HOT: Masterpieces from the Hermitage: The Legacy of Catherine the Great, NGV International, 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Jetsetting Joyce

hermitage ngv

Melbourne Winter Masterpieces have been bringing some fantastic international exhibitions to brighten Melbourne’s winters since 2004. This year the National Gallery of Victoria is hosting Masterpieces from the Hermitage: The Legacy of Catherine the Great, which features over 400 selected pieces from the collection of one of the world’s largest, oldest and most-visited museums in the world, the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.

hermitage ngv

This exhibition has been described as the greatest exhibition the Hermitage has undertaken abroad and it is part of their 250 anniversary celebrations. I got a sneak peek today at the media preview. Melbourne, you’re in for a treat!

hermitage ngv

The works on show at the NGV include paintings from masters such as Velasquez, Rembrandt, Rubens, Titian and Van Dyk to drawings, decorative arts, Catherine’s personal effects and paintings from the prized Walpole collection, all bought and collected by Catherine over 3 decades as a patron and innovator of the arts in the 18th century.

hermitage ngv

It was through the collection of these works and Catherine the Great’s exceptional vision that the Hermitage was founded.

hermitage ngv

While the big names will no doubt be the drawcards, my favourite moments in the whole exhibition included…

hermitage ngv

Francesco Francia’s drawing of Sacrifice with Bacchus, with its lush textures and detail achieved with only brown ink and a pen….

hermitage ngv

…the intense blue of the Sevres porcelain in the Cameo Service commissioned by Catherine and…

hermitage ngv

…the detail in the mirror of the thirty-two piece Chinese toilet service which was a wedding gift to Catherine.

hermitage ngv

The exhibition design is also notable, with lush hues, architectural details and antique furniture inspired by the grandeur of the Hermitage’s rooms.

hermitage ngv

I particularly loved the parquetry flooring and the Chinese wallpaper, which covered even the electrical switches!

hermitage ngv

Make time to watch the immersive video that transports you to wintery Russia and takes you inside the through the gallery.

hermitage ngv

The exhibition is not just about admiring excellent pieces of Western Art. Mikhail Dedinkin, the Deputy Head of the Department of Western European Art at the State Hermitage Museum, described it best ‘The Hermitage helps people find their own history and contains some of the greatest examples of the genius of mankind. The collection spans all centuries, all countries and all countries under one roof.’

Masterpieces from the Hermitage: The Legacy of Catherine the Great is an opportunity to see but a part of the Hermitage’s grand collection right on our doorstep. Don’t miss it!

Masterpieces from the Hermitage: The Legacy of Catherine the Great, NGV International, 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne

Friday 31 July – Sunday 8 November 2015 10am-5pm

Tickets on sale from ngv.vic.gov.au

Adult $26 | Concession $22.50 | Child $10 |

Family (2 adults, 3 children) $65

HOT: Truck Stop Deluxe 98 Watton Street, Werribee

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Jetsetting Joyce

truck stop deluxe

Truck Stop Deluxe is a new burger joint parked (pun intended) right in the centre of the Werribee.

It’s been created by three of Melbourne’s best-known burger pioneers – Josh Lefers (Grand Trailer Park Taverna and Pawn & Co.), Dani Zeini (Dandenong Pavillion and Grand Trailer Park Taverna) and Jimmy Hurlston ( and Easey’s).

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This time, instead of trailers, the theme is trucks!

truck stop deluxe

The bright, brash and cheeky venue is inspired by an American truck stop diner and it’s sure to shake things up in a relatively quiet suburban restaurant strip.

truck stop deluxe

I was invited to the launch and got up close and personal with some excellent burgers and a lion’s share of Kinder Surprise milkshakes made with ice-cream, chocolate, Frangelico and Baileys. Oh my.

truck stop deluxe

The menu is all about fancy burgers, cocktails and alcohol-spiked milkshakes.

truck stop deluxe

About 70% of the menu from Grand Trailer Park Taverna is replicated here, with some fried chicken and breakfast brioche rolls on weekends and ice cream doughnuts thrown into the mix.

