Brunch Adventures: Dead Man Espresso

"I hear the angels talking, talking talking, now I'm a dead man walking, walking, walking"

Can't help but have this song ring in my head the every time I (or anyone else) say Dead Man Walking... oops I mean espresso.

Herb and potato rosti with poached egg, avocado and smoked salmon

Potato rosti is probably one of my favourite brunch food item, right up there with perfectly poached eggs (I don't even mind if they cheat by using poaching bags I just want my eggs). One of my favourite cafe's does an AMAZING rosti, but recently they've changed it to some sort of fried mash potato patty thing and I am utterly depressed. So I was super happy with this rosti! Crispy and delicious (and possibly not very healthy, but lets not think about that). Simple but delicious! Though I probably should have ordered another poached egg because I'm not much of a fan of dry food, and in my honest opinion I could've done without the salmon.

Didn't try these next ones but here are pictures anyway.

Debs and Debs dishes (Because Jon had scrambled eggs. Boring.)

Smoky beans in tomato sugo with paprika oil and Pyegana Cheddar crumble with toast

BLT - pork belly and spinach puree on brioche with side of gazpacho

What on earth is a gazpacho. The waiter explained but I wasn't paying attention. Absent-minded as always. But from the bits and pieces of the conversation I could gather, its some sort of tomato sauce/soup thingy. Apparently its delicious!

Magic?

 Recently introduced to ... magic coffee? No, you will not get super powers or excrete golden eggs after you drink it, but it refers to the way they extract the shot/the part of the shot that they use (something like that. Debs explained this to me but once again, I cant remember details). What I can remember is, it doesn't contain the part of the coffee that would taste bitter (hoorah!).

edit:  Magic - double ristretto with milk. without the bitter end of the coffee and most of the caffiene. 
(thanks debs) So to me it tastes a little bit lighter and the taste is clearer. But then again my coffee taste buds aren't exactly very developed yet so I could be very wrong.

Side note: I just read an article about caffeine addiction. Apparently it takes 7 days to get addicted to caffeine. I have yet to find out if these effects are reversible. 

So now thanks to my new found interest in coffee, I'm ruining my teeth AND destroying my brain. Perfect.

Dead Man Espresso

35 Market Street

Melbourne

03-96862255

Bashful Giraffes

Hello Mr  Green Giraffe, nice to meet you too
Wearing: Victoria Dove Top

Favourite Item of the day! Such a cute print.

Behold: the awkward arm...
Wearing: Damsel Dress

A lovely oatmeal colour, with a high enough neckline and just a small cut out at the back so as to not look inappropriate. 

Probably the best berry cheesecake Ive had.
I tried not to ruin the aesthetics of the cake while taking the photos. But after about 2 minutes I dug in...
Wearing: Chelsea Baby Pink Dress

The softest shade of chalky pink. Perfect for lazy -to-dress-up days where you still want to look presentable.

 All photos by Ethel, from www.lovesherelle.com

(PS: spot the BW2012 necklace!)

I am honoured to have been asked  by Sher and Ethel, the darling girls of Love, Sherelle to help out with their photoshoot! It was a lot of fun despite not quite being able to figure out where to put my arm without it being awkward (as you might be able to tell from the photos...)

All items are lovingly handpicked, of fantastic quality and best of all - reasonably priced (and you can trust me when I say that)! Nothing Sher and Ethel wouldn't wear/buy themselves :)

I will forever be amazed at people who successfully start and run their own business/label/some form of career at such a young age. Makes me think about what I'm going to do with my life. Although it may not sound as noble as "finding a cure for cancer", food tester/critic is still my dream job. (dont judge me)


Till next time! x

Brunch Adventures: 1000 £ Bend

Its pretty well hidden behind a warehouse-esque exterior along Lt Lonsdale street. I love the chill-out atmosphere and pretty hipster-ish deco of the place, but it was possibly A TAD BIT too chilled for me. Food took a pretty long time (45 mins), and didn't taste fantastic. But maybe something happened in the kitchen on that day. 

