The White Hat Melbourne Newsletter

Archived Newsletter No.81 - 27 May 2004

Contents

Textile Bazaar
A quiet city retreat
Concerts
Bring your own
Sounds of cinema
The Transit of Venus
Reader feedback

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TEXTILE BAZAAR

On Saturday the Handweavers & Spinners Guild are holding a textile bazaar in Carlton featuring a range of homespun and woven wares. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Festivals/FairsFetes.asp

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A QUIET CITY RETREAT

Please note: This section of the newsletter has been removed as it forms part of a forthcoming publication or because it is forms part of our Questing activities. If you find yourself on a tour where the guide is White Hat Accredited they are likely to know the answer to many questions you may have in this area. All guides on White Hat Tours are White Hat Accredited.

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CONCERTS
Nothing much happening in the way of community festivals this weekend but there are tons of concerts both afternoon and evening. These include choirs in Geelong, wind ensembles at Melba Hall, Chopin at MLC. Or for a uniquely Melbourne experience you could try the Pro Art concert at BMW Edge. There you can sit in air conditioned comfort and listen to good music while watching the Yarra and the autumn leaves through the multi faceted glass walls.

There is also a concert by the Australian Welsh Male Choir and the Australian Children’s Choir at the Kingston Art Centre. If you sit near the back, you can make it out the door before they start “I still call Australia home”. Details of these concerts at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Music/Classical.asp

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BRING YOUR OWN
There are a few simple rules in Melbourne for those who want to get best value for their dollar. These include: Be wary of exhibitions labelled “ --- and his contemporaries” or “--- and her times”. Avoid food labelled as “yummy”. Remember that card tables are designed for a quick getaway. Don’t expect the card table to be there next week if the watch or philosophy doesn’t work. Where possible, bring your own wine or food. (Ginger Mick suggests I should add to this list “avoid any singer called missy” but I’ll leave that up to others to judge.)

Let’s just take a quick look at bringing your own food. Many venues and events now take advantage of their captive markets by doubling and trebling the price of food and drink inside, so when I go to the footy I take my own food.

It doesn’t take much – some of my favourites include a $2 mug of homemade soup from a little stall at the South Melbourne Market poured into a thermos, half a dozen oysters (usually $4) with a couple of lemon wedges, maybe some sliced ham and a salad or last night’s leftover roast vegetables. Throw in s few condiments and Robert’s your relative.

Another thing to remember is that it’s not just what food you bring – it’s what you can trade it for. So the next decision is where you stand. (It’s not footy if you sit.) I find that the swarthier the complexion of the supporters, the better tasting food they are likely to have. You will often find that you can swap part of your $2 soup for something that you happily pay a good price for in a respectable restaurant. And when your companions’ condiments to improve the soup come from a hip flask, who are you to refuse. (another reason for not sitting is that you’ll probably find yourself next to a Hawthorn supporter with a tweed jacket and a rug with a thermos of weak white tea and a couple of scones.) I often find myself eating like a king for less than the price that others are paying for a lukewarm pie and chips, and in recent weeks other supporters (particular at the sight of the oysters) have started referring to my group as ‘the corporate box”.

By the way, did I mention that it is important to seek out supporters of the same team? Otherwise, when you start casting doubt on the parentage of their favourite player you cannot guarantee the best deal when swapping food.

The same principles apply anywhere you can take food in Melbourne. When heading to a public BBQ spot, look out for that Spanish family with the paella pan or the Asian family with lots of mysterious containers. Not only will you eat well, you’ll find you make a number of new friends. You may need to be wary of the tripe in congee or the raw sea urchins, but that’s another story.

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SOUNDS OF CINEMA
A live tribute to the movies with the Melbourne Youth Orchestra and a range of “personalities”, talented performers and maybe even the occasional talented “personality”. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Music/Pop.asp

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THE TRANSIT OF VENUS
One day in the eighteenth century a fellow called Captain Cook was despatched from England to observe the transit of Venus across the sun from a suitable vantage point in the Pacific. He was so busy looking up that he bumped into a bit of land he called Terra Nullius. Well, maybe it’s not as simple as that, but the Transit of Venus is a highly significant scientific event and also impacted on Australian history. It has only been witnessed five times by humankind (unless you believe some of the brochures handed out from card tables) and Scienceworks, Captain Cook’s Cottage and other organisations have activities exploring the significance of the event in early June. Scienceworks has a lecture and Planetarium show on 3rd June and a viewing on the 8th June. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Museums/ScienceWorks.asp
 

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READER FEEDBACK
“Perhaps your readers might like to know about a great little writing group I have joined in Melbourne. We meet the first and third Wednesday of every month at the Senior Citizens in Altona 1pm, opposite the library. The cost is $1. It is a short walk from the railway station. Everyone takes along something we have written to read to the rest of the group. We critique the work to help each other improve our skills. It can be a short story, a poem, or any other short piece you have written. We also have fun exercises sometimes. We call ourselves Scribblers. We are a friendly, happy little group and welcome everyone.
NOTE: please don't mention my name. I don't run the group. I am only a very happy member.”
Don’t worry George; we won’t mention your name.

“How can you mention Channel 31 & forget about Josie & chartbusting 80's???? Simon”

“Ahoy Whitehat, I saw the feedback from Julie with questions about bookstores. (I am a book worm too!) I have a copy of Guide to Bookshops of Victoria (Third Edition 1998). If you would like to pass my email on to Julie you can. I could help her find those pesky bookstores in CBD Melbourne or other areas. Love your website! My husband & I are new to Melbourne and find it a great source for events/festival/fun stuff. Respectfully Deb I am wild and crazy, but that is because I am a red-head!”
Thanks Deb. We have passed on your email address, but we wouldn’t want this newsletter to get the reputation as the place where you can get contact details of wild red-heads.