It seems the cops down here are more zealous about speed than Qld cops. On the drive through NSW and ACT you are constantly assaulted by speed warning signs and threatened with loss of licence. As a result, everyone drives to the limit, ignoring all else. It is especially infuriating particularly when most times, roads around Canberra are so quiet. And while I’m on it, a baffling feature of roads here is the general lack of merging lanes. Lanes here tend to just end whilst your driving in them. One minute in you’re in one lane, the next, its gone!

The parking inspectors certainly don’t miss you. I was out of my car for about 3 minutes to check my PO Box, and by the time I’d gotten back to the car, some dude was already writing me up for being in a loading zone.

The weather has been scorching down here. Every day I’ve been here has been above 35 degrees, and on one day, it hit a record 41.5, which wouldn’t be so bad if I was at work in aircon, but as I don’t start for another few weeks, I’ve been sweltering in an un-airconditioned house. Of course, this is made worse by the fact my 3 flatmates all have their doors shut, all the time, meaning there is no airflow through the house, resulting in it being stiflingly hot and stuffy. On the plus side I guess we won’t have a huge electricity bill at the end of the month.

I tried to escape the record heat by heading to the Canberra Centre to hang out for the day. Of course, the problem was that even at 5pm, it was still 36 degrees outside! Apparently it is hottest between 2-5pm before beginning to cool down after 6pm. I guess this is exacerbated by daylight savings.

And speaking of the Canberra Centre, it must be the most poorly designed shopping complex I’ve ever encountered. It is an enormous complex that appears to have been cobbled together in stages without any coherent thought. You never know quite where you are within its confines and it has a bewildering number of different entry and exit points. And certain sections are only accessible from a certain section on a certain floor. It defies all logic. I’m sure I’ll get used to its randomness eventually. Oh, and before you blame QIC, the Westfield at Woden is similarly baffling, albeit to a lesser extent. Maybe it’s a Canberra thing.

Tomorrow I’m heading to the annual Australia Day concert held on the lawn of Parliament House. Hopefully things will be a tad cooler. Sitting around in the mid afternoon sun surrounded by bogans who have probably been drinking since midday doesn’t bode well. Who knows, maybe I’ll be part of another Australia Day riot…

Considering it’s been there since the Canberra centre relaunch a few years back, it was sure time for The Canberran to catch up with Cream’s coffee.  We popped in early on a Sunday morning, laptop under arm.  We get The Greeting immediately, including advice on ideal seating for powerpoint / wi-fi use.  That’s right kids, wi-fi is free and available at Cream, and the staff know the passcode.  We muscle in at breakfast time, and get the impression that The Waitress is glad to park us on the breakfast bar, freeing up actual tables for actual customers.  We look out over the slightly-hungover-looking looking Genge St, home of Tongue and Groove, Taze Mediterranean, and not much else.

Cream’s web presence promises ‘Fine food astonishing interior and warm service’. They’re ‘raising local standards to meet innovations found in the northern Hemisphere, and in Sydney and Melbourne’. Most of this is outside of the scope of our inquiry, but we note that these are Big Calls. Clearly the Creamers have spent some serious dough on The Interior, and it contributes in large part to The Vibe. The window benches and the coffee island are mermaid-coloured tiles . The wooden floorboards zigzag, and the cream leather is crocodile skin. The windows are big, there’s plenty of light, a the roof features sixties ballroom detail x 2. The Hipster Factor is low (low, low) – while the elements are unique, they combine to form the cafe equivalent of Barbie’s dream home, glitzy and conventional.

The safari-suit wearing staff at Cream ask all the right questions.  We’re hit with ‘Would you like a coffee to start?’  ‘Shall I leave you with the menu?’ ’What have you decided on for breakfast?’ and ‘Can I get you another  coffee?’  We’re feeling playful so we say yes to everything, resulting in a short black, raisin toast and a cappuccino in quick succession.  We’re happy with the promptness, even if we’re not happy with The Pricing – a special Sunday menu that uses Excel (surely) to bump every price up by 10%, to the cent.  For example, 55c for soy milk on Sundays, FTW.  It seems to us that $4.20 for a basic coffee is Big Bucks.

What do we get for our money? The Short is bland, bitter, and crema-lite.  The Soy cappucino is creamy, just-warm, well-chocked and delicious.  The Long (Black) tastes like Americano, diner-style and perfect for dunking toast in.  On other visits, The Milk Coffee has oscillated wildly depending on which earring-ed young hunk is at the coffee machine – the pour has been frigid and foamy, and it has been silky smooth.  On average, Cream make the perfect accompaniment coffee – never outstanding, but never offensive.

The Latte Word: remember ‘things white people like’? The definitive online guide to WASP culture says ‘the best place for white people to drink coffee is at a locally-owned coffee shop that offers many types of drinks and free Wi-Fi’.  It seem to us that Cream is that place for the WASPs of Canberra (ourselves included).  Where do you go for coffee and wi-fi in Canberra?  Discuss.

