I’ve been reading about the meaning behind Halloween, which is celebrated on 31 October (All Hallows’ Eve) with All Hallows’ Day (which is also known as All Saints’ Day) on 1 November and All Souls’ Day on 2 November. It’s lovely to remember the Christian origins of Halloween as much as I’m not a huge fan of the commercialisation of it. I guess I have similar sentiments about Christmas and can’t quite believe my local newsagency is already stocking Christmas cards this early.
I visited Westfield Doncaster today while my car was being serviced nearby and kikki.K‘s window display was also similarly festive with Christmas stationery. Come on people – we haven’t even celebrated Melbourne Cup week! However, the seed was planted and given I had a number of hours to kill – I did end up starting some early Christmas shopping. I always head to Australian Geographic for children’s presents and it’s great there’s a Readings book store (pictured above) now at Doncaster too. My other favourite place for buying living presents in the form of plants and trees are the local nurseries – The Greenery in Heidelberg and Bulleen Art and Garden. You can also buy indigenous plants at the La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary. Both nurseries stock beautiful and exotic gifts as well and I’ll be making a beeline for one of them soon as the cockatoos have managed to decapitate one of the succulents that I left on the outdoor table (I should have known better!).
Mr Rosanna and I went out for dinner last Friday night to the former Village Tavern on Burgundy Street in Heidelberg which has now been re-born as modern Greek restaurant – Elia (meaning olive). It is now more upmarket and the prices have also gone up but it’s now a much more ambient place to eat and it was packed. The next generation of the same family have taken over and it’s reflected in the menu, decor and dress of the staff. If you go try the slow cooked lamb which was sensational – I’d also try the calamari or char-grilled octopus next time. Their version of saganaki with pear and star anise is also highly recommended.
That was the question we were all asking our poor Events manager yesterday at the Kevin Rudd: On China’s Rise and a New World Order sold out public lecture for over 600 people held in the Grand Ballroom at The Sofitel. Apparently our ex-PM is known for often running a bit late and yesterday was no exception. There was a private VIP lunch held beforehand, while general attendees got to mill around in the foyer having a stand up light lunch which was included in the ticket price. So there were a number of us sweating and hoping Kevin would actually turn up to the venue in time!
Kevin Rudd
Turn up he did, and irrespective of what side of politics you’re from – Kevin Rudd is an extremely intelligent man who was quite relaxed and funny yesterday with an outrageously extensive vocabulary. I often find my brain hurts at the end of the day working at a University and mixing with such clever people who all have many letters after their names. Linda Jakobson, the CEO of China Matters was just as impressive and it was always going to be a hard act to follow a former Prime Minister. That she speaks Finnish, English and Mandarin fluently is an amazing feat in itself. The lecture was facilitated by Professor Nick Bisley, the Executive Director of La Trobe Asia and it was a packed house with me taking one of the few last spots in the media seats at the back.
My mum ended up surprising me by turning up to the lecture and she bought herself a copy of Linda’s book China Matters published by Black Inc. Books and La Trobe University Press and Kevin’s new book Not for the Faint-Hearted was also on sale. After the last-minute flurry of activity including a fire drill held before the lecture, it was great to come home yesterday after the big event to de-compress.
Linda Jakobson
It’s all about the art this weekend with Bundoora Homestead Art Centre’s biggest show opening tonight – the Darebin Art Prize. This major multi-medium award for contemporary visual art includes a $10,000 acquisitive prize and $1000 People’s Choice Award. It’s held only every two years so enjoy if you go to the exhibition.
If portraits are more your thing, the Rick Amor Portrait Prize – a $20,000 acquisitive prize winning exhibition at Montsalvat has also opened and would be well-worth seeing. There is a lovely house for sale at 29 Edwin Road in Templestowe known as the Thompson House built in a similar era to Montsalvat if you’re a fan of things of stone and wood.
