Flavourhood Tours – Sydney Road Food Tour Melbourne

Flavourhood tours is a comprehensive, fun and incredibly fulfilling (pun intended) day out exploring a prime example of Melbourne’s bustling inner city suburbia with plenty to offer in sensory delights offering you tasty and knowledgeable experiences whether you are from out of town or opening your eyes to being a tourist in your own city.

Whether you’re from Austria, Adelaide or Abbotsford, for a wonderful insight into the best of Melbourne’s melting pot of sights, sounds and tastes, for something extremely authentic and unique, look beyond the CBD to Melbourne’s longest continuous shopping strip, Sydney Road. I used to think the peak of Sydney Road’s excitement was merely the offering of hip live music venues and alternative bars that would appear randomly between the plethora of discount $2 shops, kebab stops, glitzy wedding dress stores, fruit markets and Franco Cozzo, but Flavourhood Tours provided me with an unforgettable experience that opened my eyes to discover that there is So. Much. More.

The grand antipasto spread specially prepared and served for our tour group at Meditteranean Wholesalers

The grand antipasto spread specially prepared and served for our tour group at Meditteranean Wholesalers

Come prepared with comfy shoes and an empty stomach and the delightful Raffaela takes care of the rest. I met Raffaela and the rest of my tour group at Coburg library greeted by a goodie bag including information and coupons which were of great value to look back on and remember all the places I had visited after the tour ended. The tour commenced with a short walk to Zaatar Bakery where we were greeted with a grand feast featuring a classic Lebanese breakfast spread. Whilst joyfully munching away, one of the owners, Jeff provided us with some background information on the history of Zaatar, where the food was sourced (their imported Lebanese olives are a must try!) as well as how food is made and prepared on site. This generous and insightful start to the day serves as a great example of what to expect throughout the four hour long tour as you are guided through the local area with six main stops in addition to many interesting points of interest along the way.

Classic Lebanese breakfast spread at Zaatar Bakery

Classic Lebanese breakfast spread at Zaatar Bakery

As part of the tour I went on, some of our stops included Vasili’s Garden and café where local celebrity gardener and star of the channel 31 and channel 7 tv show ‘Vasili’s Garden’, Vasili himself served us Turkish coffee and Greek sweets whilst walking us through his garden and plant store and took the time to answer everyone’s gardening questions with personalized advice.

Vasili providing his ever valuable gardennng advice at Vasili’s Garden and café

Vasili providing his ever valuable gardening advice at Vasili’s Garden and café

I liked that there was absolutely never pressure or even expectation to purchase goods along the tour at any of the stops. The tour was all inclusive and all aspects of the tour were well thought out and taken care of, from a breakfast feast to an abundance of delicious bites and snacks along the way to myki fares and take home goodies, all provided for. We ate the best falafel I have ever eaten, (now I understand why it is known as best falafel in Melbourne) tried an exotic Columbian herbal tea as well as a selection of Italian and Columbian sweets, sampled wines and a grand assortment of Mediterranean cold cut meats in addition to finishing off the day with a ‘Brunswick blessing’ and a Brunswick brew relaxing in the sun, content as can be in our food coma states.

Owner of Half Moon Cafe Nabil Hassan talking us through his famous falafel

Owner of Half Moon Cafe Nabil Hassan talking us through his famous falafel

Dulce de leche scrolls and Yerba Mate at Neruda's Brunswick

Dulce de leche scrolls and Yerba Mate at Neruda’s Brunswick

Not to mention for those who may not be as extensively excited by culinary delights as me, the tour goes beyond food and covers many fascinating and treasured points of interests along the way. Not only did we receive some valuable information on where to buy the cheapest and comfiest custom pair of jeans in Melbourne to where you can purchase hand-made customised shoes to the story behind the original Australian Ugg boots brand, the history of Sydney Road as well as some Sydney Road movie location trivia.