truck stop deluxe

While the food is fun it’s the interior that really gets the party started. Trucks have been built inside the restaurant…and you can sit in them if you like! Complete with fluffy dice!

truck stop deluxe

Up the back of the inside area are larger leather booths with big screens replicating the experience of sitting inside a truck cab watching the scenery go by. Out the back is a covered courtyard.

truck stop deluxe

Truck Stop Deluxe is bringing amazing burgers to the west from Wednesday 29 July. If you’re local, heading west or a truckie – don’t miss it!

Truck Stop Deluxe 98 Watton Street, Werribee

Wednesday to Sunday 11.30am until late

HOT: Dockyard Food Trucks, 2 Ann St, Williamstown

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Jetsetting Joyce

dockyard williamstown

Food truck parks are even a bigger trend than food trucks in Melbourne at the moment and is the newest one that’s set up inside Seaworks in Williamstown.

is open every Friday night 5-9pm in July and August with a rotating lineup of five food trucks, of which at least one is a dessert option.

While the food choices are small has a couple of advantages over other food truck parks in Melbourne:

(a) indoors, with heaters!

(b) scenic panoramic views of the Melbourne skyline – watch the sunset and enjoy the Docklands winter fireworks at 7:30pm;

(d) free parking on site and in surrounding streets….

dockyard williamstown

…and of course everyone loves the value-for-money food that food trucks provide, especially on can’t-be-bothered-to-cook Friday nights!

The set up is inside the Seaworks sheds and they’ve done wonders to turn a cavernous industrial space into a place that’s cosy and welcoming.

dockyard williamstown

The trucks are parked in a semi-circle and the ‘forecourt’ set up with furniture and games, including a couch with a cosy fireplace and milk crates galore.

dockyard williamstown

On our visit we sampled food from Toasta, Pizza Wagon and Smokin’ Barry’s BBQ, had a play of foozball and generally soaked up the atmosphere of having an adventure under the cover of darkness.

dockyard williamstown

On the last night of ’s winter opening, Friday 28 August, there will be a night market and buskers too.

Food Truck Fridays, Seaworks, 2 Ann St, Williamstown

HOT: Adriano Zumbo Patissier, 12-14 Claremont St, South Yarra

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Jetsetting Joyce

zumbo Some days when I’m feeling blue, I thank god for Adriano Zumbo. His eponymous patisserie in South Yarra is a Willy Wonka riot of mirror, neon and cake and the long pastry cabinet never fails to lift my spirits.

When faced with so many fantastical desserts it’s hard to know where to start. But if you go on Tuesday I have a tip for you – for the foreseeable future you can buy one tart get one half price as part of ‘Two Tart Tuesday’.

zumbo

With that in mind I order the precisely swirled lemon meringue tart and the luxurious ‘Me So Nutty’ with gianduja caramel, milk chocolate gianduja soft ganache and topped with golden hazelnuts zumbo

I also can’t resist a ‘Zonut’ with flavours that change every week. So popular are Zumbo’s version of the croissant/donut hybrid that customers are limited to only four at a time.

zumbo

As I bite into one I can understand why! The outer crust is so crisp and light I create an explosion of pastry crumbs with every mouthful, and the filling is so smooth and rich with a Mexican dark chocolate – whipped ganache with hints of cinnamon and chilli. The topping? More chocolate and marshmallows!

For other treats I have also been known to queue for Zumbo’s macarons (Zumbarons) on occasion and they are one of the best I’ve ever tried due to their consistency and precision in texture. There is also hand-crafted ice cream or savoury pies, sausage rolls and quiches.

There are a few small tables and chairs inside the bakery where you can enjoy your coffee and cake on the spot, though during busy period it can get crowded so it’s more of a takeaway place. Taking one of the distinctive orange boxes out on the street will bring a spring to your step, I promise!

