Review: Little Feat

Little Feat is the latest venture to jump onboard the macaron bandwagon. Last month, they launched their partnership with Guava Bean Espresso Bar on Russell St in Melbourne’s CBD, where the handmade macarons are exclusively sold.

Pretty packaging from Little Feat

They celebrated their union by giving away free macarons for three days at the end of November, one per person per day and limited to the Blue Currant and Tim Tam Tease flavours. I, of course, unashamedly took advantage of this generosity and ventured down each day, work colleges in tow. 

Little Feat's Blue Currant macaron

The first flavour I tried was the Blue Currant, which is described as “fine mouth watering black currant with a blueberry pearl”. I have to say that it was quite delicious. The texture of the macaron was quite dense - slightly crunchy outside with a heavy, chewy inside. It was almost at the point of being a little too chewy but I kinda like my macarons like that so I’m not complaining. The flavour of the ganache was really nice, very fruity and not too sweet.

Little Feat's Tim Tam Tease macaron

The Tim Tam Tease definitely captures the tim tam flavour. It too had a dense texture and while the taste was spot on, it didn’t have the same kick as the Blue Currant one.

I’ve yet to try their Caramel Craving macaron (their version of Salted Caramel) but I promise I will try it in the New Year and update this post with my thoughts.

However, if you like a chewy, fruit flavoured macaron, Little Feat is the place for you.

Address: 114 Russell St, Melboure
Hours: Mon - Fri: 7am - 6pm
           Sat: 10am - 4pm

***Update 07/01/12*** I tried the Caramel Craving from Little Feat the other day. Same chewy texture with a salty caramel taste, but again.... No kick to it. Slightly underwhelming.

Review: Laksa Bar

I’ve returned home tonight from another visit to Laksa Bar.

Opening in early November, this Malaysian restaurant offers delicious, authentic food. Laksa dishes are obviously their speciality (eight types in total) but they also do rice and noodle dishes.

The laksa was thick and tasty. You get to choose whether you would like mild, spicy or extra spicy and what type of meat you would like. You even get a bib to protect yourself while you slurp up the soup! However both times we ordered it, the temperature of the soup was a little bit too cool, but otherwise it is very good.

House curry laksa with chicken

The other dishes are delicious too. I’ve tried both the Nasi Lemak Goreng Pattaya and Mee Goreng Mamak and they have a real home-made taste about them, not too oily or salty.

Nasi Lemak Goreng Pattaya

Mee Goreng Mamak

The service is really friendly and helpful – the staff seat you and then you order at the counter when you have decided. The prices are reasonable and the serving sizes are also quite generous so you definitely won’t leave hungry!

So if you are in the city and craving a great laksa or some mee goreng, you should certainly give Laksa Bar a go.

Address: 108 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Hours: Mon - Fri: 11am-10pm
           Sat - Sun: 5pm-10pm
 

Review: Foo Fighters – AAMI Park 02/12/2011

As the sun set on a beautiful clear summer night, Melbourne was treated to an amazing performance by none other than the incredible Foo Fighters.

The 30,000 strong crowd filed in early to check out support act (and good friends of the Foo Fighters) Tenacious D. Jack Black and Kyle Gass rocked it out with some new songs like “Death Star” and one that they had to abandon half way through because Jack Black couldn’t remember the words… But it was their old favourites “Tribute” and “F**k her gently” that started the first of many sing-alongs throughout the night. 

“We supply the lightning, the Foos bring the thunder!” declared Jack Black and he wasn’t wrong. Right on cue, the lights dimmed and chords of “All my life” boomed out and the Foo Fighters got the party started.

The show was part of their Wasting Light world tour and the Foo Fighters played songs from their brilliant new album. Dave Grohl introduced “These days” as the next single and the best song he has ever written. He hinted that its video clip was going to be filmed during the Australian leg of the tour by teasing the crowd with “you might see some of your pretty faces on MTV soon”.

Dave Grohl was in fine form throughout the show, running all over the stage and the massive walkway that extended out deep into the crowd like a little kid who had drunk a little too much red cordial. “I hope none of you have work tomorrow because we've got a lot of things we've got to do”, he promised early in the show.

And they did not disappoint. The Foo Fighters whipped the crowd into a frenzy that lasted all night. "This one goes out to all the old Foo Fighters fans," Dave Grohl said as he launched into “Breakout”, which had everyone singing along so loudly they almost drowned out the band.

