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Every so often, a movie comes along to further define the ‘Epic’ genre. These are films like ‘The Godfather’, ‘Star Wars’, ‘Terminator 2’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’. And with ‘Avatar’, James Cameron has booked himself a second seat at that table. The scale of this film is majestical, and it’s clear that no expense has been spared; not just with the CGI, but with props, costumes, and sets. The animation is fantastic and blends seamlessly with the live action shots and characters. And most importantly of all, the story is powerful and moving, with a strong and positive message.
I’m not sure what else to say to express how unbelievable this video is. It goes without saying that the skills exhibited are fantastic - they’re well above just about every example of urban acrobatics and parkour that I’ve seen before. But beyond that, this video balances perfectly between professional editing and shot choices, and the amateur personality that has you feeling that these guys would be great to just hang out with. Even if you don’t have 14 minutes to spare, find the time and watch this video. You’ll never look at playground equipment in the same way again.
The wonderful thing about this guide to all things gourmet in Victoria is that the writing is so good, just reading can serve as a meal out in itself. But that’s not how I operate, so within minutes of picking up my copy today, I’d flipped through the maps, tagged the thirty restaurants with a two kilometre walk from my house, and begun planning my next couple of years’ worth of fancy eating out. Don’t forget to read up on the stories behind the reviews, including which restaurants are still around since the first Guide was published back in 1980.
If I took a ratio of meal quality to price of all the restaurants I’ve visited, then Undertaker Social would be at the top. In a comfortable and spacious room (keep an eye out for the amazing light fittings), the variety of European tasting plates and gourmet pizzas is an experience to savour. We had a pork, apple and caramelised onion pizza, matched with plates of grilled baby octopus on a lentil salad, duck rillettes, Spanish sausages, bastourma (air-dried, cured beef), and chicken liver parfait. This is Michelin star food for the same price as a parma at the pub.
I’ve found my new local – and at $20 for a three-course dinner, it’s hard to go wrong. To keep the costs down, you’ll have to order at the bar, and the menu is limited, but the food really is great. A puff pastry gorgonzola and onion tart was a delicate start, feeding into kangaroo fillets with a beetroot, lentil, and rocket salad, topped off with one of the best choc-ripple cakes I’ve ever eaten. Houndstooth isn’t pumping out high-end gourmet delicacies, but this is the best kind of good quality home food – the kind you don’t have to cook yourself!
Is the personality an evolutionary liability, like the shell of a tortoise? Does our hard emotional shell prevent us from growing? These are the questions of Luke Rhinehart, ‘The Dice Man’. This is Rhinehart’s autobiography, a psychotherapist detailing his experiences as he foregoes his personality, and, through the fall of the die, lets chance dictate all aspects of his life. It’s a very interesting study into the self and how much of that is defined by the routines that we live with and the standards that we conform to; and what would happen if we let our minority urges out.
Over the past 14 years I’ve used quite a few web browsers (from Netscape to Internet Explorer, to Opera, and even settled for a while on the little known Avant), but it wasn’t until I started using Firefox 3 in June last year that I didn’t want to change. The best thing about Firefox is that with its myriad extensions, the ability to tailor it exactly to your requirements is phenomenal. Add to that, the “awesome bar” (a combination address/bookmark/history lookup field) and you’ll wonder how you ever worked with anything else. It’s the perfect combination of features and customisation.
If there’s anywhere that embodies the spirit of Fitzroy, it’s Atomica Caffe on Brunswick St. Saying that it serves the best coffee in Fitzroy would seem to be an insult to the fact that it also serves some of the best breakfasts and lunches. Add to that, the ultra-cool staff serving the retro-funky clientele, the trendy décor, and the urban art on the walls, and you’ll see why this is not only the place to be seen, but also the place to do the seeing. To understand what makes Melbourne, make sure your next weekend involves a lunch at Atomica.
Estivo is one of the best restaurants in Kew, and an example of how to succeed at suburban fine dining. The place looks and feels classy, and the staff manage to tread the line of treating you like royalty without making you feel embarrassed. The food, itself, is also exquisite. I had venison carpaccio (with just enough sauce and garnish to enhance the texture and flavour of the meat without overpowering it), and confit duck and Portobello mushroom pappardelle (with a light sauce drawn off the mushrooms that lightly coated the pasta and added a beautiful sweetness to the dish).
Sitting unassumingly on Glenferrie road; tucked amongst chicken take-aways and service stations, you’d never expect that behind those dark wooden blinds is such fantastic food. There’s an amazing variety of pizzas, pastas, and risottos on offer, as well as a succinct but tasty selection of mains. We had the blue swimmer crab agnolotti, with its abundance of crab meat and sweet, creamy tomato sauce; and the crispy-skinned boneless duckling in a moscato jus with poached pears. All these are supported by a nice little wine list of local and imported selections. Now I know it’s there, I’ll definitely be back.
