Domain Review Stonnington & Boroondara - October 09, 2024
FEATURE
How To Grow (and Eat) Asian Veggies
Gardener, author and digital creator Connie Cao on small-space harvests and what to plant right now
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Broadsheet Founder and publisher: Nick Shelton Managing director: Sian Whitaker
Australia editor: Nick Connellan Features
editors: Emma Joyce, Dan Cunningham
Melbourne food & drink editor: Audrey Payne
Commercial director: Paul Bates Studio and strategy director: Chrissy Voss Senior media partnerships manager: Jessica Kirsopp
Broadsheet Editor: Jo Walker Assistant editor: Gitika Garg Editorial assistant: Gideon Cohen Design lead: Ben Siero
Designer: Ella Witchell Design intern: Chelsea Devon Sub editors: Miriam Kauppi, Kit Kriewaldt, Barnaby Smith, Adeline Teoh
Writers: Emma Do, Ruby Harris, Alice Jeffery, Emma Norris, Katya Wachtel Photographers: Jamie Alexander, Connie Cao, Jessie Evans, Brooke Evrard, Liana Hardy, Casey Horsfield, Samee Lapham, Chege Mbuthi, Ben Moynihan, Dan Smith, Sam Wong
Cover credits: Connie Cao self portrait
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Planting an edible garden is an undeniably romantic (and thrifty) idea, though the reality can be daunting for beginners. In this week’s cover feature Connie Cao –author of Your Asian Veggie Patch – talks us through some easy ways to get your green-thumb confidence going, and plan for larger scale projects. Plus: delicious ideas to cook and eat your freshly grown veg.
Jo Walker Broadsheet Editor
Melbourne: Level 4, 600 Church Street, Cremorne 3121, VIC
Almost two years after its announcement, Il Mercato Centrale (“the central market”) has finally opened to the public. It’s the first global outpost of the brand, which has locations in Florence, Rome, Turin and Milan.
The three-storey Italian food hall is housed in a 1934-built art deco building at the west end of Collins Street. After a renovation worth nearly $20 million, it’s now home to 23 different food stalls selling fruit and veg, seafood, fresh pasta, cheese, wine and spirits. And if you want to eat right there, it offers pizza, cannoli, gelato, coffee, chocolate, risotto, piadinas and more.
Old favourites include Queen Vic Market fishmonger George Milonas and That’s Amore Cheese’s Giorgio Linguanti, who operate Il Pesce and La Mozzarella respectively. Newer names have also taken over stalls, such as former To Be Frank head pastry chef Alessandro Luppolo, who is behind chocolate shop Il Cioccolato. — AP
ADD TO CART
Eye of Horus refillable lipstick
Eye of Horus has added refillable lipsticks to its collection of eco-conscious make-up. Hand-blended in Byron Bay, five pigment-rich shades are now available in matte and satin finishes. Each nourishing lipstick is packaged in recyclable aluminium tubes, which slide easily into the refillable case. The brand’s Second Skin foundation is already a Broadsheet editor favourite – we’re almost certain these gold-encased colours will become a handbag staple for summer. — AJ
$46 / eyeofhoruscosmetics.com
IN THE DIARY
The Finders Keepers Design Market
The Finders Keepers market brings together some of the best local designers and makers, and encourages conscious shopping. The October line-up features more than 50 new brands and over 250 makers, including ceramic artist Anna Scheen, aromatherapy brand Kinology, jewellery designers like Or Design, and clothing from womenswear label The Only. There’ll be plenty to eat and drink too, from meatball subs by Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca to dessert thanks to Gigi’s Gelato. — GC
Oct 11–13 / Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton / thefinderskeepers.com
Photo: Samee Lapham
Photo: Chege Mbuthi
HOME MAKER
Hunker
“It brings me joy each morning,” says Hunker brand founder Morgan Appleby of her “funky fresh” poop stool design. “I wanted something that was equal parts functional and beautiful – something I was happy to leave out in my bathroom.”
Squat stools (aka “squatty potties”) help by raising your feet while on the toilet for easier bowel movements. But they’re often quite clinical-looking or made from cheap timber.
Hunker’s colourful stools are handmade in Sydney out of 100 per cent recycled postconsumer plastic and are shaped to “hug” your loo with a curved middle that wraps around the toilet base when not in use. — AJ
GO-TO Dinner With a View
Pipis Kiosk, Albert Park
Pipis Kiosk is not your average seaside kiosk. Sure, there’s a takeaway window where you can buy beachside classics such as fish’n’chips, burgers and ice-creams to enjoy on the sand. But inside there’s a relaxed, elegant restaurant with big windows, soaring ceilings and unobstructed ocean views.
Whether the sea is flat, the sky azure and the sand swarming or the complete opposite – crashing waves, stormy weather and no one around – the dining room is an excellent vantage point. The neutral, whitewalled space seats 40 on its light-coloured tables and rattan chairs, and another 50 outside.