Cream Cafe Bar

Canberra Center/Bunda St (Shop FG10)

Canberra ACT 2600

(02) 6162 1448

http://www.creamcafebar.com.au/

Monday to Friday 7.30 – late

Saturday – 8am – late

Sunday 9am – 4pm

What is it?

Guzman y Gomez sprang onto the Canberra scene a few months ago offering a few hours of free burritos that had the gringos lining up down the street.  It was all a bit ‘Krispy Kreme’ in its marketing strategy, but let’s face it – this was a quick way to get people talking about the newest cantina in town.

We popped in last week to give it a whirl, having to push aside a large amount of disloyalty to Sam Prince and his locally built empire of Zambreros.  On a warm Thursday afternoon we wandered into the streetside shops and took in what the new kid in town had to offer.

Inside

The first thing that strikes you is the bright colouring of the interior.  It’s all very busy with multiple surfaces from wood to exposed brick to smooth laminates providing a decor that pulls up mercifully short of overwhelming.  Put on top the strong, graphic yellow and black branding and you have the feeling you might be in for an exciting experience – reminiscent of a culture drenched in hot sun and tequila, a world away from a grim reality of abject poverty, drug cartels and pissed Americans.

Buying things

It’s an ‘order at the counter’ affair like any other fast food joint.  Remaining a few steps back in order to decipher the menu displayed above the counter, we were impressed by the ability to be so confusing with so few options available.  At least we weren’t the only ones – there were a couple of other diners waiting to order who appeared similarly confused.  Eventually the counter attendant – who had no doubt witnessed this scene on more than one occasion that day – leaped to our assistance and told us how to order.

With an order placed we retired to the long bench at the front of the restaurant, one that provides a great view out on to Bunda Street waiting for delivery of a couple of soft shelled tacos, two quesadillas and a bag of corn chips with guacamole.

Around us was a mixed crowd of business suits and students, all of which are in for a quick and relatively cheap snack.  The service is very attentive, with staff constantly monitoring the room for empty wrappers or itinerant blobs of salsa.  Eventually our meal arrived and we took some time to examine its delivery: a table filled with cardboard, paper and various flatbreads stuffed full of colour.

The Food

The pulled pork quesadilla was everything we expected – subtle in it’s flavour despite the presence of chipotle sauce that doesn’t overpower.  Its companion, a Spicy Chicken Guerrero version, was actually very good, filling the mouth with a tingling feeling that makes us wish we’d ordered two (or two more!). Darting between these we snacked on the corn chips which appear to be as Los Dios intended – that is, actually made from corn. The flavours were not manufactured or industrial like a Dorito; rather there is a solid ‘crunch’ to bring your attention to the subtle corn flavour.  We’d love to take a bag to the movies, but would probably be be booed out the door due to noise.

By the time we got to the soft shelled tacos it was evident we had completely erred in our order of service.  The tacos were soft, succulent and filled with moist sauce and salsa – which by then formed a swimming pool in the bottom of the cardboard box.  We almost needed a straw to get through these, so a word of warning to the wise.

Finale

So?  The verdict.  This is a very polished version of the current wave of Mexican outlets.  Apparently a Newcastle version opens this weekend, so the expansion continues unabated.  We hate to admit it, but Guzman y Gomez is every bit as good as Zambrero.  It will be interesting to see how both outlets exist within the market.  One gets the impression GyG is suited to expansive sites such as this, while Zambreros has a great niche in, well… niches.  Where Guzman has been particularly clever is by also aligning itself with a charity (a fact writ large across one of the larger walls of the restaurant], eliminating what could be the key point of difference between the venues for the socially conscious enchilada eater.

Guzman y Gomez
Sun-Thurs: 11am – 10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am – 11pm

Canberra Centre
Bunda Street
Canberra City 2601

9191 0906
canberracentre@gyg.com.au
www.guzmanygomez.com

This was, for us, an act of treachery. For months we have roamed the city searching for the best coffee to find ourselves occasionally disappointed but on most occasions pleased. To walk into the multinational’s top tier showroom was going to take a lot of inner strength – we could only imagine what our local barrister would say if he’d spied us hovering hesitantly at the entry of the store armed with dodgy camera phones. Think about it. This is the company that makes Blend 43.

So, what did we find? To be honest, the first impression was of a caffeinated version of The Apple Store (as if that was necessary). While the mood is definitely more sombre  one certainly gets the feeling you could be in any Nespresso store anywhere in the world save for the view out the window.  The layout is the same, the displays are the same and the coffee is the same.

As we walking through the door there is a race between two attendees to see who can get to us first. Both are dressed smartly in long black uniforms (see what we did there?) and match the muted tones of the interior. The gentleman hesitates for no more than the briefest of moments, and therefore allows ‘Kathy’ to capture our attention. “Good afternoon,” she says politely, ”and welcome to Nespresso” and with that we acquiesce completely and enter the mothership.

It’s an extraordinary scene. The store appears to decorated by a single product: Nespresso pods. Whether in their little foil containers or collected together in boxes, they are absolutely everywhere. They’re embedded in the walls are exposed in the counters. On some occasions they serve a purpose, to be sold or to instruct customers of the various flavours and styles of the coffee within. At other times they are simply decorative, creative rainbow splashes of colour throughout the dark interior.

