tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post6558714434396114606..comments2024-03-28T16:53:20.412+11:00Comments on Footscray Food Blog: A gourmet's guide to Highpoint's Fresh Food MarketLauren aka Ms Bakloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-69855409145720900322014-11-01T16:28:12.139+11:002014-11-01T16:28:12.139+11:00No, not yours.No, not yours.Kenny Considerhttp://considerthesauce.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-56438330849629892462014-11-01T14:55:38.351+11:002014-11-01T14:55:38.351+11:00whose blog might I ask, Kenny? Hopefully not mine ...whose blog might I ask, Kenny? Hopefully not mine which is ranked at 1.RMIT Newintstudentshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16080502678259979920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-63698669747225947742012-11-13T19:14:17.098+11:002012-11-13T19:14:17.098+11:00Stick around, Justin - you're good for the sou...Stick around, Justin - you're good for the soul!<br /><br />FWIW, I'm re-considering my approach to these issues.<br /><br />Truth is, the places Bennie and I like most are mostly so cheap that not a lot would be foresaken by drawing a firmer line.<br /><br />And as you point out, it's almost always possible to cover the story without freebies.<br /><br />A hard-won reputation for honesty and integrity, which people tell me often enough Consider The Sauce has in common with Footscray Food Blog, is not something to be weakened without very good reasons.<br /><br />And in some ways, I already yearn for a situation in which there is no muddying of the waters whatsoever.<br /><br />It makes me think of another Melbourne blog. A blog on which each and every "review" is relentlessly positive. A blog on which there are no comments or interaction with visitors or ordinary punters. A blog that has a very high Urbanspoon ranking. A blog that has no disclosures of freebies. I suspect - but have no way of knowing, of course - that the "reviews" involve quite a few free meals, perhaps even most. By extension, it's not impossible that there are blogs for which securing freebies is the whole reason for being.<br /><br />The thought that Consider The Sauce might be thought of or discussed in the same breath as such blogs is, for me, a vision of horror! :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />kennyhttp://considerthesauce.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-47814995039519941172012-11-13T14:59:08.019+11:002012-11-13T14:59:08.019+11:00Well we now what happens when my pathological disl...Well we now what happens when my pathological dislike of Highpoint clashes with you on a bad day. And thinking about it, I probably also have a preference for the Ruth Reichl style of reviewing, reviewers in disguise! But obviously she was paid by her employer and I hadn't really thought about the expense aspect of blogging, so if you can take a few shekels off Highpoint then good I suppose. <br /><br />And, as you note, it is your blog and you are perfectly free not to approve posts which you don't like, which to your credit you haven't. Though I wouldn't really blame you if you did. <br /><br />Justinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-3833478597770882962012-11-13T13:04:43.324+11:002012-11-13T13:04:43.324+11:00Hi Justin, sorry to bite your head off earlier. Y...Hi Justin, sorry to bite your head off earlier. You got me on a day when my two jobs, three kids and one woefully inadequate child-free day per week were really getting to me. I do really value your feedback and those of all readers - everything worthwhile needs checks and balances and you and all readers provide those, keeping me in check.<br /><br />We will have to agree to disagree on freebies though, at this stage at least. In the "Food Blog Code of Ethics", put together by two food writers/bloggers in 2009, the fourth "pillar" reads:<br /><br />4. We will disclose gifts, comps and samples<br /><br />When something is given to us or offered at a deep discount because of our blog, we will disclose that information. As bloggers, most of us do not have the budgets of large publications, and we recognize the value of samples, review copies of books, donated giveaway items and culinary events. It’s important to disclose freebies to avoid be [sic] accused of conflicts of interest. (See whole thing here: http://foodethics.wordpress.com/the-code/)<br /><br />For me, the greatest reward of writing this blog is the amount of positive feedback I get from both readers and restaurateurs. It is an expensive hobby though and I have no expense account or salary to offset what I spend per week to bring you a post per week. To date I have accepted three free meals and I have honestly valued the chance to take a long-suffering friend or two out for a slap-up, free meal. I have also turned down free stuff because I don't think it's at all relevant to you readers - Dilmah Tea high teas, Taste of Melbourne stuff etc. I even gritted my teeth and turned down a champagne and oyster thingy in the city (they said I could only go if I wrote about it) - believe me, turning that down was actually physically painful!