Two Flat Whites have today embarked on a writing series called Towns & Places in Australia. The aim of this series is to help our talented writers further promote and showcase their work while promoting this wonderful country of ours.

Check out the wonderful articles and creative skills displayed by our home grown talent over the coming months. It’s not too late to get involved. Whether you are an up and comer or established and experienced writer, we want you!

So why not give it a go! If you are interested, please email me at ben {at} twoflatwhites(.)com and provide your choice of place or town.

The Two Flat Whites Team

Charlie’s Widow continues the story of Akina, who once crept into the pristine world of fairytales and nursery rhymes, leaving behind a devastating trail of destruction. After years of plotting and scheming, she is set to invade Charlie’s chocolate factory, turning sweet-as-cotton-candy girls into bloodthirsty, button-hungry villains- before setting them on a murderous rampage!

Akina is a villain with a button fetish. She attacks innocent teddy bears to steal their button eyes! Sydney based artist Lang Leav uses pastels and pixels to weave the enchanting world of Akina. Since its inception, the illustration based fashion label has established a cult following worldwide.

“I am often asked why I create such sinister twists to fairytale characters. I remember when I was a little girl my Dad bought me a Fairytale book. It was a huge thick book -” a collection of the complete and unabridged tales of the Brothers Grimm. The stories were contrary to the happy Disney-esque ones I was accustomed to. They were violent and often ended with children meeting gruesome deaths. I think I realised then that in their purest form, fairytales are dark. This irony really influences my work”, says Lang.

Lang Leav has won many awards including the Qantas Spirit of Youth Award and Winston Churchill fellowship. She has inspired a documentary that aired internationally, has showcased her art work throughout many galleries in Australia and Japan, produced a trendy fashion label and has forged out a number of inspiring books.

An innovative type with never ending ideas. See her latest creation Charlie’s Widow, a hand crafted storybook and with a limited number of 100, get in quickly.

Article written by Miss Bella.

Also check out our previous interview with Lang Leav here.

A friend and I strolled down King Street Newtown recently and spotted Cicciolina Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria. From the moment you peer through its wide windows, this modern Italian restaurant has a real elegant feel, slightly at odds with its namesake. Italy’s most famous porn star Cicciolina flashed during a political speech and even offered herself to Osama Bin Laden!

The attentive service was simply superb. Our waitress was magnificent. As you turned your attentions around the restaurant you notice very simple décor, colours very easy on the eyes and dinner music setting the scene. Its show piece is a bar stacked to the rafters smack bang in the middle of the room with its old wooden Venetian style.

With a wide selection of traditional meals on offer, pastas, pizzas, seafood and risotto which all looked absolutely delicious and tasty, I began with the Crumbed Bocconcini; deep-fried crumbed bocconcini served with radicchio and a creamy gorgonzola sauce. This cheese is described by its Italian name which means small mouthfuls and that is exactly what you want to do while engulfing this mouth watering dish. For the main, I tried the Penne Boscaiolla sautéed bacon, mushrooms, and shallots in a white wine cream sauce which was equally as tantalizing.

The desserts from what I have heard are worth the wait, the menu offers Tiramisu, Gelato, Crème Brulee and much much more. There is an extensive wine list and they even make a mean cocktail; try the Toblarone, you will not be disappointed.

Cicciolina Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria is not just a restaurant, but a dining experience. I will be back very soon.

Article written by Liam Gibbs.

What: Cicciolina Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria
Where: 224 King Street, Newtown 2042
How: Ph: 02 9516 1166
When: Open 7 nights – 5:30pm till late

I have turned off the BBQ and dusted off my pen and am excited to have joined the Two Flat Whites Team. Over the course of the year, I will be providing you, the Two Flat Whites readers with a commentary on some of the spectacular, wacky and unique towns and places this wonderful country of ours has to offer.

We get the ball point rolling and shine the spot light on the inner west. Glebe is an eclectic slice of Sydney. The diverse groups of people that live, shop and visit Glebe get a real feel of the Bohemian culture. The area is renowned for its young and fashionable art loving, book devouring and coffee consuming atmosphere.

Glebe was discovered by the English very quickly on the arrival of the First Fleet. Its name derives from the land on which it was developed. Originally owned by the Church of England, ‘The Glebe’ was a land grant of 400 acres given by Governor Arthur Phillip to Reverend Richard Johnson, Chaplain of the First Fleet, in 1790.

Today, Glebe has a population of about 14 thousand residents, with almost half of them aged between 20 and 39. The area houses an abundance of charming bookshops, multicultural restaurants, divine cafes, funky pubs and bars. Glebe is also home to the Anzac Bridge, Wentworth Park, Fish Markets, Valhalla theatre and the rejuvenated Sydney Tram System.

Annual events include The Glebe Street Fair and Glebe Music Festival in November, the Sydney Teapot Show in August every year and the upcoming Sydney Shakespeare Festival. Established in 2007, the annual Sydney Shakespeare Festival has fast become a fixture on Sydney’s summer calendar. Shakespeare’s plays have captured the imagination of millions of people throughout the world for over 400 years and are as exciting and provocative now as the day they were written. Grab a picnic, a bottle of wine, your friends and head to Sydney’s spectacular harbour foreshore for a night of theatrical magic from the 7th January to 14th February 2010.

Article written by the Travelling Larrikin.

Welcome to 2010. I’m never sure what to make of this time of the year. What’s more significant is that one year has come to an end and a new year has begun. It’s generally a relaxed month, its summer and we all have good intentions to get things started on the right foot.

Here at Two Flat Whites, we’re all about giving creative types the chance to share their talent with the world. Two Flat Whites focuses on discovering, promoting & nurturing Australian talent. Whether you are a budding young writer, fashion designer, artist, photographer, musician, restaurateur, chef or film maker this is the network for you!

Our website is full of lively reviews of films, music and restaurants; information about upcoming events, interviews with talented individuals from a range of industries; and lots of creative opportunities & competitions.

Two Flat Whites encourages submissions of articles on a variety of topics from young writers. We have been busy encouraging more writers to get onboard and I’m sure you will notice the difference, with more creative writing from our network of insightful contributors.

Our network while having the same feel, has been transformed adding some new exciting topics; if you are interested in Australian Music, Film, Food and Wine, Art and Design, Towns and Places or obtaining your dose of what is hitting the headlines this is the network for you.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support in 2009 and look forward to seeing you back in 2010. So strap yourself in and enjoy the ride!

The Two Flat Whites Team