Melbourne food - Balaclava for breakfast, coffee, bakery

I just want to make mention how lucky people in Balaclava are with choices for great food and coffee surrounding them.. it's definitely where you want to want to go if you are looking for laidback, funky and unpretentious daytime eating venues... and it's all on one street called Carlisle..

1) Glick's Cakes & Bagels (I love bagels and I love Glick's for that reason, also located in Malvern, in the City, etc etc have a look at their website
www.glicks.com.au2) Haymishe Bakery (this is a really great homestyle bakery, oh don't forget to get a ticket number when you come in as there's a constant stream of people coming in)
3) Midali Expresso (great coffee)
4) Wall 280 (institution of Balaclava)
5) Las Chicas (just really good breakfast period)
6) Gattica
7) Batch Espresso

Jackie Chan on Ellen Degeneres Show.. hilarious!!

you gotta see this..

Part 1



Part 2, hit the link
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jvdbsj90Zk

his new movie The Spy Next Door is due to be released in Australia 25th March 2010..

a Spa to Remember....

I am a firm believer that once in awhile you ought to treat yourself to something really wonderful..

From the moment I stepped into Chuan Spa at The Langham, I felt a sense of tranquility in beautiful surroundings of modern Chinese inspired decor. 'Chuan' means flowing water, and your visit there (being a journey) uses treatments where your mind, body and soul is restored.


When you are ready to commence your treatment, your therapist will go through the 5-element questionnaire to determine which life element is out of balance (5-Elements are Water, Fire, Wood, Metal and Earth), from any major experiences you are currently going through to colours and seasons. Different seasons would correspond with different tastes. Each person also has their own element.

My first visit was a one-hour remedial & deep tissue massage. Today was my 2nd visit with a Tao of Detox Treatment... full body exfoliation, warm marine algae wrap, facial and massage. I feel so good.

Following the treatment, your therapist will go through homecare techniques for remedy, these can include breathing techniques and stretches, skin maintenance etc. Then spend time in a relaxation room having tea (pictured), reading. You can during your visit also use the pool and spa (great sky views), steam room, sauna, and tri-bathing ritual. All staff were very warm, very professional. Products used are Thalgo (founded in France 40 yrs ago, using marine based ingredients).

This really is the best spa I have been to so far, yes I've been to other spas including the ones in Hepburn Springs.. I have been a long term client of another great skin clinic here in Victoria, but Chuan Spa is altogether a great experience that one must simply try. 5-Star Luxury at its best.

Chuan Spa
The Langham Hotel
1 Southgate Avenue
Melbourne Australia
www.chuanspa.com.au

Also at locations at the Langham in Boston, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Koh Samui.

when you are in a Happy Holiday Mood..

Do you realise how differently you see the world when you are in a holiday mood? Sure, the warm summer morning helps... having a nice breakfast at Glick's (yes a great bagel, and lovely coffee) makes it even nicerrrr... but more importantly, there was no rush, you take your time and know you don't have to be back at work tomorrow. You also pay more attention to details in your surroundings, and really appreciate what we have when you watch the world just go on by..

In your standard work day, when you are busy having lunch with friends, workmates, or clients... you sometimes take whatever is for granted and don't really see what's really around you. What I mean is, everything seems like a rush... we never have enough time... and time is money. You eat, then back to work, finish your working day at whatever time... return home.. next day you wake.. same routine over, until the weekend and then come Sunday you look forward to Mondayitis. Don't get me wrong tho', I seriously love what I do! But I myself am also terribly guilty of being busy with work, work and more work! :-)

Bosses are now pushing on 'Work-Life Balance'. Ask yourself, when was the last time you took a really good long holiday. When I say holiday, I'm not talking about anything less than 2 weeks, cos 2 weeks means you are just getting into it. Today, I was reading Business Times Online, and although the article is really about the UK workforce referencing 5 million people regularly work unpaid overtime are working on average 57 days a year for nothing. That's the way life is these days.. true, the challenge of staying ahead and getting ahead. But if you work hard, work smart! and play hard too!! Or, 'burnout' and 'exhaustion' will eventually hit you..

It's also amazing how you feel when you break the cycle of routine and go on a holiday (whether it's far or near, maybe somewhere different) whenever you can! You may, just come back seeing the world a little differently...

Here's the article if you are interested:
www.business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article6978460.ece?&EMC-Bltn=FANA22F

Baby Elephant on the Way .. @ Melbourne Zoo!!

I am really very excited about this... Melbourne Zoo's Dokkoon (16yr old Asian Elephant) is due to give birth any day now. And how long has she been pregnant? 22 months!!! woah!!!

So cute.. here she's doing some yoga positions to help her with the birth as the calf is facing head first (not ideal). So by doing a headstand, it helps to move the calf to a more favourable position, ie bottom first!

Some facts about elephants:
1) they can live up to 70yrs old
2) the calf can weigh up to 120kgs at birth; adult elephant can weigh up to 6.5 tons ie 6500kg.
3) in Asian culture, they are a symbol of wisdom - memory and intelligience, yes they can laugh, cry, are sensitive and very sociable!
4) they form deep family bonds
5) 2 distinct species - Asian & African - African elephants have larger ears, twice as large to that of Asian elephants.

For every reason, they are amongst the most adorable creatures in the world...

Here on the left is a pic of my elephant named Tigor, whose caretaker said he is named after a flower of Sumatra (where he was originally rescued from due to deforestation). Isn't he gorgeous? So handsome. I had him for hours all to myself in the "Elephant Safari Park" in Bali Indonesia (Oct08).
Here's another photo I had taken of their rear ends.. ehehee I love this photo!

If you want to know more about the "Elephant Safari Park" and how it has saved elephant lives.. here's a great site I found which tells you all about it and it's even got a video too! Trusty getaway.. :)
www.getaway.ninemsn.com.au/fsasia/indonesia/629722/elephant-safari-park
Plus, I have to say that Bali Adventure Tours were super!! Very highly recommended.

the Great City called Melbourne

Here's one of the reasons why I love Melbourne dearly... am currently enjoying my summer holidays and was recently hanging out at the Royal Botanic Gardens with a friend, beautiful warm weather, a glorious park and all its beautiful flowers .. and having brunch at The Terrace Cafe. You can be within the city region and still be in relaxing surroundings at the same time.

Many years ago, I still remember seeing the Shakespeare play "a Midsummer Night's Dream" here at the Botanic Gardens.. and this is still being staged here during the summer. It's recommended if you want to see something different, live and funny at the same time, amidst the warm evenings with a picnic rug nicely laid out under the stars.

The play is about young lovers Lysander & Hermia, and this most famous line “the course of true love never did run smooth”, said by Lysander comparing romance to a river current. Here's some of the script.

LYSANDER:
Ay me! for aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history,
The course of true love never did run smooth;
But, either it was different in blood,--

Hermia:
O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low.

Lysander:
Or else misgraffèd in respect of years—

Hermia:
O spite! too old to be engag'd to young.

Lysander:
Or else it stood upon the choice of friends—

Hermia:
O hell! to choose love by another's eyes.

You gotta love Shakespeare... : )

Happy New Year and New Decade

from Melbourne ... that's our fireworks amidst the storms! Looks pretty in the pic but nothing quite like Sydney's big blast.