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  • A den of divine

    PERTH’S love affair with coffee pales compared to that of London in the early 18th century when more than 3000 coffee houses sprung up, becoming dens of caffeine-fuelled debate and political intrigue.

    Politicians Joseph Addison and Richard Steele, proprietors of The Spectator, reckoned coffee shops were the perfect vehicle for the philosophical debates they so actively pushed for.

    “To bring philosophy out of closets, libraries, schools and colleges to dwell in clubs and assemblies, at tea tables and in coffee houses,” Addison said.

    The pair is paid homage with Addison and Steele Specialty Coffee in North Perth. It is a beautiful coffee house that does a superb sideline in food.

    When the cafe first opened it was pretty much bagels, but the menu has since grown to include a wider choice (handy for someone who thinks slightly sweet boiled bread is highly over-rated).

    17. 858FOOD 1

    Service at A&S is second-to-none, and we’d barely parked our bums than a carafe of water and two glasses appeared.

    By the time we were sipping a couple of watermelon and strawberry juices ($6.50) I was ready to order but my lunch companion was on the horns of a dilemma: the pulled pork brioche ($15.50) or one of the bagels?

    The helpful waiter removed her from this painful place suggesting the Spanish chorizo bagel ($14). The thinly sliced, grilled sausage was fantastic and the brie, spinach and chilli jam were perfect accompaniments, ensuring a deliciously creamy bagel, she opined.

    Expecting a standard tomato and basil offering, my summer bruschetta ($14.50) was a delicious surprise, the lightly toasted sourdough topped with grilled aubergine, rocket, goat feta and a liberal sprinkling of cherry tomatoes, basil and extra virgin olive oil. Divine. Toppings vary depending on what’s growing locally, ensuring garden freshness.

    17. 858FOOD 2

    Coffee is the real reason for being at A&S and the waiter waxed lyrical as he described the various choices, suggesting some blends were better as in black, to really bring out the flavours.

    Guided by his expertise I plumbed for the Ethiopia hunkute ($4.20), and was stunned to find I really could—as promised—taste hints of juicy peach and lemon curd.

    The high-tech coffee machine allows baristas to manually alter pressure to highlight particular characters of the chosen blend. These guys put baristas elsewhere to shame.

    My mate was very happy with her Costa Rica La Loma, but having ordered it as a macchiato, its sweet plum, toffee and chocolate flavours went undetected, as she’d been warned.

    A couple of particularly fine beetroot and chocolate brownies went perfectly with the rich coffees.

    Addison and Steele
    448 Fitzgerald Street, North Perth
    9227 7110
    open Tues-Sun breakfast and lunch,
    and until 7pm Thurs–Sat

  • Get shorty

    ERNEST HEMINGWAY is said to have bet a group of authors he could write a novel using just six words.

    On a restaurant napkin he scrawled: “For sale, baby shoes. Never worn” and won $10 from each of his writer mates. It’s six words that never leaves you.

    Perth is producing its own flash fiction writers with the inaugural Perth Shortest Short Story competition, although these fledgling authors get off easy—their limit is 49 words.

    Mt Hawthorn local Martin Lindsay is one of six finalists, and his maxi-Tweet was dredged from childhood memories of growing up and running wild in Geraldton.

    “Bigfoot lived in the bushland across the road. Brave, bold 10 years olds, we mounted expeditions to his lair. Tentatively approaching until hearing his husky breath, we’d run for home, terror at our heels. It’s all cleared now, subdivided. I hope he got out while still a seller’s market,” he wrote.

    The 41-year-old has written four plays and had several regular short stories published, but continues to procrastinate over his dream of writing a novel.

    His first attempt at the shortest short story competition saw him write 100 words, which he culled ruthlessly.

    “I got to 48 words and thought ‘hooray’ I can put in a descriptive word,” Lindsay tells the Voice.

    18. 858ARTS
    • Martin Lindsay gets ready to pen his next 49-word blockbuster. Photo by Matthew Dwyer

    When not not writing his novel the software tester gently breaks the dreams of others. “People give me their hard work and I break it down and say what’s wrong with it.”

    Perth’s Shortest Short Story competition came out of a conversation on how to encourage people to have a go at writing, Australian Writers’ Centre WA director Alecia Hancock says.

    “Making it accessible for people. Writing two- to three-hundred words is hard, but who can’t write 49?”

    A whopping 253 entries poured in from across the state, with topics ranging from comedy and murder, to romance and loss.

    South Fremantle’s Geoffrey Batt’s short, short story had a touch of Henry Lawson about it.

    “A thousand golden points lay revealed as the pan cleared to the practiced rhythm of the prospector’s wrists. A thousand stars in a frosted night sky. All he’d promised her. All the years till she tired of dusty floors and faded curtains. Salted tears tracked down his weathered cheeks.”

    Harry Schmitz tried his hand at creative writing aged 63, inspired by hype around the first world war.