Shelves brimming with Italian sweets at Trivelli Cakes

Shelves brimming with Italian sweets at Trivelli Cakes

Flavourhood tours provides an in-depth and well thought out tour that covers an extensive collection of local treasures that leaves you feeling extremely full and extremely inspired. You leave the end of the tour feeling like a true local, equipped with a memorable collection of places to return to and familiar faces at each store to stop by and speak to again.

Flavourhood tours hosts 4 hour small group tours on Saturdays throughout the year.

Price: $99 inclusive of breakfast and generous tastings and bites at 6 locations throughout the tour, take home samples and myki fares for travelling on the duration of the tour.

Book online at www.flavourhoodtours.com.au

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Lipstick Matchmaker with Poppy King

Image via www.lipstickqueen.com

Image via www.lipstickqueen.com

Ready to brave a bold new lip look or unable to find the perfect lipstick shade to complement your complexion?

Poppy King is back in Australia and if you are a lover of lipstick then I strongly suggest you snap up the opportunity for a personalised lip reading and colour match by none other than the Lipstick Queen herself. (I still get complemented on the lipstick shade Poppy personally picked for me a few years ago!)

Beautifully rich, creamy and vibrant lipstick colours from wine to fuschia, from berry to coral (her lip liners are a personal favourite of mine also) available for purchase after your one-of-a-kind colour consultation at selected Mecca Maxima stores nationally.

Meet Poppy in Melbourne on August 15th, 12pm-4pm at Mecca Maxima Fountain Gate & Melbourne Central. Call Mecca Maxima on (03) 9661 1292 or visit the Facebook event page below for more information.

https://www.facebook.com/events/665498633550819/

You can also visit www.lipstickqueen.com to view the full Lipstick Queen product range.

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Melbourne À La Mode

IMG_20150723_073610

Melbourne’s most glamorous, eclectic and fabulous are coming together for 3 days of styling advice, creative workshops, fashion shows and shopping! All inside a glamorous space at the first ever Melbourne A La Mode event on this Thursday to Saturday at the George Ballroom, St Kilda.

This unique shopping event will include some of the most loved local brands including Lady Petrova, The Eternal Headonist, Dainty & Bold,  T. Serafina, Micky in the Van and Anton Venoir Fine French Antiques. For more information on daily times and workshop bookings go to www.hawkeyevintage.com

DATES: Thursday 23rd July – Saturday 25th July

LOCATION: The George Ballroom, 129 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

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Hawkeye Vintage Designer Sale and Parisian Pop Up Shopping Event

Shop the finest in vintage clothing and sought after one-of-a-kind pre-loved treasures at the Hawkeye Vintage Designer sale on this weekend in Melbourne!

Hand selected vintage designer pieces from around the globe, magnificently housed for your shopping pleasure in the charming setting of Anton Venoir Interiors’ showroom, a lavish Parisian inspired abode. From Louis Vuitton handbags to Hermes bangles, Nina Ricci silk scarves to Versace shirts to Chanel and Dior jewels.

I was lucky enough to attend a preview and offer you a look inside, at some of the stunning items available to purchase at this weekend’s luxe vintage shopping pop up event:

Hawkeye VIntage Parisian Pop Up - Melbourne Darling

Hawkeye VIntage Parisian Pop Up - Melbourne Darling

Hawkeye VIntage Parisian Pop Up - Melbourne Darling

DATE: Saturday, May 16th

TIME: 10am – 5pm

LOCATION: 26/321 Chapel Street, Prahran 3181 (Entrance Via Wattle St.)

For more information, visit the official Facebook event page

Be sure to follow Hawkeye Vintage on Facebook and Instagram to be informed of more upcoming exclusive pop up shopping events!

