Domain Review Bayside & Port Phillip - July 12, 2023

When we were first locked down in March 2020, my oldest daughter was 18 months old. By 2021, my youngest was a newborn, and we were in our second long, locked-down winter. They are COVID kids. They don’t know life in the “before times”, and we can’t recall what working was like without them being around at least some of the time, and we (mostly) love it. One of our cover stars, musician Josh Teskey, knows the feeling – his oldest was born in 2020 and the youngest last year. So, when he and brother/bandmate Sam went on a UK tour, they each brought their families as well. A brave move – but a great story. ●

Compiled by HAILEY COULES

TOOT TOOT \ Amateurs and professionals can take part in the Puffing Billy Running Festival on September 9 and 10. The big event is a race against the legendary locomotive. ● puffingbillyrunningfestival.com.au

APRES SKI \ The best way to take the chill off a trip to Mount Buller is to indulge in a visit to The Villager, where the current menu is inspired by the French Alps. ● thevillagermb.com.au

THE EDIT

Things we love about Melbourne

Photographed by Ian Laidlaw

Go to domain.com.au/domain-review

General inquiries \ editorial@domain.com.au

Editor \ Jemimah Clegg

Editorial producer \ Hailey Coules

Group picture editor \ Kylie Thomson

Senior designer \ Colleen Chin Quan

Graphic designer \ Emma Drake

National magazine editor \ Natalie Mortimer

Group content director \ Mark Roppolo

Chief marketing officer \ Rebecca Darley

Chief executive officer Domain Group \ Jason Pellegrino

Real estate sales director \ Ray van Veenendaal \ 0438 279 870 ray.vanv@domain.com.au

Retail sales \ retailsales@sales.domain.com.au

Is your mag missing? Distribution \ distribution@domainreview.com.au

HIP POCKET \ Until July 31, diners at any of Commune Group’s venues, including Firebird and Tokyo Tina, will get 25 per cent of their bill back in vouchers as part of its Dine & Cash promotion. ● communegroup.com.au

DRAWCARD \ The City of Melbourne will be filled with art trails, illuminations and projections, and a pop-up dome cinema for the Now or Never festival. August 17-September 2. ● nowornever.melbourne.vic.gov.au

DIANA PANUCCIO

KAHLA WEBB

LEAH TRAECEY

DRINKS RASPBERRY COLLINS MOCKTAIL AT ROSSI

Go dry with style

If you’re embarking on a Dry July – in the name of sobering up and tackling the month with a clearer head, it doesn’t mean dining out or finding a spot at the bar need to be off your radar. We’ve rounded up some of those delivering mocktail lists, nonalcoholic benders and food pairings that give you a reason to head out with friends and celebrate.

At Richmond’s Ugly Duckling , mixologist Craig Medley gives you a classic with a twist. What’s more, it’s aimed at whisky lovers who are swapping barreloaked for a malty hit that will enthuse loyalists.

“A gold rush is a classic twist on the ever-popular and recognisable whiskey sour, replacing sugar with honey, which compliments Lyres American Malt non-alcoholic spirit perfectly,” Medley says.

The drink is garnished with bee-pollen dust, emphasising the honey theme.

At Greville Street’s newest eatery, Rossi , there are plenty of non-alcoholic options no matter when you dine. Bar manager Predrag Kocevski says the virgin Clover Club mocktail is proving a hit, while the raspberry Collins is another tipple winning over diners (think Lyre’s non-alcoholic gin, cranberry juice, raspberry puree and citrus) while NON wines are also served.

For those aching for a hit of summer this winter, the virgin pina colada is your nostalgia ticket.

At two hatted Yugen Dining in South Yarra, the non-alcoholic adventure continues with plenty of options for booze-free socialites. To raise a toast to Dry July the team have created Aka – made with

Words JANE ROCCA

Lyre’s Italian aperitif, red shiso and tonic water –while another dubbed Anba is a smoked whisky barrel wakocha tea with tropical fruit and bamboo, and finished with soda.

The team behind Stokebar (at Stokehouse) has collaborated with Lyre’s non-alcoholic spirits to transform it into a Dry July mecca.

