The Australia Times

ST KILDA’S PIZZA E BIRRA

12 September 20223 August 2018 by Connie Lambeth

Review: Pizza E Birra – Melbourne Words and Images by Daria Kill-Smith Pizza E Birra shimmers brightly at the Fitzroy St junction of Canterbury Rd and Grey Street St in St Kilda. A black and white, 1950’s deli-style shop frontage of glass bay-windows showcases a rear wall of wine laden shelves above the bar, with … Read more

29th Apartment – Winter Menu Launch

18 September 202218 July 2018 by Connie Lambeth

Words and Images by Daria Kill-Smith Feeling like a voyeur crashing a pantomime, I entered St Kilda’s 29th Apartment – a music, food and drink venue located at the beach end of Fitzroy Street. The funky late-night bar – a pastiche of art gallery cum New York City-styled apartment, modelled on the residence of the … Read more

Barkly Street’s Newest Member – Saint Evie

20 August 202210 May 2018 by Connie Lambeth

Review of Saint Evie Cocktail Bar & Restaurant – St Kilda – Melbourne

Words by Celeste Iuliano/Images Courtesy of Eugene Canty

How do you find Saint Evie? Weave through the side streets and onto Barkly, retracing the steps of a St. Kilda legend back to where it all began.

It’s been a short wait, but Saint Evie is finally open for business! Located on the ground floor of the Crest on Barkly Hotel, this lively space is offering brunch by day and bar by night in one of Melbourne’s most vibrant suburbs.

The name Saint Evie pays homage to a local legend, Evie – a young girl with a generous heart. Back when the hotel was known as the Beverly Crest, Evie would regularly appear at the kitchen entrance after dinner service to collect the leftovers and deliver them to the homeless. While she moved away without saying goodbye, her generous spirit has made its mark.

Inspired by this story, the menu at Saint Evie is designed to be shared. Among the star dishes on the modern Australian/Asian menu are the slow-cooked pork belly baos and melt-in-your-mouth pulled beef short rib croquettes. Seafood lovers are also spoilt for choice between the fresh oysters, salmon blini, and strikingly presented black and white sesame prawns.

As darkness falls (or it’s simply time for a toast), the signature cocktail is at the ready. Aptly named The Saint, it’s made with a refreshing mix of vodka, ruby grapefruit, fresh ginger, and lime juice sugar syrup.

With a cosy courtyard just off the main dining area, Saint Evie is the perfect venue for friends to chill out on a sunny weekend or linger on into the night.

Saint Evie

47 Barkly Street, St Kilda

saintevie.com.au

*Celeste was a guest of Helen Reizer HRPR

**Additional Information – Saint Evie

“Saint Evie warmly welcomes you to join us for our all-day brunch menu and by night to come and sample some finely prepared, Asian-inspired cuisine designed to share. Kick back with a crafty cocktail or indulge in a wine from our extensive list, all in a comfortable and ambient space bathed in pink neon.

Stop by some time, your table is waiting”.

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

theaustraliatimes.com/news

literallyconnie@bigpond.com

connie.lambeth@theaustraliatimes.com.au

More fun pics from the Saint Evie Launch!

‘TOMMY’ SET TO BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILMS OF 2018

22 October 20229 April 2018 by Connie Lambeth

Last month’s viewing of the film TOMMY proved to be a powerful experience for guests attending the screening in St Kilda.

Read on for information on this film, plus photos of guests attending the evening.

Mr Tim Wilson MP with Co-producer of TOMMY - Darren Mort — Mr Tim Wilson MP with Co-Producer of TOMMY – Darren Mort

New film TOMMY is set to be one of the most important Australian short films of 2018.

Today, family violence is a huge global problem all over the world, especially for children. As a result of Australia’s 260 daily divorce cases, threats involving children in family violence have increased by 76% in the past three years. In Victoria alone, two category one children (dead or almost dead) are reported to the Department of Human Services (DHHS) every day. The immense psychological impact of this on our children and young people is massively underrepresented.

Producers Darren Mort (Barrister) and Karen Hodgkins (film maker) co-founded the To Be Loved Network because they saw that young people in the community needed a much stronger and much louder voice. As a group of legal, medical and political experts who deal firsthand with cases of family violence and child neglect, Darren & Karen are in a unique position to help effect lasting change in this area.

Co-Producers of TOMMY - Darren Mort & Karen Hodgkins — Co-Producers of TOMMY –
Darren Mort & Karen Hodgkins

Through the medium of film they are able to communicate powerful messages about the importance of treating our children properly: what people can do better, how people can recognise and adopt proper priorities, and how adults can help kids who are too afraid to speak out.