Known for: its signature pasta: bucatini with Goolwa pippies, smoked tomato and pernod. Make sure to: check out the wine list spotlighting local cool-climate bottles. Don’t forget: there’s also an outdoor area, so dogs and sandy feet are very welcome. — BS
Photo: Ben Moynihan
SNACK BAR STREET STYLE
Thelatest
By Audrey Payne
Gluttony, an immersive play set in a fictional restaurant, is returning for a second season following its first Melbourne run in March. The food, wine and theatre experience seats diners in and around the performance space (though no audience participation is required). It’s running at The Hotel Windsor until Sunday November 3 111 Spring Street, Melbourne / gluttonytheplay.com
Albert’s – the wine bar that helped make High Street Armadale cool – has a new head chef in Michael Harrison (ex-Pretty Little). “I’m focusing on playful twists of retro classics, drawing a lot of inspiration from iconic wine bars across Europe and enjoying the process of reinventing traditional dishes,” he tells Broadsheet 17 Morey Street, Armadale / albertswinebar.com
Kensington needed a community wine bar, so ex-Mamasita chef Scott Eddington and his partner Lauren Chibert opened Arnold’s. The menu takes elements of Mexican cooking and reinterprets them through a local lens, with dishes including a sweet slow-cooked Oaxacan mole and an orange and chipotle flan. 192 Bellair Street, Kensington / arnoldskensington.com
Western Australian brewery brand Rocky Ridge has taken over the former Thunder Road Brewing space in Brunswick. Expect experimental brews such as smoked beer and pastry-inspired sours and stouts, including a banoffee pie stout. 130 Barkly Street, Brunswick / @rockyridgebrunswick
The Morning Star Hotel in Williamstown is being revamped by a group of publicans including Matt Vero (Mount Erica Hotel, Orrong Hotel) and is set to reopen this month. The pub is getting a 1970s California-inspired makeover with interiors designed by Anouska Milstein of Studio A Mi – also behind the design for Wally’s in Albert Park. 3 Electra Street, Williamstown / @morningstarwilliamstown
Flagstaff Gardens, West Melbourne
Name: Justin Occupation: Student Tell us about your outfit today. I’m wearing this sweatshirt I bought in Indonesia and these Balenciaga shoes – they’re slip-ons. And I’ve got this tote bag I use when going to uni. What do you gravitate towards when shopping? I just like practical, simple stuff. I don’t really like going for flashy things. I buy clothes that I need, so I don’t just go out there like, “Oh I like this one, I’ll buy it.” I don’t really like shopping that much so I only go out when I need something.
A THRIVING HUB
West Melbourne combines gritty charm with urban vitality. Residents enjoy a blend of renovated warehouses and contemporary apartments, along with eclectic eateries and artsy vibes. Its proximity to the CBD and unique character make it a sought-after suburb.
1 bed unit, $521k
2 bed unit, $609k
3 bed house, $1.33m
Source:
Photo: Liana Hardy
Photo: Jamie Alexander
Photo: Casey Horsfield
Photo: Casey Horsfield
THE INTERVIEW
Alice Zaslavsky Flavours Cooking With Conversation
Words by Gitika Garg
There have been many full-circle moments in Alice Zaslavsky’s life. Recently, the lauded Melbourne cookbook author was on ABC Kids’ Play School, where she made zucchini fritters and granola while singing and dancing to her own songs. It’s also the show that helped her first learn English when she moved from Georgia to Australia in the early ’90s.
“The fact that I could film for Play School , knowing that there are other little kids who have just arrived in Australia and are finding their sense of identity, makes me feel really emotional,” Zaslavsky tells Broadsheet. “I remember being that kid, and I’ll never forget being that kid.”
Hosting an event with Rick Stein at the 2016 Gourmet Escape in Margaret River – with just half an hour’s notice, as the scheduled presenter couldn’t make it – is another in a string of serendipitous moments. She used to watch the British celebrity chef (and Nigella Lawson, who she has also shared a stage with many times) on TV with her babushka (grandmother) who was afflicted with dementia at the time.
Like the cooking stars she’s had the privilege to work with, Zaslavsky has carved out her own name in the food media stratosphere over the past 13 years, both at home and internationally. And her resume speaks for itself. The James Beard Award finalist has three global best-selling cookbooks, with In Praise of Veg translated into seven languages in 14 countries. She’s won an ABIA award in Australia and a Gourmand World Cookbook Award; been a regular on ABC News Breakfast; and writes for several major publications – just to name a few achievements.
But despite the many accolades, Zaslavsky says it’s the people she’s met and now calls her friends – including Yotam Ottolenghi, with whom she keeps up a daily Wordle streak on Whatsapp – that she counts as the true highlights.
People and connection form a common thread through the food expert’s work. It’s her special
sauce when writing cookbooks, too. “Cooking should be a conversation, it’s not a monologue,” she says. “When I’m writing introductions or the instructions, I’m always thinking, ‘How can I write this to leave someone with a smile on their face, or make them laugh or surprise them?’ I’m really mindful of curating an experience with every cookbook.”
As a former middle-school teacher, learning is another natural ingredient of Zaslavsky’s books, each packed with plenty of tips, shortcuts, ideas for spin-offs and ways to use leftovers. As for her approach to developing accessible, veg-forward recipes, she follows a simple philosophy: “If I can’t be bothered doing it, then I’m not going to tell someone else to do it”. They’re also sustainabilitydriven, by instinct. “Growing up in the former Soviet Union, you couldn’t afford to waste anything, so that’s just a natural kind of mindset for me.”
Each cookbook aims to answers a problem identified over time. In Praise of Veg was a textbook for parents to help kids fall in love with vegetables. The Joy of Better Cooking was written to let “people know they don’t need to be a good cook; they can just be a better cook”. Now her freshly published fourth title, Salad for Days, helps unlock the potential of everyday veggies for warmer and cooler days.