Adriano Zumbo Patissier is a joyride for Melbourne sweet tooths and if you enjoy those treats make sure you visit Fancy Nance around the corner, Zumbo’s new high tea salon which turns afternoon tea on its head.

Adriano Zumbo Patissier, 12-14 Claremont St, South Yarra

Open 7 days 7am – 7pm

HOT: The Green at St Columbs, 5 St Columbs St, Hawthorn

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Jetsetting Joyce

is a social enterprise cafe set amongst the unique church grounds and a stone church hall of St Columbs Anglican Church in Hawthorn.

The cafe is a project of Jesuit Social Services’ Ignite program. The program provides training, support and employment pathways to long term unemployed, young or old, through teaching them hospitality skills. The social enterprise also run small operations (without a full kitchen) at Hawthorn Library and Camberwell Library. On each table there is a bottle with a small scroll revealing the positive stories of some of the participants in the program.

The Green at St Columbs

A lot of thought has gone into the operation, including in the sourcing of produce. Many ingredients are sourced from The Yard, Jesuit Social Services’ garden project nearby and raised garden beds on site also overflow with herbs and vegetables. To the extent possible items are made or grown on site, from the house baked ciabatta to the jams filling the doughnuts. Anything else has been sourced from local farmers and producers. They are committed to operating a closed loop system to manage their resources and to work towards a zero-waste operation.

The Green at St Columbs

The charming two-room fitout has been designed by Brunswick’s ZWEI Interiors (of Code Black Coffee Brunswick, Code Black Howard St and Wide Open Road fame) and the coffee beans similarly come from Code Black. A small gas fireplace and overhead heaters warm the high ceilings during winter and seating is in the form of long communal tables and smaller two-person tables.

The Green at St Columbs

A stunning chandelier overlooks the coffee station.

the green at st columns

The seasonal menu has all day breakfast options – a roll call of bread, grains and eggs – and larger meals which are also available all day. So if you want you can have Nonna’s Lasagne for breakfast!

The Green at St Columbs

I order ‘Morock the Kasbah’ a wholesome warm salad with generous chunks of slow cooked Moroccan lamb shoulder tossed with a mass of greenery, quinoa, lentils, chickpeas and hummus ($16.80). It is so substantial that I almost bypass the cake cabinet…but it is so enticing.

The Green at St Columbs

I decide on a fig and almond tart as the fig jam is made on premises. The tart is crumbly and moist, with a smear of not-to-sweet jam filling in the middle.

The Green at St Columbs

The mission of Jesuit Social Services is to help work towards a just society. is one way they aim to achieve that goal. The cafe is a welcoming place for people to come together and they’re welcoming of families, they source and use their produce in a way that cares for the natural environment and the training program enables people to realise their potential and to contribute to the community.

Visit to enjoy great food, good coffee and a warm fuzzy feeling that you’re helping others.

, 5 St Columbs St, Hawthorn, 9819 0890

Tue-Sun 8-3pm

HOT: Two Birds One Stone, 12 Claremont St, South Yarra

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Jetsetting Joyce

Two Birds One Stone cafe

Two Birds One Stone is an award-winning cafe underneath an apartment block in South Yarra. It mirrors the same winning formula as the owners’ other establishments Top Paddock and , with slick design and a creative menu presented with Instagram-worthy panache.

The lofty space is split into two – maybe the reason for the cafe’s name? The coffee station serves Five Senses coffee includes a neat takeaway area and a stunning flower lit panelled wall.

Two Birds One Stone cafe

The other side is divided by high upholstered banquettes, though you can also choose between window-facing stools, a high communal table and the coveted partitioned round table booths which can be booked for tables of 4+ people on weekdays. The palette is blonde oak, grey concrete and greenery with distinctive stick lighting by the owners’ regular collaborator Christopher Boots.

Two Birds One Stone cafe

Both breakfast and lunch are served all day which means there’s no real reason to divide the menu – so for breakfast I try the rare yellow fin tuna with potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, aioli and crispy poached egg ($20). It’s a play on a classic Nicoise salad, with a trail of vibrant vegetables topped with generous slices of melting tuna and a lightly coated egg that’s still gooey inside. It’s healthy without being sanctimonious and head-turning pretty.

