Feuillettte by Tiff

This no-frill concept is similarly exuded in their menu. Most restaurants that I have visited have a rather meagre selection of subpar mains. Club Street Social’s menu on the other hand, though seemingly compact, encompasses a wide variety, catering to different tastes with imaginative combinations of flavours.

We started with a goat cheese, sumac and honey crostini ($13). The creamy consistency of the cheese contrasted well with the toasted crostini it was generously heaped upon. Though the taste wasn’t too overwhelming as some goat cheeses are, the ratio of cheese to bread was a tad off; usually I’m all for the more the better mentality but in this case less really is more. On the upside, the flavour was on point and I especially appreciated the subtle tones of sweetness that the honey brought and the lemony taste of the sprinkles of sumac.

We then moved on to the mains: a pumpkin, arugula, sundried tomato and quinoa salad with added avocado, barramundi with harissa and capsicum and a grilled mediterranean vegetable panini with basil and gruyere.

The barramundi was firm; it could’ve been a bit fresher and slightly less cooked but overall the dish was simple and light which is how I like my fish dishes. The panini was a bit of a let down; the bread was too soft for my liking and barely toasted (I’m quite picky with my bread). The redemption was in the melted gruyere because honestly, good cheese solves everything. My favourite out of the three was definitely the salad; the quinoa was soaked with just the right amount of vinaigrette and the pumpkin chunks were melt in your mouth delicious. I also think they should definitely add avocado to the original recipe but this is coming from a very bias point of view.

This Manhattan style bistro bar is not in fact located at its namesake, but rather on Gemmil Lane. Despite not actually being located on Club Street, this chic bistro definitely holds its own against other favourites on this crammed stretch and it’s definitely worth checking out.

How would you describe your subject matter or the content of your work and what mediums do you work with?

I work in oils on linen.  I would describe my work as realism. I use self-portraiture to discuss compulsion- specifically, compulsive eating.

Do you see your work as autobiographical at all? How might who you are be reflected in your current work? 

My work is completely autobiographical. I had a history of eating disorders and still struggle with issues around food. Many years ago a critic said of my work “Price's women aren't grossly fat or pathetically thin, but their lives seem to be oppressively ruled by food.” That pretty much sums it up.

Has there been a shift or change in your life or work that has led to what you’re making now?

No. I have always painted about women and food. Even in college I would make large paintings of my female friends in specific environments with food randomly placed throughout the scene- someone holding a bunch of carrots, a banana sitting on a window sill, etc. Back then I wasn’t clear about the connection. However, the relationship between women and food always has been the focus of my work.

Your work has gained well-deserved acclaim on social media platforms such as tumblr, users of which are mainly teenage girls. In your opinion, what role does the artist have in society and in terms of your work, is there a message you are trying to portray about women, food and body image?

I have never tried to convey a particular message. I paint about myself and the message of my work became clearer to me the more I pursued it. I believe in the saying that “the more personal, the more universal”. My paintings are personal and they resonate with others who have experienced the same issues- issues of compulsiveness, struggles with food, etc.

Do you feel that there’s a danger in that your work could be perceived as a glorification of binge-eating?

My work could be seen, and sometimes is meant to be seen as a reaction to the strictures that are placed on women to be thin and to consume in a certain way. There’s a difference between binge-eating and enjoying “forbidden” foods, however. One is painful. The other can be liberating. I think the viewer can see the difference.

You’ve described the food you portray “as a metaphor for the ways we distract ourselves from being present” — can you further explain what you mean by that?

I’m discussing compulsion and our inability to sit with difficult feelings or situations. This is true for men as well as women. Humans tend to reach out for things- food, alcohol, Internet surfing, etc. - as a way of checking out, a way of getting away from uncomfortable feelings like boredom, anxiety, etc.

The “out-of-body experience” aerial vantage point and nudity are reoccurring features of your works — to what extent do these elements encapsulate the essence of your art?

The nudity has no meaning beyond the fact that when people bathe, generally they aren’t dressed. If these scenes took place in a car, the figures would be clothed. The aerial vantage point is another matter. It’s common to have a sort of out of body experience when you are in the middle of a binge; to be watching yourself in a compulsive act as if you are watching a separate person. I use the aerial vantage point to convey this.

