Meet Sylvio

I have historically associated the Easter (and birthday) season with Spring, but this year was my first Fall birthday. I took off Friday to indulge in all things self-care; yoga, cycling, massage. After Tom finished working, I met him in the CBD for drinks at Lui Bar. This high-end cocktail bar is on the 55th floor of the Rialto Towers, offering expansive views over the city skyline and Port Phillip Bay.

Afterwards, we walked to Hardware Lane for a plant-based Italian dinner at Funghi e Tartufo. Cheers to 32!

 

That weekend was Melbourne's Big Vegan Market. Twice a year, the market brings together the community to eat, shop, and discover the very best from vegan entrepreneurs across Australia.

I have been to many vegan markets and festivals over the years, but this one exceeded all expectations. As has been my experience in Melbourne, the food was truly next level. Favorites included Pierogi Pierogi and Loco for Cocoa. 

Vegan Australia participated at the market to share our mission and recruit mailing and membership sign-ups.

The venue was also spectacular. Carlton Garden's Royal Exhibition Building is a reminder of the 19th century international exhibitions movement, which fostered a global exchange of products and ideas.

Back at home, Tom and I welcomed a new addition into our family--a brother for Louie! Sylvio (Sylvester) is a two-year old tuxedo cat that we adopted from a local shelter. He is quiet and confident with a big appetite. It's been a major transition, and adopting a second adult cat has differed significantly from adopting a first kitten. However, Louie is enjoying his feline companion. Welcome Sylvio!

 

 

 

F1 Grand Prix

Fall was ushered in at the end of March with the inevitable "summer is over" cold. The seasonal shift is challenging for me, but I am looking forward to the opportunity to slow down.

After Tom returned from his work trip to Korea, we went to the qualifying race of the F1 Grand Prix. Formula 1 racing began in 1950, and is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition. Ten teams consist of two drivers and a crew of mechanics, engineers, and strategists; the cars are just as important as the drivers. The word "formula" in the name refers to the set of rules all cars must follow.

The annual F1 World Championship is a series of 21 races in 21 countries on either circuits or roads. Each Grand Prix spans a weekend, beginning with practice sessions on Friday. Saturday's qualifying session determines the starting order for the race on Sunday. Australia's Grand Prix is located at Albert Park in Melbourne. 

At Vegan Australia, we just launched a new campaign, Sizzle For Change, to help animal sanctuaries organise sausage sizzle fundraisers. Sausage sizzles are a cherished tradition in Australia that fosters community and provides an opportunity to raise money for local organisations. Our project aims to replace meat sausages with plant-based sausages, normalise plant-based sausages at fundraisers, and introduce non-vegans to delicious meat alternatives. Ultimately, we envision hundreds of vegan sizzles happening across Australia, which will positively impact humans, animals, and the planet.

On Easter Sunday, Strong Hearts Sanctuary hosted an open day on their farm in West Gippsland (1.5 hours southeast of Melbourne). Vegan Australia managed the sizzle fundraiser with four volunteers. Heidi, Meg, Julian, and I worked together to grill 150 sausages. We faced a massive learning curve, but were very pleased with our first sizzle success!