More Incredible Brunch Meals + Desserts

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Incredible sunset. This looks like a painting! I saw this sunset as I was heading home from class.

Good afternoon! I really haven’t blogged in a while; it’s because I have had a couple final exams, a final assignment, and just one more final exam before I am done. Today is June 17, and I am going back to Canada on the 26th. I can’t believe I only have NINE days left in Australia – we’re into the single digits now. Wow.

Anyways, hope you are all having a lovely day so far. Here are some snapshots of the wonderful week I’ve had, starting with a delicious almond croissant from Crust & Co., and a homemade chai latte. It was a great breakfast, and after a few classes, I had lunch with my friends from a social work class. I had the pumpkin soup, which came with a thick slab of bread (unpictured), and it really satisfied all my winter soup cravings.

I spend more time looking at lists of cafes, menus, and Zomato reviews than I do studying, and one cafe really stood out to me as a must-visit place. I knew I wanted to go to Nodo for a long time, but it wasn’t until I found out that their sweet potato waffle would soon leave the menu that I instantly booked it over there!

Here is that waffle that I so badly wanted to try. It was spectacular! The waffle itself was a sweet potato waffle, and it was topped with all kinds of mushrooms, crispy sage, brown butter, a zingy hollandaise, two poached eggs, and an excellent crumble (which I later found out was a toasted pecan crumble).

All of my favourite flavours – sweet potato, eggs, BROWN BUTTER, pecans, SAGE! – all in one excellent, excellent dish. I wish this could be on the menu forever, but I am looking forward to seeing what they will have on the winter menu. How awesome does this look?

For dessert, I couldn’t decide between the chocolate caramel donut and the pumpkin cheesecake, so of course I ordered both. I took the donut to-go, since the server told me it’d keep better, and I ate the pumpkin cheesecake on the spot. It was everything I look for in a cheesecake: creamy (not stiff, ew, I hate stiff or crumbly cheesecakes), dense, flavourful, spiced beautifully with cinnamon and nutmeg, with an excellent white chocolate frosting. I’m a crust connoisseur (who apparently can’t spell connoisseur without Googling it) and this one was a solid 10/10. And, I think it was gluten-free!

I will be really sad to say goodbye to all of my friends, classmates, and coaches here. The yoga studio that I work at is now looking for someone to take over my cleaning job!

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Next cafe on the bucket list is called Goodness Gracious. I am really excited to try these:

  • turmeric latte
  • treat from dessert cabinet
  • PB choc banana smoothie/blueberry vanilla coconut smoothie/strawberry cream cheese vanilla shortcake smoothie
  • tofu moussaka with scrambled turmeric tofu, eggplant, lentils, pumpkin hummus, cashew cream, sumac OR veggie toast with kale, broccolini, heirloom tomato, artichoke, kalenaise, sunflower seeds, poached eggs, charcoal sourdough
  • Side dishes: (can add avocado, salmon, tofu scramble, pulled ham, sweet potato quinoa hash)

I also found out about this new place called Hello Mister Frankie, which is famous for puffles. They are puffy waffles, like Taiwanese/Hong Kong style bubble waffles. I haven’t had the opportunity to go yet, but when I do, it’s going to be the honey and truffle puffle with vanilla and fig soft serve… and a lot of toppings. What would you order?

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I need to clear out some time to go to this place, called Bitter Suite, for their hot chocolate. They make peanut butter hot chocolate, and it is apparently out of this world.

One afternoon when I had planned to study, I went to the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art. A fine way to procrastinate. All of the artwork was unique, thought-provoking, and admirable. When I look at modern/contemporary artwork, I almost instantly need to read the description because I get a little bit confused, and need an explanation. These artists are so skilled, and it really opened my eyes to the world of contemporary art.

