Two minute tan with Glow Station

words by Yvette Willison Rock

On these grey and rainy Melbourne days, the crisp taste of gin and tonic, the rich smell of sunscreen and that feeling of warm summer sun on your now-heavily-covered bare skin seem but distant memories. We leave for work every morning and return each evening in the dark, feeling like we are practically nocturnal. Red wine becomes our self-medicating answer to seasonal affective disorder.

While we have months of this ahead of us yet, thankfully just two minutes out of your day is all it takes to bring back a glimpse of summer. The LMM team was recently invited to try a two minute tan from Glow Station, using their automated, bronzer-free tanning process. It made us feel like a healthy, radiant, sun-kissed goddess once more. 

What to expect
There are no bright, unflattering fluoro lights or intimidating treatment rooms in the very chic Glow Station tan salon. When you visit for a treatment, you’re led to a cubicle where you strip off in privacy, follow your pre-spray instructions (think: barrier cream, shower cap, stick-on feet) push “green” for go and then step into the tanning machine to embrace your two minute fake tan future. You can have a good chuckle as you practice your Dance Dance Revolution moves while  guided by a female American narrator telling you to ‘step right’ four times, ensuring you’re sprayed evenly.

The fact that you’re not being sprayed by a person does make getting your fake tan a more private, relaxing experience.  If you haven’t tried an auto-spray machine before, the initial ‘whooshing’ sound resembles a light aircraft taking off in close vicinity while the particles in the air can leave a sour taste in your mouth if you don’t time your breathing very well. Our tip: take a deep breath in, hold, and breathe out as the stream runs over your face.

The result 
The good thing about a two minute tan at Glow Station is that the product itself is clear and doesn’t leave you feeling sticky. It also won’t leave orange marks on your clothes when you get dressed, or on your bed sheets later on. Coverage and colour are natural and of a high standard – even my fake-tan-skeptic man-friend was impressed.

If you’ve got a special occasion coming up, or simply want to deny the presence of winter, a two-minute tan at Glow Station might be just that glimpse of summer you need.

And don’t worry; no counting Mississippi’s are required.

Glow Station
Shop 17A, 108 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Lovely Yvette was a guest at Glow Station for LMM, to try the two minute tan and share it with the good folk of Melbourne. Take that, Winter. 

Around the world in 40 dishes; Eat St 2015

Eat Street Melbourne is an event that takes place every May at the Sofitel Melbourne, in support of a different charity every two years. In 2015, Eat Street Melbourne will be raising funds for Variety, the children's charity which is also celebrating 40 years of fundraising in Australia. 

To mark the occasion for Variety, this year's Eat Street theme is Around the World in 40 Dishes. While this has thrown me for six in terms of what to WEAR, it has me fairly excited for what we can expect from a culinary perspective.

It looks a little like this: over 30 of Melbourne’s best Chef’s serving their own unique entré sized signature dishes and 25 of Australia’s top wine and beverage companies. The huge list of participating restaurants includes:

No35 | Estelle Restaurant | Saint Crispin | Ganache Chocolates | Le Petit Gateau | Academy Sofitel | King Island Dairy | A la folie | Clamms Oyster stand | Union Food & Wine | Chateau Yering | Pei Modern | Flower Drum | Middle Brighton Baths | Cumulus Inc. | Calendar Cheese Company | ZaZa's Cucina | Botanical | Captain Baxter | Scugnizzio | St Kilda Burger Bar | Sails on the Bay | Coda / Tonka | Bottega | Coombe Farm Wines | Bespoke Exquisite Catering | Harley House | Syracuse Restaurant and Wine Bar

Plus participating wine and beverage companies:

Perrier Jouet | Campari | CASCADE | Seresin Estate | Petaluma |Prime Wines/ Nelson | Dal Zotto Wines | De Bortoli Wines | White Rabbit Beer | Brown-Foreman | Angroves | McWilliam’s | Hollick | Clover Hill | DIAGEO | Vino Bambino | Jing Tea | Wines of France | Graillot Aust | Tellurian Wines | Solerno | Cru Wines & Bootleggers | Nestle professional

I think it's safe to say you wont leave hungry or thirsty - you WILL leave feeling satiated and very good for supporting charity while having an amazing time. 

Preparation wise, Variety has done a brilliant job of getting this year's Eat Street digital with a new Eat Street Melbourne website, online ticketing system, and a social media presence to support the very tasty and worthwhile event. 

Naturally, being at the Sofitel Melbourne, it will be a highly stylish affair - but I'm still stumped on what to wear given this year's theme...maybe something loose. In the scheme of things, it's a pretty good problem to have. 