 

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The Love Vintage and Retro Fair Melbourne

love vintage logo

The most exciting and entertaining vintage shopping event is nearly upon us! The Love Vintage and Retro Fair, being held at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne this weekend!
Make your way through the extraordinary collection of vintage fashion and home ware dealers and shop for the best quality selection of vintage treasures. See the classic cars on display, fashion parades, special guest speakers and burlesque shows or take part in a vintage styling makeover and photoshoot, and try out a burlesque workshop! See the full program of events here and a full listing of exhibitors and retailers here.

For anyone who loves being inspired by the fashion and lifestyle of the dazzling eras gone by, the Love Vintage and Retro Fair is an event not to be missed!

Let the good old’-fashioned fun begin!

 

Opening Hours:

Friday, May 16th 5.30pm – 9pm

Saturday, May 17th 10am – 5pm

Sunday, May 18th 10am -4pm

 

Location:

Royal Exhibition Building

9 Nicholson St

Carlton VIC 3053

Carlton Gardens, Melbourne

 

Admission:

Adult $15 (at the door)

Age & Disabled Pensioner $12

Senior Card Holder $12

Student $12

Children 10-16 years $7

Under 10 years free

Or buy your Early Bird tickets online here!

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The Lindy Charm School Vintage Styling Workshop – Review and tips for attending!

A wonderful Vintage Styling workshop that gets girls back to class!

Practising hairstyles during The Lindy Charm School for Girls Class

Practising hairstyles during The Lindy Charm School for Girls Class

For every girl who is inspired and influenced by the likes of Miley CyrusKesha and Kim Kardashian, it is reassuring to know that there are, dare I say, just as many young girls and women who instead, are inspired by the old world glamour and elegance of the likes of Audrey HepburnGrace Kelly and Veronica Lake.

The Lindy Charm School for Girls offers vintage styling workshops, covering make-up, hair, clothing and etiquette tips to help you achieve old-school glamour. These workshops provide simply fabulous, insightful and hands-on lessons in perfecting your vintage inspired looks and reviving the beauty, fashion and charm of women as they lived in decades gone by.

I attended a day of workshops in Melbourne, which included two classes, the Introductory Workshop and the Intermediate Vintage Hairstyling Workshop.  You could attend either just the first 3 hour class for $85 or just attend the 2 hour second class for $100 per person. Alternatively, you could stay for the whole day at a price of $150 for both classes, which was the option I went for. The workshop I attended was held in an exclusive room at the Shopping Town Hotel in Doncaster (opposite Westfield Shoppingtown). The room was set up with tables arranged in a big ‘U’ shape set up like a class room, where each place was set up with a ‘Workshop Manual’ booklet, a pen and a flower clip. The Workshop Manual was great, as not only did it allow you to jot down notes throughout the class, but it provided you with extra instructions and tips to take away with you and help you brush up on your vintage styling lesson at home.

Place-Setting

All set up and ready for the workshops!

In addition to what is provided, it is suggested to bring the following items to the workshops:

  • Your own make up, particularly mascara, eye liner, foundation, blush and lipstick
  • Hairbrush
  • Comb
  • Bobby pins
  • Stand Up Makeup Mirror
  • Hairspray
  • Curling tools (eg. hot rollers or curling irons – optional but recommended)
  • 2 Slide Combs (matching your hair color)

Additional items I would also recommend bringing:

  • Eye makeup remover wipes or pads – Definitely came in handy when practising the notorious winged liner.
  • Bring as much make up as you are comfortable to use. I like to have a variety of make-up to choose from and I found it beneficial to use my own products while learning Headmistress Chrissy’s techniques as I found it easier to go home and recreate the looks using the same products. However, if you don’t own or plan on owning too much make up, it is also perfectly fine to jsut bring what you have, in fact, it is encouraged by Headmistress Chrissy to keep makeup simple, revealing she only regularly uses a handful of make up products herself!
  • Make up brushes
  • Liquid Eyeliner (the best type for applying the winged liner look)
  • Brown eyeliner or eyebrow powder / pencil (for creating a lovely set of shapely brows!)
  • Pink blush
  • Red lipstick
  • Lipliner
  • A stand up make up mirror with lights – If you have one, it would have made a big difference in the room we used as the lighting in the room was terrible (however this was at Shoppingtown Hotel and workshop venues do change).

