Local Bloke… JOE SMITH FROM BONDI

By James Hutton on May 30, 2017 in People

Kiwi native Joe Smith first came to Bondi nearly twenty years ago, and he’s never looked back. He shares his local favourites with The Beast…

How long have you lived here? I first came to Bondi in 1999, but have been living here on and off (mostly on) since 2002.

What’s your favourite beach? Bondi Beach by far. I use the beach weekly as I love to soft sand run and the kids are small enough to still love the baby pool.

What’s your favourite eatery? I’m a big fan of Trio for consistently good coffee, service, and food, but I love going to the Bucket List for its proximity to the beach and the music and ambience. I also love The Italian – Paulie has the best authentic Italian food in Bondi.

Where do you like to have a drink? The Crossing is always good for a cheeky cocktail or a few whiskeys. I also love the Bucket List and I’m still a diehard Beach Road Hotel fan too.

Best thing about the Eastern Suburbs? People are always happy and friendly where I live. I’m guessing it’s the proximity to the beach and living in what I consider to be a beautiful area.

Worst thing about the Eastern Suburbs? Traffic. Hands down the worst.

Do you have a favourite sporting team? Being from NZ originally, it will always be the All Blacks.

What music are you into at the moment? I’m a diehard funk, soul, and disco fan, but I prefer the new remixed stuff from a lot of the current DJs. I Iove old school hip hop as well.

Who is your favourite person? I have two favourite people and they are aged 7 and 2 – my daughters, Ayla and Evie.

What do you get up to on the weekends? A lot of kid and family oriented weekend stuff. If it’s not a birthday party, then we are meeting up with family or friends. We love going up to the Blue Mountains on the weekends too.

What do you do for work? I run a couple of local businesses. One is called Lippsinc Entertainment and we provide DJs, bands, musicians, and entertainers for events, venues, bars, and pubs. I also have an audio-visual hire company called Bondi PA Hire. We rent out all manner of equipment for parties and events.

What’s your favourite thing about work? Being my own boss, working my own hours, and being able to create something that’s mine and then share it with everyone else who might be interested in it.

Do you have a favourite quote? “Life is not a fairy tale. If you lose your shoe at midnight, you’re drunk!”

Any other words of wisdom for readers of The Beast? I did something recently that I haven’t done for a long time. I went down to the south end of Bondi Beach and watched the sun rise. I highly recommend going down there just for the hell of it. You won’t regret it!