When Dave Grohl announced that it was bassist Nate Mendel's birthday, the crowd broke into an impromptu chorus of "Happy Birthday". Unfortunately, it wasn’t exactly in sync (or in tune). "What the f**k was that?" was Dave Grohl's reaction. "Were you guys singing 'Happy Birthday'? Because what it sounded more like was 'HEERGGGH GHHGHGERRR BBBBEEEERGHDEEERGH'," he said, mocking our efforts.

After a playing a show filled with 16 years worth of rocking hits that prove why they are, and always will be, one of the greatest bands ever, we got down to the business end of the evening. While everyone was waiting for the encore, Dave Grohl appeared on the big screen on night cam and began negotiating how many more songs they would play. The offer of just one song elicited a loud BOO and drummer Taylor Hawkins joined in on the fun, bringing the number up to five songs.

Dave Grohl then ran up walkway onto a raised podium and started an acoustic version of “Wheels”. “We'll play as many songs as we can until they tell us to stop”, Dave Grohl told an adoring crowd. There was a slight interruption by a person who managed to jump the barrier into the floor area from where Dave Grohl referred to as the “shitty seats”. He was pulled up on stage when the crowd expressed their disapproval when security dragged him away.

After almost three hours, the show was finished with “Everlong” – a perfect ending to a perfect night.

Setlist:
All My Life
Rope
The Pretender
My Hero
Learn To Fly
White Limo
Arlandria
Breakout
Cold Day In The Sun
Stacked Actors
Walk
Monkey Wrench
These Days
This Is A Call
In The Flesh (Pink Floyd cover)
Best Of You

Encore:
Wheels
Times Like These
Generator
Tie Your Mother Down (Queen cover)
Everlong

Photography challenge: D is for Determination

Bronze statue of Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop

Determination can be seen in the look on a face, in the tone of a voice or in a person’s actions.

Sometimes it can lead to people doing extraordinary things.

Lieutenant Colonel Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop was one of those people.

Sir Dunlop joined the Australian Army Medical Corps during World War II and was in charge of the No.1 Allied General Hospital in Bandung, Java, when the city fell to the Japanese in 1942. He and the members of his medical unit were taken as prisoners of war and were eventually brought to Thailand to help build the Thai-Burma railway.

As one of the war crimes committed by the Japanese during the war, the prisoners working on the railway were treated appallingly. They were malnourished, severely beaten by their captors and given no medical attention despite the tropical diseases that were rife in the camps. Many died during the construction of the railway.

Amongst all this horror, Sir Dunlop was a true inspiration, with a determination to survive and help those around him. He stood up to the Japanese at great personal risk and did all he could to save sick, wounded and starving prisoners. Australian prisoners of war had a high survival rate compared to prisoners from other countries, with Sir Dunlop’s efforts, along with a number of Commonwealth Medical Officers, credit for this.

Not only that, Sir Dunlop was able to forgive his brutal captors when he return to Australia at the end of the war. He devoted himself to caring for and lobbying on behalf of former prisoners of war and their families. He also worked to improve relations between Australia and Asia.

Most deservedly, Sir Dunlop received honours from Australia, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom in recognition of his numerous achievements. He sadly passed away in 1993 at the age of 86.

A bronze statue of Sir Dunlop stands along St Kilda Road in the Botanical Gardens. It is a constant reminder of a great man with great Australian spirit.

Review: La Belle Miette

Without a doubt, Salted Caramel macarons are one of my most favourite things in the world. Ever since I had my first one over a year ago, I have been on a mission to find the best Salted Caramel macaron in Melbourne.

My latest taste test was La Belle Miette in Hardware Lane in the CBD.

The store is truly exquisite looking. It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon enjoying tea and a macaron or two (or more!).

La Belle Miette

La Belle Miette’s flavours are quite interesting too - Olive Oil & Vanilla, Cherry Blossom & Sake and Bastille (Moet et Chandon & Blackcurrant) are some of the more… unusual ones.

I went for the Salted Caramel but also got the Strawberry & Vanilla and Pimm’s & Pomegranate. 

 Let me start off by saying that I admire anyone who makes macarons. They seem like they are really hard to make and get right.

These macarons weren’t the worst I’ve ever had, but also weren’t the best. The Salted Caramel filling was a bit overpowering and the texture of the outer shell was a little dry and not chewy enough. The flavours of the other two weren’t really present either and didn’t really make much of an impression on me.

It was a bit of a shame because I love the look of the store and the customer service was really good.

The search continues...

Photography challenge: C is for Colossal

It’s an unexpected sight. Giant statues of babies with wings and tails are not something you would expect to find scattered around the lower end of Melbourne’s CBD. It begged the question, what were they and why were they here?