If you would like to purchase heat curlers /rollers, Headmistress Chrissy recommended these cheap but efficient Remington travel size rollers. Keep in mind this set only comes with 10 rollers, so you would need to buy at least two sets to curl a full head of medium to long length hair. I also saw someone using these Remington Silk + Ceramic Heated Clips and Rollers that worked a treat.

In my experience, I originally went out to buy hot rollers like the ones mentioned above but ended up buying a Muk Curling Stick. This was my personal preference. I liked the fact it comes with three interchangeable heads to allow you to create different sized curls and I find it easier and quicker to use this curl stick than the rollers. To use the Muk Curling Stick (or a curling wand) to create the same effect as rollers, you want to curl the sections of your hair as you would with rollers (as Headmistress Chrissy instructs) and then use pin curl clips to secure the curl in a loop, in place until the hair cools down and sets. Use the links provided in this article to view the products, but for the cheapest deal, I suggest you visit your nearest Hairhouse Warehouse, Price Attack or Priceline store. It is of course, personal preference as to which method or curling you prefer, and the lovely Chrissy and her helpers are skilled at assisting you to create wonderful curls which whatever curling tool you have available to bring along on the day.

If you do forget anything, there are some lovely items for sale including a fantastic ‘Essential Hair Care Kit’, a range of make up, a basic yet effective hair setting solution, also known as The Lindy Charm School “Rocket Fuel” in addition to various different clips and hair accessories specifically designed to create the vintage looks. I found their Hair Setting Spray to the be best I have used so far, because the simple and gentle yet effective ingredients add strong hold to your perfect vintage hairstyles, but it also easily brushes out, allowing you to re-style easily without leaving your hair in a sticky, crunchy mess. Other items on sale included dolly pegs, hairstyling sponges, pin curl clips, snoods, do-rags, panty hose, vintage sunglasses and adorable felt hats (also all available for purchase on The Lindy Charm School for Girls website).

The classes are run by Headmistress Chrissy, vintage styling extroadinaire (and who was Melbourne Darling’s Muse of the Month in November).  The Introductory workshop is a 3 hour course covering vintage make-up and hairstyles through the 1920’s-1960’s. It also briefly covers vintage fashion and the importance of undergarments with some fascinating insights into the history of some of the most popular beauty and fashion items, and how they were originally used.

The class started with Headmistress Chrissy introducing herself and her knowledgeable and friendly helpers Miss Sammy and Miss Kelly. To commence the class, all attendees were asked to stand and recite  The Lindy Charm School Oath. This included the pledge ‘Thou Shalt Endeavour To Always Wear Red Lipstick’ and my personal favourite, to promise ‘Never To Wear Socks with Heels!’ (That’s an F grade for you Alexa Chung!) the Introductory course went through the importance of good posture and undergarments  (where one cannot fully appreciate the magic of a corset until you have seen one demonstrated!). Chrissy followed on to explain the importance of tailoring and how to wear vintage clothing. The make-up tutorial was next, with the class voting on the type of decade inspired look they would like to learn. We went with a 1950’s look but  Chrissy also pointed out tips to change the look to suit different decades along the way.

The beauty of this class (pardon the pun) is that it was perfectly suited for both complete beginners as well as those who are a little more skilled in make-up application and hair. There was an abundance of knowledge shared, along with clever little beauty secrets and historical insights into vintage styling (you will never guess what product Marilyn Monroe used to attain her flawless and dewy skin!) Everyone in the class was free to follow the steps at their own pace while Headmistress Chrissy and her wonderful helpers were always more than welcome to assist those who asked for a little extra help with particular techniques.  We learnt everything from correct blush application to perfecting the perfect pout and mastering the winged eyeliner look. Keep in mind this is not a comprehensive and complete make up application class, but what you will learn is how to apply modern day make up with the tips and tricks to help you recreate vintage inspired looks.

