A tub of Gundowring goodness

What a blessed afternoon it was when I walked into Fitzroy’s Vegetable Connection one day last year and decided to take a chance on a sustainable, local product: Gundowring ice cream.

With award-winning flavours scintillating your taste buds to blossom forth, one cannot resist the lustrous sensation that sweeps over you as a precious scoop of Gundowring goodness slowly melts in the latent warmth of your delighted mouth.

When I moved to Melbourne, it was a mission of mine to reduce my carbon footprint as much as possible. There’s something about being surrounded by grand and green gardens that somehow make you want to preserve nature as much as possible. When it comes to buying ice-cream, this is quite hard to do especially if you have to do a Hussein Bolt to prevent the ice cream from turning into a surly milk shake. However, on a particular frosty evening this is entirely possible for the worthy tub. And my, indeed it was.

A few months after, I crashed a Melbourne food fair and managed to meet Stephen Crooke. Mr Crooke, along with Sarah Crooke, is a fourth generation down-to-earth member of the Crooke family from North East Victoria’s Kiewa Valley responsible for making such heavenly concotions. As cattle farmers, this diversification into making ice cream, to me, is the best gift the Crooke family has bestowed on us.

Try everything if you can, otherwise create a bonanza of extreme satisfaction with Coconut, Vanilla, Fig, Ginger or Toasted Honey & Walnut. Bliss has never found a home as comforting as this.

Crush more than balls with Solange Azagury-Partridge's Ballcrusher 18-karat gold and pearl ring priced at a careless £14,713.69 at net-a-porter.com

Kangaroos defender Daniel Pratt and Rocky

In an article in The Lost Dogs’ Home, Kangaroos defender and former deputy vice captain shares a little bit about his love for dogs.

Stretch away your day at Breathe Wellbeing

Breathe Wellbeing on 289 Collins Street currently has a great introduction offer for first-timers. For a weekly pass costing a mere $25, you get a good taste of what Breate is all about. The pass allows you to attend a total of four yoga and pilates at city-friendly times. I’ll sniff them out next week and sneak in a review.

Finally, animals are photographed in a dignified manner in this collection of beautiful cards by local shelter, The Lost Dogs' Home.

Despite all the conveniences and sustainability of sending love online, there is indeed nothing better than opening your mailbox (the one by your gate at home, not on the screen, dufus!) and receiving a hand-written envelope with the delightful promise of a card within it. It just shows that you care enough for that person to bother making a detour in your daily life. And how nice is that?

Check out “Light Pack of Cards” by local shelter The Lost Dogs Home for their awesome animal photography. Ditto the squirmish cuteness that seems to pervade all animal subjects. May I also add, what a bargain these cards are at $1 per piece? It’s done and done!

Are you man enough? Race Bono to save the world with your message-laden mo.

It’s that time of the year again when men walk around in the name of doing good in spruced up whiskers.

I think it’s fantastic. Getting away with bits of tuft tickling your lover. Nothing better to bring forth pressing men’s issues.

Grll’d got into the action by awarding Mo Bros with free burgers when they’ve raised at least $25 for Movember.

For those inspired to go all Entourage with Movember, join any one of these follicularly-inclined FB groups: Mo Town Movember or Mo’town.

Happy ungrooming!

Turn heads and more with Hervé Léger's fall offering at a cool £7,653.85 on net-a-porter.com

Spotted at The Lost Dogs Home on November 9, Red shows his best angle as his cheerful owner basks easy in a boho dress

A bit of fun at an opening with Antonella

Last week, at Thomas Dux Grocer’s opening, Melbourne facepainter Antonella gave a mate of mine a cool skull and bones picture on his forearm. He was so pleased with it that he refused to wash after so he can show off his piece of art at a pool party we went to the next following day.

Find Antonella at 0408 301 416. Don’t be put off by the rows of children faces that you see on her website- big boys and girls love paint too!

Nothing like a sturdy brown bag to complete the shopping experience!

On Saturday, I visited new Richmond entrant Thomas Dux Grocer after much anticipation. In July this year, watchdog ACCC gave Woolsworth the thumbs up to acquire the haemorrhaging Macro-Wholefoods- and a swift rebranding resulted in Macro being converted to Woolsworth’s “upmarket grocery subsidiary”, Thomas Dux Grocer.

I have to admit, I am still saddened by Macro’s departure from the industry. Starting out in Bondi Junction in 1987, its sustainable (not so in hindsight?) home brand was my priority choice in groceries. I could only hope that its replacement was worthy of its cause.

But who is Thomas Dux? Would Pierce Cody, Macro founder and joint owner, approve of the latest transformation of his upmarket organic dream? That remains to be seen.

Walking into Thomas Dux, I was lambasted by a singing trio dressed as jesters or halfway clowns. Surely there are other ways to woo and wonder? I shudder away my irrational fear of clowns and focused instead on the promisingly lighted lanes brimming with goodness.

A punnet of blueberries: $2.99. Sweet smelling strawberries: $1.98. A fancy feast at rock bottom prices? Things are loooooooking up!

There was a cheery area set up to the left after the organic cereals where you could make yourself fresh coffee in support of Hawthorn girl guides. Just remember to drop your gold coin donation into the  spotted pig. This is a great example of think global, go local. Support the community, and the community will support you.

Support Hawthorn Girl Guides at Thomas Dux over a cuppa

Largely, the new kid has all the bases covered…. almost. Loafs of designer bread: check. Unpolished organic apples: check. Hand crafted fresh pasta: check. Artisan oils: check. Pet food, toiletries and frozen produce choices were a let down, but I am hoping it will improve within the next few weeks as the new store gains momentum.

With a friendly interface online and in-store as well as competitive prices, Thomas Dux is one cad out to get the hearts and wallets of Melburnians.