A fresh taste for the back streets of Darlinghurst

Next time you walk down Burton St, Darlinghurst take a look inside The Pond. Created from the virtual ruins of an abandoned Italian eatery, The Pond is a new and unique pop-up venue, brought to life by Pure Blonde for Sydneysiders to enjoy for a limited-time only from October. Like the beer, it was created with a less-is-more attitude with a focus on pure ingredients.



“The Pond is a breath of fresh air for Sydney,” said The Pond Creative Director Barrie Barton. “Pure Blonde has taken a space that was tired and worn down and given it a new lease on life, bringing a new taste and flavour to the back streets of Darlinghurst. We’re looking forward to enjoying the fare with visitors over the next few months.”

A bar and restaurant, The Pond will serve a selection of beers and wines, to complement a menu of uncomplicated food, created using organic, local ingredients wherever possible. While there is an emphasis on sharing, with antipasti plates and small meals suitable for grazing, there is also an array of sandwiches and mains for something a little more substantial – all go perfectly with a great tasting cold Pure Blonde fresh from the tap.

Cleaned up and styled through a series of working bees, Sydney’s The Pond has grown from the remnants of its older brother, which wowed Melbourne during the summer of 2007. One of Melbourne’s first laneway pop-up venues, The Pond charmed thousands of Melburnians from October 2007 to February 2008 with its rejuvenation theme and coveted sun-drenched balcony, dotted with rescued plants.



“The Pond in Melbourne offered people a completely new and different experience - it was an eclectic space that allowed people to escape the hustle of the city and enjoy a drink in a relaxed atmosphere,” said Barton.

The Pond in Sydney is similarly tucked away, it sits behind the hustle and hassle of Oxford Street, amidst the sandstone walls and dappled gardens of a heritage cottage built in 1850.

It is a multi-level venue, which merges a number of different areas into one unique space. A fresh, open front veranda area leads into the main dining room that is surrounded by historic walls, where visitors can enjoy a selection of food, beer and wine. The back stairs lead downwards to a secluded indoor space and an open garden courtyard shaded by a blooming Jacaranda tree, which has dominated the yard for over 30 years.

Hersbrucker hop plants, the ingredient which gives Pure Blonde its unique taste and aromatic character are grown from garden beds and climb two inches per day weaving through the sides of the exterior staircase.

The Pond is all about transforming and rejuvenating a space - turning an unused piece of land into something a little more pure. With a focus on recycling and rejuvenating the old, rather than creating something new, it was planned and built by a collective of local designers with credentials in environmental landscape and urban design.

Contributors include landscape architects Rob Barton and Christopher and Gabrielle Moore, who have worked on projects ranging from urban griculture to heritage sites, green roofs and urban parkland projects in Australia and
internationally. Adele Winteridge, an interior architect and design lecturer specialising in building sustainability and cultural venue design, also provided her expertise.

The Pond’s rejuvenation credentials include:
• Furniture carved by hand from certified and reclaimed hardwood timbers by carpentry studio Arte Veneta
• “Pepperino” salt and pepper shakers and chopping boards carved from the off-cuts of the tables made from the reclaimed timer
• Beautiful, energy efficient lighting, designed by Light Project (who have created ambience for Sydney bar Rum Diaries and fashion designer James Cameron) to capture and reveal the magic of the cottage and its unique
materials
• Modular carpet, reclaimed from office floors then redesigned by local manufacturer Ontera
• Rescued plants, ferns and herbs in the garden beds and pots
• Distinctive local flora native to the area
• Staff uniforms hand-made exclusively for The Pond from 100% organic material

The Pond is inspired and developed by Pure Blonde, a light crisp lager with 70% less carbohydrates than most full strength beers and no artificial preservatives. Celebrating its fifth birthday this year, Pure Blonde continues as the country’s favourite low carb beer*.