There are plenty of favourites such as the pink lady spritz, lychee fizz and dragon fruit bramble for your non-alcoholic requirements. The entire cocktail menu can be transformed into booze free varietals –excluding martinis.

Vietnamese cuisine pairs nicely with mocktails at Firebird . Headed by new chef Nabil Ansari, its menu serves up grill-driven Vietnamese with flavours intensified over charcoal and flames.

This Dry July it’s all about saluting the smoky mood. Why not order a mountain marigold and bee-pollen soda, house-made with fresh mountain marigold and local bee pollen. The result is bright, fresh and beautifully balanced and doesn’t come with any preservatives.

Yarra Botanica gives you a reason to join the booze-free brigade with a Bloody Bandwagon sour.

It’s packed with Four Pillars Bloody Bandwagon non-alcoholic spirit, lemon, sugar and wonder foam.

Dry July Foundation chief executive Katie Evans says the charity has partnered with Lyre’s for a second year running, and has enlisted ambassadors such as celebrity chef Matt Moran to get the message out about raising funds for cancer via support of the McGrath Foundation.

“Lyre’s shares this mission and truly understands and supports what we are trying to achieve,” Evans says. “The Dry July Foundation is thrilled to have a partner who is passionate about encouraging Aussies to go dry in July to fund-raise for people affected by cancer.

“Their non-alcoholic cocktails are a perfect alternative for our Dry July participants, but even more importantly, their heart is in the right place.”

The Dry July fundraising campaign has so far raised more than $82 million to improve the care and wellbeing of people affected by cancer since its start in 2008. Thus far, more than 317,000 Australians have participated in Dry July. ●

● dryjuly.com

DRAGON FRUIT BRAMBLE AT STOKEBAR

ARIANNA LEGGIERO

Cutting back on booze needn’t be boring. We found some of the best mocktails in the city to tickle the taste buds during Dry July.

Get your French fix

Guillaume Brahimi

Bistro Guillaume, Crown Southbank

● crownmelbourne.com.au

Baker Bleu, Prahran

● bakerbleu.com.au

Smith Street Bistro, Collingwood

● smithstbistro.com.au

South Melbourne Market

delicatessens

● southmelbournemarket.com.au

Catriona Rowntree

The Arborist, Geelong

● thearboristgeelong.com.au

Bistro St Jean, Geelong

● @bistrotstjean

The annual French Film Festival, Como Cinema

● palacecinemas.com.au

Lily pond – French interiors

store in Geelong

● lilypond.net.au

Miguel Meirelles

Miguel Meirelles Antiques, Malvern

● meirelles.com.au

Bistro Thierry, Toorak

● bistrothierry.com

Chez Bob, Armadale

● chezbob.com.au

Laurent Bakery, South Yarra

● laurent.com.au

Le Creuset, Chadstone

● lecreuset.com.au

CULTURE Vive la France

How Francophiles celebrate Bastille Day.

France is at the top of seasoned personal and professional traveller Catriona Rowntree’s list of favourite holiday destinations.

The TV presenter is a selfconfessed Francophile who adores the food, language, design and interiors, and the joie de vivre of the culture. “My love for France is long and infinite,” she says.

France’s National Day on July 14 gives Rowntree and other devoted local Francophiles, such as chef Guillaume Brahimi and antique importer Miguel Meirelles, the opportunity to celebrate.

“I’ll celebrate Bastille Day any which way, just point me in the right direction,” she says. “There’s a great market that happens in Fed Square and this year I’ll be launching my new range with [clothing brand] Blue Illusion, who are equally French obsessed, on Bastille Day.”

Rowntree is also excited that devoted Blue Illusion customers will be joining her on a trip to France in

September. “I make an effort to turn my French dreams into a reality as often as possible,” she says.

French-born Guillaume Brahimi –owner of Bistro Guillaume at Crown –says he finds ways to celebrate his homeland daily: “Being French to me is a way of life, best put as ‘savoir vivre’ – knowing how to live.”

While Bastille Day is a busy day at his bistro, it also brings memories of holidaying in the south of France.