The gleaming jet-black, six metre tall statues make up the Angels-Demons. Parade. As part of the Melbourne Festival, the outdoor exhibition is the brainchild of the Russian art collective AES+F. The group is made up of artists Tatiana Arzamasova, Lev Evzovich, Evgeny Svyatsky, in collaboration with (+) photographer Vladimir Fridkes.

The Angels-Demons. Parade. is AES+F’s version of the Apocalypse. “We present an apocalyptic parade, which does not constitute the end of the old world. It's the beginning of a new one”, they describe on their website.

The statues are modelled on new born babies. They have wings and tails, which aim to blur the lines between angels and demons. “The clear difference between angels and demons, which is common to all cultures, does not exist here. Evil may look like good and vice versa”, AES+F explain further.

The Angels-Demons. Parade. was premiered at the Lille Festival in Lille, France in 2009. Its inclusion in the Melbourne Festival is the second time the art work has been shown. 

It also marks the first time the Melbourne Festival has brought one of its exhibitions to the streets.

The Melbourne International Arts Festival, or the Melbourne Festival as it’s now known, has been running for the last 15 years. It showcases unique Australian and international dance, theatre, music, visual arts and multimedia in free and outdoor events over 17 days in October.

The Melbourne Festival runs from 6-22 October, visit the website for more details.

The rise of the girly girl

There has been a recent spate of articles attacking actress Zooey Deschanel for being ‘too girly’. Julie Klausner added fuel to the fire when she published her tumblr post, claiming that adult women are behaving too much like little girls in order to attract men.

She also goes on to say:

“Because the larger issue is that it is a lot easier for men —or even guys or bros—to demean us, if we’re girls. It’s much harder to bring down a woman, or to call her a moron, when she’s not in pigtails and Ring Pops”.

Interesting.

Zooey Deschanel’s reply highlights my thoughts exactly as I too am struggling to understand what is so wrong with being a girly girl.

In this day and age, when so many women before us fought for equality, I feel like it’s a rather archaic view to believe that being girly somehow makes a woman seem weak or even that men look for opportunities to ‘demean’ women.

Maybe it’s a generational thing. Being on the cusp and Gen Y and Gen X, I see the new generation of men who have respect for women and view them as their equals. On the flip side, I have also seen men of the older generation who have a very different view on what a women’s role is and how she should be treated. Girly or not, it’s going to take more than not wearing a headband or sparkly lip gloss to change their attitudes.

To be a strong woman doesn’t necessarily we have to act more like men. Nor does it mean that we have to become defensive and aggressive when dealing with men. I know women who have felt the need to fight for their position at work, in social circles, in the world in general and they just end up stressed, angry and alone.

I would classify myself as a girly girl. I like to wear pretty skirts and dresses, subscribe to several fashion magazines and hardly ever leave the house without some makeup on. I don’t do it to attract men (I am in a committed long term relationship), I do it for me. The only time I do things like dance around the house to 80s music or try on different outfits that I haven’t worn in a while, is when my boyfriend isn’t home (well, most of the time anyways…). Yet I feel like I am respected by the males in my life and I don’t believe that the pencil skirts and cardigans I wear to the office give men the impression that I don’t take my job seriously.

Being yourself is the best thing anyone can do. When a person is comfortable and confident in themselves and the image they are projecting to the world, that’s when they can achieve anything. Just because a girl is wearing pink and likes to bake cupcakes, doesn’t mean there isn’t a Marlene Dietrich, Marie Curie or Amelia Earhart lurking underneath…

I ♥ rainbows

View from our balcony

Review: Bistrot D'Orsay

Nestled within Melbourne’s theatre district on Collins St is Bistrot D’Orsay.

Walking through the doors was like being transported to a cosy and intimate restaurant in the heart of Paris. The décor has a quaint French feel about it and the smells wafting from the kitchen were heavenly. 

Inside Bistrot D'Orsay

The four of us were seated by a lovely waitress, who was attentive but unobtrusive, and began our meal with wine or for me - a champagne cocktail.

We started with the house made brandied duck liver pâté. The butter covering was a bit hard but once you got past that, the pâté was delicious.

We moved onto our entrées and I had the twice cooked goat’s cheese soufflé on beetroot with walnuts. It was the first time I have had a soufflé and I decided to forget about my lactose intolerance and at least try a little bit. It tasted so good that I polished the whole thing off very quickly. With a subtle cheese flavour, the delicate cake texture just melted in my mouth.

