Manchester Press and La Belle Miette

At Federation Square, a view of Flinders St. Station

 

St Paul's Cathedral

Main entrance into Flinders St Station

Today, the weather is all dreary grey. Last Friday was a beautiful Friday. It was all sunshine and brightness. I took the day off to spent time with Miss Lawyer who was back in Melbourne for a visit and any day off work is a celebratory day.

Today, is a different story. Today, there wasn't enough work for me, hence, I stayed home. Yeah. LOL. Either I am too efficient or...

Have I ever mentioned before how Melbourne is teeming with cafes and especially quaint ones that served really good tasting coffee? Well, they do and it's usually located at tiny, quiet looking lane ways that hide them pretty well.

Either get a local to bring you about or you can easily Google or find a list on Urbanspoon!

Hence, Miss Lawyer, Josh and I decided to have our brunch at the much talked about Manchester Press (MP) situated at an unassuming lane way (no surprises here) at 8 Rankins Lane off Little Bourke Street.

I was hoping to show Miss Lawyer the coffee art MP is well known for. Unfortunately, the barista did not wow us with a man in tie or a bunny or even a nice fern coffee art atop the froth!

Oh well. One thing that never changes and is always interesting to look upon are the interior deco of this cafe. It's different. Wouldn't say it's quaint but it's definitely pretty artsy fartsy in a cutesie manner.

There are fire extinguishers dolled and lined up in a row like babushka dolls. You'll see a robot body up against the wall with a light bulb for a head. Menu was a piece of plastic board with labels of food served including the pricing. 

Baked eggs that cost about AUD16.50 (I think)

I was looking forward to baked eggs after my first baked eggs encounter at Bluebird Espresso on Johnston St. early in the year (darn it! just realised I've yet to blogged about this awesome baked eggs place!!). The baked eggs at Bluebird tasted similar to bolognaise sauce with chorizos but with more herbs to it, topped with two poached looking eggs. 

However, the one here in MP was a bit of a let down. Maybe 'a bit' is an understatement. It wasn't anything similar to my first experience, that's for sure! 

Basically the baked eggs at MP tasted like omelettes with a pricey tag. Bummer.

Well, the mocha more than made up for it. Some places makes their mocha either too chocolatey or the bitter coffee taste, a tad too overpowering. But MP's ratio of coffee and chocolate was just right. 

Miss Lawyer had salmon on toasted bagel and she enjoyed it. According to her, it isn't the best she's ever tasted but the salmon sure was fresh.

Well, I guess baked eggs aren't exactly their forte. So, perhaps, next round, I'll try whatever is their top favourite. This place can get really busy and often than naught, it is likely you'll have to share tables with other Melburnians.

After our super filling brunch, we walked about the city and came across the below scene of a dented Mercedes hit by a tram accident. As seen, it looks like it was the Mercedes' driver's fault for perhaps, trying to cut the tram when he/she should have just waited for their turn. 

Oh well. If this was Malaysia, there would have been lots of people taking pictures or getting the plate number to but the lottery. LOL.

 

I bought for Miss Lawyer a box of beautifully tasting, delicate macarons from La Belle Miette for her birthday. This quaint shop is located on Hardware Lane which I'll blogged more about with pictures of the place another time. Have been introducing this place to friends and bringing visitors here.

Of all the flavours, salted caramel has got to be my absolute favourite! 

One piece of macaron is just never enough. With just a few bites and it's gone leaving you wanting for more. But an expensive sweetness to savour costing about AUD2.50 - 2.80 a piece.

2012 Pics #20 Outside my window

On an unrelated manner, HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all working in Kuala Lumpur today as it is Federal Territory Day eh!! ;)

2012 Pics #18 Walls

... that surrounds us.

Hot Monday

It's a hot day. This morning, the temperature in my living room was 25 degrees Celsius and now, it's gone up to 29. As I sit tinkering away on my laptop on a desk at the corner behind the family TV room, I can feel the heat evading into the family TV room.

Behind the wall where I am facing is the backyard overlooking the lake where else behind the wall on my right is the courtyard. This morning, the sun was shining from opposite me, now, it shines brightly through the sliding door leading into the courtyard on my right.

Finally, summer is here. Of course, it is not as hot as Malaysia but it was cold a few days back. I was whining then but now that it's hot, I hate it. Given a choice of cold over hot, give me cool breeze, strong winds and what not. As.long.as.I.am.not.hot!

The job hunt begins. Urgh! I dreamt of you, yet again. Urgh! Your silence annoys me. Double Urgh! But I'll not let you mean more than you should. Realised I lost one side of my pearl earrings. Expiry date of a voucher I bought slipped my mind to only hit me in the head today that it was due yesterday. BORDERDASH!

That's pretty much it for today. Hence, I'll just put a post of my Saturday in pictures.

#1 Finally paid a visit to Prahran Market along Commercial Road.

