Unveiled - 200 years of wedding glamour @ Western Australia Museum

I went with a couple of workmates to a very glamourous exhibition at the WA Museum - 200 years of wedding fashion.

It was amazing to see dresses from 1828 right through to Dita Von Teese Vivienne Westwood wedding dress to the divine Christian Lacroix dress. To learn the evolution of the white dress and the start of a multi-billion dollar industry.

It's definitely worth a peak. Unfortunately no photos are allowed so this outfit - a wedding alternative by Aurelio Costello outside in the foyer will have to do.

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Head down to the WA Museum and make it a day by having tea (or lunch or breakfast) at the Muse cafe (on the grousa of the museum) under the trees or in their tea rooms.

The exhibition is on until 24 of March so check it out! Oh and there is a small fee involve but it's cheaper then movie ticket! You could even book online at museum.wa.gov.au

Gong xi fa cai! (Happy Chinese New Year) and here's to the new hairstyle!

Today is Chinese New Year Eve and it is said that you celebrate by going back to your family homes and spend time with them and of course lots of food is involved.

Apart from eating, (which at the moment the feast is being prepared and I have helped my parents as much as I can with the preparation for our massive feast..(the post of the food will follow soon)) - Chinese people believe that you should cut your hair or trim it before you ring in the new year. This way you have gotten rid of what was bad before to welcome a happy and prosperous year.

A new look for a new year right?

I don't believe in the superstition, but coincidentally I ended up booking my hair appointment with Stephanie Chew owner and hair styler of S2C designs. Colour and trim and a fringe.

Stephanie prepping me for my colour

Colour done! and now sitting under "the egg" waiting for dye to set

She did a fab job I think and it didn't take as long as I thought it would! Yay! And as always reasonably priced at $120 for colour, cut and style for mid-length hair, not bad for Perth hey!?

She was rather busy today so there wasn't as much chatter although I did find out that she just got engaged! How exciting!

Anyway here's to new hairstyle and of course a Happy Year of the Snake!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!

What do you think? Before the haircut on the left - waiting for her to finish with her previous client and the after on the right? I also ended up dying it a couple of shades lighter than my hair but keeping it as natural looking as possible.

Getting Frisky @ Frisk Small Bar

I haven't seen a few of my friends in a while and we've been meaning to have a Sunday sesh but the problem being that one of the guys tends to work on the majority of the Sundays in a year that it makes it hard to have one. So when Frisk Bar invited me along to check out their bar I took it as the perfect opportunity to get a couple of the gang together and have a Saturday sesh instead of a Sunday one.

The Saturday that just went past, was one of those scorching weekends, but I tried to find the coolest thing - (apart from just a bikini) to wear to Frisk to meet the manager Will Holland and his gang of passionate and friendly bartenders.

This is awkward photo but it'd do.. I love that country road dress it's just so comfy

Really into accessorising at the moment.. 

We arrived an hour early and found bartender Tuan hiding behind the air-conditioned doors at Frisk. It has changed a lot since the days of vintage couches, board games and a corner where Sweet on Cupcakes sold their cupcakes. It's now got a mural on one side, industrial looking bar stools and seats that may not be the most comfortable, but gives you awesome posture! - Basically it has evolved to be more a small bar with a relaxed, chilled vibe that you can come and just hang out, drink and meet people. Will stated that there will be more changes to the interior to come - redecoration and interior designing is in full swing with furniture changes, lighting and new paint work. It'd be exciting to see what it'd look like at the end of it all.

We started a bar tab, ordered some of their nibbles and made ourselves comfortable at one of the empty seats. One thing I love about Frisk is that it is chilled, relaxed and has this awesome soundtrack playing in the background. They are also very serious about their liqour. Their specialty being GIN. 187 bottles of GIN lined up behind the bar, locked up in a vintage cabinet and behind closed doors. 187 - making it the LARGEST COLLECTION OF GIN THE WORLD (in little ole Perth that's pretty impressive!) - now they just have to hold onto it for 6 months and they will be in the Guinness Book of Records. But seriously even if you are not a huge lover of gin (which I'm not) - have a go - because surprisingly there is one or two or few out of the 187 that you will like (which I ended up liking!).

