Latest Event Updates
Meet a #Canberra Foodie: Eileen (@TheFoodAvenue)
I first met Eileen very briefly at a #CBRTweetUp event a couple of months ago at a café on Canberra’s southside and have been following her blog and tweets with interest ever since. I think her unique international experience, networks and love for good food and everything enjoyable in Canberra make her someone to watch as she evolves her blogging and confidence with social media. She also mentioned that she is sharing her experiences with food and growing cooking skills with some workmates so I’m hoping I will be able to take a class with her in the near future.
Who are you Eileen? I’ve been trained as an apprentice hairdresser, a journalist, a lawyer, and a public servant. In essence though, I’m a foodie that loves to take photos of her food and sharing it with people. I also love fashion and beauty. I started the blog because friends love my food recommendations and are always asking me where I get my outfits. I was born in Taiwan, where the national pastime is eating and snacking. It’s clearly in my genes. Did I mention I love food?
I’ve recently discovered Twitter and have been having a great time engaging with other foodies and meeting them! I tweet at @thefoodavenue and I post photos on my Instagram as well.
Age? 30
Where do you live? Turner
How long have you been blogging? About 2.5 years, although more regularly in the past 6 months.
Other hobbies/interests? Shopping, karaoke, ice skating.
Apple or Android? Android
Car/bus/bike? Walking actually. I walk to work and to most social activities, which is usually close by.
Favourite TV show? At the moment, it’s a Taiwanese variety show called ‘Super Taste’. It’s a humorous travel/food show! The hosts pair up into teams and review all different kinds of food in Taiwan (sometimes they go overseas as well!). My favourite episodes are the ones where they undertake “challenges”. For example, there was an episode where the hosts had to eat something from 25 food places within 36 hours to win NT$20,000 (approx. AUD$737)
Favourite devices? My Olympus EPL2 – it has been laughed at by photography aficionados (for its size and capabilities) but it does what I need it to. Plus, it’s compact enough for me to carry everywhere and less conspicuous than full DSLRs when I’m in restaurants. Also, I love my wifi SD card for the instant uploads. And I couldn’t live without my smartphone, of course!
<I was blown away by the quality of the photos that Eileen was taking with her compact camera. For example, here’s a photo I took with my iPhone and one she took with her Olympus>
Can we take a peek at your home screen?
Most-used app? Youtube. What a fantastic source of entertainment and learning.
Favourite social media? Facebook for knowing what’s going on with my friends and family. Pinterest for creativity and inspiration.
What’s the first thing online you check each morning? My weather app, so I know how to dress for the day!
What do you worry about at night? Whether I’m living authentically. I’ve learned that it’s better to fail at being yourself than to be successful pretending to be someone else.
Most exciting recent news? I’m running my first cooking class next week and I’m super excited about it! I’m teaching people how to make banh mi (Vietnamese Saigon rolls)
Ideal career? I have already had a taste of my ideal career – being a features writer (it’s awesome seeing your name in print)! I would love to do that again for a food, beauty, fashion, lifestyle or travel publication, or be a magazine editor.
Recent book you recommend? I’ve almost finished reading The Time Traveller’s Wife. I would highly recommend it!
Recent online video you laughed at? Kids react to rotary phones
Favourite food? Ooh, this is a particularly hard one. I don’t think I could narrow it down that far so I’d have to say Taiwanese cuisine, which captures a whole range of foods – from delicious braised dishes to amazing desserts.
Follow Eileen’s blog here: www.thefoodavenue.com
Twitter here: @TheFoodAvenue
Instagram here: http://instagram.com/thefoodavenue#
Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/TheFoodAvenue
Noodle Cafe Garema Place
(Three #Canberra Beanies) 
I recently had the pleasure of joining another Canberra Foodie (Eileen, better known as @TheFoodAvenue) at her favourite inner-city affordable eatery – Noodle Café in Garema Place.
Noodle Café is located right next to HonkyTonks, so makes a convenient pre-party dinner venue as well as a great place to meet friends for a cheaper and satisfying lunch for as little as $10.
The $10 lunch specials are varied and the main menu has plenty of other affordable options as well.
I chose to ask if I could have an authentic beef Pho that included tripe, a delicious dish I grew to love at authentic Vietnamese restaurants around Australia. The friendly waitress obliged, even though this dish wasn’t on their usual menu. It cost a few dollars more than the lunch special pho but was well worth it.