Following on from make up was hair, as we were talked through setting curls in our own hair. While Chrissy and her assistants were happy to lend a helping help, it was great that the workshop was so hands on, so everyone was encouraged to try the techniques themselves, which was the most beneficial for everyone to be able to recreate the techniques themselves at home. After our hair was set, we learnt how to style our hair with pin curls into cascading, soft, ‘Veronica Lake’ style curls.

Miss Sammy demonstrating how to create a1940's hairstyle

Miss Sammy demonstrating how to create a1940′s hairstyle

After an hour break, it was back for the second class, the Intermediate Vintage Hairstyling Workshop. Using the set of curls we had created to style into pincurls, this workshop was used to demonstrate how you could use the same set of curls to recreate a variety of different hairstyles throughout the decades from the 1920’s to 1960’s. The transformation between such different looks was amazing! We learnt how to create a variety of styles from a Bettie Page fake fringe, victory rolls, Bridgitte Bardot quiffs and a Betty Grable ‘peek-a-boo’ updo style. After the great introductory to curling hair and learning about different hairstyles in the Introductory workshop, the second workshop was a more practical and thorough opportunity for everyone to perfect their skills and recreate the different looks that most appealed to them. If you are looking at doing the first class, unless you are definitely not interested in creating vintage hairstyles, I would recommend doing both classes if you can!

Just as a classy and elegant woman of the mid century would possess, I really admired the wise words and lessons Headmistress Chrissy  instilled throughout the workshop on matters of beauty, fashion and grace. Chrissy encouraged the importance of being kind and how to give and receive compliments. She also stressed the underlying importance that when it came to make up,  not only should it be striking, but to always keep it simple, easy and quick (after all, busy women in the forties did not have the time or the money to spend simply on their looks!). It was refreshing to hear Headmistress Chrissy give beauty advice that was honest but also based on a much more minimalistic approach than we are used to hearing in modern times. Above all, through her advice and knowledge shared, Headmistress Chrissy and her assistants always stayed true to the times they described and spoke of being appreciative of the women in previous decades who managed to create these very same looks using such limited resources.

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and informative day. It was fantastic seeing a class containing such a wide variety of individuals in terms of age (13 to 50+) and appearance, and how everyone in the room came together through their appreciation of vintage style! Many ladies attended the workshops alone, and everyone in the class was genuinely friendly and supportive of eachother. It was also such a pleasant surprise to see everyone’s end results and how perfectly suited and striking everyone in the room looked once they were transformed by the magic of vintage styling! The most popular accessory I saw all the ladies leaving the workshops with that day was not bouncy pin curls or perfect red pouts, but big smiles, straight backs and confidence!

The lovely Heather showing off her gorgeous vintage inspired look!

The lovely Heather showing off her gorgeous vintage inspired look!

*To all the lovely ladies that attended the same workshops as me on 9th November 2013, you can find all the photos I took from the day on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/melbournedarling

I highly recommend The Lindy Charm School for Girls as a truly fabulous treat for women of all ages. The workshops make for a fun filled and engaging experience, a perfect idea for a hen’s night, special birthday, or even as a treat for yourself!

If you or someone you know would like to book in for an upcoming event, the next Melbourne Vintage Styling Workshop will take place on Saturday, 15th March. (click the links for bookings and more information). In addition, the very first Mother and Daughter Charm School, running on Sunday, 16th March will highlight etiquette, poise and posture and allows for mothers to book a spot in to the workshop and bring their daughters for free! The Lindy Charm School has also announced their latest collaboration with Fossil Vintage to announce the launch of their very first ‘In Styling Night‘, a private shopping night and Vintage Styling event on Friday, 14th March, held exclusively inside the Fossil Vintage Warehouse. Shop til your pin curls drop with a grand selection of their quality wholesale vintage garments on sale as well as getting the opportunity to receive personal styling advice and beauty and hair demonstrations from Miss Chrissy and the girls of The Lindy Charm School.

