apples! You were only 2 and a bit hours north of us … in fact in the old days we used to call in at Kiama for a break on our way down from Sydney, but now we usually stop halfway, Gerringong or Berry …
LikeLike
Thank you. I thought of going further south (I’ve only ever been down the South Coast as far as Batemans Bay) but we needed to kept it simple and short.
We both enjoyed the markets, as the G.O. doesn’t get to do them much, and he & Mr Apples had a yarn, of course.
Berry has always been a favourite stop… for mmm donuts 🙂
LikeLike
yes, how long has that donut van been there???!! you need a long weekend to get this far, but then you head north of course …. one day we will meet in the Big Smoke 🙂
LikeLike
Heaven!!
I found a $3 copy of Joanne Harris’s French cookbook at a small market stall out of Mildura. I snatched it up and held it under my arm as I browsed, scared that someone else might take it before I could pay for it!
LikeLike
Thank you for writing which is quite good and best wishes always, and greetings
LikeLike
Thank you for your kind words and wishes 🙂
LikeLike
I love your borrow and return policy!!
LikeLike
I figure they belong to everyone, so it’s only fair 🙂
LikeLike