Oooh this was amazing! I had avocado toast from Anouk, which was topped with sesame seeds (this made a massive flavour difference), rocket and quinoa with red onions, whipped feta, and romesco sauce. Next time, I’ll add a fried egg to this. The whipped feta had great flavour, and the texture was so cool. This was a great, simple, light, fresh dish that I’d order again in a heartbeat.

For dessert – freshly-baked almond pear loaf with vanilla ice cream. Served warm, this dessert was near perfection. I love the richness that almond meal brings to any dessert.

As you can see, I’ve been having a lot of brunch and not a lot of… study time. 😉

This awesome plate was from PawPaw Cafe: potato hash cakes, fried halloumi, smoked salmon, beetroot relish, turmeric hummus, poached eggs, mashed avocado, lime, and plenty of dukkah. Normally, this isn’t a dish I would order because I don’t like potatoes that much, but this was so flavourful and really delicious. They gave me SO much smoked salmon, and all of the flavours meshed together beautifully. I particularly loved the light sweetness of the beetroot relish with the zing of the turmeric hummus.

For dessert, I had my eye on the caramelized banana with sticky date pudding and vanilla ice cream, but sadly, they only make that at dinner time. Instead, I had the coconut chocolate ice cream with a Ferrero Rocher raw bar and crushed hazelnuts and a raw chocolate sauce. This was raw and vegan! I would have never guessed, and actually enjoyed the coconut flavour.

Riverside walks. I’m really going to miss this, when I go back to Canada.

Pearl Cafe is one of my Brisbane favourites. I savoured their avocado toast one morning, which was topped with whipped goat cheese, sliced avocado, blobs of pureed beet, sprouts, and a poached egg on sourdough. I wish the bread was toasted, though!

Mmmmm – ricotta cake with so many chocolate chips and vanilla ice cream. The buttery, crumbly, light texture of this cake, paired with the richness of the chocolate, was absolutely divine. This is probably what angels eat in heaven.

This great lunch was from Abode Cafe. It’s called the Dulcie, and consists of two thick slices of sourdough bread, ham, Gruyere cheese, and mango chutney. It’s been a while since I’ve had a grilled cheese, and it was calling my name! I loved every bite of this buttery, cheese-filled delight.

For dessert, I had their freshly-baked chocolate brownie, vanilla ice cream, and a beautiful piece of art – their hot chocolate. All served with a side of studying, but let’s be honest, I didn’t really study. How can you focus on disease pathways and clinical spectrums when there is fresh hot chocolate, a warm brownie, and ice cream in front of you?

It totally looks like I’ve been eating at cafes every day, and that’s because… I have. Kind of. I still cook a lot at home, like this plate which had an omelet with truffled gouda (my new favourite cheese), Italian herb smoked salmon, and a mix of grain salads.

Lovely little chai from Morning After Cafe…

preceded this broccoli breakfast bowl, which included farro, red onions, two awesome poached eggs, pita bread, green beans, and hummus.

I couldn’t leave without trying their legendary gluten-free cookie sandwich. The inside was peanut butter buttercream, and it was served with vanilla ice cream. The sweetness of the ice cream, and slight saltiness of the nut butter, paired beautifully with the chewy, crispy, crackly chocolate cookie. I want this every day.

Finally, a quote I found online. Any thoughts?

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One more thing! I had this phenomenal brunch on Friday – potato hash cakes, smoked salmon, yogurt lemon-herb sauce, two poached eggs. I ate this at Baker’s Arms Cafe, after a lovely pot of my favourite chai in Brisbane.

Dessert at Pearl Cafe (just across the street from Baker’s Arms) again – almond frangipane tart with caramelized rhubarb and vanilla ice cream. You can never get enough vanilla ice cream.

The river that I’m gonna miss a lot.

And a little bucket list for places to go before I peace out of Brisbane!

Have a lovely rest of the weekend!