Finally, Nancybird is turning 15 with a big sale on this weekend at the Northcote Town Hall with up to 70% off. I’ve got a number of Nancybird leather goods and I have to say I love the artistic aesthetic of this beautiful brand – there will also be other things for sale including chocolate, jewellery, candles and plants by other artisans so this would make a great start to your Christmas shopping.
One of the reasons we moved to Rosanna almost 10 years ago now, was because of the parkland and greenery. It’s been a great place to bring up kids and we’ve become a family of nature-lovers. With this in mind, the La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary is holding a twilight tour this Wednesday night – bookings are essential for these special guided tours with the next tours on November 15 and December 20.
Nature play in the Rosanna Parklands, as part of Children’s Week, is taking place from 10am – 12 pm this Friday and if you’re a grandparent or parent with young children – this one’s for you.
Meanwhile the Ivanhoe Garden Club Festa and Bellfield Community Garden Open Day is this Sunday from 12 – 4 pm on the corner of Oriel Road and Banksia Street in Bellfield and if the sun is shining, it promises to be a glorious afternoon. Mr Rosanna and I visited Bulleen Art & Garden a couple of weekends ago to buy Spring plants including succulents, herbs and vegetables although ended up having to buy some plastic possum spikes after our furry friends got into the Moroccan mint!
Speaking of exotic foods, we went to modern Vietnamese eatery Mister Nguyen (which opened last month) on Friday night which was pumping – service was a little chaotic due to the crowd but the food was good although I didn’t try the pho, which is always a test. We did try the fish, kids’ grilled chicken (marinaded in a ginger sauce) and rice meals as well as the soft shelled crab buns (all above), which were delicious. It’s great to see something more urban open up in sleepy Rosanna Village which has needed some moving with the times. I’ve also had lunch with my work colleagues at modern Malaysian restaurant Sijori Malay Eatery at Polaris in Bundoora and can also highly recommend.
I’ve been talking about anniversaries and music and if you are a live music fan, the Corner Hotel in Richmond is celebrating its 21st year with a number of rooftop sessions next month. If it wasn’t a school night, I’d be interested in going to the Kylie Auldist gig there on Tuesday 14 November. I was interested to to find out live music has come back to the Night Cat in Fitzroy with my favourite DJ Edd Fisher doing a gig there on 3 November. Zoo Twilights has also announced the 2018 line up which includes The Cat Empire, Ben Folds, The Preatures and Kate Miller-Heidke (whose sold out Friday Night show I missed at the NGV). It’s always a lot of fun and the last time I went, we could hear the lions saying good night as the sun went down.
It’s a match made in heaven although I think Mr Rosanna would add red wine into the mix. I made it to a class at Cinch PT in Macleod last week and it was good to see my ever-inspiring trainer Nikki who is currently completing some studies in metabolic nutrition. Through Brooke De Propertis at Elm Natural (who has previously featured on my blog), Nikki is stocking some Peak Chocolate at her studio – yes, a pre-workout dark chocolate for endurance, focus, muscle and strength containing 80% cacao and Himalayan salt.
While I’m not sure about the science to back up the claims, I bought a pack and had a taste last night and it’s pretty good – I just wouldn’t eat it before going to bed as this ‘performance chocolate’ contains guarana!
Another local friend who is a serious coffee aficionado has been raving about Gridlock Coffee in West Heidelberg who roast Grinders coffee on-site and also have a cafe. He and his partner went there for a coffee three days in a row so that’s saying something.
I hope you had a good weekend enjoying the sunshine. While some of us are gearing up for race season, I also wanted to mention a few of the more glamorous resort wear brands I’ve come across if any of you have plans for a beach holiday over Christmas. While I’ve previously bought from Byron Bay-based Spell & the Gypsy, another boho label is Faithfull the brand. If your taste is more simple then another label based in Byron Bay, St Agni, has caught my eye – they do absolutely beautiful modern linen and handmade leather goods. Their slides and loafers, in particular, are gorgeous.
