film: australia et al

Baz Lurhmann's 2008 epic Australia was a pleasant surprise. The fact that it was a billion years long, the fact that it was swathed in controversial press and the fact that it was about Australia, made it very hard not to be cynical, even from a long lover of the Baz. I loved it. I really did. Of course it was a bit cheesy here and there, and it's storyline classic, but it was just so beautiful and fresh in enough bits. I instantly fell in love with Nullah and finally understand everyone's silly crushes on Hugh Jackman, the Drover. Whilst long, I was engaged the entire time, adoring every centimetre of the screen for nearly most of it. Definitely transcended hype (in an if you can handle some cheese sort of way).


I was reluctant to see this one actually. Although I would say I am fairly or almost very interested in political history, I generally like to keep those interests confined to print: in books and the papers. However, seeing Frost/Nixon unexpectedly got me beyond excited. Based on the Frost/Nixon interviews after Nixon's resignation, the surreal nature of it being a based on events and words that are fairly true breathes so much life into the film. It is just so god damn fascinating. Maybe I'm just a polinerd or maybe it was a really good film, or just really interesting subject matter. Either or anyway, excellent, excellent stuff.



Where my Australianhood commanded a viewing of Australia, Twilight, I feel, is a prerequisite film for my existence as an adolescent. The film was fairly dreadful as expected but Robert Pattison as Edward Cullen was pretty enough to prevent excessive eye-rolling and gagging. Finest face in the universe? Probably not. But still fairly gorgeous.


I finally watched The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy recently and I loved it beyond words. Therefore all I will say is, this is magical, wonderful, philosophical, funny, gorgeous, super stuff and if you don't watch it, you are missing out. Really.


Next movies on my hitlist: Slumdog Millionaire, Revolutionary Road, Milk, The Class, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Choke, The Wackness(+ Paris Je T'aime at the Astor)

and see you all in the NEW YEAR! May it be bright and shiny and lovely and wonderful and supermegacool.

life: lazy days with a bit of everything

Firstly, apologies on being a terribly unconscientious blogger. Wolfs is on an exotic trip at the moment (maybe exciting travel stories later?) whilst I am, well, generally, just a terrible at remembering to bring a camera to places and remembering to take pictures of things or document things, even though I have been so many places and seen so many things I wish to share! However, I purposefully tried to learn how to use self-timer and purposefully brought along my camera on one of my many escapades of late. Great step forward for mankind?

This is a really terriblefanstastic dress I bought at my local Salvos recently for $10 dollars. Sorry for the dreadful attempt at self-timing. The lovely Australian sun provided a nice ambience though. I think. These days are fantastic.

I had coffee with a friend at jones the grocer, a lovely cafe cum grocer in Chadstone's new Fresh Food precinct. Unfortunately I only just remembered to take a picture after I finished my latte and after taking my first bite into the strawberry macaroon. This was my first time ever eating a macaroon (french pastries don't appear as frequently as you'd like in Melbourne) and I must say I was fairly underwhelmed (following all the hype that has sensationalised these confections in my mind). Maybe in Paris they will be better. I have no idea why my pen is there. No wonder I keep losing pens, I just put them in ambiguous places and (probably) leave them there.

Before heading off to the cinema to see Frost/Nixon (details later), I chanced upon a deliriously funny comic book at Borders, Pyongyang; a Journey in North Korea. To be absolutely honest, I have zero expertise and little interest (at best) in comics, but I lovely political novelties/light hearted political/social commentaries, and this was hilarious. Laughing inappropriately in public sort of funny. For those curious about the innards of the closed walls of the DPRK, the point of view of this foreign expat depicts some of the bizarre and wonderful places and people in Pyongyang. Definitely a must read.