See the flyers below for more details of the mentioned upcoming events or for a full listing of future workshops and events held around Australia, Head to The Lindy Charm School for Girls website to find out more information or sign up for an upcoming workshop being held in your area!

Melbourne Vintage Styling Workshop

Mother and Daughter Charm School

Fossil Vintage In Styling Night

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The Kooky Kraft Klub Fashion Bazaar

The beginning of a new year always makes me feel eager to inject some freshness into my wardrobe!

If your wardrobe is in need of some stylish new additions but the repetitive offering of high street stores and Boxing Day sales have left you feeling uninspired, than you’re going to want to head down to the Kooky Kraft Klub Fashion Bazaar!

On Saturday 19th January, the Kooky Kraft Klub in Yarraville will be  transformed into an impressive fashion marketplace to help you kick off the new year with some unique fashion finds! At this one day only event, you can discover a fantastic array of stalls selling quality second-hand, designer, brand name and vintage treasures including women’s clothing, shoes, jewellery and accessories.

The event is free entry and stalls are cash only. Changing rooms are available onsite as well as a nail artist who will be available for bookings on the day!

Kooky Kraft Klub Fashion Bazaar

RSVP to this event on Facebook here!

The Kooky Kraft Klub Fashion Bazaar

Sunday 19th January, 2014

10am – 4pm

83 Gamon Street, Yarraville

RSVP to this event on Facebook

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Natio End of Year Warehouse Sale

Natio Warehouse Sale Melbourne

Natio Warehouse Sale Melbourne. Image Via.

The Natio Head Office in Heidelberg West is opening its doors for one last Warehouse Sale for the year this weekend! Open today, Friday 13th and Saturday 14 December from 9am-3pm.

Natio produce a great selection of mineral make-up, nail polishes and gift packs and always feature the best berry shades in their cosmetic collections. I am also a big fan of their illuminators and eye brighteners, not to mention that their men’s skincare range has a loyal following by many Melbourne men!

At the Natio Warehouse Sale you will find a range of current and discontinued Natio skincare, cosmetics, men’s, bath and body products and gift packs all up to 70% off RRP!

Natio Warehouse Sale

9am-3pm

13-14th December

110 Dougharty Road, Heidelberg West VIC 3081

Payment by cash, visa, MasterCard and Eftpos.

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Melbourne Darling’s Top 5 Picks for the Queen Victoria Wednesday Night Market

The Queen Victoria Night Market is back to excite your Wednesday night plans from now until the end of Summer. But before you race on down and make a bee line for the spiral fries like everyone else, read my wrap up of the top  5 things to do at the Wednesday Night Market this season:

1. Hammer and Tong’s Soft Shell Crab Burger

Last week I reviewed Hammer and Tong and their ever popular contribution to Melbourne’s gourmet burger scene with the Soft Shell Crab Burger. Well firstly, I advise you make the first thing you do when you arrive at the Night Market is to pinch yourself a table early, while you still can. I find the Night Market only gets busier and busier each year and the later the night gets, the increasing number of people flock to the dining areas and begin their hunt for a seat.  So before you go exploring the market stalls, I suggest you find a table with your group first and eat early in the evening.

That being said, if you were looking forward to trying the Soft Shell Crab Burger for yourself, the Wednesday Night Market is a great opportunity to do so. Hammer and Tong’s market stall is especially dedicated to pumping out those delicious burgers all night, so you’re getting the same delicious meal as you would if you were to order it in their restaurant, but for a few dollars cheaper too!