What are you presently inspired by— are there particular things you are reading, listening to or looking at to fuel your work?

Day-to-day life is what usually inspires my work; books I am reading, conversations I have, experiences that broaden my understanding of myself or my environment. I recently read Rebecca Solnit’s “Men Explain Things to Me” which really spoke to me. Everyone should read it.

A reoccurring sense of privacy and peacefulness is seen in the settings of your pieces. Do these settings reflect where you find inspiration? And what does having a physical space to make art in mean for your process?

The privacy translates more to a sense of secrecy. Most compulsive behaviors are shrouded in secrecy.  However, there is also a peacefulness to the backgrounds of all the settings; a peacefulness that is juxtaposed against the frenetic activity of the subject. One of the ironies to compulsive behavior is that if we would stop the behavior for a moment we would see that we are causing our own turmoil. There is peace waiting for us behind the compulsion. That’s harder to see when you’re in the middle of a binge.

It is imperative to have a physical space to make art. However, throughout my life I have adapted to whatever space I could afford. I lived in LA through most of my twenties, and eked out studio space in various garages there. It could be a hundred degrees, but still I’d paint. When I lived in New York I shared a tiny two-bedroom apartment. I made a lot of very small still life’s then. I also painted all the backdrops for the Smithsonian’s Hall of Mammals dioramas. You work with what you have.

Is there something you are currently working on, or are excited about starting that you can tell us about?

I have begun work on a series of portraits but I am in the early stages. I’m not completely sure where it is going.

What memorable responses have you had to your work?

I get a lot of heartfelt, often heart-rending emails from women (and occasionally men) who have been through or are going through eating disorders; emails that let me know that my work is resonating with people, alleviating some of the pain that comes with the secrecy of compulsive eating. To know that my work is having that kind of impact is priceless to me.

What are your biggest challenges to creating art and how do you deal with them?

My biggest challenge is money; making enough from the art to keep the studio doors open.

Do you have a favorite work that you’ve done? And if so, why?

There are paintings that stand out more than others: “Full” because it was the first in this series; “Refuge” because it tells the story of a friend, certain paintings that are poignant reminders of specific things I was going through at certain times of my life. I am always drawn to the Lemon Slice paintings. They are transitional works to me. Not so much about compulsion as about an end to it. They speak about entering into life; being partially stuck under the surface of something but making a choice to break through it.

Do you have a motto or words of wisdom that you would like to share with our readers? 

One of my favorite inspirational quotes is from Eleanor Roosevelt, “You must do the thing you think you cannot do”.

To see more of Lee's work, check out her website, twitter and facebook.

SMART EATING

The layers upon layers might lull you into a false sense of security that the sugar loaded christmas goodies aren’t doing too much damage. In the winter, it’s important to view food as an energy source - a source of nutrient to keep you warm during the cold season. That being said, it’s also totally fine to have little treats but steer clear of the binge eating. When it’s cold and dark outside, it can be tempting to fill up on unhealthy comfort food, but it’s important to ensure you still have a healthy diet and include five portions of fruit and veg a day. If you find yourself craving a sugary treat, try a juicy clementine or satsuma instead, or sweet dried fruits such as dates or raisins. By avoiding refined and processed foods and incorporating more complex carbohydrates, you’re providing your body and your mind with nutrients, stabilising your blood sugar and your energy levels. Be a picky eater and choose a few indulgent things that are to be consumed in small quantity. This way you can stick to your clean eating habits whilst still treating yourself this holiday season.

STAY WARM

On an icy winter morning, the perfect pick me up is a hot breakfast to kickstart your body and your mind. Winter is the perfect season for porridge. Eating a warm bowlful on a cold morning isn’t just a delicious way to start your day, it also helps boost your intake of starchy foods and fibre. These give you energy and help you feel fuller for longer, stopping the temptation to snack mid-morning.

Make your porridge with semi-skimmed or skimmed milk or water, and don’t add sugar or salt. Add a few dried apricots, some raisins, a sliced banana or other fruit for extra flavour and to help you hit your 5 A DAY target. Don’t forget to stay wrapped up! Your favourite scarf or sweater will protect you against unwanted coughs and colds.  

