Pierrick Boyer of Le Petit Gateau

Yesterday, I read in Point Cook Weekly about Pierrick Boyer, the talented Head Pastry Chef at Le Petit Gateau (http://www.lepetitgateau.com.au), and felt so proud that he is a fellow western suburnian! I would like to think that we are people of good taste flocking together.

Driven by curiosity and love for pastries, I googled him this morning and saw that his creations are so beautiful - like those I saw and ate in France and Switzerland! So refined, so inviting. This lemon tart filled me with so much nostalgia.  During my one year's stay in the french part of Switzerland, this lemon tart is always a weekly treat.

His other creations include

I really wish that Pierrick will set up a shop in Point Cook so that we can have access to his creations here rather than having to drive to the city to pick up the goodies.

The beautiful wetlands

Has anyone walked your dogs, jogged or cycled in the BIG backyard of Point Cook - the Cheetham Wetlands?

The walking/cycling path takes one from the Boardwalk in Sanctuary Lakes (near Regatta Beach) all the way to Altona in a car-less and safe environment. Inhale the salty air of the wetlands, spot the migratory birds, take in the beautiful wild purple blooms right here in Point Cook. I usually complete the return route with my son in two hours, each of us riding a non-fancy bicycle. The energy from the wetlands never fails to invigorate us. 

Here is a write up on Point Cook Coastal Park taken from http://au.totaltravel.yahoo.com/

"Point Cook Coastal Park features abundant birdlife, a historic bluestone homestead, intertidal sand banks and a Marine Reserve. Located 20 km southwest of Melbourne, it is a popular destination for birdwatchers, nature lovers and family groups.

Flora & FaunaOver 250 fauna species have been recorded at Point Cook Coastal Park. During the Victorian summer, visiting migratory birds move between the wetlands and saltmarsh at Point Cook, the beach sand flats and Cheetham Wetlands, depending on the tides.

Extensive areas of saltmarsh vegetation grew in wetter areas close to the coast. There was a band of bush, probably wattles and shrub species, inland from the beach. This was known as the Point Cook forest and was felled as the area was settled."

I do hope more residents in this area and the surrounding suburbs will explore this hidden secret of Point Cook. It is accessible to all, and best of all, it is free!

PS   Remember to bring along a water bottle or you will have to share a drink with the birds.

A flash of inspiration

The thought of starting this blog actually came to me like a flash while I was in bed this morning. I woke up inspired and decided to start the blog right away.  So, here I am, with Love West - a blog to share about life in the rising West!

This Love West affair started in Nov 2009. My daughter decided to do an undergraduate study that is available at the University of Melbourne. We were living in Perth then. A friend from Melbourne recommended that I look at a new western suburb called Point Cook. And of course I did not know Melbourne enough to understand the major differences between the east and the west. I liked the name Point Cook.  I located it on google map and discovered to my delight that it was on the 20km radius from Melbourne city. Best of all, there are heaps of wetlands and nature reserves around it. Bingo!

What followed on was a purchase of a house in Sanctuary Lakes and a move from Perth to Point Cook in Jan 2010.  Since then, me and two darlings have discovered many joys of living in Point Cook. Of course there are challenges too. Public transport and road infrastructure are two major gripes. My daughter still needs 1.5 hours to get from home to Uni every day.  On Sundays, there had been no public buses until recently. Lack of eating places was another inconvenience.  In spite of these, the western parts of Melbourne still have much to offer. Love West is about uncovering the best in the western suburbs, to instil that sense of community, pride and belonging, and to faciliate the transition of those who just make the brave and great decision to move here.