My lunch partner Eileen chose her favourite dish, a delicious combination chow mein with perfectly cooked noodles (the two beautiful photos below are hers). We also shared a couple of fresh and perfectly cooked vegetarian spring roles and a couple of tea pots of chinese green tea, all for the extremely reasonable price of $33. Considering the excellent table service (with complimentary prawn crackers) and the freshness and taste and large portions I was extremely impressed.
The flavours of the food were amazing. If the food is not exactly to your liking, there is the usual plastic container of chilli and flavouring sauces that anyone who frequents authentic Asian restaurants would be familiar with.
Noodle Café gets 3 #Canberra Beanies and joins our list of top ten affordable eateries in Canberra.
If you’re not sure where to find this place, have a look behind the big screen in Garema Place or next door to Honky Tonks. Or if you prefer Google maps, just look up 5 Garema Place.
A dinner for two at the Mecca Bah Canberra @meccabahact
and here’s another great review by Gary of the Mecca Bar in Manuka. haven’t been for a while but this review and photos make me want to go again soon!
Sunday #breakfast @hahabarcbr | Ha Ha Bar Belconnen recommendation from @Girlhassparke
Gary likes breakfast at HaHa at Belconnen because it’s yummy. He’s right.
Behind the Bar: Chester
I like this personal view of what makes a bar tick: real people with a vision for what they love and want to share. Bit out of my price range though … But will keep it in mind for a special occasion! 🙂
My word, we’re not in Kansas anymore.
Our Nation’s capital is all very grown up when it comes to venues now, and the bar at the unique hotel hotel in New Acton is a sign of the times.
Some thoughtful ideas on contemporary design, art and sustainabilty come together in this very welcoming space.
It attracts a diverse and appreciate audience, and on the night of this chat, I observed everyone from a large group of twenty somethings having cocktails, ladies in the 50’s sharing craft and book stories, a large posse of black tied corporate executives enjoying a conference pre-dinner, few TV celebs and some hipster consultant types enjoying their expense accounts.
So the large space with its various nooks is very accommodating.
In theory all the concrete in the building could make for an intimidating space, but its the genuine warm welcome from the team that means your…
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Beautiful Time of Year
Beautiful photos from Paul Jurak, as usual 🙂
22 March 2014: I’m loving the autumn sunrises and how the mist is just starting to be a part of my daily routine. The morning started out with soft pre-dawn tones that lasted for ages and then it all quickly changed as the sun finally decided to pop up from the clouds to burn through the mist to liven up everything up. I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks will bring as this is such a beautiful time of year.
Meet a #Canberra Foodie: Megan (@Girlhassparke)
I recently had the pleasure of sharing a lunchtime meal with veteran of the Canberra blogging scene. A veteran you ask? Well, yes, she’s been blogging for over 5 years, that’s about 4 years and ten months longer than me, so I was hanging on her every word and looking for suggestions and sage blogging advice. Megan (better known as @Girlhassparke) recently impressed me with this cool and succinct post about a hidden little treasure in West Belconnen. I‘ll let you read it yourself and then visit it, and then think about how short our lives are in this amazing world, how lucky we are to live in Canberra, and how important it is to always try something new and take an unplanned peek around the corner, even in our own neighbourhoods and city.
Who are you Megan? I am Megan a 26 year old living in Canberra, Australia. By day, I am a legal policy officer, who toes the work dress code in an effort to satisfy my love of bright colours and fun pieces. I have a coffee addiction that I have managed to restrain to one cup a day (occasionally two).
When I am not working for the man you can probably find me eating, travelling, being with my friends or family, sweating it out at the gym or comatosed in a ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ marathon.
I have been blogging for four years at Time After Tea but decided that I wanted a fresh start with a blog that more accurately reflects my life, goals and dreams and where I am today thus the creation of ‘The Girl has Sparke’.
So why should you visit the ‘Girls got Sparke’? Because it is a normal girls story, and guide to getting the best out of life! For me that means making the most of the simple things but also setting my sights on the stars. This blog will talk about the little and the big and everything in between. Whether that is reviewing the cake store down the road, building a workable wardrobe, to planning overseas travel and investing money wisely.
I am on a mission to constantly strive for my goals, better myself one step at a time and share my passions with others. I also hope to learn and grow with people who read my blog and create an engaged community.
Age? 26
Where do you live? Scullin.
How long have you been blogging? For five years, previously at www.timeaftertea.com but more recently at www.thegirlhassparke.com .