STAY HYDRATED

It’s so easy to forget to stay hydrated when you’re not dying of thirst from being outside in the scorching sun and maintaining proper hydration throughout the entire year is often overlooked. Hot drinks such as herbal tea or water and lemon are perfect to hydrate your body. For something more indulgent, go for a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate of the dark chocolate variety. Soups can also provide water in your diet as well as immune boosting ingredients. Winter vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, swede and turnips can be roasted, mashed or made into soup for a comforting winter meal. 

KEEP MOVING

Don’t use the cold winter months as an excuse to stay in and lounge around. Instead, get out with the whole family or with your friends and try out a new activity – maybe ice skating, or taking a bracing winter walk on the beach or through the park. Being outdoors means a chance to catch some of those elusive rays which releases neurotransmitters that improve your mood. Regular exercise helps control your weight, boost your immune system, and produces feel-good-endorphins that are perfect to beat the winter blues. You not only relieve stress but you’ll also have more energy throughout the day. If the idea of going outside is revolting to you, try some indoor workouts such as blogilates or go to a nearby gym. 

BEAT THE BLUES

As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, even the best of us can get a little down. When you’re spending the majority of your time indoors, it’s natural to feel a lack of motivation, low energy and even a little cabin feverish. Here are a few ideas to ensure that you stay not only physically but also mentally healthy:

Read a book.

Invite friends over for an afternoon card game.

Organise a clothes-swap session with friends and purge any outfits you didn’t wear last season.

Post any unwanted items on eBay for extra cash.

Make a batch of hearty chicken soup to last the week.

Play board games.

Put together a jigsaw puzzle.

Bake something.

Solve a crossword.

Relax the mind by spending a few minutes meditating or listening to soothing music.

CATCH SOME ZZZZ'S

Take advantage of the long winter nights to eliminate your sleep debt. Aim for 8 hours each night and try to keep your bedtime and waking time consistent. It’s perfectly normal to adopt hibernating habits when the weather turns cold but beware not to oversleep - 12-hour lie ins on the weekend might actually make you more tired. Short naps of 10-30 minutes in the afternoon are also a great way to reenergise midday. 

It’s so tempting to embrace the holiday season by throwing all healthy habits out the window into the cold. But remember, healthy living is a lifestyle that shouldn’t be dictated by a set of rigorous guilt-fuelled new years resolution or the impending bikini season. Stay inspired and excited about keeping healthy this festive season! 

Perhaps more exciting than the birthday presents, and equally as exciting as the birthday food, was the nearing visit from Niki, Anth and Bethan. It’s been way too long since we’ve all been reunited and I felt so special that they travelled 7, 4 and 3 hours respectively just to see me. In my crazy 8 weeks term, it was the best thing to have a much needed break and to be with my besties for my big two oh. 

Their visit coincided with our 5th week video games themed bop so we came as tetris blocks, partly because tetris played a big part in all of our lives as a procrastination tool, but also mainly because we thought the costumes would be easy to make. Turns out we greatly underestimated the sturdiness of cardboard and the ability of scissors to cut shapes out of them. Along with a cardboard dust covered floor and significantly more defined biceps, we finally got our four tetris cut outs. Had a well deserved dinner at Turl Street Kitchen to regain our forces and then headed back to my house  for some predrinking involving rosé and koppaberg. The bop was a blur of bodies dancing in the moonlight to Queen B’s beats, candy hoarding in cheeks and pockets, spotting of varying extremities of tetris costume qualities (we were on the middleground), meeting Stevie from Made in Chelsea and to top it all off, my phone got stolen and is now, according to Find My Iphone, in Birmingham.

Work done, phone gone, I really was taking on the MIA role. Stopped off at the police station to file a report about my phone and almost accidentally stole a pen myself. The morning palava, definitely too much to handle at 10 am, was slightly pacified by our feast of a brunch. We went to Gloucester Green market and got a continental assortment of grapes, raspberries, brie, bread, dumplings and steamed buns.

