Along the way I found out about the Raw Kitchen, a Raw and Vegan cafe in Fremantle. Since I didn’t have much experience in the way of raw food, and my attempt at raw spaghetti earlier this week turned out quite bland, when the opportunity to visit Freo arose today it was first in my list of destinations to visit.

The cafe took a while to find, it’s located in the Piazza arcade on South Terrace and tucked away. The first thing my boyfriend and I noticed was that it was thriving, we ended up sharing a table with another couple so that we could sit down.

We each ordered a slice of the raw ‘pizza’. While we were waiting we had a look at the menu and also ordered the raw ‘nachos’, and a slice each of cheesecake. While the food wasn’t cheap, it wasn’t unaffordable either.

Considering the nutritional value of the food, the cost of ingredients and the fresh produce required, it’s good value.

The only thing I can say about the food was that it was absolutely amazing. The pizza was much better than any vegan pizza I’ve tried, and the nachos were unbelievable. I was blown away – I usually know how to replicate dishes when I try them at restaurants but I was baffled. The cheesecake was decadent and rich – I ordered the chocolate and my boyfriend got the lemon and berry (his was better, mine was too rich).
A warning – the food is very filling. While we ended up spending about $50 total between us, we both felt we’d eaten too much. Remember even their desserts are wholesome and nutritious and should be counted as part of the meal. We could have easily gone without the nachos, which would have brought the bill down to around $35.

I will definitely be revisiting this cafe and definitely recommend it to anyone, whether you’re omni, veg or vegan. It will change your perspective on healthy food.

Raw Kitchen Website

As I was checking the outskirts of Perth while on the train, the sun reflected off of the window and illuminated heaps of scratches dug deep into the plexiglass. I stepped back to get the full image, and it revealed absolutely nothing. Just a bunch of shitty lines that some group of kids probably decided to create on one bored, hot, meaningless day. If you’re going to deface property, then at least do a good job doing it! All of a sudden the best idea in the world came to me… I’ll freaking document Perth graffiti! Anything from the shit scratches on train windows, to the masterpiece murals on abandoned (or not) brick walls. And so my ventures through sketchy alley-ways and under bridges began.

My favourite thing about searching and finding graffiti (actually graffito is the correct plural… which is what I’ll be using for now on) were the outrageous spots which they were either hidden or very publicly displayed. In most cases, the more congested and populated the area, the more concealed and hidden the graffito. I say most cases because of the infamous Heaven Spot pieces. Any piece which is drawn up in a hard to reach area or risks the outcome of one actually going to heaven, is given the righteous name, Heave Spot.

Okay, so here’s the run down on tags, wildstyles, murals, stickers, and any other term I can think of:

Most of the tags (small scribbles) are found on posts, along alleyway walls, on posters, or on street signs. These tags are generally used for territorial purposes by gangs or groups of hooligans, although sometimes they’re just made by some lonely single who just can’t find a lady.

Wildstyle is a term coined for those pieces you’ll see and stand in front of for 5 minutes trying to figure out what they say… and never actually figure it out. They’re my personal favourites because they involve shading, multiple dimensions to create depth, multiple colours, and a whole lot of creativity.

Murals are murals. They can be wildstyle, tags, or just about anything that covers an area larger than your arm span.

Stickers… well you know those “Hello My Name Is…” stickers? Ya, just stick a tiny tag on the blank area and you’ve just created your graffiti sticker!

And well… that’s about it!

Are these pieces art? Hells ya! I don’t care if they deface private property (as long as it’s not mine). They still take time and creativity to make. Now this doesn’t mean that I think it’s right to be going on private property and defacing it, but I can’t help but to crack a little smile when I see an amazing piece drawn up.

Thanks Perth for your inviting graffito exhibit. My stay here has been a colourful one.

My collection of Perth photo’s can be checked out by clicking HERE

Please feel free to contact me for any info, questions, or comments!

Cheer,

Gavin Firkser

lamar328@hotmail.com

THE GOOD TIMES ARE KILLING ME, dedicated to drunken nights, shenanigans, turbos, awesome stories, constant illness, forgotten memories, bicycle thievery, sneaking into clubs, the island of Rottnest, getting kicked out of clubs, BNGRS, real hip hop, smooth disco jams, talking shit, wisest wizard, Tooj, uni parties, the friend zone, “would you rather”, passing out, capes, technical difficulties and North Beach.
- Sleepyhead

Tracks & Track Listing »
(right click and save to download)

Midnight Mauraders (mp3, 13.6mb)
Hotter Than Them (EXT Mix)- Kid Foreigner & Bigga Boss
Hercules Theme – Hercules & Love Affair
Lucid Dreams – Franz Ferdinand
Da Funk – Daft Punk
Give It To Me (Instrumental) – Timbaland
Like I Love You (Instrumental) – Justin Timberlake
Acetate Prophets – Jurassic 5