<br /><br />Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that for me at this point, freebies are a tiny but valued way to offset the overall cost of my blog. I am sorry you feel that there's still a conflict of interest no matter what. That's why I put a disclaimer at the top and the bottom so if you don't want to hear about a freebie thing, you can switch off the minute you see those italics instead of having to get to the bottom and feel let down.<br /><br />So I am sorry about my "it's my blog and I'll cry if I want to" moment. :-) Please keep challenging me and interacting with the subject matter. As Kenny said above, "I think it's fair to say we both love and welcome such scrutiny of our blogging, and that we habitually consider and even agonise over such issues factors more often than you may imagine." There's no bachelor in blogging - we all make it up as we go along! With our readers' help, we'll find a "middle path" somehow.Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-706934159300682072012-11-13T09:27:22.332+11:002012-11-13T09:27:22.332+11:00Ouch. Kenny, in response to your question on cover...Ouch. Kenny, in response to your question on covering Highpoint, it is clearly up to you.<br /><br />But, conflict of interest 101 says that a conflict of interest may be real or perceived. In this circumstance accepting a goodie bag clearly makes it real. I'd suggest you continue to cover it as the need arises, but don't take the bribes. But it may be that I am just old fashioned.<br /><br />And following on from that I never meant to imply that you weren't honest Lauren. It is the Highpoint marketing machine co-opting local blogs that troubled me, given it would not be hard to construct an argument they don't contribute much to the community within which they sit (except a lot of traffic).<br /><br />But I probably found the Gozleme in a box more disconcerting! I will now put my tail back between my legs and shuffle off.Justinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-40385813637540121742012-11-06T11:21:54.784+11:002012-11-06T11:21:54.784+11:00All good Winston :-) Lovely to "hear" y...All good Winston :-) Lovely to "hear" your happy voice, as always! Don't forget all the other foodie destinations around Melbourne too - Vic Market, Preston Market, and make sure you take them to one of the really good farmers' markets like Collingwood or Gasworks - see here http://www.mfm.com.au/Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-80193909224259445542012-11-03T00:05:41.102+11:002012-11-03T00:05:41.102+11:00Oh man this is FANTASTIC! I've really gotta ta...Oh man this is FANTASTIC! I've really gotta take my folks to High Point when they visit in 3 weeks. There's so much for them to see/eat here... And YAY for posting about Yahweh too. The owners are really lovely people. You should meet them one day, they're fantastic. Thanks for great post of High Point! Hope all is well with you, Lauren =)Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07536704297054335614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-76268005942416526372012-11-01T20:46:12.658+11:002012-11-01T20:46:12.658+11:00Do you think I'm better than Bolt yet? ;)Do you think I'm better than Bolt yet? ;)Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-41055106860869349252012-11-01T12:36:01.808+11:002012-11-01T12:36:01.808+11:00Thanks Jane. I'm not a shopping centre groupi...Thanks Jane. I'm not a shopping centre groupie but when I lived in Richmond, before Victoria Gardens was built it was really annoying when you just wanted something as simple as a packet of undies and had to drive to Camberwell Target. Shopping centres have their place. And definitely second that about the kids - it sounds lovely to traipse along with a basket and fill it gaily, market stall to market stall, but combine that with a trailing gaggle of snot-nosed tackers and on a certain day, that is the definition of hell's third circle.Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-72318087447299960902012-10-31T23:26:25.132+11:002012-10-31T23:26:25.132+11:00Ooh Controversy on Footscray Foodblog?? Who would ...Ooh Controversy on Footscray Foodblog?? Who would have thunk!! And after our little discussion about fitzroyalty ... Temasekhttp://www.temasek68.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-84768103021315674562012-10-31T15:12:44.439+11:002012-10-31T15:12:44.439+11:00Thanks for another good tip on your blog. I'm...Thanks for another good tip on your blog. I'm with you on embracing this sort of thing at Highpoint. I think the Highpoint naysaying is a bit unrealistic, I mean where else do people go for their undies, doonas, cool Chistmas presents from the Australian Geographic shop? The same shops in central Melbourne would be my guess... I go to Highpoint and if I can have some real choice for food shopping while I'm there, rather than only the big name supermarkets, then I'm happy (and so are my kids, having escaped being dragged to another two or three locations to buy food).Janenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-83930635880635170262012-10-29T09:56:06.270+11:002012-10-29T09:56:06.270+11:00cover it in a great way I say Kenny!cover it in a great way I say Kenny!RMIT Newintstudentshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16080502678259979920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-64575791994895014732012-10-28T21:58:34.458+11:002012-10-28T21:58:34.458+11:00But Justin, lest you think we're both being to...But Justin, lest you think we're both being too touchy ... I think it's fair to say we both love and welcome such scrutiny of our blogging, and that we habitually consider and even agonise over such issues factors more often than you may imagine.Kennyhttp://considerthesauce.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-2481824067610367832012-10-28T21:49:00.620+11:002012-10-28T21:49:00.620+11:00Thanks Sally. Not sure what's up with Jasper!...Thanks Sally. Not sure what's up with Jasper!<br /><br />Happy Lab is that crazy lolly shop down where everything comes in test tubes and the workers wear lab coats. Not sure if I'll do a post on them, but I do have some exciting sweet developments in Footscray coming up - two in fact!Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-11699484020656513512012-10-28T21:39:47.138+11:002012-10-28T21:39:47.138+11:00FWIW, I'm with Lauren on this. Not that that&#...FWIW, I'm with Lauren on this. Not that that's much surprise. And yes, Justin, I got the same PR graft, though was unable to attend the launch as I was working elsewhere. However, had I been free to do so, I would have happily attended.<br /><br />Consider The Sauce has done two posts on Highpoint. And Lauren quotes me 100% correctly in regards to HP, love it or loathe it, being part of community. It ain't going nowhere just if we choose to ignore it.<br /><br />Like Lauren I have done some bloody hard yards of sleuthing and research. And likewise, I feel no obligation to adhere to any particular politics or philosophy. I'm a journalist/blogger. Or a blogger/journalist. I'm intensely curious about everything around me. An what's more, the more someone says it's un-PC for me to do something or cover it on my blog, the more keenly am I going to be interested in doing so.<br /><br />In some ways your comments seem a bit like the grief we've both received for having the temerity to covers food topics outside the western suburbs. How dare we! :)<br /><br />A question for you: Do you think western suburbs food blogs should ignore Highpoint? Or cover it, but only in a negative manner?<br /><br />Kennyhttp://considerthesauce.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-30607481665501796592012-10-28T21:11:43.594+11:002012-10-28T21:11:43.594+11:00i loved the post. any chance that jasper will be o...i loved the post. any chance that jasper will be opened? what is happy lab by the way? Will you do a post on this?<br />would love to hear about what you think<br />xo: newintstudents blogRMIT Newintstudentshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16080502678259979920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-17193896298312745412012-10-28T21:02:37.313+11:002012-10-28T21:02:37.313+11:00Oh Justin... The voucher was $50 and the butcher v...Oh Justin... The voucher was $50 and the butcher voucher was $25. OK? Two people have written to me thanking me for my somewhat OTT disclosure but obviously it's still not "disclosed" enough.