The bonus for all those who are scared or too proud to enter is there is a no-cost benefit to crossing the threshold. Without even having to ask, the ninja-like employees will push upon you a shot of Nespresso, served in a ceramic cup with or without milk or sugar – completely to your liking – without batting an eyelid. All that remains is for you to swallow the remains of your pride before the contents of the cup.

Where this gets tricky is the option overload that can easily lead to paralysis of choice. There are, according to the Nespresso website, 16 variations of pod available from the store. Even the range of decaffeinated coffee is extraordinary especially considering the presence of even one variety is enough to realise a sneer from discerning drinkers.

Kathy informs us the coffee comes from all around the world and, while some varieties come from one country only, multiple growers supply the beans that are combined to create a consistent flavour across every pod in every store in every bloody country in the entire bloody world. Apparently Nescafe themselves get involved with some growers to ensure quality and shore up supply, but all we could think of was farmers arranged in the same way Foxconn workers assemble iPhones. It all felt a bit uncomfortable, and we were sure to jot it down in our Notes app.

After a shot of Rosabaya de Colombia (please understand how hard it was to type that) we decided to beat a hasty retreat out of the store to purge our minds and tastebuds of multinational convenience ‘espresso’ and go to make fun of the people lining up for Subway. Unfortunately, with the exit in sight, we were halted by the ultimate horror: We checked it twice to make sure what we were looking was, well… a thing.

Sure enough it was. There, in the centre of the room was among other flavours, were the Terre d’Arabica coffee scented candles. Nespresso candles! WTF!!! This is simply too much – or perhaps it’s the Rosabaya hitting the receptors. Regardless we make a mad and terrified dash for the street – lest Kathy wheels out a trolley full of Nespresso bath bombs.

www.nespresso.com

She was styling from head to toe, in a monochromatic look with a pop of colour courtesy of her burgundy hair, and a flash of gold from her blingy belt. Most eye-catching of all was her shoes: chunky black platforms scuffed to 90s grunge perfection, and so on trend right now.

Caitlin confessed to having a slight addiction to online retailers Urban Outfitters, where she got her shoes and printed tee.

If one ever begins to tire of the Canberra retail scene, online shopping is an excellent way to shake things up. Make Urban Outfitters top of your list; they have everything from clothes and accessories to furniture and cameras in quirky indie styles!

Based in the newly renovated and expanded Canberra Centre, Cream is a sophisticated location for a lazy Sunday brunch. We started with fresh orange juices and ordered light meals as I was desperate to visit Koko Black next door.

Von had his staple of eggs Benedict with smoked salmon which was quite a small serving compared to other cafes, but still delicious with a creamy hollandaise sauce and perfectly poached eggs.

My preference for a sugar hit led me to the pan seared scallops which was very light and healthy indeed. The pea purée and crispy carrots created a strange mix of textures that I thoroughly enjoyed.

If I lived in Canberra, this would be a favourite for the lovely art deco design and simply yet satisfying meals. The cafe was filled with groups of people catching up over brunch on the Sunday I visited and I can’t blame them, it’s the perfect backdrop for good food and good company.

And finally.. A few snaps from the stunning Floriade -

Erica and Lexie were waiting for a Boost juice when we spotted them. We weren’t sure whether they had texted each other prior to stepping out the door to orchestrate wearing their Black Milk leggings, or whether they were secretly annoyed at each other for wearing an almost identical outfit. We thought best not to ask, but they were happy with their similar stylings: that’s what BFFs do!

The ladies are very on-fashion with the very ‘now’ styling of “Boots, Tights, and Something Drapey”. The BTSD look has certainly been adopted with great enthusiasm in the nation’s capital and it has maintained some longevity. Love ‘em or loathe ‘em, these printed leggings are EVERYWHERE and one can’t deny their eye-catching appeal.

You can find your own Black Milk Leggings here.

Download PDF: Dress Circle – Erica and Lexi

0958. With two minutes to go the doors open and the staff run a lap of the queue offering ‘high fives’ to the faithful.

0956. Four minutes to go. It must be sweet relief for those at the front of the queue who have been here since 0530.

0953. All the staff are gathered in a circle at the back of the store receiving their final pep talk. The queue winds around the space previously occupied by Boost Juice, them all the way down past Country Road.

0950. There seems to be a lot of people here to check out the queue waiting to check out the store. It’s all rather post-modern but, hey, we’re a part of it.

0945. Lots of chanting coming from inside the store. Can’t quite hear if it’s “ONE OF US!!!”

0940. Well there’s certainly a queue this morning.

Mac1 Canberra in a Previous Life

Updated: scroll below for a pre-opening photo of the new Apple Store

With only days to go until what Fairfax describes as the ‘most anticipated’ opening for the Apple Store in Canberra it is worth going beyond the hype of the impending arrival and instead pay tribute to the previous custodians of Canberra’s iGeek culture – Mac1.

