A days food adventures

Now that it is holidays, for most people, if you find yourself bored or in want of new food adventures I have mapped out a day of eating out across the inner city. From St.Kilda to Collingwood with a stop off in South Yarra, there is something for everyone. 

Breakfast: Neighbours Cafe St Kilda

This quirky cafe on the corner of Inkerman and Chapel street, has a huge outdoor area perfect for the summer time. With daily specials, great bread & the best Acai smoothie. I had a very generous serve of avocado & feta smash on toast. A must visit on a sunny day. 

Lunch: Miss Chu South Yarra

This picture does not do Miss Chu justice, after watching Miss Chu come together as it is just down the road from work on Toorak road, the place looks amazing! Small tables, a large bar table running the length of the place and order pads to hand to the waitresses. The food is also very tasty, vermicelli salad, spring rolls, dumplings & Pho - which I am yet to taste. 

Dinner: Peko Peko Collingwood

I often find with Japanese restaurants I am not sure what to order as I don't understand the menu. The menu at Peko Peko was very easy to read - but also hard to choose what to have, everything sounded delicious! We had a couple of dishes to share between 2 people, all were great. It wasn't our first preference to go to, but I would definitely return if I was in the area. 

Christmas Celebrations at Davids & Lamaro's

Christmas parties, I am sure you have all been to a few this year. I have been to two at two new restaurants so I thought I could put these ones up on my blog. 

I had been angling to get to Davids for a while since there new fit out and this article in Gourmet Traveller. It is very cool inside with white walls of different textures & greenery everywhere. We had a sharing menu as there was 8 of us, a great easy ordering option. Very satisfied with the dishes, which came in entree's, mains then desserts. I wouldn't be going there if dessert is on your mind though. Think of gluggy tar...  

Lamaro's website sums it up perfectly, it is a gastro pub. We sat in the front bar area with marble table tops & the cricket on. It is a picturesque South Melbourne setting on tree lined Cecil street the food was good, but not great. We shared entree's of duck spring rolls & goyza's, I had a main of steak that was a touch over cooked & the coconut ice-cream to finish was divine. All in all a great day out, I think, due to the extensive wine list!

Practically a Music blogger - JLo

I know I did a post recently on Missy Higgins. Then I went and saw Nicky Minaj, which I didn't have too much to write about hence why it didn't make the blog... And in the week just gone I saw a friend play at Miletos on Chapel street before racing off to JLo. What a week of music! 

Jennifer Lopez

Picture from The Age

While we were still huffing and puffing from our race in mid sized heels, from Richmond station to the very last row at the top of Rod Laver JLo started with a bang and in high heels boy can she move! Made us really appreciate the dancing in high heels as we were stuffed from a 600m walk. As an entertainer she didn't disappoint, great costumes, back up dancers, bevvy of hits & great crowd interaction. She even brought her 'Mom' up on stage and sung happy birthday to her! My personal favourite song 'I'm Real' from when I was a gangsta in year 9, was a flash back to her 'Jenny from the Block days.' Ahh the memories. 

Boxing Ring Set for 'Jenny from the Block'

Armadale Eateries

Recently I have been to 2 new-ish Armadale eateries 1 on High Street, the other just off it. They were both quite incomparable! 

Le Petit Prince

Doesn't warm weather just make everywhere cuter? It was a perfect day when a friend and I sat outside at Le Petit Prince. The quite attractive french waiter told us the specials of the day for breakfast, it was hard to chose. I had a breakfast bruschetta & my friend had fruit with yogurt and a raspberry mousse. Both were delicious while sitting on leafy Mercer street watching the world go by.  

8 Days

I now know why a lot of people have been talking about 8 Days cafe. The name is a nod to the coffee roasting process & 8 Days cafe are serious about their coffee. Everything was delicious, I went for lunch and ate the linguine with prawns & chorizo while the others had breakfast dish & the burger. The place is quite spacious inside and has a lot of outside tables. It is an all round venue offering service breakfast to dinner & drinks and private functions. 

The return of Missy Higgins

Melody (you’re the only one who saves me) – portrait of Missy Higgins by Kate Tucker

I admit, I had slightly forgotten about Missy Higgins except for the odd song on Mix 101.1 till June when I saw the Archibald Prize at TarraWarra museum in June. Her portrait by Kate Tucker was a standout in the gallery. The same artist was originally commissioned for the cover of Missy's come back album ' The Ol' Razzle Dazzle' release in June this year. After taking a break from the music industry for a couple of years, it had been 5 years since her last album. 

