Breakfast With The Loot At Breakfast Thieves

I love breakfast. Really, I do. Whoever invented this most holiest of meals should be given some kind of Excellency in Awesomeness Award. What other meal of the day lets you eat something sickeningly sweet (pancakes I'm looking at you) or else stuff yourself with crispy fried bacon? Answer? No other. Because, let's face it, pancakes and thinly sliced fried pork would never constitute as a socially acceptable lunch or dinner. So, as someone who is as crazy about breakfast as myself, I approached the Fitzroy cafe Breakfast Thieves with some trepidation. Was this some kind of new hipster trend I wasn't aware of? Would they literally steal my breakfast instead of serve it? DEAR GOD, WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT TO ME?! However, as soon as I arrived I breathed a sigh of relief and knew I was in the safest of thieving hands.

Perched on the leafy corner of Rose and Gore Street (don't worry, there's actually no blood or guts in sight), this old transformed chocolate factory appears to be the perfect oasis for a relaxed Sunday brunch. The fit out is warehouse cool, industrial and laid back, with exposed lightbulbs and stools made from scaffolding. But let us not beat around the bush shall we, straight to the business of breakfast. Whether you're a sucker with a sweet tooth or bitchin for some bacon, Thieves has everything you could want on its well endowed menu. Perhaps the 'Brioche Pain Perdu', fat slices of brioche French toast with spiced wine poached plums, white chocolate mascarpone mousse and candied pistachio, is up your alley....Actually, i'm pretty sure that if I met French toast like this in an alley I would be charged with some kind of eating abuse. Really. Or if you like your breakfast between bread, try out the 'Thieves on the Run', an offering of a cheddar-filled omelette with bacon, roquette and homemade tomato relish on a crusty ciabatta roll. I however, couldn't go past 'The Legend' option. Yes, I may have been partly swayed by the name (in the hopes that by eating it I would become a little bit more like Daniel Craig), but I was mostly caught by the description of spicy baked eggs (with the option of chorizo), roasted mushrooms, green peas and feta, all served with herbed garlic toast. I loved the extreme flavour of this dish with it's spicy hit, perfect for a cold Autumn morning. And look, it could be my imagination, but I think my eyes are slightly more piercing and Craig-esk as a result of this dish*. My thieving partner taste tested 'The Leprechaun' (as he is already quite short, there was no obvious physical alteration) which displays four perfectly fried crisp sweet corn and goats feta fritters, sitting aside a warmed grape salad, asparagus, poached eggs and a cherry tomato and honey salsa. The sweetness made it an almost Asian-inpired dish, but all the flavours balanced quite well together. I know right, warm grapes, who would have thought!

Though breakfast be their thang, I was still very tempted by the lunch offerings. Pan-seared sesame crusted tuna served on beans, carrots, coriander, boiled egg and cashew nuts all dressed with a tamarind and chilli dressing sounded, well, amazeballs. As did the organic quinoa crusted bocconcini served with warm cherry tomato salsa, asparagus, sitting atop multigrain toast spread with avocado and drizzled with basil oil. Rest assured people, I shall be returning for at least one, if not all, of these menu items. If all this sounds a little heavy for you, there's a great range of pastries and cakes available (though I seriously would recommend bypassing these and going hard for the breakfasts) and the coffee, roasted by STREAT, can most definitely hold it's own.

It might be a little out of the way when you've got Brunswick Street to the left of you and Smith Street to the right, but I would highly suggest giving this little cafe a crack. Friendly service, a comfortable space, good coffee and FREAKING AWESOME FOOD (sorry....i'm composed now) will make a visit worth your while. I could conclude with some awful joke about Breakfast thieves stealing my heart rather than my breakfast, but look...we both know i'm not going to do that. Daniel Craig would never do that.

*Daniel Craig accepts no responsibility for any transformation you may, or may not, personally experience through the consumption of 'The Legend'. 