But it was pretty full, so it seems that many people do like this place. 

Grilled Saganaki Burger with Mushrooms, Rocket, Aioli, and Relish.

Too salty, and there weren't any mushrooms :( which made me very sad.

Quesadillas with pork, sour cream and guacamole.

Which tasted much better

I heard the coffee here is pretty good, though I didnt try it. Maybe it was just one of "those" days in the restaurant. Oh by the way, you have to seat yourself so don't bother standing at the door waiting for service. 

I guess this is more of a hang out place, and made to feel like your own lounge I suppose. So maybe thats where the whole "find your own seat" thing fits into the package.

On a different note, uni has officially started with full swing, and suddenly I'm swimming in work-I-need-to-do as well as sleep-I-need-to-get. Body clock is still protesting.

The first weekend of Beautiful Woman Conference 2012 is over and I cant wait for the next! Love the amount of effort the team puts into decorations and things just to make us [the girls] feel all pampered. Amazing time spent with the girls - dressing up, planning outfit themes, hanging out, sleepovers, taking tons of pictures, but most importantly, encountering God.

Shout out to the boys who surprised us with breakfast! 

Also, Ive been eyeing a few brunch/lunch places to visit... So hopefully, more yummy Brunch Adventures to come! :)

Chanel's Classic Revisited

I KNEW that these photos would convince me that I absolutely need (want) this jacket.

Aaaaaaaaaaand there it goes into my ever growing list of things-I-will-buy-for-myself-at-some-point-in-life-that-are-insanely-expensive-and-possibly-unnecessary. But in all honesty, it might get downgraded to the list of things-that-are-just-plain-impossible-unless-I-become-very-very-rich. 

Well, a girl can dream.

The exhibition is a joint project between stylist Carine Roitfeld as well as renowned designer and photographer Karl Lagerfield, showcases the jacket modelled by a ginormous bunch of famous people, such as the Fanning sisters (LUCKY GIRLS), Sarah Jessica Parker and even 3 year old Hudson Kroenig (what a cutie pie). I've yet to find out if the exhibition is coming to Melbourne (I doubt it. Even if they came to Australia surely they would have it in Sydney. EVERYTHING happens in Sydney.) but you can check out all the photos here. 

The spinning and half transparent images did make me slightly dizzy though. BUT ITS WORTH IT. 

(You can click on the photos to view a flat and well... solid version of the photo, and navigate with your mouse/arrows. I'm saying this because it actually took me a while to figure out that it was not an automatic slideshow)

I love how the theme and feel of the outfit in each photo is so different, even when it's just black and white photography, when they are all wearing the same piece. Such is the magic of a good stylist. Definitely inspires me to do the same with my wardrobe and make the most out of everything I own... THATS going to be a challenge.

Here are the few of  my favourites! (there are more than a 100 photo's in total)
All photos taken from www.thelittleblackjacket.chanel.com

Natalia Vodianova

  

Alexandra Richards

Clemence Poesy

Elisa Sedanaoui

Im biased because of the Tutu skirt.

Elle Fanning

Joan Smalls

Hudson Kroenig

How adorable is he? At 3 years of age he's already walked the runway of two Chanel shows. Lucky kid.

Tang Wei

She looks stunning here. Love the fat braids. 

Carine Roitfeld

This last one is my favourite of the favourites. Elegant, poised and polished. 

Watch the making-of process here!

In between now and getting that jacket (which may never become a reality but lets not rule out the possibilities, who knows, I may accidentally come up with some breakthrough invention that will make me a billionare. Like a device to make changing bedsheets when beds are situated at corners of rooms a much much easier task, for example), I will just continue hanging out amongst the racks of beautiful (and more reasonably priced) jackets and blazers at Zara.

Till next time lovelies x