“With fireworks lighting up the night sky all over France, Bastille Day signifies the coming together of family and friends to celebrate the

people of France and our strong national identity,” Brahimi says. He says there are plenty of places to get his French fix in Melbourne.

“I enjoy Baker Bleu and Smith St Bistro,” Brahimi says. “South Melbourne Market is another favourite go-to destination, with exceptional fresh produce that reminds me of my days spent in the markets of France.

“Selecting cheeses from the local delicatessen or visiting Melbourne’s renowned patisseries to indulge in a croissant are always top of my list.”

Malvern antique dealer Miguel Meirelles says there is a deep love of French design and culture in Melbourne, which he has called home for more than 33 years.

“Australians love French culture: food, wine, travel, perfume, fashion, literature, and certainly French antiques and all French interior accessories,” he says.

“The French express their own Frenchness with the term ‘savoir faire’, which translates as ‘knowing how to do things’.

“There is always care taken in dressing correctly, just to go out shopping or for a walk. Culturally, there is a deep-seated appreciation of good seasonal food, and wine.”

Meirelles says he gets his French fix sourcing beautiful French antiques.

“I make sure that I travel to France regularly … and that I travel well. Travelling well means enjoying working in France, but also enjoying ‘smelling the flowers’ there.”

He says Melburnians are lucky to have so much authentic French food and experiences they can access.

“We are truly spoiled in this wonderfully multicultural city.” ●

NIKKI TO BISTRO GUILLAUME

CATRIONA ROWNTREE

GUILLAUME BRAHIMI

Banding together

Grammy-nominated and ARIA award-winning brothers Sam and Josh Teskey have swapped life on the Yarra in Warrandyte to be on the road again, this time taking their partners and children for a six-month stint in the UK to promote their third studio album, The Winding Way.

The decision to spend half a year abroad required all eight band members plus 12 crew, including a guitar tech, to make the move with them.

So far, the result has been fruitful and The Teskey Brothers wouldn’t have it any other way.

“In some ways, it feels like we’re relocating, but instead of disconnecting family from our work and leaving them in Melbourne, we decided we wanted our partners and children to be on the journey with us,” says Sam, who has an eight-yearold son, Aethel, and two-year-old daughter, Arjuna, with his partner April.

It also meant April needed to commit to home-schooling while they are based in Bristol for part of the trip.

“It was hard to make the decision in some ways as our son is at the age where he is building friendships at school, but we felt the timing was right and after a few years at home it felt like something that could be good too,” Sam says.

The Teskey Brothers on their new album and a UK tour that’s a real family affair.

Josh, who married Hannah in 2016 and has two children, Ayva Rae and Romy, says having his family with him while touring is the best-case scenario.

He hasn’t had to spend a day away from them – Ayva Rae, the oldest, was born during the pandemic and Romy in its aftermath –and doesn’t know what it’s like to be away from them for long periods of time.

“I feel like we have finally found a way to bring our family life and career to the same place,” Josh says.

“It’s the best of both worlds, I think. It means we get more out of it as a band.

“We write more, tour more and, well, not to put too much pressure on ourselves, we’ll continue to do this way because we love it –and it’ll work whether people listen to our music or not.”

The Winding Way saw the band head to Sydney to record with acclaimed producer Eric J Dubowsky (Flume, Chet Faker, Chemical Brothers).

The album follows 2019’s Run Home Slow –the last record they made at their Half Mile Harvest Studios in Warrandyte.

The brothers released their debut album in 2017 and toured the US and UK soon after.

It wasn’t until they released Live at the Forum in 2020 that they scored their first No. 1 ARIA album. They’ve done so again with The Winding Way, which debuted at No. 1 on the charts.

“Moving interstate to work on the record gave us a chance to freshen up our creativity,” says Sam, who has since moved to Powelltown – an hour east of

Warrandyte – with his family, while Josh remains in the suburb.

The brothers have been making music since they were barely teenagers; it’s a formula that still works. Their songwriting is instinctual, with much being left unspoken.

“I know what Josh is thinking when it’s working in the recording studio when we’re making music,” Sam says. “We don’t have to say so much to get on the same page because we are already there.”