BUCKET LIST

  • CITY
    • Bonsai Botanika mini quiche or sourdough with poached eggs, smoked salmon, sour cream, apple, ricotta, honey mustard, fresh herbs, hot chocolate
    • The Cheese Pleaser 4 cheese toastie
    • Dello Mano chili hot chocolate (7-5 M-Th, 7-7:30 Fri, 9-5 weekends)
  • WEST END
    • Gunshop Cafe gnocchi
  • PADDINGTON
    • Anouk homemade chai, corn beignets, ice cream with brownie
  • NEW FARM/VALLEY/TENERIFE
    • Bitter Suite peanut butter hot chocolate (if unavailable, get wet honey chai tea plunger), poached eggs on toast and add spinach, smoked salmon, crushed avocado + La Macelleria gelato
    • Hello Mister Frankie Puffle: honey + truffle puffle, vanilla and fig soft serve, red bean, peanut and sesame crunch, sachima, tim tam (12.7 total) —> closed Sunday
    • Ginger and Rose (open soon)
  • OTHER
    • The Menagerie hot chocolate + Scout Cafe brekkie bagel with fried egg, smoked salmon/halloumi/avocado, cheddar, rocket, housemate relish, fresh tomato, aioli + Sisco BCL to get muffins or hot chocolate
    • chai from Lewin Street Store
    • Lady Marmalade chai tea infused with milk OR hot chocolate on coconut milk, LM Gringo Waffle (chilli cheese cornbread waffle topped with savoury mince, minced chorizo, black beans, fontina, sour cream, fried egg)
    • chai from Wray Organic + Flour and Chocolate (vanilla slice)
    • RESTAURANT 1 hour + 4 min walk or 26 min train: Goodness Gracious (near Sherwood Arboretum and Corinda library): turmeric latte, treat from dessert cabinet, PB choc banana smoothie/blueberry vanilla coconut smoothie/strawberry cream cheese vanilla shortcake smoothie, tofu moussaka with scrambled turmeric tofu, eggplant, lentils, pumpkin hummus, cashew cream, sumac OR veggie toast with kale, broccolini, heirloom tomato, artichoke, kalenaise, sunflower seeds, poached eggs, charcoal sourdough (can add avocado, salmon, tofu scramble, pulled ham, sweet potato quinoa hash)
  • GABBA
    • RESTAURANT PawPaw Cafe roti canai dinner, sticky date pudding with salted caramel ice cream and grilled banana

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10 Questions for Seline

Hey!

My sister, Seline, is graduating from high school in a few weeks, and will be attending university at the University of Waterloo in September. Here are some of the things she is looking forward to, dreading, and more.

CW: Can you describe a typical day in the life of Semester 2 High School Grade 12 Seline? What classes are you taking, what time are you getting to school, and who are your teachers? nah What are you learning?

  • SW: I get to school at 8:25 after waking up at 8:00. I’m currently taking Psychology, Economics, and English. I have two off blocks so I go home to finish homework and often nap. I’d classify this semester as one of the chillest ones since grade 9.

What do you think you will miss the most about Centennial? What will you be sad to leave behind? On the other hand, is there anything that you will certainly NOT miss?

  • I will probably miss the easy courses because most of the teachers at school are pretty lenient and as long as you try hard, you’ll do good. I’ll be sad to leave behind all the good memories I made in my four years of high school. But I will not miss some of my classmates, oops.

Are you excited about prom and commencement? Which parts are you excited about? Why?

  • I’m actually not excited for either. It’s a lot of work. Prom (grad) was so tiring with all the planning and caused numerous miscommunications and unnecessary hassle. Commencement will be four hours of sitting in a hot auditorium listening to speeches and watching people I don’t even know walk across a stage and get their diploma. I guess I’m excited at the fact that after that, high school will officially be over.

Which classes are you taking in the fall term? Can you tell me something that you are looking forward to in each class, or why you chose the class?

  • I’m taking Anthropology, Classical Studies, Psychology and Sociology. I chose these classes because I’ve never had the opportunity to explore this area and they all sound pretty interesting. I like psychology so despite taking it right now, I’m also going to take it again in the fall.