Get ready to eat around 40 dishes in one night at Eat Street Melbourne 2015. Grab your tickets for $160 each or buy 10 and get one for free. To book, jump online or contact them on (03) 8698 3900. 

Cruising and bubbles down the Yarra

In romantic Paris, cruises are available to take you down the Seine as you admire the picturesque city passing by with a nice glass of French wine. In Melbourne, with the love lock bridge growing in popularity, it’s nice to feel a hint of that Parisian romance in our own city. To add to that, we now also have cruises available to take us down the Yarra alongside our gorgeous city on smooth, quiet vessels from Melbourne Boat Hire.

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night you can climb aboard a whisper quiet, eco-friendly, fume free boat for up to eight people, and enjoy one of the best perspectives of our city you can get. Cruises depart every 90 minutes from 5pm and each journey comes with a complimentary bottle of Australian sparkling wine plus other drinks available on board. You’ll travel from South Wharf, along the Yarra and past the city, upstream to Punt Road Bridge where you’ll turn around and return again.

Only individual bookings are taken which means the only people on your cruise will be those whom your booking is made for. Of course, that also means whether there’s two of you or eight of you the price of $249 for the hour long cruise is the same - but you’re assured of an intimate affair making it ideal for special occasions or to enhance a pre or post night time dinner or event.

I’m going to be trying it myself this coming Friday as a guest of Melbourne Boat Hire and can’t wait to see the city from the water (I love being in, on or near water). No doubt you’ll see some shots of the city and river coming your way via Instagram – I’ll try not to go overboard (boom tish). 

In the meantime, you can check them out and book online at www.melbourneboathire.com.au or call 1300 988 309 to chat about their services.

LMM xoxo

Learn, sip, enjoy at 21st Century Vino in May

3.5 hours of wine tasting, numerous varieties of Italian wine grown right here in Australia, and a take home Riedel glass, all for $30. Sold? That's what wine lovers and learners are in for when they hit up the late afternoon session at 21st Century Vino happening at Fed Square venue, Zinc, on May 17.

Learn how just one teeny little cutting brought to Australia from Italy in 2001 became thousands of bottles of  wine at this session from 5pm to 8.30pm. 

Alternatively, you might want join the day time sessions including Terra Australis (pondering what is australian wine?), From One Vine to One Nation (vine propagation), and 21st Century Vino (the future of Australian wine). Each day time session is $60 or $150 for the full day (including the night time Exploration session). 

Brought to us by Chalmers, and event managed by Bottleshop Concepts, 21st Century Vino is a celebration of wine through understanding and appreciation. You don't need to be a wine wanker for this event; come along, learn a little, sip a bit, enjoy a lot. I personally will be keeping an eye out for this skallywag. 

Find out more and book online at www.21stcenturyvino.com.au. 

LMM xoxo

Heading back to the local: pub grub with an Asian twist at the National

By Phoebe Vertigan 

Every Melburnian understands the importance of their local pub. 

In a city known for having a pub on every corner, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to finding a casual venue to kick back with friends for a great meal and a few cheeky wines.

With so much choice, we've narrowed it down to a few key features to help you on your way: 

1. Good location;
2. Friendly staff who like to chat to the locals;
3. Comfy seats where you can settle in for the night;
4. A great variety of drinks; and
5. Good food (naturally)

With these criteria firmly in mind, we headed to The National Hotel on Victoria Street to try out some of their new menu items. In the middle of Little Vietnam, it seems only appropriate that The National Hotel's menu features its own take on Pan-Asian cuisine – with a little spice perfect for those cold winter nights!

We started off the night with a great selection of dumplings, but the real star was shoaxin wine cured salmon with cucumber and kimchi pickle. The salmon was cured perfectly, and who doesn’t love a good pickle?

In true Melbourne style, we shared our main courses; with the hoi sin pork ribs and slow braised lamb shoulder a feast for the eyes and the stomach. The surprise dish of the night was the oven baked satay chicken breast, with wok tossed bean shoot salad and Asian salsa verde, so keep an eye out for this dish. Did we mention The National Hotel also does Duck Fat Potatoes? Say no more.

We’re pleased to report that the National’s Asian-inspired dishes hit the mark for satisfying (yet fancy!) pub food that's perfect for a great night with friends. Bonus points for a good wine list with something to please everyone - do yourself a favour and grab a bottle of the Yelland & Papps Vermentino. And that’s how you do pub grub with an Asian twist in Melbourne. 

