harold & maude

found object, recycled, remade, renewed

studio 204 - 37 swanston street

l'uccello

i discovered this little melbourne haberdashery treasure when in search for the melbournalia market, which was conveniently closed for business on mondays. when you step in to this shop, you instantly feel like you're in a little cottage full of vintage-like haberdashery goods. it being the days leading up to Christmas, l'ucello has a gorgeous range of ornaments and festive décor. couldn't leave without taking something away, so i picked up a matryoshka tape measure and some tag labels. i'll definitely be visting this little gem again in the not too distant future.

the lanterns on degraves st

i walk past these every morning on my way to work. yes, that street - every hipster's location of choice for a bite to eat, some shutterbug action, and a little mingling. perhaps it is an over-hyped street, but i still like it. back to the lanterns - they're an installation of some sort, so i'm not sure how much longer they'll be around. a while, i hope. i think they're sweet. a touch of innocence in an alley overwhelmed by graffiti. it's a visual contradiction. not that i dislike graffiti, but the transition is a pleasant change of scenery. bringing some much needed positivity to the lives of those heading back to the grind. i'm sure we've all felt that way at some point in our lives, so i hope everyone can appreciate this artwork as a sign that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, or in this case, the street.

ETA: i know the photos aren't top notch. so please excuse the slight blur ... i was in a rush.

melbourne design market | july 2011

made an appearance at the melbourne design market on sunday. a successful and productive market this year, in my opinion. the market generally stocks around 2/5 of the same stalls every year, which is a tad disappointing. begs the question, does the lack of accessible creativity reflect melbourne's artistic talent, or lack thereof? i've never really queried it - i am a proud melbournian and do enjoy the artistic culture and lifestyle of the city dwellers. perhaps it's more of a 'good things come to those who wait' situation. must be. that said, i'm pretty sure a majority of the stalls were selling non-australian designed or made products. back on topic, i managed to pick up the following: -

• cards by able and game - these cards make me smile. we purchase these every time, so it only seemed fitting to ensure we lived up to the tradition. i do quite like the google card.
  
• keepcup - great colour combination, eh? it reminds me of a watermelon. @alfalfasaysyes picked out the colours and we bought matching keepcups. can you feel the love?
• great balls of wire - a nifty little gadget to keep all your wires in some logical order. great for OCD people, such as myself.
  
• stock album - a petite photo album with pockets, for my instant fuji instax shots. i like the concept. the pockets also remind me of those old yellow pockets in school library books. i don't even remember the correct term for those anymore, it was that long ago.

sassafras

thought i'd share some of my purchases from yesterday's trip to miss marple's turf - sassafras.

1. floral tea canister from tea leaves - those who know me well, are aware that i'm quite the organised hoarder. to date, i have a collection of eighteen fossil tins. not sure why, but i just love tins, so an affinity for tea canisters is a given. i intend to have an ongoing unique collection. this is one of many.
   
2. a selection of three teas from tea leaves - strawberry & champagne - ceylon and china teas sprinkled with strawberry pieces and blended with strawberry and champagne flavours; lime & coconut sencha - china green tea blended with refreshing lime and tropical coconut flavours; chai chocolate - india teas blended with chocolate tea and rich warm spices; cinnamon, cloves, cardamon and ginger.
3. original chacult tea filter from tea leaves - a gorgeous little tea filter in the shape of a house, complete with a drip catcher.
4. talinga grove chilli infused extra virgin olive oil from cream at sassafras - lucy nudged me to try this one. perhaps i haven't been exposed to the variety of olive oil options available, but after sampling this pang of flavour, i couldn't resist. a piece of bread dipped in this chilli infused olive oil and dukkah - to die for.
5. candy from sassafras sweet co. - nothing like stocking up your daily sugar fix. english raspberry drops (these remind me of sovereign hill) and toffee apple.
   

