Monday Melbourne Roundup

It was an overly planned week, which I then ditched. Here is my pared down week! Happy Holidays kidlets, I don’t know how much I'll be posting until I come back to work on the 4th. Be good my loves!

Eats.drinks.

Bimbos

I didn’t have my camera on me but I enjoyed a Napolitana pizza, minus the anchovies and capers. Soooo yummy. So much roasted garlic. I do like the pumpkin pizza too, but does anyone know if the soy cheese they use is vegan? I will ask next time but if someone knows…

Roller Derby Xmas Party @ The Park Hotel

Oh the lovely ladies of roller derby. The Park Hotel is a great local down in Abbotsford, I ate some pumpkin dip, vegan psring rolls and babaganoush, they were all delicious. And the ladies behind the bar? Woot woo!

Out.

Northside Clinic

Do you need excellent, ethical health care from people who actually give a shit? Northside Clinic is your answer.

370 St Georges Rd
Fitzroy North VIC 3068, Australia
(03) 9485 7700

Melbourne Bakehouse Port Melbourne

Stopping off at Melbourne Bakehouse for a coffee you can imagine my surprise when I noticed a big label on a tray of goodies that said 'vegan date cake'. Now this is a run of the mill family owned bakery, specialising in all things meat and pastry. I must ask why they bake it! It was extremely EXTREMELY dense, like I ate half of it and didn’t want my lunch when I got back to the office. Oat, datey, more 'healthfood' than sweet, if you're in the area and don’t feel like a vegan cupcake from Bowl of Soul, then go for this!


Deets: Melbourne Bakehouse 210 Bay Street Port Melbourne Vic 3207

$$ Slice is $3.00

burritos/generic mexican goodness

Mexican, so full of freshness! Salty, hot, bitter, sour, smokey, TASTY.

Fry up a torilla in a pan until it goes a bit brown and puffy, turn over and spread some cheezly over the top and let it melt yum yum! Then:

Beans

As you cant get black beans in a can here (wtf) I soak a cup of them overnight, rinse and then cook until tender. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Black beans are SO good for you! If you cant get black beans I cook up some kidney beans in a can of diced tomatos and splash in some tabasco/lime juice/chipotle/liquid smoke/whatever.

then

Some cooked brown rice (I dont, but its traditional)

then:

guacamole

2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup of diced tomato
1/4 cup of diced spanish onion
Juice of one lime
Salt

Mash the avacado and stir in the other ingrediants. Add salt to taste.

then:

pico de gallo (or salsa whatever)

10 roma tomatoes (or whatever kind you like), I gut them then dice
2 cloves of garlic, slice/crushed/diced/whatever
Handful of fresh corriander (I just roll up and snip with a pair of scissors)
A splash of tabasco or chipotle
1/4 cup of spanish onion, diced
Squeeze of lime juice
Salt and pepper

Toss all the ingredients in a bowl, season to taste.

Top with tofu sour cream, serve with tabasco, chiptole and a wedge of lime.

Style Tips

Romance has been blooming in the northside ladies household. Platonic romance. There is such a thing. Buy someone you love flowers, today.

Take someone you love out on a date,
cook them a meal
buy someone you a love a book they've really been wanting

show the people in your life how much they mean to you, beyond birthdays, christmas, etc.

On a week where I got braces and felt really ugly, to be bought flowers... have a good girlfriend come over and cut my hair last night and tomorrow I'm being taken out on a mystery date... its made the world of difference to me. I feel blessed to have so many great friends.

pumpkin soup

My spin on such things, I go by taste a lot and rarely measure, I just throw it all in so I'm sorry if the measurements are vague, but you all seem to be established cooks so you generally get what I mean.

ingredients
1/2 a pumpkin (I used Kent, but prefer butternut or Japanese blue), sliced thinly
1 tbsp of red curry paste
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 brown onion, diced small
1 carrot, diced or sliced
1 potato sliced thinly
6 cups of vegie stock
1/4 cup of coconut milk (you may need more to mellow out the heat of the curry paste)

method
1. Fry the onion and garlic in a little bit of olive oil until translucent. Stir in the red curry paste, until heated through, then add stock. Stir until combined, taste. See if the curry paste is too spicy or not enough, add what you think it needs.

2. Then add the pumpkin, carrot and potato. Add more stock if the water does not cover the vegetables. Cook until the pumpkin is tender. I drain off most of the liquid (if you whizz it up as it is it would be too watery) then whizz it. With the soup stock, I freeze it to be used again in another soup, its full of flavour.

