The guilty feminist

It’s the hugely popular comedy podcast that a number of my friends and colleagues listen to and it’s being recorded live at The Thornbury Theatre on Saturday night if you’re interested in going. They’ve had some big names in the past and for a media and marketing person like me – it’s been interesting to witness the exponential rise of podcasts in Australia and globally over the past few years. In many ways, I think they’ve taken the place of live radio and are a more intimate channel for communication given it’s voices you are listening to.

Speaking of women, tickets are on sale for the Banyule Women in Business lunch (above) with KeepCup co-founder Abigail Forsyth at the Rosanna Golf Club on Friday 22 March and they were down to their last 24 tickets when I booked yesterday! There are still tables of 10 available if you’re interested in hosting a group and it’s a great networking opportunity if you are a local business owner. Mr Rosanna and I both know Abigail’s brother and co-owner Jamie whom we last ran into, of all places, at the airport on our return flight home from Athens last year. I believe they are now looking into takeaway plastic containers with a similar eye and I applaud them for tackling the issue from an environmental perspective – single use plastic items are a scourge.

If you are a home-based business, Banyule Council is actually running a business networking survey if you’ve got a spare 5 – 10 minutes to submit your response (and go into the draw to win a gift voucher or iPad mini). It can get lonely working on your own and as a past freelancer, I used to look forward to my client visits for that very reason as well as the opportunity to meet other like-minded people in small businesses who are often the lifeblood of local communities like ours.

A few other things to mention today – Mr Rosanna and I are now on the hunt for a mid-century armchair and if you’ve got a piece you’re interested in re-upholstering, then Carlo’s Upholstery in Thornbury was recommended to us by Philip Syber from Contemporary Vintage. I’ve not bought any clothes for a while but I’ve been enjoying looking at some of Kloke’s new season arrivals (images pictured above and below from Kloke website) and they are having a studio sample sale tomorrow in Collingwood.

Finally, This is not a drill sustainable furniture show featuring pieces from some of the Banyule Art Collection opened at Hatch Contemporary Art Space yesterday and would be a good one to visit if you’re in Ivanhoe. I did take my new team in for lunch at Pinkie on Tuesday but didn’t get a chance to pop my head in.

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Boot camp

It’s been a long time between drinks for me.  Work’s been busy but so has my social life and that’s the thing about summer and autumn – the weather makes it much more conducive to catching up with friends and family, which is what I’ve been busy doing until the months get colder.

Nikki Ellis image via Cinch Training

I used to do boot camp before switching to training at Cinch PT in Macleod and for those who’ve done it – it’s pretty full on.  While I miss the boxing and being outdoors, I don’t miss doing endless rounds of burpees and squats!  I attended boot camp of a different kind last weekend – a one day digital marketing bootcamp course at General Assembly in the city.  If you’re interested in skilling up in coding, design or digital marketing – they run some great short courses and as someone who works at a University, these micro-credential courses are on the rise.

State Library Victoria – Experimedia

A nice value add was the communal lunch and afternoon popcorn in the kitchen that’s included in the price of the course, which allowed us to get to know our fellow course members socially as many of us had come solo.  It was also nice not to be the oldest person in the room!  Being the small world that it is, I bumped into a course member who had attended one of my Bold Thinking Series lectures as she was ex-SBS radio and part of the media contingent at the Kevin Rudd event last year.  Melbourne is like that in many ways, six degrees and less…

Image via Bold Thinking Series

It was a lot to take in, in one day but highly worthwhile and recommended if you have the time and money – my course was part of my professional development and a work expense paid for by La Trobe. Speaking of which, my first lecture on Disability at State Library Experimedia on Wednesday 28 March is now online if you’re from the sector or interested in the subject.  It was also inspiring to meet La Trobe’s female equivalent of Dylan Alcott in Paralympian Lisa Chaffey – a champion basketball player and occupational therapist who is on the panel.  Details will shortly be up for my food lecture and I’ll share that with you soon as I’m anticipating that it may be one of the bigger events I do this first half year, particularly given the interest in food in Melbourne and calibre of people on my panel.

Living with Disability Research Centre image via Eventbrite

The Brunswick Music Festival Sydney Road Street Party is on tomorrow and celebrating 30 years!  It seems like a long time ago now that I ever lived in the area.  Closer to home, the St John’s Parish and Primary School Fete is on in Heidelberg from 11 am and 4pm tomorrow while the Melbourne Ukelele Festival is taking place this weekend at The Thornbury Theatre and I have long loved the haunting Hawaiian version of Somewhere over the rainbow/What a wonderful world performed by Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole, which includes possibly my two favourite songs ever.

I caught the bus from Macleod station to Clifton Hill last weekend where I then caught the train to the city to my course.  This whole part of Melbourne seems to feel like a construction zone at the moment and I know it’s pretty hellish out there if you’re commuting by car to the city (or anywhere else for that matter!).  I hope what it does mean is jobs for those who work in the building industry and better infrastructure for all of us in the long term.

Nb. Miss Rosanna is sponsored by Cinch PT

Like tears in the rain

Bladerunner is my all-time favourite movie so I’m both excited and dubious about the forthcoming Bladerunner 2049 with Ryan Gosling that’s about to hit the screens, tickets which can now be booked at IMAX Melbourne if you’re interested in seeing it on the biggest screen of all.

Image via Palace Cinemas

The Italian Film Festival at Palace Cinemas started last week and is currently on if you’re wanting to see something more international.

Image via The Thornbury Theatre

Tickets also go on sale this Thursday for the inaugural Australian Americana Honours Night at the Thornbury Theatre on 2 October with musicians like Bernard Fanning and Kasey Chambers in the mix.

Image via Banyule City Council

Closer to home, there will be a three day Performing Arts Festival at Hatch Community Space in Ivanhoe kicking off on Wednesdsay.  If you’re into music, theatre, dance, spoken word, cabaret or comedy, then this is the one for you.  I hope you’re enjoying the warmth in the air and the sunshine – it’s nice to know Spring has sprung at last.