More recently, Zaslavsky has been busy developing something like 135 recipes for her new ABC show, A Bite with Alice, airing late October. Each weekly episode will see the cookbook author make a meal with a different guest, from comedians to musicians. With so much on her proverbial plate, it begs the question: does she ever lose her love for cooking? But the answer is a quick no. “I’ll come home from a 12-hour shoot day of cooking, and I’ll still want to cook dinner.” Her death row meal? Chicken soup with matzo balls – “it’s bae forever”.
RECOMMENDED
Five Things To Help You Have a Good Night’s Sleep
GRO-TO BAD DREAM BUSTER CALMING ROOM
Words by Alice Jeffery, additional reporting by Emma Norris
SPRAY – $12.50 This might technically come from Go-To’s kids line but who’s to say adults can’t benefit from bad dream busting too? The lavender-scented spray helps calm the nervous system before hitting the pillow, offering a natural remedy for insomnia. gotoskincare.com
THE KOALA PILLOW – $150 This pillow from Koala is made from gel-infused memory foam, which is designed to move heat and moisture away from your head. Like the Aussie brand’s mattresses, the pillow is also ventilated, allowing airflow to the other side of the pillow. Plus, it features the options of soft and firm sides. koala.com
– $60 A lightblocking silk sleep mask is a godsend when the sun starts rising earlier. This contoured style has been specifically designed to fit people with eyelash lifts or extensions, but the padded finish can be worn by anyone – it offers a gentler fit on the eyelids to help alleviate sensitivity. slip.com.au
FROM $60 A warm bath can help to lower the body’s core temperature and trigger circadian sleep signals. Adding magnesium bath salts is also thought to aid muscle relaxation and calm the nervous system. Salt Lab’s formula with bentonite clay will leave your skin smooth and soothed. saltlaboratory.com
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HOME OF THE WEEK
The true luxury of versatility
Words by Joanne Brookfield
One of the hallmarks of luxury living is simply an abundance of space. It’s not only about having the room for a family to sprawl out, accommodate guests and entertain.
It’s also important to have places to store one’s hard-earned toys. There’s little point in buying a new car if you don’t have a secure garage for it. Similarly, hobbies and personal passions can also require a room of their own.
Unusually for an Australian home, this secluded house comes with a massive basement and the luxury of all the options that affords. Measuring 111 square metres, the basement is twice the size of the average onebedroom apartment. It’s also separate to the three-car garage on ground level.
With a little imagination, this truly flexible space could be a theatre room, except there’s already a retreat on the first floor that’s ideal for that purpose, especially as it’s near three of the bedrooms. (Two of those bedrooms share an en suite, while the other has its own)
Guest accommodation? With a small window, the basement could potentially function as that.
However, this impressive property also has a separate pool room with a bathroom and kitchenette that could be used for this purpose.
If you’re thinking of a home office, there’s already one beside the main bedroom on the ground floor. It has an adjacent powder room and is convenient because it’s close to the front door, so any visiting clients don’t have to venture too far into the home itself.
This leaves the basement to become whatever you dream it up to be – a cellar, gymnasium, art studio, musical rehearsal space or all of the above.
This flexibility isn’t the only luxury this blue-chip home, tucked away at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in Hawthorn, presents. Lying beyond the striking Besser Block facade, there are 3.5-metre-high ceilings and polished concrete floors.
The aforementioned poolhouse is by the gas and solar-heated pool and spa, which are surrounded by a wide timber deck with a built-in barbecue.
The indoor living room opens up to this outdoor space, while a similarly north-facing
glass wall offers the kitchen plenty of daylight and poolside views.
The gourmet kitchen is equipped with double ovens, steamer and a coffee machine from brands such as Ilve and Miele. It also has granite benchtops, an island bench and, as you’d expect, a separate butler’s pantry.
Other high-tech inclusions include a video intercom, alarm, keyless entry and surround sound as well as hydronic heating and splitsystem air-conditioning, making this one very desirable “forever” home.
Hawthorn East
1b Lingwell Road
$4.095 million
5 4 3
Private sale Agent: Marshall White, Scarlett Hang 0405 054 888
Hover your camera over the code to see Domain listings in Hawthorn East
WHAT THE AGENT SAYS
“This stunning home is a real hidden gem, tucked away at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in a highly soughtafter location. The property is architect designed [and] the north-facing rear opens up completely through bifold doors to combine the beautiful indoor and outdoor living spaces.”
NEED TO KNOW
The median price for a five-bedroom home in Hawthorn East is currently $3.715 million.
Scarlett Hang Marshall White
CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF INSPIRING LONG-LASTING LEGACIES.
JOIN US AS WE HONOR OUR HERITAGE, CELEBRATE OUR PRESENT AND CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW.
DISCOVER MORE AT TOORAKCOLLEGE.VIC.EDU.AU/150
CULTURAL ROOTS
Words
Connie Cao nurtures a backyard full of Asian veggies. In her debut book, the gardening digital creator breaks down how to grow hard-to-fnd-in-supermarket plants like swollen stem mustard, and pairs each crop with easy-to-cook recipes.
by Emma Do · Photos by Connie Cao
Some people dream of a suburban backyard with a sprawling green lawn and Hills Hoist. Connie Cao fantasised about planting an urban food forest. Since 2018, Cao and her partner Tom have turned this dream into reality from their backyard in Melbourne’s outer east. Densely packed with fruit trees, flowers and an enviable veggie patch, every inch of Cao’s home garden teems with life.
Cao is not your typical gardening guru. The young (by gardening-world standards) digital creator and now author of Your Asian Veggie Patch, has shared her life on the internet for more than a decade. At various points, she’s been a travel, fashion, beauty, home and lifestyle blogger. When she and her partner bought their house, Cao began documenting the process of building a thriving edible garden, and things took off from there.
