World Matters 2010 Writers - Disturbing the Peace @ Montsalvat -Oct 27 and 30 -31

Diamond Valley Oxfam, Montsalvat, ELTHAMbookshop

Present

The 6^th Annual

World Matters 2010 Writers - Disturbing the Peace

Oct 27  and 30 -31

Venue: The Barn, Montsalvat, Hillcrest Avenue , Eltham

Melways Ref: 22 A8

 The Great Hall, Montsalvat

Official World Matters Literary Festival Website

elthambookshop@bigpond.com

970 Main Road Eltham

9439 8700

From a Funny Picture Book to Chasing the Rainbow and Utopian Man

 

Do you remember this, Trad Padders?

So many Australians recall this book as part of their childhood.

Herself (born 1964) remembers all the funny or peculiar people.

Edward William Cole penetrated our lives and our leisure.

And so Lisa Lang wrote a biography.

Now she has taken all the material she acquired for this non-fiction work

and turned to a fiction work...

Utopian Man

Angela Meyer has reviewed the book here

and she launched the book last night at the

Melbourne City Library.

As Meyer says:

It must have been a leap to take all that research and construct a narrative out of it – to get inside Cole’s headspace, to capture the emotional dimensions of real life – of his family and friends. But [Lisa Lang] is very successful in doing so. 

Utopian ManLisa Lang
Allen & Unwin
9781742373348
2010 (Australia)

Stephen Fry - International Treasure and Twitterer beyond compare

Do you follow, like mois, Stephen Fry on Twitter?  If so, a few hours ago, you probably felt like you had your Twitter clogged with consecutive Stephen Fry tweets.  There was a reason.  He was being interviewed for the Evening Standard, which he explained before the interview began - but if you came in the middle you wouldn't have known that, perhaps, and couldn't understand exactly what was being said.  To see the questions being asked, you had to go to the interviewer's Twitter.

There is no doubt about Fry.  He confesses he loves everything new - and he must be breaking all records to chalk up firsts relating to Twitter.

1. Instrumental in overturning that scandalous libel decision in the UK which meant even Parliament could not discuss the decision.
2. Arguably the first person to make money from Twitter, by promoting his recent London event which promoted his book and which was telecast live to numerous centres across the UK - to popular demand as was his recent Melbourne appearance.
3. Possibly the first to conduct a newspaper interview on Twitter - but will await confirmation

We have heard of people being National Treasures, I hereby nominate Stephen Fry as the very first International Treasure.  Welcome at my place anytime!

For those who don't participate in the Twitterverse,
Stephen Fry is one of the most prolific Tweeters in the world.
At last count, he was being "followed" by 1,776,170 people.
So, if Stephen Fry, says something 
that's an awful lot of people to take notice.

Related Reading

The Fry Chronicles

Stephen Fry in America: Fifty States and the Man Who Set Out to See Them All

Moab Is My Washpot

Stephen Fry in America

The Liar
 

THE TREE: A FILM FUNDRAISER FOR PEACE BRIGADES INTERNATIONAL

Picture from here

THE TREE

A great film for a great cause! 

Peace Brigades International.

All funds to help us protect human rights defenders 

in Colombia, Indonesia, Mexico, Guatemala and Nepal.

6.30pm - Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon Street, Carlton, Victoria 

Thursday 7 October 2010.  

Tickets: $18 full / $15 Concession

Festival De Cannes, Official Selection Closing Night Film
Director Julie Bertuccelli’s adaptation of

Judy Pascoe’s bestseller Our Father Who Art In The Tree.

Filmed in the open Australian bushland,The Tree will open your mind. Alternating skilfully between the supernatural and down-to-earth reality, the filmmaker immerses us in the lives of a devastated family, with grace and a delicacy that is illuminated by the presence of Charlotte Gainsbourg. - Marine Cluet, La Tribune

Join us for drinks and refreshments at the Back Bar at the Cinema Nova before the film starts.