Massive thanks to The National Hotel for hosting LMM so we could share the good pub grub word with you! 

Glamp it up at the bar

Together with soon-to-launch rooftop luxury camping at St Jerome's - The Hotel, the latest themed cocktail bar in Melbourne is proving that glamping is officially in. 

Glamp Bar launched this week in all its spirit animal glory to bring glamping to life via cocktail in the city. In addition to running the Swahili inspired Pole Pole Bar, owners Janelle and Dean Mariani have been sneakily working away on bringing Glamp to life just upstairs on Little Collins Street. 

Enter an African safari tent land and kick back with a bespoke cocktail like a Mzungu Martini, the sharp n sweet Elusive Leopard, or ask about their own version of the Negroni. 

Open Wednesday to Saturday from 6pm, go on cocktail safari at Glamp Bar. 

Glamp Bar
Level 2, 267 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 
www.polepolebar.com.au

Finding spice at Lost Heaven

The truth is that we initially had a hard time finding Lost Heaven. In my defence, I was still stupidly jetlagged and my dining companion was a friend down from Sydney so it was much like the blind leading the blind.

Lost Heaven isn't actually that difficult to find but even if you can't find it at first, you'll be glad when you do. 

We settled in at a table of the huge upstairs restaurant, that's above the border of China town on Bourke St, and prepared ourselves for some serious Sichuan; Lost Heaven's  signature offering. 

With the months-old Sichuan house being a member of the Hutong family, I couldn't resist a start of the famous chilli oil dumplings. Sichuan would have to wait a moment. A discerning nod of approval later and it was onto a bowl of Spicy Fish; white fish poached in water, oil and chilli making it deliciously tender, served by our host who scooped out the masses of chillies before the devouring could commence. Full marks for flavour, texture and temperature on this dish. 

The chicken ribs Sichuan. Zingy!  

Then it was onto the star of the night. The Sichuan (we had the chicken ribs) at Lost Heaven holds all the zing and kapow that any good Sichuan dish should pack. It had the right amount of heat for a base with plenty of chilli on top to turn up the volume as required. The veggies were fresh and crisp, perfectly al dente for this kind of dish. A small portion of rice helped keep the tastebuds from entering overdrive, all matched beautifully with an Oyster Bay SB. 

You'll also find dishes like steamed barramundi with diced hot chilli, the Lost Heaven signature Spicy Hock or scallop with eggplant clay pot in sichuan chilli sauce. 

While the space at Lost Heaven is highly inviting, its not quite as contemporary as East, or as cosy as Hutong. But it has the right setting and ambience you'd wish for in China Town; much nicer than some of its local counterparts which we've all been guilty of visiting for a late night intoxicated feast. On that note, Lost Heaven is open til late seven days a week.

A fan of Sichuan? Give Lost Heaven a shot. You'll be glad you found it.   

 LOST HEAVEN

206 Bourke Street, all the way up the escalators. Bookings accepted. www.lostheaven.com.au  

Spicy Fish

Our host removing some of the chillies!  

Pause for a cause with Mindful in May 2015

words by Marijke Koster

“Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.” ~ Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Grab my bag, run for a coffee, finish my make-up on the way to work, go to the gym, see my friends, meet that deadline – wait, what was I doing again?!

Sound familiar? Yes, our daily schedules are very busy, and while we all know that down time is important, it's just so easy to forget to stop. Luckily, there’s Mindful in May. 

A 10 minute daily global meditation challenge, Mindful in May makes mindfulness through meditation more accessible, less intimidating and actually doable, while also contributing to a significant global cause. 

Through only 10 minutes of meditation a day you can gain more focus and energy in your daily life. It helps you develop more awareness, appreciation and clarity in every day as you raise funds for charity. Not to mention improve your sleep, reduce toxic stress and enhance your overall health. Sounds pretty good, right?

When you sign up for Mindful in May  you also get weekly audio meditation downloads to keep you going plus access to video interviews from global leaders in the field of mindfulness, mindset and wellbeing delivered daily to your inbox.

Founder of Mindful in May and local Melburnian, Dr Elise Bialylew, is a professional in the field of psychiatry, coaching and mindfulness. She has practiced meditation herself regularly for almost all her life and says there is compelling scientific research into the benefits of mindful meditation: “It actually can transform the structure and function of your brain in ways that are very helpful.”

Mindful in May also helps you help others by raising money for Charity Water to provide clean, safe drinking water for the 1 in 9 people in developing countries that don’t have access to this simple luxury. 

