There are some top pubs in Melbourne. Good food, good music, easy feel to the place are the requirements, of course.
The Corner - the music venue of choice, for the intimate feel and yet big enough bandroom crowd potential for a great gig. Pulls great artists, including up and coming finds. But then, the upstairs rooftop beer garden, with the views of the city over the train track, is amazing. Plus great food!
The Empress - my local, and a pub where I have made many stunning music discoveries. Awesome pub menu, and the parma is big and worth driving across town for! Great feel to the pub, too. Can do no wrong!
The Evelyn - great bandroom, and band pulling power....and venue for music discoveries. Brunswick Street, so easy as to get to.
Drunken Poet - Jessie and Heath's old local. A little hole in the world, Irish pub. Run and owned by Siobhan, a sweet Irish girl, who takes the time to chat, and get to know who you are. An easy place to be, and you can sit out on the footpath on perfect days. Also has Bulmers!
The Retreat - mainly for the astro turf beer garden! Sitting out there on the fake grass in summer, with a jug of beer, is perfect! Usually packed, but worth the battle to get a good spot. Also awesome menu and eggplant parma.
Of course, completing our pub crawl routes have actually helped us find many amazing, tucked away pubs. Gems really!
Now the challenge will be to find good pubs in Ballarat, the town with a pub on every corner, a pub for every week, with change!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Top 5: Houses Lived In
Last night I went along to a house inspection for a rental property here in Ballarat. I am dreaming of a really great place, in line with my current Melbourne abode....but sadly last night's will tick off the second of 10 shit places you must see before you find a place to live. That's the rule, right? Tick! Yuck!
Of course, it will be very hard to ever top the mansion we lived in in Phnom Penh. Marble downstairs, all wood upstairs, our place for 4 of us, plus a regular guest, had 5 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, and an amazing lounge space that acted as a dancefloor when required. The marble floor, you see! Massive yard, where Borin was our trusty gardener, guard and on call driver. My ensuite there was bigger than some of the bedrooms I've lived in. Really roughing it in the developing world!
I do love our current house. The pretty white terrace in Carlton North, with the white picket fence. Floorboards, big bedrooms, little private courtyard....we really haven't utilised it enough. Jen, and Jane, and I work too hard!
My first apartment in Hawthorn makes the list, too. It was my first place out on my own, and it was all white, four roomed place, with a little balcony. My first place to just spread out...and study my arse off as it turns out!
The Maxi-pad in London was awesome in it's own right. This funny little add on rooftop apartment, in a perfect location for everything, and our balcony for hanging out, and BBQ parties. This was back to shared living for me, but the only way to survive, but also to have loads of people around, and thus opportunities to experience everything there was to do.
Andrea, Dean and I in our double story in Raglan Street here in Ballarat rounds up the list. Great spaces in the living areas, and bedrooms....and the addition of the spa in the sunroom out the back! Again, an aspect that was under-utilised!
Fingers crossed I find something equally lovely for the next year, which may help me decide to buy at the end of it, or run away all together and avoid becoming a grown up for a bit longer!
Of course, it will be very hard to ever top the mansion we lived in in Phnom Penh. Marble downstairs, all wood upstairs, our place for 4 of us, plus a regular guest, had 5 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, and an amazing lounge space that acted as a dancefloor when required. The marble floor, you see! Massive yard, where Borin was our trusty gardener, guard and on call driver. My ensuite there was bigger than some of the bedrooms I've lived in. Really roughing it in the developing world!
I do love our current house. The pretty white terrace in Carlton North, with the white picket fence. Floorboards, big bedrooms, little private courtyard....we really haven't utilised it enough. Jen, and Jane, and I work too hard!
My first apartment in Hawthorn makes the list, too. It was my first place out on my own, and it was all white, four roomed place, with a little balcony. My first place to just spread out...and study my arse off as it turns out!
The Maxi-pad in London was awesome in it's own right. This funny little add on rooftop apartment, in a perfect location for everything, and our balcony for hanging out, and BBQ parties. This was back to shared living for me, but the only way to survive, but also to have loads of people around, and thus opportunities to experience everything there was to do.
Andrea, Dean and I in our double story in Raglan Street here in Ballarat rounds up the list. Great spaces in the living areas, and bedrooms....and the addition of the spa in the sunroom out the back! Again, an aspect that was under-utilised!
Fingers crossed I find something equally lovely for the next year, which may help me decide to buy at the end of it, or run away all together and avoid becoming a grown up for a bit longer!
Monday, November 09, 2009
Boys Are Back
Last night I went into town after a lazy day, to meet Erin and Alissa, at Kino for the premier of Boys Are Back, with Clive Owen.