For almost a decade the Level One store has flown the flag for all gadgets shiny and silver. Now, with the imminent arrival of the Apple Store, Mac1 has sadly (though wisely) beaten an early retreat and moved out of The Canberra Centre altogether.

We at The Canberran would like to thank the owners, managers and staff who over the years have listened patiently to our ignorant questions providing sound and sage advice in return.

No Genius Bar was required. Instead, a local style of service which has seen Mac1 open many stores both near and far was the preferred style.

Thanks guys. You were great. All the best for the years to come.

Sent from our MacBook.

The Apple Store Canberra on Wednesday 5 August 2012
- As minimal as it gets

Address: Shop EZ07-07B, Canberra Centre Shopping Centre, Bunda Street, Civic

Ph: 9191 0906

Website: guzmanygomez.com

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11am-10pm. Friday-Saturday, 11am-11pm.

I have a beard. Not just a little goatee, but a whole, lush beard. If I am honest, sometimes I look a little like a bear.

Before you think that I might have grown it out of a yearning for hipster cred, that’s not the case. It began as a travel beard, a matter of convenience and laziness when hopping from hostel to hostel. When I got home, I decided that, actually, I quite liked it. I liked the ruggedness. I liked not having to shave every morning. And, yes, I did like the somewhat hipster nature of it.

But there is one thing that doesn’t work, a design flaw with the whole masculine facial hair thing. It was one I discovered when my teeth cut through the slight give of tortilla and sliced steak, juices from meat and salsa dripping slowly over my chin, dividing this way and that through my thick brush.

Beards make messy food a lot messier.

Not that I really mind, though. Food that explodes in a bite, that needs a thicket of napkins before you can touch anything again, is glorious. This mess allows you to connect to the food, to have a tactile experience. And more than that, it’s just so much fun.

At the Canberra Centre’s booming new taqueria, Guzman y Gomez, this concept is shown again to be true. Much of the food here will leave you with juices down your chin, shirt, and running down your forearms. Exactly as it should.

A lot of people seem to be excited about GYG, with the sleek yellow and black room buzzing with customers around the clock. And there is a lot to be excited about with this near-authentic Mexican food, if some of it more than others.

At the top of the tree are the quesadillas, the small corn tortillas, folded over filled with meat, cheese and salsa, then grilled in a sandwich press. Toasting it brings out the real nuttiness of the always superior torn tortilla, while the melted cheese brings a touch more seasoning to the “fillings”. They are a delight.

There are seven fillings. Chicken thighs are marinated in Guerrero sauce then  grilled, available as mild or spicy. The choice of thigh is a great one, bringing a rich fattiness and stronger flavour than breast could ever have. Guerrero marinade pops up again on some slow roasted beef, while steak is rubbed with hot, smokey chipotle, grilled and sliced. Both are good, though the steak could be sliced more thinly to cut down on toughness.

For lighter but no less flavourful options there is barramundi, sauteed and packed with fishiness. There is also a vegetarian option, with onion, capsicum and mushrooms all fried up together, making a surprisingly meaty combination. All are worthy choices.

However, the pork filling is disappointing. Marinated and slow roasted, I would expect that powerful richness that comes from picked pork, but here it lacked flavour and seasoning. It is a very rare thing that pork would be at the bottom of my list, but this falters while the others roar.

Alongside the joy of the quesadillas are the soft tacos. Again, the flavours are great, but the doubling up of tortillas to keep it all together give it a slightly doughy texture that makes them rank just under the quesadillas. They are still exciting, and again very messy.

To get the real joy of this place it’s best to eat in, watching the golden chicken thighs sizzling on the grill, the spicy latin beats blasting a little loudly through the stereo making you want to dance. There’s always noise and people, the sounds of people having fun. Not to mention, there’s $8.50 frozen margaritas, so who could complain?

Amongst all this excitement is the GYG standard bearer, the burrito. This is what most people order, and what they gave out for free to thousands of people on their launch day. And, honestly, unlikely the rest of the place, they’re just a little dull.

They come wrapped snugly in a flour tortilla, the flavour of which can never match that of the corn. Inside is the same filling and salsa from the other options, but padded out by rice and beans, both of which add blandness. Whereas with the quesadilla each bite gives an avalanche of flavour, here half the time you sink your teeth in and get nothing more than starch. It’s also, incidentally, far too tidy. It is so neatly wrapped that there are no juices running anywhere.

Guzman y Gomez has a lot going for it. For fast food, it’s a lot of fun, a lot of excitement. Just bypass the burritos and pick something else, something that will explode with flavour and juices. There is so much joy in this mess, so let it run down your chin. Whether it’s bearded or not.

Updated:  Ay Carumba!!  As noted by commentor Simon – The Canberra Times now lists Guzman y Gomez as the new Restaurant in the Canberra Centre.  We love tacos, so are far from disappointed.  Perhaps we’ll have to wait a little longer for Jamie to arrive…

In the 6 July 2012 online edition of The Canberra Times (See?We can do it!) , Megan Doherty touches on some developments at The Canberra Centre other than those we’ve discussed on recent days. One sentence in particular stood out: a statement by Canberra Centre management regarding a new street front restaurant.