Which classes are you taking in the winter term? Can you tell me something that you are looking forward to in each class, or why you chose the class?

  • I’m going to take Japanese, Greek Mythology, Pathopsychology and History. Again, I never took these courses before (except Japanese but it sounds fun) so I wanted to try them out. Also, since it’s first year, nothing is decided or official so I’m just taking the courses that sound fun. I might even want to change out of my psychology major by the end of the year, who knows.

Are there any classes that you are scared or worried about? Why?

  • I’m scared about Japanese because I heard it’s hard but I think I have an okay understanding in the basics of the vocabulary and grammar. I’m also scared about the courses I’ve never tried before like Anthropology and Classical Studies because I have no idea what to expect from them besides a huge workload and tons of reading.

Do you think you will have a favourite course? Which one?

  • I think my favourite course will be the Greek Mythology one. That one sounds super fun and interesting to look into. I’ve always been interested in ancient mythology and it’ll be exciting to learn more about it in the Winter.

What are your prospective majors, and why did you choose them?

  • I chose Psychology and Classical Studies. I chose Psychology as my first because I wanted to be a form of therapist ever since middle school so I want to explore down that field and learn more about it along with its possible career choices. I chose Classical Studies because I think I have a genuine interest in those classes. Also, getting a major in this sounds like it could lead to some potentially really cool jobs.

Aside from classes, what are you excited about when it comes to university in Waterloo? Are there any clubs, organizations, or extracurricular activities that you want to be a part of? Here is a link of all of Waterloo’s clubs (remember to select a category, otherwise there will be too many pages!).

  • I don’t think I’d want to join any clubs or extra-curricular activities just yet; I know I’m going to have a lot of trouble keeping up the pace with all the new courses and workload, so I don’t want to bombard myself with more commitments just yet. Once I’m comfortable with the new schedule and way of living, I’ll consider it.

What is the biggest difference that you think you will face, comparing high school to university? Are you ready for that change?

  • Probably moving out of the house and living alone with Cindy. Ever since kindergarten my mom always drove me to school, picked me up, cooked my food, and did tidying around the house. When I move out, it’ll all be up to me. Unless Cindy wants to be a roommate and a maid. I’m ready for this change because if I don’t learn to become more independent now, what other time would I be able to have this opportunity?

Bonus question: I want you to vividly imagine a typical day in the life of First-Year University Seline. What time do you wake up, and which classes do you attend? Do you engage in any fun extracurriculars? Where and when do you study? Do you like to cook, and do you spend time with friends?

  • Depending on my schedule, I hope the earliest time I wake up at is 8:30. I have a super hard time waking up, but then again, I don’t recall ever being late for a class so I should be okay. I can see the day consist of transportation, school, study, eat and sleep. I’ll probably study at home because I’ve never been able to focus in libraries or cafes. At home, at a desk with some music in the background would be just fine. I’ve learned a few new recipes recently that I’ll take with me to Waterloo that I can see myself making. Pasta, egg, bread, pizza, salad, fruits, green beans, mashed potatoes, chicken, noodles are all pretty doable. And I hope to make lots of new friends in my first year so we can hang out and study together! Nothing too much or else I’ll get stressed with all the major changes and duties I have to do. I want to take on the first year with little to no stress so hopefully that happens.

Bonus question #2: Be 100% honest. How do you feel about your upcoming English provincial? Do you have any predictions?

  • I hate talking about this topic because it stresses me out but I’ll just hope for the best and pray I write the provincial well with the knowledge I know. I try to study a few literary devices everyday or so to prepare myself for the test. I don’t want to make any predictions because I’ll definitely jinx myself.

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Aerials | Choreography Notes and Ideas

Most of you know that I am in love with aerial arts!

