At Home With: Alex Kelly of Baba’s Place
Images by Michael Naumoff
On the Journal this week we stop by the home of Alex Kelly, creative director of one of our favourite Sydney haunts, Baba’s Place. Here, the new dad lives with partner & creative producer, Samantha Oliver, daughter, Anja Mei and dog, Ziggy in the Sydney suburb of Randwick, the “inner west of the east”, as he’s coined it. Just like the restaurant, their surroundings are infused with nostalgia, and a sense of time & place. Join us on a tour, as we chat baby-proofing, where does a mean burger, and Corner 75, a preservation project in collaboration with Sixpenny that opened earlier in the week.
On Alex & Samantha’s home…
“We’ve been living in this spot in Randwick for almost 3 years. I live there with my partner Samantha Oliver who is a creative producer, my dog Ziggy Kelly and our wonderful daughter Anja Mei Oliver-Kelly. I think the things we enjoy most about the space are the bookshelf (which must be re-organised), the wooden cladding in the living room and the opposing archway.
The things we enjoy most about the space are the bookshelf (which must be re-organised), the wooden cladding in the living room and the opposing archway.
“Our bedroom is also a lovely size. I wish our kitchen was a tad bigger… Our bedroom is very special to us. Full disclosure: it's where our daughter was born. Our bed is so big and comfy and firm and it's amazing.”
Baby Anja rests on a bed of Cloud & Marshmallow Organic Cotton Percale
On the inception of Baba’s Place…
“Baba’s was a project of self discovery and representation. Myself and JP began with questions around what it meant to have immigrant parent(s). What it meant to be from a “culture”. What does cuisine mean? We wanted to highlight all the beautiful randomness of the suburbs and their ad hoc generation. [Before that I was] working as a tutor and doing a masters in Lit/Philosophy at Mac U (Macquarie University).”
On the significance of neighbourhood restaurants…
“They are political resistance to the watering down of the hospitality experience and the selling out to VC interest. They are what ‘so called’ Australia is all about.”
On the influence of nostalgia-infused, Baba’s Place on their home…
“Yeah most things we love collecting or adding to the house all carry themes of time and place. I need story, reason and colour.”
I need story, reason and colour.
Our Oxblood & Peach Organic Cotton bath towel hangs in the bathroom
On how their home has changed since becoming parents…
“Just trying to baby proof really! And also shelves which had esoteric stuff on it now just have heaps of kids books and toys.”
Shelves which had esoteric stuff on it now just have heaps of kids books and toys.
On the neighbourhood…
“The location is perfect in Randwick. Tram just across the road to hop straight into Chinatown and Thai town. Right next door to Kingsford. Local spots like Java in Randwick are insane. The Ritz of course. So close to the beach. Pick your poison there. Out of the Blue for just great burgers. I call Randwick the inner west of the east.”
And finally, on what’s next….
“The (re)opening of Corner 75 that Baba’s and Sixpenny teamed up to do. Which means walking to work for a bit!”
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