Other hobbies? Travel, reading, exploring, shopping. I enjoy following some other amazing blogs such as www.garypeppergirl.com
Apple or Android Apple.
Car/Bus/Bike? Bus! <I’m guessing she’s looking forward to the free wifi on Action buses!>
Favourite TV show? True Detective, Homeland, Real Housewives of New York.
Favourite Devices? iPad, iPhone, Toshiba laptop.
Can we take a peek at your home screen?
Most used app? Afterlight (photo processing)
Favourite Social Media? Instagram
What’s the first thing online you check each morning? Twitter
What do you worry about at night? If I’ve turned the gas off on the stove J
Most exciting recent news? Planning a trip to Europe later this year!
Ideal Career? Political Advisor
Recent Book you recommend? The Snowchild by Eowyn Ivey
Recent online video you laughed at? http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/parody-kiss-video-features-dogs-article-1.1724262
Favourite Food? Mexican (her fave Mexican in Canberra is GYG)
You can learn more about Megan at www.thegirlhassparke.com
Megan is on twitter at https://twitter.com/Girlhassparke, and her Instagram account is http://instagram.com/thegirlhassparke
Best Traditional Food Dishes From Around the World
Loved the photos in this short article about the Best Traditional Food Dishes From Around the World. I’m very disappointed I couldn’t try all these dishes during the recent Canberra Multicultural Festival. I might write a letter complaining to the government about that 🙂
New restaurant & bar openings in February 2014 – a round-up of what’s hit Melbourne in the past month
wow… too many new Melbourne eateries to fit into one trip! I may have to stay a week or two for the next excursion to Melbourne 🙂
We continue our regular monthly feature where we summarise some of our highlights from the previous month and offer recommendations for where you should visit or have on your radar for the month ahead.
Encompassing new openings and old favourites, pop-up venues, events and everything in between, here is the inside track for those sharking for chips and drinks.
If we’ve missed any exciting new places off this list, please get in touch in the comments section. In case you missed it – check out what OPENED IN JANUARY. ———————————————————————————————————————-
Taxi Kitchen
When? February 28, 2014
What is it? Fun dining, not fine dining!
Who’s behind it? Owned by Sovereign Hotel Group, Tony Twitchett is still Executive Chef and Sam Forte is the Head Chef
Size? Total capacity is 200 and there are a number of new bar seats and communal tables being added to the existing floor plan…
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Meet a #canberra Foodie: Dr Gary Lum (@garydlum)
Dr Gary Lum is a well-known Canberra foodie to anyone on Twitter. As well as being an accomplished cook and social media practitioner, Gary is a great ambassador for our home town, despite the fact that his favourite NRL team are the Broncos …well, he was originally from Queensland! 🙂
I love Gary’s blog and it was great to read this page and learn more about him (the interview in the Canberra Times wasn’t satisfying enough!). I hope he always finds the time to keep up his prolific writing and cooking. I think he’s a great role model for any Canberra men who, who like me, want to improve themselves (physically and intellectually).
Who are you Gary? I’m a Brisbane boy in love with Darwin and living in Canberra. I grew up in Brisbane and completed my medical and specialty training there. The first consultant job I had was running territory-wide pathology services in the NT based at the Royal Darwin Hospital. I was there from 1996 until 2007. During that time I learnt a lot about medical management and spent some time outside my comfort zone managing the Royal Darwin Hospital. It was in 2002 that I did a seven month stint and bang in the middle of it terrorists struck in Bali. Along with the entire team at the hospital we went about receiving, resuscitating and then relaying on burns patients around the country. You can read my take on it at http://yummylummy.com/2012/10/12/the-2002-bali-bombings-my-experience-and-my-memories/ In 2007 I took up a position as a branch head in Australian Government to continue my career in health emergency management.
My love affair with food was ordained when I was born into a Chinese family. On my Mum’s side we’re fifth generation Australian but the only non-Chinese part was an Irish great great grand mother. My mother is a fabulous cook and she’s also a domestic science teacher. She taught me and my younger brothers the basics and we’ve never looked back. My father is also a good cook so growing up I was surrounded by excellent role models for cooking. While living in Darwin my eating habits became quite poor and my exercise routine consisted of walking to my car. At my peak I reached 100 kg which for a 170 cm tall bloke is obese. After reading various books and thinking about what I wanted to achieve I elected to go down the low carbohydrate route. As a medical practitioner I’m aware of the controversy and the risks. For me though, it helped me shed nearly 30 kg in a few months and maintain a weight at about 75 kg for some years. It got me into a position where I could exercise twice a day and keep trim. When I arrived in Canberra I started putting on weight again and this year returned to the low carbohydrate way of living. I had peaked to 82 kg and didn’t want to buy new clothes. I’ve quickly shed 6 kg and feel a lot better.
