Sandi Sieger’s guide to what’s hot and happy(ning) this week. Eat, drink, buy, try, visit, read, be merry.
EAT: Soi 38
Tucked away at the bottom of a multi-level carpark on Mcilwraith Place, between Lt Collins Street and Bourke Street, is Soi 38, arguably the best Bangkok Street Food in Melbourne. Their menu is easy yet authentic (I’m talking super delicious), a robot delivers your food (I kid you not!) and the ambience transports you somewhere seemingly far, far away.
DRINK: Moreau Apple Pie Liqueur
A feast for the senses with a cult-like following, Sydney’s Mobius Distilling Co. Moreau Apple Pie Liqueur is made from apples sourced from the family-owned Bellevue Orchard in Victoria. Each 700ml bottle contains pressed cold juice from twelve apples, all preservative and concentrate-free. Vanilla is sourced from Tonga and adds a subtle creamy flavour, while the spiciness of cinnamon provides balance, resulting in a smooth, lingering finish – in essence, a warm pastry flavour reminiscent of ‘Grandma’s home-made apple pie’ – in a glass.
The liqueur is hand-poured in the Marrickville distillery and bottled inside a classic art deco design. And, its name originates from the fantastical world of ‘Dr Moreau’, the mad scientist character in the H G Wells novel renowned for his unorthodox techniques, reflecting the experimental nature of the spirit.
Globally recognised as one of the best liqueurs, receiving a gold medal at the London Spirits Competition, the liqueur is a top-notch tipple that’s guaranteed to impress.
BUY: The Great State Balm
The Great State Balm is an Aussie made, all-natural multi-tasking skin balm made with nurturing ingredients, designed to tackle countless skin complains including chapped lips, dry skin, eczema, dry cuticles, cold chapped cheeks, eczema, and so much more. Perfect for the person on the go, it combines countless products into one convenient tin. The lightweight and effective formula makes it perfect for use everywhere, for everything, for everyone.
The Great State is a toxin free, fragrance free balm that contains seven pure ingredients ingredients guided by a deep belief in the healing powers of nature. Each high-quality, natural ingredient has been carefully selected, ethically sourced (locally where possible), and is specially formulated to harness and maximise the benefits of each ingredient.
TRY: EveryPlate
Australia’s lowest priced (and, as far as I’m concerned, tastiest) meal kit delivery service has been found — EveryPlate.
Perfect for budget-savvy families that still want tasty dinners, EveryPlate is a no-frills meal kit that takes the stress out of getting a home cooked meal on the table by delivering familiar ingredients and fuss-free four-step recipes straight to your doorstep.
What’s more, the brand recently dropped to an unbeatable price from $3.98 per plate – and new customers can take advantage of an introductory discount from $2.39 per plate!
Out of all the meal delivery services I’ve tried, I have found EveryPlate to be the best – in variety, in freshness, in choice and, most importantly, in ease. My entire family loved them, and my son even enjoyed helping me follow along with the recipe cards to whip up our weekday dinners.
VISIT: The Australian Shakespeare Company at Royal Botanic Gardens
The Australian Shakespeare Company’s second Shakespeare Under the Stars show to hit the outdoor stage, Peter Quince presents: A Midsummer Mechanical’s Dream, is opening this Friday 25 February.
Created and directed by Glenn Elston OAM, the show brings six of Shakespeare’s most loved, comical characters from A Midsummer Night’s Dream – the Mechanicals – back to the stage as they workshop some of the Bard’s most famous and funny material in the hope of being selected to perform at the Duke’s upcoming wedding.
It’s the best of Shakespeare’s best work – the play he wishes he wrote himself!
Further info and tickets: www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au
READ: Old Vintage Melbourne by Chris Macheras
Old Vintage Melbourne is an enchanting collection of annotated historical images and contemporary photographs, revealing the change and development that Melbourne has experienced over the years.
Adapted from the popular ‘Old Vintage Melbourne’ Instagram account, this book invites you to reminisce about and cherish the important heritage of the city of Melbourne.
A note from the author:
Old Vintage Melbourne is an Instagram project that was born out of Victoria going into lockdown in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Like many other Melburnians, I found myself no longer commuting to work, exhausting all options on Netflix, failing to get into home workouts, and suddenly possessing all this extra time. One day I was trawling through the Internet when I came across a photo of Bourke Street in the 1880s posted by the Victorian State Library. I found it so foreign yet so relatable; the streets lined with horses, the fashion, and the architecture. It felt like the closest thing we had to a time machine.
I thought that others might share this interest so I created the page Old Vintage Melbourne. At first I was touching up some of these damaged images and soon after I started going out to the locations in the images and taking modern-day comparison shots. I love that a community has formed around these photographs—the account’s followers often recognise and identify family members in these historic images; it’s just marvellous!
Showcasing a collection of my favourite images in Old Vintage Melbourne (the book) is a testament to the love and pride that Melburnians have for our city.
Old Vintage Melbourne (Scribe Publications) is out now.