Growing vegetables was first a family activity for the gardening expert. Cao has been obsessed with the idea since primary school, where she watched chives bloom from little black seeds – a “magical experience” that got her “hooked”. When her family moved into a house with an existing veggie patch in her late teens, she jumped at the chance to get her hands dirty.
Cao and her dad taught themselves how to cultivate fruits and vegetables, piecing together information from the internet and her dad’s friends. Her mum cooked their harvests. “There was a lot of trial and error,” Cao says of the early days. While she grew kale, strawberries, spinach and other plants she found in nurseries, her mum sourced Asian veggie seeds from helpful friends at her Chinese social club. Soon enough, the family backyard represented a taste of home for Cao’s Shanghainese parents.
One of Cao’s earliest gardening lessons arrived when her parents’ bok choy “bolted”. She thought its growth was positive, but in fact, the pretty new flowers signalled the plant was setting seeds; its leaves now bitter. “That’s also when I learnt that some veggies are annuals and only grow for really short periods – like bok choy, which grows for maybe three months here in Melbourne, then starts flowering,” she explains.
For Cao, gardening was always a productive and rewarding hobby. When she moved out of the family home she realised it also offered a way to connect to her culture. “My parents were growing loofahs before I knew what loofahs were. My mum would cook it and I just thought this is what we eat every day. When I moved out, I missed the
interesting things my parents were growing.”
Starting her own garden meant tapping into her dad’s collection. “He brought over a whole tray of seedlings he had raised from different Asian veggie seeds,” she recalls. “I put those in, and then it just felt like home to me.”
Cao’s yard now brims with plants you’d struggle to find in shops. Vegetables like swollen stem mustard, often used to make Chinese zha cai pickles, and celtuce – a lettuce beloved in China (its stems and leaves are excellent in stir fries). Last year she grew the skinny ping tung long eggplants. This year, Cao’s giving Japanese kamo eggplants a go. When she’s in the middle of a gardening session, she’ll often snack on jujubes straight from her tree (a rare crop in Australia, where most jujubes in stores are dried).
Now with a garden full of fresh Asian vegetables, Cao began cooking the dishes she grew up eating, trading recipes with her mum. “When I talk to my parents, I’m telling them what I’m growing and we can connect over that. I talk to other people from Asian backgrounds, or even my mum’s friends – a lot are really interested in growing veggies, so it’s nice to be able to find out more about their culture.”
In her new book, Cao demystifies the process of growing the plants in her backyard and other vegetables, herbs and fruits eaten in Asian households. The book is written with entry-level gardeners in mind, and is split into cool-season, warm-season and all-year-round plants. It has practical guides on how to plant in different-sized spaces, source seeds, grow, harvest and cook your bounty.
Small-space dwellers will be happy to hear that you can indeed grow in pots (chilli, yuzu, cumquat, ginger and eggplant are all happy in containers), something Cao chooses to do even on her 600-square-metre block (half of which is her house). “One of the things I really wanted to prove wrong to myself is that you need a large space to grow,” she says. “All the things I grow are pretty much enough for our household and I have extras to share with neighbours, friends and my parents. Of course I don’t have a rice paddy or grow all my potatoes or carrots, but in terms of crops for small spaces, I can fit everything.”
She’s also inspired by her parents who’ve downsized to a smaller place, but still grow a lot “on pretty much zero dollars.” She recalls her dad’s genius idea to sow snow
peas in a tiny gap between his boundary fence and the paving stones. “I couldn’t believe it, they actually grew really healthy! I realised that peas, as legumes, don’t need much soil to grow.”
Cao’s social media community often asks her how to cook Asian vegetables – it’s one of the reasons she decided to include a recipe for each plant in her book. “I included recipes I felt as a gardener would make sense because everything is always ready at the same time. You might have a lot of long beans, so a recipe where they’re secondary doesn’t make sense. It has to be only long beans,” she explains. “A lot of the recipes are also inspired from what I ate growing up. Everything’s really simple, really easy to cook.”
So how much maintenance does an edible garden call for? In Cao’s case, it depends on the time of year. Changeover seasons like autumn and spring are more demanding. “There’ll be two weekends where it’s pretty busy and I’ll be clearing the garden beds, putting new plants in,” she says. In summer, she’s out once or twice a weekend, and in winter, her gardening time shrinks to almost nothing. “It’s just too gross, muddy and wet out there.”
Cao gardens with sustainability and permaculture principles in mind. Rather than only planting vegetables, for example, she also chooses to plant flowers for insects to thrive in and birds to feed off, which in turn helps pollinate her vegetables. “Permaculture is how nature and humans can co-exist,” she explains.
Aside from her plentiful harvests, Cao’s garden offers an important meditative space. She loves to see “nature do its thing”, to hear birdsong and be present in her surroundings. “Honestly, I just sit, be still, stare and observe things. Gardening brings peace to your day.”
Cao encourages aspiring green thumbs to just give it a go. Even if you’re worried about murdering your plants, know that it happens to the best gardeners (Cao included). If there’s one lesson she’d dole out to a beginner: try to get your timing right – don’t plant cool-season veggies in summer, for starters. “Once you get it right, the plant will naturally grow,” she says. And if you’re still freaked out, “Grow spring onions from the supermarket bunch.” You can’t go wrong.
