Lately I have enjoyed visiting Wild Timor Cafe in Coburg a few times. It is slightly South of the main shopping strip, which I imagine is very convenient for the people living down that way. It is also just near a second hand book shop and the St Vincent de Paul opportunity shop. It is a cafe run by the Wild Timor Coffee Company that was set up in East Timor to help sustain local villagers. So you can have your ethical coffee and then head off for a spot of sustainable shopping too.
I checked back through my photo archive and found that I had been here for a beetroot chckpea burger with kale and tahini in 2015. It seemed so long ago but I remember enjoying the meal which I had with my mum. The menu has changed since then but they still do burgers, albeit haloumi burgers right now.
I was surprised at how little the interiors seem to have changed according to my photos 7 years ago (from which I have spared you). They still had the blue tiles by the counter and distressed brick walls but they are looking fresh so I guess thay have had a refresh since I visited. I think the blackboard is new.
I recently met a friend there and could not resist trying the drink special: bubblegum kombucha. It was a weird combination of a modern health drink and childhood junk food. The bubble gum flavour was there in the chemical artificial way it is in a stick of gum. Once was enough but it was fun to try.
My friend Kerin was slightly late and sent a text asking me to order her a dirty chai latte. It was the first time I had heard the term and had to check if it was a typo. So I learnt it means chai latte with the coffee! And I had the fruit toast with butter. It was delicious. A little like brioche. Soft and rich with a hint of lemon.
I met Faye there for lunch a few weeks later. She chose the vegan version of the Breakfast burrito: spinach tortilla stuffed with mushrooms, beans, advar relish, avocado, jalapeno and tomato salsa, and red cabbage slaw. It looked impressive and she was happy with it.
I was tempted by the Hola hibernation bowl, a tex mex combo of beans, corn, rice, avo, rice and more. But instead I chose the Wild poke bowl of brown rice, edamame, cucumber, cabbage, carrot ribbons, broccoli, avocado, lemon, pickled radish and ginger, marinated tofu, with a creamy vegan dressing. It needed the extra dressing and lemon but was lovely and healthy.
And then I met Kerin there again and had the watermelon and rhubarb juice which was superb. Refreshing and great flavour. I also ordered the special: Polenta bites with rocket and chilli tomato sauce. I would have liked them crispier but otherwise they were pretty good.
Update May 2023: I had these amazing French Toast with berry compote, seasonal fresh fruit, orange cream and caramelised bananas on the side. It was the perfect way to warm myself up on a cold morning and so satisfying. I am not usually a baked bananas person but these were wonderful with the rest of the dish. I think it was on the specials.
Good food. Friendly staff. The space is not huge and can fill quickly on weekends but is worth a visit.
We had an unsettled June that saw us packing up the house for painting, living out of home for a week and then moving back in. There was less tv watching and bike riding but lots of boxes and eating out and cleaning. Lots of work lunches purchased on the way in. In fact, we got out and about more than usual, not always by choice but because our home was less than its usual welcoming cosiness. And many crazy politics at home and abroad. You can see more about my month in my In My Kitchen June 2025 post.
I start with a photo of the fascinating Fyansford Paper Mills historic precinct. See below for more information. It cheers me up to to see the bright flowers and plants on a sunny day in a winter month that had many grey rainy days.
Tiamo, Carlton
I saw the Salt Path at the Cinema Nova with my friend Heather. The gorgeous views of the coastal walking path were often so vast that the lives of the down-on-their-luck couple seemed part of a much bigger world than their problems. Afterwards, we had dinner at TiAmo (303 Lygon St). Heather had canneloni and I had an Eggplant parmigiana with seasonal vegetables. It was not the slab of eggplant under a blanket of crisp and gooey cheese but rather a few layers of eggplant with mozzarella cheese between the layers and lots of tomato sauce. The eggplant was perfectly cooked but less of a dairy feast than usual. I loved it.
Back Alley Bakes, Coburg North
After not being the cinema for a while, I went twice in two days. The second film I saw was the stylish Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme at the Pentridge Palace cinema. We took home lunch from Lucky Little Dumplings and IGA to eat with bread from Back Alley Bakes (10 Leslie Avenue). I rode there a couple of times in June when a nice loaf of bread helped ease the busy period that left little time for cooking. Their specials change regularly but Sylvia put in a request for the sweet and sour onions, zucchini and feta focaccia, if it is available again.