3. Stir through the coconut milk, serve with a bit of cracked pepper. The yummiest pumpkin soup you will ever eat.

Hurry Up Alfredo with Asparagus, Mushroom and Broccolini

Alfredo Sauce - Vegan Yum Yum

Hurry Up Alfredo
Makes 2-3 Servings

1 Cup Soymilk
1/3 Cup Raw, Unsalted Cashews
1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast
3 Tbs Low-Sodium Tamari or Soy Sauce
2 Tbs Earth Balance Margarine
1 Tbs Tahini
1 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp Paprika (smoked is awesome)
1 Pinch Nutmeg
2-4 Cloves of Garlic, optional
Black pepper, to taste

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. This may work best in a high-speed blender (like a Vita-Mix), but you can definitely make it in a regular blender. Just blend extra-long, or perhaps strain if if you want it perfectly smooth. Tiny bits of cashews won’t hurt anyone though!

If you’re making this sauce for pasta, drain the pasta and return it to the hot empty pan. Pour the sauce over, place on medium heat, and stir until heated through. Serve with lots of fresh cracked black pepper.

I fried up some thinly sliced asparagus, mushroom and broccolini in the pan, added the pasta, then the sauce, combined and seasoned. Truly delicious!

Monday Melbourne Roundup

I've been trying to stay at home a bit lately, just really tired from the silly season!

out.

Where the Wild Things Are

The trailer is linked above. I had been so up and down about seeing this film. From dizzingly OMFG THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING highs, to holy shit fucking hipsters are ruining everything Ima gunna hate this cause its going to break my heart for being shit, lows. I tried to clear my mind of all negative/hyped reviews and went empty. I have never read the book so its not a long held onto piece of my childhood that I psychotically demanded to be faithfully reproduced 'emotionally' on screen. I found this film so so so beautiful. Shot in Daylesford, my mythical homeland singing a song to me, it solidifies to me that this place is full of secrets and magic. A beautifully shot, delicate tale of a small boy trying to work out his emotions and navigate the murky world of right and wrong. The Jungian moment of when we become completely aware of ourselves. The ocean between infancy and Self. Full of metaphor, I cried buckets when Max forgave himself at the end. 4/5.

The Invention of Lying

Trailer linked above. Realllllllllllllly disappointing. Theguest star list is Christopher Guest, Tina Fey, Jeffrey Tambour… however most of them don’t even have SPEAKING ROLES they are practically extras. A self indulgent, ego maniacal, not really funny, waste of an hour and a half (or however long it was). 2/5.

Dr Vochalas Dental Surgery

I had braces as a teen, my wisdom teeth came through like a year after I got them off and fucked up my teeth again. Got my wisdom teeth all removed in hospital at 17, and have slowly grown to really hate my teeth. So people want tit jobs, some people want lipo, some people want spray tans, I want perfect teeth. So while I have a year left of my contract, excellent health insurance that is paying for most of it, a year to wait until I get my European passport…. Perfect teeth here I come. I've been in a lot of pain and mainly on a liquid diet but Im slowly getting used to it. So for a while, there will be a lot of 'soft foods' postings! I'm sorry if it gets boring!

USA Foods

YAARRRRRRRRRR I finally went to USA FOODS!!! I've been wanting to go for AAGGESSSS but you really need a car to get out there. I ended up getting the tasting pack of 4 different flavoured liquid smokes and a HUGE bottle of chipotle sauce. I had plans on buying a few other things but honestly, after reading the label on most things there I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Haha.

Writers Club

I'm writing a book, a friend started a writers club. We all get together and read a selected piece for critique by the group. Its hard, confronting but really super interesting. I'm really really meeting some stimulating people lately.


eats.drinks

James Squires Brew House

Stopped off at James Squires for a couple of beers before The Invention of Lying, yummm! Some chippies as well. I really like that place even though its solely full of middle aged suits. I think it’s the beer.

asian inspired scrambled tofu

I know scrambled tofu again, and again and again. I just thought I'd post it to give you some ideas.

ingredients
1 water packed package of tofu (I like firm)
sesame oil
2 cloves of garlic (sliced, crushed whatever)
1 small onion (spanish or brown) diced
1 bunch of asparagus sliced
1 cup of diced mushroom
1 tsp of fresh grated ginger
a glug of soy sauce
a glug of maple syrup
2 tsp of chinese 5 spice (I think I used that much, as always go small, taste and if you want to add a bit more go for it!)

method
1. Working batches, heat up the sesame oil and fry the ginger, garlic, onion and tofu until it all starts to brown. Put aside in a bowl.

