Wool 'n' Lace

Portmans Dress | Geiger Tyrol Cropped Wool Jacket | Zara two toned sandal heels

DFO Portmans always have great bargains, I bought this black midi lace dress + slip for only $30AUD last week. But if I had to review this dress I wouldn't recommend it to anybody, because:

• material is very tough - hard to move in
• the arm pit and shoulder cut is too large, it makes the dress look un-proportional (even my seamstress mother was in a pickle when I told her to fix it for a perfect fit, she said she didn't want to bother because it was more time consuming to fix then buying a different $30 dress, she told me to return it). I had to roll/scrunch up the sleeves to make it look fitted
• hem was sealed tight - easy fix would be to cut the dress shorter, remove the seal... so I can walk freely without looking like a prissy bowlegged chicken. 

Austria's Geiger Tyrol boiled wool cropped jacket with pearl buttons (I love vintage pieces) - this added some texture and brightened up the blackness. This was an incidental finding, I was actually looking for merino wool socks and stubbled upon this on eBay, which cost me $40 with shipping, but I'm happy with the purchase cause its well fitted, comfy and really warm. 

If you love genuine Zara shoes, check this eBay seller out: hoicompany2010. I got my two toned Zara sandal heels from them for only $59AUD with shipping. 
These are pretty comfy but this style runs half a size bigger then expected

Highpoint Pancake Parlour

Back in 2008 I use to be a waitress at the Highpoint Pancake Parlour where I would take grave yard shifts and get home at like 6 AM in the morning; dynamic and work flow were great. You would only know how dirty a place is once you start working there, and Pancake Parlour isn't the most hygienic place to eat at if you are a germ freak.
Today was the first day I've ever returned as a customer since I left in 2008. Its changed a lot, but menu remained mostly unchanged with a few new items and an increase in prices.

I always get so worked up on the prices here, its unbelievably expensive for just cooked flour and ice cream (its organic Melbourne made ice cream), even the drinks are over priced. Atmosphere and staff are good, food is slow to get to the table, and it doesn't taste as extraordinary as the price. Though their specials and lunch menu isn't too badly priced. 
They are now open 24/7 at Highpoint so you're literally paying for overtime services, thats if you reckon a pancake craving at 4 AM is inevitable then its all worth the price. Where can you find a 24/7 restaurant besides McDonalds?

Strawberry Swiss Mountain Malt (essentially thick strawberry milk shake) - $8.70! I could get at least 6 litres of Big M at this price when they go on a special frenzy at the local super market.  

Lemon Ice Tea - $5.70

Short Stack - $11.90! I'd rather eat Hot cakes at McDonalds + free maple syrup. Special maple syrup at Pancake Parlour comes with a price

Fresh Strawberries on Crepes - $20.50! crepes were cold and leathery in texture, strawberries were fresh but I'd rather buy my own punnet and add expensive ice cream at home

Ham Chicken Schnitzel, butter, side salad, cheese pancake and wedges - $25.90! Well I guess this was the best value dish we got, because each item on this plate if ordered separately would add up to a ridiculous price. This was delicious too, hot ham crispy chicken with great wedges

7 Oak Tree

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I work in Point Cook, but have never heard of 7 Oak Tree, until I decided to do some googling. The overall feel, food, services were great.

tea for two, cutleries and utensils here are very elegant from maxwell williams designer homeware

Slow cooked beef in some sort of mushroom gravy sauce with sides… sauce and sides all tasted great but one advice I would give this cook would be to add maybe pumpkin, sweet potato and/or potato! This would compliment even better then the steamed veggies.

Lamb riblets + special BBQ sauce… this reminded me of the American BBQ pork ribs and TGIF ribs, YUM, sweet, sour, salty oh so good. This is an Aussie twist to the infamous BBQ ribs of the USA, because instead of Pork this restaurant has used Lamb. It is tender, meat does fall off the bones and the sauce was just right. Fries were ok cause they were a bit salty. This was on the lunch menu + your choice of juice/soft drink for $9.90

Overall we had two mains and 2 drinks for under $36 at a fancy looking restaurant. I am happy I have found this new place (my dentist is just next door and I never knew this place existed).