Wild Timor, Coburg
At one of my regular visits to Wild Timor Cafe (282 Sydney Road), I could not resist the Katsu Curry that was on the specials menu. It was served with crispy potato and eggplant croquettes, mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, seaweed, fried shallots and coriander. It was excellent. It should be permanently on the menu.
Preston Market
Sylvia went to a school excursion on the op shop trail in Preston. I went along as a parent helper and the kids had lots of fun. We stopped at the Preston Market for lunch. Sylvia had heard great stuff about the boreks there. She had a spicy potato borek and I had a vegan kale and leek borek from Ishtars. Mine was so good. But then we heard that it is Tammy's that does the great boreks. Now I want to return to Ishtars and also try Tammys. We also check out Publique Bakery's small store where they started. It was hard to resist so we bought a sesame bread stick and a salted caramel doughnut for later. They were amazing!
Jackson Dodds, Preston
We stopped in at Jackson Dodds (611 Gilbert Rd) for a good lunch under the vines and little hot air balloons that hand from the rafters. Sylvia was excited at the opportunity to try the Gnocchi with vodka tomato sauce and Stracciatella cheese that was on the specials menu. I had the Avo Smash: smashed avocado mixed with Meredith goats feta on sourdough, feta cream, basil pesto, pomegranate, cherry tomatoes & toasted-sourdough with an optional haloumi. (I opted to have it without the poached eggs.) Our meals were excellent. We washed them down with Strawberry iced matcha and Sparkling strawberry and lemon refresher. I enjoyed the strawberry version of the iced tea better than the peach one I've had before.
Home share accommodation, Coburg
While the painters were in the house, we moved out for a week. I spent a few days in Melbourne while I went to work and then had the rest of the time at my parents in Geelong. This is my temporary bedroom in a house nearby to where Sylvia was staying with her dad and our very anxious cat. I had a shared kitchen but I mostly relied on a jar of peanut butter, tins of baked beans and a loaf of bread. I had a couple of meals with Sylvia and her dad: Melbourne Kebab Station pide one night and baked potatoes another night.
Poked, CBD
While in temporary digs in Melbourne during the painting, I treated myself to some nice lunches while at work. Poked (Shop 10/50 Lonsdale St) sells fast food with lots of vegies. I chose the Tofu Tafa Hawaiian Plate Lunch with soft silken tofu fried in a light tempura with mac & sweet potato salad, rice, salad, pickled cabbage and wonton chips ($19.95). It was an excellent plate of lunch with enough warmth for winter. Also in the photo is a new water bottle I bought on the way to work after realising I did not know where my regular green water bottle was. If only it was smaller and could fit in my bike bottle holder!
Tylers Milkbar, Preston I
I missed sharing my home with Sylvia so on a chilly day when I was not working, I took her for lunch at Tylers Milkbar (656 Plenty Rd). One of the specials was Stovetop Hot Chocolate: a vegan chai infused jaffa hot chocolate. (The menu also had nuts included in the dietary information.) It was one of the best hot chocolates I have ever had. Velvety, chocolatey without lots of creaminess and just enough yummy spicy citrus flavour.
Tylers Milkbar Preston II
On this visit it was toastie weather. Sylvia had the wonderfully titled "There's a leek in my toastie" ($18) that was filled with stracciatella, sauteed garlic & leek, Swiss cheese, house pickles & dill plus some tofu bacon instead of the ham. I wanted to try the winter pot luck special of the day: Corn and Potato Chowder with a cheese toastie. She loved it so much she had it a few weeks afterwards. I enjoyed my chowder but I think of them as being creamy and this one was chunky but not creamy.
Miscellaneous eating in Geelong
It was great to have a few days with my parents in Geelong. My mum did her usual impressive cooking and bought some good stuff too. Clockwise from top left in the above photos: A delicious meal of falafel, grain salads and roast potatoes; Ket Baker's iced lemon sourdough pastry, the bathroom; and my muesli among the chookies. Another great meal was a lentil and veg stew that was served with home made sourdough bread. I also got to see the lovely new home my niece and her boyfriend bought a while back.