Why is this significant? Well, apart from the fact management considered it exciting enough to mention, it’s been known for a while the Pacific Restaurant Group – owners of the Jamie’s Italian franchise license in Australia and the same people behind Kingsley’s Steakhouse – have been searching for ‘the right location’. In this instance (as mentioned previosuly by The Canberra Times) the right location requires street frontage.

Still, the question remains whether Canberra’s lukewarm love for chain restaurants will be warmed by the ‘pukka’ English brand.

Update:  Well, it’s good to see The Canberran and its commentors forming an uncredited basis for Megan Doherty’s story that made the Technology section of the Sydney Morning Herald’s website this morning.

Where’s the love?

Well, between Nick, Nich0las and a couple of unnamed sources it appears we’ve managed to confirm a Zara outlet for the Canberra Centre.

So, with Apple advertising via their website for retail staff in Canberra, where will a new shiny glass store be located? We think Jono M hit the nail on the head.

This looks like the only remaining retail space in the city with a size suitable to host an Apple Store. The fact staff recruitment is well under way suggests an opening cannot be too far off.

While yet to be confirmed, we’re happy to consider this a pretty good guess.

Nice work, Jono.

UPDATE: The placement of an Apple sign in a shopfront in The Canberra Centre seems a dead giveaway that the store will, in fact, be located on the top floor of that complex (http://m.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/apple-of-canberras-eye-20120813-2448b.html), which will make lunchtime gadget dashes that much easier!

Still no official word from Apple.

Well, well, well… there are interesting moves at the Canberra Centre.

Thanks to a tip-off from our reliable source DB, it appears the biggest change since the launch of the Bunda Street extension is about to hit city’s shopping hub.  The Canberran recently ventured out with a camera phone to examine movements around the mall, and photograph the rumours’ ground zero.

The most obvious piece of the puzzle is upstairs at the old Trenery shop which, along with a number of other retailers, had a shopfront extending from T2 all the way down to the travelators at the Ainslie end of the top floor.  These have been boarded up for a while now and, while there are a number of other sites in the Canberra Centre, the sheer size of the space suggests a much larger strategy is at play.

Walking along the top floor towards Dendy, the old Events store is now marked as the future site for Trenery.  So, the question is this:  Did Trenery deliberately downsize or – as can happen in any shopping centre – were they forced to move?

We would suggest the latter – however there are a few pieces of the puzzle to put in place.

Keep walking down the arcade and you will find a closed shop advertised as a future site for Sportsgirl.  Now, we realise this is getting further away from the action, but it’s important part of the whole.  Sportsgirl leaving their prime position at the entrance of the Canberra Centre, would also seem highly unlikely.  They’ve been there for years.  So, were they also forced to move?

We’re going to say yes.

Go down the escalators and walk back towards our theoretical ‘ground zero’.  Upon reaching the perpendicular main arcade two venues are immediately in your sights: an operating Cotton On (with a massive sale), and a closed Michel’s Pattisserie with almost all former infrastructure removed.  Which of these venues would fit nicely in a vacated Sportsgirl shop back near the entry?

Have a look at these photos.  Removing Cotton On gives the opportunity for a two-story retail outlet.  There’s still the issue of access for Target, but that shouldn’t be too much of an issue given the amount of work required to install such a large, new venue.

Clearly The Canberra Centre’s management is shuffling the cards in preparation for the arrival of a ‘destination’ retailer.  We think there can only be a couple of possible options, so our question is which one?  The American tech company that makes pretty, shiny objects of desire? Or the Spanish fashion house that makes us pretty, shiny objects of desire?

What do you think?

When searching for Canberra’s most fashion-forward residents, it’s usually us that does the chasing. Traditions were turned on their head last week though, when while strolling through the Canberra Centre, our attention was attracted by a most excitable fellow…

Wallace stopped us in the middle of the Canberra Centre holding a disposable camera. “Beautiful lady, can you please take my picture?” He said he needed a photo, looking fresh in the mall, for the album that he’d just finished recording. Wallace needed something to go in the CD sleeve.

The man was exuberant. “I need a full length AND a close up, and don’t forget to wind the roll!”

Well, didn’t we have a little surprise for him! We wanted to take his picture anyway, having spied his amazing outfit from 30 metres away.

Download: Wallace – Fashion Circle PDF

It became more obvious through the era of

_PAULINE  LEE  HANSON_  

Second half of the 1990s, to be sure

Australia had become an incendiary mob

Et  tu  Brute !!

^^^^^

Zombified vigilantes couldn’t stomach  THAT  PERSON

(Maybe they’d lose their lucrative government grant moneys!)