miss marple's tea room

lucy and i took a small trip to the dandenongs - destination: miss marple's tea room - for a long overdue tea room luncheon. the whole experience was lovely, as was the company. between the two of us, we managed to devour an embarrassingly large portion of food. it was a challenge, to say the least. the people surrounding us had a good laugh or two witnessing our slightly disgraceful, however, extremely successful attempt at consuming a pot o' tea, miss marple's famous fingers (smoked salmon, egg, cheed and caper fingers), a beef cottage pie, devonshire scones with jam and cream, and the final chapter - vicar's folly. each dish, a delectable concoction. i'm definitely venturing to the sticks for that cottage pie again, it is perhaps one of the best pies i've ever had ... and i do love me a great pie. the quiche lorraine looks very tempting as well. well worth the distance and lack of reception ... this actually made me a tad frantic, given the unhealthy dependence i have developed on my phone.

the surrounding shops are very country-like stocking tea, soaps, candles, a unique selection of children's toys, and things of the sort. a great distraction, should one have to wait an hour to dine at miss marple's, as we did. i do suggest people have a thorough look at the weather forecast before heading out. we managed an early arvo of short-lived sunshine. what was supposed to be a drizzle or two, ended up being thunderstorms and hours of endless downpour. this resulted in lucy running around with a white blouse revealing her black bra, and my camrbidge satchel seeping red dye on one of my favourite silk dresses. i know, the horror. damn satchel. dismal weather and stained silk dress aside, it was a pleasant escape from the hustle and bustle of inner city melbourne and a welcome experience.

elevenses

elevenses was previously located in kensington, the suburb of my humble abode. i've been meaning to drop by, only to realise the little cafe had relocated conveniently next to the building in which i slave away 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. when a restaurant follows you around in such a fashion, you just know it's fate. and that it is, i'm sitting here devouring my roast otway pork sourdough sandwich (with provolone, tomato, parsley, snow pea shoots and spiced apple sauce). definitely one of the tastiest sandwiches i've had down this end of the city in quite some time. i love a good sandwich. such a simple meal, but when done right, it can leave you craving for more. the wait is a tad long, but very much worth it, and there's the satisfaction of knowing your sandwich is fresh. of course, they've attended to this waiting period and supplied their fellow customers with a scrabble board to fiddle with and some very interesting furnishing to glance over, including but not limited to a refurbished pool table and a gigantic moose (e.t.a. well, i thought it was a moose) head. will definitely be giving the tomato and basil rye sandwich a go on my next visit, coupled with a cup of coffee - which, from what i hear, is quite good. it's nice to have a little taste of home on my break from all the brilliance that is recruitment ... and back to the grind.

585 little collins street


image source: fitzroyalty

msfw show 4

"The modern urban palette is represented here exclusively with a grouping of Melbourne designers. This show is a celebration of idiosyncratic Melbourne style; the aesthetic of the innovative Melbourne designer, the fashion of our lane-ways, hidden bars and architectural contrasts. Pin-pointing the modern Melbourne look, the runway will be filled with a muted palette, technical design and a sprinkling of irony." - msfw

now this is more my kind of thing. i'll make it short and sweet. first things first, the hair. every year this designer series manages to come up with a unique style - usually pulled back with plaits, but different every time. sheer brilliance. it completes the look. i was seated for this show. not impressed with the seating arrangements. why they decided to seat people in the middle of the runway bewilders me. also, not sure if this was an issue every other year, but they really need to elevate seat rows per row, like in the cinemas, rather than every second. quick rundown of the night below.

alpha60
colour palette: as per usual - black and grey, pastel purple, purple-grey tones
featuring: snow owls, knit patterns, draping
loved: draping more focused on the back
extra comments: i browsed alphaville before attending the show, i was disappointed that they'd already had these pieces in stock at alphaville. last year i had to wait months for the piece i was eying to come out. i like the anticipation, don't take that away from me.