Josh agrees, saying: “This album acknowledges we’ve been playing together for the past 20 years, and you realise this is beyond the brotherhood; we have always had that connection.

“There’s definitely a sixth sense about what we do creatively.”

The band spent most of 2022 writing and recording the album, with many days spent at Josh’s kitchen table with acoustic guitars and laptops open at the ready.

“We didn’t want to rush this album and, as a result of giving it more space, we’ve come back with more depth,” Josh says.

One thing that has changed since their other albums, Sam adds, is that they “are really focusing on the work that goes into the songwriting part of the job”.

“When we sit at our laptops to write a song, we have a work mentality now – we ask bigger questions like, how does this process work? We’re more like a partnership than brothers in this format. We have learned how this can benefit both of us.”

The importance of family crops up again because, during this writing process, children were sitting at their feet or floating in the background as the brothers wrote.

“We would type lyrics and throw them across the table at one another,” Sam says. “We even had Josh’s daughter Ayva sitting with a laptop repeating words back at us.

“There was a beautiful family vibe going on while writing this record. That comfort of home sunk in and you hear it on the demos.

“There are kids in the background, we have thrown in voice memos on some of the songs,

the sound of crashing toys and blocks –a little bit of family chaos – and that reflects the depth the album assumed quite organically.”

The Teskey Brothers sing about life, relationships, letting go, the nostalgia that comes with perspective and the gamut of human emotions, errors and accepting what life throws your way.

“It’s an honest album about life, love and what we see, what we feel – it’s universal,” Josh says.

Both have also tested the solo artist waters, but when it comes to songwriting, there is something they know is inherently Teskey Brothers territory only.

“As a sound, we are broad – we move between genres,” Josh says. “We have R&B and a rock element, but everything we do sits between those two genres.

“So, if something feels too outside of that, we are conscious of not pushing material there. We save that ourselves [as] something we will do separately.”

Growing up in Warrandyte, it was their mother who was the breadwinner – a career midwife who worked long hours delivering babies all through the night – while their dad became the stay-at-home kind.

“The way our folks raised us definitely influenced us in how we want to live our lives,” Josh says.

“Our dad made a conscious decision to be the stay-at-home dad. We spent every day with him, and while Mum was also there, that stereotypical unit got a real shake up and Dad showed us a new norm.

“Becoming parents meant I wanted to do the same thing,” he adds.

“I am a musician who works and tours and that separation doesn’t do any of us any good. I figure, why lose that connection? This felt like a natural progression for us and it’s cool to shake up that idea of how you raise a family.” ●

Words JANE ROCCA ● Photo IAN LAIDLAW

THE TESKEY BROTHERS \ Sidney Myer Music Bowl, December 2. The Winding Way is out now.

“I feel like we have finally found a way to bring our family life and career to the same place.” JOSH TESKEY

MY

MELBOURNE

Words JANE

As co-founder of Australian lifestyle brand Matilda Life, Jo Mercer swapped her career as founder of a namesake shoe retailer for a bricks-and-mortar store of another kind that focuses on sustainable clothing, sleepwear and fragrance, with a nod to footwear.

With her business partner Lauren Mastromanno, the emphasis is on keeping it as local as possible, with a range that’s proudly made in Australia.

You’ll find the new Matilda Life store in the iconic Kings Arcade on High Street, Armadale. ● matildalife.com.au

The co-founder of sustainable lifestyle brand Matilda Life tells us about her city.

ROCCA

Fave restaurant

GIMLET, CBD

Andrew McConnell’s Gimlet at Cavendish House is a must if you are in Melbourne. It’s not easy to secure a reservation, but it is worth the wait. Cavendish House is a stunning location – the 1920s heritage building complements the immaculate dining experience.

We went as a family on Mother’s Day and I’m still thinking about the blackberry mille-feuille with vanilla cream. Think perfectly crisp pastry layered with bursts of pungent vanilla cream and blackberry … I would return just for that.