An Aussie made movie, with a British lead, this film is shot primarily in South Australia, and takes in fairly remote farming and vineyard properties, and way of life. The film shows a father's challenge of dealing with the grief of the loss of his partner, and the challenge of getting to know, and learning how to care for his school aged son. His son from a previous marriage, (not Ron from Harry Potter film fame, but surely his twin, or cousin at least!), comes into the equation, to really test the man's ability to rear and love.
I think one of the key themes for me was the parenting style on display. Joe's approach to parenting was to let the boys live, and thus, his motto was 'just say yes'. Meaning the house was always a mess, the boys could do as they pleased 90% of the time, and then the kids also had the freedom to do anything - like ride on the bonnet of the 4WD as Joe spend along the beach.
Many of these scenes challenged your ideas, and the modern day way of cautious child-raring. Careful about getting dirty, don't touch bugs and plants, watch out for germs, don't climb up on there, clean your teeth morning and night religiously. The notion of contemporary fear driven rules for kids today usually leads me to laugh at any friend of mine, not allowing their child to do what we all did without a care in the world when we were 5. Eat dirt, ride bikes without a helmet, wade out deeper than we know we should.....
Do we really need to be so careful? Has the world changed for the worst, this quickly? Is injury risk limiting today's kids of exploring the world properly? What kids of people will this give us, 20 years from now?
An Aussie made movie, with a British lead, this film is shot primarily in South Australia, and takes in fairly remote farming and vineyard properties, and way of life. The film shows a father's challenge of dealing with the grief of the loss of his partner, and the challenge of getting to know, and learning how to care for his school aged son. His son from a previous marriage, (not Ron from Harry Potter film fame, but surely his twin, or cousin at least!), comes into the equation, to really test the man's ability to rear and love.
I think one of the key themes for me was the parenting style on display. Joe's approach to parenting was to let the boys live, and thus, his motto was 'just say yes'. Meaning the house was always a mess, the boys could do as they pleased 90% of the time, and then the kids also had the freedom to do anything - like ride on the bonnet of the 4WD as Joe spend along the beach.
Many of these scenes challenged your ideas, and the modern day way of cautious child-raring. Careful about getting dirty, don't touch bugs and plants, watch out for germs, don't climb up on there, clean your teeth morning and night religiously. The notion of contemporary fear driven rules for kids today usually leads me to laugh at any friend of mine, not allowing their child to do what we all did without a care in the world when we were 5. Eat dirt, ride bikes without a helmet, wade out deeper than we know we should.....
Do we really need to be so careful? Has the world changed for the worst, this quickly? Is injury risk limiting today's kids of exploring the world properly? What kids of people will this give us, 20 years from now?
Sunday, November 08, 2009
My World Tour
There is a little competition running at the moment, finalists to be announced in the coming week, that I would give my left leg to win! Alas, I have had a million other things to focus on in the couple of weeks, and thus my entry is not as tended to as some others. But, hey! An awesome idea, and something to watch over the coming year!
The competition is My World Tour, put together by Universal music, and V Australia, and a host of others. Basically the Tour includes around 11 music festivals around the world, from Berlin to Japan, to the US, and of course, Glastonbury. Imagine!
The idea is for two roving bloggers/music reports to go, and report back. An amazing way for someone to get their music journalism career up and kicking! And the opportunity to travel to each of the proposed gigs, all around the world, as Universal's guest, with VIP passes and access to artists for interviews.....would be a year of bliss!
There are some fantastic entries, with a few stand outs for me, given their work on their profile, and also the initiative shown to raise their name into contention. Chantal Bann has a great profile, put so much work into it, and has also generated quite a following on the site and on Facebook. LadyTrumpet has used a Facebook group to generate fans, and a mention goes to Sophiemoog too. Rachmoor has an enviable resume! Sabi, who I have on my Google Reader, blogged about it first, and put me onto it, so gets a mention too!.
This is my profile on the MWT page, and I would love you to pop over and make a comment! I mean, I have been blogging all things music gig-gy for sometime. Comment for me, and at least get me to Homebake as a top 6! Ahhhh, a girl can dream!
The competition is My World Tour, put together by Universal music, and V Australia, and a host of others. Basically the Tour includes around 11 music festivals around the world, from Berlin to Japan, to the US, and of course, Glastonbury. Imagine!
The idea is for two roving bloggers/music reports to go, and report back. An amazing way for someone to get their music journalism career up and kicking! And the opportunity to travel to each of the proposed gigs, all around the world, as Universal's guest, with VIP passes and access to artists for interviews.....would be a year of bliss!
