Where can you find beetroot-almond bread that's yeast-free, salt-free, gluten-free and, as an added bonus, the almonds are activated?
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Or a discount store that sells locally produced sustainable disposable bamboo chopsticks? And freezer bags for kale?
Web series Avalon Now has been dissecting the foibles of northern beaches life, scoring along the way 2.2 million views of its eight instalments.
Created by actor Felix Williamson with his neighbour, filmmaker Bruce Walters, it lampoons northern beaches culture with a razor-sharp skill – think of it as the older, more affluent relatives of the Bondi Hipsters.
"Bruce was just sitting around lamenting the cost of imported pinot grigio, and just said, 'Listen to me, listen to what I'm saying, I can't believe the things that come out of my mouth'," says Williamson of the inspiration for the web shorts.
The series began with a clip that won the Creative Creatures short film competition in March and now has been spun into a full web series, co-produced by Fairfax Media for Domain.com.au.The final instalment – the conclusion of a dinner party – has launched this week.
Williamson says the local community has embraced the series, even though it mocks familiar characters such as yoga practitioners reduced to tears on the beach at dawn because they're so lucky.
"We are lucky. That's the irony. We do actually love living here, but we do wanted to draw attention to the plight of the trendy middle class."
Highlights of the series include Richard Roxburgh doing a turn as local bottle-shop owner Philippe and other appearances by Jeremy Sims and Susan Prior.
The series follows Justin, played by Williamson, as he prepares for his big party – and possibly faces a midlife crisis on the way.
"You can almost call it dramedy because you need those story arcs to take you through. I suppose it's a middle-aged thing, a lot of the middle-aged dilemmas come into it.
"I think it's the idea of what kind of meaning does life have other than just all this kind of stuff, which will all end up in the thrift shop when you drop dead – what are you actually chasing.
"Maybe it's because I started meditating a couple of months ago. I think eating kate and cronuts and meditating is probably a dangerous combination."
See the full series here www.domain.com.au/news/avalon-now/
