Claryss Kuan reflects on getting tattoos much to the disapproval of her parents, providing some common reasons for why tattoo stigma is so prevalent in older generations.
Tag: Melbourne
The Gen Z Crochet Renaissance
Lily Miniken shares her crochet journey and how it has helped her throughout lockdown, throwing in personal anecdotes and a short history of crochet.
A Glimpse into My Travels and Journey of Self-Discovery
Taylor Doyle reminisces about her journey in Japan, Egypt and Morocco and the impact her experiences has had on her today, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic causing her inability to travel.
A Not-So-Subtle Social Media Phenomena
Claryss Kuan dives into the Facebook group, Subtle Asian Traits, exploring how it has become wildly popular and why we need more shared spaces just like it.
Unfortunately, Book Reviews Actually Matter
Debating the utility and function of book reviews—especially the reviews in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian—is a near constant presence in the contemporary Australian publishing field. These debates typically centre around three distinct themes: reviewers should not review the books that their friends wrote; who is the reviewer writing for (is it … Continue reading Unfortunately, Book Reviews Actually Matter
Still Resilient? Can Indie Bookshops Survive Covid-19?
When I arrived from the UK and settled in Melbourne, I quickly learned to respect coffee and not to make jokes about AFL. I also noticed that Melbourne has an impressive network of local independent bookshops. But how have indie bookshops managed to survive in Australia when they have virtually vanished in the UK and … Continue reading Still Resilient? Can Indie Bookshops Survive Covid-19?
Book Club Zoom Rooms? Online Launches? Melbourne Reading Communities Adapt to a Post-Covid World
When I checked my phone this morning, I had a text from my sister. It was a video of her daughter – my niece – sounding out the words to her very first picture book: Mix, Mix, Mix, the engrossing tale of Bob the Bug baking a cake. Ordinarily, this is the kind of thing … Continue reading Book Club Zoom Rooms? Online Launches? Melbourne Reading Communities Adapt to a Post-Covid World
Imagining a Nation of Readers
Melbourne is known as a City of Literature. The city hosts north of fifty writers festivals, with new ones cropping up every year. Melbourne is home to a plethora of literary journals and Indie bookstores. Writing competitions have become a sport for those who would rather flex a biro than a bicep. These opportunities provide a springboard for locals to expose their work – a tapestry of tales that enrich the nation.
Escape from New York
It was 4:45 p.m. New York time, 7:45 a.m. Melbourne time, when my parents called and said, with an unmistakable tone of disappointment, ‘We think you should come home.’
A Lament to Cherry
The owner of Melbourne’s soon-to-be erstwhile Cherry Bar is hard to miss: after all, he wears a big hat. (Indoors? Indoors.) Although one doesn’t really make out faces from any stage, anywhere–unless there aren’t any faces all, delivering you from the challenge–trademark silhouettes travel well, in spite of distance or dazzling lighting. Impossibly, some manner … Continue reading A Lament to Cherry