Seddon Deadly Sins Cafe

Breakfast at Seddon Deadly Sins was overall very good, service was excellent, décor was unique in a nice way, food was average (but how many ways can you eat bacon and eggs + bread? I couldn’t have asked for more, it was breakfast), drinks had its good and bad, and prices were decent.

Hot Chocolate – I’ve never been satisfied with any hot chocolate I’ve made or ordered, it’s been too rich, too bitter or too bland, this hot chocolate was perfect, each to their own, you may find this too sweet… I really liked it! Coffee was great too; they’re pretty famous for their coffees here.

On the other hand, the orange juice were freshly squeezed I think, but it wasn’t fresh orange, it tasted somewhat rotten.

Herbed Polenta – with Oven Roasted Tomatoes on Baby Spinach with Two Poach Eggs and Topped with Harrisa. I didn’t enjoy this that much, it was just eggs, spinach, special potato starch like bread pancakes (don't know what that yellow thing was) and nice sauce, typical normal flavours which can be replicated at home.

Wrath (Spanish Eggs) – Eggs cooked in Salsa with Olives, Onion, Parmesan and Chorizo Sausage, I enjoyed this combo with the extra side of harsh browns. Hint of hot spice, sour, sweet and savory, compromised really well. I do recommend this

Side of harsh browns, this is usually good when freshly fried, crunchy and delicious. McDonalds hash browns are also on my favourites list.

FIRST TASTE

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First taste is an authentic Chinese/Asian restaurant in Footscray, it’s got an extensive herbal soup and claypot range; majority is good if you like the bitterness in soup. I’m not a fan of soup or hard, crunchy, crusty rice in claypots but my partner loves this stuff. Other than that they have added crab on the menu, and if you are going to order dishes to share with steamed rice, overall, dishes here are good and prices are very decent especially for cooked crab (about $50 a pound depending on the season, but its always top quality grab).
I like dinner here for price, service and quality, do try it.

Claypot and Chinese herbal soup is the most renown here, but at lunch people tend to order the wonton noodle soup as well (good too)

Black Pepper Crab, it's really good even better then Chef Lagenda but not as good as Omah (the best in my opinion)

Chilli Crab is delicious too, but they don't provide roti or bread so B.Y.O (you are allowed to hehehe, we do it all the time). I've tried this crab mixed with egg noodles but it made the crab more boring and you get full too quick

Stir fried beef eggs and veggies - don't know how they make the beef tender and crunchy, its good. I wouldn't order this if I didn't eat with a group of people.

Boring Mie Goreng - don't try it, make the 2 min packet at home cheaper and you get the same result.

Chilli shrimp paste stir fried Okra - gooeyness, saltiness, fishiness, chilliness ...yummy, hehehe may turn people off but this makes a good dish with steamed rice. 

EDGY TRANSITION

Just trying an edgier look to transition from cool to warmer weather since Spring is in the air in Melbourne - hayfever season = spring.

OOTD:

Crop top and dual texture coats are so in this season. I somehow stumbled upon a free TEMT top from my teenage cousin and a free oversized 90's "Miss Sixty" puffy coat with fur lining (very warm). My grandma got a huge bag of old stuff from a friend who wanted to give all her old clothes away, grandma kept some of the warmer clothing and then transferred the rest to the "Salvos", hence this is shared now between me and grandma lol.

I predict bloggers and fashionistas in the Northern hemisphere will sport a lot of the dual textured coats this winter; any material or length jacket incorporated with fur/wool/leather/etc. collar or vice versa will be seen everywhere. And of course oversized coats and funky prints and patterns can't be excluded, or some will stick to sophisticated black and white.

High waisted distressed boyfriend jeans with paint prints - role them up to show some sexy ankles and of course to make them shorter without spending money on hemming... This was purchased from eBay for $15, no-one wanted to bid against me for a pair of ripped up old looking pants, which in my parents opinion looked like a rag. I'm happy with the style and fit, brand new with tag.

Two toned ankle strap sandal heels to give this tom-boyish look a feminine contrast, and to give me some height lol.

TIP:
crop tops are in, suns out, show some skin! cropped tops will make your upper body look shorter (good for people with long backs) + fitted high waisted pants will elongate your legs = change peoples perspective on your body's proportion. Add heels and some feet cleavage, voila you just added more illusive height.

me trying hard to suck it in hahaha...

