Wednesday 16th March



The biannual VIP (those who signed up for the newsletter) shopping sale days started earlier this year than the last, starting with Chadstone, Eastland then Highpoint. The sales 10%-40% off attract potential customers but not enough and so there are activities offered to increase attraction. This is what actually got us to go shopping. With the exception of Chadstone as I was there to buy shoes. Eastland had workshops and Highpoint has a dessert bar, free haircuts for men and a chef demo among other things.


Wednesday. How to fix a bad day: nail, cheese, alcohol! There was nail bar! *Jas sighs* But it was a 30min wait including the time that it took to get my nails done, compared to my record of 3hrs where we never made it to the front. 





The only explanation for this picture is that we had a drink before taking it, and failed to take multiples. William Somma had a cheese table! Can I get a platter for one? I love cheese! This one's from Milk the Cow. Though with cheese being more expensive than wine, I don't really fork out $40 for a small platter. I just buy blocks of brie instead. I love cheese! The peppermint wafers too, though they were sold out.





Outside Tiffany's there was a bar, Stylo: File cocktails curated by leading drinks expert Fred Siggins. There's a quiz online to find your type, out of the five, and a matching cocktail! There was also a photo wall for you and your friends, sorta like 'Which character are you most like' from Sex & the City. I couldn't find the quiz...

The bartender's recommendation based on my likes was...





We've never been to Eastland before, so this was an exciting first. Prompted by a series of seminars and the adventure of going somewhere we've never been, we were in! Through a ballot we won tickets to two out of three seminars, all of which included showbags. Which I have a thing for, I still remember the first showbag I saw. By the time father was persuaded to purchase it they were sold out and I was psychologically scared, creating a lifelong obsession with showbags, even though I don't use most of the contents, nor do I have any females in my life to pass it onto. 



Hosted by Tash Sefton from Theyallhateus, was a short seminar on for tips on how to build your Instagram Profile. It all comes down to networking really, and posting what's hot. Though I'd rather post what I like. Things that get more hits: light/dark, blue/red. Tash also went through the four types of instagram accounts, their purpose, style and what they post and the frequency. 

I'll do a post later on, on tips how to gain more followers - without buying them. While buying them is a quick shortcut and initially great idea, its bot accounts which will all be deleted every few months when instagram does a sweep. Hence a temp. fix, but in the long run you're just burning money.  




There was a Ben & Jerry's next to the Pancake Parlour and the movies! This is quite a rare thing in Melbourne. Keep an eye out for free cone day if you're near Chapel St or Highpoint.

The Tonight Dough - An extra-chunky concoction combines chocolate and caramel ice creams with chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter cookie dough and a crunchy chocolate cookie swirl.

Very rich and over the top for me, but I like it, though it's not mu regular, the fairy floss and chunky monkey. But I'd recommend you try it just once.




In the afternoon we attend the Autumn/Fall & Winter Trend Show, featuring Australian brands and stores that were in the center. No Alannah Hill or Review though, but there was one style I liked.






Long sweater with a leather skirt and knee high boots. Notes this look only works if you're tall, though you potentially look like a hooker. If you're little like me you'll look very short as attention is drawn downwards. But still I like the look, though wouldn't wear it personally.



A bright orange skirt with navy splashes, makes me think of a disease under a microscope. But it'll make you stand out in the city that wears black. There were of course many outfits on the runway though these two stool out the most for me.

So what is the trend for AW16? Wool sweaters and boots, nothing new.



During winter in Melbourne back home go the tourists, events are more indoors (with the exception of all the sporting events) and in Melbourne, friday nights and weekends are spent waiting for trains at Richmond or going to the football.

As a part of the launch of football season the Pancake Parlour is having a bunch of offers including free short stacks! Click here to claim yours, they expire early April. 








I love Kmart & Typo for deco, though I have more deco than space! This was a rare test tube vase that I haven't seen in stores before. There was a rack of them too. There were $5.


The also rare Jasper Quilt Set (quilt cover, pillow case) $14, a necklace ($3, using it for the parts), test tube vase ($5) and a whole lot of hair things, some to be worn as is, others to be pimped up or combined with other pieces. I love my hair accessories, they were all 50c each, left over from last spring. The best time to stock up is right after the racing season.











It looks like something out of those modern living magazines, pictures, computer generated of what a new town would look like to me. Unlike home, the city, Eastland is very new.

Tuesday 15th March

With my course extended this semester will be my last out west and after five years we're almost brave enough to venture away from Subway, the only place in town that features English and is familiar.

Tonight was a revisit after a sample last year as part of a African food crawl.


African Cuisine was the name, with mood music though not light. The brightest light shone from the drinks fridge, though you could sit in the communal tables behind it. 

The menu was a simple one sided A4 laminate, just mains. Picture and name, no descriptions, so we'd assume most customers are either regulars or familiar with African Cuisine. A surprise on the menu was spaghetti! Freud would order that, people often seek familiarity. Though we were here for the platters. Which after consumption did we discover it serves two.





Lined with Ethiopian injera bread (sourdough, takes a few days to ferment). Atop was an assortment of dips, veggies and in the center slow cooked lamb in a spiced tomato base sauce that packed some heat that Lola would have liked. There was purple potatoes coloured with beetroot, cabbage, lentils, dalh, a hot dip, lamb and a garden salad that was the odd one out.