This is just a fraction of the shelves behind the bar.. my portrait lens just can't get the shot to fit all the bottles in.. but trust me it's pretty impressive

But if you are not for trying something new there is always the rum, scotch, and a pretty decent selection of ciders of all sorts (yay! and so rare these days to find a decent selection in Perth) and of course beer. And if you want to take a break from the drinking (which I'll be surprised you will) there is always their coffee made with love. Or better yet why not the double espresso martini. Best of both worlds really.

Fog City Pear cider... so refreshingly cool and just the right amount of sweetness for a hot summer's day.

As to the nibbles - their bread is pretty damn good - warm, fluffy, with flavours of garlic, rosemary and cheese. Yum. With the pesto mushroom - a little under cooked, but still delicious. The sardines - eat with the bread! Salty goodness in warm bread.

Then my favourite - fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate with cream (sad that the cream isn't homemade whipped cream but at least it was quality cream). YUMMO.

Truth be told, those nibbles are literally to nibble as you catch up with friends/coworkers/family etc.. There is no real big items on the food menu, because this place isn't for that, it's just great snack food. However, the best bit about this place is that Will encourages people to bring pizza, burgers etc. from other restaurants to eat at Frisk down with their 187 choices of Gin with tonic or yet a Martini (stirred never shaken according to the man!). And why wouldn't you do that when you have an array of gin, scotch, rum, beer and ciders to chose from.

And if you are lucky you can try Tuan's blue/green concoction with chilli mixed in Gin Mare (beautiful gin distilled in thyme, rosemary and basil) and of course tonic. Why not attempt to name it. We suggested Garden of Eden (with all those plants based things - chill, thyme, rosemary, basil...) but I don't think he was too impressed, pretty sure he thought it was a little too girly, or perhaps Devil's Advocate? I think at this stage it's still up in the air.

Tuan is such a happy chap! haha 

Will also made me this lovely gin based cocktail called Aphrodite's Martini - splash of vermouth, splash of Aphrodite's bitters, and Isfjord Gin topped with orange peel. It was lovely smooth with hints of fruit bitters throughout it. Makes you feel all sophisticated and grown up drinking it.

The look of concentration on his face is still there after the cocktail is prepared - Dedication right there ^_^

Frisk Small Bar is just one of those great additions to Perth's growing small bar scene, but with a bit of difference. It's relaxed, it's chilled, it's cosy, it's really passionate about concocting their own drink mixes that work and just really into serving up the best possible cocktails AND coffee possible. It's somewhere you could easily spend a few hours having Sunday or Saturday seshes, without having to raise your voice about the noise.

Stuffed Lean Pork Fillet

It's one of those rare occasions where I actually feel inspired to cook. So on my RDO, I decided to cook some stuffed lean pork fillet inspired by Nigella and this Women's Weekly magazine I was reading at work one lunch hour.

I should explain to you what this this pork fillet is stuffed with: It has garlic, thyme, prosciutto and bocconcini.

So firstly this is what you would need:

1/4 x garlic clove (or however much to your garlic needs)
3-4 x sprigs of thyme (or however much to your thyme likings)
800g of LEAN pork fillet butterfly-ed out (we are on a health kick here..pork fillet has less fat and lean pork fillet has even less fat!! and ask your butcher to butterfly the fillet or if you want you can do it)
125g of cherry bocconcini (or however much to your liking)
100g of sliced prosciutto
Pinch of salt and pepper
Oven proof string (so when it goes into the oven it doesn't catch on fire!)

1) Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (I used fan forced because it heats up quick and cooks quicker)

2) Firstly if your lean pork fillet hasn't been butterfly-ed out do it (so basically cut it open). Then using a garlic press check the peeled garlic cloves into it so that the garlic is finely diced.

3) Smoother the finely diced garlic all over the pork fillet - you may want more or less garlic depending on your garlic taste - just remember that this is part of your aroma and your marinating flavours. Personally I like garlic so I was rather generous.

4) Take the leaves of the thyme of the stem and rub it into the fillet

5) Sprinkle pepper and salt to your liking. JUST REMEMBER THAT YOU WILL BE PUTTING PROSCIUTTO so go easy on the salt!!

6) Wrap the slices of prosciutto around the fillet - doesn't matter if it goes over the edge (just tuck it to the other side)

7) Dice the bocconcini in half or quarter and place it on top of the prosciutto

8) Tightly wrap the lean pork with all the stuffing inside it.

9) Tie the wrapped lean pork fillet with the string - make it about 2-3cm apart.

