a crackin' royal melbourne show

Gloomy outlooks on the US financial market lately contrasted big time with the cash thrown at plastic bags and bad chocolate last Saturday.

It was the second last day of the Royal Melbourne Show 2008. We took advantage of the RACV discounted entry after 2pm ($20 per adult) amongst other bargain hunters. We looked on bemused as the couple in front of us in the queue ordered their tickets - "we'd like One Family Aeeee and One Family Beeeeee plus one child..."

People-watching was our aim and we walked out with more than we bargained for but none the wiser by our experiences.

First, who knew people mid-ride are great action subjects?

Second, goths at the Show - for some reason this is still a mystery to me.

Third, it is not possible to get full from food samples in the Grand Pavilion - one must buy a bucket of chips. We concluded a cartel exists on the price - it was $4.50 everywhere!

Fourth, the tram ride home from the Show must be the meeting place for dodgy drunks despite being all about the animals and safe family fun. A beer swilling man with a gut to match was on the tram and sat surrounded by his spoils from the Show. He was dozing off and tipping over the beer he was nursing. He eventually dropped the the beer under his seat. Being unable to bend over his seat to pick it up, he stood up and bent over to grab another from his carton. We were confronted with a plumber's crack for what seemed like an eternity. The guy next to us cracked, "Cash, cheque or creeddit?"

My fiance reckons going to the Royal Show on the last Saturday of September is un-Australian (being Grand Final day). No way man, the Show is a petri dish of Australian culture.

Deenie

unashamedly girlie bags...

I thought I'd share this amazing designer found at www.dazeddorothy.co.uk.

All these leather clutches and makeup bags are created by Corinne Robinson, a textile designer. They're cute as a button and total eye candy! This would be perfect with a pair of pink heels and fascinator. Bring on the Spring Carnival :)

I can't wait till her online store is up and running!

charli

Green Refectory

I’m just a morning person and this equates to my favourite meal being breakfast – with the slightly later version and more drawn out affair called brunch.  All I can say is we’re spoilt for choice here in Melbourne with the number of cafes offering up delicious brekky spoils (sometimes all day – what a delight!) for us to sample.    

I start with a reliable favourite, Green Refectory in Brunswick. As is usual with these cool little cafes, there is minimal signage out the front and on the particular day I ventured in with my friend for brunch, there was a cluster of people waiting for take away coffees spilling out the doors – showing us the way to a great feed inside!  Like the interiors, the food is homely and rustic, their chalkboard menu crammed with more items than u can possibly imagine for a place of it’s size…where does one start? The range covers everything from sandwich

es and salads to breakfast staples like pancakes and eggs.  There are also daily specials.  You can order their very cute home made cakes to order too like their passionfruit sponge cake.  Too much choice!

With this particular friend, we always order one savoury to share and one sweet – since we’re pushing brunch time, we end up with a steak sandwich and to claim my brekky item we choose the french toast with poached pear in white wine and vanilla bean, served with ice cream. We start the meal with their chai lattes – soy of course – and they are lovely.  I sip mine happily with not a suggestion of that fake ugly powder taste in sight…thumbs up if u can make a decent chai!

The food doesn’t disappoint either.  Simple hearty fare with no frills.  The only issue is we’re too full to order anything else and there are huge freshly baked muffins at the counter  – adorably presented with their stumps up as if just popped out from the baking tins.  Next time!

 

Why I eat here:

Food: delicious homemade fare – very satisfying

Atmosphere: comfy and rustic with it’s retro chic fit out, it’s quintessentially Brunswick

Service: relaxed (sometimes too relaxed…) so you don’t feel pressured or rushed to order and leave even when it’s crowded 

Seating: a mix of communal or small private tables

Pricing: very affordable!

Chai lattes: yup and good with bon soy

Green Refectory  - 115 Sydney Road, Brunswick, 03 9387 1150

Kay