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A new vintage shop called Nook opened recently on Johnston St next door to Used. It"s great to see the east end of Johnston St gradually coming to life. I was also curious to see that the Indian restaurant Tandoori Station that opened in the space of the former Guru da Dhaba has changed to become the "Fitzroy curry house". I did wonder what Tandoori food had to do with the Buddhist images on the walls inside. Not much, apparently. The former Sukhothai has also become an Indian restaurant. I"ll have to reopen voting on "the best Indian restaurant in Fitzroy".

Throughout February I posted a story about my recent London holiday each morning with a local story each afternoon. It"s time to give local stories priority again in the morning, though I will post a few more London stories in the afternoon to complete the series. I was fascinated to learn recently that there has been a fruit and vegetable shop where the Vegie Connection now stands for far longer than I previously knew, as this photo from 1958 demonstrates.

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I"ve become even more cynical about street art. Everything I see makes me suspicious. Is it art? Or just rubbish? I thought my visual palette was refreshed by seeing some different street art in London, but I have not seen anything new of exciting since returning to Melbourne.

Here"s further evidence that the standards of enforcement, disclosure and transparency regarding food hygiene standards in Victoria are hopelessly inadequate and out of date. In London, local government authorities close down suspect businesses and refuse to allow owners to reopen under different names. They post information on the windows of premises for the public to see. This business was the Saffron cafe (11A Sicilian Avenue, Holborn) and I saw this by coincidence. Why can"t we have this in Melbourne? We could if our inept, obsessed with secrecy, state government developed some political will and forced local governments to take their responsibilities in relation to public health seriously.

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I think this was on Napier St, but I"m not sure. I"ve seen several. Does anyone know the artist?

The former premises of Thomas Gannan at 239 Brunswick St were demolished while I was away, so it was a surprise to see work already beginning on the new building, which is for public housing.

The City of Yarra is developing its arts plans for the next five years. You can read more here. You have until 5 March 2010 to complete and return surveys aimed at community members, arts organisations and arts practitioners. If you have something to say about the arts in the City of Yarra, the time is now.

This sofa abandoned on the street outside Bimbo Deluxe amused me for a moment over the weekend. Is this where their security staff send people they eject from the premises?

On my flight home to Australia from London via Hong Kong, the pilot announced we had flown over Darwin and were heading towards Melbourne. We flew south-east towards the sunset. At one point, the sun was below the horizon line formed by the clouds, and burned through them to the clear air above.

There is awakenings to be had, apparently. On a laneway wall off Elgin St Carlton.