10) Grease the tray with oil. Place the stuffed pork fillet in it and then place in the oven for 40-45 minutes (or until cooked) - be sure to turn it over about half way.

11) You can also prepare roast potatoes and chuck it in with the pork fillet. While the pork is cooking why not organise the salad.

12) Once the pork is out of the oven remove it from the tray and place onto serving plate. Pour the juices of the pork in the tray onto the pork (or alternatively you can use it to make gravy - personally I don't think you need to make gravy because the pork turned out really juicy and I used poured the pork juices onto the cooked stuffed fillet).

13) LET THE PORK SIT ON THE SERVING PLATE (COVER WITH Aluminium foil) for as long as you can before serving.

I served the fillet with side of salad and roasted potatoes and turkish bread.

So easy, so simple, so quick and YET SO DELICIOUS!!

Pop some cherries

I have been enjoying cherries by the crate full this summer.

Favourite summer fruit ever. Fresh sweet juicy cherries by the beach by the pool in lunch boxes for dessert... :D

RARE VINTAGE DIOR STATEMENT BLAZER ON SALE!!

So as you know I've been trying (and doing very slowly) cleaning out my wardrobe and being rather harsh on myself and getting rid of my beloved items.

One of which is this gorgeous VINTAGE AUTHENTIC DIOR STATEMENT BLAZER/JACKET!

I bought it back in 2009 (post is here)- and it really is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME purchase - so rare!
So beautiful..
So sad to see it go!!

But I'm really strapped for cash and I want to be able to go to USA later this year!

And of course make room in my wardrobe! - It's overflowing and my parents are not happy about it.

So my lose is your gain

go check it out here on eBay. and bid! ^_^

Red leather red lips red wine

Thank you Net-a-Porter for your biannual sale!

Thank you Karl Lagerfeld for being a brilliant edgy designer.

Thank you DHL for redelivering my present.

Isn't she a beaut? I cannot wait for the weather to cool down (my dislike of heat is unbelievable and summer fashion is never as fun as autumn/winter).

The Onyx red leather jacket - Karl by Karl Lagerfeld is the perfect mix of rock and roll, biker chick. Paired with anything from shorts and tee with biker boots to skinny metallic jeans from Mother or soft leopard spots of Current/Elliot jeans or simply yet just a pair of black skinny Levi and a printed tee/silky shirt paired with heels to a little black dress (or red or hey why not floral!) - it is the essential jacket!

It is hot.

It will see me wear it way too many times.

I cannot wait!

Bistro Guillaume

Bistro Guillaume was my restaurant of choice to celebrate my birthday. The restaurant occupies what used to be Allure bar and restaurant and underwent a $7 million face lift. The interior has so much colour, mainly shades of lime green, black and cream. There are puffy sofas, pantaloon lightshades, mirrors and an outdoor area overlooking the renovated pool area. Impressive.

Family and myself were placed by a window overlooking the pool and the best thing about it wasn't so much the impressive renovation done outside or even the coziness of where we were sitting, but rather who was opposite our table... *DRUM ROLL* The chef and owner Guillaume Brahimi in the open kitchen working away and olympic swimmer and owner of Louis Baxter cafe, Eamon Sullivan in the company of one of Australia's celebrated chef's, Matt Maron (having their dinner, obviously). So hey, that means we were in for a treat right?

We started off the night by having a Charcuterie plate to share. A rather generous plate with a variety of meats, sausage, cornichons, lettuce leaves, quince, terrine, parfait, pork rillettes, and of course sourdough bread. I'm usually not a fan of charcuterie plates, mainly because I find that the quality of produce and the taste isn't all that great, however, Bistro Guillaume, proved to me that there can be great charcuterie plates, enjoyed it thoroughly.

Charcuterie plate

(unfortunately already have eaten!)

Since there was 7 of us, we decided to share the salad Nicoise with rare yellow fin tuna.The salad came out deconstructed, which was kind of nice, allows you to pick at it a bit more. The tuna was actually slightly seared, juicy, 'fat' and so fresh. The salad was refreshing and the beans were so good. So far, rather satisfying start to the dinner.

Salad Nicoise with rare Yellow Fin Tuna

Bf also grabbed himself a French Onion Soup, he's been craving it ever since I ordered some from Ptite Ardoise restaurant. The onion was so sweet, there was decent amount of cheese, and toasty crisp bread on top, but it didn't do much for me. I think Ptite Ardoise did it better, but still not bad.

