Friday, January 20, 2012

From Melbourne to Tamworth

For five fun years this New South Welshman (Welshwoman?) has lived and breathed Melbourne. A 12-24 month stint south of the border morphed into a love affair with Victoria's capital. Husband S-bo and I loved the restaurants, the cafes, the markets, the bay. We loved the Swans at the G and the Boxing Day Test and of course we loved the tennis and its epic five-setters. But, this good thing has come to an end: S-bo and I have packed up our lives and moved to Tamworth, NSW.

Of all the gourmet Meccas in regional Australia, Tamworth is probably not one of them, but we have followed lifestyle and family. A quote I thought most apt when we were debating the move was by Newcastle poet, Keri Glastonbury, when discussing her move from Sydney to Newcastle at the 2011 Emerging Writers Festival. “Sometimes you have to give something up to get something better.” Have I got something better? Time will tell (and I have very few doubts) but I have certainly given a lot up by leaving Melbourne’s food scene.

We've been here for three months, we have a house, a yard, a dog and a vege patch, but there's a lot more to discover. I hope you'll join me as I taste local produce, test out cafes and restaurants and foster my vege garden. Not to mention learning how to master an electric cooktop ...