Join the busy bees at the HIVE - FEB 23rd

Wow, doesn't time pass ...

When visiting Melbourne sometimes its not just the monuments that make the trip, BUT the amazing people you meet or learn about during your stay....
and Michelle Matthews is one I of course talk about a lot.. Hidden Secrets Tours would not be around if it was not for her!
Its been well over 6 years that the little Deck of Secrets cards have been on the market, and you can hear her story next week in a great local bar setting!

From an innovative pager service, to delicious shopping books, tiny free press adventure - A7, and her eventual plans of world domination... ( a bar discovery job, many would die for) :) there is lots to love about the city that inspired her, and Michelle's savvy business model that enables us to love it too!!

Next Tuesday 7pm make the most of the opportunity to hear the story from Michelle herself - There will be many other locals who have inspired Michelle's projetcs to continually expand - Join the conversation!! - Head to the Emerald Peacock at 233 Lonsdale Street for the latest HIVE event in Melbourne.

Festival of the Photocopier.. more productive than you think!

Campbell Arcade has had its fair share of distraught times recently.. not least of which was Thursdays Flood!! but as always, its best to rise above it all,.. change the attitude, or space...

Love Sticky, and the crew.. the Photocopier survived the deluge.. and the show must go on!

today was the ZINE FAIR.. such fun to see them all lined up the length of Campbell Arcade.. selling all sorts..
I bought the most beautiful Audrey & Audrey book by Ayano Takeuchi. Such a delight to find a new copy of WIPE, Where did my sock go by Frankie Pan.. and so much more.. The energy of enthusiasm is infectious.. thanks Sticky. Tour clients loved it too!!

Now the festival is winding up, done forget to head down the stairs in Degreaves street, and see some of the works at Platform Art Space..

Share the love!:)

Unique Valentines Day shopping options.. for next 3 days only

This week The Lovely Marche Rouge is on again! - just in time for Valentines Day... today is the First day!

over Thursday, Friday and Saturday heading up to the second floor of the Nicholas Building for another Shopping Event! - head into the Cathedral Arcade - just off Swanston Street and Flinders Lane.

Fashion ADDICTS... - September Issue on for Free at FED Square

Film Buff's, some hilights of the 2009 MIFF festival will be on show at Federation Square this month! head on down to the big screen, and perhaps join us for the wonderful insider film THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE - to be shown on Thursday 18 February, 7.00pm

Hang out on the Deck chairs.. and enjoy the FREEdom...

grab a friend.. and soak it in .. we'll be there..

An engrossing glimpse into the life of Vogue Editor, Anna Wintour and the glamour of the fashion biz.

The guys and gals at  Madman have arranged all the legal stuff to get it on the screen for you, so go support them... The picture here is shown courtesy of the Promotional Material of the Film in 2009

TROP FEST UPDATE - to be at Fed Square - Feb 21st

Movie Extra Tropfest is pleased to announce Federation Square as the new Melbourne host venue for one of Australia’s most iconic cultural events.

Movie Extra Tropfest - the world’s largest short film festival – will take place on Sunday 21 February 2010 at Federation Square, the cultural and entertainment hub of Melbourne

See all finalists in Pic below.

John Polson, Director and Founder of Tropfest, said today: I’m incredibly excited about our new Melbourne home. Melbourne’s interest and involvement in Tropfest has been growing exponentially over the past few years, culminating in the increasing number of Victorian entrants and finalists. Federation Square couldn’t be a better fit for us. It’s the perfect place for Melbourne’s film lovers to come together and celebrate the best of Australia’s up and coming film talent.

Federation Square will be one of eight free, public, outdoor venues across Australia hosting the festival live via satellite:

FREE fashion Seminar Feb 19 - Sustainable Living Festival

The Sustainable Living Festival started this weekend - 6th - 21st Feb - so many things to see and learn- this is one we can highly recommend!

A forum  at BMW Edge Feb 19th - with Australia's leading ethical and sustainable fashion experts including Cameron Neil, Emer Diveney, Sue Thomas, Grace McQuilten and Tiffany Treloar. Hosted by Kate Luckins.Following a very successful ethical fashion forum hosted by Alice Euphemia earlier in the year,This will be an opportunity to ask all the questions about fair trade, sustainable textiles and design principles, while picking up some tangible tips to reduce their fashion footprints.

Cameron Neil is the Operations Manager for the Australian and New Zealand branches of Fairtrade. He has founded 'otherWISE' - a capacity-building program that educates young people about sustainable consumption. Cameron is a very well-informed and engaging speaker with many ideas about how the fashion industry can embrace sustainability and get the Fairtrade stamp of approval.

Emer Diveney has a solid background both within the fashion industry and the corporate responsibility sector. She is the author of numerous research reports on the social and environmental impacts of the Australian fashion industry. Emer is the National Coordinator of Ethical Clothing Australia and is Chair of the RMIT Fashion Program Advisory Committee.

Sue Thomas is a renowned sustainable fashion academic from RMIT University (The Fashion Department, Architecture and Design). She is currently completing her PhD in Sustainable Fashion Ethics and Buddhism while she teaches the RMIT fashion students. Sue's witty commentary can often be heard on the radio as she is one of Australia's sustainable fashion experts.

In 2009 Grace McQuilten founded the Social Studio, a not-for-profit organisation which facilitates education and employment pathways for the young refugee community in Melbourne. Grace's interest in social enterprise developed after working in community development for several years, along with extensive research on the relationship between design, sustainability and social change.

