[Melbourne] Coffee

I’m not really a coffee drinker but can’t help but want to have a cuppa especially when I walked past Degraves. The aroma is warm and inviting. So on a cool autumn morning, I sat in one of the cafes, had my cup of coffee, hearty breakfast, watched the crowd walked by and soaked in the atmosphere.

No sugar needed to be added to my coffee! I could get used to this :)

[Melbourne] Winery visit and tasting

Since that was my first time in Australia, I did try to do a little touristy stuff. On one of the days, we got out of the city and did a winery and wine tasting tour!

There was this particular visit which was housed in an old barn style house. I love how rustic it is.

Tried one of these delicious apples!

Second Pouch Making Workshop

I conducted the second run of my pouch making workshop last Sunday and was delighted to meet another group of crafty people. It's nice to know that although we all have different day jobs, we share a common love for sewing. We spent an enjoyable afternoon sewing and chatting. 

Here are two completed pouches by the participants! Some of them went home to do up the finishing touches and I was so happy when they shared pictures of the finished products with me. 

A fantastic group of people. Thank you for coming by. It was my pleasure having you :) 

[Melbourne] Cookie

Are you getting your fix of cafes so far in the Melbourne series of posts? I hope you’re enjoying it so far. Today’s post is on a restaurant and bar, Cookie. 

Being the travelers that we are, we got so busy walking around and soaking it all in that we often have our meals at funny times. It’s actually quite liberating not to stick to a prescribed meal time. So, we usually look out or head to a food place when our stomachs start to make their emptiness known. We arrived at Cookie at about 5pm and the friendly waitress asked without any skepticism-- lunch or drinks? Lunch, I said.

Yummy fusion thai food that my stomach delighted in was served. I love the high ceilings, illustrations on the flaking wallpaper, long bar, checkered napkin.  It was relatively quiet when we got in, with sunlight streaming in beautifully from the windows. By the time we left, the place was buzzing and there was a line forming outside. 

The bill came in this super cute Little Golden Book!

After our satisfying meal, we checked out the rest of the building that Cookie is housed in. 

[Melbourne] Captains of Industry

Captains of Industry was a suggestion by a lovely Melbourne friend, Pom Pom Parlour. The entrance of this gentlemen outfitter and cafe is off the main road but what a gem this is! 

I couldn’t take my eyes off the interior once I entered. Serious. T was pestering me to decide on my food order so he could fill his stomach but I was so distracted by the awesome furnishings of this place. The theme is industrial. I love the eclectic mix of chairs and all the beautifully aged wood I was seeing. Vintage sewing machines abound.

I picked us a table with sewing machine legs to sit at. 

And these guys are serious about what they do. They provide services such as made to measure menswear, haircuts, bespoke footwear and leather accessories. I kept thinking if I get to make my plushies and cushions in such a place everyday, surrounded by people with similar pursuits, it would be happiness. 

My sandwich by the way was delicious. Fresh, hearty and healthy. I still can’t quite forget it.

[Melbourne] My buys

Did you have a good weekend? Let's continue with the Melbourne series! I hope you are enjoying it. During this trip, I bought some rad items, many of them from markets and thrift shops. Big thanks to my lovely friend, Angela from Three Buttons, who pointed me to her favourite haunts. They were excellent suggestions!!

These are some of my buys. I had to exercise a great amount of self control!

I bought quite a few records to add to my collection :)

This is a vintage photo jacket. I love the graphics and text!

These are actually book ends made from bricks. Yes, bricks. Don't ask me how I lugged them home. I love them so much and got to choose from several titles.

As you can see, I obviously have intense feelings towards old things :p

Pouch Making Workshop - 2nd run!

I hear that many of you weren't able to secure a place in the first session of my pouch making workshop. Guess what? Due to the great response and many enquiries received, we have decided to do a second run of the same workshop! It is hence my pleasure to invite you to this workshop :).

Come join me in making a cute pouch that will hold your iPhone, lipstick, loose change, tissue... You will decorate it with simple sashiko embroidery and embelish it with lace/pom poms. 

The small size of the workshop allowed me to provide personal attention to the participants and I want to keep it that way. So, spots are also limited for this second session.

Date: 20 May 2012 (Sunday)

Time: 2 - 5pm

Level: anyone who has an interest in sewing. Suitable for beginners.

Click on over here to register and for more details! Hope to see you there this time round :)

[Melbourne] 1000 Pound Bend

Hello! I’m excited to begin the first post of this new Melbourne series on the blog. Initially when I told some folks over here that I’ll be heading there, they told me it’s a city, not much to see and do. I gave a weird look and realised that there are different things people look for when traveling. I’m so glad T shares the same thoughts on traveling as me. Needless to say, I enjoyed myself a lot during my time there. The people, the sights, the creativity, the food, the design... there’s so much to love about Melbourne. 

And I guess if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’d know what my kind of travel is like. I’ll love to think too that you share my love for this kind of travel :) First up, is this awesome cafe, 1000 Pound Bend, that I visited on day 1. 

Although I hardly caught a wink during the flight, this place definitely perked me up! Walking around checking out its design and furnishings had me recharged! This place is cool in a I’m-hardly-trying way. Rad!!

There’s a huge area event space at the back. 

And when food came, it didn’t disappoint either.