Sandi Sieger’s guide to what’s hot and happy(ning) this week. Eat, drink, buy, try, visit, read, be merry.
EAT: Stokehouse St Kilda And Hogget Kitchen Unite To Celebrate The Land And Sea
On Wednesday 4 September, Stokehouse St Kilda‘s Head Chef Ollie Hansford will be joined by Hogget Kitchen‘s Head Chef Trevor Perkins for a one-time-only feast, alongside winemakers William Downie and Patrick Sullivan.
The two chefs will present a four-course dinner that explores the environments unique to their respective kitchens with Ollie spotlighting the ocean and Trevor celebrating the land.
Menu highlights will include roast coral trout with pickled clams, cucumber and Stokehouse butter sauce, as well as chicken liver parfait and melder rye crisp and nose-to-tail croquettes.
Hogget Kitchen winemakers Downie and Sullivan will also join the chefs, matching a range of drops unique to Gippsland’s diverse variety of grapes throughout the evening.
More info and bookings via this link.
DRINK: Baily & Baily Wine – By The Litre
What more could you want than a fantastic wine range that is easy to drink, affordable and guarantees a good time.
Australian wine brand, Baily & Baily, will excite wine lovers with their everyday favourite Silhouette Series now available in a 1 litre bottle.
With 33% more wine in every bottle, Aussies can share this wine with friends at any occasion, whether it’s watching The Bachelor with friends, a casual backyard BBQ, formal dinner party or a games night with mates.
Quirky and playful, Baily & Baily Silhouette 1Litre wine will impress your friends with their images and names inspired by Bingo calls like Two Little Ducks, Tickety Boo and Jump & Jive.
This wine won’t break the bank either, as every bottle in the range is the same price at the old 750ml bottle – just $10 from BWS and other retailers. Serving more than 9 glasses per bottle, this price is too tempting to resist – even when you’re in those money tight times before pay day.
TRY: KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Volcanic
KitKat Chocolatory is giving Australians their first taste of one of the world’s rarest cocoas with a new limited release range, KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Volcanic.
Sourced from the nutrient-rich soils of three lush volcanic islands across Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines, the cocoa used within the Australian-first collection is so scarce that it accounts for less than 0.2% of global production.
The KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Volcanic dark chocolate range will take chocolate fans on a journey of discovery, with each creation featuring its own distinct flavour profile thanks to the individual nutrients within the soil. Vanuatu is robustly earthy and bitter, Papua New Guinea is fresh and fruity, and the Philippines packs a punch with intensely spicy and aromatic notes.
The new KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Volcanic range is available exclusively to purchase from the KitKat Chocolatory boutique in Melbourne and online via www.kitkat.com.au
BUY: Some Art At The Affordable Art Fair
The Affordable Art Fair arrives at Australia’s culture capital this September, bringing four days of enviable art, from some of the best domestic and international galleries to the historic Royal Exhibition Building.
The objective of the Affordable Art Fair is to disrupt and demystify the world of art and over 20 years the global brand has helped over 500,000 artworks find happy homes. The event aims to inspire art lovers and established collectors alike to discover new artists and purchase works of art. The fair places an emphasis highly visible pricing, so there are no surprises.
With over 50 contemporary galleries and 1000s of works on offer, attendees are able to realise the joy of collecting art, define their personal taste and let individuality reign. A full spectrum of art genres will be available – painting, sculpture, installation, photography and limited edition prints with prices starting from as little as $100 and capping at $12,000, accommodating every taste, space and spend. Beyond the artworks, there will be a myriad of art-filled hands-on workshops, expert tours and more.
For more info, please visit www.affordableartfair.com/fairs/Melbourne
VISIT: New York via Melbourne Central at Vogue American Express Fashion Night Out
On Thursday 29 August, Melbourne Central will transform itself into a glittering 11-hour non-stop New York style street party to celebrate 10 years since the first-ever Vogue American Express Fashion Night Out (VAEFNO) in New York City.
What has become the perfect annual excuse to shop ‘til you drop and act like one of our favourite New Yorkers, Carrie Bradshaw, is now totally acceptable because Melbourne Central’s VAEFNO is offering some of the best in-store deals, loads of FREE stuff and an opportunity for you and your Samantha to WIN a once in a lifetime trip to NYC!
Kick-off your day of shopping by visiting the Levi’s pop-up shop on Level 2 to customise your favourite Levi denim with FREE embroidery and patches by the talented Levi’s tailors.
RMIT Fashion School and Beekeeper will be collaborating to create 200 limited edition bum-bags inspired by NYC, and designed by RMIT’s Fashion School students. Head to Level 1 to snap a pic of your favourite print, post to Insta tagging #MCxVAEFNO to be eligible to register. Beekeeper will get busy making them, and have them ready for your #OOTDs in early October.
In between all the shopping, make sure you stop by an augmented reality ‘Central Perk’ couch where you and your friends can chillout and recreate your favourite FRIENDS moments. It’s completely FREE and the only place you can check it out in Australia!
A Rueben sandwich and fresh filter coffee from a pop-up deli cart by Rustica will do the trick to keep your energy levels going – show you follow @melbournecentral and @rustica on Instagram and grab a bite to eat on them!
To keep the party going well into the evening, DJs will be playing the best of the best NYC inspired music from 5pm-9pm.
It wouldn’t be a New York Street Party without an evening of smooth jazz performance in the very fitting New-York inspired acronym that is ELLA (ELizabeth & LA Trobe), Melbourne’s newest cultural hub. Show you follow @ellamelbourne on Instagram you will receive a FREE Manhattan cocktail from the Blackhearts & Sparrows x Byrdi Bar Cart.
READ: The Passion For Utes: An Australian Obsession by Joel Wakely
Aussies are passionate about a lot of things, such as lazy Sunday afternoons, abbreviating words and pies with sauce. But one passion runs deep – our love of the utility vehicle.
The Passion for Utes is a hardcover memento-style book that celebrates utes in all their glory, featuring a collection of dozens of stories about many of the ute models imported and produced since the 1920s as well as their history; Fords first true ute in the 1930s, the first all-Australian (Holden) ute in the early 1950s, and the highlights of several more decades of ute development.
With contributions from dozens of ute enthusiasts about their myriad cars plus hundreds of photographs, many never seen in print before, this is a ute book like no other, a book from the heart that goes deep into the passion that utes engender.
Joel Wakely has worked with and raced with cars almost his entire life, owning several significant and some very rare models, including several utes. He knows utes like he knows the back of his hand, and he knows many other passionate ute lovers like himself. In 1958 Joel started his first business venture: a new BP service station. It was here he got involved in a racing team. After working for Bob Jane-T Mart for 7 years he started a 30-year career in the car rental industry with Avis Rent-a-Car Australia and later Dollar Rent-a-Car. After a short retirement, Joel’s passion for cars led him to start another new business: Avant-Garde Detailing, specialising in the restoration and detailing of prestige and unique vehicles. Passion for Utes is his fourth book. Joel’s other books in ‘The Passion for’ Series include The Passion for Holden (now also in paperpack) and The Passion for Muscle Cars.
The Passion for Utes, $49.99 RRP, is available in all good book stores and online at Booktopia www.booktopia.com.au.