<br /><br />Despite obviously being a regular reader and finding benefit from my blog, do you now think I'm some sort of corporate stooge because I went on a media tour of Highpoint? I would have hoped almost three years of sniffing out little-known places on the largely forgotten side of town would have stood for something.<br /><br />I do not have some sort of anti-corporate agenda and have never pretended to. I've been to Guzman Y Gomez and Mamak - both Sydney imports and "chains" in a sense. At the same time I've eaten pan rolls, Nepalese momos and UFO-shaped idlis in barely empty restaurants - and received lovely mail from hardworking owner-operators saying how many new customers they have had since. I'm just trying to cover ALL the west, from chi chi cafes to pho joints with sticky condiment bottles and everything in between. I think Highpoint falls within that spectrum. Besides, I just love good food. I don't think anyone has a monopoly on that.<br /><br />I got similar angry comments from people about Bongiovanni and my excitement at his new store as he was supposedly "sucking the lifeblood" out of the existing Seddon strip. Can't please everyone.<br /><br />I'm sorry that despite so many years of writing, you don't trust me to be honest.Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-26079810779053651192012-10-28T20:31:35.175+11:002012-10-28T20:31:35.175+11:00Lauren,the joy of this blog has been going to plac...Lauren,the joy of this blog has been going to places I would never otherwise have heard of, with the wonderfully kid friendly Ancheto probably the best example. There is no way I would have learnt of it if I hadn't read it here. So there is something about reading reviews of Highpoint, a shopping centre worth probably $1.5 billion that does not have a great reputation amongst its near neighbours, that I (and some others by the look of it) find a little disconcerting. There is probably a story in the co-opting of bloggers by major corporations to be a part of their PR strategy. Whether or not the "gift pack" came with strings attached or not, there is always going to be a perception of a conflict of interest. I note the "full disclosure" did not state the value of the vouchers. Would love to see the media (epicure, are you there?) kick around the pro's and cons of this issue.Justinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-53821726458304009602012-10-28T09:14:52.246+11:002012-10-28T09:14:52.246+11:00Hey Chun, my pleasure! I've followed your Car...Hey Chun, my pleasure! I've followed your Carlton Facebook page for a while so I was chuffed to see you opening a store in the west!Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-42776129620704560132012-10-28T09:14:23.168+11:002012-10-28T09:14:23.168+11:00The day I went, Jasper Coffee were open but I'...The day I went, Jasper Coffee were open but I've since heard that they've closed already?!Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-87617235735198927762012-10-28T09:13:48.345+11:002012-10-28T09:13:48.345+11:00Yummmm!!!! Apparently the deli has lots of loyal ...Yummmm!!!! Apparently the deli has lots of loyal customers who were anxiously awaiting where they opened up next :-)Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-87295949240502094402012-10-28T09:12:58.202+11:002012-10-28T09:12:58.202+11:00Great point James!Great point James!Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-33107951235708386512012-10-28T09:12:32.797+11:002012-10-28T09:12:32.797+11:00Justin, as Kenny of CTS has said - like it or not,...Justin, as Kenny of CTS has said - like it or not, Highpoint is part of the western suburbs landscape. I choose to engage with it rather than ignore it.Lauren aka Ms Bakloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08540872180823771651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2166641060916490585.post-27913159699399805562012-10-27T21:02:31.905+11:002012-10-27T21:02:31.905+11:00Highpoint is such a horrid place, I'd hate to ...Highpoint is such a horrid place, I'd hate to think this review encourages people to go there at the expense of Sims, LaManna, Little Saigon, Seddon or any other place which provides a semblance of interest and variety and contributes to the community where it resides. Greedy robber barons!!!<br /><br />I was also surprised at how poor the new supermarket layout is. Woolworths are being left for dead by Coles in terms of store layout and Sims and LaManna in terms of product offering. It is just blah. And the bottleshop was tiny, with not enough sparkling in the fridge.Justinnoreply@blogger.com