Wynnum Bowls Club still has $10 meals on Friday nights, it's nestled into the quietest corner of…read morethe foreshore in Wynnum, right on the water, and has no passing traffic at all to disturb the serenity of a relaxing afternoon of bowling with soft manicured grass between your toes. Sound good? It sure is. Of course the club also runs regular fixtures and special events, including bingo. No crass commercialism here, just good old fashioned fun by the bay.

I'm biased as I do train there but cannot rave enough about our MMA gym. I've been there for two…read moreyears and absolutely love it. Yes MMA is popular and there are many gyms taking advantage of that, but not here. We are one big family, socialise often and always help each other to reach whatever goals we have. That maybe to actually compete, self defence, weight loss, fitness or a combination of each. If you are on the Northside and are wanting to try one of our many training sessions, just pop in for a freebie (any session) and see what you think!

I visited Mad Dance House and took a few classes in yet another aborted attempt at embracing…read moreexercise around half-way through 2011. An old friend and I somehow came to the conclusion it would be good for us. It was, but we didn't count on our lack of resolution. The classes we went to were called "Girly Street Jazz", and typing that makes me feel like a girlier girl than an American cheerleader and I want to wince, but they were good classes. Set up in a building near The Victory Hotel and Queensland Writer's Centre at the time, I believe classes have now moved to a new location on Elizabeth street, near Govinda's Vegetarian Restaurant (excellent and a Brisbane local favourite). Apparently the new premises have air conditioning unlike the old place, because even on a winter night it got extremely hot in this tall brick building. (Then again, Brisbane's Julys are barely winter.) And you will work up a sweat and feel insanely hot in any case, because you're somewhat deftly thrown into the deep end from your first class. (You realize you're undergoing a baptism of fire but also appreciate it's for your own good.) Definitely bring a LARGE bottle of water with you. The classes are obviously highly cardio, but even then it's surprising at how hard you are pushed. It didn't meet boot camp level, but it came near. Also, the second half of the lesson comprised the learning of a fairly complicated dance routine, so you had to really engage your memory as well as keep your body moving. The scheduled 45 minute lesson went for an hour and felt like it went for three hours, but it was exhilarating. And, it was good for me. Thinking about how I no longer go here makes me feel justly chided. For $14 a lesson, these classes were well worth it. There was also a strange sense of bonding between you and the class members by the end of a lesson, like strangers in an emergency (oh no - the elevator doors won't open) or people climbing a mountain together. It feels a bit like both, with everyone looking scattered and afraid at the start and shy of making eye contact, then clapping each other on the arm at the end of the session.

I used to swing by Mad Dance House for beginner hip hop lessons with friends on Tuesday nights…read more (5:45pm) with Tammi T. Tammi's insanely talented and always knows how to break the ice with first timers who are reticent about dancing in front of others. But it's a group process, with each class beginning and ending with a warm up and warm down. There are huge windows for ventilation and two large fans that whirl madly throughout the classes, but this won't stop you from sweating like a beast. Make sure you bring a big water bottle, otherwise bottles can be purchased from the front counter. There are also change rooms and toilets for those coming straight from work. My friends and I were real beginners. The routines were tricky but relatively easy to pick up. Also the crowd was very supportive and friendly, and always focused on having a good time and nailing the moves and helping others achieve the same. One of my friends has since performed in one of Mad Dance House's hip hop shows and she's almost dancing like a pro. The only problem, which shouldn't really be a problem (!), is how popular these classes are. Spaces fill up quickly, so it's important to arrive early to get a good position in front of the mirrors. That said, Tammi's always considerate and rotates the front and back rows. That said, bring a friend along and you'll both get in for cheaper.

A great driving range. Brand new facility with side tray so you can have a beer or two during…read morepractice and new driving range golf balls. There are different country flags that represent the different distances. I wished that they had 130 to 140m range which is missing. They positioned the driving range with a favorable regular northerly wind that compensates for the distance lost with the range ball. Besides the driving range there is a mini golf facility, club fitting facility from Taylormade and food/bev. Staff are friendly and they come around with mozzie spray during night time. Those little blood suckers are aggressive so spray yourself with it when you are offered to do so.

The old Brothers Grange has left its Crusher's Leagues Club identity behind ad returned to its…read moreroots. At first glance, it still has a bit of that 70s feel in the decor but looks clean & tidy. Staff are friendly & Reuben, the F&B Manager seemed to be everywhere ensuring it all ran smoothly. There was a big party already there when we arrived for dinner on a Friday night, but we were seated promptly. Old-school pub style: you order and pay at the bar & meals are delivered to your table. The food was sensational! MSA quality beef served with chips or potato AND veges or salad. Up there with the best steak I've had in Brisbane I'd say. We had a 2 for 1 voucher from their advertising brochure, so the most expensive items we ordered: Reef & Beef with prawns & calamari though normally $33 was a bargain priced $16.50 each. There is a buffet as well, and many other meal choices under $20 They also do a $10 steak on Monday nights if your looking for a cheap date night out, and a few other bargains throughout the week, trivia etc There was a good little guitarist playing covers & a play area for the kids. Pokies & a TAB in the adults play area ;) All in all it reminded me of going to the footy club with my parents in the country in the late 70s, back when kids fitted in with what the family schedule rather than the other way around ;) We will definitely be back. A casual place for a large or small bunch to enjoy a good dinner & a few drinks.

