My Monthly Chronicles: October 2025

October was a busy month with a holiday in Daylesford as well as exhibitions, concerts, shopping, convents - yes we visited two former convents -  and good food.  (See my In My Kitchen post for more about our food at home in October.)  Our spring weather has been a yo yo between bleak grey skies of rain clouds and glorious sunshine.  The above photo was taken a on a lovely warm day when the the sunshine dappled the shadows of the magnificent trees of the Flagstaff gardens in the CBD. 

I had ridden my bike to pick up a Colin Thompson book that Sylvia had ordered.  I highly recommend you check out his wonderfully detailed whimsical illustrations in his children's books.  The roadworks at Victoria Street near the Vic Market meant a detour to my usual route, taking me past the Flagstaff Gardens.  It was such a pleasure to see many people enjoying the sunshine in such a splendid green space in the city centre of Melbourne.

Tylers Milkbar, Preston

We dropped in on our favourite Tylers Milkbar (656 Plenty Road).   It was the last weeks of the winter menu so we enjoyed drinks and soup from the specials menu.  I had a milo hot chocolate with home made marshmallows.  Sylvia had an iced popcorn matcha latte.  The Roasted broccoli soup was thick and spiced and warming with a generous sprinkling of pangratta.  We also shared the wonderful "There's a leek in my toastie" filled with cheese, garlic, leek, pickles and tofu bacon.

Holiday in Daylesford

We had a wonderful short holiday in rural western Victoria at Daylesford.  The Daylesford Convent Gallery was one of the highlights with its gorgeous artwork and architecture . Above is the view of the town from a balcony at the gallery on a  on a sunny day.   It was also one of the fine places we ate well.  You can read my posts about our trip at:

• Daylesford Accommodation 
• Daylesford Hotel: a grand country pub
• Daylesford Convent Gallery  
• Daylesford eating out: Cliffys, Hot Chocolate Apothecary and Daylesford Larder 
• 12 Daylesford shopping and sightseeing highlights 

 

Abbotsford Farmers Market

We got along to the Abbotsford Farmers Market in the grounds of the former convent in Heliers St, Abbotsford which operates on the second Saturday of the month.  It was a smaller market than I expected but had some good food: baking fresh fruit and veg, coffees, drinks, preserves, plants, pottery etc.  We stopped for a chese and vegemite pretzel - so good - and an amazing banana bread iced matcha latte.  If we hadn't planned to have lunch, we would have been tempted by more food to eat there but as it was, we mostly bought food to take home.

Abbotsford Convent

I enjoyed wandering around the heritage convent buildings while at the Abbotsford Farmers Market.  The old convent once housed an industrial school and Magdalen Laundries for 'wayward girls'.  Today it is a community space with artists studios and many events.  I got so lost exploring the warren of corridors and staircases - including the grand Bishop's Parlour - that I forgot to go outside to wander around the beautiful heritage gardens at the back.  We spent most time enjoying the splendid courtyard (see above photo) with the cloistered walkways, a huge in the middle  and a jungle of plants under a pergola.   

Cam's Kiosk, Abbotsford Convent

At the beginning of the year I had promised to take Sylvia to Cam's Kiosk and then life got in the way so finally she put this it in my diary.  It was a really beautiful place to eat.  There were seats outside on the edge of the courtyard.  We chose to sit inside in a generous sunlit room with an arched doorway, a wooden bar and warm lamp shades on stylish arched stands.  

I was pleased to find a new fizzy drink called T.I.N.A. which stands for This Is Non Alcoholic!  They have a few flavours.  Mine was high mountain oolong, calamansi, rose & lemon myrtle.  It was not cheap at $12 a can but was lovely and refreshing with subtle flavours.  To eat I had the vegan Fusilli with porcini & cashew cream, cime di rapa and pangrattato ($30) and Sylvia had the Spaghetti with Napoli sauce, buffalo mozzarella and oregano ($30).  We loved our meals with fantastic fresh pasta. 

The pasta sauces were so good that we would have loved bread to mop it up at the end.  But I was not prepared to pay $14 for the sourdough bread with carraway butter.  It made me yearn for the old school Italian restaurants which serve free bread with a bowl of pasta.  I wrote about this sort of restaurant this month in my post on Tiamo in Carlton,

Holy Grail Plant, Abbotsford Convent

We dropped in to the pop up Holy Grail Plant store in another door off the courtyard at Abbotsford Convent.  It was beautifully arranged with a gorgeous couch around the fireplace which was only fitting for the rare and exotic plants that were some of the most expensive I have never seen.  Prices of $500and $1000 are unusal where we usually buy plants!

At the Movies:  Saw The Ballad Wallis Island about a has-been musician paid handsomely to play a concert at a tiny island in the UK.  It was a heartwarming story with an unexpected twist and some great humour.