Krispy Kreme donuts and salted caramel, chocolate chip cookies followed after which tipped me over into food coma state. I don’t know why I think it’s okay to just eat and eat when my friends are here. Slightly inconvenient as I had a football match that afternoon and there was a 50/50 chance I would either pass out on the pitch or throw up.

Neither happened luckily and we actually ended up winning against Brasenose. I think it might actually have been the best game I’ve played yet so I really should turn up to football in an amalgam of food coma and exhaustion more often (it could also be the fact that Niki, Bethan, Anth and James were there supporting me - that was nice too). Pizza and wine and chocolate truffles (courtesy of Aisha) and brownies (courtesy of Ellouise) meant more food comas all around (courtesy of our gluttony).

The Oxford experience really isn’t complete without a Sunday morning missing bean breakfast. Highlights included four smoking hot bagels with salmon, chives, dill and cream cheese, strategic photo taking (which resulted in Bethan taking photos of us taking photos of luke warm coffee), and getting Niki to try a mocha. We then proceeded to the ice rink before saying our goodbyes to Niki and heading back home. 

Such a picturesque dinner at Gee’s with the house fam.

Some of my birthday stash:

The loss of nuances and meanings when transitioning between languages means we are not able to overcome cultural barriers and relate to other people in a foreign environment. In such an international world, that poses lots of problems. Luckily, there’s a very simple cure to being lost in translation - language is our map and compass in life. It plays a fundamental role in guiding our way through the essence of human experience. By learning a new language, you might just end up finding a piece of yourself you never knew was there.

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.

As a self-professed linguaphile, learning languages has always been a joy for me. There’s just something about the feeling of a string of words, in a language that is not your own, rolling off your tongue. There’s also a beauty in being able to bridge the gap between yourself and people from a different culture, to understand how they think and feel. As cross-cultural relationships, whether romantic or platonic, become more and more common, language is the key tool for building relationships and meaningful communication.

Being bilingual also boosts your brain power, your memory and your multitasking skills. Having two or more languages at your disposal means that all language systems are active even when you are using only one language. This forces the brain to resolve internal conflict, giving the mind a workout that strengthens its cognitive muscles.

To have another language is to possess a second soul

It is a simple fact that languages differ from each other and it is this difference that means that learning a language leads us to see the world through different eyes. By learning a new language, we are changing the medium in which we talk and think, pushing us to deal with abstract and concrete concepts in a different way. Languages therefore not only provide us with a tool to express ourselves, but also shape our perspective on the world and ourselves.

The limits of my language are the limits of my world.

Inspired by the croissant steak sandwich with spinach, mushrooms and truffle honey that I had at Drury Lane, I decided to make a croissandwich that incorporates everything I love.

I substituted the steak (red meat isn’t really my thing) for my classic go-to salmon with a slight twist, marinating the slices of smoked salmon with pesto. I added slices of avocado, a few rocket leaves and cherry tomato slices.

Tip: half the croissant horizontally before putting it in the oven - it’ll be too flaky to cut without making a mess after.

i-like-to-make-up-food-names-love

I’ve passed by Côte many a time, peered into the bustling brasserie and made a mental note to try it out sometime. Well these mental notes have finally piled up and overflowed and consequently I’ve finally gotten round to it.

It was a good thing we made a reservation because, as all good restaurants are on a saturday night, Côte was thronging with people. Stepping into the entrance lobby, we arrived into an assemblage of small, inter-connecting rooms and were led to our table for two. The atmospherically lit muted grey walls, flickering candles, open shelves of wine and plethora of mirrors really made me feel like I was in a Parisian bistro.

In terms of authenticity, Côte undeniably fulfils its aim to emulate the simple bistro cooking you would find in any number of restaurants across France. As we weren’t really feeling starters, though a few caught my eye, we decided to skip them to save room for dessert and go straight to the mains. After much umming and ahhing, I went for the roast sea bass and James went for the fish parmentier, which we coupled with a glass of LaGarde Blanc each. The sea bass was exquisite – there were two juicy fillets, with a few big chunks of braised fennel in a champagne beurre blanc with chives and chopped tomatoes. I’m usually a bit wary of cream sauces as some of them can be a bit too heavy, but this one had the perfect thickness and complemented the melt-in-your-mouth sea bass. James was jealous of my choice of main though he was still very happy with his fish parmentier which was basically a fancy French version of fish pie. I tried a bit and I could really tell that the seafood was fresh though I’m personally not a huge fan of pies.