above
colour palette: cream, burnt orange-red, poppy red, grey
featuring: cute shorts, tailored to look non-tailored suits, criss cross back
loved: the jumpsuit with the criss cross back

limedrop
colour palette: white, grey, black, exotic green patterns
featuring: exotic holiday-ish patterns, lamé, buttoned shirts
loved: the black lamé skirt. very cute. the long shirts i could never wear due to my vertically challenged body type
extra comments: not a fan of the exotic holiday-ish pattern, looked tacky in my opinion. especially in the men's blazer. but each to his own. apparently the limedrop pieces are also already in stock.

tesla
colour palette: blue, light blue, black, cream
featuring: plain simple designs, large frills, one shoulder dresses
loved: nothing sparked my interest
extra comments: the large shoulder engulfing frills were not flattering. not to mention, the fabric looked cheap. in an attempt to liven up the plain designs, they accessorised with these hideous large cheap gold double chain earings. apologies for the harsh comments, i only speak the truth.

jack london
colour palette: taupe, purple, purple-grey tones, grey, black, deep red
featuring: purple pants, cuffed pants, glittery suit, ruffled cuffs
loved: nothing sparked my interest, although i did think the ruffled cuffs were cute. wouldn't support the look off the runway though.
extra comments: are these models relatively short, or is it just me?

fat
note: i'm not sure what this series is really. i think it's just fat revealing their new spring stock.
loved: pussy bows, leather backpack, silky long shirt jacket, grey fluffy woolly jumper.

claude maus denim
colour palette: as per usual - black and grey
featuring: black denim, shiny black denim
loved: nothing sparked my interest
extra comments: i honestly thought this was going to be a claude maus series, rather than just claude maus denim. needless to say, i'm a tad disappointed.

trimapee
colour palette: black, grey
featuring: cropped jacket, cape, tie-dye
loved: nothing sparked my interest

carly hunter
colour palette: cream, ivory, black, mustard, light grey
featuring: large spots on sheer fabric, draping, collars, back slits
loved: the feminine cutesy collars. subtle but effective back slits.

the little mule co

i hope to check this place out on saturday. the place just looks too good to delay this post. i'll provide an update with more content once i get a real feel for the little mule. currently only open on saturdays (9:00am to 3:30pm) as they're still adding the finishing touches.

"We formed the Little Mule Company as we love bicycles and coffee. So we decided to open shop, the kind of place we’d like to hang out and we’re pretty fussy about this stuff. So it had to have some sweet bikes and great coffee." - the litte mule

"What do they have? Coffee. From the Little Marionette; 'crowd pleaser' blend. What else? Bikes. Single speed; custom frames designed by Ben Bates; nice parts. Furniture. Some of it recycled from the old Botany Bay Woolsheds; colonial handiwork right there. Magazines; Bone Shaker, specifically. Food. Bircher; bagels; fresh; organic. In the cafe scoop system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the folks who just want a coffee; and the dedicated reporters who seriously need to chill out. These are their stories." - threethousand

19 Somerset Pl, Melbourne

msfw show 2

"Elegant and embellished threads are celebrated with this mix of artistic designers.

Expressive and doctored fabrics as well as a luscious mixture of pleats, ruching and ruffles will be seen in this year’s collections. An emphasis on luxury fabric: silk, satin, georgette, leather and feathers add to the opulence of this special designer grouping.