Only Mixed For Disco Linx (mp3, 17.4mb)
Comfy in Nautica (Mr. Devlin’s Jamaica Plain Humpbacks Remix) – Panda Bear
Future – Cut Copy
Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above (Spank Rock Remix) – CSS
I’ll Get You (Ft. Jeppe) – Classixx
Little Scare – Benjamin Diamond
He’s Frank (Ft. Iggy Pop) (The Twelves Remix) – The BPA
Cross The Dancefloor (Chromeo Remix) – Treasure Fingers
Curriculum Vitae – Robyn
Ray of Zdarlight – The Avalanches

Time Out Turbo (mp3, 36.3mb)
Paranoid (LMFAO Party Rock Remix) – Kanye West
Get Buck in Here (Villains Remix) – DJ Felli Fel
What Happened? – Amphibious
Get Money Kids (Malente Re-Dub II) – Pase Rock
Roll It (Instrumental Mix) – Fully Fitted
Heads Will Roll (Dan OH Remix) – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Kicking and Screaming (Bang Gang’s E is for Edit) – The Presets
????
Cheap and Cheerful (Fake Blood Remix) – The Kills
AA/247 (Diplo Remix) – Dance Area
No You Girls (Foamo Remix) –Franz Ferdinand
Mr. Icecream (Dj Waxmaster Juke Mix) – Soft Tigers
Paris is Burning (Automatic Panic vs DJ Cat NYC Remix) – Ladyhawke
Ready For The Weekend (Fake Blood Remix) – Calvin Harris
We Are Ur Friends – DJ Tim Dolla
Keep it Going Louder – Major Lazer

Only Mixed For Disco Linx Pt. 2 (mp3, 21.3mb)
Deceptacon (DFA Remix) – Le Tigre
Disco Kicks – DJ Tuco
Forget My Name (Ft. Hot Chip) (Original Mix) – Jesse Rose
Kilometer (A-Trak Remix) – Sébastien Tellier
Send Him Back (Pilooski Edit) – Pointer Sisters
Sex Machine (Original Mix) – ReSeT!
The Next Episode (Project Cyborg Remix) – Dr. Dre
Racer (DJ B-Stee Remix) – Thunderous Olympian
Sabali (Uproot Andy Remix) – Amadou & Mariam
Breaking it Up (Pocketknife’s Loosefoot Remix, Extended Version – Lykke Li

There’ll be food and refreshments, so head on down for your chance at fame.

The People & Animal Welfare Society’s new HQ is located at 110 Beaufort Street in Northbridge, a mere 5 minute power walk or 10 minute stroll from Perth train station. The PAWS building is home to a Cruelty-Free Shop, MacCafé (Perth’s first Apple-only internet café), library, conference centre and dining hall. The former PAWS building, located at 112-114 Beaufort St is now emergency accommodation for the down-and-out willing to volunteer.

Resuming a couple of months ago and going stronger than before, PAWS’ Monday nights are something of an institution amongst Perth’s vegans & vegetarians and are open to everyone. Starting at around 6PM, dinner is served by donation. It’s usually a number of dishes of different cuisines, always vegan, most often accompanied by friendly conversation and sometimes followed by halva for dessert.

Whether you want to expand your social circle, or see a vegan in real life, this is the best way to do both. The regulars are friendly, welcoming and informative. (NB: Vegan-watchers are given the option of grabbing a plate and joining a table, coming in a group and eating in the corner, or just observing from afar. So it’s really your PAWS visit, to experience it how you will.)

paws.org.au

Also it’s not ‘top 10′ cause I thought the length of the entry was getting out of hand! 7 will suffice

!One – Cite

I picked Cite as the top place to shop because it’s affordable, accessible (being open in 3 locations) and has a variety of items to suit different people and different styles. Everything in the store hits you with a bang. I don’t think I’ve come across a store that was so ready to be so unique and out-there. A lot of the items are really pushing cutting edge fashion boundaries.

The chain has moved in fast and set up fronts in Whitford city, Carousel and now there’s one in Karrinyup shopping centre. Carrying a mix of skate and surf as well as fashion labels, Cite picks the best and edgiest each brand has to offer. They carry minkpink, something, little lady from (a venture by oneteaspoon), insight (including their latest, dopamine), oneteaspoon, Zoo York, Stussy, Local Celebrity as well as jewellery by Disney Couture, shoes by nike and adidas, watches by nikon and police and a bunch of other trendy accessories. A definite must visit!