Your Asian Veggie Patch ($39 99) is out now through Murdoch Books
EASY THINGS TO
PLANT NOW
SPRING ONION
You can grow spring onion from seed, but the easiest method is to get a bunch from the supermarket with roots attached. Cut the tops off and put the roots in soil – they’ll grow in front of your eyes. Keep them well watered during hot months. No outdoor space? You can also grow them in water by the window.
GARLIC CHIVES
Grow from a seedling you get from the nursery. Once in a pot or in the ground, they’ll get bigger every year. Eventually you can dig them up and pull them apart to create more plants. They prefer slightly cooler weather, so best to start them now. A bit later is also okay, so long as you avoid the heat of January. Garlic chives taste great in dumplings.
FLAT BEANS
Sow seeds directly into your garden rather than sprouting seedlings because they don’t transplant well. Beans don’t require very fertile soil – they’re low effort. These beans grow fast as the weather warms up. Once they’re ready to harvest you’ll find yourself collecting every second day.
YUZU
If you can grow a lemon tree, you can grow a yuzu. The fragrant citrus can be used exactly how you’d use lemons. It can flavour savoury dressings and be used in baked desserts. Cao grows her yuzu tree in a pot.
SHISO
Shiso (also known as perilla) grows in similar conditions to basil and is a great herb to throw into summer salads. You can sometimes find seedlings in Asian grocers or through community gardening groups. Germinating from seed takes a little more effort. Once the frost comes, shiso will die and you’ll have to replant it. In a warmer climate, it’s a perennial that can keep growing.
LIKE A LOCAL
Deepdene
By Ruby Harris
Don’t worry, we forgive you if you’re not familiar with the leafy suburb of Deepdene. Eleven kilometres east of Melbourne’s CBD, the pocket-size locale services a population of just over 2000 residents, according to the last census. Once part of the larger suburb of Balwyn (with which it shares a postcode), Deepdene officially separated in 2010. Now it’s known for its tree-lined streets, close proximity to some of Melbourne’s top schools, local eateries and a relaxed atmosphere. It’s also an ideal place to spend a weekend away from the bustle of its larger surrounding suburbs.
Whitehorse Road is where all the action takes place, home to a clutch of cafes and restaurants. For breakfast or brunch, hit up Snow Pony, where you can enjoy ricotta hotcakes, avocado smash and other cafe classics. For something a little larger, grab a burger at Central Burgs. Go for fillings like double Wagyu beef patties, hash browns, buttermilk fried chicken and panko-crumbed portobello mushrooms (order with a side of loaded fries and tater tots.) Come evening, homey Italian diner Di Francesco Cucina serves woodfired pizza and homemade pasta. The slow-cooked lamb shoulder pappardelle and spaghetti gamberi are top picks before tiramisu and cannoli for dessert.
The best way to explore Deepdene is by foot. The suburb has transformed the tracks of its now defunct railway station into the Outer Circle Railway Anniversary Trail, running from the Yarra River at Fairfield to Ashburton, while looping through suburbs like Canterbury and Camberwell. The picturesque walking and cycling path is the perfect way to explore the area’s rich history while getting a breath of fresh air. Nearby Deepdene Park is also a popular spot for picnics or reading in the sun. You can also head to Linear Park Skate Spot to practise flips or book a court at the Deepdene Tennis Club.
NEED TO KNOW
Deepdene, a peaceful suburb, attracts residents with its lush parks, excellent schools and proximity to the CBD. Homes range from charming period houses to modern apartments, appealing to diverse lifestyles.
Average Age 46
Median Weekly income $2,243
Top: Anniversary Trail, photo Casey Horsfield. Middle: Di Francesco Cucina, photos courtesy of venue. Bottom: District Pho, photo Casey Horsfield.
WHAT THE AGENT SAYS
“Deepdene is a highly sought after and tightly held small suburb right in the heart of Balwyn, Canterbury and Kew. It is extremely popular with tree-lined streets framing a diverse mix of heritage protected period homes and more recently some modern residences.”
Clockwise from top: Whitehorse Road, photo Jessie Evans. Residential architecture and street art, photos Casey Horsfield. Snow Pony cafe exterior, photo Jessie Evans.
Désirée Wakim Marshall White
TRUSTED SOURCE
Aesthetiker Shines a Light on Rare Vintage Fixtures
Words by Katya Wachtel
Aesthetiker is an online store specialising in 20thcentury lighting and decor, though that summary undersells this singular trove of design objects.
Melbourne-based duo Toni and Alex Butchart launched Aesthetiker in 2021, and quickly won fans for their deft, tightly curated selection of sconces, pendant lights and lamps in myriad forms. While anyone can purchase from the site, it’s mostly interior designers who do so.
A model 2202 table lamp by French glass master Max Ingrand epitomises the kind of pieces Toni diligently tracks down. Ingrand designed the hexagonal fixture, made of oxidised brass and etched crystal glass, for Fontana Arte in the 1960s. It is rare, highly collectible and despite its diminutive size – it stands just 12 centimetres high – supremely magnetic.
Toni and Alex are not furniture dealers by trade. In fact, the seeds for Aesthetiker were sown when they were living in Europe for 12 years, both working in automotive design studios – Toni as a digital sculptor and Alex as a studio engineer.
“We lived in a lot of Haussmannian-style apartments,” Toni says. These elegant, historic spaces were fitting “as a backdrop to put in all this vintage furniture we found across Europe”.