100% of funds raised through Mindful in May go directly to water projects led by Charity Water, so get onto this awesome challenge, and onto your friends to support and sponsor you through the month long campaign starting on May 1. 

If you’re looking for a place to practice your mindfulness, we liked Happy Melon Studios in Armadale which blend mindfulness with yoga and fitness classes in a peaceful ambiance – an ideal spot to get your 10 minutes of Mindful in May if you’re in the area. 

Mindful in May
Meditation challenge 
Commences May 1 
www.mindfulinmay.org

Afternoon tea via London's Sofitel St James

It would be remiss of me not to attend some form of high tea while I was in the country famous for their mass consumption of the leafy hot drink. So it was highly fortunate that I was able to attend a blogger's afternoon tea at the opulent and historic Sofitel St James during my London sojourn. 

Not only did we sip on a choice of beautiful teas, indulge in sweet and savoury treats, and have our fortunes told via tea leaf reader - all to the sound of a harp playing in the background - we also learnt a thing or two about the variations of tea meals. 

The term 'high tea' itself, for example, actually refers to a heartier meal with more savoury goods, than sweet. It's a highly misinterpreted term often used to promote what is actually an 'afternoon tea' - a traditional selection of light sandwiches, cakes and scones served with a pot of tea. Interestingly, high tea was a term used in the past to describe what the lower class would have instead of dinner plus the height of the table from which they ate. Naturally, my favourite kind of tea experience is a 'royal tea'. It comes with champagne. 

The afternoon tea (the correct term) at Sofitel St James is a delightful affair of old world charm and tradition in the very lovely Rose Lounge. As the name of tea event implies, you are treated to a choice of teas, four types of finger sandwiches (ham, cucumber, beef, salmon), freshly baked and home made scones served with Devonshire clotted cream (drool), rose scented strawberry jam and lemon curd, plus carefully crafted cakes to finish. 

Dietary requirements and preferences are respectfully catered for and let me just tell you, while the gluten free sandwiches were a touch on the dry side, the gluten free scones were pure heaven. I'm still bewildered by how they could possibly be quite so good. 

Selected members of the Accor Hotel family across London also offer high tea so if you're staying at an Accor, maybe enquire about their tea offering and while away an afternoon on all the good things. It would be rude not to. 

Oh - and there's no need for any pointed pinkies. Major tea faux pas in the tea world, darlings, didn't you know? 

LMM xoxo

American bbq fix at Easey Street Smoke Out

By Caroline Chagas 

Melburnians are very good at embracing international cuisine while respecting and incorporating the superior quality of Victorian produce. Point in case: the Easey Street Smoke Out. 

When we were invited to sample the goods of the American-style barbecue fare, a partnership between Ironbank BBQ and communal motorcycle workshop, Kustom Kommune, we got our best biker chic gear on and headed to Collingwood.

Ironbark BBQ are artisan smokers offering traditional American barbecue style dishes using produce that is sourced locally, ethically and sustainably. Enjoy the most succulent lamb ribs that melt in your mouth, mac’n’cheese that has the power to solve all of your problems, and pork sliders that would make an atheist call and thank God for this experience.

Kustom Kommune is a fully equipped DIY motorcycle workshop, where members have access to tools, knowledge and use of the workshop facilities to service their bikes - and is now also host to the Easey Street Smoke Out, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6pm. 

The vibe is very rock’n’roll, with manicured beards in and around the bar holding onto a 3 Ravens beer, recently named Champion Small Australian Brewery at the Australian International Beer Awards. 

For your American bbq fix using our beautiful Victorian produce, get down to Easey Street Smoke Out this weekend.

WHAT:       Easey Street Smoke Out
WHERE:    25 Easey St, Collingwood
WHEN:      Friday, Saturday, Sunday's from 6pm
WHY:         American style barbecue, craft beer, bikes and rock’n’roll

Hawkeye Vintage returns for another sale

Attention shopaholics and designer sale addicts.

Did you miss the recent Hawkeye Vintage pop up sale that everyone was raving about? Good news - they're at it again. While I'm in London and will have to miss out, you lucky Melburnians have the chance to snap up all of your favourite clothing and accessories from Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, Dior, D&G, Versace, Missoni, Chloe, Hermes, Fendi and Givenchy at UP TO 70% OFF. Boom.

Whether you missed the last, or loved it so much that you're ready for more, this weekend's Hawkeye Vintage clearance sale has you covered.

Happy shopping! LMM xoxo

DATE: Saturday 18th April

TIME: 10am-6pm

PLACE: #11 Glass Place, Prahran (Alleyway just off of Grattan Street)

Could this be the end for the Easter bunny?