9 year old actor Ari Newman plays 8 year old TOMMY — 9 year old actor
Ari Newman plays 8 year old TOMMY

The To Be Loved Network has already resonated in a huge way: Degree of Separation, their debut film about family violence was accepted into 24 international film festivals and won 7 international film awards last year, including Best Foreign Film at the Hollywood Now Film Festival. It has since been picked up by a Hollywood Film Distributor.

With an equally powerful message, script, and team on board, To Be Loved Network intend to take TOMMY down a similar path.

TOMMY is more than just a film – it is a crucial project with an important message behind it: that our children are our most precious gifts, and they must be cared for properly.

TOMMY: A synopsis

An eight-year-old boy.

A drug-fuelled domesticity.

A world split in two.

TOMMY is a 30-minute film depicting the world of an eight-year-old boy who is navigating his parent’s fiery separation.

TOMMY loves his parents. But his parents fall out of love with each other when Tommy’s father SAM becomes addicted to drugs.

Things get messy at home, as Tommy’s Mum ALLY runs away to find solace in the arms of a new companion, NICOLE.

NICOLE also has a child: SUMMER, 11 years old, who finds TOMMY more than a little curious – in the emotional storm of the separation, TOMMY has no-one to talk to about his feelings, only his imaginary friend TIGER TERRY, a great listener who supports TOMMY by transporting him to imaginary places.

SAM, meanwhile, enters drug rehab and falls in love with LUCY, another inpatient. SAM jumps the hoops and becomes drug free, despite LUCY’s attempts to lure him back down a path of addiction.

Amidst the war of separation, SAM and ALLY fail to prioritise their son’s best interests – they use TOMMY like fodder to advance their own battle objectives.

In the end they come close to destroying the one precious gift that they both created, as TOMMY’s world falls deeper and deeper into dissociation and despair.

*Information Courtesy of Producers of TOMMY/Helen Reizer HRPR

*Images Supplied Courtesy of HRPR

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

theaustraliatimes.com/news

connie.lambeth@theaustraliatimes.com.au

MORE PICS & INFO ON PRODUCERS OF TOMMY…

Film Screening of TOMMY – St Kilda Monday 19th March

20 August 202214 March 2018 by Connie Lambeth

The producers of a new film called TOMMY, Darren Mort & Karen Hodgkins are staging a unique CPD event on: Monday 19 March, 2017 at the Alex Theatre Fitzroy St, St Kilda at 6.30pm **Tickets are $100 per person for an opportunity for all the guests to invest in TOMMY. All ticket buyers will … Read more

Janet DeNeefe Brings Balinese Cooking to Melbourne for 2 Nights Only

14 September 202214 February 2018 by Connie Lambeth

Janet DeNeefe from Ubud’s Casa Luna Heads to Tolarno Eating House – Melbourne Melbourne expat Janet DeNeefe and proud owner of Ubud’s renowned Casa Luna, will be presenting her famous Balinese home-style cooking for a two-night feast at the historical Tolarno Eating House & Bar in St Kilda. The venue that is known for its … Read more

The Spook-tacular Fitzroy Street Halloween Festival!

13 September 202231 October 2017 by Connie Lambeth

St Kilda, Melbourne

Last Saturday 28th October

The Fitzroy Street Halloween Festival was totally spook-tacular as you can see by the fabulous pics!

Roving entertainment and fun-filled activities ensured there was something for everyone whatever the age.

The Fitzroy Street Halloween Festival ran from afternoon through to early eve, with celebrations spanning the entire length of Fitzroy Street. Special appearances from some of our favourite Halloween personalities, included the Addams Family, the creepy cast of Rocky Horror, and the one and only Dracula, helped maintain a vibrant atmosphere.

However this community event wasn’t all screams and scares! Endless family friendly entertainment included stilt walkers, fire twirlers, and face painters keen to transform fresh faces.

There were plenty of treats alongside the tricks last Saturday, with a variety of cafes, restaurants and bars along Fitzroy Street guaranteed to calm your terror.

Many of the traders and stores along the famous Fitzroy Street strip also got in on the action, decorating their stores, and hosting some of the special guests.

The cauldron was certainly brewing with Fitzroy Street totally transformed, entertaining both Halloween first-timers, to veterans of the festival.

Thanks to Helen Reizer hrpr

Images by HRPR

Connie Lambeth – The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

E: literallyconnie@gmail.com

E: connie.lambeth@theaustraliatimes.com.au

E: editorcsl.com

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tatgourmetmag/

More Pics…

Fitzroy Street Halloween Festival

13 September 202223 October 2017 by Connie Lambeth

Fitzroy Street, St Kilda Melbourne Saturday 28 October – 4pm to 7pm The Halloween season is almost upon us and what better way to celebrate than at the spook-tacular Fitzroy Street Halloween Festival on Saturday 28 October on Fitzroy Street in St Kilda, featuring roving entertainment and fun-filled activities for everyone! Set to be a … Read more

‘Hump Day’ just got a Whole Lot Better!