The Sportsgirl National Graduate Showcase

To say that I was marginally excited about attending the Sportsgirl National Graduate Showcase last night could, perhaps be, the understatement of the this still very young year. It may be uncool to tell you that I spent two hours painting my nails the night before, got my hair styled for the event and was planning my outfit a good three days* in advance, but gosh darn it I don't even care! There's something I truly love about a fashion show. The anticipation, the glamour, the incredible design work and, lets face it, the free shit in the show bags. It's the combination of all these things that make the ridiculously priced alcohol (thirteen dollars for an average glass of sparkling?! Who am I, Gina freaking Rinehart?!) and the pain of high heels for a night totally worth it. And trust me, this show was definitely worth it.

Featuring annually as part of the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, the Sportsgirl National Graduate Showcase presents 12 handpicked designers from Australia's top design institutions and gives them the opportunity to display their collection in this prestigious event. The designs showcased this year were of an unbelievable standard, showing works that were astoundingly intricate, perfectly executed and not only original, but also innovative to the extreme. Needless to say, there was not a drop of pretension in sight, as some of Australia's most promising up and coming designers in this burgeoning industry presented work that was full of heart and soul. The night began at the decked out Central Pier in Docklands, which was invaded with more fashionistas, bloggers and photographers than your Instagram feed. Everyone was enjoying the L'Oreal Paris Powder Room, which was primping and preening the early-comers before the show and there was an excited buzz and anticipation in the crowed as we all wondered at the night which was to come. The Docklands shed glimmered with floating candles (perhaps Hogwarts was the inspiration for the choice of design?) and the long runway glowed under large screens baring the Sportsgirl insignia.

Before each collection there was a brief video of each designer explaining the inspiration and meaning behind their collection. They sited things like music, undersea creatures, origami and androgyny as their sources of motivation, which made for a colourful, eclectic and vivid show. Here's a list of the designers in the order of appearance:
Nixi Killick, RMIT University
Hayley Elsaesser, Queensland University of Technology
Courtney Holm, University of Technology Sydney
Karen Yang, University of Technology Sydney
Koren Wheatley, Queensland University of Technology
Monique White, Queensland University of Technology
Bernadette Francis, RMIT University
Kara Liu, RMIT University
Jack Hancock, RMIT University
Kathleen Choo, University of Technology Sydney
Cesar Cehade, RMIT University
Natasha Fagg, RMIT University
The designs featured an erratic array of colours, patterns, materials (including silks, feathers and shiny stuff I don't know the name of) and details like fringing and intricate beading, that made the event one giant sensory experience. Here are some of the designs that were sent down the runway...

With such incredible, vivid and imaginative designs on display, it was impossible not to be wowed by the talent shown at this years Sportsgirl National Graduate Showcase. Even though my feet were aching and I remained unusually sober (due to the million dollar alcohol), I wouldn't pass up a single second of this event.  

*This equates to three weeks in Samson Girl time.

L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival

Grab your unbearably uncomfortable high heels, dress to impress and brace yourselves for the hoard of models, photographers and designers winding their way into our beloved city. Get ready kids, it's Fashion Week! And what a fashion week it's going to be, with this years L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival promising to be the most impressive yet. The program is stuffed as full as Megan Gail's wardrobe, with runways showing every night, more beauty workshops than you could poke a mascara stick at, pop-up shops and markets, business seminars for the more corporately (ahem, boring) inclined, a cultural program so cultural it could have been found in an Indiana Jones movie and for those with wallets a little on the light side, there's also a bunch of free events.Here are some of my picks for these fun fashion times ahead...