I’ve been super busy with classes (three final exams coming up!), but wrote this post a little while ago when brainstorming ideas for an aerial performance. I haven’t performed yet, but I am really looking forward to creating my own routine and performing it. These were some of the words and ideas that either came into my head, or inspired me as I was searching for choreography tips.

I have been listening to a lot of aerial/acrobatic podcasts and different types of music that might work well with an aerial routine, and needless to say, I am feeling very inspired. Looking forward to finishing the exams and being able to focus on the early stages of routine development. 🙂

Have a great Friday!

PERFORMING TIPS

  • exaggerate movements
  • everything must be intentional
  • creating each movement spontaneously
  • dramatic entrance
  • draw attention before a movement that people should notice (“want the camera to focus before you take a picture”)
  • eye contact
  • full body: neck to fingertips
  • avoid turning back to audience: if it is inevitable, use your head
  • keep the stage alive with movement
  • walk on/off the stage silently

QUESTIONS TO ASK

  • who is the character you are trying to portray?
  • why is the audience there?
  • what does the audience want to see?
  • what would interest the audience?
  • why should the audience like my piece?
  • what will hold my audience’s attention?
  • what is the meaning of each movement?
  • what is the motivation of each pose?

THINGS TO EXPLORE

  • freeze-frames
  • clear body lines
  • holding things for diff. amounts of times
  • on the beat of the music vs. off the beat of the music (listen with headphones)
  • mash the genres: draw inspiration from martial arts, hip hop, modern, ballet
  • consider lighting, costume
  • listen to the music and highlight riffs
  • think about pathways into movements
  • watch more YT videos to steal their movements
  • connect with audience
  • consider the character
  • clear execution: strong, clear, controlled postures
  • head movements
  • space
  • imagine a different space, different barriers (walls)
  • silence
  • visual patterns
  • height on the silks
  • look at basic elements
    • shape
    • spaces
    • time
    • energy
  • moments
    • startling
    • strong
    • curious
    • memorable

NOTICE IN THE MUSIC

  • musical breaks
  • accents
  • crescendos and diminuendos in the music, instrumental changes
  • melodic lines

DESIGNING: USING CONTRAST

  • difficulty vs ease
  • new movements vs repetition
  • simple movements vs challenging movements
  • angular vs curvilinear
  • going with the music vs against the music
  • gentle vs strong
  • slow vs fast
  • consonance vs dissonance
  • big amplitude (large movements) vs little movements
  • neat, orderly vs chaotic, crazy
  • motivated vs lazy
  • waltz vs tango
  • smooth and flowing vs sharp and dramatic
  • theatrical and dramatic vs realistic
  • tension vs resolution
  • linear vs nonlinear
  • improvised vs pre-planned
  • flex vs point feet
  • confidence vs shyness
  • eye contact vs no eye contact
  • dynamic vs steady
  • heavy vs light
  • sophistication vs immaturity
  • natural vs unnatural
  • timed/counting vs random and sporadic
  • relationships?
    • wanting to belong, feeling left out?

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Three Unbelievable Brunch Dishes đŸ‘Œ

Good afternoon! Hope your weekend has been wonderful so far. My week has been absolutely amazing, much better than I could’ve imagined – and I’ll show you why!

First, one of my favourite authors, Victoria Aveyard, came to Canada for her book tour! She visited Chapters Metrotown in Burnaby. Of course, I’m in Australia until the end of June, but my sister Seline had the opportunity to meet the lovely Victoria, get her books signed, and listen to Victoria’s Q&A. Victoria Aveyard is the author of the Red Queen quartet, and her newest book – series finale! – War Storm was released recently.

Also: another massive bowl of chai from Three Monkeys Cafe. I’m addicted.