There are some fantastic entries, with a few stand outs for me, given their work on their profile, and also the initiative shown to raise their name into contention. Chantal Bann has a great profile, put so much work into it, and has also generated quite a following on the site and on Facebook. LadyTrumpet has used a Facebook group to generate fans, and a mention goes to Sophiemoog too. Rachmoor has an enviable resume! Sabi, who I have on my Google Reader, blogged about it first, and put me onto it, so gets a mention too!.
This is my profile on the MWT page, and I would love you to pop over and make a comment! I mean, I have been blogging all things music gig-gy for sometime. Comment for me, and at least get me to Homebake as a top 6! Ahhhh, a girl can dream!
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Melbourne...Ballarat...Melbourne...Ballarat
For the last 3 months, I have been travelling up and down the Western Highway, "helping out" the Ballarat office, after their Psych Consultant resigned, for 2 to 3 days per week. As my caseload as grown more variety with this change, and with working in a more relaxed, friendly and stress-less working environment, and tossing up the pros and cons, I have indicated my interest to move back to my hometown. I will offically be a Ballarat office employee on the 16th of this month.
I have shocked myself, really, as I actually didn't think I would return home...unless I was going home to make babies! And yet, here I am, looking at rental properties, thinking about what kind of car to buy, and how I will build my social life back in the 'Rat.
The work has includes a promotion of level, which I probably was going to get anyway, a non-event payrise (read, not worth it), but lets me work with Jo again, and returns me to a small work office, not drowning in a toxic culture.
I did actually look at the idea of buying a place, which I know I will never be able to do in Melbourne on my own, but it turns out I am not ready for that grown up and scary step. All good.
I love Melbourne, and all it has to offer. And my life here. My friends, music gigs, the endless events, the footy, amazing places to eat...everything at your doorstep. I really do think it's the best city to live in.
I know that I will be up and down the highway for the footy most weekends, and perhaps in-between for gigs.
Here's hoping I don't get bored in 5 minutes, that I can find a pretty or ultra modern place to live for a year, and reclaim the life side of the work/life balance. Get some sanity back, enjoy my job for longer than a 2 day window at a time, and not regret this big move home.
I have shocked myself, really, as I actually didn't think I would return home...unless I was going home to make babies! And yet, here I am, looking at rental properties, thinking about what kind of car to buy, and how I will build my social life back in the 'Rat.
The work has includes a promotion of level, which I probably was going to get anyway, a non-event payrise (read, not worth it), but lets me work with Jo again, and returns me to a small work office, not drowning in a toxic culture.
I did actually look at the idea of buying a place, which I know I will never be able to do in Melbourne on my own, but it turns out I am not ready for that grown up and scary step. All good.
I love Melbourne, and all it has to offer. And my life here. My friends, music gigs, the endless events, the footy, amazing places to eat...everything at your doorstep. I really do think it's the best city to live in.
I know that I will be up and down the highway for the footy most weekends, and perhaps in-between for gigs.
Here's hoping I don't get bored in 5 minutes, that I can find a pretty or ultra modern place to live for a year, and reclaim the life side of the work/life balance. Get some sanity back, enjoy my job for longer than a 2 day window at a time, and not regret this big move home.
Friday, November 06, 2009
La Vita Buona
Tonight, after a long crazy week, Katie arrived on the doorstep at work and insisted that I take her to Horse Bazaar, a previous Project destination, all in the name of research for uni. So we popped down and had a beer there, so she could get a feel for the place.
Our actual Project 2009 drinks bar this week, however, was in City Square, adjacent to the big Xmas tree, called La Vita Buona. Mary, MJ and I convened there, at an outside table, to discuss the events of the day.
We sat at a wine barrel, were afforded table service, and were sitting out in a bustling Swanston Street, next to a rowdy Three Below next door. This bar was quiet, with a small interior with little intimate booths, sweets selections, and deli options apparently!
Friendly service, and the novelty of sitting outside as dusk descended held promise of the Friday Summer nights ahead.
Our actual Project 2009 drinks bar this week, however, was in City Square, adjacent to the big Xmas tree, called La Vita Buona. Mary, MJ and I convened there, at an outside table, to discuss the events of the day.
We sat at a wine barrel, were afforded table service, and were sitting out in a bustling Swanston Street, next to a rowdy Three Below next door. This bar was quiet, with a small interior with little intimate booths, sweets selections, and deli options apparently!
Friendly service, and the novelty of sitting outside as dusk descended held promise of the Friday Summer nights ahead.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Top 5: Worst Jobs
I have had a lot of crappy jobs in my time, so far! All in the name of working towards what I want at the time, whether it's traveling in the US to visit a mate, trying to live in the UK and see as much of Europe as I could, or just simply trying to pay the rent and get through uni.
