There are markets galore in Melbourne. In Miami, a farmer’s market is something of a novelty. In Melbourne, markets are just life. The Queen Victoria Market is probably Melbourne’s most famous market, but other suburbs also have a market with fresh fruits and vegetables, delis, butchers, fishmongers, and even home goods and clothing. Beyond these, … Read more
A few weekends ago, my partner Theo and I took to the country as we sometimes do on a Sunday afternoon. We stopped in provincial city of Bendigo and visited the lovely Sacred Heart Cathedral. I’m a Pagan with a soft spot for Roman Catholic history, art, and architecture.  The Sacred Heart Cathedral may not be as … Read more
In the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November. We trace the first Thanksgiving dinner to a poorly documented 1621 celebration in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Tradition, not necessarily history, tells us that the Pilgrims and Native Americans sat down to a rich harvest feast. It had been a harsh and challenging winter, … Read more
The Melbourne Cup is the race that stops a nation. Melbourne may be the only city in the world that has a public holiday around a thoroughbred horse race. Since 1861, the city has stopped on the first Tuesday of November for this three-minute, 3,200 meter race. This year, 24 horses competed for the Cup and … Read more
My sister-out-law and her family visited the US during the Halloween season and fell in love with it. Halloween is not big in Australia, but I love the holiday and I can’t let it pass me by without some celebration. We invited the family over for an afternoon of Halloween pumpkin carving followed by dinner. Field … Read more
Recently on an American expat group that I belong to, someone asked about the things that caused us culture shock when we arrived. The answers were humorous and some ring true for me so I thought I’d share. They’ve been edited for grammar and clarity and names have been removed to protect privacy. On shopping … Read more
We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We aim to provide an inclusive service.