Son in Law, CDB Melbourne

We love the cute bao at Son-in-Law and decided to eat there before we went to the Water Music concert in the city.  We were ordered more than we could eat: a blue and a pink savoury bao each filled with fried tofu, cucumber, [omitted peanuts], coriander, tamarind ($7.5), tempura broccoli with chilli sauce ($8), a bowl of chips ($7), crispy soft boil eggs with tamarind sauce ($9), a green tea filled sweet alien bao ($7.80).  The baos are so gorgeous but the green filled green alien was the one we really ooed and ahed over on this visit.  We took some leftovers with us after a fine meal.

Water Music by Brandenberg Orchestra

I happened to see free tickets at work for the Water Music concert in the Melbourne Recital Centre in Southbank.  I don't see a lot of classical music live but this filled me with a desire to attend more.  The Brandenberg Orchestra, with their conductor playing the harpischord, played Handel's Water Music interspersed by modern compositions by composers Nick Wales and Rrawun Maymuru (Nguy Gapu, Harbour Light, and Cloud Beneath the Sea).

I was absolutely mesmerised. The 18th Century triumphant music of Handel was written for the King George 1 to ride a barge down the Thames in London to demonstrate his power to the crowds. The 25th Century pieces had music that brought to mind swirling, rippling, running water.  The music from different periods and cultures were brought together seamlessly with the most impressive moments being when sung in his Indigenous language.  He is a Yolgnu songman from North Arnnham land in the far north of Australia and the grandson of the late esteemed Dr Yumupingu.  I wished so many more people could see this amazing performance.

Archibald Prize 2025, Geelong Gallery

The Archibald Prize is the most prestigious portrait prize in Australia.  Each year it tours to different regions and this year was on show at Geelong Gallery. This regional gallery is still in the fine Victorian building (above) that I remember visiting as a child.  It is in a great creative community precinct of impressive architecture with the Geelong Performing Arts Centre opposite and you can see a part of the impressive dome of the new Geelong Library building in the top right of the photo.

Archibald Prize portraits 2025, Geelong Gallery

This was my third visit an exhibition of the Archibald Prize.  Each time I have been blown away by the diversity, the whimsy, the beauty, the skill and the creativity of the portraits.  Here is just a sample of the portraits.   So many different ways to paint a person.  Some of the faces are familiar Australian celebrities, such as Aaron Chen, Kathy Lette, Nicole Kidman, Miranda Otto and Costa Georgiadis.  Others are artists, Indigenous people, politicians and other notable people.  It was great to take time to read about each painting and subject before heading to see my parents and siblings in Geelong for my dad's birthday afternoon tea.  My mum had done a great job of baking scones, profiteroles, hedgehog and Guinness chocolate cake.

Tammy's Boreks, Preston Market

We dropped in at Tammy's Boreks at Preston Market for their famous vegan boreks.  I was most impressed with the Green Power borek with caramelized onion, green lentils & kale (above), but also enjoyed tasting the Spicy lamb and potato and the Cheese and spinach.  I hope to return to try other boreks.

On the telly: I had a lovely evening repairing a hole in a bathmat while watching Jarvis Cocker interviewed on Take 5 where celebrities discuss 5 favourite songs (a bit like dessert island discs).  I love his stories.  They are always entertaining and insightful.

Highpoint shopping centre food court

I always have trouble finding something that is satisfying and healthy at a shopping mall food court.  So I was pleased to have a vegie bento box at Highpoint Shopping Centre food court recently.  It had silken tofu on salad, pickles, seaweed salad, a crispy potato croquette, corn on the cob, edamame and rice.  Sylvia loved having veggie sushi handrolls and seaweed inari.  We had some clothes and Christmas presents to buy before heading down to Geelong to see my mum before she flew to Ireland to visit my sister in Dublin.
 

Baguette Studio, North Melbourne

I try to take lunch to work most of the time but occasionally go for a walk to buy something to eat.  Recently I went to Baguette Studios (15–27 Wreckyn Street) who do beautiful French Korean fusion baking.  I had a large soft pumpkin and honey scone and I took home a fudgy matcha brownie for Sylvia.  We both keep talking about returning because it was so good.

Reading Small Island: I happened across this book by Andrea Levy in an op shop while Sylvia was browsing and started reading it.  The story of a Jamaican serving in the British airforce in World War II and then returning to the UK as a migrant in 1948 was a perspective on the war that was new to me and fascinating.  It had some similarities to Australian Aboriginal people who served in the war and then were subjected to appalling racism when they returned home.  I loved this book that I finished recently and would love to read more books by Andrea Levy.
 