#2 Nothing much happening actually...

and it would seem Melbourne's brimming with massage parlours.

Every mall I go to has at least one of them!

Knox, Chadstone and it would seem, even Prahran Market!

#3 Deco or for use? Hmmm.. Has a regio and all... though an expired one at that!

#4 Yea! I look decent here and you can't see the gross blitz on my face!

#5 "All by myself... don't wanna be..." Poor lonesome doggie...

#6 There's just something about pavements

#7 and side roads...

#8 Beautifully tasting Mocha at LA LUCCIOLA

#9 Apple and raspberry crumble AUD10

#10 Nice hang out area Miss Lawyer spotted the last time we were here

#11 Swish and Cocktail (several shops down) HAS the prettiest gowns ever!

#12 The dress looks shapeless and horrendous in real life but I somehow made it look nice here

#13 Lol. For Miss Lawyer's Hens Night.. entertaining or weird?!

Sneak Preview :: KC and Chik ::

Last Sunday, I helped with some pre-wedding shots for Mr. C's colleague, Chik and his lovely fiance, KC. The skies were pretty much gloomy and threatened to pour. Based on weather forecast, sunny skies were promising from 1pm-3pm.

In the morning, Chik and KC had their more formal pre-wedding shoot at Carlton Gardens and Royal Exhibition Centre taken by a professional photographer recommended by their make up artiste. Then, they had their lunch.

After lunch, I met up with them and another two friend of theirs, the designated photographers of the day who were equipped with their DSLRs. My self-appointed role was to assist with the props and to take some photos, if I could as I really wanted to practice photo taking and utilise whatever skills I learnt from my Street Photography tour that I participated in, one month ago.

The location was at Melbourne Uni as the couple pursued their different degrees in this beautiful, filled with heritage building. At first, it was tough taking pictures as we were all sort of noobs.

I, then resorted to browsing at wedding photographers' portfolio's like Jenny Sun, Stories, Lighted Pixel and Axioo, that I had saved on my hand phone for such an occasion, for inspiration.

As I didn't ask the couple for permission to post this pictures and most couples wouldn't want their pre-wedding photos up before their BIG day, I am only sneaking in pictures that you can't really see their faces.

I don't even know if they will use my photos but apparently, they were pretty happy with my work. :) Yea!

Here are some personal tips for your own pre-wedding or any shoot, for the matter.

Photo taking tips #1

Props are not necessarily everything but they are still important. It adds to the character and story of the photos taken. Try to get props that tells us your story, your history which other.

If you met in high school or college/uni years, you can take it in a library or a school/uni set up with books, geeky specs and outfit. If you're a doctor and he/she's an engineer or accountant, for example, bring along a stethoscope and calculators with rulers. If you both love to cook, have the photo shoot in a classy looking kitchen, could be yours, could be a friends or some where quaint.

Other props couples love to use are balloons, teddy bears, pinic baskets etc.

Photo taking tips #2

Make up and hairdo are plus points and so does dressing up for a shoot even if it is a casual one. Vibrant dress/outfits for the ladies makes them pop and stand out from the background. Guys clothing will be picked to match the girls outfit.

Photo taking tips #3

Bring your winning smile. Practice your poses and smiles before hand to get a rough idea on angles that showcase you in a better light. Perhaps your right side features better than your right. Bending your shoulders forward a bit makes your arms look slimmer and lends a sexier look to the pose.

Where you put your hands and how you stand or point your feet matters. Attention to detail matters even the smallest details show. The height you hold your flowers, the angle of your gaze, all makes a difference between a crappy photo to a mediocre one and even a great photo!

Photo taking tips #4

Research, research, research! Make sure to do some homework before hand on what kind of photos you would like. Do you like the touchy feely kind? The 'I stare at you, you stare at me, let's smell each other' kind? Let's gaze off into the sunset?

If your have parents or relatives that frown upon kissing or too much contact photos, you could always do cheeky ones. Instead of a photo showing you both smooching, you could 'kiss' behind balloons or an umbrella with your silhouette showing through.

Photo taking tips #5

It's good to have a couple of friends along to help you carry the props and setting it up for each scene. I was going crazy running around setting the props, blowing bubbles and trying to take some photos in between but I felt, my main job for the day was prop lady first, photographer last.

In Melbourne, the weather might have been gloomy that day but boy was it cold. We had to rush to the bride-to-be and drape her with her jacket whenever the photographer was taking a break. Poor lady. You could see her goosebumps!

In Malaysia, with the heat and humidity, make sure you bring LOTS of tissues or even better, bring towels along. Mr. C and I forgot to bring towels and we ran out of tissues within half hour into the shoot and we didn't have any friends along, hence, we had to lug our props about ourselves.

I hope this was a helpful post to all couples preparing for their pre-wedding shoot and also for photographer wannabes.

Photoshoot at Docklands!

"Excellence - is NOT a skill, it is an attitude."