2. Heat up some more sesame oil and fry up the mushrooms until they are cooked then add the asparagus, saute for about a minute before adding the tofu mixture back into the pan. Combine, then add soy sauce, maple syrup and Chinese 5 spice, stir in. Heat through, taste, add more seasoning if you think it needs it.

notes: I tried to keep the soy/maple combo light, this was for breakfast so I wanted the seasoning barely recognisable, make it heavier to taste or for a later in the day meal.

YUM!

Tabets - Brunswick

Living in Brunswick rules. As you would know, as most of my readers live here. Tabets oregano pizza on fresh, homemade dough, with fresh vegies, cooked in the hot stone oven, sprinkled with lemon juice and olive oil and rolled up like a kebab.

Fuck. Yeah.

deets: 607 Sydney Road, Brunswick VIC 3056, Phone (03) 9387 3461
$$: $2.50 YEAH YOU HEARD ME old world prices

Bowl of Soul - Port Melbourne - CLOSED

I go to Bowl of Soul a LOT but always get the steak out sandwich in a salad so I havent had anything new to update with lately. I got the large salad with 2 different types, the buckwheat salad with pumpkin, beetroot and corriander and the quinoa salad with sundried tomatoes, smoked tofu, broccoli and lentils. This serving was freaking HUGE so next time I will get the small size. The salads were delicious, and the large, wholegrains meant I filled up a lot quicker than usual. It was a great change to my usual fake meat-a-thon. Love Alina and Shane, love Bowl of Soul. And great news! They will be open all over the Christmas break minus the public holidays.

Deets: 118 Bridge St Port Melbourne 9645 2470
$$: large salad is $11

My first Bowl of Soul post here.

Monday Melbourne Roundup

Busy, two 4am days this week. Woot woot.

Out

The Boys Are Back



Ahh Australian film, so pitch perfect, so heart wrenching, so unflinchingly real. Australian film is fucking exhausting and Scott Hicks new missive (director of Shine) is all of those things and more. It’s a beautiful film of loss, how grief makes you crazy and how your assumptions on things you take for granted can have profound impacts on the people you love without your knowledge. Beautiful, haunting film, I cried buckets. Not sure Id recommend going especially to the cinema for it, but definitely one to see. Big thanks to Jetsetting Joyce over at Mel:Hot or Not for the freebies! xo


Black Rock Beach

Well, stayin out getting pissed till all hours Wednesday morning meant of course, I didn’t go to work. I spent the afternoon at the beach instead with a nice boy. Naw. Then off to my tattoo appointment. Black Rock.. Noice beach bros.

Chapel Tatoo

I got mah leg FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 10 hours of tattooing and more than $1100 later… and a hell of a lot of pain.. Tears.. Sweat.. And swearing and the motherfucker is actually FUCKING DONE. YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH.



Book Club

This months book was "Wake in Fright" by Kenneth Cook. Terrifying, sickening, saddening, depressing. A bit of Australian literary history to definitely read, but I didn’t enjoy the book.

Orlando

Roseannadu. It was Roseanne, it was Xanadu. It was Roseannadu. NO ONE DRESSED UP except me and Beaver. I went as David, but it didn’t matter, best queer night in Melbourne. I had SO MUCH FUN. Its just nice to be in a normal space full of normal people, no mongers, no hipsters, no crazy people. Just FUN. F U N.

Eats/Drinks

Old Bar

I havent been to Old Bar in a million years. This week was a wacky one, my days started one way, had plans on being another and then ended up being something utterly different. I logged online after the movie and began chatting to someone I'd been meaning to meet for ages, spur of the moment I was riding my bike over to Fitzroy at midnight to get shitfaced at the Old Bar till closing time. Odd mix of people getting pissed on a Wednesday morning. Lotsofun.

Tom Phat

More tofu scramble goodness. I cant ever stop. Ever.

Tabets

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hangover FOOOOOOOOOD.

Bowl of Soul

I finally got something different.

mediterranean breakfast beans

This is my usual red sauce recipe, with beans but here it is again.

ingredients
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 tbsp of tomato paste
1 small onion, diced
1 can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 glug of balsamic
1 small handful of basil leaves chopped
1 tsp of fresh oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 small chili, slice
3 cloves of garlic sliced

method
1. Saute the garlic and onion until onion becomes translucent.

2. Throw in the herbs and chili and saute for a minute, then combine the tomato paste.

3. Add the remainding ingredients and simmer for about 5 minutes until combined and flavourful, season to taste. Voila!

notes: They get better over the next couple of days.

grilled asparagus

This was unsurprisingly really tasty. Asparagus is in season and bountiful right now, snap it up!