I had my birthday party recently at Brothers Grange. It was the ideal place if you are working on…read morea budget and want to provide drinks and food at a reasonable price. The staff were excellent and catered for my needs. Everyone had a great time. Thanks Brothers for making it a success.

I had never heard of this place until my father suggested I join him and his partner for a wander…read morearound this park. This park is a bit of a mission to get to for anyone who does not live in the area but is worth the car mileage as it is a great place to hang out, have a picnic and roam around. I was not expecting much from this park but as soon as I entered the park, I realised how beautiful it was. There is something very serene about it, that instantly puts you at ease (so corny, I know). The park is very spacious too making it perfect for any picnic parties, it would be a lovely place to jog or walk around. When I visited the place, I even noticed people fishing from the deck over the Brisbane River, I doubt they would have caught anything good but they looked like they were having fun and enjoying the views. If it wasn't for its inconvenient location, I would visit this park more often as it really is a beauty.

If you like taking your kids to parks with playgrounds aren't guaranteed to be crawling with kids…read morealready, this is one of the secret parks you can still get a spot in. There are many trees around and 2 main sheltered areas with plenty of tables. There is also a boardwalk type play area and a rather large general swing and tyre play area about 20 meters away from the tables. Mostly under shelter too for those hot days. Bring sunscreen, a picnic blanket and some bug spray for hotter days, but mostly it's quite breezy if you're lucky. What I love about this park is that it's situated in the middle of Sherwood Forest, where Robin Hood lives. Okay... there isn't a Robin Hood living in this forest, but we're still on the lookout for him and his men. Or my single friends are anyway. There are plenty of dads here with kids, and I keep having to tell them, it's not okay because these ones are probably taken. Besides from the nice atmosphere, there are also BBQ facilities, toilets and lots of bins in case you want to orchestrate a kids birthday party here. There is a pretty big carpark and on the weekends there is usually a coffee van parked in one of the slots for your caffeine needs early Saturday morning. I love this park because it's hidden away and not that many people know where it is yet, for those mums and dads out there looking to take their kids outdoors somewhere for free, maybe have a picnic... this is a pretty good hidden gem of a park really close to the city. Not really that super close to public transport, but it's definetely driveable.

They get the most of their natural features around here. The cliffs are impressive viewed from…read moreafar. Up close, separated bike and pedestrian paths run across land and occasionally boardwalks over the length of the cliffs, passing picnicking sites and athletic facilities along the way. A couple of sets of stairs scale the cliffs if you want a workout, which the people of Brisbane seem to because there are tons of workout classes on the parklands atop the cliffs, as well as some broad views of the city. Transit access is a little weaker than some other local spots, with only one stop on the slower of the Brisbane boat services (the faster CityCat skips this area completely for some reason), and few buses to be had even on the top side. But if you want to traverse the area on the ground, you'll find nice things.

Things I would prefer to do when visiting the Kangaroo Point Cliffs:…read more1. Lay in a part shade-part sun grassy knoll overlooking the river on a picnic blanket. 2. Sip one of Brisbane's best iced coffees from the Cliffs Cafe 3. Stand at the top of Kangaroo Point Cliffs and look at the beautiful view of the city I call home and think, "You know what? We're pretty lucky." Things I actually did while recently at Kangaroo Point Cliffs and won't admit I may actually have enjoyed: 1. Run the infamous Kangaroo Point Cliff stairs along with other crazy (sorry, FIT) people on a Sunday morning. I only made it twice before my legs became an ad for aeroplane jelly and said, "heck no you're not doing that again." But somehow I find myself craving a visit again this coming Sunday to better my record. INSANITY. Jokes aside my points are this: Kangaroo Point Cliffs is one of our cities best vantage points to take it all in. To appreciate our beautiful city and see the views from Southbank to past the Story Bridge. To take in some outdoor activities including rock climbing if you're with a Riverlife group or to cycle your way along the river front. To gather the weekend papers, a picnic blanket and a take away coffee to lay on the grass and read the day away. It is also a pretty nifty spot to enjoy the NYE fireworks and/or listen to concerts happening at Riverstage.

So let's be honest, there is not much at Crosby unless you play sport. Not much in the way of play…read moreequipment or attractive water features. It does however have a lot of beautiful tall trees and lush green grass which is why I like it. I have grabbed a coffee once or twice from somewhere in Albion and then wandered down to the park with a book in hand to relax in the shade on a sunny day. It is really peaceful if there are not too many people around. You don't get a whole lots of traffic noise and there is plenty of parking space.