Hurtle Square. Photo credit: Sebastian Rosa
Sebastian and Yolanda have both lived in their fair share of interesting locations around Australia and the world, but there’s something about the lifestyle and easy access of Adelaide that made them choose the city as their home.
Sebastian is a ‘boomerang’. He was born in Adelaide, then lived in Sydney and the Canary Islands before moving back to Adelaide around four years ago.
Initially, he moved back to stay with family but he soon found the ease of doing business and the Adelaide lifestyle proved too much of a lure and for the last four years, he worked with two business partners on Grapes of Mirth, a company producing comedy events held in wineries across Australia.
With wine such an integral part of his work, it’s no surprise the number and variety of wine regions within an hour of the city is a key highlight for Sebastian, given Hunter Valley by comparison is two and a half hours from Sydney.
When COVID put the brakes on the event industry, Sebastian started ‘Clever Snout’, a creative studio based in the Adelaide CBD that provides photography, videography, website development and marketing services.
Dave Court and Sparrow, Mural at Moore Street, 2019. Photo credit: Sebastian Rosa
As a child, Yolanda moved around Australia every year or so. Her parents were in the tourism industry and home included some incredibly remote locations. They moved to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia and then put down roots in the Barossa so she could finish high school in one place. Yolanda lived in a residential college in North Adelaide while she studied at the University of South Australia then commenced her career in marketing, working for Palace Nova Cinemas.
She took a short sabbatical to live in London and travel around Europe before she returned to Palace Nova Cinemas. She then worked at Adelaide Festival Centre including working on the Her Majesty’s Theatre redevelopment to launch, before commencing her current role as Brand and Communications Manager at Adelaide Oval.
With a life centred around entertainment beyond regular office hours, keeping a city home base has proven invaluable. Yolanda was living in the city’s south west and found Sebastian through mutual friends.
For two self-confessed work centric people, it’s important to minimise the daily commute. “I’m married to my job,” Yolanda said as Sebastian nodded, agreeing about himself.
Sparkke at the Whitmore. Photo credit: Sebastian Rosa
It’s a 10-minute drive or a 30-minute walk to work for Yolanda while Sebastian’s office is all of two blocks from home. Living close means they can maximise their time to play. They agree the biggest benefit of living in the city is the lifestyle, with arts and events ingrained in the city’s culture.
“Adelaide is such an easy city to live in and live well in,” Sebastian said. “There’s access to arts and culture, sport, amazing produce and restaurants, locally produced wine, beer and spirits in the city.”
Favourite places to eat and drink in Adelaide roll of their tongues, bouncing between the West End and East End and everywhere between – Sibling in Gilles Street, La Buvette in Gresham Street, so many in the west end laneways, Mississippi Moon, Bibliotheca, Cry Baby, Suzy Wongs, Malt Shovel Taphouse, Penny University in the East End, Brooklyn, Stem on Hindley, Jive, Borsa, Shobosho, East End Cellars, Belgium Beer Café, Juniper, Paloma, Bread and Bone, Maybe Mae, Udaberri, Leigh St Wine Room, La Rambla, NOLA, the Cranker, Ying Chow, Wasai, NNQ, Market St Café, Mexican Society, Lotus, Ban Ban, Wild Nectar, Pink Moon Saloon, Bar Torino, Ballaboosta, Sparkke on Whitmore, Prohibition, Baddog Bar, Fishbank, Aurora, The Lab and Mayfair’s roof top bar.
“You can’t go wrong dining here, no matter where you are in the city,” they agree emphatically.