French Onion Soup

As for the mains, mum and I decided to share their "meal for 2" and opted for the roasted whole liveringa organic chicken served with their very creamy, silky Paris mash and an aromatic rosemary sauce with a salad of salad. It was meant to be dish for 2, but everyone ended up having pieces of it, far too much for just 2 (unless you have a massive appetite). I'm usually scared of ordering chicken, it tends to get too dry, but not this one; the chicken was moist, juicy and flavoursome.

Roasted whole chicken 

Paris mash

The Paris mash is to die for - honestly one of the best potato mash ever! Silky, smooth, creamy, potato goodness served in a cute pot! We got an extra to share. It was that good.

Bf got his favourite type of meat - Berkshire pork belly with salad of lentils, green apples and tarragon vinaigrette. The pork meat was juicy and tender, crackling was crispy (the way it should be) and the whole dish went beautifully with the lentils and apples, although the sauce was a little too sour - someone over poured the vinaigrette.

Berkshire pork belly with salad of lentils, green apples and tarragon vinaigrette

Dad and little little bro had the rangers valley sirloin steak with kipfler potatoes, watercress salad and bearnaise sauce. It was just your perfect chargrilled steak delight. Nothing else needs to be said.

Sirloin steak with kipfler potatoes, watercress salad with bearnaise sauce

My little bro had the venison tenderloin with beetroot, parsnip and horseradish. The sauce on this dish was just heavenly! The venison was also rather tender even for such a game meat. However, the poor boy, a big eater of protein was a little disappointed by the amount of meat on his plate. But hey, at least it was polished and he loved it immensely. 

Venison tenderloin with beetroot parsnip and horseradish

Then the best bit of the night happened - and I thought I had enough lovely dishes, but no the desserts topped it all. But then again, we are at a French restaurant, if they couldn't do desserts I'll be worried.

I ordered the chocolate souffle with pistachio ice cream. The staff recommended that I place the pistachio ice cream into the souffle and after it was mixed, and I had my first bite, it was absolute deliciousness. Orgasmic!

Chocolate souffle with pistachio ice cream

Bf had the profiterole with vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce (the chocolate sauce was poured over the profiteroles). It were probably one of the best profiteroles ever. 

 Profiteroles with vanilla ice cream with warm chocolate sauce

Little bro had the Riz au lait with poached rhubarb and strawberry sorbet. Razzled rice pudding, creamy, sweet with a refreshing punch of the sorbet. He loved it and I enjoyed the small share he gave me. 

Then to top the meal, I had a glass of wine to boot. Velvety goodness to drown a year of getting older. 

The food at Bistro Guillaume is impressive and it really was a lovely birthday treat. The service was impeccable. Although, I'm not sure if I like the casual look of the waitstaff. But, I suppose it adds to that light, casual but stylish service in a beautiful room, filled with relaxed ambiance. It's probably one of the most relaxed fine dining places ever.

Have a go, be pampered and enjoy Bistro Guillaume's simple, beautiful French cuisine.

PB and J

The naughtiest thing to put on a toast (especially on wholemeal bread..) but also one of the most satisfying is peanut butter and jam (from the Berry Farm).

It's just like the good ole days. Except now I feel bad for my waistline.. Even if I did go for interval training for 20mins and went to a bodypump class.

A moment on your lips but a few inches on your hips and waist.. Worth it?

Hell yeh! I like to think it's better than grabbing cake!

White Elephant Cafe

There may be no actual elephant at the White Elephant cafe, but I take the cafe's name as a metaphor for the way the waves roll in and out of the beach, I mean after all the cafe is situated on the beach, quiet literally climb over the patio and you'll have sand between your toes and the waves lapping at your feet. Beautiful and the perfect location.

As for the food? We had a very early breakfast and the White Elephant offers the standard breakfast menu filled with your big breakfast of eggs, bacon, mushroom, hashbrowns, then there was bircher muesli, pancakes and toast.

We were trying to be very good, so ended up ordering a big breakfast for MC and BB and a chocolate crossiant for me and mum and of course all accompanied by coffees.

Not having tried anything other than the breakfast usual, I can't really comment on the food, except that the chocolate crossiant had enough chocolate to satisfy me and the big breakfast was hearty goodness.

The coffees - well made, not brilliant but wasn't bad.

The views? - spectacular!



Just be aware to get there early, it gets busy rather quickly.