The Presentation Our Lord Greek Orthodox Church, Coburg

I often pass this Presentation of Our Lord Greek Orthodox church (29 Victoria St) which is tucked away between the supermarkets and railway line in Coburg,  I had time while walking by a few weeks back to go into the courtyard to look up close at the portico and artwork.  It is a sign of the diversity in the suburb that has always been a magnet for migrants, whether on the way to the goldfields in the 19th Century, in search of postwar industrial jobs in the 20th Century or to be welcomed as a refugee in the 21st Century.

Beit Siti, Coburg

After tasting the amazing focaccia from Beit Siti (150 Bell Street) earlier this year, we were excited to finally go there for a meal.  It is a set menu made for sharing with two choices: vegetarian or vegan.  We had the vegetarian Mama's Breakfast Sofra which was a great spread of : hummus, ful, tomato sauté (Galayet Bandora), soft cheese, fermented yoghurt, labneh, stuffed eggplants, olives, pickled cucumbers and zaatar oil, all served with flatbread.  There are also gorgeous pastries and cakes at the counter but we were really sad they are no longer making the focaccia.  This delicious Palestinian food is based on the owner's traditional family recipes.  I hope to write more about this place soon to give it the write up it deserves.  

Saprito, Southbank

I arranged to meet with my dad and my friend Heather at Saprito (12-16 Kavanagh St) before the 2025 final of the Herald Sun Aria competition.  Our plans went awry and we got there late.  It was a day of miserable wet weather that meant no bike riding, our trains cancelled and the tram where my dad and I met was mysteriously changed from no 1 to no 3.  It meant a very quick meal from the display.  I had this spinach and cheese pastry roll with a hot chocolate to warm myself.  

I am pleased to say that the Herald Sun Aria performances was uplifting.  The performances from young opera singers were so impressive and I loved May Nicholson's introduction to each with an entertaining explanation of the opera and the context for the solo, as well as some random information about each performer.  And my uncle Brendan brought along licorice allsorts that seemed fitting.  It was my grandfather who kindled the lover of going to the Herald Sun Aria in my dad's family. 

 

 Wild Timor, Coburg

I continue to visit Wild Timor cafe (282 Sydney Rd) regularly with my friend Kerin.  Lately they have introduced some great juices.  The photo above is of my Beetroot, apple, lemon and ginger juice with a slice of gluten free cheesecake for sharing.  Another juice I enjoyed was an Apple, kale, celery, lemon, ginger juice .  I even saw a bottle of kombucha in the fridge on my last visit so I will check that out next time.

Halloween, O'Hea Street in Coburg

We had planned to go out to see houses on Halloween night but were too tired.  I did take a photo earlier of one of the local decorated houses when riding past earlier in the month.  I loved the grave in the yard that said" O'Hea Street Cemetery: Please don't wahe the residents. It would be a grave mistake.

Celebrity deaths in October: Jane Goodall, Dianne Keaton, Prunella Scales.  All three left an amazing lasting legacy.

In the News 

October was momentous in Australia with our nation's first treaty with the Indigenous people, which I am proud to say was in my home state of Victoria.  Such a relief to have good news in a time rife with disappointing governments and divisive Israel-Gaza politics.  The latter was in the news with the 2 year anniversary of 7 October, a "peace plan", release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and a ceasefire that does not stop.

Senator David Pocock thrown out of Parliament Sports Club after criticising gambling link, by Michelle Grattan, in the Conversation, 10 October 2025.

All living Israeli hostages freed and hundreds of Palestinian detainees and prisoners released as Trump leads Egypt summit, The Guardian, 14 October 2025.

Yes … er, no: The Australian backflips after signing on to Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon reporting rules, in The Guardian, on 17 October 2025.

Why frogs, chickens and T rexes are taking over anti Trump protests, in The Age newspaper on 20 October 2025 (originally from the Washington Post). 

What we know about the Louvre jewellery heist, in ABC News, 20 October 2025.

The armistice of 1918 and the 'ceasefire' of 2025 by Douglas Newton in Pearls and Irritations, 21 October 2025. Insightful reflections on the ceasefire in Gaza.

‘The Rushmore story is hard to tell’: how an Indigenous park leader revealed the monument’s dark side, in The Guardian on 27 October 2025 (as Mt Rushmore memorial marks 100 years).

No Joy, only Division: It’s just the stupidest stupid we’ve yet seen, Amy Remeikis (on Australian opposition leader accusing prime minister of being antisemitic for wearing a Joy Division t-shirt), in The New Daily, 29 October 2025.

VACCHO condemns 'race-baiting' over Melbourne hospital's Indigenous care policy, in National Indigenous Times, 30 October 2025.

Selling the left’s message in the digital age is an art – Ireland’s new president mastered it, in The Guardian on 31 October 2025.

Australian-first treaty legislation passes in Victorian parliament, in ABC News, 31 October 2025.