Bookings essential!  

Pre order your tickets at fundraising@pbi-australia.org or 9016 3769 





Our Father Who Art in the Tree

Maria, Mildura and the Murray in a mini flood

From Drop Box

I have received a small collection of photos from Maria Reidl, that great Water Warrior, of the iconic Murray River at Pinkie Point, Mildura in what Maria describes as a "mini flood". The real thing has yet to arrive. Currently somewhere near Echuca!  Make safe your houseboats!

Tobie Puttock and Cook Like an Italian come to Readings @ Hawthorn

Picture from here

Dear Trad Padders,

Please get out your diaries.  We're off to Readings, 701 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn again on Monday 27 September for a 6.30pm assignation with the delightful Tobie Puttock.

To welcome the beginning of Foodie Month at Readings Hawthorn, they have Tobie Puttock talking about his third cookbook, Cook Like an Italian.  

I love Italian cuisine.  While I am vegetarian, unless the dish specifically features meat - like Osso Bucco - Italian food is easily converted to meat-free.  A lot of the cuisine is derived originally from self-sufficient and sustainable home-garden produce and is easy to replicate at home and so it is good to see Tobie bringing his personal passion for cooking Italian food, and more importantly, for cooking simple Italian food – perfectly – to our very own kitchens.

For the past few years while teaching people to cook in his kitchen at Fifteen Melbourne, Tobie has been yearning for something more… something to inspire him. So he went to Italy! 

Cook Like an Italian is the result. 

An amazing culinary journey through wonderful Italy.

$20 per ticket includes tastes from his cookbook, and wine by Scorpo. 

Tickets from Readings Hawthorn.

In search of the rushing, gushing Yarra River - Part 2

The Yarra River at Warrandyte at 3.30pm (approx) on Monday 6 September 2010

These pictures were taken from the walk below the Riverside Cark Park.  As you can see, the water was only about 50cm below the walkway.  Would not have taken much more to break the bank on this side.  The other side does not have a low embankment.

Please note the height of the bridge.  Even strong bridges can be damaged by drivers as one can see in the picture.  But there was a bridge before this bridge...

This memorial post commemorates 

the artist Walter Withers who was

a member of the famous Heidelberg School. 

Here is the Withers picture of the Old Bridge, Warrandyte.

Please note the wattle tumbling down the hilly embankment.

If you look closely in my pictures above, 

you will see wattle on that embankment - 

not as profuse as portrayed in the painting by Withers, 

but there still.

The Heidelberg School had something of a colony at Warrandyte at one time - although it was not the best known colony of this unique group of Australian artists.  The legacy, though, lingers on.  Warrandyte is still a place that attracts creative people.

The day was getting darker.

Lunch should have happened hours ago.

A lovely old building summoned and I pulled into the carpark.

Smoke rising into the eucalypts from a stone chimney is a welcoming sight.

First stop, a long overdue browse at The Linen and Larder...

and in through the beckoning doors...

Linen and Larder is bursting with good stuff - 

homewares, gifts, clothing, and stuff for eating and eating upon.

A return journey with credit card is required.

Perhaps some thoughts for Christmas.

You will find L & L here:

THE YARRA STORE
Linen & Larder
321 Warrandyte-Ringwood Road
Warrandyte, Vic 3113

Tummy was still calling ... but a little louder ...

and so to next door ...

... and the Stonehouse Cafe Restaurant.

It has hints of yesteryear - but the decor needs a few additions.

I would suggest a deal with Linen and Larder for the interior.

There are two large banks of windows

opening out on to a verandah under the gum trees

with greedy, nosy sulphur-crested cockatoos a-visiting.

These windows - set into their stone walls -

could do with a couple of school benches under them.

A perfect place for newspaper and coffee.

But back to my tummy ...

I asked for a bowl of hot tomato and herb soup ...

and the bread was s-o-o scrumptious ...

... with some hot chocolate ...

Tummy was well looked after - then home.