It all started with focaccia. A crisp and glistening slice of fluffy bread bathed in olive oil and crusted in salt, lit by a perfect stream of golden sunlight. This was one of the simple pleasures of lockdown, salivating over the sumptuous food creations on an Instagram page, Ellie’s Table.

Behind this enigmatic account is Ellie Bouhadana, an amateur cook and self-taught event planner who draws on her Jewish heritage when concocting her delectable Italo-Mediterranean dishes. Ellie started gathering a cult following among Melbourne’s food community last year, when her infamous focaccia became a staple inclusion in her ‘Doorstep Deliveries’- a home dinner service she began during Melbourne’s lockdown.

Things just went up from there. Between planning budgets and inventing menus for her regular pop-up dinners, Ellie spends her time conducting ‘research’ at local food haunts, getting food tips from her grandma and art directing her dreamy Instagram – all from her home in Balaclava. What a life!

Take a seat at Ellie’s (very well curated) table, and enjoy the luscious spread.

Getting It Done is our newest video series, created in partnership with Adobe Acrobat!…

The garden accompanying this Federation home in Mosman, Sydney was already beautiful and grand, but the design needed consolidating to suit the modern day. 

Following a string of designers who worked on the garden in the past 100 years (the most recent being Peter Fudge), Wyer & Co stepped in to improve the functionality of the space. 

The landscape designers have since updated the extensive 1412 square metre garden, tying it all together with a varied plant palette.

Beloved Melbourne foodie Julia Busuttil Nishimura had a fruitful 2020, all things considered. She brought her second baby, Yuki, into the world, and her second book, A Year of Simple Family Food was released!

Julia, her husband Nori, Yuki (1) and Haruki (5) recently welcomed us into their delightful home in Melbourne’s inner north, and we got to chat to Julia about wild, wonderful motherhood.

Since 2018, artist Emily Imeson has been travelling around Australia living and painting out of a four wheel drive. Engagement with nature is so central to her practice, she seeks new environments to immerse herself in as often as she can. Paradoxically, change is her only constant.

While traversing the vast landscape, Emily’s focus has been narrowed to a few simple necessities: water, food, shade, weather, nature, and painting. This talented artist is living the  lifestyle most of us can only dream of!

Artist and proud Gumbaynggirr woman Aretha Brown has accomplished more than most 20-year-olds. She…

Nothing says urban jungle quite like the Collingwood warehouse of interior and plant stylist Ryan Klewer (aka Plant Charmer) and his partner, artist Ellen Porteus, that we featured last year. Our jaws hit the floor!

But the plant guru’s new store is a world away from his explosive, colourful home. Nestled in Melbourne’s Brunswick East, the retail space (which he designed and built himself!) is a serene, pared back oasis from the bustling city beyond its walls. (You might have even glimpsed a sneak peek of it in our Small Business Summer School video with Fiona Killackey last week!)

Join us inside his tranquil haven, and learn more about this enchanting Plant Charmer!

Late last year we featured the story of Maggie May and Josh Kelly of Think Thornbury and their young son Remy in our family column. Josh had just started undergoing chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and despite all the challenges heaped on this little family, their positive outlook was super inspiring.

Well, we are so happy to share an optimistic update. Good news only in 2021, please!