Two Birds One Stone cafe

In the breakfast menu there are a couple of sweet dishes which makes it hard to choose, but I’m intrigued by the passionfruit and yoghurt pannacotta – dessert as breakfast, why not? I’m expecting the usual upturned ramekin sized number but in fact the whole bowl is one big wobbly pannacotta, making it a bargain for $13.

Two Birds One Stone cafe

It reminds me of a giant sweet chawanmushi (steamed Japanese custard) and the silken texture is flawless underneath the lemongrass and saffron scented pineapple, fresh passionfruit and nut granola. I’m just sad that I’m so full that I can’t finish the dish.

There’s a reason that Two Birds One Stone is full constantly – the sophisticated menu and friendly service means that it’s a place worth travelling for.

Two Birds One Stone, 12 Claremont Street, South Yarra

Mon to Fri 7:00 am – 3:30 pm

Sat to Sun 8:00 am – 3:30 pm

HOT: Giddyup Mule, 177 Stephen St, Yarraville

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Jetsetting Joyce

giddyup mule

Giddyup Mule is Yarraville’s latest cafe opening. It’s part of the growing trend in serving healthy, raw, organic, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free food that’s permeating through Melbourne’s cafe scene -perhaps as a reaction to the opposing trend of burgers, fried chicken and doughnuts!

Giddyup Mule takes over the space that used to be a more simple coffee bar at Art of Cycling, an indoor spin training studio. It’s a little hard to find as the doorway and signage is hidden behind a street umbrella, so just look out for the Art of Cycling sign.

giddyup mule

The two young owners and westie locals Magarethe and Jodie have built a new kitchen, store room and brought their own spin (pun intended) on the space, with a roaring wood heater, a paint job and a kicking (pun intended again) menu of interesting dishes.

giddyup mule

The drinks list includes Axil coffee, Mofo hot chocolate, silky Chai Walli chai made with milk (or soy) and honey, a range from Tea Tonic, juices, smoothies and kombucha on tap by Grateful Harvest.

giddyup mule

The kombucha is freshly brewed in Melbourne and the ginger and tumeric is tangy and fresh ($5). I’m told the orange is sweeter if you’re not familiar with the fermented taste of kombucha.

giddyup mule

I try the pulled pork cigars with apple and walnut salad and smoky sauce ($18.50). It’s a decadent dish with melting strips of pork rolled up in a fried parcel – can’t really go wrong! The crunchy apples and nuts provide a textural and flavour contrast to the meat.

giddyup mule

The bircher muesli is a wild palette of colourful elements and totally delicious, especially the coconut yoghurt which they infuse with acai and berries. It’s good value for money at $12 as you won’t be able to fit in much else afterwards.

giddyup mule

You can’t go past a cafe menu these days without seeing smashed avo and this version comes with house-marinated feta and smoked cherry tomatoes ($16.50). It’s a generous tumble of vibrant freshness and the kombucha vinaigrette adds an interesting tangy twist to an otherwise ubiquitous menu item.

giddyup mule

For dessert there is a selection of organic raw desserts by . I am in love with raw desserts at the moment as it seems like a healthier way to indulge my sweet tooth. The salted caramel joy bar ($7.50) contains ‘Aztec superfoods’ but all you need to know is that it’s decadent and rich.

giddyup mule

Giddyup Mule is a fun, friendly and healthy addition to the inner west cafe scene. If you’re a bike rider / gym-goer it’s even more convenient, with Art of Cycling spin classes, DCPT personal training and group fitness and Western Velo Works bike repairs in the same building.

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Plus if you need an early caffeine hit they’re open 6:30am on weekdays!

giddyup mule

Giddyup Mule 177 Stephen St, Yarraville

Mon – Fri 6.30am to 4om

Sat 7- 4pm