The summer is wonderful. Bring on the new year.

fashion: favourite campain revisted

Chloe spring/summer 07 by Inez and Vinoodh

music: soko

A sweet polifrancais actresschanteuse delight, Soko sings with an honesty that is charming, slightly sad and at times unkind and cruel, a lot like humanpeoplemachines (or just people, or humans if you prefer). Anyway, I think she's gorgeous and she will be playing at the Corner Hotel, Richmond New Years Day. Hopefully it will be warm and summery, and that there will be ice-chilly beer on tap. Should be a riotous time, in a sort of mellow, beginning of the new year sort of way.

food: kra ta ron

Okay, I realise I'm posting a lot of food at the moment. Disclaimer: I'm not a pig, really! Also suddenzzz isn't just a food blog either! It's just that I/ we (Fox and I) went to a city school for four years but never really took full advantage of its facilities so now I/we're repenting. In the form of eating out at fit fab and funkeh places like the fit fab and funkeh people we are. And by fit I mean fit in a british way, as in hot (if i just used that word wrong, please don't correct me!).

So anyway, it was my birthday a couple of days ago. Yay! Finally legal etc etc. So my crush took me out for dinner as per tradition. To an extent I kind of feel like we compete over who can find the cooler restaurant, except I think i get bonus marks for also pre-buying cupcakes/ mini cakes, but you know I'm just saying...

Wow, what a tangent. Anyway! This year the place was Kr Ta Ron, a Thai restaurant and Barbeque. We did the bbq because it's like its specialty and stuff. The set and stuff was pretty cool. The bbq-ing bit is at the top and the soupy stuff (they have soupy stuff!) is at the bottom and you can cook your vegies and stuff there. So to me it was kind of like a barbeque crossed hot pot thing. Which is good because I like both.

It's now also set out as an all-you-can-eat sort of thing, so sure enough we got all we could eat.

And in action:

The trouble with the vermicelli was that it burnt easily; apply olive oil liberally. Also! The squid is not cooked unless it's curly. Must be curly.

To be honest the food was really just okay. I mean it's barbeque so no matter how elaborate it is, it's still just a bee bee kew. That being said, the set was pretty fun. There's just something so enticing about cooking food and then eating it (straight away!) that sets the experience apart.

Kra Ta Ron, 195 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria

food: mr. tulk

Part two of Wolfs' adventures in cafe hunting launches her to a place close to home, or at least was her home until she found the City Library. Yes that's right! The attache of the State Library (of Victoria, Australia): Mr. Tulk.

First impressions were a warped sense of nostalgia- the place resembled the interiors of the library itself. A rather cruel trick perhaps, but very effective and elegantly done. The design screams of Melbourne. Or perhaps considering the life of the cafe during lunch breaks, mutters wittyly of Melbourne with raised eyebrows and a hint of a smile over newpapers (The Age or the Australian only, the Herald Sun is shunned).

I love the lightbulbs in the above photo, but wonder how they keep up with the energy bills and if they realise the impact of their carbon footprint. But then I think of how good it looks and decides to let materialism take over.

Food itself was not as pretty as Koko Black but very much more lunch worthy, if you know what I mean. Chocolate is great but it just doesn't hit the spot as well as a poached chicken baguette

or perhaps a pork and chickpea soup with yoghurt.

Okay, so sure these arn't as pretty as the foodstuff of Koko Black, but you know, inner beauty. Let me just say, that chicken baguette though definately not the most prettiest thing I've seen was pretty amazing. For bonus points, I didn't experience that awakward moment towards the end when you realise that you've devoured more bread than recommended for bread-insides ratio either. Pretty sweet.

source: yourrestaurants.com.au/, theage.com.au/, own

film: in the mood for love

Asians are not unloving and unromantic and unaesthetic. That is a falsehood. Of course they are not known for their sensuality like ze French, naturally, but there are some pretty wonderful things. Like haikus, pretty silks, oriental tea, bamboo paper and Wong Kar Wai films. 'In the Mood for Love', is a delightful film about two cuckolds (ahah, sorry, but I must) who develop a delicate and moving bond. It is really one of the most sumptous yet intricately subtle films I have ever had the pleasure to see, soft like cotton, pretty like qi pao silks and a wonderful mix of East meets West.