!Two – Pigeonhole

Next on the list is my fave barrack st store. Johann, the store manager has got to be one of the most friendly and easy to talk to store managers ever. Never failing to make friends with a customer, he never lets the small store become cramped or awkward. Hand-picking everything in the store from Australian and international designers, everything is new and different and unique. A lot of things you’ll find have a way of getting to Pigeonhole first and then filtering out to other stockists – because Johann is actually the distributor for a lot of those items.

If you need that finishing touch on an outfit – say a brooch or a necklace or earrings, I’d definitely recommend this store. It’s also a go-to for unique gifts. While the clothing is a little on the pricey side, pigeonhole does tend to have sales that literally blow you away and you can find things reduced by up to 60%. Located in the Bon Marche Arcade on Barrack st, and also on Shafto lane.

!Three – Harry Highpants

Highpants I think was the store that got me into it all – hunting down small boutiques and checking out local culture. I chanced upon it when I was walking up william st just browsing.

Harry is just great. They stock not just cool brands, but cool clothes. Take insight for example. I think we’ll all admit that some insight stuff is pretty run of the mill. Harry picks out the best in each collection and stocks that. It’s great! They also have a bunch of clothes toward the back of the store that are second-hand, but totally retro/vintage and more importantly affordable. It’s like a version of retro vinnies that’s actually cool.

The store is mostly about clothes – stocking insight, my pet square, Swedish jeans, other random brands  – but they also stock books, cameras, and jewelery. The jewelery is notable – small wooden brooches, necklaces sporting teapots or miniature muffins, delicious stuff.

!Four – Atlas Divine

The ultimate in shopping experience – decadent and suave, lush and dramatic. Atlas Divine certainly makes a statement with its amazing decor, vintage wallpaper and furniture all decked out. What about the contents though? Atlas stocks a variety of designer clothes for both men and women and while I can’t say I was too impressed, what got me were the jeans, shoes and jewellery. An amazing array of women’s and men’s shoes – heels like you wouldn’t believe. They also stock Disney Couture – and did so long before Cite was ever on the scene – and Cheap monday jeans. Cheap mondays are just THE brand jeans to have. In my opinion they trump all other brands ( it must be the tag !)

Anyway it’s somewhere you have to go once, just to get the experience. It’s on the leederville strip anyway so on the way to a bunch of other fabulous boutiques.

!Five – The Basement

What’s that? If you haven’t been to the basement in Myers in the city, you must have been living under a rock. It’s a massive section occupying half of the bottom floor of Myers and catering to both men and women. The decor is uncharacteristic of Myers, dark and dimly lit and the clothes catering to younger age groups (14-30?) with smaller wallets. Not to say that things are cheap!

Stocking for women Pilgrim, Kenji, Riders, Bauhaus, French Kitty, Tokito, Miss Shop, Purr, Bluejuice, Golf Punk, Bardot, Ed Hardy as well as a bunch of other designers ( hard to keep track) there’s definitely a wide variety to choose from and it’s all deliciously subject to Myers’ wonderful sales.

!Six – Fi and Co.

Fi and Co. is a cute little store on William st that stocks all sorts – mainly in shoes and clothes. This was one of the first places that I saw Minkpink sold in Perth. Everything is definitely affordable (no ridiculous price tags a la subway DC or wheels and doll baby) and very individual. It’s a small independent boutique and worth the visit. One of the most notable products are definitely the shoes – an array of shoes, all different, all super duper cute! A definite visit, it’s part of the william st collective along with Keith and lottie, Harry highpants and Lalaorange. That leads me on to the next store!

!Seven – lalaorange

Lalaorange is faar away – it’s not a store you’d happen to chance upon, walking around Perth. It’s on william st on the same side as harry but further up, much further up. It’s also very small.

But it’s worth finding! As you’ll see by reading their blog, lala orange is filled with dreamy shopkeepers who are up to date with things fashion-wise, but also have a sense of humor. The store is small and narrow but it’s got the stuff. A collection of vintage designer clothing for men and women, as well as delightful jewelery and accessories. One of the blog posts mentions their new collection of Tilly Bloom jewelery – which you can see on their online store – and it’s absolutely delightful (though reminiscent of things I’ve seen on etsy – for less).

I’m talking cotton-on, rubi shoes, supre etc. I can’t dispute that from time to time you can find really nice things, and that sometimes a girl just needs a simple singlet or skirt. However when places like these become the go-to places for fashion, then I start to lose hair. It’s just depressing seeing the same outfits wandering through Perth. The clothing isn’t thought out, it’s probably made in a sweatshop, it’s poor quality and what’s worse – it was probably fairly expensive! Supre, cotton on, rubi shoes are all marketed to be fairly cheap fashion outlets but when you examine the quality of what you’re buying and compare it to the price, you’re being ripped off.