Featuring exquisite workmanship, this is a show which venerates the artistic elegance of fashion." - msfw

not the usual fashion show i would attend, but my brother's girlfriend was in dire need of fashion show cherry poppage, and prior commitments did not allow me the option to attend show 1 or 3. loved all the brunette's strutting down the runway, they're truly taking over. a quick debrief from yours truly, a simple fashion minion with no expertise in fashion other than her own judgment.

aurelio costarella
colour palette: neutral cream and black separates combined to create a simple yet tasteful contrast
featuring: frills, sequins, tulip skirts
loved: the puffy fluffy black cropped jacket held together by a large waist belt. creating the ultra skinny waist illusion, or maybe she just had a really small waist.

gwendolynne
colour palette: angelic white shades, creams, pastels
featuring: long silky gowns, glimmer/bling
loved: alice burdeu's appearance with her long red loose locks and dainty figure

thurley
colour palette: cream, beige, grey, brown, poppy red, ivory
featuring: draping
loved: the perfectly coordinated order of appearance. beginning with neutral plain colours, followed by hints of poppy red, full blown poppy red, and digressing with neutrals, ending with ivory whites.

arthur galan
colour palette: black and white separates, grey, cream, pinkish-red, green
featuring: frills, slim tailored suits
loved: the preppy boy look. black and white contrast. slick hair, but only on the runway. skinny tailored suits that give the height illusion.
extra comments: i found the colourful outfits a tad boring. a repetition of what's already out there.

lisa ho
colour palette: the perfect shades of purple, orchid, lilac, khaki
featuring: pretty patterns, purple
loved: finally a designer who used colour tastefully. represented what a spring collection should really be. don't get me wrong, i love neutral tones and creams, but it's nice to have some colour in a spring collection. not overdone, perfect.
extra comments: hands down my favourite collection from msfw show 2

megan park
colour palette: beigh, purples, lilac, red, aqua, peach, salmon
featuring: turban headbands, boho, loose fit
loved: the turban headbands, very cute. the purple and red combination.
extra comments: i'm really over this boho look, not sure why people keep trying to bring it back

yeojin bae
colour palette: pink, taupe, peach, blue-ish grey, blue, green
featuring: slim tailored suits, simple additions that make the piece unique
loved: slim tailored suits, blue-ish grey tones

collette dinnigan
colour palette: poppy red, pink, grey, neutral tones
featuring: patterns, glimmer/bling
loved: glimmer and neutral tone combination. i'm generally not a fan of glimmer/bling, but collette dinnigan seems to have mastered the art of subtle glimmer.

akira
colour palette: white, ivory, cream, dark and light greys, hints of deep purple, burnt orange
featuring: pretty collars, sheer fabric, draped outerwear, floral patterns
loved: the subtle and feminine collars. very cute.

christine
colour palette: soft pastels, grey, blue, purple, cream, taupe
featuring: checkered outerwear, loose fit, frills
loved: anything checkered. the use of soft pastel colours
extra comments: not a fan of the metallic purple bag. barf. the headwear, especially the one that highly resembled a satellite dish was ... interesting.

michi girl & kat macleod

i recently skimmed through like i give a frock by michi girl. although the content is amusingly satire, i wouldn't exactly say it's well written. some of the points raised are valid, but i also found myself cringing at some of her views. i'm not the only reader with this point of view either. michi subtly placed a letter in her book from a fellow reader stating that: -

"although it's a little light on actual fashion advice, i'm still finding it quite useful. for example, the other day i was out having coffee in the sun and realised i'd left my sunglasses at home. but then i realised i had a copy of your book in my bag. it was the perfect size to block the sun from my eyes while i read my favourite magazine" - like i give a frock

i'm not sure how i would take to someone telling me that my book (if i had one) was only ever good for blocking the sunlight so i could read another book or magazine. there's also an email from her mother, implying that michi shouldn't judge people with facial hair. the fact that michi allowed these to be published in her book, reveals that she's very much aware of what people think of her writing and judgmental demeanor - and quite frankly, she doesn't give a shit. not only that, she's making bucket loads of money out of it. all power to her.

i was mislead into buying this book, thinking it would be an enjoyable leisurely read about fashion, as the blurb suggests. my own fault of course, judging a book by it's cover. that said, had i not done so, i wouldn't have come across the artwork of melbourne's very own, kat macleod. i may not love this book for its written content, but the illustrations are beautiful. her artistic combination of sketches, vibrant watercolours and fabrics, screams brilliance. and with that, i'll leave you with a clip of kat macleod's art process. appreciate and enjoy.