Can you *imagine* Easter without chocolate? Whether you're a chocoholic or not, the holiday just wouldn't be the same without a cocoa bunny wrapped in fabulously shiny foil. Sadly, growing cocoa has become a difficult task for the small family farms in developing countries that supply 90% of the world's cocoa.

With benefits to these families at an all time low, and fewer of them choosing to grow cocoa as result, the industry is facing a potential long-term shortfall in global supply of cocoa - supply is down, prices are up, farmers are fading. GASP. Equally as sad is that this price rise does not benefit the farmers providing our Easter gold, who are additionally experiencing rising costs associated with production and damaged crops.  

It's a pretty sad bunny story. 

Fortunately, there's a system that has been developed to offer farmers and workers in developing countries a better deal and improved terms of trade. You might have already seen or heard of Fairtrade but not be familiar with what it means or just how important it is to angels such as our very important cocoa farmers. 

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions and fair trades of term for farmers and workers in developing countries. Chocolates that carry the FAIRTRADE insignia contain cocoa sourced by suppliers who have paid a Fairtrade Minimum Price to small farmers across the developing world. When you buy Fairtrade, farmers receive greater benefits and incentives, more cocoa is produced, supply is stronger, prices remain fair, the chocolate bunny does not become extinct. Everyone wins. 

The awesome part is that it's not hard to buy Fairtrade and eat ethically this Easter. Coles have stepped up this year and will be stocking the Coles Fairtrade Chocolate Bunny ($2.50), and you can get Chocolatier Australia Fairtrade range at David Jones, Woolies, Oxfam and Coles. Even select IGAs will stock the Absolute Organics Fairtrade Easter eggs. Of course, more choice is always better so if you want to see more of the Fairtrade range in retail for next year, support them by signing their petition. 

Look out for the Fairtrade logo when you're shopping for Easter goodies and help support the industry that brings it to us in the first place. Long live the chocolate bunny! 

Seaside escape and eats at Republica

words by Phoebe Vertigan 

This time every year, as the days get shorter and the last glimpses of summer disappear, I frantically begin to plan my winter getaway. Get me to a beach! How about a European getaway, friends?

If you haven’t quite got around to planning an exotic getaway of late, don’t fear! Simply hop on the 96 tram and it won’t be long before you've escaped to Republica at the St Kilda sea baths.

Looking out at the palm trees from this beach-front restaurant and "place for the people", I couldn't help picturing myself in a tropical location. It seemed only appropriate to order a mojito to kick off the evening. Packed with fresh lime, my holiday at home got off to a fabulous start.

To accompany our cocktails at Republica, we enjoyed the Italian culatello ham, fresh figs, buffalo mozzarella and fig vincotto. For mains, we loved the Ranger’s Valley wagyu rump cap with asparagus, mash potato and jus gras. This dish satisfied the self-styled steak critic at the table, despite initial reservations that there was simply not enough sauce. Crisis was averted when the sauce was both delicious and sufficient when paired with the medium rare steak.

On the recommendation of the chef, we also enjoyed pan-fried ocean trout, with fried eggplant and baba ganoush. Now I really felt like I was on a tropical get away. The perfectly cooked fish rivaled the steak with points awarded for delicious eggplant chips: yum!

For the sweet tooths out there, we recommend saving room for dessert at Republica. We couldn’t resist the caramel parfait, which did not disappoint. Be warned, it’s very sweet and big enough to share – so grab two spoons.

If you are going to holiday at home, there has to be room for a little indulgence. Republica is a great place to start. 

Republica
St Kilda Sea Baths, 10-18 Jacka Boulevard
Mon - Fri 11:30am till late, Sat & Sun: 9:00am till late 

A little note from LMM: Our Little Miss contributor was a guest at Republica to help us bring the good word to you. xo

This weekend: coffee and cake at MICE 2015

words by Caroline Chagas

Ah Melbourne… is there anything you cannot do? Your fickle weather plays host to a plethora of events throughout the year, covering all aspects of the entertainment/education/art/music/food/everything category.

This weekend it’s the Formula 1 Grand Prix but if you’re not into laps around the track, Melbourne has something else to get your heart racing. 

The Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) 2015 is hitting the Melbourne Showgrounds this Friday 13th to Sunday 15th and is promising a stronger brewed year than ever before. 

With 150 exhibitors from over 46 countries, an Outdoor Food Village feature hosting the likes of Hammer & Tong, Sliders on Tyres, OoOdleLishious and Crepes Cart, plus free workshops and demonstrations from the top baristas in Melbourne at the Brew Bar - your weekend is sorted! There are so many experiences under the one roof that we may just set up shop there and camp outside. 