Well what better place to start than at the beginning? Enjoy all the glitz and glamour of the Opening Night Event, presented by David Jones and supported by Vogue Australia. This will be the first and largest runway show for the week and will feature some of Australia's leading designers, including Lisa Ho, Collette Dinnigan and Rachel Gilbert, who will be sending their latest collections down the line. If the incredible fashion wasn't enough for you perhaps the venue will draw you in. Melbourne's Docklands (usually filled with tumbleweeds) will be transformed, for the duration of the festival, into a lively and vibrant precinct, with live music playing in a range of riverside bars and restaurants and the popular L'Oreal Paris Powder Room on site. If you were lucky enough to score tickets to this baby, congrats. If not, feel free to join me in trying to jump over the barriers in order to get a seat. I'll be the crazy looking girl, dressed all in black and most likely being dragged away by security guards.

The L'Oreal runways are running all week, and some of particular interest are...well, actually, they're all pretty amazeballs to tell you the truth. There are great names all over the shop, with Runway 01 showing designers like Akira, Josh Goot and Willow, right through to L'Oreal Runway 07, which will give you a glimpse of Gorman, Secret South and Karen Walker. If you don't find at least one designer you like in a show then get out of my Country. Seriously.

If you find yourself a little challenged in the art of make-up application (ahem, like yours truly), fear not, because on Saturday the 23rd Marie Claire and the L'Oreal team have joined forces and are offering beauty workshops for those who don't know one end of the eyeliner to the other. Acquire essential tips and tricks of the trade to create runway-ready make-up looks in this guided one hour workshop, given by the best in the industry. Not only will you receive new skills from the make-up masters, but you'll also walk away with a L'Oreal Paris gift bag! #awesomefreestuff

For those looking for something a little on the cheaper side, and by cheap I mean free (students I'm looking at you), theres a great selection of free events on offer as part of this years cultural program. There's a public discussion between a panel of fashion, photography and cultural commentators, assessing the connection between androgyny, gender and fashion. Or perhaps you'd like to mix your fashion with your first position and check out the collaboration between dance and design in Ballet and Fashion, showing at the NGV. Fashion and film go hand in hand in the Inaugural Fashion Film Series, a national initiative that showcases short fashion films across Melbourne and Victoria.

So, whether your into Australian designers, high fashion, beauty, fashion collaborations between dance, music, food and films or up and coming designers, I can pretty much guarantee that there'll be something for everyone at this years L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. Jump online at www.lmff.com.au to check out the full program.

'The Vogue Factor': Kirstie Clements Discusses Life As Australian Vogue Editor

I think it's fair to say that in every Australian girl's life she has, at some stage, dreamed of becoming the editor and chief of the biggest name in Australian fashion magazines. Australian Vogue. What could be better than rubbing shoulders with the best designers in the world, partying with Karl, visiting fashion shoots and getting free front row seats to every runway in fashion week. That's Paris Fashion Week, of course. I can personally say that I have envisioned myself perched behind the desk of one of the most influential fashion magazines of all time...wearing Jimmy Choos and the most recent Yves Saint Laurent blazer naturally. This may have to do with the fact that I've seen 'The Devil Wears Prada' more times than you've showered in your life (that is, if you manage to keep an adequate hygiene routine), and have a pile of fashion magazines so high I have to stash them away when new people come over to my house...you know, just so they don't think I'm obsessed or anything. So when I found out that former editor in chief of Australian Vogue, Kirstie Clements, was holding talk during the LMFF (that's L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival for the rookies), I jumped on the opportunity to go. The captivated audience listened intently as Clements spoke of the stories behind the fashion headlines, her newly released book, 'The Vogue Factor', and discussed her experience of being one of the biggest names in the Australian fashion industry. Dirt and all.

Held in South Yarra at the Nellie Castan Gallery, Kirstie Clements in Conversation promised to be one of the most exciting events offered on the 2013 LMFF cultural program. Understandably there was a significant turn out, and the whole audience (me included) were hanging off Clements' every word. She immediately struck me as a very sensible women and she sat before us, a pioneer of one of the most arduous and formidable industries, quite humbly. She was charismatic and comfortable in front of an audience, yes, but was by no account haughty or boastful as one might expect from someone so esteemed. When listening to her speak, I marvelled at the apparent fantasy life she had; Touring China with George Armani, accompanying Karl Largerfeld to cocktail parties, gaining tickets to every runway of every fashion week all over the world and one particular instance of being with Anna Wintour in Japan, where they were swamped by fans.