● gimlet.melbourne

Fave shopping strip

HIGH STREET, ARMADALE

My go-to. Whether it’s for gifts or myself, you can find it all. That’s part of the reason we opened our

store in Kings Arcade. When I’m not gifting from the Matilda Life range (we stock a variety of products from unique luxury Australian-made brands, including handmade candles from The Raconteur, which make for great gifts), I’ll head to Aesop. Who doesn’t love receiving aromatic hand or body balms? I also love the Aesop store experience and design.

● aesop.com/au

Fave local fashion label

SCANLAN THEODORE

As a shopper, I’m not overly loyal to one brand, but if you told me I could only choose one local fashion label for the rest of my life, it would have to be Scanlan Theodore. While the range is no longer made in Australia, I still love investing in their high-quality, timeless pieces. I’m still wearing pieces I bought from Scanlan Theodore years ago.

● scanlantheodore.com/au

Fave coffee pit stop

OLIE & ARI, BRIGHTON

My local coffee haunt is Olie & Ari on Were Street, Brighton. I’ve been going there for years. The team is friendly and efficient. I can always count on them for the perfect latte – no matter how busy it gets. I love sitting outside when it’s sunny and taking the time to savour my morning coffee with family, friends and the dogs.

● @olie_and_ari_

Fave pastime

CLIFFTOP WALKS

In my spare time, I love walking along the clifftops around Bayside, including Red Bluff Lookout. The fresh air is invigorating, and looking out at the water always leaves me feeling inspired. I usually walk with a friend, my husband or one of my kids. I always bring my dogs Raffy and Winnie with me.

FEATURE HOUSE

PORT MELBOURNE \ 129 CRUIKSHANK STREET

Close to parks, reserves and the dynamic dining and shopping strip of Bay Street, this home is in the heart of all that makes Port Melbourne a tightly held suburb. It’s near to the beach, bordered by palm trees, and South Melbourne Market, which is a beacon of fine food from home and around the world. The area is also liberally sprinkled with cafes and well-known restaurants.

The Gasworks Art Park is a model of community engagement with a farmers’ market, exhibitions and kids’ holiday programs that include the French Circus School, pottery, a superhero academy, performing arts and more.

This brick home on a corner block with a north-west orientation has been smartly renovated.

At ground level, the main bedroom – with a built-in wardrobe – looks out to the front garden. The second bedroom is next.

In the living room, the period details include a working corner fireplace (with a cast-iron insert), a decorative mantel, picture rails, a ceiling rose and deep cornices.

At the rear of the home, the kitchen and dining area has a herringbone parquet floor and opens via black-framed, custom steel double doors to a courtyard.

The kitchen has stylish cabinetry with antique brass fittings, marble benchtops, a breakfast bar and ample storage. Also in this zone, the bathroom and laundry are cleverly positioned to maximise space and convenience. The bathroom is fully tiled and also has brass fittings.

In the corner of the dining area, a spiral staircase leads to the first floor, where the third bedroom has a wall of cupboards. Two large storage areas lead off this room.

The landscaped garden at the rear is paved for easy entertaining and has a lock-up storage shed and side access to Spring Street.

The house has ducted heating and cooling and is zoned for Port Melbourne Primary School and Albert Park College. ●

FINAL WORD

“SAVE YOURSELF THE HARD WORK ON THIS SOLID BRICK, CUSTOMRENOVATED HOME.” STEPHANIE EVANS – AGENT

JOHANSON property@domain.com.au

Agent: Belle Property Albert Park, Stephanie Evans 0420 215 919

Price: $1.59 million

Private sale

BEVERLEY

Hover your camera over the code to see Domain listings in Port Melbourne

MIDDLE PARK \ 104 NIMMO STREET

3

Behind its debonair facade, this Edwardian house sports a spiffing renovation that catapults it into contemporary times. Strategically glazed, the front verandah serves as a sunny transition room and protected entryway to the foyer. Flow down the hall for two bedrooms with electric (think no mess) fireplaces, a bathroom (with Euro laundry) and an open-plan kitchen, meals, living and dining area, where glass sliders retract to a side terrace and concertina doors create a broad bond with

a paved, rear courtyard that doubles as off-street parking. The first-floor format of cosy attic and main bedroom with walk-in wardrobe, splendid en suite and roomy chamber opening to a private, semicovered deck may have the whole level declared adults-only. Kids might wheedle some attic time.