In a town where coffee runs supreme, there could only be one thing more fitting than an international coffee expo - and that’s the Melbourne Cake Expo, also happening at the showgrounds this weekend. Coffee can only get more awesome with a lamington on hand! 

Just the thought of all that coffee has our heart racing - and not because of too much coffee. 

WHAT:    Melbourne International Coffee Expo
WHEN:    Friday 13 to Sunday 15
WHERE:   Melbourne Showgrounds
WHY:        It’s Coffee. It’s Melbourne. It’s Obvious. 

For more information visit www.internationalcoffeeexpo.com

Twitter @MelbCoffeeExpo #MICE2015
Facebook www.facebook.com/MelbCoffeeExpo 
Instagram instagram.com/melbournecoffeeexpo

Hawkeye Vintage pops up in South Yarra

words by Abbey Luckhurst 

Do you often find yourself dreaming of the wardrobe Carrie flaunted in Sex and The City? Filled with vintage Chanel dresses matched with vintage Louis Vuitton shoes? Well here’s your chance to start your own vintage collection - or maybe just add to the one you already have.

With over 1200 stunningly beautiful high end vintage pieces, hunted and gathered from all over the world, the Hawkeye Vintage pop up shop is an absolute must for anyone with a love of designer vintage and an eye for one-off items including accessories from the 60’s to the 90’s.

Danielle Goodwin, Founder of Hawkeye Vintage, developed a love of everything vintage from a young age with a mother who worked in antiques. As she grew older so did her love of vintage. Quickly running out of wardrobe space to house her ever growing collection of designer vintage pieces, Danielle decided to create online vintage shop, Hawkeye Vintage.

She’s now bringing it to life from the 27th to the 29th of March with her pop up event set to take place in South Yarra. If you enjoy the hunt for new vintage for your wardrobe - from designers such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, Dior, D&G, Versace, Missoni, Chloe, Hermes, Fendi, and Givenchy (phew) - this is where you need to be.

On top of scoring yourself a unique piece, you’ll also be earning good karma points with every dollar you spend. Vintage shopping supports environmental sustainability and 10% of sales from the Hawkeye Vintage pop up is going straight to Make-A-Wish Australia who grant wishes to terminally ill children. This is an amazing opportunity to not only shop consciously but help make some wishes come true and enrich the lives of unwell kids too.

Want some extra spending money for the day? Like the Hawkeye Vintage Facebook page, follow them on Instagram and share their event flyer with #hawkeyevintage and you’ll be in the running to win a $500 voucher to spend at the sale.

For vintage lovers who want the full experience, there’s an exclusive VIP launch party on the 26th of March where you’ll be treated to a fashion show, live DJ and complimentary drinks, nibbles with a gorgeous goodie bag supplied by the sponsors! Tickets for the VIP launch party are available by emailing Danielle@hawkeyevintage.com.

Entry to the pop up is free and you can RSVP on their Facebook event - or just rock up and frock up.

For a peek at what Hawkeye Vintage are really good at, visit them at www.hawkeyevintage.com. 

Happy Shopping!

What: Hawkeye Vintage Pop Up Shop
Dates: March 27th, 28th and 29th
Time: 10am-6pm (Daily)
Location: Hazeldon Place, South Yarra (Behind Sienna Café off Chapel Street)
Entry: FREE!! 

Editor's note: We've loved sharing the news of this fabulous sale with you - Hawkeye Vintage has kindly helped us to do so by supplementing the costs associated with this post, a portion of which has been donated to the event's cause by LMM. We totally endorse this event and can't wait to check out the free sale at the end of March! ~LMM xo

Fromage a Trois? Oui oui!

by Phoebe Vertigan

Aimez-vous le cidre? Aimez-vous le fromage?
Bien sûr!

For those not fluent in le français, all you need to know about the Fromage a Trois festival is this: Cider. Cheese. What more could you want?

On Sunday the 15th of March, the beautiful Werribee Park Mansion will be bustling with artisan cheese makers and boutique cider producers as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. If you need to find an excuse to drag yourself away from the city, Fromage a Trois is it. 

You'll find us there, kicking back with a big group of friends on the lawn, wandering between the marquees and meeting the lovely people who work so hard to bring us the goods. 

Fancy yourself in the kitchen? If you're interested in knowing how your favourite cider or cheese is made, take a break from feasting (just a small one) to learn how it's done at the free presentations and master classes held throughout the day. 