TEMT royal blue crop top | eBay distressed BF jeans | Zara Basic ankle strap heels

Charlies Pizza Footscray

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Before I started dating, I never knew so many places existed, including this pizzeria “Charlies Pizza”. I am an Asian who grew up in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, and consistent pass this restaurant when we do our grocery shopping in Footscray. I would look inside and think to myself “this is a dingy dodgy looking place”, “who would eat here?”, “it looks unhygienic”, “why are they always closed?”, “they are so empty how do they survive?”… And hear stories like “the owner is part of some gang/the mafia, he uses this place for money laundering”.

All my negative thoughts changed after my first experience, lol, I realized they don’t open during the times I drive pass, and most of their customers are Vietnamese who starts dinner very late in the evening, or Club goers would stop here for supper before heading home.

I do think they need a reno cause this place looks like a run down saloon, they also have an outdoors garden area at the back where small gatherings are held. The ambiance is confusing, Italian food + extra chilli flakes on everything you want on the menu, Vietnamese music in the background with Vietnamese concert billboards hang up in-front of the old peeling wallpaper.

The moderate urban spoon ratings may be due to its atmosphere and services, cause I hear the boss “Charlie” can be a meanie at times. Food wise, it isn’t the cheapest pizzeria, but I personal enjoy what I pay for… Italian food with extra hot chilliness (You don’t get that at many pizzeria).

"Charlie" the boss getting close and personal. He's not always mean, he can be very friendly at times

baked bread, hot salami, chilli flakes, anchovies and cheese - I love this crunchy bread with the hint of spicy saltiness, but some people find it too salty... just don't add anchovies on it

Marinara + Penne Pasta + Seafood + Chilli Flakes – large $17.80

This is really good; do try it, minus the chilli if you can’t handle the heat

Mushroom sauce was $8.80! But it makes a great combo with the beef and baked bread

Charlies Special Salad - Large $24.80, easy to make but expensive for a salad. However I will always order this because I love my greens in all my meals. When I ordered the Volcanic rock (picture below) the salad came free with it in a medium portion - BONUSSSS LOL. 

Volcanic Rock Beef Fillet -  $39.80

I’m on the fence with this one, flavorless, just butter, beef, and mushroom on a hot rock, for that price I’d rather do it myself… but it does come with a side of Charlies special salad.

If you want to save some money and try both the Beef Fillet & Mushroom sauce, order the "Mushroom steak", taste the same to me for less than half the price - $27.80 without the hassle of cooking yourself. I personally find no fun in using the rock, I think it leaves a BBQ smelly residue on me. 

We rarely order pizza if we are eating in less than groups of three, but personally I think its nothing spectacular. 

Mini to Midi

I have a soft spot for lace... but this mini lace dress, which mum bought for me from Vietnam ($10AUD) was too short.

TIP: have a short dress you want to wear but don't think its appropriate for any occasions or work? Don't make a fool of yourself and avoid exposing too much of your behind, just improvise, elongate the entire length with a midi skirt! Turn a "mini" into a "midi".

Where to buy this:

SKIRT --- thick white midi a-line polyester skirt, pleated with floral prints. Oh so feminine for only $15AUD, shipping was under $10 (maybe), sometimes they do free shipping promos - aliexpress.com... don't relate cheap to crap quality, because this skirt is of high quality, I dare say it's more durable then those fast fashion brands you see such as Zara, H&M, Forever New, Forever 21, etc...

Heels --- Nine West Women's Fanesa Pump (patent ivory synthetic). It was $50AUD with shipping from the amazon; though its got a mini heel beware the pointy toe and back of the shoe (due to constant rubbing while you walk) still hurts to wear over a long period of time. I bought two pairs in the same style, one in this colour the other in black, black was very comfortable to wear to work everyday it's now worn out. These are still looking new cause I can't stand in them for longer than an hour. Same cut but different fit. Online shopping doesn't always work out right?

White lace mini dress | Midi Skirt | Nine West Women's Fanesa Pump

DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT AFFILIATED TO ANY BRANDS, THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION AND EXPERIENCE