Twice cooked goat’s cheese soufflé on beetroot with walnuts

Next was mains and I had the crispy skin salmon with carrot and pea puree. The salmon was perfectly cooked, pink and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Some of the others had the braised beef cheek on buttery mash potato with truffle oil, caramelised onion and asparagus. I had a little bite and I was almost wished that I had ordered it instead…

Crispy skin salmon with carrot and pea puree

Braised beef cheek on buttery mash potato with truffle oil, caramelised onion and asparagus

We managed to fit in dessert – the portion sizes may look a little small but they are definitely filling! I finished the meal with the parfait with green apple, rhubarb and crumble – delish! The sourness of the apple and rhubarb was perfectly matched with the creaminess of the parfait. Others on our table had the vanilla crème brulee, it had a beautiful vanilla flavour and a divine caramelised top!

Parfait with green apple, rhubarb and crumble

We were pretty much ready to roll out of Bistrot D’Orsay by the end of the meal. It was a fantastic meal – not cheap by any means but well worth it. It’s a great place for a special occasion but make sure you book, especially on weekend when it gets quite full.

Bon Appétit! 

Photography challenge: B is for Baby

C’mon, give me a hug, you know you want to….

With its blue eyes and blonde tuff of hair, Bimbos Deluxe’s Kewpie mascot sits high above Brunswick St and watches over the comings and goings.

Created by Rose O’Neill, the Kewpie first appeared as a cartoon in The Ladies Home Journal in 1909 and was then regularly published for the next 25 years in different publications. “The idea grew from a baby brother when I was a little girl. I made drawings of him while I played with him. All his little looks and gestures came out later in the Kewpie,” Rose said in an interview with Hobbies Magazine.

The first Kewpie Kutouts appeared in the Women’s Home Companion magazine in 1912, a time when paper dolls were hugely popular. Rose, an illustrator, artist, sculptor and writer, designed the Kewpie paper dolls to have both a front and back. It was the first time that paper dolls had been made like that and children loved having a Kewpie that they could play with.

Building on its popularity, a Kewpie doll made from porcelain began to be produced in Germany in 1913. A bit like Hello Kitty, the Kewpie image was put on a whole range of merchandise from doorknockers to Kewpie Kameras. 

All things Kewpie remained in great demand until the late 1920’s. They might seem gone but they will never be forgotten. Kewpies fan clubs exist all over the world and the International Rose O’Neill Club Foundation holds an annual festival in the USA called Kewpiesta!

The Kewpie doll started to be made from celluloid (a type of plastic) in 1949. The antique porcelain Kewpies are highly sought after and worth a LOT of money… So keep your eyes peeled!

Bars with a view

The Rooftop bar

Blue Diamond

More sunsets and rainbows

After work today, in my mad rush to get my hands on as much sugar as possible, I found something else that brought a smile to my face :)

Pigs might fly?

Review: The Fitzroy Pinnacle

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, we found ourselves hungry and in Fitzroy.

We chose to have a look at the Fitzroy Pinnacle. I can't tell you how many times I have driven past this place (it's on the way to my mum's place) and never really thought about checking it out.

The Fitzroy Pinnacle - pool table, old knick knacks and a... disco ball

As we walked in, The Beatles' Revolver album was playing and I knew we had made the right choice.

It's an interesting place. There is a unusual mix collectables all over the place, from Stalin books to old style flip open toasters - adding to the charm of this ecletic pub.

On top of that, it has great service, great music and really delicious food!

Porthouse beef schnitzel with roast vegetables, caramelised onion and gravy

Crispy pork chop with potato dumplings, field mushrooms and gravy

A fitting end to another working week

We've had some beautiful weather over the last few days. Today ended with a gorgeous rainbow and sunset.

Review: Pulp - Festival Hall 29/07/2011

It’s been 13 years since Pulp played their one and only show in Melbourne and they did their best to make up for the long wait.

Festival Hall was filled to capacity on Friday night, with eager anticipation in the air as it saw the return of Pulp.

When they walked on stage and the first notes of “Do you remember the first time?” started to play, the crowd went wild and this set the scene for the rest of the night.

Frontman Jarvis Cocker was in fine form. Randomly flinging chocolates into the crowd, giving out beer and champagne, he even threw out a pear because, according to Cocker, “nothing beats a firm, hard pear”. His wild dancing was almost hypnotic and he had to change his shoes early into the show because he was afraid of falling over on the slippery stage.

The set list did not disappoint. All the fan favourites were played, including Common People, Disco 2000, Babies and The Fear. Cocker did admit that they were a little rusty, he hoped they would nail “Like a Friend” this time and confessed that they hadn’t played “Party Hard” in many years but would give it “their best shot”.