..  A red-haired woman

..  Blue-collar, non-tertiary-educated

..  A non-Melbourne, non-Sydney woman seriously upsetting Canberra lethargy

..  A fish n’ chip shop owner speaking the plain truth about Australia

No, they couldn’t stomach HER patriotic cheek

^^^^^

So  CULTURAL  ELITES

The journalists, the politicians, the universities, ASIO/CIA/MOSSAD

Immigrant-loving Big Business, immigrant-loving Church leaders

Artists, people-smugglers, public servants, Sydney and Melbourne media

The ever-so-politically correct social workers and teachers, Jews, Muslims

Aborigines and homosexuals   (and their ‘industries’)

Had Pauline politically assassinated

Even sending Australia’s bravest, most gutsy citizen to jail

^^^^^

Australia’s Own Pauline Hanson – Martyr – Reformer

At the heart of the Purge

The Culture-Cleansing Tsunami

Australia’s National Socialists stripped her, tortured her

Gassed her and boiled her into soap

^^^^^

Et  Tu  Brute !!

The masses

They once adored her

Pauline had trounced Greens and Democrats Parties

(How dare the people decide how Australia will be run !!)

But …

“We Want Barrabas!!” the mob now shrieked

Hanson was FAR TOO strong a locomotive

Just look at her Maiden Speech !!

So …

For the sake of the status quo   (and the ‘old school tie’)

This woman should neither be seen nor heard from again

^^^^^

Thus, one cold night at Dandenong Town Hall, Melbourne

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation wanted to start a (Party) Branch

Angry militias came

From near and far

To the Salem Witch Hunt

Lynching Hansonite ‘niggers’ on their minds

^^^^^

Three _Militant_ thugs brain-damaged peaceful English-born Keith Warburton

Keith WAS studying Engineering at Swinburne University

Then he drove a night bus for Swinburne students

He says about that night he was innocently curious – that was all

The Court case implicated Militant members

Keith’s bashing and cover up  is reported extensively HERE

^^^^^

Militant (now Socialist Party) leader _Stephen Jolly_ strenuously denies Keith’s attackers were members

It was Kristallnacht, Nazi Germany, 1938

It was Shut Down Patriots, Melbourne 1997

Australia was to show how intolerant and unpatriotic   (and media-dependent)

It really is

^^^^^

Pauline Hanson forced its leaders to start to acknowledge the decline and fall of

Australian society

^^^^^

Much more ACTION is still needed

.. On refugees – gold-hoarding, queue-jumping tourists in a soft-touch nation

.. On low-life people-smugglers

.. On ineffective, virtually non-existent border patrol

.. On Migration Consultants 
(aka Immigration Department outreach workers)

.. On cultural prostitutes  (aka universities) trawling the world selling Toilet Paper
(aka Australian citizenship)

.. On certain Aboriginal  privelege (eg Aboriginal land grants,  ATSIC (now defunct), wealth gap between Aborigines)

.. On Multiculturalism, its cost and denial of Australian identity
(Terry Lane   said at the time  “Multiculturalism is TRIBALISM“)

..           ????????????

^^^^^

Pauline Hanson,  Graeme Campbell  and

Other visionary patriots eg  Dr Rod & Robyn Spencer  (AAFI)

You have won the hearts and minds of

AUSTRALIANS   WHO   ARE   NOT   AFRAID   TO   THINK

Keith Warburton, after being bashed
('old' GIF image)

Stephen Jolly, Yarra Councillor
(Socialist Party)

Australia's Pauline Hanson

To be honest, we weren’t too sure what to make of Breadtop when we first encountered their store in the Canberra Centre.  On first impressions, the brightly lit store filled with swarming customers (and even more staff) gave the impression of a cross between a bakery and Crust Pizza.  It was simply overwhelming.

It would take the gentle encouragement of a colleague as well as a dedication to investigating the new and unusual in Canberra that led us to cross the floury threshold and indulge in the small mysteries located in the multitude of display cases.

The Breadtop website describes their intent to offer an ‘open’ concept for their bakeries as a reinvention of the ‘90’s open kitchen.  It works too as the bakers operate in full view of the customers giving every indication the food is as fresh as it looks.  A welcome addition is the ability to serve yourself.  Simply grab a tray and pair of tongs and you’re off.  It’s the perfect system for bypassing self-restraint.

Once inside we couldn’t help ourselves.  One look at the glistening crusts on bread and we had no option but to load up on a mix of European and Asian style goodies.  At a glance, here’s how we filled ourselves. For the princely sum of $12.00.

The Mini Hamburger

A delicious, spongy roll with a mince patty, lettuce, ketchup and cheese.  This provided a delicious mouthful of flavour that reminded you of how the local ‘greasy spoon’ used to make your burger.

The Fishburger.

No messing about here.  Crumbed whitefish (shark??) with tartare sauce.  There was simply no need for any further ingredients and again was a perfect trigger to remind your palate of what it was like eating the real thing.  I mean, look at the glistening roll.  Delicious.

The Bacon and Cheese Melt.

One for the gluttons (clearly us, although by this stage we were starting to slow).  Again, this morsel cast the mind back to previous food experiences.  In this case, it served as a reminder that almost anything tastes better with the addition of bacon and/or cheese.  More than the sum of its parts.

The Green Bean Sesame Ball.