Dessert choosing is always a pallava as I somehow have always managed to choose something that I end up being disappointed in. I decided to play it safe and stick with my classic childhood favourite, crème brulée and James chose the lemon tart. I really liked the contrast in texture between the crispy caramel top and the rich custard base but the custard was a tad too runny and not flavoursome enough for my liking. The lemon tart on the other hand was divine. I really liked the rich intense tangy flavour of the lemon custard filling and the pastry shell wasn’t too crumbly. I couldn’t resist sneaking in a few spoonfuls. 

All in all it was a lovely night and a lovely meal. The service was efficient and the ambience was delightful. I know I’ve used a lot of incredibly cheesy adjectives but I promise you they are well-deserved.

in my most recent post essay euphoria, (which usually lasts a few hours until I realise I have more work looming) I stumbled into Zara and came across this green gem. the cutest pinafore dress with my favourite type of fabric – it’s a sort of structured velvet with a slight sheen that gives a lovely texture. the dress has a cross strap back, two metal buttons on each side of the waist and an oversized front pocket. the pocket makes me giggle a bit because i’m always complaining about how small pockets are and this huge one is kind of like the universe going “here, is this big enough for you?”.

Iweta, my amazing talented friend came with me on my first venture into our beautifully overgrown garden. kudos to her for not only putting up with my idiotic prancing around but taking cool creative shots and actually making me look slightly less socially awkward in the process.

WHAT I'M WEARING:

   lean-green-essay-machine-love

X

Seeing as I brought my heavy ass DSLR to uni I might as well use it to its full potential, am I right?

I can never get over how beautiful Oxford is. I try to pass myself off as a tourist – especially in town – when taking a billion pictures of the same thing at slightly different angles. This nearly always works except for when I have an armful of library books and various other telltale objects that expose my true blue student self. Aside from the stunning setting and my photography obsession (my friends have diagnosed me with photo OCD, photOCD?), here are a few snaps that my fab friend Fats graciously took.

Winter is coming and it’s time to get layering. It definitely took me a while to get into this whole layering business; partly because I am somehow always rendered incompetent to move important joints like my elbows, and partly because I’m so used to throwing on a crop top and shorts as per the tropical climate at home. This soft spot for crop tops has not faded and consequently, cropped sweaters come a close second in my book. This creamy knit pullover is a light layer and it caught my eye because of the dainty symmetrical cut outs. Small for both aesthetic and practical purposes (it gets windy in the UK). I’ve recently splurged (it was really a bargain though) at the market and got myself two oversized sheepskin coats, one in beige and the other in chocolate brown. They are so perfect for layering because they aren’t too tight plus they keep you so snug. I layered the cream pullover with the beige coat which was a bit incongruous with the gorgeous summery day we were having but screw it. Disclaimer note: my sunglasses are wonky. I don’t know how to fix them without breaking them. They also look especially wonky because my left ear is higher than my right #funfact

Bonus pix of my other half and the one who keeps me going/sane through hard times. She’s rocking them topshop culottes and her “Kanye West” shoes. isn’t she beauts?

I’m a sucker for anything soft and/or fluffy so I really don’t own enough mohair sweaters considering that I shop by touch (if it’s not soft I’m not buying it). This baby pink mohair sweater is part of the Candy Color collection – it comes in peach, grey, blue, white, beige, mint and lilac. I was on the fence about whether to get the baby pink, mint or lilac (three way fence?) – they’re all such yummy colours! The sweater has a round neckline which in my opinion is much more flattering than V-necks when it comes to sweaters. Another disclaimer: I look like I’m fiddling with my sleeves in most of the pictures but in reality I’m just touching it because it’s so soft.

I’m hoping to expand my sweater collection in the near future but for now it’s back to writing essays about irony (is it ironic that I’m still not quite sure what irony actually signifies?) and fearing for my life while I cycle to uni in this horrid morning drizzle.

