Drugstore Espresso

This place was on my URBANSPOON WISHLIST for a while and we finally went there today and I pictured it totally differently BUT WAS pleasantly surprised. The coffee was tasty and we didn't get any food but the salad with pumpkin and feta (I'm assuming) and rocket looked soooo nice and I'd probably go back to eat that baby. The staff were nice, welcoming people and South Yarra isn't really a place we go to get coffee BUT NOW IT SHOULD BE.

Then we went to find Bubble Cup and failed so went to the Open Kitchen Cafe on Yarra st. My coffee was curdled BUT I don't even care because I didn't really feel like it anyway. The cafe was a peaceful, light filled place to go and sit. It was relaxing and had MAGAZINES to read. Woman's Day is secretly one of my top 3 magazines to read. OLD WOMAN ALERT.


View from Open Kitchen. TURTLES.

A recipe. Mini chorizo pizzas

Last night we made each other dinner and this is what I made...

Ingredients:

Pizza base, however many you want to CONSUME with some sort of pizza base sauce spread on it
And the topping included...
Spinach, covering the whole base
Onion, sliced
Capsicum, chopped
Chorizo sausage
Haloumi cheese

I also garnished them with pine nuts, BUT THAT COULD BE OMITTED and certainly not missed.


NO PICCES of them, SORRY

Zip Lock Bags

A lot of food products these days are packaged in those zip lock bags. Like, the ones where you rip or cut the top off and then there's a zip lock bit, I'm not even sure if that's what it's called, but you don't have to put a rubber band around it or relocate the contents into a jar or whatever because this 'ZIP LOCK' keeps it fresh. BUT I HATE THEM. FIRST OF ALL, I CANNOT even rip open the top bit to the very end. I make it halfway and I only rip half of it off. Secondly, once I've located the scissors to finish my rip off, opened the bag and zipped it back up, THERE IS NO WAY I AM EVER getting that bag opened again. THAT ZIP LOCK IS TIGHT. I just can't avoid this because EVERYONE is getting on the zip lock wagon :(

^ I don't know what this one is BUT IT MAKES ME ANGRY

shower cats

This morning when I went for a shower at Julia's house I heard some really loud MEOWWWING.  They have a cat, so it wasn't like HOMAGOOODDD A CAT, but I certainly didn't expect it to be in the bathroom.  But she wasnt actually in the bathroom, there is this window that's always open to like let out the steam from the shower and to let light in, AND SHE WAS AT THE WINDOW.  This is like at the ceiling height AND SHE WAS meowing at me :) :) SOOO CUTE.
She was probably just showing off though, and it impressed me!

Eighteenth Cookies

Today is my brother's 18th birthday and I decided to make him COOKIES as a little treat/SIDE GIFT.

I used a basic butter biscuit recipe which I found on taste.com.au and instead of adding white and milk choc chips, I ADDED BIG OLD CHUNKS of Cookies and Cream Hershey's bar.

Let me tell you, these look delectable.

Satay Sauce

I HAVE 2 recipes for DELECTABLE SATAY SAUCE which makes everything taste yummy.

RECIPE UNO...
This is the easy one.
All you need to do is mix peanut butter (I LIKE TO USE 100% PEANUT PEANUT BUTTER), sweet chilli sauce (less sweet chilli than peanut butter) and finally some cocnut milk until it's a desirable consistency or flavour.

RECIPE TWO...
This one is from a cook book I bought in Vietnam thanks to a lovely fellow tour member who lent me her DONG. Except I changed it a bit, omitted water, sugar and used less oil. I also kept the lemongrass in the sauce, where as in the first recipe the garlic is pan fried with the lemongrass and then it's thrown out. I also don't pan fry anything. IT STILL TASTES GOOD.

Ingredients:
0.5 - 1 tablespoon of olive oil, honestly I just add it until it becomes as oily as I like but I wouldn't use any more than a tablespoon.
1.5 tablespoons crushed lemongrass
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon soy sauce, I used low salt soy2 tablespoons NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER Coconut milk – to your liking
AND MIX IT ALL TOGETHER.  