    “His slouch hat suddenly hit the sand. Puzzled, Jock picked it up. Still the Coolgardie dust ingrained on its brim. Still the briny smell of weeks at sea on the troop ship to this Turkish beach. Then he saw it: The entry and exit holes of a sniper bullet.”

    The winner was set to be announced on Friday night, and will receive $1000 in cash and prizes from sponsors Boffins Bookshop, along with a mentoring session with award-winning author Natasha Lester.

    by JENNY D’ANGER

  • Jaw-dropper

    I’M sure a seagull flying past winked at me as I gazed in awe from this 17th floor penthouse.

    Set back from Victoria Avenue, this Terrace Road apartment has an uninterrupted vista of the river and Kings Park and, as the river disappears in the distance you realise you can see the orange cranes on Fremantle harbour.

    Shift your gaze and you spot the new Fiona Stanley Hospital, the Raffles’ tower in Melville and the blue haze of the Darling Range.

    “[We have] the best views on Terrace Rd, the best views in Perth,” the vendor says.

    From this lofty vantage you can watch Elizabeth Quay unfold virtually on the doorstep, enjoy concerts in Supreme Court Gardens, and all the many and varied activities and events on Langley Park. The colour run a couple of weeks ago was awesome fun, witnessed from the massive balcony, says the vendor.

    19. 858HOME 1

    Whisked aloft by one of two lifts you arrive at the huge private foyer of this luxury abode.

    Stepping through the front door, sweeping glass walls on two sides of the gargantuan living/dining/kitchen had me pausing to catch my breath as I took in the view.

    And my toes curled when I leant on the glass balustrade of the massive balcony for a closer look.

    The balcony wraps around the apartment and is so big a built-in-barbecue kitchen and separate sitting area, with two three seater couches, and a couple of massive pots of huge frangipanis, are dwarfed by the space.

    When the vendor moved in a little over three years ago he ripped up carpet in favour of beautiful honey-gold timber and completely revamped the huge kitchen.

    19. 858HOME 2

    It’s a gourmet chef’s wet dream, a huge space with gleaming black granite tops and Gaggenau appliances, including a stove top with flame-griller, steamer and four gas hobs, and a built-in coffee maker on the wall—right next to the walk-in pantry.

    Which begs the question of why it’s in pristine condition. Seems there are so many eateries within walking distance (including a Gold Plate-winning Vietnamese downstairs) that the vendors prefer to eat out.

    All three bedrooms are double, each with an ensuite, but the main is a massive space, with doors to the balcony. There’s a make-up desk in the huge dressing room and its ensuite is a sweeping space, marbled from floor to ceiling, with a spa from which to enjoy those views.

    This amazing abode is more resort than home, with the complex also offering a 21-metre heated lap pool, gym, games room, along with a residents’ lounge bar area, tennis court and boardroom.

    123/132 Terrace Road, Perth
    $4.9 million
    Jasym Wright 0409 106 766
    Peter Wright 0438 727 476
    realestate 88 9200 6168

  • Night markets for N Perth

    NORTH PERTH is set to get more markets, subject to council approval.

    The Rosemount Hotel is planning to hold a night market and more day markets in its Angove Street car park. The 25-stall night market will be held 5–9.30pm along with special events at the hotel.

    01. 857NEWS
    • Nadia Macaulay and Calvin Hook. Photo by Matthew Dwyer

    Day markets are planned to operate from 10–3pm and include stalls selling arts, crafts and vintage goods, and some coffee and dessert stalls. “We’ve been holding the Golden Days Vintage Market since April this year, on the last Sunday of each month, during the day,” says Cool Perth Nights staffer Nadia Macaulay.

    “They’ve been really popular, so we decided to expand into a night market and offer more day markets as well. The type of stalls will complement events being held at the hotel.”

    The application will go before Vincent city council.

    by STEPHEN POLLOCK

  • Please sir, I want some Morley

    IT was standing room only at Bayswater city council as Morley residents crammed the chamber to protest council mergers.

    The Barnett government’s decision to shift the northern portion of Morley into an enlarged Swan infuriated ratepayers who, during an emotionally charged public question time, demanded that Bayswater councillors fight the amalgamations.

    “We feel let down,” said a woman from Bluegum Road.

    “This move had been mooted since 2011 and the city should have been preparing to fight our corner well in advance.”

    Another was almost in tears, describing how he’d lived in Morley for 50 years, working with his father in a local bait shop.

    “I want to stay in Bayswater,” he said in a tremulous voice, before trudging back to his seat.

    In the crowd supporting residents were Labor MPs Lisa Baker and Dave Kelly.

    “Residents are worried about the value of their property falling, higher rates and reduced services,” Mr Kelly told councillors.

    “What is the city prepared to do? We want to hear that the city is prepared to take legal action.”

    More than 300 people have signed a petition opposing the plan, around 350 attended a protest rally in Mahogany Park Saturday and a website has been created (http://www.morleyboundarychanges.org).

    If the premier’s controversial mergers go ahead Bayswater will annex all of Bassendean and portions of Swan and Stirling, including Inglewood and Mt Lawley, while surrendering  northern Morley.