My role in the UK at the start of my time over there is a definite entry for this list. For placements like this. The initials ME will never be the same for me!
Another crazy job in the attempt to keep myself housed and fed, and well traveled, whilst overseas, was in Nashville in 1999-2000. Here I worked as a Housekeeper at the Opryland Hotel. Cleaning hotel rooms, 16 in an 8 hour shift including the need to prepare your cart of supplies and towels folded just right, was such hard physical work! Changing two king size beds, and completing all the tiny presentation details for each room....and learning the corners you can cut. My advice is to never bath in a hotel bathroom! This job included things like cleaning up after cheerleaders, during the Cheerleader Convention. A delight, I can assure you! This job also opened my eyes to the unfair treatment of Latin American employees in the States.....
I worked as a Disability Support Worker for an agency, just as my studies were getting interesting, to pay the rent but also to get some invaluable experience in my newly discovered field. My very first shift was when I was just 19...and I had to shower a lad the same age. Confronting doesn't begin to explain! From there I went to a range of other full-on jobs, including showering old men, ewww. One sleep-over shift I remember as a highlight of the level of horror of this particular role was in a community residential unit for young adults with a range of physical and intellectual disabilities. I was to stay the night, and just be there in case. As the final shift finished, my handover included being made aware of the alarm on the kitchen, to let me know if anyone was creeping in there to the drawer with all the knives. That's actually what this other staff member told me, before she left the house. Such transferable skill development!
I also worked as a Locum in a dementia unit. My role was case management for people in their own homes, but my office was within the secure unit. Which meant the nursing home smell, and food sightings, and interaction with the residents. The reason this one rates on this list is mainly for encounters with one such resident, who would occasionally wander into my office and just silently hover. Gave me the creeps when I realised she was there, and wondered how long she had been there. And then she would ask me if I was her daughter. Awful.
Can't actually decide if serving drunks in the bar at the MCG is the 5th, or whether my very first job as a Checkout Chick at Safeway Ballarat, beats it. Before OH&S practices were taught, scanning and handling people's groceries was done so badly! But it was mainly the customer's behaviour that makes this job stand out. Which is very much parallel to refusing hammered footy fans another beer!
My very first real job out of uni is still my favourite, and still my most rewarding to date!
My role in the UK at the start of my time over there is a definite entry for this list. For placements like this. The initials ME will never be the same for me!
Another crazy job in the attempt to keep myself housed and fed, and well traveled, whilst overseas, was in Nashville in 1999-2000. Here I worked as a Housekeeper at the Opryland Hotel. Cleaning hotel rooms, 16 in an 8 hour shift including the need to prepare your cart of supplies and towels folded just right, was such hard physical work! Changing two king size beds, and completing all the tiny presentation details for each room....and learning the corners you can cut. My advice is to never bath in a hotel bathroom! This job included things like cleaning up after cheerleaders, during the Cheerleader Convention. A delight, I can assure you! This job also opened my eyes to the unfair treatment of Latin American employees in the States.....
I worked as a Disability Support Worker for an agency, just as my studies were getting interesting, to pay the rent but also to get some invaluable experience in my newly discovered field. My very first shift was when I was just 19...and I had to shower a lad the same age. Confronting doesn't begin to explain! From there I went to a range of other full-on jobs, including showering old men, ewww. One sleep-over shift I remember as a highlight of the level of horror of this particular role was in a community residential unit for young adults with a range of physical and intellectual disabilities. I was to stay the night, and just be there in case. As the final shift finished, my handover included being made aware of the alarm on the kitchen, to let me know if anyone was creeping in there to the drawer with all the knives. That's actually what this other staff member told me, before she left the house. Such transferable skill development!
I also worked as a Locum in a dementia unit. My role was case management for people in their own homes, but my office was within the secure unit. Which meant the nursing home smell, and food sightings, and interaction with the residents. The reason this one rates on this list is mainly for encounters with one such resident, who would occasionally wander into my office and just silently hover. Gave me the creeps when I realised she was there, and wondered how long she had been there. And then she would ask me if I was her daughter. Awful.
Can't actually decide if serving drunks in the bar at the MCG is the 5th, or whether my very first job as a Checkout Chick at Safeway Ballarat, beats it. Before OH&S practices were taught, scanning and handling people's groceries was done so badly! But it was mainly the customer's behaviour that makes this job stand out. Which is very much parallel to refusing hammered footy fans another beer!
My very first real job out of uni is still my favourite, and still my most rewarding to date!
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