When my friend from Prime7 asked me to go with her to a Missy Higgins concert, I was a 'hell yes!' I had forgotten how much I loved the stories told in her songs & lets be honest, a few belt it out loud sing along songs. I brought my sister with me, who was even tearing up! She played songs from all 3 albums, playing 'The Special Two' & 'Where I stood' on the grand piano with no back up besides the acoustics from the Palais theatre. Spine tinglingly good.

Channel 9 2013 - What's to Come

Last week our team had to be at Mural Hall, in Myer Melbourne for the launch of Channel 9's 2013 reel. The early start of 8am ensured that there wasn't too much chatting amongst the crowd as everybody was still waking up, I certainly was! Julia Morris introduced the proceedings, she really is looking great. There was a lot of chest beating about Channel 9's year, I could use some media terminology to skew that they won the ratings year on demographics of people. However we all do know that Seven won the ratings war this year, just. Channel 9 were a close second & they are promising advertisers an increase of 5% in audience. 

Big Brother will return in 2013, along with 2 series of The Block (yay!) and the runaway success story of the year The Voice. Now with Ricky Martin replacing Keith Urban. Hamish & Andy will feature with more tomfollery as well as a new Underbelly 'Squizzy,' and House Husbands, even Celebrity Apprentice gets another run! All in all nothing too new for Channel 9 next year, except for The Great Australian Bake off. My neck was quite sore by the end of the presentation trying to spot Andy in the crowd, only Hamish was in attendance...Damn. 

Taylor Swift

Unless you're really not into pop culture, you would know that Taylor Swift made her way down under last week to promote her new album 'Red' and attend the aria's. I have no real new information to share with you about Taylor (or swifty as we call her), except I am just in love with her! Her songs are just so darn catchy!

I really think she would be a good addition to our friendship group as she seems so lovely & fun. It would save us from having to put the iPhone on the dock to listen to her songs a million times! She does love cats & eyeliner and has worked with Ed Sheerin - amazing. Get around her! 

Also as we know I love magazines. This would have to be one of my favourite ads that I have seen in one, for Taylor Swifts perfume Wonderstruck. So beautiful & whimsy.  

Swifty also loves going out on a date & gets to do so with some absolute hotties. Taylor Lautner, Jake Gyllenhaal & Joe Jonas just to name a few.

Red - Taylor Swift

New Album

Melbourne's Street Food

Taco Truck

The other week the Taco Truck was in St.Kilda, as it doesn't venture over to this side of the river very often a couple of us went down to try it out. It was amazing! Potentially even worth driving to Brunswick for. I got the chicken & fish tacos in a lunch pack with tortilla chips & guacamole. All ingredients were very fresh & delicious. Huge call to make, but possible the best chicken taco I have had this year. Highly recommend seeking this truck out. 

The Falafel Man

My work colleague had been raving about The Falafel Man at the Prahran market ever since I started working here. Seeing as I have nearly worked at the same place for a year I thought it was time to try it. The reports weren't wrong, a plate full of fresh salads, about 5 falafel balls & even pickles for $9! If you like falafels and find yourself in the area on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday do yourself a favour. Be prepared to wait a while in line (with randoms chatting to you), this man loves his craft and serves it up accordingly. 

Women in Fashion

I recently saw the movie Diana Vreeland  "The Eye Must Travel," through work. You see she used to write columns for Harpers Bazaar USA before becoming Fashion Editor there, working at Harpers for almost 25 years. She jumped ship to become Editor in chief at Vogue for 8 years before a 'difference in direction' forced her out. She was born in Paris and thought that anything from Paris was beautiful, hear hear sister! What I really learnt about her from the movie is that she saw fashion & beauty in anything & particularly that which was different or unusual, always wanting to take her readers to different parts of the globe when this wasn't the norm. Although she was very good friends with Coco Chanel which most people can't relate to, she was brought up when only 1 in 4 women was working. She never stopped working, after Vogue working for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Making it the event it is today - NYC fashion event of the year.

This made me think of other strong women that magazines breed. Jackie Frank & Gemma Crisp both jumped to mind. In the December Issue of Marie Claire Jackie Frank was invited to talk to the women in Parliament and how hard is it to juggle life, family & a high pressure job. She didn't back down either, talking to Prime Minister Julia Gillard repeatedly pushing her for answers on same sex marriage. Gemma Crisp didn't shy away from photo shop rumours and the current all consuming spotlight of bulling in her Editor's Letter in November, telling Australia to give it a break on Lara Bingle and providing a detailed article to answer all of the questions asked about photo shop and the magazine.  Magazines are built for a reader, an editor makes sure they understand the readers, both Jackie & Gemma are very strong women and lead by example. 