Pudding in Geelong
My mum is also a whizz at whipping up dessert. Sylvia was very jealous of the desserts I was having while she stayed in Melbourne. On one night my mum made a Steamed spiced microwave pudding with caramel sauce from Better Homes and Gardens. It was delicious and warming. The caramel sauce was made of caramel syrup and butter on the stovetop. We were glad we took it off the heat as soon as it clung to the spoon because it thickened up as it cooled a bit. Watching my mum pour it over the pudding was an impressive sight!
Bakers Delight scones
I had a day back in Melbourne during the days when I was in Geelong. As always it felt like I had so much time to spend some time visiting galleries and cafes but I was tired. In fact I was pretty slow and only had time to grab a cheeseymite scroll and try a new Iced raspberry and peach scone from Bakers Delight. I really loved this fruit combo in the scone but was not a huge fan of the sweet creamy icing.
Lyndhurst Hall, Pascoe Vale
I was drove from Geelong for a day in Melbourne because there was a history tour and a party I wanted to attend. The tour of Lyndhurst Hall was really special. It is one of the oldest houses in the area. It is impressive that it is is a portable pre-fabricated house that was originally erected in Brunswick in the 1850s and the moved to its current location in the 1860s. The current owners have done a beautiful restoration: a grand design! They gave a talk on the history and invited Coburg History Society members to visit the house. We were shown around and treated to tea and scones for afternoon tea.
I also went to a friend's solstice party. It was lovely sitting outside by the fire in Jo's new brasier, drinking mulled wine, eating potato wedges, spring rolls and a fabulous vegan carrot cake with chocolate frosting. and chatting with familiar and not so familiar people.
Luthers Scoops, Brunswick
In between the house tour and the party I visited Sylvia and took her out to share a Blueberry buttermilk custard pie with buttered popcorn ice cream. This is a special winter treat. It was a great way to get Sylvia out of the house on a wintery day when she was missing her own home.
The Door Gallery Cafe, Geelong
I also had time in Geelong to take it easy. On one afternoon I went to the Door Gallery Cafe at the Fyansford Paper Mill (100 Lower Paper Mills Rd) for a hot chocolate and some live music. It was such a cold day when I got up that morning it was 0 degrees celcius. Even though my drink was a bit too milky for my liking, it was lovely to sit sipping the warm drink and listening to the old timers sing the golden oldie hits. And yes there were doors. My parents remember there being a lot more doors previously when they used to go when my brother played there.
Fyansford Paper Mill, Geelong
It is fascinating to wander around the Fyansford Paper Mill historic precinct. The vast buildings evoke a nostalgia for an industrial past filled with a loud and bustling workforce that made paper out of rags in the 1870s. The rust on the tin roofs are signs of buildings that have fallen into disrepair but the bluestone walls look sturdy enough to escape the ravages of time. The top photo is of plants outside some of the artist studios. Then there are the esoteric pieces of the past the dot the landscape. Above is a photo of the inner workings of an old petrol pump.
Poked, CBD II
When we moved out of the house for painting, I had visions of life snapping back to normal when we moved in but that was fanciful. It took some days to get out kitchen and bathroom functioning and even now we still have boxes around the house. So when we got back in the house, it was difficult to have meals from home for work lunches. I returned to Poked (Shop 10/50 Lonsdale St) for another vegtable filled meal. The Veggie Vibes bowl was filled with sweet potato, marinated mushrooms, pickled cabbage, edamame, cubes of firm tofu and wanton crisps on a bed of brown rice and drizzled with sesame mayo ($13.95). The tofu was a substitute because eggplant was not available.
Super 8, Parkville
Poked bowls were fantastic but my favourite work meal of the month was this bowl of three salads from Super 8 at the Peter Mac Cancer Centre (cnr Grattan Place and Royal Parade). It was the perfect combination of salads: (1) Falafel Salad with blanched green beans, roasted chat potatoes, roasted red onion, cherry tomatoes radicchio, snow pea sprouts, snow pea tendrils, parsley, chives, chervil, yoghurt, lemon, (2) Roquette and Pear Salad with shaved fennel, walnuts, Danish feta, shaved parmesan, pomegranate, radicchio, olive oil, balsamic glaze. (3) Chickpea and Herb Salad with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted pumpkin, cranberries, radicchio, watercress, chives, parsley, dill, chervil. I loved them so much that I want to try making the falafel salad at home one day soon.