Hammer and Tong Soft Shell Crab Burger at the Night Market

Hammer and Tong Soft Shell Crab Burger at the Night Market

2. Vintage Hub

Among the sea of regular market stalls at the Queen Victoria Night Market – cheap sunglasses, handmade soaps, band t-shirts and jewellery - coconut watches anyone? This year it was refreshing to see the addition of the ‘Vintage Hub‘. Hosted by Vintage Garage, The Vintage Hub is a cluster of stalls selling an assortment of all things vintage from pre-loved and reworked clothing to retro homewares. Check out Grandma-Funk for her one-of-a-kind collection of vintage European leather patch jumpers and Vonruby for a gorgeous Vintage hairdo and makeover.

Vonruby

Vonruby Vintage Hair and Makeup at The Night Market

 3. Live Music

Your perfect summer evenings at the Wednesday Night Market are made complete with festive tunes hosted by Multicultural Arts Victoria. Each week features a selection of the diverse mix of performers. From my experience, some bands are extremely funky and engaging and will invite the crowd to get up and dance. A couple of sangria’s later and you may just be more than eager to get up and join them! You can view the full program of gigs for the 2013-2014 season here.

4. Dessert

After all that walking and talking (and perhaps after the last point, some dancing too?) you would have most likely worked up your second (or third) appetite for the night, and with so many exciting and exotic variations of food on offer, you’d be glad you did! There are so many food stalls you are bound to find something to tickle your fancy, but if you are having trouble deciding, try the Creme Brulee or Lemon tart macaron from Macaron De Paris, the Dutch Pancakes or the French Crepes (just look out for the giant tubs of Nutella)

Macarons from Macaron De Paris at The Night Market

Macarons from Macaron De Paris at The Night Market

5. Sangria!

It just wouldn’t be right if you didn’t put Sangria on your list of things to do at the Night Market! Not only do Running Bull Sangria offer a red and white wine variety, but they now have a couple of stalls set up around the market space, so you can sip on your fruity wine mix whilst browsing the market stalls in delight until…

oh! Whats that? You’ve finished your cup already and you’re already on the other side of the market by now? Oh look! There’s another sangria stall conveniently located two stalls down! And on it goes…

(Or for a non alcoholic sipping treat, try the original Lemonade stands instead!)

Running-Bull-Sangria-at-The-Night-Market

Running Bull Sangria at The Night Market

The Queen Victoria WednesdayNight Market

Every Wednesday night from 5pm-10pm

November 6th – February 26th (excluding December 25th & January 1st 2014)

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Style Notes – Spring Racing Carnival 2013

Spring Racing Carnival is in full swing and Melbourne Cup is just around the corner, but every Melbournian knows that it’s just as much about people watching as it is watching those horses. Spring Racing fashion can end up being a bit of a gamble in itself if you’re not entirely sure on what to wear, but these simple style suggestions should see you taking a punt on the fashion sweepstakes with great confidence.

Here are my top five bets on Spring Racing style:

  1. Key trends this season will be futuristic fashion with sharp monochrome pieces or graphic prints and patterns, pinches of metallic statement pieces and detail in unexpected twists and turns. You may find yourself not just saving the black and white for Derby Day this year.
  2. There will also be a fusion of futuristic fashion with ladylike details such as higher necklines, pastel colours, shift dresses and girly accents like diamonds and pearls as well as flower crowns!
    Wayne by Wayne Cooper Harlequin Chain Detail Dress. Available here.

    Wayne by Wayne Cooper Harlequin Chain Detail Dress. Available here.

    Jayson Brunsdon Black Label Transparent Floral Body Con Dress. Available here.

    Jayson Brunsdon Black Label Transparent Floral Body Con Dress. Available here.

    Seduce Diamond Girl Shift Dresss.  Available here.

    Seduce Diamond Girl Shift Dresss. Available here.

    Seduce Hypnotize Dress. Available here.

    Seduce Hypnotize Dress. Available here.

