George Town Festival, Penang

I must admit that I hadn't visited Penang in Malaysia until 2013, but I fell in love with the beautiful island immediately.

Its tranquil beaches, gorgeous food and friendly people made me want to re-visit and rediscover more of Penang than I did in the few days we were there.

June 2014 newsletter

Fancy relaxing in a tropical retreat in the middle of Melbourne's winter?
Drop in at QV's warm oasis at QV Square from now until June 27.

Forget the price of an airline ticket to a beach resort, just kick off your heels at QV's resort sanctuary and join in the fun!

Looking for all the world like a beach resort, complete with thatched roof and tropical plants, the resort invites everyone to escape the winter chill and sip a mocktail or two in its warm ambience.

Courses at CAE Melbourne

Basic wok techniques: stir fry, steaming and boiling

Chef Ida Chionh shows you how to take care of and fully utilise your Wok, while showcasing some fabulous dishes and various cooking techniques, including stir fry, steaming and boiling.

Ida creates stir fried beef and snow peas, deep fried prawn fritters with wasabi sauce, chicken curry, Chinese style steamed fish and vegetarian fried rice.

Venue

Centre for Adult Education, 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Buddha's birthday at Dandelion

Why not celebrate a birthday party with a difference at Dandelion in Elwood?

To help celebrate the birthday of Buddha, Dandelion will present a special menu for the mind, body and spirit on Wednesday, May 14.

The evening will include a water blessing by the monks from Wat Dhammarangsee, Melbourne’s oldest Buddhist temple.

The vegan menu is exciting, inspired by Buddhist cuisine of Hue, in keeping with the general Buddhist precept of ahimsa - non-violence.

Happy Mother's Day!

Whether you're a mother or a child, enjoy these humorous quotes on Mother's Day

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it. - Mark Twain.

My mother had to send me to the movies with my birth certificate, so that I wouldn't have to pay the extra fifty cents that the adults had to pay. - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

My mother loved children - she would have given anything if I had been one.
- Groucho Marx.

Fish Chowder

Try this fish chowder recipe at Easter

Serves 4

40g butter

1 large brown onion, chopped coarsely

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 rindless bacon rashers (130g), chopped coarsely

2 tbsp plain flour

2 medium potatoes (400g), chopped coarsely

3 cups (750ml) milk

2cups (500ml) vegetable stock

400g firm white fish fillets, chopped coarsely

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives

Newcastle Writers Festival

Until Sunday, April 6.

If you are in Newscastle or visiting the area, why not check out the Newcastle Writers Festival?

Kate Forsyth and Hugh Mackay will be in conversation at different times and you might even meet some Wordy Women!

Find out how fiction helps us rehearse our response to ethical dilemmas in Dry Run or attend readings by local poets.

Details on www.newcastlewritersfestival.org.au

If your knowledge of Indian cinema is limited to Bollywood musicals, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, which runs from 1 to 11 May, will give you a broader view. The festival includes recent mainstream and independent films from across India and the subcontinent and screens at HOYTS cinemas in Melbourne and Chadstone.

White Night Melbourne 2014

After captivating audiences in 2013, White Night Melbourne is back.

In its 2013 debut, White Night Melbourne attracted more than 300,000 people.

Starting at 7pm on Saturday, 22 February 2014, Melbourne’s city streets, laneways, landmarks and cultural institutions will once again be transformed into a cultural playground from dusk-till-dawn.

Share the love this Valentine's Day

Why not share the love this Valentine's Day by helping the less fortunate be a little more happy, a little more comfortable?

Buy a gift from the heart from Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia, send it in your loved one's name and you will be helping in the treatment and prevention of birth injuries at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital and regional centres in Ethiopia.

A donation of $30 buys a dress or bedding for a fistula patient and $600 funds an entire operation.