Galleria Crocodillo, Preston
These pictures are from Alex Barrington's exhibition called Art is life but you can't eat it at Galleria Crocodillo (738 Plenty Road). Such fun images: a dress of baked goods, an island of cakes and the croissant as the rising sun. You can also see some of the cards that we bought in my In My Kitchen June 2025 post.
In the News:
The June news has been intense. I don't even have light hearted stories to share! More disturbing stories from the USA including ICE disappearing immigrants, foreign students blocked from Harvard, riots in LA and the 12 days war between Israel, USA and Iran. It felt like World War 3 was narrowly averted.
Australian politics is more stable but there is still much to make us question our world as exposed by the legal system. Erin Patterson on trial for killing in laws with death cap mushrooms; the Victorian Liberal party in toxic breakdown over the successful libel lawsuit against John Pesutto MP, and our national broadcaster, the ABC, found guilty of illegally sacking journalist Antoinette Latouf over Gaza politics.
Here are some current affairs stories that caught my eye:
February was hot and busy (though not as busy as March which is already getting away from me before I can reflect on last month). I joined a protest against the visit of the Israeli President. We had vegan adventures for Sylvia's birthday and ate lots of good meals at cafes. See more about my month: In My Kitchen: February 2026 post.
The final evening of February rang in the craziness of March with the USA bombing Iran and my sister turned back homewards midway on the first leg of her flight from Dublin to Melbourne via the Middle East. There is lots more I could write about this but that will have to wait until my March post.
Above is a delicious Summer salad I had at Wild Timor Cafe in Coburg. It had apple, lettuce, goats cheese,
tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, a pretty swirl of vinaigrette and something crunchy (nuts?). I didn't take notes. Just the thing for a hot summer day.
Hareruya Pantry, Carlton
I had this miso brownie at Hareruya pantry (15 - 17 Lincoln Square South) while on a lunchtime walk. It is opposite Lincoln Square, a lovely green urban park. I have not been there for ages and was enchanted by the kids play area with rope ladders and a little wooden house on a pole. There are lots of shady trees so when I met a friend I used to work with, we met here on a warm day and were pleased to get out of sunshine.
Tylers Milk Bar, Preston
I have raved about Tylers Milkbar (656 Plenty Road) so many times; they always impress. We love it. Sylvia and I had a great lunch there. I had the Caesar salad of "Crispy cos lettuce, chickpeas, roasted carrots, green peas, croutons, crispy bacon bits, capers, dill, chives & creamy tahini dressing finished with a cheesy seed crumble". I had the tofu bacon option to make it vegetarian. Sylvia had "The F*#%ing amazing toastie" with a chickpea omelette. More about this toastie further down. We were both very satisfied.
Pan Pan Theatre's Casando, North Carlton
This photo of a gorgeous sunset was taken on my ride home on a thankfully cool evening after
immersing myself in Pan Pan Theatre's performance of Casando by Samuel
Becket. (An fantastic birthday present - thanks Chris.) We met in the Wild Geese pub on the Southern end of Sydney Road, Brunswick and then crossed into Princes Park in North Carlton where we donned black hooded cloaks and noise cancelling headphones with a recording of Irish actors reading the play. We walked in single file around the park with our heads down (mostly) and steady footsteps that made rhythmic crunch on the gravel. I would have loved to have been an onlooker. Nevertheless it was fun to be part of the spectacle and occasionally look up to see reactions of passers-by.
I felt like a
monk taking part in an ecclesiastical assembly as we paced among the trees in
silence and meditation. With our earphones hidden under our hoods, it looked silent but actually we were listening to Irish voices, intoning a script in which
the mundane becomes portentous, and the occasional bursts of discordant music. One bloke in a ute, driving past us
on Royal Parade, yelled out "what the hell?" and who could blame him in
these apocalyptic times!