It was quite filling and jas devoured the whole thing while I ate two thirds of it, because it got a bit much, portion and how sour the bread was.

A note to BYO fork, as this was designed to be enjoyed as a hands on experience, literally. I have anti bacterial wet wipes, and Lola has detol.


Dessert was baklava, 4 cubes for $3. Much like fudge and brownies you only need a little. Sweetened was honey these bite size delights would be perfect with hot chocolate with the slightly chilly weather at night as of this week.

The bill came to $33 which was a main each and small dessert, making it our cheapest meal in a very long time. Service was minimal but good.


While we were there there were a few other, though at 8pm they were wrapping up when we arrived. It was a Tuesday Night out West. Very quiet and dark with only a few people about. It's very different from the city.

Will we be back? Potentially. Too much food and too little time! But we'd recommended African Cuisine and to trying new things!

Tuesday 15th March



Meeting, facial, class, dinner. We had a facial in the afternoon which was very relaxing, though wedding music played in the background. In class today's focus was mainly unconditional positive regard, which was nice. Though there's always those repeat offenders... and serial killers. Psych is always a fun subject. 


For dinner we traveled out west for African food. Revisiting a restaurant we sampled on a food crawl a few years ago. Huge serving and cheap prices while still being quality food isn't too common. Our next post shall be on our visit.

Wednesday

I was going to do laundry but there was powder everywhere, thanks to resident bat shit crazy old woman. She also tried to "help" with my breakfast and destroyed it.


Vodafone isn't giving me network connection, a machine (not Vodafone, but another service) won't let me through to a human and keeps hanging up on me! That was IT support, 8+ calls later and I still can't log in!!!



Chadstone had their biannual VIP sales night tonight, not worth going unless there's something specific you want. For me it's a certain pair of $220 shoes, alas no stock and no they can't order it in at the sale price -20%.

We may have had a drink, though perhaps should have asked for a mocktail... as my head was soon pulsating and I felt a bit clouded, which didn't stop me from going dancing! Alcohol doesn't make you a better dance (practice does) it just makes you more chilled, which is exactly what I needed. 

Thursday

The group is split and we've joined other groups. Like in middle school sport we were selected by other teams to join them. Unlike middle school I was first chosen, back then I wasn't the last one. I was never chosen. Except in archery. The new group's going well, most of the group doesn't speak too much English but they're trying hard, especially the team leader. 

The project has changed to theory rather than running charity events which is a relief. I really don't like doing sponsorship, until you get to a certain level where people want to be with you, rather than you're chasing them. It's like celebs and endorsements. You can't ask for it if you're little.


Pre-class lunch. The first time I've ever tipped in Australia, because he rode on a bicycle while carrying two cups, think coffee cups. That takes skill.



Like a genius I forgot the tickets for tonight's event on my desk! So we went back to the house to pick them up and for a nap.


Chic! (2004) is a French comedy film showing at Palace Cinemas as a part of the French Film Festival, it's a French version of 'The Devil Wears Prada' though has parts set in the country-like sea side so there's that contrast between the slow relaxed country, and the quick and fast paced city. 

The beach was made of rocks which was a first, as I've rarely seen beaches like that. The port/bay is not a beach.

Our protagonist and her boss, the designer and queen, have many things in common, and like the devil wears prada, she abandons her high fashion career, but not to pursue her true passion, but a man. He's a landscaper and makes pancakes, but I don't know why they like each other. Especially as she pretty much coned him into coming into the city (Paris) by sinking his daughter's boat.



Friday

An 8am wake up call via siren. Most of the house was half asleep and no one was happy (other than the one who activated the fire alarm). It was cold and wet outside while we waited for the fire truck. As usual there was no fire. While we all waited on the veranda the mad old woman was no where to be seen. If we were in a medieval village guess who's the witch?


An evening at the Garden Show, was nice. Though we should have gone BYO food. It was winter and got dark quite quickly, and someone forgot the tripod. 

Saturday


In collaborate with Vogue, Eastland hosted a series of seminars #vouguexeastland to showcase the new shopping center, located opposite Ringwood Station. We've never been to Eastland before, so this was a first, unfortunately there were bus replacements this weekend but other than that we made it! The seminars/shows were all very easy to find, unlike the exit once you get lost! 


We got lost and found god Kmart! And there was a home deco section with so much stuff... of course we only bought stuff to use here and now, and not have a storage unit of cheap deco stuff to use "one day". :P This was limited to that rare Jasper quilt set! A test tube vase (also rare) and some hair deco stuff at 50c each.



But before that we attended a seminar for aspiring fashion/lifestyle wannabe bloggers, satan kadashian-worshiping teenage girls. Where am I? I believe I am in hell.  But the info was good, I found something similar here. 


The other event was a autumn/fall winter fashion show, with the ever so popular Gorman and their prints. I like the super long sweater with short and knee high boots, but it's not me. Also being 5" I like to work with my proportions. 

Overall a fun day. Minus the 6hrs spent chasing Boost. 


Anyone else experiencing issues with the smaller phone companies? Did you go shopping this week? Highpoint's up next, not sure when Melb Central's event is though.

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