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Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can. 18/4/10
I am terribly behind with updating this project, as my departure from Melbourne gets closer I find that time is slipping away and I’ve got too much to do! So, I actually listened to this album on the very same day that I finished listening to Plastic Beach, but I have only just gotten around to blogging it. Whoops, must CATCH UP in the next three weeks!
So, being a fan of strong female folk I really enjoyed this album, a couple of the songs have been played to death on JJJ but the album as a whole is quite strong. I can’t get over how young Laura still is, the songs and the tone of her vocals seems much more mature than 19?
Rating: Lovely.
Plastic Beach, Gorillaz 18/4/10
It took me ages to listen to this all the way through, it seemed like every time I settled myself down, something dramatic would happen after a couple of songs and I’d have to put it away. Consequently I don’t have a very good idea of the album as a whole, but I liked it. It doesn’t seem to have the energy and cohesion of Demon Days, but a few of the songs are truly brilliant. I think it’s one I’ll need to get used to, it helps that JJJ are playing it on fairly high rotation.
Rating: pretty nice.
Exactly like Subway, but Mexican. And with beer. I had quite a delicious burrito with beans, rice, beef, cheese, avocado, tomoato and lettuce. And a very nice Don Equis lager (which Karlee pronounced offensive, pffff.)
Relaxed atmosphere, feels like a chain but I’ve never seen one anywhere else.
Afterwards, we found an awesome bottle shop that sold niche brews like pear cider. Mmmmm, cider.
Rating: Good, solid, cheap.
Jason and Huw imitate each other at Barbagallo.
This meal was wonderful. The conversation was good. The bar tender dirtied my g + t with Campari. The gnocchi with gorgonzola was so delicious I am still dreaming about it. In fact, I might just find an excuse to go back there soon. Like, this weekend.
Rating: OMFG.
Does Laverton count as Melbourne? I say yes. Laverton is kind of like a less interesting version of Melton. Fresh Chilli Thai does a really good job of pretending to be located somewhere else. I got to try the prawn spring rolls, the pad thai, Mossman curry and some kind of delicious chicken dish. All the flavours were very fresh, I think the Mossman curry was my favourite. DOn’t think I’ll be back though, it;s too far from everything and everyone.
Rating: surprisingly good!
Labour Day public holiday. So we had to wait for a table, which is to be expected. One of us thought we had to wait a bit long for our breakfast too, but I didn’t really feel it.
Had toast with mashed avocado, beautifully roasted tomato and goats cheese. Could have done without the rocket, and the bread was a bit soggy, but the overall impression was YUM.
Coffee was nice, especially like the duck egg blue cups.
Pictured above are the remains of Karlee’s latte.
Rating: Yep, pretty nice.
Blakroc, Blakroc Listened to 28/1/10
Rap + Blues = Attitude. More, please.
(yes, I’m aware this post is light on words, so what? I’m an anarchist.)
Rating: Fuck Yeah!
Secrets and Lies – Bertie Blackman. 27/1/10
She’s got a really interesting voice and style, is young and Australian, so massive points all round really. However, if not in the mood, this album seems like hard work to listen to, it’s not quite poppy enough or something. There’s a bit of Tori Amos (inspiration) in here, and some other female artists I can’t name.
LOVE ‘Black Cats’, really like ‘Byrds of Prey’, could get used to the rest.
Rating: Good.
Contra – Vampire Weekend, 16/1/10
This was like listening to part two of their debut, not much has changed, everything is still infectious and poppy and good. ‘Cousins’ has been all over the radio since before Christmas, and in my initial listen nothing stood out above it. Another one that I think will live in my car for the next several years on high rotation.
Rating: Great.
I may have only enjoyed one gin and tonic here while watching Karlee’s gig, but it still counts! The chairs were very comfy for a bar, and I thought the design for the stage/entrance area was quite clever, but otherwise it seemed a fairly forgettable place, maybe nice for a quiet drink if I still lived in the area, but nothing special.
Rating: OK.
Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen. Finished 10/1/10.
