Sandi Sieger’s guide to what’s hot and happy(ning) this week. Eat, drink, buy, try, visit, read, be merry – iso style.
EAT: Golden Wok Diana Chan’s Dumpling Range
Expertly crafted by the 2017 Masterchef winner, Golden Wok Diana Chan’s Dumplings showcase bold, fresh flavours that pop and are simple enough to prepare in your very own kitchen.
Perfect for an afternoon snack, a super side dish or a filling main meal unto itself, Golden Wok Diana Chan’s Dumplings come in SIX delectable fillings that’ll delight the entire family and most importantly, their tastebuds!
The range is inspired by Diana’s favourite hawker style dishes from childhood. Prepare your chopsticks and teleport your senses to the very best street food stalls around the globe!
Available for purchase from all major supermarkets.
DRINK: Motive Matcha
Created by two Melburnians, Australia’s first ready-to-drink sparkling matcha has recently launched with four delicious flavours – Ginger, Apple, Yuzu, and Lychee.
Motive Matcha is here to shake up the health and wellness industry by giving consumers a new, and oh-so-tasty, way to enjoy the benefits of matcha sugar-free and on-the-go. With only 7 calories a bottle, this new kid on the health block is a guilt-free alternative to sodas, flavoured waters, and sugar-packed RTDs.
Matcha is full of clean energy because it is rich in L-Theanine, which is an amino acid that stimulates a state of alertness and relaxation. Matcha contains as much as five times of this amazing amino acid than other brewed black and green teas.
Matcha aids in supporting and boosting your metabolism. It does so by increasing your body’s metabolic rate, meaning you burn more energy and fat each day. It’s also known to promote a state of tranquillity for the mind and relieve the body of stress. L-Theanine is an amino acid with many talents!
While matcha is no secret to the Australian market, sparkling matcha has never hit our shelves before.
Motive Matcha is currently available online via www.motivematcha.com with retailers to be announced soon.
TRY: Brighton’s New Local Food Haven, Blakeaway
Premier boutique catering company Blakes Feast have just opened a brand new Blakeaway store in the heart of Brighton, Melbourne.
Created in response to the almighty challenges of the pandemic, Blakeaway is the pre-prepared meal service offering of Melbourne catering company, Blakes Feast.
In December 2020, Blakes Feast opened their very first store, Blakeaway Portsea, to satisfy Melbourne beachgoers over the summer holidays. It was a raging success and not only is Blakeaway Portsea now a permanent fixture on the Peninsula, but Brighton locals can now enjoy their very own slice of Blakeaway heaven just a short walk from home.
Blakeaway can be found at 111 Church St, Brighton and is open 7 days a week, from 7.30am – 6pm on weekdays, and 7.30am – 4pm on weekends.
BUY: Your Own Slice Of Seddon Square
Seddon Square is a collection of architecturally designed apartments and townhouses set around welcoming outdoor spaces surrounded by the best of Melbourne’s inner west. The 1.4 hectare site will be released over four stages, with stage one including 77 residences, stages two and three including 15 townhouses and 168 apartments and stage four including 142 apartments. Residences range in size from 50sqm – 250sqm, with prices starting from $389,000.
The first residential stage, Walter Lane consists of 77 apartments and townhouses in one to three- bedroom layouts, including a series of two and three storey townhouses that line the southern edge of the building with individual front entries.
Designed by renowned architecture firm DKO, Seddon Square residences pay homage to the sites industrial past and local character. The development boasts a variety of product across the precincts three apartment buildings and townhouses, each unique in their own right but connected in character
Positioned 7km from Melbourne’s CBD, bordering Footscray and Yarraville, Seddon Square is conveniently located within walking distance to an array of public transport options, Victoria University, schools and is on the doorstep of renowned retail and dining precincts.
Construction is expected to commence later in the year on the first residential stage, Walter Lane. Located 43-57 Buckley Street, Seddon, the display suite is open by appointment and buyers can register their interest at www.seddonsq.com.au.
VISIT: Take A Virtual Journey To Kentucky
With the extended lockdowns keeping most of us at home, Wild Turkey’s newly released virtual whiskey tasting, a world-first experience, is perfect for iso nights in.
Hear from Matthew McConaughey and renowned whiskey distillers, The Russell’s, as they take you on an educational journey to Kentucky.
The audio tour is available on Google Home or Amazon Alexa. From nosing and tasting to sharing humorous anecdotes that are unapologetically Wild Turkey, the audio tour is meant for both the novice whiskey drinker and the more mature connoisseur. Users not only learn about the different styles of Wild Turkey whiskey, but also about the distilling process, the palate, glassware, and more from the masters themselves. Along the way, the Russell family – Jimmy Russell, Eddie Russell, Bruce Russell and Joann Street – share the history of Wild Turkey and the craftsmanship that sets it apart.
For more information, please visit: Amazon
Use the below trigger words to begin the Wild Turkey Guided Tasting Experience:
Google Home or Google Assistant App – “Hey Google, talk to Wild Turkey Tasting”
Amazon Alexa – “Alexa, enable Wild Turkey Tasting”
READ: Bad Boy Boogie: The True Story Of AC/DC Legend Bon Scott by Jeff Apter
Bon Scott was once asked if he was AC or DC. ‘Neither,’ he grinned, ‘I’m the lightning flash in the middle.’ And that’s how he lived his life.
No one had the same skill with lyrics as Bon, who called his words ‘toilet poetry’, his ‘dirty ditties’. He could also vividly depict life on the road, best heard in the AC/DC classics ‘Long Way to the Top’ and ‘Highway to Hell’.
When Bon appeared on Countdown in March 1975, the impression he left was indelible. The ugliest schoolgirl to ever grace the small screen, Bon was a mess of tattoos and pigtails, wearing an awkwardly short skirt, all the while puffing on a ciggie. His bandmates, not just the audience, were in hysterics. The video quickly became part of Oz rock folklore.
Bon was always the joker in the AC/DC pack. He’d happily pose for a photograph with a joint dangling from his lips or be interviewed in cut-off shorts with a banana provocatively stuffed into his waistband. Anything to elicit a laugh. The off-stage stories surrounding Bon are legendary. After spending a lively couple of days with Bon, Ol’ 55 singer Jim Manzie said, ‘My rock-and-roll education was pretty much complete.’
Bad Boy Boogie is the first biography to focus on Bon’s remarkable gifts as a lyricist, frontman and rascal. In short, the real Bon Scott.
Bad Boy Boogie: The True Story Of AC/DC Legend Bon Scott by Jeff Apter, Allen & Unwin, RRP $32.99, is out now.
