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This article compiles anecdotes from readers about various personal experiences related to pop culture and local establishments in Sydney. Readers share stories such as an Australian sailor giving Vegemite to a U.S. Navy captain, the connection between TV shows Bewitched and The Flintstones, dining at the upscale restaurant Chelsea, and using unusual words like "shevelled." Another reader expresses frustration with sports commentators misusing the word "versus" as "verse."
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In San Diego, an Australian chief steward named Doug Bower arrived on his ship near an Australian Navy warship flying the Australian flag. Recognizing Doug’s vessel, the navy captain approached and requested Vegemite since he couldn’t find it in the US after 10 months. Doug shared 3½ boxes of Vegemite with him, making Doug popular among the crew for his generosity.
This anecdote highlights the cultural importance and scarcity of Vegemite outside Australia, particularly in the United States.
Written for “San Diego Toast Festival” on 2026-10-11,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
“My late friend Doug Bower, chief steward on many Australian container ships and tankers, arrived in San Diego years ago and tied up behind an Australian Navy warship,” writes David Sayers of Gwandalan.
asserted
Sayers → arrive → Gwandalan
“The captain of the warship, seeing the Australian flag on Doug’s ship, hurried on board.
asserted
captain → see → board
He explained that they’d been in the US for 10 months and couldn’t buy Vegemite anywhere.
asserted
they → explain → Vegemite
Could Doug spare some?
uncertain
Doug → spare → some
Doug gave him the 3½ boxes he had on board and the thankful captain departed with a rating carrying the booty.
asserted
captain → give → booty
The recent mention of Bewitched (C8) has garnered an observation from Graeme Finn of Campsie: “The opening of Bewitched had animation by Hanna-Barbera, which also made The Flintstones.
asserted
which → garner → Flintstones
Fred and Wilma would be an improvement on Gladys “Abner, come look at this!” Kravitz.
asserted
Fred → look → Kravitz
“I had the pleasure of dining at the Chelsea (C8) only once,” says Duncan McRobert of Hawks Nest.
asserted
McRobert → have → Nest
Most of the clientele, though, were elderly gents celebrating with their ‘nieces’.
asserted
Most → celebrate → nieces
The menus presented to the ladies bore no prices; the look of shock-horror on one bloke’s face when he opened his copy (with the prices) was ‘priceless’.
asserted
he → present → prices
Everything about the place vibed opulent indulgence.
asserted
Everything → vibe → indulgence
Peter Olsen of Hornsby “took two different young ladies to dinner there in the 1970s.
asserted
Olsen → take → 1970s
The second became my wife after I proposed to her over the phone (Sydney to New Jersey), as she’d gone home for Christmas in ’72.
asserted
she → become → 72
I remember a dessert that was a pineapple scooped out and filled with other fruits.
asserted
that → remember → fruits
That was years ago and we’re still married.”
asserted
we → ’re → ?
“Thanks to Marilyn Irons (C8), I now have the perfect word to describe the way I like to look when leaving the house,” declares Daniel Low of Pymble.
asserted
Low → have → Pymble
“‘Shevelled’ is just the right word.”
asserted
Shevelled → shevelle → ?
Carole Dawes of Randwick feels the curse of the commentator (C8): “With the NRL grand final done and dusted, I thought I’d heard the end of ‘versing’ for another year.
asserted
I → feel → year
No, I forgot the World Cup.
asserted
I → forgot → Cup
When will it end?”
asserted
it → end → ?
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