It's every bit as delicious as it looks, with the taste of fresh, crisp lettuce punctuating every bite.
Try the coffee, guys, and let me know what you think! :-)
Vincent the Dog
348 Drummond St
Carlton, VIC 3053
Tel: 03 9348 2068
Vincent the Dog is one of my favourite picks for a lazy Sunday morning - it's a small neighbourhood café that's tucked away on a quiet street in Carlton, where everyone seems very friendly and up for a chat. I typically roll out of bed, grab the day's papers and take a slow walk here over the weekends. The coffee is a fantastic, nutty blend that's strong enough to soothe pounding headaches and hangovers if you need it, and the food is simple and wholesome. They're known for doing some really great beef pies, but I've yet to try them because I tend to go for the bagels when I visit. Here's the BLT bagel (AUD$12), with a crusty sesame seed bun and an appetising apple coleslaw. It's every bit as delicious as it looks, with the taste of fresh, crisp lettuce punctuating every bite. Fuss-free food at a reasonable price - what's not to like? Plus, it doesn't hurt that the café itself is a quiet and still respite from the hustle and bustle of Lygon Street that's just one block away. Try the coffee, guys, and let me know what you think! :-) Vincent the Dog 348 Drummond St Carlton, VIC 3053 Tel: 03 9348 2068 Follow me on Instagram: @paintingrachelred for more updates.
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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.
Had a bit of a wander around South Melbourne market today with Jolene and fell in love! It possesses a laidback charm that Queen Vic market does not (stall vendors shouting "ONE DOLLAR BANANA ONE DOLLAR BANANA" at the top of their lungs stresses me out). In addition, it has an eclectic selection of independent designer boutiques and specialty homeware and kitchen appliance stores, which make for an interesting afternoon of browsing. We went into a couple of stores and I felt this compulsive need to get something because the equipment looked so cool - over the course of the afternoon, I convinced myself I needed a potato masher, a set of cheese knives, a juicer that promised '5 times more vitamins in your juice' and a two-tiered cake stand (even though I don't bake lol). They were so pretty! I am moving into a new apartment. I need these things. Thankfully, Jo put her foot down and yanked me out of the shop. We were then drawn to Padre by the strong coffee aroma that was emanating from its counter, and had flat whites over a tray of Tasmanian oysters. The place was crowded, with locals having coffee in and to go. It seems like the coffee here is courtesy of the crew behind Brunswick East Project, and was voted as the best coffee in Melbourne for 2013. I found it good, but a bit too citrusy for my liking. Personally, I still think Haymarket Place does the most stellar flat white and I would recommend giving that a go. Follow me on Instagram: @ieatheartsxo for more updates.
I'm not going to lie -- it has been a bloody miserable week. I'm trying to keep my spirits up, and remind myself that it will all be over soon; but honestly I'm feeling so tired and frustrated from churning out essay after essay. Having said that, I've found joy in little things that brighten my day, be it having friends like Yan and Desmond show up at my door, holding gem biscuits (a little taste of home!) or picking up a really solid flat white from Haymarket Place in the morning. It's just down the street from the law library (where I camp day and night in true Asian nerd fashion) (my parents would be so proud) and I want to live off their coffee for the rest of my LIFE. I've been there so many times this week, having coffee in / to-go that the countergirl is probably sick of seeing my tired, pained face every flippin' day! To all my other friends who are struggling with finals / midterms back in Singapore: hang in there!
We can get through this together :) x Follow me on Instagram: @ieatheartsxo for more updates. I was wandering through Lygon yesterday when I found this tiny, tiny space of a cafe - ASSEMBLY specializes in filtered coffee and probably seats only 3-4 people inside. Popped in for a quiet afternoon, and did the word search over a wonderful cup of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. It's located in a small alley and most people walk by without realising that it hides a great coffee space, so I'm usually the only one in there, which is exactly why I like it. Plus, it's just a stone's throw away from my apartment, so I might just have found my new favourite hangout :)
I think one of the things that most people struggle with living alone is the silence - the silence that you wake up to on cold winter days, and the silence that surrounds you when you do mundane tasks, like doing the dishes. They say you'll grow accustomed to it, and that it gets better with time. Fortunately, I've never really had an issue with the silence, and I enjoy the space that comes with living alone. I used to think that I would eventually move in and share an apartment with a friend, but the more I think about it, the more convinced I am about living on my own. This reminds me of lyrics from a song I love: "I'll be alone / But maybe more carefree / Like a kite that floats so effortlessly / I was afraid to be alone / But now I'm scared that's how I like to be." - November, Azure Ray Living alone has honestly taught me innumerable things, and I have grown in so many ways... I will maybe do a post on my Melbourne experience, but that's a story for another day :) Follow me on Instagram: @ieatheartsxo for more updates. Got together with the girls for a midweek chat at Haymarket Place on the corner of Berkeley and Grattan St. It hasn't been the best week to say the least, but it's nothing a bit of coffee and laughter can't solve! What was originally meant to be a short coffee break spiralled into a conversation that spanned five hours, and we left feeling rejuvenated and ready to conquer the rest of the week. (*cue Eye of the Tiger soundtrack*) I know it doesn't look like much, but the coffee here is bloody solid.
I'd take Haymarket Place over Seven Seeds that's just down the road any day. Note: Snooty counter girl with an ice-cold attitude and not much service points, but great, great coffee :) Follow me on Instagram: @ieatheartsxo for more updates. |
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