Melbourne Love

The love of a good coffee

The love of the laneways

The love of the street musicians

The love of the Art Gallery 

Melbourne love...

Day two & I'm swanning about in the CBD...First stop National Gallery to see  Masterpieces from the hermitage: the Legacy of Catherine the Great..A splendid acquisition from the 34 years of her Russian reign.

Then it's off to coffee at JungleJuice bar in centre place CBD followed by lunch @ Shebeen in Manchester Lane meow@shebeen.com.au 100% of their profits go to the developing world. 

Finally a shop at Gorman not known to Perthites....

Time for a cup of tea! 

Wandering in Williamstown

Flew in to Melbourne last night hot on the coat tail of the Brownlow medal awards to see the boy from Lake Grace win the coveted prize! (We love you Fyfy).

So my team didn't make the grand final but I'm here for the week in the city of football making the most of Melbourne life & trying to have a cultural, social & dining experience. Being back with my old flat mate is a time to reminisce & enjoy some further to be shared good times. 

I wondered in to Williamstown central a la pied after a considerable lie in and late brekky. Had a good coffee from Mez Mez in the Main Street & sauntered along taking in the local vibe. I must say it was a quiet little hub generally speaking but pleasant enough. Took a few pics of the bay with its boats & battleships. A few locals were out & about & picnicking on fish n chips with the kids as its holiday time for them too! On the way back from town I was aggressively barked at by 3 territorial standard poodles: three shades black, white & creme. Very decorative indeed. 

Being Present

I've been reading a lot lately about being present to what you have, feeling grateful and being in the moment of your life; rather than living in past regrets or worrying about future outcomes. Loving yourself and loving the body that you are in and being the best person you can be, despite the obstacles. Choosing to be kind. A year or so ago I completed a Happiness project at my work place and whilst I was doing that I started trying to connect more with the here and now. The first thing I tried was to walk from my car to my office, engaging my my senses, to notice what  was going on around me; rather than thinking about the to do list,  the domestic environment I had come from,  the drive or even something just heard on the radio.

In the space of a quieter mind I actually became aware of the birds singing in the trees around me and the feeling of the wind on my cheeks. I noticed the smell of the pines and the sights of the garden. I climbed the steps with purpose and I acknowledged the people I passed. 

We do have a choice. We can quiet the troubled mind. We can be present to and accepting of the heartbreaks, the body aches, the sadness and the joy. In the world where everything is moving faster, where we find ourselves multitasking and not doing anything with a lot of intention; where we are swamped by emails, social media and advertising; there is relief in the silence. Quietness and meditation, presence and purpose.
  There is a Zen saying, "Before Enlightenment chop wood carry water, after Enlightenment, chop wood carry water."
 Continue to do exactly what you are doing just be there.   
outdoormindedmag.com  http://tulsagirlsfood.blogspot.com.au/ 

Cosy up at the Little Stove

When your bestie comes to town for a short catch up it's great to go for brekky or brunch.  The Little Stove had been on my list of go tos for a while so having it be about 1/2 way between our houses it seemed like the place to meet. I was really surprised at the quirkiness and the friendliness of the cafe. I loved my meal and was heartened to see they had such good business. I'd really love to recommend it to my fellow vegans as they really went out of their way to accommodate my food requirements and they let us split the bill!! Go to for the soy chai infused pot of tea...

Stunning Cake cabinet 

Mum gets brekky on fathers' day

Today was fathers' day and guess what? Well mum got a treat as father was too far. My daughter has a healthy living passion and has started to capture some of her images on instagram.  So I got a healthy delicious and pretty little breakfast and after a break due to a couple of health issues it reminded me that I'm here to blog..so I'll be out to sample some new vegan friendly bites around Perth soon.
In the mix here is a new discovery; COYO its a vegan yogurt smooth, creamy and yum! You can pick it up at Farmer Jacks in Subiaco. But hide it if there are others in the house ;)