Serve with ANYTHING... HERE ^ we have served it with A RICE BURGER.

Shoes that I want, girl version.

I saw some lass sporting these and I should have asked her where she got them from. So DELICATE AND SIMPLE.

I found out about these a while ago. They're Vans x Jessie Jo. Jessie Jo, I don't even know what she is known for but I guess people think she's cool as. At the time they were definitely not available in Australia and I don't even know if they are now so I never bought them BUT I do have a similar pair. Same style but the the pattern is tartan and they're mainly blue. They also lack the leopard print on the inside, not that that would complement the outside's pattern very well. I LOVE them and hate wearing them because I fear I'll wear down the sole and the 'creeper' look will disappear.

Okay, I actually already own these but these colours are so much nicer than the version I have.

I have been thinking about these babies for a long time. They're beautiful and I just can't part with my lack of money to purchase them. I just don't need them but one day I might?

Lamest things I've ever seen. DON'T EVEN CARE. I STILL desire them.

I am definitely scraping the barrel now. So I'll stop here.

Cool Products

SO I am not huge on BEAUTY PRODUCTS or whatever you want to call them but I guess I have a lady boner for Lush products. The ladies at the store I go to have extremely impressive PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE and are very helpful, but they are huge on up selling AND IT GETS ME EVERY TIME. Never mind though because so far I've liked everything they've sold me, even the weird as fake tan called CHARLOTTE ISLAND. It makes you look like you've rubbed clay all over yourself. Actually I got the Charlotte Island for free because they're always giving away samples. I also got this black and dark green soap which was DELIGHTFULLY STIMULATING FOR THE SENSES and it was called DEMON IN THE DARK. I'd buy that.

                                               

     

At the moment I'm using the Rehab shampoo which has all these oils in it and makes my hair feel very nice but BECAUSE IT'S LIKE OIL IT SLIPS DOWN INTO MY eyes too easily and it stings! It has a slight aroma which is a bit fruity. 

I also use Retread conditioner which I'm not too impressed by, HOWEVER I am impressed by their American Cream conditioner which feels nice as and gets knots out easily. You're hair also smells yummy afterwards. I can't quite think of what exactly the scent is. 

As a treatment I use the DELIGHTFULLY CINNAMON-Y H'SUAN WEN HUA. I kid you not, it's better than the stinky Wella SP treatment I paid too much for from some HAIR SALON.                                        

When I went overseas I used a shampoo bar. It smells fruity and floral and lathers up very well. I LOVE FROTH ALLL OVER MY HEAD, AND IT DOESN'T STING MY EYES. It is called Jumping Juniper.

For my stinky lady feet I use a foot stone which feels soft, had a mild aroma and exfoliates my feet quite well and I follow this up with some FAIR TRADE FOOT LOTION which is pink and at first smells rank BUT IT GROWS on you and you enjoy the minty freshness of your feet. They also have tar soap which everyone thinks smells horrible BUT I LOVE THAT SHIT.

FINALLY, products I want to try include the vanilla perfume stick; FOR ON THE GO BEAUTIFUL SMELLS COMING FROM ME, sex in the shower soap ;) which probably smells arousing, you'd hope, if I ever get dandruff I'd go their snake oil shampoo bar, and when I dye my hair back to a dark shade I'm going to use henna and I believe they stock henna so I may check that out.

 

That dirty looking chocolate bar above is henna.

Kozyndan

These guys are probably my favourite illustrators. They're a couple who call themselves Kozyndan, Dan and Kozue Kitchen. GET IT? KOZYNDAN IS A PSEUDONYM...? MY GOSH, IS THAT the correct word? They've done work with other people and companies and so on. Probably because they're so GOOD. So here are some examples of their work...

NAWW BUN-KNEES

A cool puzzle

OOH a nice 21st gift? HINT HINT

This was for a mug and tote bag with Paul Smith. Paul Smith, no idea who he is.

cats

Cherry blossom bunnies!

CATS

I love this one the most out of these piccies

Naughty

So there ya go.

