This little guy was RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
CUTEST. THING. EVA.
the perfect symmetry in reflection, the still waters and the emerging moon.
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I hit the road with my family and headed South towards Mornington, where we frolicked with farm animals, took in seaside towns, and hopped from one winery to another. Here's my dad behind the wheel: We made a pitstop at Freshfield Alpaca farm, where we got up close and seriously personal with some alpacas! This little guy was RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. CUTEST. THING. EVA. Then we visited Red Hill winery, which was stunning. It had an award winning, in-house restaurant, Max's, which overlooks the winery. Here's me and my dad at Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Gardens :-) Explored the grounds and stumbled upon a small lake. It was one of the most beautiful sights I've seen... the perfect symmetry in reflection, the still waters and the emerging moon. (to be continued)
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Apologies for the absence lately! I wanted to take a tech time-out to spend as much time as possible with my parents, who flew in recently :-) We wandered around school grounds and even though campus can be pretty empty during this time of the year, it had a slightly sombre and moody charm... Melbourne is somewhat darkly romantic in the winter; and as dramatic as it sounds, some days, especially on walks like this, you can almost feel the weight of history lingering in the air - it's in the exquisite architecture, the arched hallways, and the rich heritage. Always feel lucky to be a part of this school :-)
Stay tuned for fresh posts, because I have a load of pictures coming soon! Follow me on Instagram: @paintingrachelred for more updates. Prepare yourselves, kids - the boys of Jimmy Grants have set up shop temporarily at a pop-up space on Collins St. Dishing out souvlakis and a number of other Greek favourites from a pimped-out shipping container, the crew brings their Mediterranean flair to Melbourne's white-collar business district. Here, diners can feast on lamb souvlakis that are topped with a rockin' mustard aoli, some parsley and finished off with the surprise ingredient: chips. You heard that right - chips IN your souvlaki. Genius. I swung by with a couple of friends that I've known since my secondary school days in Fairfield, and it was quite the reunion for us in Melbourne. Here's Pras and Abi Joy, ready to dig in: The food was delicious - think fast food, but with a Greek twist. Thick slabs of sliced lamb rolled in a piece of pita bread, a fresh and healthy grain salad and a MOTHERFLIPPING AMAZING BAG OF CHIPS. I'm talking thick cut fries, deep fried in an incredibly fragrant garlic oil with feta crumbs and oregano sprinkled on top. The chips were firm and unbelievably tasty, and it was a hit with all of us. We spent the rest of the night playing tourist around the streets of Melbourne, and showing my friend Wesley, who's here on holiday, around :-) It involved a trip to Spring St Grocer for some late night gelato, fooling around Parliament House and being chased by some possums, before wrestling with what must be Melbourne's most unflattering photobooth and taking a slow walk by the Yarra River to Crowne. What a fun night with these guys! Jimmy Grants 80 Collins St (Rue & Co. laneway) Melbourne, VIC 3000 Follow me on Instagram: @paintingrachelred for more updates.
At the beginning of every school break, I make these grand plans; I decide I'm going to go skiing in the winter, snowboarding, check out indie cinemas and all that. But when the holidays really do commence, all I want to do is bum around. And while some may see it as a waste of a perfectly good day, I think there's a certain comfort to be said of doing absolutely nothing. Nothing feels quite like having an empty agenda planner - no schedules, no plans and no commitments. I am free to do whatever I like, whenever I like. Even if that means binge-watching 20 episodes of Orange Is The New Black (which is fantastic, by the way) or prancing around Collins St and pretending I'm a Parisian princess. After one of these said outings, I like settling in for some coffee at Caffe E Torta. Housed in the historic Block Arcade, the small bistro oozes old-world glamour and offers a deliciously balanced brew of Italian coffee. Sometimes you'll find me doing word search puzzles here, or just sitting at one of the small marble tables that line the corridor...after all, it is the perfect place for people watching. Its central location, near the high-end Collins St and Lt Collins vintage boutiques, certainly makes for some interesting characters to see :-) It's been a thoroughly relaxing winter break so far, and I can't wait to share more snapshots of what I've been up to recently! Caffe E Torta 314 Lt Collins St Melbourne, VIC 3000 Tel: 0434 595 885 Follow me on Instagram: @paintingrachelred for more updates.
Picked up this vintage Valditevere scarf last weekend and I've been exploring different ways of wearing it since. It's a beautiful and rich shade of crimson that adds a bit of character to outfits...plus, it kind of lies in the grey area between sailor-esque / air stewardess / prep school girl, which is the sweetest spot to be in, no? :-) Hope everyone is in high spirits this week x Plaid shirt: Paul Smith
Navy V-neck sweater: Uniqlo Skirt: H&M Scarf: Valditevere Firenze (from Hawkeye Vintage in Prahan) Bag: Loewe Lipstick: Tom Ford 'Cherry Lush' Follow me on Instagram: @paintingrachelred for more updates. I've said it once, and I'll say it again - Breakfast Thieves is phenomenal. They serve up the best brunch I've had in Melbourne so far and consistently dish out outstanding fare that tastes just as, if not more wonderful, than it looks. The folks here treat food as an art form and every plate that's dished out from the kitchen is an explosive feast of colours, flavours and textures. While its interiors are pretty standard for a café, the food more than makes up for it, I promise :-) I love it when a café has made an effort to put a spin on a classic breakfast item - here, the gang at Breakfast Thieves give their take on the quintessential morning staple: muesli (AUD$15). This was delicious. The oat / muesli mix was soaked overnight in orange and rosewater, with sweet raisins, goji berries, and cranberries thrown in. They've somehow managed to make something as ordinary as muesli / oats exciting, by pairing it with poached fruit, berry compote and meringue pieces. Anything with meringue in it is a winner in my books! But seriously - this was simple and wonderful. Check that out. That's the BBLT (AUD$17), a brioche french toast with candied bacon, brûlée banana, lemon curd and roasted cherry tomatoes. This was so good I could cry. It married the sweet with the savoury, the fluffy with the crispy, and was such a beautiful breakfast option. The last dish is the Robin Hood (AUD$18), a smoked trout extravaganza that I've written about here. It's unusual, innovative and slightly different from the offerings at most cafés, which is exactly what I enjoy most about Breakfast Thieves. All round, a thoroughly satisfactory meal here again! Breakfast Thieves 420 Gore St Fitzroy, VIC 3065 Tel: 03 9416 4884 Follow me on Instagram: @paintingrachelred for more updates.
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