It didn’t seem as meaty as Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility, and it was a little snide, and very self conscious, but it was also a lot of fun. I sped through it quite quickly, but I’m not sure I would go back to it again.
Rating: Good, not great.
I think I may have fallen in love with my flat white, but it may have been the hangover confusing me. The omelette with lemon and ricotta was divine, the toast with avocado as amazing as I could wish. A very pleasant breakfast. If only it weren’t in South Melbourne, which is far too far away from anywhere for me.
Rating: OMFG
We were in a rush because we only had an hour before our film, and we had walked further than anticipated to get there, but Hotel Max had a welcoming and genteel atmosphere that soon calmed me down. I ordered wrong, Jason had a lovely looking ravioli with garden vegetables, but I wasn’t feeling that hungry, opting for calamari and cauliflower fritters, which though nice, were a bit too much fried, and the calamari was a little overcooked.
Still, there was cider on tap, so I wasn’t too upset.
It was difficult to get an accurate idea about this place as an eatery, as it was 38C and full of others (like us) having work Christmas functions, so the staff were harassed, the menu limited and the patrons irritable. I had a lovely serving of trout as my main (much nicer than the steak most of our party chose) and the cake plate that followed was delicious. However, most of my colleagues were unimpressed, some to point of filling out a negative customer service survey and leaving it behind with no tip. I tried to keep my head down, and pretended not to know them.
Trippy Tacos is OK. The food is fresh if light on the fun bits (I generally require more cheese and sour cream to complete any Tex Mex experience with satisfaction.) the beans are black and look like rabbit poo (but tasty!) and the vibe is hipster.
Really this meal was more about the company than the food. That said, I really wished there had been some meat on the menu as I was craving beef at the time.
Remind me next time to go for a burrito or quesadilla as I always seem to end up with taco juice all over my hands and cursing my stupidity.
Gin Fizz, Laika.
I really wish I’d had this drink, but I hesitated at the thought of egg whites and went for a mojito instead. But Fi was kind enough to let me try the gin fizz, and it was DELIGHTFUL. Completely upstaged the otherwise very nice tapas taster plate we had as our meal, which was no small feat.
Really a very enjoyable meal, the only annoying thing was all the flies and insects we had to contend with outside, as well as all the St Kilda narcissists running shitless.
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, 30/11/09
Many of these songs have been played to death on JJJ, and I must admit that’s why I bought the album (it seemed like the only way to get ‘Listomania’ and ‘Lasso’ out of my head.) I’m surprised by how much i like it in its entirety, lovely upbeat pop perfect for the commute (a necessity for me now that I’m spending ten hours a week in the car.)
The extra remix album was also good, though I thought there were too many versions of ‘Fences.’
Rating: Lovely.
self titled, Vampire Weekend 29/11/09.
A nice, inoffensive album, good for driving, with several songs that get stuck in your head for days. Will probably end up a fave.
Rating: Nice.
I’m not just saying this because my friend works here, this place is great, a well conceived cafe and roastery in a prime position to sell it’s wares. It’s only been open for a couple of weeks but I expect great things.
Jason roasts all the coffee on site (if you’re lucky, he’ll make it for you too) and though I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject, in my humble opinion it’s excellent. Maybe it has something to do with the way he hugs his roaster when he leaves, I don’t know. My only complaint is that the cafe’s location (Prahran market) makes it impossible for me to nip over for a lunch time or breakfast cup and never mind trying to convince my ‘north of the river’ friends to trek over to the ‘wrong side’ for a weekend brunch. One small consolation is that my mother works nearby so I am able to send her over regularly to replenish my supply of beans.
Try the macaroons. They’re magical.
Rating: OMFG, get over there right now and do yourself a favour.
On Cup Day I met S and E here to watch the race. We got a table with a good view and ordered a couple of pizzas and some haloumi to go with our champers. E was the only one of us who won anything, and I think she only got a few dollars back but we had a nice time chatting and chewing.
The pizza was OK, not quite the standard I have become used to, but satisfyingly cheesy none the less. The pub itself had quite a nice atmosphere, though the toilets need renovating.
Rating: OK.