Touted as a “whole new gastronomic experience”, Fromage a Trois translated is grab a bunch of friends and a picnic rug for an event not to be missed!

General admission is $35pp and includes an official Fromage a Trois glass and program - kids under 12 get in for free. Tickets are available online. 

WHAT: Fromage a Trois – Cheese and Cider Festival
WHEN: Sunday 15th March - 11am to 5pm  
WHERE: Werribee Park Mansion
COST: $35pp - free for kids under 12 
WHY: Cider and cheese – say no more!

Art popS with Canvas & Canvas

by Phoebe Vertigan 

It is a well-known fact that the Little Misses of Melbourne love to play. But it’s time to let you in on a little secret of ours… every now and then we love nothing more than settling in for the night with a glass of red (and maybe some SATC reruns!) for a little R&R.

Of course, when we settle in, our interiors must be suitably adorned to reflect our trademark style.

Want to jazz up your home but don’t have Beyonce’s budget to invest in fabulous art? Worry no more! Canvas and Canvas are here to help inject a splash of colour into your life.

Canvas and Canvas have been selling original, hand painted art online since 2012, but to help Melbournians get up close and personal with their next piece Nick and the team popped up in High Street, Prahran, and will be there til Friday 27th February. 

If you miss the Pop Up store, never fear… Canvas and Canvas have a super flashy website to help you choose your next piece from their range of limited edition paintings.

The best bit is, Canvas and Canvas art looks like it is straight out of a glossy interiors magazine, but it doesn’t come with a hefty price tag. In fact, the largest size will only set you back $395! Even better, Canvas and Canvas use a revolutionary “colour slider function” to help you choose your perfect hue and saturation of the artwork to match your interior. Clever!

Does commitment make you a little anxious? Don’t fret. Try before you buy with the free “Happy Wall” iPhone app, which lets you see your favourite pieces on your wall, and choose the right colour scheme! Perfect!

WHAT:           CANVAS & CANVAS POP UP STORE
WHEN:          Until Friday 27th February 
WHERE:         www.canvasandcanvas.com
WHY:              Because we all have a sad wall to make happy!

About Little Miss contributor and guest blogger, Phoebe Vertigan 
Lawyer. Blogger. Phoebe started her blog Making It Up to share her stories, connect with other young professionals and create a generation of passionate and successful young professionals taking charge of their careers.

Making the most of White Night Melbourne 2015

In case you've been stuck under something heavy without connection to the outside world, you'll be aware that this weekend marks White Night Melbourne 2015. 

For the third consecutive year, Melbourne will come alive in an explosion of light and colour from 7pm to 7am from Saturday 21st February. 

White Night Melbourne will stretch from South Bank Boulevard, through Alexandra Gardens (riverside of the tan), across to Birrarung Marr, up Russell St and over to Carlton Gardens, down La Trobe to Elizabeth Street, coming full circle down to Flinders Street Station. Hoi that's a lot of Melbourne. 

After a successful first year, last year's White Night Melbourne was hugely popular - and a little manic. As with any event of this scale, it takes a few times for the organisers to get it spot on. It also takes a few times for us, the event-goers, to know how to get the most out of such a unique city-wide party. 

Here are a few ways to have an incredible White Night Melbourne in 2015. 

BYO (build your own) Journey
The clever team at White Night Melbourne have created several itineraries of free events, based on what you might be into, like music, film, interactive or shutterbugs. Check them out, or build your own based on the full programme or the nine different precincts - they all look amazing! In each precinct you'll find toilets, water stations, food, first aid, information, bike parking, and lost child points. 

Be patient - go with the flow
Sounds like a no brainer, but our comparatively little city grid is going to be filled with the broader reach of Melbourne's population coming to see over 90 free events. Expect to wait at peak times. Develop a strategy around it. Go with the flow. Have fun.

Eat
If there's one thing we do incredibly well in Melbourne, it's eat. And White Night Melbourne is no exception. Across all the precincts, many of our amazing city venues have extended their hours to help you avoid getting hangry - plus a few reliable food trucks for the win.  I implore you to see the list of these appetite yielding champions - it's impressive! 

Avoid peak times
Peak times at White Night Melbourne are 9pm to 11.30pm. If you're not a lover of crowds or waiting but keen to see everything, hit the city after midnight (perfect after a long, lazy dinner!). The party goes til 7am and there will be enough people around to keep the vibe up but the pushing down. 

Transport  
A lot of roads will be closed in the city but public transport is going above and beyond to get us to and from. See all the deets on road closures and transport. 