Jackie Frank & Julia Gillard

Image from 7yahoo

Gemma Crisp, editor of Cleo

Exciting Echuca

For a girls getaway long weekend, my friend decided to celebrate her birthday in Echuca. It was my first time to Echuca since I was a young girl. It is a beautiful town about 3 hours away from Melbourne. We didn't even get lost going there! It is quite easy considering it was 1 straight road. We hired a house from stayz.com.au which slept 15 people very comfortably and had a massive kitchen & family area. The pool over looked the huge backyard, the Murray river at the base of the property and the sun was out for most of the weekend. We had breakfast at Black Pudding which was very busy on a Saturday morning, the food was delicious. After celebrating the birthday at the local nightclub OPT on Saturday night, the drive home was long! All in all a perfect weekend away.  

View from Backyard

Murray River from the property

House in Echuca

Amelia, Rachel & Myself in the pool

Birthday Girl - Simmi

"Lifes too Short for Boring food" - Black Pudding

New Places (for me) Prahran & Richmond

Fog bar/restaurant

Here I was thinking that Fog is quite fancy-pants. Think again for the lunch time meals. With a Mexican/Southern America taste on their menu a lunch here  won't set you back as much as you would think. I am told that dinner is different.I had the calamari which was delicious, I did have food envy on a fellow diner who got the beef enchilada. It turns into cougar city at about 5-6pm, very funny!  

Cheerio

Cheerio is a cute little cafe in Richmond on Lennox St. It was a lovely sunny day so my friend & I decided to sit outside. Both of us ordered different sandwiches off the small menu. It was actually the best chicken sandwich I have had in a long time, with grainy bread that was fluffy - who would have thought this possible?!

Baby

Baby cafe & pizzeria has been busy since the moment they opened the door. In an ideal location on Church st just over the bridge in Richmond, where Pearl used to be & the same owner as Chin Chin, it is no wonder why. I have had both takeaway and eaten there and I must say it does satisfy. With authentic italians as waiters, perfect gnocchi and thin based pizza you will be pleased you visited. However it is very noisy inside & our takeaway order was messed up, as a side note! 

Christmas Present Ideas - for everyone!

Christmas present buying is a joy for a small few. I LOVE it! Last year my mother kindly let me come with her to buy the rest of the families & my own, she hates it. As we are only 41 sleeps away from Christmas and December gets crazy with parties & catch ups, I have put below a few ideas for your friends and family come Christmas time. As usual I think women are very easy to buy for and men well, men are just confusing! 

For people of all ages:

Harry Potter Print

(Love!!)

For the Ladies:

Glass Jewellery Box

Can be filled with anything!

Print

For the lads:

iPhone Dock

T-Shirt 

(I also wouldn't say no to the man!)

For the Kiddies (cute!):

iWood Toy

And for me:

Perfume from Mecca

I also think there is a magazine or book out there for anyone, a subscription is a great idea.

Set the Bubbles Free - Soda Stream

Last week Soda Stream launched their new cocktail mixes at Mon Bijou in the city. With beautiful views of the city, the cocktails were flowing & Ruby Rose was on the deks. I had never seen her in person before and she is absolutely stunning - stop the room gorgeous. Ben & Andy from Masterchef were there, along with the beautiful Soda Stream brand ambassador Dr Katrina Warren. My favourite cocktail from the 'Soda Stream bar' was the Cosmo, I also love the Soda Stream at home with a bit of lime. You can never be too hydrated!

Cosmo's

Ruby Rose

Mon Bijou

Soda Bar Cocktail List

Melbourne Cup

My first time going to 'the race that stops the nation' was thanks to Nova. It was a great day, luckily we were undercover so didn't get wet at the end of the day. The food was absolutely amazing, Peter Rowlands catering & the Nova team are a lot of fun. Of course the music was great, had a little bit of a boogie after the last race. I also have to commend Metro, those who know me know how much I dislike public transport, but getting to and from the track was a breeze. Didn't win a single bet, but heard some great winning stories on the day which always restores your faith! The fashion's were crazy loud prints, which leaves it up to the individual on taste. I thought Jennifer Hawkins was the best dressed celebrity for the day, she looked stunning in the Tony Maticevski dress.

Myself & GSM from Nova

My date for the day (sister if you can't tell!) 

Jennifer Hawkins for Myer