After three savoury snacks something sweet was certainly due.  The bean paste is rolled into a ball, dipped in batter and sesame seeds and deep-fried.  Yep, it tasted as good as it sounds, with the puffed up batter giving way to the sweet paste inside.  We could have eaten three (were it not for the Bacon and Cheese Melt).

Red Bean Mochi.

This curiosity was the only pre-made delicacy we attempted.  While there were plenty of fresh alternatives, we were keen for a variation on the Breadtop mainstays.  Essentially red bean paste enclosed in a casing of glutinous rice, the subtle savoury flavour is not for every palate, and certainly took us by surprise following the sesame ball.  Still, if your preferences tend away from the sweet, it’s a convenient (and longer lasting) treat.

Summary

There you have it.  Don’t let our dodgy photos deter you in any way.  This place will fill your belly and sort out your cravings much more quickly than it will empty your wallet.  For those unfortunately scattered to the Boondocks, there are Breadtop franchises in Woden and Belconnen.  Give it a go and, if you do, try the pork buns for us.

Every day hundreds of people tramp through the corridors, stores and food courts of Canberra malls… hundreds of people, hundreds of stories. Download the Mall Stories walking tour, slap on a pair of headphones and experience a very different Canberra Centre.

-You Are Here Website

The You Are Here Festival is a free arts event that showcases Australian alternate arts and underground creative culture in Canberra. Spanning 10 days, from 8-18th of March, the festival aims to present artists work in non-traditional venues, to reinvigorate the Canberra area and attract attention from new audiences.

Make sure you check it out! I’m so happy to be involved in the arts culture of my fathers home town and the capital of Australia! Makes all those long hours of approaching tired shoppers worth it. Add them on facebook! Check out their site!

http://youareherecanberra.com.au/

www.facebook.com/YouAreHereCanberra?sk=wall

I’ll keep everyone updated about the progress!

PROGRESS UPDATE:

You can download the audio here:

http://youareherecanberra.com.au/mall-stories-downloads/

If you want a movie watching experience, Premium is definitely the way to go. The cinema’s no longer crowded – the most you’ll get is 30 people in the room. Better yet, apart from your companion with whom you share a seating area, you’re far away from everyone else. The chairs are comfy and are electric recliners, meaning you can choose a position that best suits you to watch the movie. Premium still has the less desirable (to most) seats up the front, so being able to recline to see the screen instead of straining your neck is a big plus. The chair covers appear a little dated with that second-hand couch feel, and my pro tip is that you do NOT put your hands down the sides of the seating cushion (there are some nasty surprises).

With Premium, you pay a nice sum of money for the movie experience, and there’s a lovely little lounge they seat you in before you head into the movie. It’s recommended you arrive quite a bit earlier than you normally would for a movie, because once you’re there you might want to have a drink or a snack before you go in. And, of course – the best part of the whole experience for food-loving me – is that you can order what food you want and specify exactly when you want it to come out during the movie (eg ‘ten minutes before the end’ or ‘at 5pm’).  The menu is a tempting one, with a large range of reasonably priced dishes.

We spent a significant amount of time debating what we were going to get (so it might be worth factoring that in, time-wise!) while we each had a beer in the lounge area. The ‘trap’, if you could call it that, is that depending on how much you want to eat and drink – a hard decision for people like me! – Premium can turn into an expensive excursion. The prices make it tempting to order more than you can eat. However, it pays to remember that the cinema is dark, and that it can be quite difficult to see what you’re eating!

We eventually decided on nachos ($11), peking duck pancakes ($15), fresh fruit and Australian cheese board ($25) and chocolate dipped strawberries ($11).  My one disappointment was that the food didn’t necessarily come out when we’d ordered it too – particularly our first two dishes. It’s hard to get into a movie when 20 minutes have passed since the time you expected the dish to come out, and you’re wondering whether you should be asking someone where it is. The peking duck pancakes is just two pancakes and nothing special – I wouldn’t order them again. The nachos were very tasty, but the chip to cheese ratio was out of whack, with a tonne of cheese. However, the fresh fruit and Australian cheese board was great, and well worth the money (being one of the most expensive dishes on the menu). The platter was huge and it took us a long time to finish it – but we did! The chocolate strawberries, to finish up, were a great end to the experience, and there were enough so that we weren’t arguing over the last one!

My one final tip is that if you really want to get the most out of your Premium experience, it’s worth taking note of how long the movies are and picking a movie that goes for a while. I really don’t reckon you’re getting your money’s worth if you’re only seeing a 90 minute movie (for the record, we saw J Edgar at 137 minutes).

Attendees: T1 and Boyfriend

Date: Saturday, 28 January

Where: Dendy Cinemas, Canberra Centre

Cost: $64 for two tickets ($32 x 2 because I am a Club Dendy member), $62 for food, and $48 for drinks (4 x James Squire, 1 x red wine)

Worthwhile factor: Worthwhile, as long as the movie goes for 2+ hours!