Snap Backs

Ok so because of the current snap back trend it means that everyone is charging a BAJILLION DORRAH for a hat -____- what a joke.
But I found this site which sells them for like $9, which is better than I've seen.
The range might not be as good as some websites, but I reckon it's still pretty good .
TO BE HONEST I haven't bought any off them yet, so I don't know for real how good it is, but EITHER WAY it's only 9 dollars if it fails :P hehe

this is the website
http://www.hotsnapbackhats.com/

Once I buy something from them I will say how gr8 they are m8.

Mousehunt

I play this Facebook game called MouseHunt and it's really good.
It starts off pretty slow and all you can think about is catching cool mice, but eventually it picks up and you can really get into it.
I know that if I'm bored I can just do some MouseHunt reading to fill in a bunch of time.
Its not like the game is difficult or anything, because catching mice is based on luck, but it can be helped with the trap you choose or the cheese you pick.
There's also a pretty active player group and recently a bunch of like mini tournaments that you can join.
When I started playing it was just on my own, but now there is a group of 4 of us that play it and that makes it pretty cool.
and like all Facebook games you can put real DOLLARS into it if you like, but it's not like you miss out on anything if you don't.
BUT YEAH play it.

http://apps.facebook.com/mousehunt/profile.php?snuid=697212895
^^^^ That's my MouseHunt page hehehehehe

OH YEAH, they do all these pretty cool picture for everything, like the mice and items and stuff.
This is a cute one, and it took me ages to catch :P

TEA and CIGARS

SOOOO there is this place in Box Hill called Cha-T, it's right next to Ramen King or Ramen Hut. OK SO I DON'T know the name of any places. SO WOT!
Anyways the first time we went there was with Ben and Mon and Richard and we just went there one night to get tea, but ended up getting cigars as well.
It's cool because it's kind of like a double date sometimes :P and we also get to try all these different cigars because with a group they aren't that expensive.

I don't really know much about cigars at all, but the people who work there sometimes tell us some things.
We have tried a few different types of cigars now, like some big fatties and some longer ones.  Last night we got this one it was a BIG FAT BLACK ONE, but it was really nice.

And they have also told us about all these cuts, like from where you smoke the cigar.  I think my favourite was this one that makes a little hole in the end, rather than just opens up the whole thing. I dunno why, probably just because it looks cool.

We also drink all these nice teas.  There are some that have these flowers in them, like entire flowers, and they start off small and then as they soak in the water they grow.  They look pretty cool. I think we have maybe tried 3 different ones and they are all nice :)
Last night we got some cold teas for a change, because the weather has been so hot, one was some sort of berry one and the other a pear one.  SO SWEET, BUT SO NICE.

OOOOO ALSO, we use Lamborghini lighters when we are there :) so fancy hahaha

Vegetarian Eating Melbourne

If you're vegetarian and like to eat, these are some cool places to go in Melbourne...

Yong Green Food, 421 Brunswick st. Fitzroy
I HIGHLY recommend the tofu tuna pocket platter. OOH BABY. Actually, I'd go anything really. It's the kind of place where I want to try everything on the menu. DIS MA FAVE.

Gasometer, 484 Smith st. Collingwood
'Tis a pub, A REALLY COOL PUB WITH yummy as burgers and vegan friendly.

Tramway Hotel, 165 Rae st. Fitzroy North
In a really nice spot for relaxing and excellent burger consumption

Lentils as Anything, Abbotsford Convent
Surprise meal for whatever price you want to pay, ya big old tight asses. The St. Kilda one is more of a sit in restaurant style where as the Abbotsford Convent is like a big fat buffet.

Vegie Boob, 380 Brunswick st. Fitzroy
AKA Vegie Bar. It's nice, especially the vegan menu but it's just lame when it's busy. Bad vibes but probably worth it for a delicious and satisfying dish of food.

Oriental Teahouse, CBD, Chapel st. and Chadstone Shopping Centre
SALTY SPICY TOFU & WHITE chocolate dumplings. DO IT. But don't do it on Chapel street. The one in the city is DA BEST.