Age? I was born in 1965.
Where do you live? I live in Belconnen near Lake Ginninderra.
How long have you been blogging? I started the blog in August 2010 after exploring various social media platforms beginning that year. Having a blog seemed like a natural extension to being on twitter and tumblr.
Other hobbies? My hobbies are cooking, eating and photographing food. I’ve always enjoyed photography and in my clinical career collected a large collection of clinical images from patients with severe wound infections.
Apple or Android? Before smart phones I was a Diehard Windows PC man. I laughed at Mac users. In about 2008 though my experience with Windows had reached a nadir. How could Bill Gates let me down? I bought a MacBook and haven’t looked back. When smart phones became available I naturally bought an iPhone and then an iPad. For personal use I am exclusively Apple. I have no control what I use at work. That said, I love my work BlackBerry. It is simply the best tool for texting and writing e-mails on a handheld device. All that said, I have no criticism of android products. I’ve just never used them. The Apple products satisfy my needs.
Car/Bus/Bike? I love cars. I love big heavy thick metal plated cars, I love V8 engines and I love engines with minimal exhaust baffling. I love modified engines. I grew up with fitters and turners and they modified the engines of their cars and we loved driving fast. I love driving fast and one of the greatest joys was living and working in the Northern Territory when the Stuart Highway was an open road and I could drive the 1000 km from Darwin to Tennant Creek in less than six hours. My favourite car was my 1978 CL Chysler Regal Le Baron with a 265 cubic inch hemi six which breathed through a Holley 350 twin twin barrel and ran extractors to twin down pipes. After that I owned several V8 Falcons including an XE Fairmont Ghia with a 351 cubic inch Cleveland V8. I now drive a VW diesel because fuel costs so much money but I still dream of a big V8 in front of me with power to the rear wheels. I’ve never caught a bus in Canberra but I do own a bicycle. It’s gathering cobwebs at the moment.
Favourite TV show? I love everything Star Trek. The premise of Gene Roddenberry to have a better more ethical life exploring the universe really appeals to me. I fantasise about being the captain of a starship. Apart from Star Trek I enjoy The Big Bang Theory, Top Gear, Master Chef, My Kitchen Rules and the Great Australian Bake Off.
Favourite Device? I have an iPhone 5, an iPad 3, a MacBook Pro and an iMac. I wear a fitbit everywhere and share my stats daily to twitter and Facebook. For food photography I use a Nikon D90 at home and when I’m out a Canon PowerShot G16 because it has a nice f2 aperture and shoots in RAW. I’ve fallen for Adobe Lightroom for post processing.
Can we take a peek at your home screen?
Most used app? Twitter and Instagram are the most used apps.
Favourite Social Media? I’m addicted to Twitter and use three accounts, viz., @garydlum, @Yummy_Lummy and @DrGaryLum
What’s the first thing online you check each morning? My work e-mail, then personal e-mail, then WordPress, then Instagram, and then Facebook. I’ll also check in to a few places on Foursquare for good measure.
What do you worry about at night? I try not to worry. When something starts to disturb me I actively think other thoughts.
Most exciting recent news? Free wi-fi for Canberra town centres. That’s got to be a good thing. Hopefully Belconnen will get it soon.
Ideal Career? I’m doing what I enjoy now. I’m an adviser in Australian Government and an Honorary VMO in ACT Government.
Recent Book you recommend? Ship of the line by Diane Carey. It’s a Star Trek novel set over the TOS and TNG eras with some DS9 elements.
Recent online video you laughed at? I can’t remember but I’m sure it had cats in it doing silly things.
Favourite Food? My favourite food is congee or jook. It’s comfort food and great for Canberra winters. Very close is my Mum’s wonton soup because it’s communal food. My best wonton meal was a couple of years ago with my parents and brothers all participating.
You can learn more about Gary and his many passions at http://yummylummy.com/ . Gary is on twitter at @garydlum, @Yummy_Lummy and @DrGaryLum and here’s a link to his Instagram account.
CBRfoodie 