Not that anyone there would have noticed. Every word to every song was sung back to them by the crowd and one person at the front was even told to “calm down” by Cocker as he/she got a little too enthusiastic.

It was all over too soon and as Cocker thanked the crowd and announced that they had to go, Festival Hall erupted into a chorus of NOOOOO!

A brilliant night with a brilliant band. It was my first time – and I will always remember…

Photography challenge: A is for Absinthe

What do you think about when you hear the word Absinthe? Green fairy? Bohemia? Severe hangover? All of the above?

I panicked a little when I saw that ‘absinthe’ would be the first word of my challenge. What options would there be for this picture? I didn’t want to it to be the obvious shot of an absinthe bottle with pretty glass cup and fancy sugar spoon.

My first thought was to visit Brunswick St, the heart of Melbourne’s modern bohemia. As I wandered the street, I watched the eclectic mix of people, shops and urban landscape but nothing really came to me…

So back to square one.

I did a little research into Melbourne’s bohemian past and stumbled upon Grosvenor Chambers. Now an unassuming menswear store on Collins St, it was built in 1889 as Australia’s first custom built complex of artist's studios, housing many famous Australian artists such as Frederick McCubbin and Tom Roberts

In 1930, Australia artist and author Ola Cohn established a studio at Grosvenor Chambers. Undoubtedly, one of her most well-known pieces is The Fairies’ Tree, carved in the stump of an old red gum tree in the Fitzroy gardens. It was a labour of love that took her three years to complete (1931-1934) as a gift to the children of Melbourne.

"I have carved a tree in the Fitzroy Gardens for you and the fairies, but mostly for the fairies, and those who believe in them, for they will understand how necessary it is to have a fairy sanctuary - a place that is sacred and safe as a home should be to all living creatures.

Therefore, I dedicate this book to children and fairies, as it is to them I owe my inspiration."
(Foreword from her book, "The Fairies' Tree")

I am a born and bred Melburnian, but shockingly, I had never seen or heard of The Fairies' Tree before (or knew there was a mini Tudor village next to it, what the hell???). But maybe that’s just me…?

So one chilly (but sunny) Saturday in the middle of winter, I headed down to check out The Fairies’ Tree. In the time that I spent there, I can tell you there was hardly a moment when there weren’t children visiting it with their parents pointing out the various fairies and animals that were lovingly carved into the tree. It really is an impressive piece of art with an incredible amount of detail. The colours are still so vibrant for something almost 80 years old.

Lucky for me, green fairies were all around the tree truck and I had a great time trying to get that perfect shot… I am also well aware of the irony of taking a photo of a green fairy carved into a tree for children to represent Absinthe - ah c’est la vie.

Photography challenge

Watch this space.

I have given the letters of the alphabet to my lovely bf and asked him to choose a subject for each letter for me to photograph - to help me develop my skills.

Stay tuned to to see how it goes....

I ♥ Vintage

Vintage - sentimental, whimsical, romantic, pre-loved. A nicer way to describe old stuff and I love it.

I have a weakness for all things vintage. My boyfriend doesn’t get it. He doesn’t see the point in spending money on clothes someone else has already worn when you could just get something new for the same price.

It made me think though, what makes vintage so irresistible to me?

For me, the fascination started when I found some old knee-high brown leather boots in my mother’s closet when I was a teenager. I was very curious when pulled them out as I had never seen my mum wear them before. A panel of crocodile skin running from the front of the boot to the top, a gorgeous small 70s heel, they were beautiful and I fell in love with them.

My mum said she had designed them and had them made in Korea when she was in University. Everyone used to do that back then and the quality of the shoes is undeniable. She said she wore them everywhere and they looked as solid as the day they she bought them.

She ended up giving them to me and even though they are a tiny bit small, I squeeze my feet into them every now and then and hope for the best.

Years later, my vintage collection now is small but slowly growing, with a few bits of jewellery and clothing. Knowing that there was someone before me who loved the piece just adds that lovely air of mystery and specialness to it. I have created my own special memories with them and hope to pass them down to someone else who will love them as much as me.

Besides, who can deny the environmental factor of it? If not anything else, isn’t it better to buy one quality piece that you know will (and has!) last compared to say, five that you’ll just end up throwing away? That’s what I like to tell myself anyways…

It’s also not just something you got off the rack that hundreds of other people have also bought – it’s one of a kind. And as everything comes back in fashion again in some way, shape, form or another - why wear a copy when you can have the original?