It became apparent however, when discussing her surprising dismissal from the Vogue position early last year, that her career wasn't only the dream-like fantasy that society makes it out to be. As well as her shocking sacking we heard other tales of Clements struggling to get Australian Vogue the recognition it deserved, her growing sense of feeling marginalised within the industry and the shame of always being compared with her American counterpart, Anna Wintour. "I believe Australian Vogue has a very low recognition", she stated, when discussing the Australian magazine's success in comparison to that of French and American Vogue, which she described as the "fashion power houses". In Australia, with a smaller fashion industry, population and economy, Clements had to push that little bit harder to get Australian Vogue the recognition it deserved. Through all the dirt and grit of the profession however, she managed to uphold a deep passion for what she did. "Passion is the key element...it's hard work, not a princess job", was her answer to a question regarding how she maintained the taxing position for ten years. For Clements, it was this passion for hard work, her admiration for the best designers, hairstylists, writers and models that made it "the most stimulating job" and one of her main motivations was "always the reader".

Needless to say, the entire audience left the small and unassuming gallery, carrying much more wisdom with regards to most esteemed positions in the Australian fashion industry. It was incredible to hear of her deep motivation, strength and, yes, the unbelievable stories of haute couture gowns and having the world's fashion elite as her colleagues. It was an enriching experience to hear first hand from Clements what goes on behind the closed doors of Australian Vogue and, though no longer there, I believe her legacy to Australian Vogue is something that will resonate through it's pages forever. Oh, and she also has a killer handbag collection now....so, lets be honest, all the hard work was most probably worth it.

The Urban Coffee Farm and Brew Bar

Here in Melbourne, we like our cafes to have a point of difference. This doesn't necessarily mean anything weird like serving flat whites in a shoe (because that would just be weird and even we have our limits), but the most successful coffee haunts in Melbourne all seem to offer a little something extra to the mix. Perhaps it's the exceptional Pour Overs, the specially sourced single origin bean or the nordic inspired design with obligatory picturesque terrariums hanging in the window that make certain places so appealing. But what if I told you there was one place that had it all....one place that offered all the coffee you could hope for in the form of exotic and single origin beans, enough filter coffee to give your heart palpitations, tastings, workshops and all served up with Melbourne's top baristas on hand to answer any and all of your questions. And, AND (get excited!), said baristas have also teamed up with some of Melbourne's hottest bars, in order to bring you more than just a coffee kick. Could such a wondrous place be real? Why yes, I haven't gone crazy after taking to many No-Doze, such a coffee fantasy land does exists...


Welcome to the Urban Coffee Farm and Brew Bar, part of this years Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. This is more than just a place that serves coffee, it's a world-first instillation that reinterprets a terraced coffee farm, constructed from shipping containers, timber pallets and packing crates, right in the heart of our bustling city. Nestled happily in Queesnbridge Square along Southbank, this pop-up construction is a multi-level cross between a terrace and garden, with over 120 coffee plants creating a lush and shady area that's perfect for, well, just kicking back and smelling the coffee really. Beginning at 8 every morning, and closing at 4:30 in the afternoon, The Urban Farm and Brew Bar offers a range of daily tastings (try the Coffee Flight option, where you can try three coffees from across the globe), as well as daily showcases and workshops from leading cafes like Seven Seeds, Auction Rooms, Proud Mary and St Ali. These include everything from an Around the World in Eight Coffees tasting to a cupping workshop of wild coffees from Central America. If this all sounds a little to serious for you at eight in the morning (and I don't blame you because I couldn't even point to Central America on a map at that time of day), feel free to just pop in for a cheeky espresso, or three, or grab a bite to eat from the light breakfast and lunch menu.