An original 1940s Jean Prouvé Potence light. An Omann Jun teak sideboard. A Gae Aulenti Patroclo table lamp for Artemide. By the time the Butcharts returned home to Melbourne after stints in Cologne, Wiesbaden, Munich and Paris, they’d built an impressive personal collection of 20th-century heirlooms.
Dealers they’d bought from while living overseas became some of Aesthetiker’s early suppliers. Toni is fluent in Italian and forged relationships with traders across Europe, but especially Italy. The site is flush with Italian design icons, from sleek modernist lamps by Artemide and Fontana Arte to grand chandeliers and rostrato moulded sconces by legendary Murano glassmakers such as Barovier and Venini.
A pair of 1950s wall lights by Venini, with cascading glass baubles, is one of Aesthetiker’s particularly rare pieces.
As is a handsome black table lamp, with a slender brass tripod and hourglass-shaped shade: a 1960s Grasshopper lamp, Toni explains, which she sourced from a dealer in Sicily.
“Those table lamps are extremely hard to find,” she says.
“There are so many replicas now but to get an original … One, there’s just not that many around, and two, to have that patina is such a rare gift.”
Aesthetiker’s inventory is constantly changing, but if you visited the site today, you’d find objects from Italy, Germany, Austria, France, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands, spanning styles and movements from the 1940s through the 1980s.
“I rarely look for specific items but instead more of a general style or material,” Toni says. Recently, she’s been hunting out pieces in stainless steel and aluminium.
Once an object arrives in Melbourne, Alex’s job begins –rewiring each piece to bring it up to contemporary standards and functionality, cleaning and polishing surfaces, painting and replacing parts where necessary.
“We don’t fully restore everything,” he says. “We like to keep that element of patina – the quality appearance you get with a vintage piece. We want to preserve that and only restore the parts we really need to.
“When something gets here and it’s not quite what we expected, transforming it from one state to the piece you see on the website always blows me away.”
This reminds Alex and Toni of a rare pendant light from Italy, which had three opaline glass shades, nested in a rosecoloured glass plate, suspended from a brass frame.
“The frame was so patinaed it looked black,” Toni says.
“We thought it was painted black,” Alex adds.
“Alex polished that all up, cleaned the glass – it was brown when we got it,” Toni continues. “And it came up a beautiful white opal colour.”
“It was an amazing transformation,” Alex says. “Bringing the pieces into the workshop and going through that process –it’s an intimate experience. You do have to pull them apart, right down to their basics, and fully rewiring an old lamp –which has these tiny little tubes – you get this feeling that you’re really pulling away the layers of this product that’s stood the test of time, and really getting to understand how it was made and the processes that made it.”
Given how long they spend working on each piece, alongside the obvious – just how beautiful these items are – it can be difficult for the Butcharts to part with their discoveries.
“So many times, Toni gets the look in her eye, like, ‘I’m going to take this’,” Alex says.
“There have been a couple of pieces that just never made it to the site,” Toni admits, laughing. “We keep telling ourselves we’re not building a museum – it’s a shop.”
You’re Hot and You’re Cold at Sorrento’s Aurora Spa & Bathhouse
By Gitika Garg
There’s plenty of adventure and activity to keep you busy on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, from pristine beaches and walking trails to some of the country’s top restaurants, bars and cafes. But if you need a moment to pause, head to the Aurora Spa & Bathhouse in the newly reimagined Conti Hotel in Sorrento. Unlike the popular outdoor hot springs nearby, the 1000-square-metre spot allows for all-weather R&R.
Start inside the terrazzo-clad bathhouse, complete with magnesium mineral pools and thermal suites where you can cycle through hot-cold-rest-repeat rotations. Massage an exfoliating scrub into wet skin before stepping into the skylit Daydream pool, set at a steamy 38 degrees. It’s easy to find your zen as warm, bubbling water works to sooth aching muscles and helps you slide into relaxation.
Brave the icy chill in an eight-degree cold plunge pool, great for boosting circulation and helping joint pain. Wait it out for 30 seconds (or up to two minutes, if you can), before sinking into the next pool, this time lined with reflexology stones at the bottom. There’s also a timber-clad Nordicinspired sauna, an aromatherapy steam room and a glacial mist room, set at an alpine temperature (press a button to activate faux wind and rain experiences).
Or bliss out inside the halotherapy room – a literal salt cave. Breathe in the salty air particles said to help with skin conditions, immunity boosting, respiratory conditions and stress relief, we’ll take it. Finish with a rinse under the pre-set sensory showers fitted out with colour therapy, aroma mist and a bucket dump.
There are also eight treatment rooms for those who want a bit more TLC. Book in for a massage, facial or body wrap. Built up an appetite post-spa? Head upstairs to Melbourne chef Scott Pickett’s fine diner Audrey’s, with rolling oceanfront views and a seafood-focused menu.
LUXURY
Words by Richard Cornish
Toorak
24 Montalto Avenue
$6.5 million-$6.9 million
4 3 3
Expressions of interest: Close 1pm, October 15
Agent: Jellis Craig, Michael Armstrong 0407 063 263
This is a classic Toorak house from the early 20th century set in a quiet, pretty street. From the steep gabled roofs to the hand-crafted black timbers and herringbone brickwork, this two-storey solid brick home is a superb example of 1930s British-inspired architecture. Modern renovations make for easy living, with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a wraparound covered terrace leading to a private rear garden. Original leadlight doors and fireplaces add to the charm.