Beige Cutout Pullover Knitwear c/o Chicnova- US$29.00 

Candy Color Mohair Sweater c/o Chicnova – Originally US$17.00, reduced to US$12.75

sweater-(and umbrella)-weather-love,

After suffering from major FOMO instigated by the various housewarming parties I couldn’t go to, it was finally my turn to move in. One of the joys of being a second year at Balliol is getting kicked out of our college accommodation. This means that I won’t have to spend every last day of term lugging 10 boxes into the dark depths of the international storage room (yayyy!). Whilst I’m definitely going to miss hall food and the proximity of hall (everything about hall basically), I must say that I’m quite excited for this new year in our new house (christened Isaac after Isaac Newton). It’s so nice being back in this beautiful old city in a beautiful new home – the high levels of stress during house hunting period paid off.

The happy reunion was slightly tainted by the 9 am wake up call (which was meant to be a 7 am one but was delayed by various bus fuckups) I inflicted upon my house mates. Best pals Gems and Mons came to meet me in the pouring rain which was so nice of them (love you guys).

Hectic freshers week despite not being freshers anymore and equally hectic two weeks following it – lots of meetings (for uni, for football and for our house), nights out (two nights in a row is enough to tire me out – not a fresh fresher anymore), essays on topics I am clueless about, general chores which just take up so much time and energy.

These energy draining activities were counteracted with much more pleasurable, poetic ones ie. catching up sipping on a skinny capp with my fave gal Fats at our fave café, waking up next to my boy with the late morning sun shining through the blinds, tea and biscuits with the gals in our pristine kitchen, cooking up some gourmet meals (not really) in said pristine kitchen, 3 course meals plus cocktails on date night, fruit heaven at Gloucester Green fruit market, late night post bop pizzas, all-you-can-eat free coffee and cupcakes at Turl Street Kitchen, “sunday roast” dinner with the house famalam, first football match which we smashed (13-3 to Balliol), cutest corner bookstores, morning runs and strolls on sunny weekends, so all in all had a good first few weeks.

My favourite part about moving in is turning the new space into my own – I never feel completely at ease until my room looks relatively lived in. Cue bunting, cacti, polaroids and other miscellaneous objects.

Soooo on another note, I have an extremely bad habit of buying things that I don’t actually need, and this becomes even more apparent when I’m shopping in sunny Singapore leading up to my return to England. Somehow, I always manage to delude myself that the sheer kimono I’m about to buy will indeed keep me warm and snug during the winter months. I have therefore resorted to online shopping and have recently come across Chicnova. Obediently staying in the winter sections of jackets, sweaters and coats, I picked out two pieces from their best sellers – a beige knit pullover and a baby pink mohair sweater.

I don’t know what it is about packages that make me so happy but, alongside seeing all my friends (who I’ve missed an insane amount), receiving my first package at my new address was near the top of my list of the ingredients for my moving in high. Thanks to Chicnova, I will be embracing the sweater weather instead of shivering in my summer wear.

Both of the pieces were on sale (love me a good bargain) but even without the reduction, they were both very affordable. Plus shipping is free globally (I’ve had nightmare experiences with shipping fees one too many times). Click here for more about Chicnova and a full blown post about the pieces will be coming up on my blog very very soon.

First day was spent in an utter daze as we were functioning on 4 hours of sleep (couldn’t check in until after lunch). Tried the famous Market Lane coffee at Queen Victoria Market. I got a latte which only had one shot and so was a tad too milky for my liking.

Chanced upon a cute flower shop among other things.

Ventured to St. Kilda’s which was perfect for lazy strolling. Had lunch at a cute cafe called Phamish which serves a fusion of Modern Australian food and Middle Eastern. I was spoilt for choices but decided to go with the Chicken Fatoush Salad with radish, cherry tomato, cucumber, mint, onion, mixed toasted seeds & oven baked Lebanese bread topped with sumac yoghurt. Eating it was a beautiful experience – so light yet so filling.

