~ Curious Charlie ~

Chocolate with Mozart in the Dark @ Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Monday 14th September

Lunch at Dip in Cafe, uphill from Bourke St's H&M they serve some delicious food! Sadly only open brunch hours, it took two weeks, but we finally got there and the french toast was worth the wait (for all the planning, service was fast).

Back to the office to get stuff done, mainly emails to send. Before heading off to a Cocobella Event near Smith x Johnston St out in Hipsterville. Along the way we passed 'Rose Chung', Messina and a few other places I have read/seen pictures of but never actually been to, as we don't leave the CBD too often. Also it's scary out there at night.

After the event we stopped by Messina which was packed! No lines, just gather around people. About 15-20mins later I emerge with 3 scoops for $9. Salted C x White Choc (le beau & my fav things in a beautiful marriage), milk choc pistachio and pannacotta. All three were delicious! And worth the stress of being shorter than the counter and no lines - lack of order.

This was our second visit to Messina. Across the st was a Safeway, and out front homeless junkies loitered. To get to the crossing lights I had to go past them. While they were too busy screaming at each other to notice me, with the exception of one who leered at me. I do not feel safe. But ignored him and luckily the lights went green with perfect timing as the tram arrived.

Tuesday

Tonight we had a rare trip out to Westfield Doncaster for a tasting night at Ramen Bankara, the first of its branches in Australia. We'll have a full post to cover everything coming up soon.

Wednesday

Welcome back to the 20s, the most popular era from the past thanks to the Great Gatsby Movie. I personally don't like it because it's not my style and favours the tall and thin waif stick figure which is still in fashion today, or rather has come back as trends tend to do. Tall and thin are two things I'm not.

When I think 20s I think gansters and violin cases with guns, Anything Goes, Miss Fisher (filmed in Melbourne!) and Downton Abbey.

Work is doing a 20s themed event, so we're using this as inspiration for what's in .do note that it's American hence cheaper - if you don't convert that is. Thinking of doing a showgirl look - but with more clothing and fishnets. Long pearl necklaces. These are the most iconic of all 20’s jewelry pieces.

Here's some headpieces we bought, got lucky at Lovisa - 3 for $10. Things on sale vary from store to store. They don't sell online for bizarre reasons.

Close ups, can you believe one of those headpieces was $30?!

After a new notebook we picked this pretty blue one from Kikki K.

This week's show is 'LUMINOUS' " a Sydney circus troupe incorporating live body painting, acrobatics and the visceral visual effects of UV light.", where blacklight body art and circus collide.

It was amazing! They painted some the body paint onstage and washed it off all onstage at the end too! The characters were bugs, climbing and twirling and doing acrobatic things in the air on a airel ribbon, leaping through hoops and balancing acts. All under black light it was great! Highly recommended, especially for $20 on cheap Tuesdays. ;)

Thursday

Mozart's 40th Symphony. Now where have I heard that before? Oh yes it's probably a ringtone! Ringtones and tv ads would have been where I first heard classical music.

Someone behind me was playing with a candy wrapper! I did turn around and look at everyone with a judgmental look but it was dark. Didn't open my mouth because I'm quite loud and might stop the concert. They weren't opening candy but playing with it as it went on for the duration of two entire movements! If your neighbor is being a tool you're obligated to tell them to stop it! Other than that the concert was very good, full of passion.

Next event of the night (yes I can do more than one event a night) a pop up with part of the mso playing bowie classics as acmi where the bowie exhibition is happening. Use #secret code to get cheaper tickets. I only recognized two musicians on violin and one song. 'Changes' which was in Shrek. But I still have a good time! David Jones was amazing playing a solo on the drum kit!

And this is how I like to spend my Thursday nights also known as opening/launch night.

The not so great part was dinner $16.50 because bentos are $12 cc min 13 so you had to get something else. It was average. We also got fish balls (not pictured). I was spontaneous and didn't look up reviews. I'm looking for a great bento place for dinner close to the center of the city, any recommendations?

The agent and writer. That's me and jas. He keeps promising to send it daily as I call him daily. Two weeks later it hasn't happened. He's fired and I'm sending him an invoice for the bill for the ticket, which he received in exchange for a review.

Friday

I'm loving this theme! And I'd love to plan that wedding!

The day started with a careers meeting. It's mid sept and we're job hunting for the future. It's scary! The idea of it all. Some say that we don't want outsiders coming to take "our" jobs but then I realize I will always be an outside because of the accent! But the point was that I found a couple that said you have to have PR here to apply, lucky for us we have duo residency!