Loving Hut, 242 Victoria st. Richmond 
Actually haven't been here, but it's on my list. I believe a lot of it is vegan and probably very oily.

TOFWD, Degraves st.
THE salads here are super nice and so are the rice balls. AND PIES.

Minh Phat Grocery, Abbotsford, just off Victoria st.
Okay, not actually a restaurant but good for fake meat supplies, if you're into that. FAKE TUNA.

Capital Kitchen, Chadstone Shopping Centre

Okay, this place isn't actually a super great place for vegetarians BUT I had this really nice salad there the other day and I didn't want to do a separate post on it because who cares about a stupid salad I ate. BUT it had quinoa, 'candied' pumpkin, pomegranate, brocollini, pistachios, some sort of currant, a 'burnt orange' dressing and feta cheese. I ATE IT ALL. P.S If you want a cheap espresso at Chadstone, go to the Cupcake Factory. ONE DORRA EIGHTY

Bimbos, 376 Brunswick st. Fitzroy
Cheap pizzas with a few DELECTABLE vegetarian options.

Monk Bodhi Dharma, 202 Carlisle st. Balaclava
I've only eaten here once and it wasn't that great but the coffee is great and there are vegan options and yummy looking cakes.

Sprout Organic Grocery, 123 Auburn rd. Hawthorn East
Expensive as balls but the food is pretty nice, not so much the coffee or tea.

The Green Refectory, 115 Sydney rd. Brunswick
Haven't been but looks so good. Vegan sushi and colourful salads! YAY!

That's all I can think of mates!

foot massages

SO after work, where I pretty much stand all day, when I come home my feet are pretty achy. and I always feel like a foot massage. BUT the odd thing is that my feet are very ticklish, and I know this for certain because whenever I've had a foot massage I can't keep them still AND I DON'T EVEN LIKE HOW IT FEELS.  unless it's one of those massages where they just like bend your feet and crack your toes or something.

When we were in Vietnam I had this proper "hot stone" massage.  It was pretty expensive considering the prices we had previously paid for massages.  This was the first time I'd had a hot stone massage and IT WAS REALLY NICE. But my point is that even when I had my feet touched BY A PROFESSIONAL, I still couldn't take it. I didn't even get both feet done because I couldn't keep them still.

But at the airport they did have these free feet massaging machines that just like squished your feet and did some vibrating and they were nice as, but kind of grotty because who knows who's dirty foot has been in them.

ANYWAYS, I feel like a foot massage right now even though I wouldn't even like it -___-

Preferred coffee destinations

Here's a cool picture from none of the coffee places that I will be mentioning. PEACOCK.
In no particular order, these are some COOL DUDE PLACES we like to go get coffee.

- Doppio Happiness on Liverpool St. or lane or road OR WHATEVER. In the Central BUSINESS district. I think the guy that works there is probably hyped up on about 6000 coffees. They also have nice alcoholic beverages BY NIGHT.

- Axil Coffee Roasters on Burwood Rd. in Hawthorn. Apart from nice coffee and rich people everywhere, they have fancy breakfasts featuring JUS AND COULIS.

- Emporio on Burwood Rd. in Hawthorn. SO MUCH FROTH.

- Cafe Buddha and Galerie on High St. in Glen Iris. Nicest garden, tea sets & man in that shop.

- Gloria Jeans, NAH JOKING. DEY SHITE.

WORST COFFEE. Hush Hush in Camberwell. I SAID IT.

But seriously, that's enough pictures of coffee forever.

Yummy yummy origami

Last night my mother and I went to an origami class and learnt how to make a swan. It was just us, a super old lady form London and the SEXY AS TEACHER FROM THAILAND. OH BABY. She was also incredibly patient. I was super pro when I was there and couldn't remember a thing when I got home. NEXT I want to learn how to make a rabbit, peacock and a kusudama. I THINK THAT'S what it is called. SO FOR ALL you millions of readers out there, I have found an excellente link for origami instruction videos...

http://www.origaminut.com/

Okay, so the picture above looks nothing like the swan I made. It's not even a swan. It's a crane BUT IT'S COOL AS TITTIES.