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The October 28 Edition

Hudson pear: the horror cactus spreading across Australia | Inside Elon Musk’s orbit | Author Richard Flanagan on grief & gratitude | The Newsreader’s Michelle Lim Davidson | The rise of the “lazy-girl job” | The Rest is History’s very British founders

15 stories

‘Napalm it all’: Desperate calls to stop cactus menace spreading across Australia

Smothered in long, sharp spines, the Hudson pear is a snowballing horror for our wildlife and livestock.

  • Tim Elliott
Elon Musk’s ultimate goal is to make life “multi-planetary”, he told his biographer.

As Tesla struggled, Musk wondered: what will we wear on Mars? Life in Elon’s orbit

When celebrated biographer Walter Isaacson took on oddball tech billionaire Elon Musk, strange revelations came quickly.

  • Nick Bryant
Richard Flanagan in the kitchen
with his mother, Helen, in 2005. “Making bread was my mother’s way back to her past,” he says.

Author Richard Flanagan on his mum – and one ‘vast achievement’ he’d overlooked

Replaying richly coloured memories of his mother Helen leaves the Tasmanian Booker Prize-winner overcome by regret, grief and gratitude.

  • Richard Flanagan
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‘Oh dear’: The Rest Is History’s hosts on how Englishmen express deep feelings

Tom Holland had a shock diagnosis. His podcast co-host’s response was very British.

  • Melissa Fyfe
“When I was younger, I would walk past a window, see my reflection and not recognise myself.”

Michelle Lim Davidson was told she’d never work on Australian TV. About that ...

The Newcastle-raised actor’s most recent role is an award-nominated turn as Noelene in the ABC’s The Newsreader.

  • Benjamin Law

With my Bible-bashing friends, do I turn the other cheek?

Try pouring oil on troubled waters, suggests our Modern Guru.

  • Danny Katz

Risk-reward

Paul Connolly’s Kitchen Sink Drama is a slice of domestic life, captured masterfully in only 100 words. This week: midnight nappy change.

  • Paul Connolly

From working hard to hardly working: Hail the ‘lazy-girl job’

Plus: get ready for the weekend with these fresh diversions.

  • Lenny Ann Low
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Julia Busutil Nishimura’s oyakodon (chicken and rice bowls).
EASY

Oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowls)

These Japanese chicken and rice bowls are an adaptable and easy midweek dinner option.

  • < 30 mins
  • Julia Busuttil Nishimura
Halloween brownies.
EASY

Halloween brownies with chocolate ganache

A frightfully fun dessert with bonus decorating ideas for meringue ghosts, Frankenstein icing, spider web feathering and more.

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
The dining room is high-ceilinged, strung with ceramic lights as delicate as paper.
Good Food hat15/20

This joyful Abbotsford newcomer is an instant treasure for Melbourne

Once a dining room for “wayward” women, Julie is now a light-filled restaurant with a menu built around produce from the surrounding gardens.

  • Dani Valent
Bruce’s southern garfish with yuzu, green olive, parsley and chilli oil ($52).
Good Food hatGood Food hat16.5/20

‘Fish that stops conversation’: Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year Margaret, the review

Neil Perry’s Margaret is one of Australia’s great fish restaurants, and a family affair too.

  • Callan Boys

Chilling a red? The ideal serving temperature for serving wine

Often we lazily chuck all whites in the fridge and serve reds at room temperature. But here’s how to do it properly.

  • Huon Hooke
Good Weekend Quiz online index image

Good Weekend Quiz

Trivia buffs: test your knowledge.

Good Weekend letters to the editor: October 28

Want to chat? We’d love to hear from you. Send your letters to goodweekend@​goodweekend.com.au

Other editions

The March 21 edition

Stephanie Alexander and The Cook’s Companion at 30 | Free-diver Ant Williams | Debra Adelaide and Gabrielle Carey | How to deliver a baby on a plane

  • 11 stories

The March 14 edition

The high-strung, low-key world champ who could become our most-capped swimmer | Ukraine’s world-leading robotics work | Filmmaking at -50C | Consoling a friend

  • 13 stories