Protest against visit of the Israeli president, Flinders Street Station, CBD
On a Monday night I rode to the city after work to join the protest against the visit of the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, who was invited by our government despite him being found by the UN to be responsible for inciting genocide. I finally had the fire in my belly and the circumstances where I could get to a pro-Palestine protest. I wish it had been earlier but was glad finally to demonstrate my anger and concern! I was met by a sea of Palestinian flags, political placards and thousands of people gathering in one of the busiest intersections in Melbourne (Naarm).
As it was I stayed for an hour of speeches and then went home rather than continue with the March. The speeches were varying in quality. (When Lidia Thorpe spoke about the links with the Australian Indigenous experiences, I was amused to overhear someone say that they didn't know that Israel was oppressing Aboriginal people.) When I got home and saw that the mainstream media only focused on the Sydney protests where the state governments recent legislation allowed the police to created conditions for unnecessary clashes and violence. I was so angry I contacted our local radio station the next day but it is so frustrating trying to comment on a complex issue in the short space allocated.
Most moving and insightful at the Melbourne protest was the speech by Mai Saif who starts by saying "I was asked what would you say to Herzog if he was right in front of you ... I just looked at the
reporter and said what do you say to a person who cannot see you as a
human being." She told of her memories in Palestine as a 6 year old having a soldier point a gun at her head, of being tear gassed when coming home from school, of her grandfather released from prison being beaten and broken but refusing to be silenced. You can see more of her speech and more footage of the protests as well as insightful and compassionate commentary on The Shot's episode on 15 February 2025: Cohesion, Division and State Violence – with guests Crystal Andrews and Antoun
Issa.
Ballards, Thornbury
We shared an amazing 9 dish dinner at Ballards vegan restaurant (915 High Street). I loved that the courses were lots of vegetables, nut and seed sauces and whimsical touches with no mock meat. Having a non- alcoholic sangria was also a treat. This was such a great special meal that Sylvia organised for my birthday. You can read more about our dinner in my Ballards blog post.
Tylers Milkbar, Preston II
I had a pleasant lunch at the wonderful Tylers Milkbar (656 Plenty Road) with my friend Jo in the courtyard. She had a vegan version of the Top of the Morning burger. I had the "The F*#%ing amazing toastie (Vegan option, GF option): Spring onion omelette, Six Eyed Scorpion crispy chilli oil, more spring onion and double tasty cheese with a side of our roasted sesame sauce for a dipping good time". I had a vegan version so I could have the spring onion chickpea pancake which was so so good. Sylvia earlier in the month had had hers with tofu bacon and asked for minimal chilli oil. I forgot to ask for either of these and loved the chickpea omelette that I didn't mind but I did scrape most of the chilli oil off my sandwich and found that it was a nice spiciness for me. It was fun to have Jo's company for most of the bike ride home.
Croix Croissant, Flemington
Sylvia and I had a visit to Croix Croissant bakery (185 Mt. Alexander Rd) soon after Valentine's day. She was delighted that they still had their seasonal specials available and ordered the vegan Pink rose brulee danish and the soy Pink latte with a sweet berry flavour. She loved them. I had a (not vegan) Banoffee cruffin which was lovely but my personal preference would have been more caramel and less custard. Then because we got there so late, we were given a freebie vegan Passionfruit coconut cruffin topped with the cutest vanilla cream with a centre of passionfruit and coconut jam. Again Sylvia enjoyed it more than me as I am not really into vanilla cream but the pastry was amazing.
Damona factory, Williamstown North
One of Sylvia's heart's desires on her birthday was to visit the Damona factory (40 Chelmsford St) to buy offcuts of their fantastic vegan cheese. We rang first to see if they had offcuts before leaving home that morning. They were very friendly and we got samples of mozzarella, American cheese, pecorino, feta and brie. It is Sylvia's favourite vegan cheese and we are so happy it is made here in Melbourne.
Adventures in the western suburbs of Melbourne
The above birthday trip to Damona was just the start of Sylvia's birthday adventure in the west of Melbourne. We are not out that way often so we made the most of it by shopping at the wonderful Helping Hands op shop (85-89 Hampshire Road, Sunshine), purchasing Dubai chocolate pistachio paste at iPantry (99-101 Proximity Drive Sunshine West) and finding more bargains at Savers (33 Albert Street, Footscray). See my In My Kitchen: February 2026 post for more about these and also Sylvia's birthday presents.