a minor place

“Well I've been to a minor place and I can say I like its face if I am gone and with no trace I will be in a minor place” - Will Oldham

the luncheonette has some competition. alas, another brunswick vs. kensington predicament arises. loving this nifty little breakfast and lunch restaurant, located where else but in good ol' brunswick. what i love most, is the down-to-earth personalities of not only the staff, but also the fellow munchers. a great atmosphere for a meal to start off the day. the interior and exterior design, although simple, feels quite cosy - in a vintage home sort of way.

for those who love a good brunch, the menu is quite drool worthy. the menu is here for your perusal. on this particular sunday morning i ordered the 'the mumbler' - poached eggs on toast with pesto, fetta, spinach, fresh tomato & dukkah; and a mocha to compliment. i'm a lover of pesto. anything with pesto, bring it my way. 'twas a highly satifying meal, as was the mocha, much to my surprise. my friend ordered 'a minor breakfast' - poached eggs on toast with grilled ham, roast tomato, henry’s white beans, spinach & dukkah; which looked, and i'm sure was, just as scrumptious.

re: threethousand reference. i especially agree with the last paragraph. it's probably the best part about a minor place. definitely the kind of environment i like to munch in. will be visiting again sometime in the near future.

"You can generally trust a café with a dog, or a number of dogs, out the front. These are the kind of dogs that would grow a beard if they weren't already covered in hair. The kind of dogs that would play a guitar and sing like Will Oldham aka Bonnie ‘Prince' Billy after whose song A Minor Place is named.

Their menu is what you wish your pantry or fridge looked like, or what your pantry or fridge probably looked like before you moved out of a home to a squat on the north side. Henry's White Beans are famous in the same way that cocaine is famous and talked about in the same hush tones.

Most importantly A Minor Place isn't trying to be anything. It's been around a while and it's going to be around a while longer. It's simply doing its thing in a way that let's everyone else just do their thing and that's the way eating and hanging out should be." - threethousand

103 Albion St, Brunswick

little collins street

due to some dodgy restrictions regarding my lunch break, i've been forced to consume my lunch alone. quite sad, really. but good in the sense that it forces me to leave the office and wander the streets of melbourne. on this particular day, i decided to browse little collins street. i came across two lovely boutique shops.

1. little salon - shop 1, 353 little collins st
love the interior of this shop. definitely worth a browse if you're looking for unique jewellery. they also stock white bone china pieces by have you met miss jones. love. although, they do seem to be everywhere at the moment. my rabbits also seem to have fornicated profusely and popped into several melbourne boutique stores - with an elevated price tag, might i add. also glanced over some kitty came home clutches - very cute.

2. rapproducts - 345 little collins st
caters to young adults. definitely for newly weds and young families, given there's a corner purely dedicated to the little people a.k.a. babies. a sweet shop for homeware. i'm loving homeware at the moment, not sure why - but it makes me feel like an old person. they also stock white display pieces, but not the ones that are stocked in every nook and cranny of melbourne - which is nice to see. didn't fancy their jewellery stock. just not for me, i guess.

the spirit of the black dress

"Our aim is to promote emerging designers and bring attention to the exceptional talent born of the Australian consciousness. The Spirit of the Black Dress brings together different factions of the fashion and textiles industry, building a stronger community in order to increase the international appreciation for Australian design." - thespiritoftheblackdress

the luncheonette

welcome to the burbs. this excites me. a snazzy place to wine and dine that's conveniently close to home. loving the interior, feels very brunswick-y. as a local i'm admittedly biased, however, you'd be surprised what you can find in lil ol' kenny. perhaps i won't be so inclined to move to brunswick afterall. we shall see. looking forward to seeing similar establishments in the (hopefully) not too distant future.