● KAY KEIGHERY

BEAUMARIS \ 38 HARDINGE STREET

RIPPONLEA \ 1/1 VICTORIA AVENUE

Agent: Jellis Craig, Warwick Gardiner 0438 308 555

Price: $2.95 million-$3.2 million

Auction: 11.30am, July 15

An innovative floor plan that celebrates the outdoors is just one of the very attractive things about this family home on about 780 square metres. On the ground floor, a courtyard flanked by flower beds separates the formal lounge from the spacious informal living and dining area at the rear, which opens to the private pool. The kitchen with Miele appliances is in this zone, and there is also a study. Upstairs, the main bedroom suite has a luxurious amount of space. The three children’s

bedrooms share the family bathroom and a large retreat. The house has a powder room, wood heater and gas fire, spottedgum floors, ducted heating, cooling, alarm, intercom and ducted vacuum. It is zoned for Beaumaris primary and secondary schools and is close to the beach and the shops. ●

BEVERLEY JOHANSON

Agent: Belle Property Sandringham, Andrew Solomon 0449 928 636

Price: $2.75 million-$2.85 million

Auction: 1pm, July 29

This two-storey dwelling in a clinkerbrick period block of four is tastefully modernised and impressively spacious. You get two living areas on the ground level and two oversized bedrooms (both with walk-in wardrobes) sharing a big bathroom on the first floor. The lounge has a gas fireplace. Kitted out with stone surfaces and timber cabinetry, the kitchen and dining area gives on to a small courtyard, and there’s another small courtyard accessible

through the powder room-laundry. Timber floors grace the ground level, and ceilings are high throughout. Location-wise, you’ll find convenience, cafes and culture laid on thick, with trams and trains within metres, Ripponlea Village a short stroll away and free entry to Ripponlea Estate (with the necessary pass). ●

KAY KEIGHERY

Agent: McGrath, Melanie Walden 0422 395 214

Price: $975,000-$1.05 million

Auction: 11.30am, July 23

CHELTENHAM \ 30 LORNA STREET

A parkside position and a relatively affordable price range should spark interest from young-family and downsizer buyers here. Sitting middle-ground on a generous lot, with green gardens fore and aft, the dwelling is desirably stair-free and dressed up for immediate occupation. The openplan hub (comprising kitchen, meals, dining and living areas) forms the left and northeast sides of the house in an L-shaped fashion. Windows in the living area look

over the front garden. Fortuitous when it comes to dining and entertaining al fresco, two sets of glass sliders link the kitchen and meals areas with a deck addressing the backyard. The laundry is separate, as is the toilet associated with the main bathroom. The main bedroom has a compact en suite.

● KAY KEIGHERY

Agent: Buxton, Natalie Lerpiniere 0402 075 412

Price: $1.05 million-$1.1 million

Auction: 11.30am, July 15

158 Dendy Street

The thoughtful detail that has gone into the restoration and renovation of this c1938 single storey brick residence is almost unprecedented in Brighton. The front section of the dwelling retains much of its classic character, from exquisite ceiling rosettes to intricate architrave work, while the rest of the residence has replicated the bygone feel to an elite and flawless standard.

STYLISHLY RENOVATED FAMILY HOME WITH ENCHANTING GARDEN

Step inside and be greeted by a tastefully renovated interior adorned with superior finishes, creating a luxurious atmosphere throughout. The heart of the home lies in its open plan living area that seamlessly flows into the renovated front yard oasis. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of the meticulously landscaped garden, surrounded by high fences that offer privacy.

belleproperty.com/222P401743

AUCTION Saturday July 22 at 11:30am

VIEW See website for details

This marvellous double level home has kept so much of its appealing period character, from high ceilings with attractive detail and striking original timber floors, while the thoughtful modern renovation that has taken place has made it the complete package. A front lounge room just off the entry gives you superb privacy and an inviting place to relax day and night.