Brighton 18 Mulgoa Street
$9 million-$9.9 million
4 4 5
Expressions of interest: Close 5pm, October 22
Agent: Forbes Global Properties, Tracy Tian Belcher 0402 007 882
A contemporary vision of elegance and comfort shapes this expansive two-storey house on one of Brighton’s best streets. From the sweeping driveway to the curved staircase and distinct silhouette of the building, it is a masterclass in understated grace. Designed to capture light, it features skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a beautiful minimalist garden. There’s a lovely pool and it’s near the beach.
Brighton
283 St Kilda Street
$5.5 million-$6 million
4 3 4
Expressions of interest: Close 4pm, October 22
Agent: Kay & Burton, Matthew Pillios 0408 145 982
This is no ordinary Californian bungalow. Recent renovations have transformed this two-storey house on Brighton’s golden mile into a luxurious home on a grand scale that balances topend living with the demands of a modern family. Beyond the heritage-covered front porch is a contemporary home with new floors, a kitchen and bathrooms. Downstairs, the rooms have soaring ceilings with an open-plan kitchen and family area, upstairs the bedrooms and retreat are private havens.
Balwyn
12 Bowley Avenue
$3.95 million-$4.345 million
3 2 2
Auction: 11.30am, October 19
Agent: Marshall White, Tori McGregor 0400 633 992
This modern house is on a quiet Balwyn avenue, lined with lily pillies and liquidambars. Its Italianate roof, covered in terracotta tiles, fits seamlessly with the established homes on the Reid Estate. The main bedroom is at the front, while spacious open living areas and two bedrooms at the rear are separated by a Japanese garden, creating the feeling of two wings. Features include American oak parquetry, Gaggenau appliances, zoned heating and a terrace with a barbecue.
OPEN FOR INSPECTION
Words by Maria Harris & Shae Wiedermann
Clearance Rate of 65%*
Source: Domain Group
WHAT OUR EXPERT SAYS LAST WEEKEND
Dr Nicola Powell Chief of research & economics
“Melbourne’s era of explosive rental growth appears to be nearing its end with rents steady. It was the weakest outcome for a September quarter since 2021, with annual gains now at their lowest in 2.5 years.”
Source: Domain Rent Report
South Melbourne
268-270 Montague Street
$3.6 million-$3.8 million
4 2
Auction: Noon, October 12
Agent: Jellis Craig, Simon Gowling 0422 234 644
This house has all the unique charm of the historic pub it once was. Exposed wooden beams, high ceilings and original timber floors are just the beginning of the interior character. The front room is perfect for entertaining, with an original bar, wood-burning fireplace and access to a bluestone cellar. To the rear, the living and dining area has skylights and opens out to the Tuscan-inspired pool and courtyard. The residence is close to South Melbourne Market and Albert Park.
Auction: 12.30pm, October 19
Agent: Marshall White, David Smith 0402 361 680
million
*As reported on September 28, 2024
This single-storey house is a fabulous advertisement for using an architect. The resulting renovation is a family home that sparkles, harmoniously blending its art deco origins with contemporary living zones. The stonefinished kitchen with a suite of Franke appliances and butler’s pantry connects easily to the dining, living and family zone, the sunny deck and the favoured north-facing garden.
Auction: 1.30pm October 12
Agent: Belle Property Armadale, Lauchlan Waterfield 0422 290 489
A private entrance through a garden courtyard and indoor-outdoor entertaining options make this ground-floor apartment stand out from the crowd. Sophisticated interiors with floor-to-ceiling windows include the kitchen with stone benchtops, mirrored splashback and Miele appliances. The main bedroom – with en suite and walk-in wardrobe – also has a private courtyard.
Auction: 12.30pm, October 19
Agent: Buxton, Paul Sibley 0403 325 423
The floor plan of this house is perfect for zoned living. The front has the accommodation: three bedrooms with built-in wardrobes accompany a main bedroom with an en suite and walk-in robe, plus a family bathroom and laundry. Through glass doors to the rear of the home is a luxurious entertaining space, with a wide gas fire in the lounge room and a butler’s pantry – with a sink and a second dishwasher – attached to the stylish kitchen.
Auction: 11.30am, October 12
Agent: Hodges, Stephen Wigley 0411 115 736
Rocking old-style glamour, this house is a picture of 1960s charm. It has an open-plan formal living room, a timber kitchen and a retro-style bathroom. Spiral stairs lead to the first floor, which has two bedrooms and a retreat. Part of its appeal is the large garden with sprawling lawns, a pool and a terrace.
Auction: 11.30am, October 12
Agent: McGrath, Tracy Paus 0439 766 175
This semi-detached art deco house retains many original features, including brick fireplaces, intricate ceilings and hardwood floors, but it has been updated to include a pristine kitchen with stainless steel appliances overlooking the meals area and a spacious living room. Double doors open to the back verandah and brick-paved courtyard.
Auction: 10.30am, October 12
Agent: Marshall White, Nicholas Hoo 0435 728 272
This Victorian house is near the beach, Albert Park Lake and Bridport Street’s cafes and shops. The home features an extension but maintains some of its period charm in the high ceilings and open fireplaces. The main bedroom has an en suite and walk-in wardrobe and overlooks the garden.