     

  3. Put those statement necklaces and earrings away girls! Unless your head wear is extremely simple or understated, you don’t want to overdo it with large earrings or a necklace that would clash against your choice of headpiece. A splendid cocktail ring or a collection of dainty and elegant gold, rose gold or silver rings may be all the bling you need to complete your race-ready look. I love Samantha Willis’ Fine China cocktail ring collection which uses white opal as the centrepiece, set off with a vintage, art deco flair.

    Samantha Wills Fine China Art Ring. Available here.

    Samantha Wills Fine China Art Ring. Available here.

  4. Its seems that this season you cannot get away from the two-strap stiletto heel, it is hard to find a single shoe store that has not started selling their own take on this popular style. With that in mind, do not forget you’ll most likely be sinking those thin little heels in grass all day, so my advice is to ditch the stiletto and go for a dressy pair of wedges (like the below metallic silver pair) or at least go for a thicker heel that will make it much harder for your tootsies to start sinking like they’re in quick sand! If you still have your heart set on wearing a pair of stilettos, take a look at Starlettos. Starlettos are rubber heel protectors you can slide onto the bottom of your stiletto heels to literally stop that ‘sinking’ feeling.
    Love Nikki by PeepToe Madrid. Available here.

    Love Nikki by PeepToe Madrid. Available here.

    Jo Mercer Chance. Available here.

    Jo Mercer Chance. Available here.

    Gorman After The Chase Heel. Available here.

    Gorman After The Chase Heel. Available here.

  5. My money on the millinery for this racing season will follow on from the key trends, in that we will see the futuristic and modern fashion trend through strong shapes and monochrome colour in fascinators or alternatively, soft pastel colours, flower crowns and Gatsby-esque 1920’s style headpieces. My word of advice is, don’t go for over the top, crazy expensive choices in headpieces (exhibit a). Instead, go for unique or custom-made. Looking at previous fashion on the fields’ choices, it’s not hard to see that most of the time, less is more, or more modest and elegant pieces beat over the top, eccentric headdresses that just start to look costume like. If your choice of millinery starts becoming a sculpture in its own right, think about how heavy and annoying that thing if going to be perched on top of your head for one long day. Instead, I strongly recommend not just picking a fascinator ‘off the rack’ from any department store or accessories stop, but if you are creative enough, head down to your local craft store such as Spotlight or Lincraft and make your own! If you’re not too much of a creative or crafty type, check out local designers selling gorgeous one off pieces. You can find styles that certainly won’t cost a fortune and be guaranteed a truly unique piece you won’t see anyone else sporting on raceday! Local Melbourne designer Horus and Harper have a selection of dainty headpieces with an ethereal quality you can buy via their Facebook page, as with Brock and Eddie who stock a gorgeous selection of modern, colourful and truly chic fascinators. For beautiful flower crowns, head to Lady Petrova, or for an especially authentic flower crown, head to a florist like the lovely Jaclyn Roma who can pick out flowers and a design to perfectly match the rest of your outfit and create a flower crown especially for you!
  6. Brock & Eddie Millinery. Available here.

    Brock & Eddie Millinery. Available here.

    Horus and Harper Headpiece. Available here.

    Horus and Harper Headpiece. Available here.

    Lady Petrova Flower Crowns. Available in store or enquire online.,

    Lady Petrova Flower Crowns. Available in store or enquire online.

The Spring Racing Carnival is a great excuse to try something new or be a bit experimental in your fashion choices, so have fun with it! Don’t forget to add a generous dose of SPF in your make up to ensure you don’t end the day with unsightly sunburn and whatever you decide to wear,  make sure you’re comfortable! You don’t want to look back on your day with your only memories being of how annoying that heavy fascinator was or sinking pair of heels were. Above all, you not only want to look gorgeous, but feel gorgeous too! Hope you fond these simple style tips helpful when putting together your race-ready outfit, now giddy up and happy shopping!

Love,
Melbourne Darling xo

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