Fed sq. Last day of the cookies x chocolate launch/promo. They're out of hot chocolate, coffee only. Lined up to find out, but we got extra cookies.

Early dinner. The offer ends at 5pm, but the line was long and slow. $22 risotto, well $18 for mushroom risotto but an extra $4 for chicken. What a rip off. But I'm in the mood for risotto and it was delicious! It was a bit too salty for me but only because of the Parmesan. I might get it again if I can use my student discount.

Vapiano was the busiest I've seen with the football crowd for pasta and pre-game drinks.

Dessert at the newest chocolate cafe! Guylian is known for its boxes of seashell-shaped chocolates sold through supermarkets are, but now there’s a café in Melbourne! And you can enjoy desserts and hot chocolate as well as the classic seahorses.

Saturday

Saturday Night. Hens night/party of 10. A black hummer drives around the corner. I die a little each time a reminder pops up. I said decisively I'd do business events but now I'm not sure. It's not creative enough. Special events, I especially themed, that's my thing. Not music festivals, sport of fashion which is very popular.

Tonight we went to see two shows, the first a circus by teenagers. Complete with a freak show like a two headed/ended monster and giant in a trench coat. Throughout the first part the cast threw around a gopro camera which they'd later show old school movie style on a screen. There was a red tent made of people under it too that made shapes and acted as hands doing a Mexican wave with a kid swimming on top. There was a kid who did the freaky clown laugh and it was chilling! Well done! :)

Phantasmagoria

The second show was also a acrobatic show but with a story, and not with kids. A girl goes into the attic to get something and props spark mini acts. With an old fashioned circus theme, throwing girls into the air and other cheerleading moves, a strong man with a girl standing on his head, no hands. People leaping through hoops, 3 hoops high. Hoola hooping, one on each limb. An impressive acrobatic show. And our 3rd show this week in terms of acrobatic performances. There was also two music performances.

Sunday

The afternoon was spent being late and missing the monthly house tour that we're rarely free for. This place opens like 11 times a year. A manor on the corner of the block with about the same land size as us. But with much less garden and more grand deco and concrete lions and topless muses adoring the exterior.

I'm doing a food exchange and so sending her delicious things from Australia which includes B&Ps signature dubloons and other treats like the wagon wheel. $$ this is not a cheap eat and more like a quarterly treat.

La Porchetta - Risotto Pollo e Funghi (Main Size) $20

Lean chicken pieces, spring onions, freshly sliced mushrooms

cooked with a parmesan cream sauce

Dinner was risotto again. Quantity over quality sadly. But this time chicken wasn't $4 extra. And the serving was huge!! Sadly it wasn't fully cooked and was leaning towards rice. Sad face. There was sliced mushroom, a generous serving. But it was just average. I'm not recommending it or ever getting it again. The service was great though, friendly and fast. Also free bread is always a plus, and taking card when there's a sign with min spend. Which was $20 but my dish was $19.70.

Dessert tarts from Luxbite. Yuzu! I also had a limited edition one with Asian flavors. I liked the pandan macaron and coconut cream but the rest was a bit savory and bland. Also weak in flavors. This is the only thing from Luxbite that I don't like, everything else ranges from very good to 'on my favorites list'. That would be an awesome party theme 'My favorite things'.

Three shows tonight. On our way our we saw two awesome people from dance! The lady I always dance with and her husband who I also often dance with. Jas sees people he knows wherever we go. It's extremely rare for me though as there aren't many places where I feel a sense of belonging and identify with.

Rama Nicholas is always good. A one woman show featuring many characters but not too many that you can't keep track. Tonight she stars as Mary Weather a monster hunter in 1890 London. She has a lover, hunts, goes to the bar to brag and is haunted by her past.

It was a very good show and one I'd recommend. And this time no one does a wolf. It's a vampire instead. Percy. He's a lover (a very good one from the sounds of it;), poet and will ask you to help him write a poem for Mary.

Next was Randy. Randy is always hilarious, and better live than on youtube. He attempts to read his book he wrote to the audience and along the way tells very funny stories and anecdotes from hipstervillie, veganism to Buddhism. And why he no longer buys from gumtree, involving a bookshelf going through a wall! XD You have to see this one! We haven't laughed this much since the comedy festival!

Our third show for the night is an interpretive dance. No. Working at the theatre I'm discovering what I like and what I'm ok with. Dance isn't my thing - unless it's amazing includes something else - like the element of lighting and glow paint. I can't relate to dance. 'Plunge' is a two person dance through an offer and two possible reactions. Acceptance or rejection, and we explore both.

How was your week? Did you see any Fringe shows?