"Olivia Robinson smuggled a culinary secret back from New York when she returned to the homeland early last year. While in the US, the hospitality veteran (of New York eateries Brown and Gitane) developed a fancy for the Lower East Side counter cafes known as 'Luncheonettes' and decided the slept-on suburb of Kensington was the perfect location to open her very own.

Striking the delicate balance of cute-not-kitsch, and with focused-not-fierce service, Luncheonette toasts the other country-style eateries in the area like a ham and cheese sandwich. The food is almost all organic, derived locally from the Vic Markets, Dench Bakers and Crumbs Bakehouse. Meals like the breakfast platter (muesli with organic yoghurt with pistachios, honey and fruit toast) and the baked egg combos are even presented on lil' wooden boards!!

The interior is spotless yet filled with character, decorated with hand painted windows and accessories, a vintage cash register and random collectables that Olivia now has an excuse to display. All in all, Luncheonette is redolent with nostalgia of good times with friends and coffee in New York City. (Specifically, south of Houston, east of Bowery.)" - threethousand

173 Rankins Road, Kensington (opposite Kensington train station)

image source: flickr

no answer

saw this on the train this morning. it's times like these i wish i popped my head out of the books and was more attentive to melbourne's art culture whilst still at uni. i think this was a brilliant idea and i'm totally kicking myself for not being there to see it in action. they remind me of bugs, and the ringing somewhat resembles chirping of crickets. although, i'm sure that's not the effect they were going for. but hey, art is always open to your own interpretation. brilliant work from melbourne. 'tis why i love this city.

...

No Answer (2006)
Martine Corompt & Philip Brophy
Photography by Greg Sims
Location Lush Lane

The enigma of the ringing public payphone. Who is calling, and who will answer?

A Melbourne lane-way. From the main street you hear the faint ringing of a public phone. As you near the mouth of the laneway, the ringing is clearer. It is not one phone: it sounds more like ten phones, chiming intermittently. Now standing at the mouth of the laneway, you see multiple public phones, each covered by their radiant dome, distributed across the laneway’s wall at varying heights. Some are positioned two stories high. All are inaccessible. You move down into the laneway. All the phones continue to chime intermittently, gently filling the spatial volume of the laneway space. Unable to reach or pick-up the receivers, you are left listening to the sound of ringing - the sound of no answer.

City of Melbourne Laneway Commission 2006

content source: moving galleries

the estelle

sounds like a lovely place. will definitely be adding this little gem to my over-flowing list of things to do on the weekend. so much to do, so little time ...

What: The Estelle
Where: 243 High St, Northcote
When: Tues-Thurs 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat 8am-midnight, Sun 9am-11pm
Contact: 9489 4609

The Estelle is a new cafe, two doors down from Joe's Shoe Store. In the time it took me to type that, they sold seventeen coffees and a baked eggs boogaloo, so I suggest you get down there quick sticks before you're standing in a queue the length of High Street. And now, six reasons to stay in line:

• Velvety coffee in beautiful, vintage cups.
• Tapas-style food that will never try to tell you a baked cheese sandwich is a croque monsieur.
• The owner, Josh, grew up in Coolangatta and has magicked a fit-out based on his memories of the fibro houses he BMXed past on the way to school.
• Outdoor tables big enough for almost 300 ashtrays.
• A 100% edible garden (snacks!)
• Open when assholes want breakfast; also open when you want breakfast.

content source: threethousand; image source: indolentdandy

beatpoet ties

the creators of this label will be visiting melbourne this thursday at alice euphemia on flinders lane. it's a mens clothing brand, but i will be attending regardless. see what the boys have designed for us this season. a friend of mine (dara ing, watch out for him in the next few years - he will, without a doubt, be successful in the fashion industry) told me about their genius to-attach collar designs. it's pretty sweet - you can detach the collar to change the style. oh how smart designs tickle me.

image source: violent green