Want more? http://www.dendy.com.au/Page/Canberra-Premium-Cinemas

Address: Canberra Centre Shop FG10/ Bunda St, Canberra, 2600

Ph: 02 6162 1448

Website: www.creamcafebar.com.au

Hours: Monday – Friday: 7.30am – late. Saturday: 8am – late. Sunday: 8am – 4pm.

Cream, get on top.

Cream, you will cop.

Cream, don’t you stop.

Cream, sh-boogie bop.

These somewhat nonsensical lyrics from Prince’s nonetheless deeply sexy 1991 hit may seem out of place in a restaurant review, but there is logic to it past the obvious similarities in name. Because Cream, viewed through the large windows on the corner of the Canberra Centre, often seems like a music video as much as it does a restaurant.

This bright, clean room is populated by wait staff who echo the sleek, sexy lines of the décor. Lithe women in impossibly tight jeans and tussle-haired men in low-cut t-shirts flit between the oddly arranged tables with surprising speed an efficiency, overshadowing even the hordes of micro-skirted club hoppers that invade the place on the weekends to perch at communal tables and drink and nibble.

The room itself is beautiful, particularly the lighting, with a rose-like patterned light set into the roof, and a row of shaded globes hanging low over the pass (though I’m not if the lamps on booms facing the wall are quite what I would have gone for). There is a clean, sharp marble and tile bar in the middle of the room, although it misses its purpose, as it is too wide for the room, and too low for sitting at the bar.

It might feel that I am spending a lot of time talking about the appearance of the place, and being too superficial. But Cream is a bit of a superficial place. Yes, it is beautiful, but there’s not too much behind it. If it was a pop music video, it’d be more like a Katy Perry song. Sexy, but only in a surface way, without the undercurrent of eroticism that comes from Prince’s music. It also lacks that extra level of talent.

While everything looked great, the food was sometimes a matter of concept over taste. Take the dish Yuk Sung, their take on san choi bao. Have you ever eaten san choi bao and thought to yourself, “Hey, I wonder how this would go with a floppy piece of cos lettuce instead of iceberg?” No? Neither had I, and there’s a good reason for that. It doesn’t work. Trying to wrap large piles of minced chicken in a limp square of greenery caused a mess, leading eaters to revert to their cutlery, which misses the point somewhat.

Flavour wise, an overwhelming experience of hoi sin sauce made the whole thing very one note. Even when you did get the bite of pine nuts, it didn’t quite gel. A topping of crispy noodles was redundant, adding no flavour and being less textually interesting that the bean shoots.

For main course I decided to prepare myself for an upcoming visit to New Orleans by having jambalaya. I would question the validity, however, as I doubt that the traditional version has such an abundance of spring onion, and I could find no trace of the Creole Trinity of onion, celery, and green capsicum. It was a bland dish, made more disappointing by some mussels that didn’t seem to have opened. I’m expecting better when I hit the Big Easy.

A side of shoestring fries delivered what it was meant to, being thin, crunchy, and tasting of potato rather than oil. With it came an aioli that managed the balance between you being able to taste garlic, but not having the hottie you pick up at the club later tasting it too. That said, I should mention that this only counts as a side if you happen to be a family of eight, as the serving was enormous.

Dessert was a chai panna cotta, with a pleasingly tottering wobble and a taste of smooth cinnamon and clove. Sadly it was overpowered by the sharp sweetness of a citrus salad beside it, and could have been improved by something less astringent.

Here’s the thing about Cream. I don’t love it. But that’s ok, because it’s clearly not for me, or probably for many of my regular blog readers. This is not a foodie joint, a place to marvel over and savour what has been served.

Instead, it’s for people who wants to meet their friends and have some food and drinks, and don’t really care if the food is too good, as long as it isn’t too bad. These are people who don’t want the food to be so remarkable that it might stop their conversation.

This is a place that explicitly caters for hot young things wanting a meal to start their night before heading to Academy. It’s a place to see, be seen, and perve at the staff. And yes, the food is not particularly challenging, but (aside from the mussels), nothing was actually bad. You’re not going to love it, but you probably won’t hate it either. In fact, you’re probably going to struggle to remember it the next day.

There are a lot of things to like about Cream. It’s just that the food isn’t one of them. And that’s fine.

Having Katy Perry out there, with all the fans who love her, doesn’t stop me from listening to and enjoying Prince. The people who want Cream can keep it. I’ll stick to a quick glance at the beautiful people through the window on my way to somewhere much more interesting.

With Floriade now in full effect we were charmed by Anneta’s bold floral print matched with bright colours. It’s a great outfit reminding us all to forget about winter activities and get out into the sunshine. Spring is finally here.

Beautiful!

Drinking Water di Changi International Airport, Singapore

Fasilitas Umum di Changi International Airport, SIngapore

Drinking Water di Canberra Centre Park

Drinking Water di Canberra, Australia

Bahkan Australia sudah mengklaim bahwa air kran yang mengalir di rumah-rumah, apartemen, hotel, taman dan tempat-tempat umum lainnya,  siap dan aman untuk langsung diminum.

Pertanyaannya :

“Kapan ya kita bisa begini…???”