Recipe from Vegan Brunch.

ingredients
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste (a tsp each)
2-3 garlic cloves minced

method
1. I used 2 bunches of asparagus. Try and pick bunches that look really fresh and have soft stalks (the stalks go wooden and white if they are old). Trim the ends off the aspargus until the knife goes through easily (like cutting broccoli). I sealed in a water tight container and shook around. Refrigerate overnight or at least an hour. Grill, turning once.

Monday Melbourne Roundup

I had a suuupppperrrr busy week last week, and it will just continue I think from now until May. woot.

Out

Jane Brown

A Hopeless Tale of Eternity

Jane is a friend of a friend, so I went along to her opening to check it out. Stunning. Her black and white photos are just haunting and beautiful and very reasonably priced. Most prints are $280, if you are looking for a different Christmas present and want to buy something off a local artist, go and check this exhibition out.

The show continues until the 5th of December at Pigment Gallery, Level 2, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St (enter via Cathedral Arcade) Wed-Fri 12-6 Sat 12-4

The Informant - Steven Soderbergh (cant find a link it doesn’t open till Thursday)

What a good little hyper active Capricorn Soderbergh is. Soderberghs 3rd film to be released this year (and Che was a 2hr, 2 parter), doesn’t disappoint. The Girlfriend Experience was in my top five of films for this year and I think this is going to get in there too. A dry, melancholy comedy about a pathological liar with some serious mental issues, who takes everyone around him down with his psychosis. And by everyone I mean his entire corporation, the FBI and his family. Matt Damon is stunning and the rest of the 'bit part' cast is made up of stand up comedians/comedians which lends a wonderful dimension to the most banal interactions. You wont look at corn or lysine the same EVER again. Highly recommend.

Britney Spears - Circus - Rod Laver Arena

It was Britneys 5th and final show in Melbourne and apparently the lass wont perform to a stadium with one seat empty (or 4,000) so they gave away 4,000 tickets! Hooray! I sat there with a giant bag of chips a giant coke and shoved them into my gaping face for 1 hour and 40 minutes. It was just like Cirque du Soliel starring Britney. Can I just say that it is NOT appropriate for anyone under the age of 15, there is some seriously raunchy stuff in there, not to mention acrobatic gimps, amputees, guitar wailing midgets in mullets wigs, female acrobats rolling down from the sky in black Mexican wrestling outfits with silver sequined masks. Add in french antique furniture and the spectacle of a masked ball and my inner gay man squealed for the entire time. It was fucking ace. And fuck me are those people fit, they all basically did tae-bo for 90minutes in 6 inch stilettos. Oh and yes, lip sync ahoy but Britters did sing *one* song and I was surprised at how good her voice actually is. It’s a shame because obviously they worked so hard to get her working as its evident that about 1000 peoples livelihoods are dependent of her being able to stand up and wave her hands around, that part made me really sad.

Eats/Drinks

The Union Hotel - Brunswick

My local, I went there for a few beers on Saturday night. Its super cute, too full of kids for my liking but you can ignore them. I find the food here too bland but perhaps you wont? It’s a great local, nothing really special but very pleasant to stumble the 5 houses home.

Madam Brussells

Stuck at the top of Bourke st in the rain and Von Haus apparently not open on Sunday it was a quick decision to dash across to Madama Brussells for a drink. Always a great decision, even though the crowd there is decidedly middle aged/and or females having 'garden parties' it just sweeps me up in its arms and we stayed for a few glasses of wine and Adrian had a toasty. A great place to catch up.

home fries

I hosted my first brunch on Sunday and it was a feast. The timing was a little stressful (keeping 4 dishes warm, I had prepared 2 the night before but had to make two in the morning) but it all ended up spectacularly well. This was the all out super fattening dish, we all need greasy potatoes on a Sunday morning.

Recipe straight from "In the Garden of Vegan"

ingredients
2 potatoes, roughly cubed
1, onion, roughly chopped
1 tbsp of olive oil (I ended up using way more)
2 tsp of all purpose seasoning (recipe to follow)
1/4 tsp of pepper (I used more)
1/4 tsp of salt (I think I used about 3!)
some fresh parsley, chopped
1 hot chilli, sliced

all purpose seasoning
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp of onion powder
2 tsp of cumin
2 tsp of garlic powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne

method
1. In a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat, saute the potatoes and onion in oil for about 8-10 minutes (mine needed way longer) until potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork. Stir in the remaining ingredients and saute for an additional 2 minutes.

notes: I also added 3 cloves of sliced garlic with the onions, but I'm crazy like that. If I had them on hand I would have mashed roasted garlic cloves into it.