food: koko black

Call me a creature of habit, a traditionalist or boring but I've always wanted to become a cafe's regular. The sort costumer that always sits on the same table, makes idle chit chat with the owners and has a 'usual', after trying everything on the menu bien sur. But of course in order to become a regular one must find a good cafe and up until recently I thought I had it. It was a cute little place tucked away in one of Melbourne many lane ways with a comforting menu and an ambient atmosphere. Until it renovated. It's such a shame as well because one of the things I loved most about the place were it's vintage French posters and old school heater (you put to pull a draw string to turn it on). Unfortunately the owners were on a much different wavelength to I and decided to modernise. Don't get me wrong there's nothing wrong with a little po-mo, but for me that's something I associate with bars and clubs and restaurants while cafes are cosy soft and warm. Much like a bear.

So now I'm on a mission to find a new place with my first hit being Koko Black in the Royal Arcade. Yes I realise that Koko Black is a franchise and that I'm probably selling myself out to the corporate devil and such, but you should check out the interior decoration of this place. Really, who can say no to dark wallpaper, cherub bearing chandeliers and leather armchairs? No one. Plus sitting near the windows upstairs gives an advantageous position for snipering. It also gives an advantageous position for generally overlooking the arcade, which is nice too.

Presentation wise everything is very chic and rather decadent, which fits well with it's emphasis on chocolate based beverages I think. Case in point: Ice Chocolate, Belgian Hot Chocolate and Coffee Affogato

Personally I think the coffee of the Coffee Affogato was a bit too strong for me, so I'm pretty sure I won't be ordering that again. Then again I get shaky after drinking a regular Caramelatte from Gloria Jeans so I'm really not one to go by. But chocolate is the house specialty and the chocolate drinks were great so that's the main point.

edit: as if turns out affogato is a long black with ice cream, hence my shakiness

life: summertime

During the exam period temperatures were reaching the thirties yet even so, my dad didn't let me wear dresses just in case i caught a cold. You can wear all the dresses you like after exams, said he. Sunday: windy with showers. Monday: showers. Tuesday: late showers. Wednesday: possible shower. Thursday: possible shower. Friday: clearing showers. Sure, that's fine.
Don't get me wrong, i love the rain and of course its good for the drought/farmers/ etc. But this is the great limbo and i want this:

1. ~, 2. Untitled, 3. .o116, 4. happy, 5. redballoons2, 6. Pastries and Scones, 7. lily of the valley, 8. aeroplane, 9. pier 39 b

There's a time and place for everything I say. Whatever, thank you flickr my life will now be lived vicariously through you.

fashion: peter alexander

I'm not really sure why i enjoy pjs so much. I mean, aside from sleepovers no one is really going to see them. So why make the effort? Because it's such an easy way to make you feel glamourous! Sure you may dress up during the day time, but to be wrapped in prettyness during slumber is pure indulgence. So just imagine my utter delight when I first stepped into Peter Alexander. The decor of the shop was what took me first, so darling, so femme, so chic it was love at first sight. It felt like the hotel room of a famous 50s actress or perhaps the bedroom of Princess Anne of Roman Holiday. Either way I knew I had found my new home.

And then there were the actual garments. LOVE! From their current cataolgue I am covetting:

Are they not the best things ever? The first item is their Dobby Lace Trim Nightie. The lace trimmings and ribbons are so adorable and the babydoll cut will be super comfy in bed as well. The second item, their Trench Style Toweling Gown, is super cute and also comes in pink. The third item is their Vintage Floral Wrap and is actually classified as daywear. The tag says, "now that you've slept with Peter, why not spend the day with him too?" Why not indeed.

So extending upon the Audrey Hepburn analogy, Peter Alexander is to me as Tiffanies is to Holly Golightly. Now if only Peter Alexander sold rings too...Oh wait, they do!

Source: peteralexander.com.au

introduction: blog

sudden /sud-uhn/ adj. done or occurring unexpectedly or abruptly

sleep - n. 1 natural recurring condition of suspended consciousness, with the eyes closed and the muscles relaxed. 2 period of sleep (had a sleep) 3 state like sleep; rest, quiet, death.