Sandi Sieger’s guide to what’s hot and happy(ning) this week. Eat, drink, buy, try, visit, read, be merry.
EAT: Mr. Brownie’s Bottomless Brunch
Mr Brownie is firing up the barbeque for his weekly Bottomless Brunch, welcoming the bright and sunny days ahead with sessions of unlimited drinks and curry snags on the South Melbourne rooftop.
Available each Saturday and Sunday from midday, the bottomless brunch includes 90-minutes of free-flowing house wine, tap beers, and rotating house cocktails alongside a curry sausage sizzle. Unparalleled views of the city skyline from the rooftop of the four-storey British-Indian curry pub also feature on the menu.
Guests can expect a DJ spinning tunes on the rooftop every weekend and a weekly changing drinks menu of classic cocktails such as negronis, Aperol spritzes, frozen margaritas and espresso martinis. When it’s wine time, there’ll be infinite rosé, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay on pour.
The full food menu is also available to order if the unlimited supply of curry snags doesn’t hit the spot, with $15 lobster rolls, butter chicken pies, and ‘nachos of the motherland’ guaranteed to satisfy.
Mr Brownie’s bottomless brunch details:
Time: 90 minute sittings from 12:00pm-4:00pm each Saturday and Sunday
Price: $49 per person inclusive of curry sausage sizzle and unlimited drinks for 90 minutes
Bookings: via the Mr Brownie website with limited walk-ins also available
DRINK: Harlow Richmond
Popular Richmond bar Harlow has launched its new Rooftop bar after a $1.3m build. The Rooftop has been designed to wrap around the building, allowing for sweeping, uninterrupted views of the city.
The new space has a capacity of 200 people (without restrictions) and is great for locals and visitors to catch up with friends, enjoy drinks and eats and watch sporting events. After months of closure, the venue is excited to be able to not only welcome back the local community but also introduce them to the brand new Rooftop.
The drinks menu on the rooftop comes with a special curated selection of five Rooftop only cocktails, named after some of Venue Manager Ben Lougoon’s favourite tracks. These include the ‘Rockstar’ – watermelon infused tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, watermelon simple syrup & chilli salt and the ‘What’s Poppin’ – Ketel One Citroen, St Germain, Aperol, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and egg white.
For drinks with mates, there’s plenty of beers on tap, tinnies and wines top choose from, perfect with some bar snacks and burgers when settling in for a session with the crew.
BUY: Honua Bars
Honua Bars have launched their range of zero waste, soap-free shampoo and conditioner bars – and they’re incredible.
By making the switch to Honua Bars, consumers can save up to 12 single-use plastic bottles from ending up in landfill each year.
These ergonomic little wonder-bars are formulated and made on the Gold Coast from high quality, sustainably sourced ingredients that will totally revolutionise your shower experience. Each bar is completely soap-free and they’re chock-full of nourishing ingredients like coconut oil, cacao butter, hydrolysed oats and panthenol (Provitamin B5) to make your hair silky soft and beautifully detangled. They also last a long time, are handy to travel with (no bulk) and smell like a tropical holiday.
Honua Bars have launched with Liliko’i and Hibiscus Star fruit, Mint Chocolate, Lemongrass & Lemon Myrtle, and Citrus Paradise varieties. All scents come in both Shampoo & Conditioner bar options and retail for $19.99 each via www.honuabars.com.au.
TRY: Char-Griller’s New BBQ Rubs
There’s a definite culture of barbeque enthusiasts who love loading up the grill on a weekend, and with the weather warming up, there’s no better time to get the BBQ ready. Not only does barbecuing bring family and friends together, but it offers versatility to the dishes you cook, whether it’s steak, chicken, fish or lamb.
To add a touch of flavour and flair to your barbeque experience, experts in the art of grilling and smoking, Char-Griller, has launched a new range of BBQ Rubs, that will enhance your food experience.
The range is available in three flavours including the Char-Griller All Purpose Rub (RRP $12.95). This universal flavour is made from a unique blend of aromatic herbs and spices that is perfect for grilling, and low and slow BBQ cooking. The versatile flavour complements all dishes and is delicious on meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables.
The Char-Griller Brisket & Beef Rub (RRP $12.95) is a mildly spicy and peppery blend with subtle savoury notes, perfect for pairing with red meat such as beef brisket and tomahawk steaks. Char- Griller Ribs & Pork Rub (RRP $12.95) is a well-balanced sweet, smoky and mildly spiced, aromatic blend with savoury notes ideal for American style low and slow pork ribs.