At 5:30 in the evening the party cranks up again when the bar opens, serving a good range of wines, beers and ciders There is also the rotating featured guest bar, with names like Seamstress, EDV Melbourne, The Lui Bar and Longrain serving up some alcoholicky treats. When I went, Chapel Street bar, 'Woods Of Windsor', were serving up their cocktail of the day which contained hockey pokey ice cream, coffee liqueur and a shot of espresso with a sprinkling of butterscotch crumble on top. If heaven could be blended in some kind of giant food processor and liquidized, I think it would look a lot like this cocktail.

The Urban Coffee Farm and Brew Bar is running until March 17th, and with some great cafes and bars to come, like St Ali, De Clieu, and The Waiting Room, be sure to head on down and check it out. It's true, we have some great cafes in Melbourne, but do any of them offer awesome coffee, an educational tour of coffee plants, shipping containers, all of Melbourne's top baristas, delicious cocktails, coffee tastings, good food (pause for breath), the promise of beer, some of the best sourced beans from around the globe, workshops and daily showcases from amazeballs cafes, as well as being labeled as a 'cool Melbourne pop-up'? No, I thought not. 

The Little Black Dress in all It's Glory

Nothing beats a traditional Little Black Dress. Really, nothing. It can be tailored for work, play and everything that comes in-between; this could mean it accompany you to brunch with your mother in law (because let's face it, this experience doesn't really fall under the 'play category'), or perhaps you require an all black outfit for a covert bank robbery heist. Or something like that anyway. We all have at least one of these babies kicking around in our wardrobe and an event on the Cultural Program of this years Loreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, shows us exactly how versatile the LBD can really be.

Cheryl Lin, the street style photographer and stylist for BusinessChic.com.au, has put together an exhibition entitled the Little Black Dress Project, which demonstrates how everyone's number one wardrobe staple can be worn in 52 different ways. Displaying dresses from different up and coming Australian designers, the free exhibition will run for the duration of the festival, from the 1st to the 31st of March, at level 2 Link Bridge in Melbourne Central. Last Thursday I was lucky enough to attend the press pre-viewing of the designs and get some great shots of some incredible pieces. Each one was completely original and unique, showcasing some amazing new Australian talent.

So, to give the LBD the respect that it deserves, check out this exhibition while it lasts...you never know, you may just find the perfect little black dress for your next covert bank robbery heist. 

Love in the Time of Ulyana Sergeenko

As today is International Woman’s day, I thought I’d tell you about a particular woman who, I’ll admit, I’m having a little hoe-mance moment with. A crush, if you will. Granted, I only heard about her a few short days ago and I’m still learning how to spell her name (seriously, why do Russians make it so hard? Must be all the vodka…), but I feel as though we have a special connection. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be getting her number any time soon (I’m working on it), but Ulyana Segeenko’s amazing Spring/Summer ‘13 has me in a total swoon.

Still a newbie in the fashion industry, this young Russian street style star, has just sent her amazing Spring 2013 collection down the runway at Paris Fashion Week and is making her mark with beautifully hand made and detailed clothes. This is no easy feat when you’re up against big fashion houses like Valentino and Chanel, but the suave Sergeenko has managed to hold her own on the runways…must be that tuff Russian blood. Her grandmother is a babushka after all. Sergeenko’s most recent collection shows her continued experimentation with traditional Russian imagery, through pieces such as embroidered blouses, and demonstrated contrast to these with more Americanised parasols, shawls and lace gloves. The result was a show that echoed ideas of a kind of Soviet fairytale, with a neutral colour palate of whites, creams and beiges, and soft shapes with flowing lines throughout all her work. Her collection gives off the feeling of being completely natural, fresh and organic and the pieces, with their subtle frills, firm bodices and flowing skirts resonate with a vintage femininity. An incredible mastery is demonstrated in the pieces and it is clear that Sergeenko, described as a perfectionist, has left no stitch un-sewn. The very smallest of details was adhered to in the show, with dainty school-yard accessories, like earrings with miniature cats and glasses embellished with tiny fruit, on display. This, coupled with the 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' soundtrack played at the show, tops off the overall beauty and old-world feel to the collection perfectly. Here are a few of my favourite pieces...