Look at rubi’s stock item: ballet flats. At $15 for one pair that fit well, initially I was stoked. But these shoes were made in a cardboard factory! Or at least that’s what one would assume, judging by how long they last. You can always tell when a girl is wearing rubi flats, because you look down to her feet and are disappointed.

Who is to blame? Stores are just trying to make a profit and will respond to demand like any other business. It’s your fault. You the reader, the consumer, who spends their money at supre or dotti, instead of trying to find an independent business to support. Without support, small independent boutiques will die, leaving Perth a cultural wasteland and me bald. If you buy rubi shoes, don’t. Look online, shop around, spend a little more because when you work it out a pair of shoes that lasts you a year will cost you the same amount of money as buying one pair of rubi’s every 2 months. And they will look better and speak volumes and do wonders.

Someone please go harass the morons at frankie mag forums.

It’s a ‘concept’ store, similar to Colette in Paris, featuring sculpture work by George Kustorkov originally made in the 1970′s for ‘Cardin Salon International’, a full length mural wall by Sydney artist Ben Frost, mannequins designed by anna sui and a black mickey mouse gesturing rudely, the store is an experience in itself. Can’t begin to guess at the startup costs of this.

For those of you interested in fashion, Wasteland houses a selection of premium brands such as Marc by Marc Jacobs, Martin Margeila, See by Chloé, M by Missoni, Ksubi, Commes Des Garcons, Junya Watanabe, American Apparel, Sass & Bide, Tina Kalivas, Mala Brajkovic, April 77, American Apparel, Les Bijoux de Sophie, Mawi, and Junk Deluxe.

They’ve also got a space for artists and a gallery showcasing them on their website also.

Sounds like an expensive joint to me.. however on their website they say: “Wasteland is more a destination than just a store because of the variety of stock we sell. There’s something in the store for everyone, and there’s no attitude at Wasteland, you can spend $15 or $15,000; everyone leaves with the same carry bags… and that’s the rule!”

Support Perth culture, check it out and spend some money. They have to make a return somehow.

website

Tickets are $20 for unenlightened souls who dont have an RTRfm subscription, $15 for those who do. Doors open at 11:30 (at the Somerville Auditorium, UWA) and the show goes to 10pm.

See here for the RTRfm page on it – with full lineup and details

HA – SECRET SOCIETY OF COSMIC DANCE
The Heavenly Ascension To The Secret Society Of Cosmic Dance

Every Wednesday night 7pm till late (Launch party! 1st April)

In a world full of so much disposable dance music, trendy hedonism and ear grating soulless music comes a night like no other. HA is a long needed alternative to the current nauseating & overtly commercialized scene. The constant rise of violence happening in our clubs has forced us out, and into new and more creative forms of social activity. HA is the long overdue alternative driven by the passion for good music and the freedom to dance.

In the depths of the city, hiding in the shell of a once abandoned Chinese restaurant, is HA. Like no other place known to man, HA stands on principles of secrecy, that govern its nature as a passion filled party environment, embracing a cosmic musical diversity with every beat of its heart: Disco, Space-Rock…ba doom…. Chicago House, Afrobeat…badoom badoom badoom… Motown, ‘60s French pop, Krautrock, …badoom…Italo Disco, Reggae and Psychedelic soul.

HA sits firmly tongue-in-cheek – brash in its neoclassicism, sensual, sassy – it’s a kung-fu chop to trends, to crowds, and to trash.

The word HA stands for “The Heavenly Ascension To The Secret Society Of
Cosmic Dance.” As with all secret societies, membership is vital. You will be clicking ‘Attend’. When the day of HA comes, arrive with a HA society member, or know the password, to be welcomed into the HA world of mid-week party pleasures.

:: Code Of The HA Society ::

Rule I: The most important of all the rules…You’re here to have fun!

Rule II: Respect all people at HA as part of your family: bitchy attitudes and agro will not be tolerated. Any violence could cause you to be banished.

Rule III: The freedom to dance: dancing at 115bpm is sweat proof

Rule IV: We prefer gentlemen, not jocks. We believe in the evolution of the species.

Rule V: Be your own work of art: it’s OK to get dressed up mid week.

Rule VI: Spread the love: welcome those with heart to our family via Chinese whispers. Invite them to this group

Rule VII: Make the effort to live beyond your expectations, be alive!

Rule VIII: HA is our precious secret, be discerning as to who you invite into our family.

Entry – Only to members & free

Location – Seek & you shall find (The Location will be passed on to you soon. Remember do not disclose to non members…be discrete and make sure you are not followed.)