Tiffany Treloar has been sewing since she was just 10 years old and she has been working in the fashion design industry throughout various incarnations of her own label. In recent times, she is working towards a complete synergy between her environmental values and her work. This journey has influenced her design process, studio footprint and material selections for her collection entitled PROJECT 332.

Kate Luckins is the founder of The Clothing Exchange, a unique clothes swapping event that has inspired a swapping movement in Australia! She has a Masters of Fashion from RMIT University (on sustainable fashion consumption) and is currently finishing her PhD research into the sustainable lifestyles of young people. Kate is a sustainable consumption researcher who writes for Peppermint Magazine

New Venue - Red Bennies

Out on a Saturday night on Chapel Street is not always on my radar of a great night ( traffic, queues, hoons, and an acute awareness that time has changed... The New Orleans, The Black Prince, Greville street amazing furniture markets... oh dear! was is that long ago..)

And - when I am told we are heading the old Viper Room... hmmmm - really??!!

BUT.. The guys behind Red Bennies are up to adding a new slice of amusement to this strip...

We went to the 3rd of three opening nights, on Saturday, and were greeted with a room full of a supportive and funky crowd.. comedic MC, yoyo mime act, and a couple of Burlesque acts including swings and parasols as apparatus.. - though would have loved more!

Some live music the crowd danced to, finishing up with 2 good DJ's and a few more waxed Moustaches than I had expected to see. (The circus is in town after all I suppose...)

I left with a certainty I'd be back, and that the venue will continue to improve as a spot to watch for in the haze of sameness in Prahran / South Yarra Chapel Street.

Fiona

Flash Girls occupy Bar Nancy in Northcote

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but for Michael Brady it's also in the flaws of human composition. In Flash Girls for the 2010 Midsumma Festival, Brady presents harlots of the nineteenth century and Vogue cover models of the twentieth century, continuing his exploration of the concept of beauty and the role of the façade. The result is a new series of contrastive black and white paintings revealing subjects that appear surgically enhanced or unrealistically beautiful. On closer view however, this façade veils a heavily textured surface of cracks, lumps and other imperfections rendered in plaster, acrylic, enamel spray and ink.


While Midsumma 2010 is (sadly) coming to an end, Flash Girls will remain open to the public until at least March, as a semi-permanent installation in the northside Bar Nancy (which doubles as Vivurtu Gallery). See Michael’s latest works (all for sale) at the bar during regular opening hours - installed high above the front bar or tantalisingly low in the back room, where each flash girl occupies her own private booth. Naturally, they are best viewed after dark, with a cocktail in hand.

Bar Nancy is open Tues - Sun 5pm - late

Michael can be contacted on 0430 111 061, or michael@arcadepublications.com

To Market.. to Market.. Sisters Market!

So yes there is another Market that has come within my radar..

so many these days...

Maru designs directed me this way... and if you have done the Rose Street Market thing.. then perhaps this another option!?

Brunswick Town Hall 233 Sydney Road, Brunswick

Saturday 13th Feb - 10am-4pm

Trop Fest... Sunday 21st - Melbourne venue still TBC!

It started for us as just a little bit of curiosity... but Tropfest is high on our Melbourne ( Australian) calendar of Must Do's - especially when its free!
Tropfest - an amazing showcase of amateur and professional short films that are exclusively made for this festival... they must include a signature item somewhere in the film each year, ( this year the item is DICE ) and the film must be of a specific length, so each film entered has never been publically seen before.. then a final group of 16 are presented in a simulcast style event ( beamed out of Sydney) its a laugh, inspirational, and always surprising who you may see on the screen...
Traditionally its been at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in the Kings Domain - Melbourne... so lets hope if not there.. its as fabulous..
Grab a cooler bag, a few epicurean supplies, and pull up the picnic rug.. and settle in Sunday 21st.. we will let you know where when we know!

Drink - your shout... make the most of this Summer"sunshine week

We know its not Friday yet... but wow.. if only it was!
Seamstress... or should I Sweatshop - basement hang out... brings Chinese New Year good times early... and 5-8pm Every Friday 'til Autumn... :)            - pic supplied by Seamstress..

Here's a deal to wash away working day worries
all so very retro too:)

Cooler Cups with a refreshing blend of seasonal fruit and vodka, all elegantly topped off with a West Coast Cooler - $8

Gents, come to the party with a Coopers Green for a fiver, or have two for a tenner... One for you, one for Barry. Cheers!

Wash away bad 'round the water cooler chat' from the week in the air-conditioned basement or enjoy the sunshine in the courtyard.

Laneway Festival 2010

Its a discrace I know, I never got to the Real laneways festival in the City urban laneways... some may say I am not a true believer... but know this... I was there, next to it, in the crowds, working! :) so this year... it came to be that I could venture off, and join the throng of 2010!

Here is a little pic of Dappled Cities... too much in their GOLD one piece suits on back to front... in 36degrees.. madness ... :)

XX, Florence and the Machine, as well as youngsters Frowning Clouds kept the folky vibe upbeat... NICE work Footscray!

Fiona

So if you are like me, the re-discovery of a label is always like finding an old friend...!

this little pop up shop in Collins Two3four is just the same, and this time we may actually be friends...

Well after buying 2 dresses last friday... it could be love...

Say hi to Rosemary... the designer and WATCH this label...

dont miss out!

Fiona... :)