Along the way, I found out the hard way that if you don't take the correct lane on the West Gate freeway to skirt around the new tunnel you have to go the long way over the bridge and back to turn off to Williamstown. I also enjoyed seeing some beautiful street art and have shared these among other photos in my post on Street Art in Melbourne: North Melb and West of Melbourne. We also had a fantastic lunch at One for the Crow in Maidstaone which as you can see above had some wonderful crow wall art. You can read below more about our scrumptious meal.
One for the Crow - burger
Sylvia was already a big fan of One for the Crow (9 Commercial Street, Maidstone). She could not wait to try more after enjoying the Big Brekkie at this vegan cafe previously. On this visit she ordered the "Nashville Hot 'Honey' Burger: Crumbed enoki mushroom drizzled with a hot 'honey' glaze, served with cabbage slaw, pickles and a side of chips, $24". She declared it one of her best ever burgers.
We also ordered one of their vegan fried eggs on the side because although Sylvia had had it previously I was curious. I had intended to order it on the Hummus and Avocado (Beetroot hommus, sliced avocado topped with almond feta, smokey soy and sesame roasted pepitas, lightly pickled cucumber with fresh herbs on toasted sourdough. Perhaps fortunately it was unavailable because am not sure I could eat a whole one of these eggs. The yolk is a carrot and sweet potato mixture and the white is seasoned tofu. It was gooey in a way that I find icky in regular eggs and was too eggy for me. Sylvia enjoyed it though she found it less flavoured than regular eggs. But it was fascinating that it looked so real and like regular fried eggs, it makes a meal look so much fancier! We just had it on the side on a plate and even then it looked amazing.
One for the Crow - Reuben
Instead of the Hummus and Avo, I had the Reuben Toasted Sandwich: "Pastrami spiced tempeh, cheese, pickled cabbage, almond feta, dill pickles and kimchi mayo on sourdough toast, $21". I am so sorry my photo does not do justice to this amazing sandwich. It is the best Reuben I have ever had and I just loved the spiced tempeh and the vegan cheesiness with the tart pickled veg.
One for the Crow - waffle
Our lunch was so good and it was a birthday celebration so we splurged on the "Creme Brulee Waffle: served with cashew custard, honeycomb, strawberries, roasted almonds and ice cream, $20". I was glad we were sharing as we were pretty full by now. But it was a wonderful waffle. The combination of nuts, honeycomb, ice cream and berries was superb and the waffle was hot and crisp as it should be.
It was a great experience. For our drinks, Sylvia had the Biscoff milkshake with a shot of coffee and loved it. I was happy to have a kombucha. The staff were friendly and happy to help. We were both very full as we left but very happy to have eaten such good food.
Red Sparrow Pizza, Fitzroy
Sylvia is fond of a week of birthday celebrations so a few days later we went to Red Sparrow Pizza (60 Rose Street). It claims to be Melbourne's first and only vegan pizzeria. We are lucky it is only a few suburbs away. Sylvia had eaten there before and raved about it. She started with the Garlic Parmesan Not Wings which she enjoyed but asked me if chicken is always so stringy, having never eaten the stuff herself. On her last visit, she loved the Cheeseburger pizza (Tomato Base, Mozzarella, Crumbled Burger, Red Onion, Pickles, Burger Sauce and Sesame Seeds, $30) so she ordered it again. I chose the Verde pizza (Pesto Base, Mozzarella, Artichoke, Spinach, Broccolini, and Toasted Pepitas, $28 with optional goats style cashew cheese). It was the prettiest pizza with edible flower garnishes and tasted good but I preferred the Cheeseburger.
Red Sparrow Pizza II
We also ordered mocktails: a berry and a matcha. Mine was a bit tart but Sylvia's was really delightful and she loved having a vegan foam on top.
Of course we ordered too much and took some pizza home in their cute Red Sparrow box (with the lost in sauce illustration) that our cat now enjoys sitting on.