The weather was lovely and sunny so I was incredibly snap happy. I had a camera rotation going – DSLR to SLR to polaroid camera to phone (good thing I had my dad as the official unused camera holder).

Walked from Luna park, along the Marina boardwalk – saw some joggers, dog walkers and lots of skaters – all the way until Ormond Point.

Had a lovely view of the Melbourne cityscape and it was definitely worth the walk. Dinner was seafood at a restaurant called Sharkfin in Chinatown. My favourite dish was the lobster – it tasted really fresh and the meat was sweet and not too chewy. I also really liked the beef slices (though I usually don’t like red meat) except for the fact that it was smothered in sweet sauce. Didn’t take that many pictures because Asian food in general is just not that photogenic (how sad but at least it tastes good) and anyways, my hands were too busy trying to get lobster meat out of the shell (gotta work for yo food). Second day’s weather was even more beautiful than the first. Sleepy start to the day at 10 am. Headed to Queen Victoria Market to pick up fresh fruit for breakfast but ended up having to take a punnet of strawberries with me and eat on the go as I was late to meet a friend (when am I ever on time). Caught up over coffee and brunch at Seven Seeds which was really nice.

I had a house-smoked salmon served on crumpets with cream spinach puree, hollandaise and poached eggs.

After breakfast, we went up onto the roof of his accommodation where we had a wonderful view. I love how peaceful Melbourne is, especially from above.  

Stopped off at Collingwood for some street art loving. The afternoon sun was perfect lighting for the beautiful array of colours on the brick wall canvas.

   View from the apartment window

Sunday brunch dragged on for a little too long and cut our Great Ocean Road trip short. The food and atmosphere was amazing though – easily my favourite cafe.

Al fresco dining in the Sunday sun. I felt like we were in somebody’s backyard – love the homey feel.

Kinda bummed we didn’t get to see the 12 Apostles but the coastal view was stunning all the way.

1. Summer in Denial

I initially bought this self-tanner in order to even out my disastrous tan lines but I will probably bring it along to the UK to maintain my tan. The thing about my skin is that I tan really easily but I also lose my tan really easily. It doesn’t seem to be doing much right now but then again there is a huge contrast between my tanned and untanned skin so maybe it takes a while.

Gradual self-tanning body lotion ($16) Sephora

2. Vitamin faCe

Vitamins aren’t just good in your food, they’re good in your skincare as well. The tube on the right is the Vitamin C microdermabrasion which is a weekly exfoliation. I personally don’t really like exfoliating my face too much but it came in a package with the skin reviver so I figured I might as well try it. It leaves my face soft and it feels really clean though I would probably not buy it if it didn’t come with the skin reviver. The pump dispenser on the left is the skin reviver and was what I was really after – it’s a light gel that makes your skin feel and look smoother. It creates a perfect base for foundation though I usually just went without because I felt like the skin reviver did the job. Plus the fresh citrus scent was perfect to wake me up. I was obsessed with it last winter and it’ll probably remain one of my favourites for a long time.

Vitamin C Skin Reviver (£15) and Vitamin C Microdermabrasion (£14) The Body Shop

3. Hands up for this hand cream

It smells heavenly and keeps your hands as smooth as a baby’s bottom. What more can you want? If that doesn’t convince you then let me just read you the description: non-greasy hand cream with shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow. MARSHMALLOW! I reapply so often just because I love the smell but for normal (non-obsessive) people, you probably only have to reapply every few hours to keep your hands silky soft.

I only got the 50 ml but next time I’m definitely going for the 125 ml tube.

Hand Food (£5.50) Soap & Glory

4. Claws out

I feel like I neglect my nails in the winter just because I can’t paint them in my favourite bright varnishes or my pretty pastel ones. Decided that this had to change so got myself some winter shades from Guardians (from top to bottom): Caught on the Red Carpet, Genius in the Bottle, Hugo Moss and Shopping Day at Bluemingdales. Not only do these polishes have super cute names but they’re cheap, last for ages and really easy to apply.