17 IONA AVENUE TOORAK
a 6 b 7 c 6 d1 e1 f1 g 882 sqm*
Close 29 October at 5pm Saturday 11-11:45am
Expressions of interest
Close 29 October at 3pm
Viewing
Wednesday 1-1:30pm
Saturday 2-2:30pm
Grant Samuel 0403 132 095
Jamie Mi 0450 125 355
Darren Lewenberg 0412 555 556
72 UNION STREET
21B HUNTINGTOWER ROAD
Expressions of interest
Close 29 October at 5pm
Viewing Thursday 1-1:30pm Saturday 3-3:30pm
Peter Kudelka 0418 319 439
Arabella Houghton 0435 756 455
Monique Depierre 0407 881 327
by St Kilda Botanical
Expressions of interest
Close 30 October at 5pm
Viewing
Thursday 11-11:30am Saturday 2-2:30pm
Sam Wilkinson 0400 169 148
Garrick Lim 0424 439 242
Isabella Maugeri 0438 096 720
70 ROBINSON ROAD HAWTHORN
a 5 b 2.5 c 2
Peerless Fairview Park family sanctuary
2-2:30pm
9 CARSON STREET
Inspect As
Inspect
As
Hawthorn Grove, Hawthorn
As
Inspect
As
Inspect
As
38 Churchill Street, Mont Albert
Expressions of Interest
Closing Wednesday 30th October at 4pm
Inspect
57 Airlie Street, South Yarra
A 3 b 2 c 2 j 350 sqm approx.
Expressions of Interest
Closing Tuesday 29th October at 1pm
Inspect
Thursday 3 - 3:30pm & Saturday 3:30 - 4pm 1930s French inspired elegance in the Domain Precinct
Agents
ARMADALE
6 Flete Avenue
A magnificent architect designed family residence features unparalleled luxury, with lift access over three floors, flexible formal and informal living spaces, a beautiful kitchen, cinema, wine cellar, lavish outdoor amenities including swimming pool and landscaped grounds. Close to High Street shops and schools.
Jock Langley 0419 530 008
Michael King 0415 505 505 Sam Goddard 0448 870 454
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Closing Tuesday 29 October 5:30pm
VIEW BY APPOINTMENT
Thursday 10 October 11:00am-11:30am Saturday 12 October 10:00am-10:30am
C1890
34 Stanhope Grove, Camberwell
Discover this landmark Edwardian residence, where charm meets convenience! Kept almost entirely private by the botanic beauty of its stunning gardens, this exceptional home offers flexible formal and informal family living. Located in a school friendly zone.
Jock Langley 0419 530 008
Simon Curtain 0405 385 285
Hamish Palmer-Hill 0409 435 711
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Closing Tuesday 29 October at 5:30pm
VIEW BY APPOINTMENT
Thursday 10 October 2:00pm-2:30pm Saturday 12 October 11:00am-11:30am
Flawless Family Luxury
Wrapped within stunning Mediterranean-inspired gardens, this magnificent two storey residence with double garage showcases five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a study and a wealth of luxurious amenities, including multiple living areas, sublime kitchen and an entertainer's garden with a swimming pool. In a coveted setting near Hawksburn Village, trams, Hawksburn Station and reputable schools, this impeccable family home is truly exceptional. 22-24 Howitt Street, South Yarra .
Expressions of interest Closing Mon 28 Oct 5.00pm View As advertised or by appointment.
3 B 2 b 3 c
3 B 2 b 2 c
922 POINT NEPEAN ROAD, ROSEBUD
7 4 8 1 814m2
COASTAL LUXURY AWAITS WITH DIRECT BEACH FRONTAGE
Illuminated by the captivating embrace of northern sunlight and steadfast in its pursuit of exceptional quality, this prestigious beachfront residence offers a wondrous coastal lifestyle mere steps from the waters edge. Offering direct access to the sandy shores and foreshore walking tracks through a rear pedestrian gate, the tranquil allure of Port Phillip Bay creates a breathtaking backdrop for daily enjoyment.
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Closing Thursday October 31st at 4pm
TERRY BURGOYNE 0404 842 771
ROBYN PEET 0417 102 889
BARRY PLANT DROMANA 03 5981 8181
NICK JOHNSTONE
433B Beach Road, Beaumaris
A Cutting-Edge Masterpiece with Forever Ocean Views
Immaculate and luxurious in every sense, this near-new three-storey retreat offers coastal living at its absolute finest. Enjoy an opulent lifestyle with wonderful convenience, surrounded by high-end features and just steps from the beach. Elevating this premium residence is a deluxe stone kitchen with Miele appliances, Liebherr integrated fridge and butler’s pantry, zoned heating and cooling, floor-to-ceiling bi-fold glass doors to the balcony, separate laundry, secure video entry and lift access to all levels. With direct beach access across the road and just a short stroll to Ricketts Point and The Concourse shopping and dining precinct.
OPEN TO INSPECT
Wednesday 12:00pm – 12:30pm
Thursday 11:00am – 11:30am
Saturday 12:00pm – 12:30pm
AGENT
Bert Geraerts 0418 514 090
Eliza Geraerts 0437 342 003
PRIVATE SALE
MAGNIFICENT FREESTANDING VICTORIAN ON ST VINCENT GARDENS
• Directly opposite St Vincent Gardens and a short stroll to Albert Park Village
• Original stable houses a full bathroom, sauna and rumpus, or studio space.
• Substantial underground wine cellar
• Parking via Draper Street
• Hydronic heating
Amid a glorious row of similarly spectacular homes this grand terrace comprises exquisite twin lounge and dining rooms. Well-appointed kitchen leads to an open plan family zone that soaks in the sunshine overlooking a north-facing paved and private garden.
The master suite features an opulent marble ensuite and balcony access to enjoy the lush garden vista. Three further bedrooms (two with a city aspect), family bathroom with tub, reading room plus fitted laundry. cayzer.com.au