While I love LA label Marysia Swim, started by a ballet dancer turned surfer, locally Peony Swimwear have some lovely styles although Jets, Seafolly and Sunseeker all do consistently good swimwear as well as Zimmerman and Tigerlily if you want something more fashion-forward.
Spring has sprung and there seems to be so many upcoming events – I can’t quite keep up! The Darebin Music Feast started yesterday and lucky people in the area have so much choice close to home. I sit next to a work colleague who is also a drummer in a band and was lamenting the fact that it’s been ages since I’ve been to a gig. However, that will change next month because La Trobe University is holding soundvision – an outdoor art and live music event to close off our 50th Anniversary Year on Saturday 18 November. There’s some great bands in the lineup including Bombay Royale, Emma Donovan and the Putbacks as well as the Raah Project featuring the Australian Youth Orchestra Ensemble. All the action will take place on the Academic Lawn overlooking the Moat (yes we have a moat and a wildlife sanctuary at La Trobe). My media and communications, Events and 50th Anniversary Office colleagues are all involved in the organisation of this event, to which we’ve already bought tickets as a family!
While I was away, my Bold Thinking Series team ably held the Social Cohesion in the Goulburn Valley lecture in Shepparton and both La Trobe alumnus and Asylum Seeker Resource Centre CEO Kon Karapanagiotidis and Indigenous academic Dr Julie Andrews in particular were impressive speakers. Interesting if you get a chance to watch on the livestream, Julie’s comments in relation to Australia Day celebrations and the stolen generation.
The previously sold out lecture with Kevin Rudd has been moved to a larger space at The Sofitel so there are currently some tickets still available if you’re interested in China and its relationship with Australia. Details are also online regarding my final lecture of the year on the future of Universities featuring the three Vice-Chancellors from Melbourne, La Trobe and Monash, which will be facilitated by La Trobe alumna Virginia Trioli. The way we study at University now is rapidly changing with a move to short courses and online, and people choosing to do select subjects often with an industry focus – it’s a brave new world and I think will make for a fascinating topic if you’re interested in the sector or have children.
A few other things to mention – if you’re a sci-fi fan, tickets are on sale for The Last Jedi at IMAX Melbourne and my friends who’ve been to see Bladerunner 2049 have said it’s fantastic. The Heide Makers Market is on tomorrow, while on Sunday the North Melbourne Spring Fling. Enjoy!
If you’re a train commuter at Rosanna, then I’m feeling for you this week and until March next year. I was running past the whole level crossing development on Lower Plenty Road at Rosanna parklands over the weekend and it is a major construction site. I’ve also been very sad to see all the gum trees removed from Turnham Avenue and at the top end of the park. I just hope the new level crossing is worth it once it’s built.
I am also feeling for neighbouring businesses and with this in mind, have happily accepted a sponsorship deal with Hunter Lane Cafe. Like me, I hope you will continue to support them by visiting (even if it’s by foot or bike instead of car) during this temporary period. A big thank you too from me to Dani and Dennis at the cafe – it was lovely of them to ask me. While their logo will feature on this blog and I’ll be doing regular shout outs for them, I will still be visiting and posting about other cafes in the area but flying the flag for Hunter Lane whenever I can, which will be acknowledged.
It is Spring and the start of term 4 so my crazy weeks juggling work and ferrying children to their various activities will start all over again. I did want to mention that the Jagajaga Community Sports Awards are being held this Thursday night at Eltham High School from 6 pm onwards. I did nominate a couple of people this year including representatives from the Ivanhoe Harriers Running Club and Yarra Tennis Coaching in Eaglemont and they have been successful so will be receiving their Awards that evening, which is very exciting! The special guest speaker will be Laura Duryea, Melbourne AFLW Football Club Defender so it’s nice to see a female featured instead of a bloke.