12 September 202220 October 2017 by Connie Lambeth

MELBOURNE – Review of 29th Apartment’s Launch Party of ‘We Love Wednesdays’

Words by Will Hamilton-Coates

Images Courtesy of Keti Kezunovic @29thapartment

It’s Wednesday and you get to work and tell your friends that it’s “hump day” but you don’t do anything about it. Sometimes Wednesday is just that night you work late, don’t go to the gym, and end up watching the Bachelor with your parents. 29th Apartment is out to fix that!

This quirky cocktail lounge has revived Wednesday nights with last week’s launch of “We Love Wednesdays”. This Bar is already well known for its New York apartment style decor with every room accounted for. There are lounge suites where you can play giant Jenga, a ‘fire escape styled’ balcony where the acoustic two piece band are belting out tasty covers, a bathtub, DJ setup, and a pinball machine.

With so much going on it is hard to know where to start. For just $10 entry you can soak up a Wednesday in comfort and New York’n style, with a first complimentary drink and ‘all you can eat pizzas’.

We turn up and sample a well crafted Spicy Fireball cocktail with whiskey, ginger and cinnamon. It’s hard to choose from the list including the New York Rose, that tastes so bitter, sweet and fruity all combined, and the Buffalo Soldier that’s like a boozy salted caramel milkshake. A variety of hand-stretched, authentic Italian pizzas are handed around by genial staff more than welcome to accommodate ‘the hungries’.

It’s definitely easy to feel right at home in this lavish bar. Sounds of laughter fill the space when players nobly lunge for that risky Jenga block only to see it topple. There’s a wall with an image of an old school tv, where a projector blasts all your favourite movies, from Dirty Harry classics, to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind…that mid 80’s sci fi bouncing with quotes like: “I’m exactly where I wanna be”.

Wednesdays should be a little celebration of what’s behind us, what’s to come, and reasons to just ‘Love Wednesdays”. 29th Apartment has something for every Wednesday mood. Whether your ‘thing’ is to listen to a rocking live act while sipping a tempting cocktail, or getting all competitive over a game of scrabble, 29th Apartment caters for all.

**Will Hamilton-Coates was a guest of 29th Apartment and this is an independent account of his experience.

29th Apartment – www.29thapartment.com.au

@29thapartment

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Connie Lambeth – The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

E: literallyconnie@gmail.com

E: connie.lambeth@theaustraliatimes.com.au

W: editorcsl.com

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tatgourmetmag/

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**Keti and Steve Thomas also own StoryVille and Pawn and Co.

StoryVille – www.storyvillemelbourne.com.au

@storyvillemelbourne

Pawn and Co. – pawnandco.com.au

@pawnandco

ADDITIONAL PICS…

WE LOVE WEDNESDAYS

13 September 202218 October 2017 by Connie Lambeth

Melbourne’s 29TH APARTMENT SHARES THE LOVE WITH A TASTY SLICE OF NYC CULTURE

Words by Keti Kezunovic

As one of the more titillating and culturally underground venues in all of Australia, 29th Apartment, launched “We Love Wednesdays” last week. Over the last 8 years 29th Wednesdays has grown in popularity and built a loyal following among students and backpackers looking for a night of NYC inspired artwork, music, food and drinks. So, 29th Apartment are sharing the love with their customers and introducing “We Love Wednesdays”, which for just $10 entry includes a drink and ‘all you can eat pizzas’ (free slices of their fantastic hand stretched authentic Italian pizzas) between 8 -10pm, accompanied by live music performances.

On the club’s decision to launch their “We love Wednesday’s” Keti Kezunovic said:

“We’ve got a great crowd who love coming to 29th Wednesdays to enjoy our signature handmade pizzas served with a mash up of party anthems and modern house classics… and we just wanted to share the love. With the 11th October launch behind us, we’re looking to build on our already successful format by offering more live music as well as an extra tasty slice of NYC culture. I know that “We Love Wednesdays” will prove to be a huge success and be warmly welcomed by all our customers, old and new alike.”

The Venue

29 Fitzroy St
St Kilda VIC 3182

https://www.29thapartment.com.au/

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**The Australia Times Gourmet News had a great night at the launch, as a guest of Keti Kezunovic, (who is also part of our Melbourne team of writers covering food/wine/events).

Information and Images Courtesy of Keti Kezunovic

Connie Lambeth – The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

E: literallyconnie@gmail.com

E: connie.lambeth@theaustraliatimes.com.au

W: editorcsl.com

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tatgourmetmag/