Issue #7

Welcome to The Prestonian, a fortnightly newsletter that brings you all the ins and outs of Preston and it's local surroundings.

We are a group of creatives who want to share our love and passion for the northern suburbs. We'll be covering a whole host of topics ranging from local news to food reviews to local sports. Everything Preston, always.

Meet our editor

Sezer is a creative writing wiz who specialises in putting words onto a page. He moved to Preston at the start of the year and fell in love with the suburb. You can see him walking his dog, Ramsay, up and down High Street.

He works as the social media marketing manager for Digital Basis, a Preston-based digital agency that has thrown its support behind The Prestonian.

What are we covering in this issue?

This issue sees us celebrate Preston Station reopening, we take on another $20 challenge, experience a skin check with a smile and more!

Office Space at The Prestonian

An exciting opportunity presents itself at The Prestonian office on High Street! With the majority of our team now working fully remote or hybrid, we have a bit of excess capacity at our office.

Are you looking to get out of the home office? Or away from the busy (and/or expensive) co-working space? Our office would be a perfect fit!

Available to use when you secure your office space is an open, light-filled boardroom that can seat upwards of 6 people at the table, along with a wall mounted smart TV for any presentations or meetings.

We've got some desks that you could take out as your new working space. They include an optional monitor and your own individual cabinet for storage.

Or perhaps a private office is more your style. We have two available, one with a window and one without. Both offices come with a wall of shelves and a filing cabinet.

We have a communal kitchen with a microwave, bar fridge, kettle, toaster, pantry and a sparkling water tap.

If you're interested, please contact Owen at [email protected] or on 0423 107 444.

$20 in Preston

The last time we tried the $20 challenge in Preston we ended up feeding ourselves for the workday and even had some money left over, lets see if we can do it again.

We had an early start at the office today and needed a strong coffee to wake us up for the day. Across the road from our office is one of our favourite coffee spots in Preston, Donguri. We quickly ran across High Street to grab an espresso for $4 and kick ourselves into gear for the day. The espresso had all the hallmarks of a quality shot, with a golden finish and the right amount of crema sitting on top of the coffee.

If you're on High Street looking for a quality coffee, stop by Donguri for one of the best coffees in Preston.

An hour or so after our coffee, the hunger started. We wanted something filling but not too heavy with ingredients. At the end of High Street, just before the border of Thornbury and Preston, you'll find Cedar Bakery, a Lebanese bakery, cafe and food store that serves traditional Lebanese snacks and meals. We picked out the classic Zaatar Manousheh for $2.80, a traditional, white flatbread topped with herbs, meats, cheeses and sometimes sugary treats, served at breakfast time. Our Manousheh was piping hot out of the oven, crispy on the edges and soft in the middle, topped with a blend of seasonings and spices.

If you love middle eastern fare or baked goods, you need to head to Cedar Bakery and try out their options.

Lunchtime rolls around, and it's time for the final meal of the challenge. The Preston Market is one of the great places to find yummy foods, and Fresh Daily Gözleme is no exception. Gözleme is a traditional Turkish pastry made of thin layers of dough filled with toppings and cooked on a grill.

We went for the sujuk (Turkish cured sausage) and cheese Gözleme for $12, an absolute winner. You get seasoned sausage with savoury cheese in every bite and layers of crispy dough to keep everything from falling out. You can squeeze some lemon on top to cut through the oils from the sujuk and the cheese, or you can have it as is. Anyone adventurous that wants to broaden their horizons a little with a Turkish dish that isn't a kebab, head down to the market and get yourself a Gözleme.

At the end of the challenge, we kept our total under $20 again and finished at $18.80 for our three purchases. We'll have another crack at this challenge in the coming issues to bring you more cheap eats around Preston.

Donguri | Cedar Bakery | Fresh Daily Gözleme

Molemap Preston x The Prestonian

IIt's safe to say that here in Australia, we are one of the countries where the population has the greatest risk of skin cancer due to our climate. The boiling hot summers, and high levels of UV that cover Australia are an extreme risk for us, even in the Winter months when we assume the risk isn't as high.

Celine from Molemap Preston invited us for a skin checkup at Inside Out Dermatology on Gilbert Road. Celine was going to take us through all the steps she takes with clients and come away with a better understanding of the moles on our skin and what they could potentially mean.

We strolled through the door and greeted by Celine. Celine took us through to the Molemap examination room, where we would begin the checkup. The biggest thing for Celine and the work she does through Mole map is educating patients on what to look for when it comes to skin checks at home and with a licensed professional. Not all moles and markings on the skin are cause for concern, but it is important to know which ones are and how to monitor them.

The first thing we found with Celine is how welcome and comfortable she makes patients feel. With a blend of humour and care, she makes it a priority that clients aren't stricken with anxiety during the skin checkup.

We got to see all the different types of cameras and lenses used to identify possible skin issues and a comparison chart of the types and stages of skin cancer.

I came into the session a bit worried about a mole I'd noticed on my back in recent months, I showed it to Celine, and she went through all the checks to show me the type of mole that it was (thankfully, a benign one).

The systems in place through Molemap are exciting, and the technology they've put together to help detect and treat skin cancer is a testament to how much work goes into trying to prevent skin cancers.

After the session, I received my photos to my new Molemap client portal. I can monitor and compare my skin over the coming months. Skin checks at home should be completed once every 3 months, and with a professional like Celine at least once a year. With summer on its way, it's crucial to get into the habit of regularly checking your skin.

We had a fantastic time at Molemap Preston with Celine. She took the worry out of the checkup and put us at ease throughout the process. If you haven't had a skin check in a while and wanted to see someone who knows their stuff, head to their website to book or call the clinic on 03 9005 5520 to book over the phone.

Website: Molemap Preston | Instagram: molemap_preston | Phone: 03 9005 5520

Preston Station is back in business

After months of having to catch the train to Regent Station to get to work, we finally got to catch the train to Preston Station again!

Monday morning saw locals and workers celebrate the station reopening with a gorgeous new facelift and the removal of the level crossing beneath it. Staff handed out tote bags filled with little goodies to mark the occasion.

Everyone was smiling, and we got to work earlier than usual. For anyone who hasn't caught a train from the station since it reopened on Monday, make sure you head down as soon as possible to show support for the new upgraded station.

Spread the Word

The future of The Prestonian is bright, and we want to showcase more and more of the Northern Suburbs. Bringing increased exposure to small businesses in the area, and creating a sense of community by keeping everyone in the know.

If you're a business owner, a local resident or a lover of Melbourne's Northern suburbs and you have something you'd like to share, then DM us on Instagram @theprestonian or reply to this email to get in touch.

Tell your friends, tell your family, tell everyone you know, we want to bring the beauty of the Northern Suburbs to as many people as we can.