Good health is indeed, wealth and it’s the name of a book and In Conversation event with author Kitty Cheng hosted by Busybird Publishing and also being held this Thursday from 7 – 9 pm at Busybird HQ – 2 / 118 Para Road in Montmorency (look out for Oscar the office dog if he’s there!). Without health, you have nothing so it’s always good to find out more about how we can better look after ourselves and enable us to achieve more. Have a great week!
Noosa has become a lot more commercialised since I last visited over 10 years ago. It was a memorable trip as I was pregnant (on our babymoon) with our first child and Mr Rosanna and I had decided to tack on a trip to Noosa from nearby Caloundra where we’d been staying. That time, we lashed out and stayed at The Sebel right on Hastings Street in the middle of all the action but it was before the national retailers moved in – now you can find Lorna Jane, Witchery, Kookai and Jets in amongst the smaller boutique shops, Hamptons-style homewares stores as well as the surf shops including the iconic Noosa Longboards, which has been there since 1994.
It was also memorable in that Mr R and I had bought a couple of second-hand books while we were up there including one by Tim Winton, and to our great surprise later that week, we found ourselves sitting in the same Thai restaurant as Mr Winton himself although neither of us were brave enough to approach him while he was having his private dinner for two.
RACV Noosa Resort
Wedding combi van
This most recent trip to Noosa was to celebrate a milestone birthday for my parents-in-law and we holidayed with one of Mr Rosanna’s siblings and their family with all of us staying at the RACV Noosa Resort, which is out of Noosa’s main drag and in between Noosaville (on the Noosa river) and nearby Noosa Junction, which is before you enter Noosa proper with Hastings street, Noosa main beach and national park at the end.
Our resident water dragon
If you are a beach person, it’s probably not for you as you have to hire a car or wait for the courtesy shuttle bus every hour to get to Hastings Street and all that it offers – high-end cafes, restaurants, resorts and shops. I’ve had friends recently stay closer to the more exclusive National Park end (the French Quarter) at Little Cove and Peppers but both would be a lot more pricey.
The RACV resort is perfect for younger families and most people there were with babies or toddlers in tow – lunch, dinner and drinks by the pool was a great way to spend the afternoons and the in-house restaurant Arcuri (where you can also have the buffet breakfast) was very good and the in-house day spa also looked good, although I ran out of time to have a treatment. We stayed in a 3 bedroom villa which was bigger than our house here! There are also luxury villas in a special enclave area but I didn’t get a chance to check them out while I was there.
While I was frustrated at not being able to run on the beach, there is a concrete running track from the resort past the football oval (where the Noosa Farmers Market is held on Sundays) and the Noosa Yoga Centre is located at nearby Noosa Junction – a 10 minute walk away. It did give me the chance to explore Noosa Junction which had some lovely shops including Stitch Piece Loop, CLOStudios (where I could have bought everything in this beautiful exotic homewares shop which was re-built three months ago after being wiped out by a cyclone) and Soulsong lifestyle & yoga clothing. If you are up north, look out too for Yukti Botanicals and Saya skincare which are both made locally.
Stitch Piece Loop
Mr R and I also had lunch at Canteen Cafe one day and dinner at Japanese restaurant Sushi Yah-Man which has a sushi train and felt more like a place you’d find in Byron Bay, complete with a head waitress with dreadlocked hair.
My happy shoes!
If you do have a car, nearby Montville and Maleny in the artistic hinterland are great places to visit as well as the sprawling Eumundi Markets, which have grown even bigger since I was last there. My tip is to go there early in the morning close to opening time, we got there mid-morning and it was only pure luck that we were able to snaffle a car park. There’s some great international food on offer from Tibetan momos to Spanish empanadas to Dutch pancakes. Boho clothing, leather goods and dream catchers galore as well as handicrafts made by local artisans. I still have a hand-made wooden chopping board I bought many, many years ago on one of my first visits there. I ended up with a pair of My Happy Shoes, which have indeed made me happy as I think they’re better than Salt Water Sandals which can also be worn in the water but are harder on your feet.