Pack flats
Ladies (or gents...), bring or wear a pair of flats. This is not the races. 

Share it! 
Share your experience of White Night Melbourne and our beautiful city on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #whitenightmelb.

YAY!

What are you excited to see at 2015's White Night Melbourne? 

Gluten free, ethical eating at il Fornaio

il Fornaio is a brunchery and panetteria at the top end of St Kilda’s Acland Street. This sharp n’ chic licensed café dishes up breakfast and lunch from 7am, seven days a week. An influence of ethical and sustainable sourcing comes from Head chef Simon Turner who believes that nature provides, and chooses suppliers carefully based on their low environmental impact. As it happens, he also believes in freedom of healthy choice and as such has developed a menu that supports gluten free and showcases the benefits of probiotic eating.

Whilst one is often paralysed by menu indecision, it’s typically due to not seeing exactly what I want on the menu. At il Fornaio, menu paralysis occurred due to wanting everything. Should I choose the #yolo ($18.50) with house cured salmon, pea, avocado and preserved lemon mousse, zucchini, potato fondant, gremolata, baby radish and poached eggs? Goodness. Or what about the eggs mila kunis ($21.50) with Irewara lamb shoulder, smoked tomatoes, poached eggs, spring pea and thyme hollandaise with sourdough (or GF) and crispy saltbush? Oh my. The homer simpson meets peter griffin ($23.50) even got  a look in with its fried eggs, smokehouse killer bacon, hunter sausage, mushroom, grilled tomato and super-hot and mild tomato relish - served with Prosecco for $5. Holy wow. The quinoa, cauliflower, kale, globe artichoke, asparagus, hazelnuts, wild mushrooms and lemon and truffle dressing that makes up the I eat quinoa for breakfast in summer certainly tapped into my healthy conscience but didn’t win over on this occasion.

View fullsize

eggs ryan gosling - hot, just like it should be 

Instead, I opted for eggs ryan gosling because it spoke to me in a low deep voice that said hey grrrrl. I can only presume the dish got its name from its smokey smooth flavours and spicy kick - hot, just like Ryan Gosling. Devils artichoke with fresh chilli and pepper hollandaise gives the poached eggs and homemade ricotta an extra boost to fire up the morning. The eggs were plump and cooked just as poached eggs should be. My gluten free toast sourced from South Melbourne market, along with the home made ricotta, balanced out the spice element of this potentially fiery brunch to deliver a dish that was lively and satisfying.

View fullsize

from san sabastian to st kilda for a sweet n savoury brunch 

My friend selected from san sabastian to st kilda offering house corn bread, tomatoes, pineapple glazed smokehouse bacon, paprika crunch and fried eggs. The bacon came out as a slab, much to my approval, and the corn bread was reportedly quite sweet so if you like your sweet and savoury combo this is a dish for you.

There’s a good energetic vibe in il Fornaio although some of the slighter harder edges in the café and darker lightening (it was a very overcast Melbourne morning) could be softened and uplifted with some music to chill things out - although the staff and general positive vibe helps achieve this too, and it’s something easily fixed.

For bread lovers, the panetteria offers a selection of take away artisan bread created onsite by head baker Alessandro Moscon.

With tasty food, ethical eating, attentive staff and excellent coffee - not to mention a good work space with free wifi - il Fornaio is a great laid back option for breakfast and lunch in the calmer part of St Kilda.

il Fornaio
2C Acland Street, St Kilda
Open from 7am daily for breakfast and lunch 

il Fornaio on a sunny day - dog lover heaven 

New Shanghai arrives in Melbourne in time for CNY

I must admit, when I think shopping mall and food court, I don’t think restaurant. But after being introduced to one of Emporium’s newest resident restaurants, New Shanghai, that perception might need to change. With an extensive menu offering authentic Chinese cuisine and ex-Hutong head chef, Wei Qiang Huang, holding the kitchen ropes, New Shanghai is well worth stopping by for your dose of dumplings.

The Xiao Long Bao (steamed mini pork bun) is a stand out with no awkward ‘stickiness’ or tearing with the case, a fantastic depth of flavour in the soup and soft pork parcels within. Dare I say it’s reminiscent of the Hutong Xiao Long Bao experience.  

With Chinese New Year on the 19th of February, it’s great excuse to indulge in some modern Shanghai-style cuisine at New Shanghai (not that you need one). Bookings are available online and New Shanghai is licensed and accepts BYO ($2 corkage).  

New Shanghai
Level 3, Melbourne Emporium
Monday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm
to 9pm Thursday and Friday