Coffee, Markets, Picnics, Play Centres and Working on the Go: Elizabeth Hewson’s Ideal Family Day Out

Elizabeth Hewson has always had a lot on her plate. She wrote her debut cookbook about the meals she cooked after moving out of home while at her first public relations job, where she worked with the likes of Quay and Victor Churchill. She also completed a master’s degree in Italy before becoming the communications and brand manager for one of Australia’s biggest restaurant groups, Fink. She released her second cookbook, Saturday Night Pasta, in 2020, which led to a food product range and a recipe column in the Weekend Australian. On top of this, she’s the mother of a two-year-old and a five-year-old.

“I live in chaos and I try to embrace that,” Hewson says. With such a busy schedule, she values an “unhurried” day out with her family on the weekend, with food dictating the stops.

They love to start the day with a coffee at Newtown’s One Another before her family hops in the car. “My perfect day involves gathering ingredients, and I love more than anything going to [multiple places] to pick my groceries up,” says Hewson. Thankfully there’s plenty of space in the Hyundai PALISADE Hybrid SUV for all her daily activities – she can load up the boot with delicious food and groceries, alongside the pram, toys, photoshoot props that always live in the car, and the whole family, of course.

First, Hewson heads to Carriageworks Farmers Market or one of her favourite bakeries (Pyrmont’s Pioik or AP Bakery) to pick up bread and pastries. The rest of the morning follows a similar theme: buying exceptional fruit, vegetables and cheese from Glebe grocer Galluzzo Fruiterers before driving to the Sydney Fish Market. On a sunny day, she’ll buy prawns to make sandwiches for a picnic. Hewson might also stop in at Emilio's Butcher in Rozelle or drive to Haberfield; her family loves visiting buzzy cafe Happyfield followed by Lamonica’s IGA, and Paesanella for fresh ricotta.

If a picnic’s on the agenda, Hewson and her family usually stop at Sydney Park, Centennial Park or Sir Joseph Banks Park. When they’re more in the mood for takeaway, Hewson drives to VN Street Food, Marrickville Pork Roll, or Good Ways Deli for sandwiches, stopping at Steel Park to eat before exploring the water playground.

The rest of the day might be spent at a play centre in Alexandria, such as Vitaland or Miniversal. “But if it’s beautiful weather, we’re outdoors and like to park-jump a lot,” says Hewson. Occasionally she has to work while out; the PALISADE Hybrid’s Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) feature to plug in a laptop, which is then powered using the electric car’s battery. There’s also a feature called Stay Mode which lets the car’s temperature controls and infotainment keep running while the engine is turned off, since they’re also powered through the electric battery.

The ideal day out isn’t complete without an afternoon gelato at Gelato Messina, where Hewson recently created her own flavour called the Elisabetta: fior di latte mixed with dulce de leche, salt and olive oil. When it’s hot out, the PALISADE’s ventilated seats in the front and second rows help them stay cool on the drive home. At the end of the day, once the kids are in bed, Hewson pours a glass of wine (usually sourced from P&V Wine & Liquor Merchants during the day) and cooks a late-night meal.

The roomy eight-seat PALISADE makes it possible to stretch a quick outing into a full day out with the family – Hewson can pack in more stops, has more space for market hauls and can do more in her day-to-day. With so many things to think about throughout the day, one thing she doesn’t have to worry about is bringing along her physical car keys. She can lock and unlock the car easily thanks to the digital key – all she has to do is connect her car to her smartphone, allowing her to use it as a car key. And, with the aforementioned V2L feature, she can work from wherever without having to rush home and plug in or charge her devices.

“If [my toddler] falls asleep in the car, we can park there and not stress about getting home and working, because that’s sort of my work time a lot of the time … nothing is relaxed with kids, but it’s less of a juggle.”

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Hyundai. The Hyundai PALISADE Hybrid is built for all of life’s major moments. Thanks to its spaciousness and smart design, the PALISADE transforms everyday errands and milestones into smooth, well-packed adventures.