We took the kids on a ferry ride from Noosa (behind the Sofitel) watching the local boys jump off the bridge into the water while we waited, to Tewantin for lunch at Pier 11 and that’s also a lovely thing to do on a sunny day when it’s not too windy. I’ve never stayed in Noosaville but apparently it’s cheaper than Hastings Street and more relaxed. Hastings Street was like Bourke Street this time around given it’s been peak holiday season. We went past some of the beautiful waterfront restaurants including Ricky’s River Bar and Wasabi, which looked stunning. My brother and sister-in-law had dinner one night at Peter Kuruvita’s Noosa Beach House (also great for people watching during the day) while Mr R and I opted for another place that’s been there a long time – Spirit House in Yandina – about half an hour’s drive away from Noosa.
This was probably the highlight for me, Spirit House is a Thai cooking school and restaurant in the middle of nowhere – there is a ginger factory you can visit during the day but it really is a destination restaurant, which has been there for 25 years surrounded by lush bamboo and purpose-built over the creek which makes for a beautiful, soulful and atmospheric dining experience at night-time. Mr R and I thought we could have been on the set of a movie. The bar and deck area included the cooking school kitchen, which I think is a new addition, but I thought I’d been transplanted to an international city – it’s one of the best bars I’ve ever seen complete with a French-speaking barman.
Mr R and I oped for the 4 course banquet to get a sample of some of their highlight dishes which included a sublime salmon soup served from a teapot into teacups filled with aromatics, two entrees consisting of scallops and pork belly with mint, coriander and fish sauce followed by two mains – the snapper and duck curry (which was probably the only miss) plus two desserts, which we could barely fit in. I’m really glad that we made the effort to go as much as the drive there was a bit hairy – we had to stop at one stage for a kangaroo to cross the road.
While I have visited far north Queensland a number of times now as well as the Gold Coast in previous lives, as a Victorian, the Sunshine Coast is the place I’ve most frequently visited in Queensland over the years and one I keep returning to – it’s well worth a visit if you’ve never been. The sun has finally arrived here in Melbourne too, and I hope you’ve been enjoying the warmer weather.
It’s been a while! I’ve been in Noosa the past 10 days spending some time in the sun and the heat. And while I’ve been there a number of times, this was the first time since having children. I will post about my trip later this week.
I posted about the Banyule Performing Arts Festival at Hatch in Ivanhoe before I went away and I hope it was a big success – while the Heidelberg Theatre Company has long had a presence in Rosanna, there is a need to share the love with other performing artists in the area. Speaking of performing arts, the Melbourne Festival has opened and if you get a chance to see a show, it really is a great experience – one that defines Melbourne as the arts capital of Australia. My picks would be Chinese contemporary dance performance Under Siege, the House of Mirrors installation and Terence Malick’s Voyage of Time narrated by Cate Blanchett and set to music by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
But back to all things local, the Banyule Award for Works on Paper exhibition launch is this Wednesday and always a fantastic show to see if you manage to fit inside Hatch Contemporary Arts Space in Ivanhoe. The Victorian Seniors Festival is also on at the moment and there is a morning tea being held at the Ivanhoe Centre this Wednesday (or Thursday). I also love that there is an associated Evergreen horticulture therapy program being held on 12 October – as I’ve got older, I’ve started to appreciate the seasons, the outdoors and spending time in nature – gardening is a very life affirming and calming past-time.
Finally, Hunter Lane Cafe in Rosanna is holding ‘A barber and a BBQ’ fundraising event for brain cancer research, in partnership with Valiant Barbers from Heidelberg Heights this Sunday 8 October from 2.30pm if you find yourself in the area – it sounds like Mr Rosanna’s idea of heaven! Have a good week and enjoy the school holidays if you are lucky enough to be at home not work.
Miss Rosanna 