Catrice Nailpolish ($5.90)

  5. All Nighters

I’m proud to say that I have never ever in my life pulled an all nighter for work – ain’t nobody got time for that. You would think that in uni you would have to but nahhh, I’d rather have my beauty sleep. In terms of the other kind of all nighters, I have stayed up until dawn various times if that counts (party till the break of dawn), the most recent beingMay Day (such an eventful night/morning), and in these cases this eyeliner is perfect. I just upgraded from a pencil formula to a twisty one just because I’m lazy and can’t be bothered to sharpen the pencil. They both have a creamy formula that draws intense black lines that are smudge proof and long lasting. The only thing about the twisting eyeliner is that sometimes the end gets a bit blunt and you then get much thicker lines. I’ll probably opt for the good old pencil formula one next time though – I like sharp, defined lines.

All Nighter Eyeliner ($28) Urban Decay

6. Aesop Bandwagon

My face wash running out in the middle of my Australia trip was a  happy coincidence as that meant I was guilt free when picking up face wash and moisturizer from Aesop. I specifically asked for products for dry weather and ended up getting the Fabulous Face Cleanser as well as the Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream. Haven’t used either of them yet as I’m still in the tropics but I’ve heard good things and can’t wait to try them out myself.

7. Na, na, na, diva is a female version of a hustla

Saving the best for last. Whilst I do not feel like a female version of a hustla (what is that anyways), I do feel quite diva-ish when I wear this lipstick. I’ve always loved dark lip stick and for ages I used Burt’s Bees plum Lip Shimmer which was great except the colour did not last for long. This lipstick, Diva, is an intense reddish burgundy and is part of Mac’s matte collection. It has a creamy texture and is so easy to apply, giving an amazing coverage. I love the boldness of the colour and it is definitely my favourite lipstick thus far (not that I have a huge collection). Because my lips get quite dry, especially in the winter, I apply the Mac lip Prep & Prime – a colourlessbase which adds moisture and smoothes your lips. I also put on Vaseline about 15 minutes before applying the primer and lipstick. This gives the lip balm time to be absorbed.

A14 Diva – Matte ($28) Prep & Prime ($28) MAC

Vaseline with Cocoa butter (£2.18)

Living below the line was a fundraising campaign that I participated in last year where I had a £1 per day food budget – the equivalent of the extreme poverty line – for 5 days. All the money raised went to The Hunger Project. Click here to learn more about the campaign and the organisation I supported.

Now, when I say “hard” I mean first-world-problems-hard. As in I-didn’t-get-my-daily-salmon-avocado-and-skinny-cappucino-hard. I realized after the week, how good I have it and how lucky I am to never have to worry about having food on the table. It was such a good experience both in terms of working towards trying to understand the problem that affects a huge part of the population and trying to raise not only funds but awareness. However, it wasn’t until today, that it hit me that even though I’ve completed the Live Below the Line campaign, I can still do my part in the fight against hunger and extreme poverty.

I was inspired by the clean water campaign supported by Food for Thought – a cafe that not only serves a mean iced latte, but is also very driven in raising awareness about extreme poverty.

While I was happily sipping on my third cup of free flow water after my contribution to the campaign, I thought to myself “wouldn’t it be great if they could do the same with food – if I could donate a set sum towards a cause to end world hunger and then get free flow food.” My gluttony aside, the more I thought about it, the more I found that it wasn’t such a bad idea.

My watercolour painting of a pineapple in my everything book entitled “painting my hunger away” came to mind – during the week of living below the line, I had spent a lot of my time trying to distract myself from my hunger pangs by painting. I got to thinking that maybe I could in some way not only paint my hunger away, but paint hunger away in general.

Though I know that’s impossible, I figured that a little goes a long way. I have no idea how this is going to turn out but you never know if you don’t try right?

So that’s the inception of my Painting the Hunger Away project. I’ll be painting food (the first food item being the oh so glorious pineapple) and my art pieces will be available for purchase here as art prints, canvas prints, pillows, t-shirts, clocks, phone cases - basically anything you can think of. All proceeds will go to The Hunger Project, committed to the sustainable end of world hunger.

I’m so excited about combining my two favourite things in the world to make a change – or attempting to anyways. Well that’s it for now, I’ll keep you guys updated about how it goes!

lots of pineapple love, Tiff