Wild Timor Cafe, Coburg II
On another warm day, I returned to the Summer Salad at Wild Timor Cafe (282 Sydney Rd). It had apple, lettuce, goats cheese,
tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, vinaigrette, dukkah and pomegranate arils. While I loved it this time, especially all the crunch from the dukkah, I was less keen on the dukkah's spices. I preferred the previous version of the salad that you can see at the top of the post. I had a chat to the staff who said I could try it without the dukkah next time.
In the News:
The media have continued to be focused on Epstein and Israel, with some the Winter Olympics offering some light relief. In Australia there was a lot to be said about pro-Palestine protests (see more above), immigration and the Liberal and National parties joining up once more to be the Liberal National coalition. Our Prime Minster put his foot in his mouth when he called Grace Tame 'difficult' and our Treasurer is looking at reforming Capital Gains Tax. Some interesting reading below:
Notable deaths were Jon Kadulka, the sharp-witted Tasmanian political cartoonist, and James Van Der Beek who is remembered fondly from Dawsons Creek and his good humoured sending himself up in later years.
Watching and listening (highly recommended):
Stranger Things, series 5: the final series of this coming of age, sci-fi, horror Netflix series. Great characters, fascinating plot, amazing scenery, disturbing villains, 1980s nostalgia and memorable lines like "well butter my butt and call me a biscuit" from Murray. My favourite character has to be Joyce because Winona Ryder makes me nostalgic for my days as a twentysomething.
Tales from outer suburbia: an animated tv series based on Shaun Tan's otherworldly graphic novel, shown on ABC iview.
Emily Kate Genatowski: My year living with a robot: Fascinating Ted talk podcast about considering on the day to day and policy challenges we will face with AI-powered robots in our lives rather than panicked statements on robots taking all our jobs and destroying our world.
A short history of the innovations that have shaped human progress: a Conversations podcast with Andrew Leigh about his book on the history of innovations and how they change people's lives in both good and damaging ways (eg the printing press, the industrial revolution and AI) and how when a society is stable they are more likely to emerge.
August was a quieter month for us. In the wintery month following an intense time of painting the house, we followed our instincts and snuggled inside for a rest. We got out to some markets and revisited some excellent cafes. Good food and good times. (The above photo is the Mill Markets in Geelong - see further down.)
We had a visit to the farmers market and Sylvia finally was able to try the Titilas matchas. She was very happy with her iced blueberry matcha latte. You can see more about what I bought in my kitchen and read more on on my post about the Coburg Farmers Market.
The Hammerbarn Hardware Conundrum
It is tough telling stories without name-dropping these days. I notice many fictional tv shows using alternative names for well known brands. Some of them are quite amusing. And even the most well-intentioned writers can unwittingly get themselves in a tangle.
When the BBC bought the merchandising rights to Bluey, they partnered with Bunnings Hardware Store on a "Hammerbarn"promotion using the name that was used in Bluey to avoid referencing Bunnings. Consequently, despite Bluey making an effort not to name the big business brand, the "Hammerbarn" episode has been taken off the streaming platform by the public broadcaster ABC while the promotion is on due to the ABC's rules about commercial partnerships. I bet Bluey did not see that coming!
After trawling the many wonderful stalls at the Camberwell Market, we drove home via Hawthorn so we could stop at Daikokuten (Shop 1/398 Tooronga Rd). Sylvia wanted more of their amazing onigiri with the tastiest seasoning. I tried the Curry Udon Set with fuikake, nori, chilli strings, pickled vegetables and the optional fried tofu. It was really good. It should have come with a miso soup but that was not vegetarian. They charged me less, which was the decent thing to do.
Daikokuten dessert, Hawthorn East
We don't get out Hawthorn way much so made the most of our visit by sharing a slice of Layered matcha cake. Sylvia lashed out on the matcha with an iced matcha latte and I washed mine down with some green tea in a gorgeous ceramic cup.
Tylers Milkbar, Preston
We stopped by Tylers on a cold day for a warm lunch. Sylvia had her favourite "There's a Leek in Toastie" and I had the "Baked Spud". My "spud-tacular delight!" was a baked potato loaded with cheddar cheese, tofu bacon, roasted corn, our jalapeños, spring onion, garlic butter, sour cream & chives served with house slaw. I had tried to order it months ago when it was sold out and was glad to finally fill my belly with its goodness.
