Last drinks

Christmas celebrations are the order of the day and I had a rollicking dinner at Smith and Daughters on Tuesday night catching up with the fabulous Mo Wyse in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy where she treated us to a couple of special things including their vegan take on an arancini ball as well as a bombe Alaska dessert. It was great to see her again after the sell out Bold Thinking Series veganism lecture held in April.

Mirka retail display – Heide Store

I’ve also had the pleasure of twice visiting Heide Museum of Modern Art in Bulleen this week. Cafe Heide replaced Cafe Vue a while ago – the food there is still very good, and the service much better. There was one occasion I waited an hour for my lunch which was the last time I visited the cafe in its previous incarnation. Despite being fully booked inside, the meals for the dozen or so in my team came out quickly this week and I am thankful that I was able to get a booking so close to Christmas for that amount of people.

I was there again today and despite the rain, it was bustling with people in the cafe, people there to take in the Mirka Mora show and people like me buying gifts in the Heide Store (pictured above)  I hadn’t been there for a while but did not come out empty-handed! It was great to get some small things for family that have more of an artistic bent.

Heide is also holding carols there tomorrow night in the sculpture park outside with the Australian Girls Choir while the Banyule Carols by Candlelight (and Boulevard Lights) is on as well in Ivanhoe. Montsalvat in Eltham is holding its carols event on Sunday.  The Rose Street Christmas Night Market is on tonight, the Ivanhoe Makers Market is on tomorrow and the Kris Kringle Night Markets have also started at the Northcote Town Hall. Deck those halls…

Farewell Winter

I’m glad to see the back of you.  It’s felt a bit never-ending this year and I know I shouldn’t complain given I had three weeks in the Grecian sunshine but I don’t think I could live anywhere colder than here.  That being said, one of the things that impressed me about Greece was that many of the places I stayed in had powder coated aluminium framed double glazed windows and shutters that made a big difference in terms of insulation and noise.  I’ve had yoga friends also comment on the joys of installing radiant heating and if I can ever afford to do it, I would like it in my ‘keeper’ house as I don’t love the dust with central heating.  I grew up in a house with no central heating and I realise this is first world problems we are talking about.

Double glazed window with shutter  – Naxos, Greece

I was in the city having a check up today and I think Melbourne has become increasingly polarised in terms of the haves and the have-nots.  It’s pretty heartbreaking walking some of the major city streets including Collins and Elizabeth, going past homeless people in a week that’s been bitterly cold at night to cap off this season.  While you can give people money, it’s addressing the causal issues and actions we can collectively take which I think is much more important to stop people getting to this point in the first place.  Melbourne seems to have grown at such a rapid pace the past 10 years or so and our infrastructure isn’t keeping up but I was glad to hear about the proposed underground suburban rail loop around Melbourne that will connect all our trains lines, Universities and airport.  I just wonder if it will happen in my lifetime!

It’s been a sad week in the arts world with 90-year-old Mirka Mora passing away although it’s amazing that she lived to such an advanced age and still remained so young at heart.  Heide Museum of Modern Art in Bulleen has been raising funds since earlier this year asking for donations to commemorate her birthday in support of the upcoming Mirka Mora: Pas de Deux – Drawings and Dolls.  I was always happy to see her angel paintings on the windows of the original Heide I homestead building where John and Sunday Reed lived and where Mirka herself visited them as a friend.

Wishing you a happy welcome to Spring tomorrow and Father’s Day to those with Dads in your lives.