There’s no doubt that I am in love with Ulyana. And I'm sure that we'll be very happy together one day...but untill that day comes, I'm perfectly happy to look at her runway photos over and over. As one does.

MARCS, Me and University

The week leading up to your frirst year of tertiary education can bring with it many feelings. Uncertainty, fear and well, sheer terror really. It can also bring with it, many questions, such as, will I make any friends at all?  Why the hell is my tutorial not in the classroom specified on my timetable? And what exactly is the Dreadlocks, Hessian and Fakon Association? Amongst all these feeling and questions that were running around in my head the week prior to beginning University, was another thought. One that, perhaps, I was the most contemplative about. The question? What type of bag does one buy when faced with three years of lugging books around campus. I had to be practical and logical in my thinking, as this bag must obviously be:

A) Sturdy, to withstand the aforementioned lugging. I don't mean your bag has to be reinforced like a high security vault, but some strong handles would be a good idea. And it should also be weather proof appropriate to avoid staining from rain as well as any spilling incidents from take away coffees that may occur. And trust me, there will be take away coffee spillage involved....

B) Small enough so that when traveling on public transport you don't give the old man on the Craigieburn line a black eye, yet large enough to carry books, a computer and a whole bunch of useless brochures and pamphlets given to you by members of the Support Communism Club. Or a small Chiwawa....just in case you're Chiwawa inclined and have been watching too much legally Blond.

C) The bag must have good 'stuff factor'. This means the material cannot be to stiff, as you will, most likely be 'stuffing', cramming and jamming your bag like no tomorrow.  There may be days where you actually do sometimes need to bring your kitchen sink to University. Well, not actually. But you'll have so much shite crammed in there it'll feel like your carrying the whole of IKEA's Kitchen Catalogue.

D) And finally, though perhaps most importantly, is that the bag must, I repeat, MUST, be aesthetically pleasing.

It was perhaps the last point that had me the most stumped. Sure, I found bags that were big enough and I guess were 'practical', but in saying that, I didn't want to carry around a bag for three years that was bright orange or looked like my grandmother (bless her) had made it. And that's when, almost on my final shopping legs after about two hours in MYER, I stumbled upon the perfect Marcs bag. It was everythingI could have hoped for and more. The perfect size, shape, colour and it had handles as well as an adjustable shoulder strap. To top things off it was the perfect price point, which means I don't have to live off Mee goreng noodles for the next month. Winning for the poor Uni student! Oh, and the bag isn't leather either...so I think I still qualify for the Dreadlocks, Hessian and Fakon Association.

Friends For Your Fingers, Some Darling Decals For Your Digits

Unless you've become a hermit and decided to live in an Albanian forest for the past year, you will have noticed that nail art has become something of a world wide trend. People are covering their nails with everything and anything, from images of watermelons to pictures of pandas. Now, if spending your time painting tiny little pictures of cupcakes on your fingers doesn't seem worth it (which is a ridiculous thought as everyone needs more cupcake loving in their life), then you can opt to try nail decals, which require a slightly less steady hand than normal nail polish. This means that if you're as uncoordinated as a newly born giraffe (much like myself), you won't end up painting your bedroom floor as opposed to your nails.

I decided to give these decals from Inspired Nails a whirl, and with a little bit of patience and a lot of love, my digits are now happily covered in Monet's Water Lilies. Could there be anything cooler than having impressionism art painted on your fingers?! I think not. So if you've never tried out the global trend that is nail art, then it's time to add a bit if excitement to your hand's life. I hear even hermits in Albania are doing it...

Check out Inspired Nails on Etsy for an array of nails from Botticelli's Birth of venus, to sweet pink cupcakes.....like I said, there's always room for more cupcake love.