Char-Griller BBQ Rubs are suitable for vegans and vegetarians and are free from genetically modified materials. The Brisket and Beef Rub and Ribs and Pork Rub are both gluten free.
Char-Griller BBQ Rubs are available from Bunnings stores nationally. For more information visit www.bunnings.com.au.
VISIT: Victorian Cherry Trail
Restrictions have eased once again and we can finally get back to visiting regional Victoria! This is perfect timing as cherry season is just beginning, so Melburnians can now visit the orchards on the cherry trail.
The Victorian Cherry Trail has nine cherry orchards across four cherry growing regions in the state.
Visiting a cherry farm is the ideal way to have a great day out, buy farm fresh cherries and even pick your own at some of the orchards.
The Victorian cherry season has just begun and will continue through to early February. The peak season is the weeks leading up to Christmas, just in time for festive feasting.
Victorian Cherry Trail
Yarra Valley & Ranges
Big Fella Cherries, 38 Boundary Road, Coldstream
Pick Your Own & Buy Farm Fresh
10am-5pm Thurs to Sat (mid Nov to early Jan)
Blue Hills Berries & Cherries, 27 Parker Road, Silvan
Pick Your Own and Buy Farm Fresh
9am-5pm Mon to Sun (Nov to end of Jan)
Chappies, 21 Barker Road, Silvan
Pick Your Own and Buy Farm Fresh
8.30am-5pm Mon to Sun (mid Nov to end Jan)
CherryHill Orchards, 474 Queens Road, Wandin
Pick Your Own and Buy Farm Fresh
9am-5pm Mon to Sun (mid Nov to early Jan)
Wandin Valley Farms, 47 Hunter Road, Wandin North
Buy Farm Fresh
9am-5pm Mon to Sun (early Nov to Mid Jan)
Yarra Valley Cherries, 585 Victoria Road, Seville
Buy Farm Fresh
8.30am-5.30pm Mon to Sun (mid Nov to 24 Dec)
www.yarravalleycherries.com.au
Upper Goulburn Valley
Koala Cherries, 6547 Maroondah Hwy, Yarck
Buy Farm Fresh
9am-5pm Mon to Sun (Nov to Jan)
Macedon Ranges
Natureripe Fruits, 638 Bacchus Marsh Road
Pick Your Own and Buy Farm Fresh
9am-5pm Mon-Sun (Nov to early Feb)
Mornington Peninsula
Red Hill Cherry Farm, 69 Prossors Lane, Red Hill
Pick Your Own and Buy Farm Fresh
Open late Nov to early Jan (check website)
The Victorian Cherry Trail brochure is available to download on the Victorian Cherry Association website here https://www.cherries.org.au/cherries/harvest-trail
It is always worth checking the websites or contacting the orchard before visiting to check availability and opening times as weather etc can affect the crop.
Given that cherries are fairly low calorie, contain 40% of recommended daily vitamin C and are packed full of antioxidants, they are a healthy choice as a snack on their own and are the perfect summer recipe ingredient.
The main Cherry varieties in Victoria are the Merchant, Bing, Stella, Regina, Lapin, Sweet Georgia, Sweetheart and Van cherries. With many different cherry varieties that span the cherry season, the cherry you eat in November won’t be the same as the one you eat in January – all the reason to visit orchards on the Cherry Trail and support local businesses throughout the season!
READ: Skinformation by Terri Vinson
The beauty industry is flooded with products promising to deliver clear, poreless, eternally youthful skin. Many of us fall for these false claims disguised as cleverly stated facts designed to lure us into purchasing these promises in a jar – but how do we know what really works?
Thankfully, leading Australian skin scientist, Terri Vinson, is lifting the lid on skincare through the launch of her highly anticipated book, Skinformation; the must-have beauty bible for the skin-savvy reader.
As a cosmetic chemist and expert in the science of skin for over 15 years, Terri exposes the misinformation and confusion surrounding many cosmetic ingredients, debunks current skin ‘mythology’ and provides easy to digest information on all the common skin issues and concerns.
In Skinformation, Terri breaks down the science behind ingredients and skin biology in a way only a former science teacher can. It’s straightforward, quirky and loaded with plenty of fun facts and visuals. Covering topics across all age groups and skin concerns; from teen acne to ageing, pregnancy and stretch marks, Skinformation educates us on the biology behind each life stage, while revealing which skincare products will work, and why.
Terri is on a mission to give us the tools to make informed choices and invest in our skin. This new beauty bible is not one to be missed and is the perfect gift for skincare savvy readers out there.
Skinformation, RRP $29.95, is available online at Booktopia and Amazon and at all major bookstores, including QBD and Dymocks.