I have always loved their coconut bacon but the tofu bacon was one of those joyful vegetarian moments when someone gets it right. Recently Sylvia and I were talking about how disappointing we usually find tofu in cafes. It is usually lacking in flavour and crispness. The flavour of Tylers tofu bacon was amazing. It was so pink and delicious. I am looking forward to trying it again. Read my post on Tylers Milkbar.
Gluten free Lifestyle Show, Geelong
While visiting my folks in Geelong, we stopped off at the Gluten Free Lifestyle Show because my sister had a Frankly Raw peanut butter stall there. We got chatting to a friendly chap from Daylesford Cider and bought a six pack of beautiful (non-alcoholic) apple cider, tasted my sister's wonderful peanut butter and were very pleased to have some warm arancini from Arancini 4 all. We got there quite late so it was quietening down but there was some really love products on sale at the stalls.
Mill Markets, Geelong
We love visiting the Mill Markets (114 Bellarine Highway, Newcomb) when we are down in Geelong and had a wander around the many stalls while we were visiting my parents. I have never stopped to look at all the outdoor section before and loved browsing there. You can see it in the top photo with the huge colourful rooster. It would be so much fun to have in your garden. Inside is so much to see with lots of wonderful vintage objects and a few that make me feel quite nostalgic. I bought a floral table for beside my bed that is just right.
Jour Cafe, Collingwood
I have written about our recent visit to Jour Cafe (29 Keele Street, Collingwood). It is such a beautiful French cafe in the middle of grungy warehouses in inner city Melbourne. The above photo is the bike at the top of Keele Street near Smith Street to woo passersby. If you see it and feel tempted, I highly recommend you head down to the cafe for some great French food in a stylish room.
Easeys, Collingwood
We loved eating on one of the train carriages atop the building. It is a fun burger and chips joint that in a unique location with great views of Collingwood. I will soon write more about Easeys at 3/48 Easey Street.
Watching on the telly: the repair and restoration of historic building on Restoration Australia, and the fun and whimsy of Wes Anderson's The Fantastic Mr Fox .
Bluestone Cottage Museum, Coburg
The Bluestone Cottage Museum (82 Bell Street, Coburg) of the Coburg Historical Society is run by volunteers. There are plans to restore the cottage and construct a new building for office, storage and displays. Once the works are complete I am sure there will be a chance to rethink the displays but I will miss the charm of the slightly rundown building with cracked walls and the 20th Century kitchen. I have encouraged friends to visit before the change and taken a couple through the house.
BrewDog, Coburg
One of my friends who came to see the Bluestone Cottage was Jo. After the visit, we had a drink and a nibble at BrewDog at Pentridge ( E division, T101/1 Champ St, Coburg). It was good to catch up over buffalo cauliflower wings and a lemon lime and bitters. It was pretty quiet in the mid-afternoon but the numbers of reservations on tables showed that it would be busier later.
Workplace views, Carlton
While visiting an office for work, I took this photo of the view out the window. The contrast of the colourful bold modern buildings and the grey historic stone building struck me as quite striking. In front of these buildings is a vacant lot. I wonder if a building will eventually rise here to block this view.
RIP David Stratton: He was a respected film reviewer, especially in At the Movies for many years. It is over a decade since At the Movies last aired in 2014 and to this day I don't feel as on top of what films are showing the cinemas as I did when David and Margaret gave their charismatic and trustworthy reviews. David Stratton will be remembered fondly as having a huge impact on Australian cinema.
Wild Timor, Coburg
I have been pleased to see Wild Timor (282 Sydney Rd) has been offering soup over winter. At the end of August, I tried the Leek and potato soup. It was excellent: creamy and tasty. I really need to try more of their soups.
In the news
The month started with a large crowd of Pro-Palestine protesters walking
across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and ended with a prominent neo-Nazi
addressing an anti-immigration rally on the steps of the Victorian
Parliament building. It is a sign of the polarisation in our society in
Australia. Also in the news were the 80th anniversary of dropping the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, Trump sending the national guard into Washington DC, local e-bike regulation,
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