    Earlier this month mayor Sylvan Albert said the mergers represented a “good outcome” for Bayswater.

    by STEPHEN POLLOCK

  • Drip breaks playground

    SOME jerk vandalised the Hyde Park water playground last week, putting it out of commission just as the place gears up for a hot summer.

    Excited kids tiptoed across sun-scorched concrete to turn on the sprinklers but were left high and dry and disappointed.

    03. 857NEWS
    • The Hyde Park water playground is operational again. Photo supplied | City of Vincent

    A sensor pad had been smashed with a rock or something similar, and the replacement part required shipping in from the east coast.

    It was installed Tuesday and the popular playground is again fully operational.

    Vincent CEO Len Kosova says it cost the council $350 for the new sensor and $450 for signs the vandal had also bust.

    by DAVID BELL

  • Monday markets for Beaufort St

    THE Inglewood summer night markets will start Monday December 8 and run till March.

    They are the brainchild of Inglewood on Beaufort Street, a nascent community group spearheaded by Mondo’s Vince Garreffa.

    Deputy chair Matt Seabrook says a development application has just been approved by Stirling city council.

    The night markets will consist of food vans, fruit and veg and artisan and food stalls and run Mondays from 6–9.30pm between Sixth and Tenth Avenues, on pavements outside Bunnings, Mondo Butchers, Inglewood Civic Centre and Westpac.

    “We’re hoping to get between 30 and 50 stall holders on board for the first market,” says Mr Seabrook.

    “After that it would be great to get more and we are encouraging people to sign up.

    “We did a bit of research and found that weekends were saturated with other markets, plus, people tend to be free on a Monday night and have time to pop down.”

    The markets come hot on the heels of the Mt Hawthorn Hawkers market which operates in Vincent Friday nights.

    by STEPHEN POLLOCK

  • Trees plan for waste plant

    BAYSWATER city council will plant trees and monitor sound beside a waste transfer station in Collier Road following complaints.

    Residents living in Shalford Street 150m behind the station have lost patience with Transpacific Cleanaway, which manages the plant, and have petitioned the council about noise and smell.

    The council voted to plant trees along Joan Rycroft Reserve to block noise and visual pollution, investigate measures to reduce the effect of heavy vehicles on local streets and install noise monitoring equipment in a resident’s property. “Planting trees is a good solution, as it ties in with our policy to improve our tree canopy across the city,” says Cr Barry McKenna. “This plant is 28-years-old and needs updating.”

  • Vincent signs up for equality

    VINCENT city council has proclaimed it supports marriage equality and will join the mayors for marriage equality group.

    Mayor John Carey says the position is purely symbolic and will have no effect on local laws, but it represents the overwhelming community view.

    Byron mayor Simon Richardson is writing to councils nationwide to join his group.

    He wants to show prime minister Tony Abbott that local governments support marriage equality.

    Mr Carey says 50 years ago councils might have stuck to their “roads, rates and rubbish” mantra but state and federal governments now shift all sorts of responsibilities onto councils so getting involved in issues like this is fair enough.

    Vincent council was the first in WA to adopt a relationship register, and in two years more than 100 couples (both same-sex and hetero) have signed up.

    It recently hit a hitch, with the council’s web page now warning “any persons wishing to use the relationship declaration [to] register for immigration purposes should note that the department of immigration has advised the City of Vincent they do not recognise the relationship declaration register as a legal document”.

    by DAVID BELL

  • Nalder acts on bus stop danger

    PEOPLE power and common-sense have resulted in the WA government shifting a bus stop in Mount Lawley that was endangering local students.

    Following its new legibility policy the public transport authority had moved the North Street stop so it directly faced another on the other side of the road.

    The move resulted in gaggles of Mt Lawley SHS students congregating directly opposite each other, and doing what kids do.

    “They would wait with their friends at one stop and then bolt across the road when their bus arrived,” nearby resident Delia Quinn shuddered.

    “Plus all the usual throwing the football across the road and other games. They weren’t misbehaving, just being kids, but the position of the two stops made their behaviour dangerous.”

    07. 857NEWS
    • Local residents Delia Quinn and Fi Edmondson (front with daughter), Michael Sutherland, Dean Nalder, and students from Mt Lawley SHS. Photo supplied

    WA transport minister Dean Nalder came down to take a look and promptly ordered the PTA to shift the stop back to where it was, 200 metres down the road near Second Avenue.

    Mt Lawley MP Michael Sutherland is pleased common-sense prevailed.

    “I recognised the merit of the concerns brought to me,” he told the Voice.

    “Another appeal was made by me to the minister, who agreed to see the problem for himself.

    “The minister, seeing the problem in person, recognised the validity of the concerns expressed and agreed to have one of the bus stops moved.

    “Credit for this outcome goes to the local residents who persevered with the matter and the minister for showing a common-sense approach and a willingness to listen to local residents who have witnessed the problem first-hand.”

    by STEPHEN POLLOCK