Grill’d’s latest controversy…

If you get to know me, you will realise that proper use of apostrophes is one of those things I go a bit OCD about. The above heading, where I chose to use a possessive apostrophe with the word “Grill’d” which does not exactly need a contraction, is something which almost sent me a little …

The Simple Suburban Peasant Life….

Yesterday afternoon, I picked a giant bowl of strawberries from my strawberry patch in my back yard. This is what I, in my mundane lower middle class suburban existence, see as getting back in contact with my peasant origins! Yet, as my mother might say (and does, most times I visit her), I have not …

Jim Wong’s for sale

https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/news/he-loved-everything-about-footscray-jim-wong-restaurant-for-sale-after-60-years-20191025-h1j50f It is rather sad to read today that Jim Wong’s Chinese Restaurant, a Footscray institution, is for sale. It’s been there for as long as I can remember and I have many fond memories of lunches and dinners there. Hopefully it finds a new owner and continues for many more years to come.

Grumble about frequent flyer points

I’m a skeptic about frequent flyer points anyway. When Ansett collapsed in late 2001 I lost 58000 points in my private account, mostly through use of my diners club card as main credit card. So when I was trying to get some points from Qantas over my emirates flights to Italy, I was hoping that …

St Kevin’s schoolboys live up to my expectations

You know, of my contemporaries, I’ve never met a St Kevin’s old boy whom I liked, to borrow from Wil Rodgers. https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/school-life/st-kevins-college-students-caught-chanting-offensive-lyrics-on-melbourne-tram/news-story/06d056348a763898a83b8da6a0636dea This latest news report about their behaviour just confirms my views about most people who attend that school. Privileged and self entitled spoilt prats….

Dubai Airport takes on a surreal carnival atmosphere

It’s about 1am and I’m in Dubai waiting for a connecting flight. Aside from the temples of material excess which are the duty free stores, there is even a Hard Rock Cafe in the terminal, and some guy with a guitar doing a performance not too far from that. This is way over the top …

Do the trains run on time in Italy?

During the past month of rail travel between cities, I often heard announcements about whether the train I was on was running on time or late (the announcement usually said it was running on time) and that was so unusual to my ears that it reminded me of the infamous saying about Mussolini making the …