In case you haven’t noticed, I am on a MISSION to try as many chai lattes as I can. This morning, I hit up Northey Street Farmers Market, an organic market, which is known for a cozy shack called Chai Cafe. There, I had a very enjoyable mug of chai, one of the spicier ones in Brisbane. The owner told me that she adds fresh vanilla beans, turmeric, and a plethora of other spices, to create a recipe she learned in India. This chai was one of the top two I’ve had so far… and by that I mean it’s the second-best. 🙂

The Northey Street Markets are lovely! Quite a bit busier than the other markets, perhaps due to its size, with lots of friendly dogs and children. It’s a very family-friendly place and I wish I came with the intention of grabbing a sandwich and doing some people-watching.

After my walk at the Northey Street Markets, I went to the Green Edge Vegan Market and Grocery Store. I’m on the lookout for some enchilada sauce (without too many additives or preservatives), and after visiting two or three different specialty grocery stores – I still haven’t found any.

From there, I tried to take the 450 to go home, caught the 150 bus instead, and ended up in South Bank! It was a wonderful accident, because I’ve had Pourboy Espresso on my bucket list for the longest time. It was destiny – I had to eat here!

Mainly, Pourboy Espresso has been on my must-visit list because of their famous Belgian hot chocolate, made with Callebaut dark Belgian chocolate and organic milk. I love how it was served in this little kettle with extra chocolate chips. It was flavourful and sweet, but the chocolate and milk were not mixed together very well. The first 1.5 cups were milky, but near the bottom of the kettle, the chocolate was much more concentrated and un-melted.

For my brunch dish, I ordered the cheesy jalapeño waffles, which were topped with mashed avocado, grilled cherry tomatoes, and two poached eggs. I was worried the waffles would be too spicy, since the waitress said they were quite spicy, but it turned out to be okay. I loved the generous scoop of avocado, since I haven’t had avo for a while, and the eggs were poached very nicely. The entire dish was fresh and flavourful, and it was sprinkled with some coarse salt that boosted the taste of everything. Overall, a solid brunch dish that I would recommend!

The table to my right savoured a slice of lemon sour cream pound cake with lemon curd, and it looked delicious. On top of that, my server talked about how much she loved this dessert. For those of you who have read my blog for a while now – you know that I’ve never been a fan of citrus desserts. In fact, I hate lemon. I think orange ruins chocolate. Grapefruit desserts should be called breakfast. I’m all about the nutty desserts. The chocolatey desserts. The richer, the more decadent, the creamier – the better. So, ordering this fresh and fruity LEMON dessert was out of character!

But it was good. Really good. Paired with that lemon curd, this slightly-warm, crumbly, buttery cake with blasts of flavour from the toasted walnuts, this was a fantastic way to end my meal.

“We noticed the lady to our right, munching on this cake and gushing about it,” the man beside me had mentioned, “so we had to order it, too. It’s just a ricochet of lemon pound cake.”

A couple days ago, I spent my morning at Corner Store Cafe. I’ve been to Corner Store Cafe a couple times before. Literally, a couple. The first time, I had a lamb flatbread and a smoothie. The second time, I enjoyed the polenta waffles with smoked salmon and a mug of chai. This time, the chai was calling my name again.

For my main dish, I knew I wanted the mushroom quesadillas. These quesadillas were filled with gorgonzola and stracciatella (Italian buffalo milk) cheese, sauteed mushrooms, and spinach. It was set on a bed of pumpkin puree, and topped with two fried eggs and pebre salsa. According to Wikipedia, pebre salsa is a Chilean condiment made of coriander, chopped onion, olive oil, garlic and ground or pureed spicy aji peppers. The dish was a blast of flavours and textures, incredibly filling, and I was in love with the cheesy centres and doughy tortilla.

For dessert, I wanted to try their daily special – a middle eastern fruit bread pudding topped with sliced fruit, and two scoops of orange marmalade ice cream. This was much bigger than I’d expected, and the giant slabs (yes, there were three slices) of bread were layered with figs, dates, raisins, and bananas.

Every bite was fruity and paired well with the zing of the ice cream. I liked how some parts of the fruit bread were crispy and caramelized, while the middles were creamy and pudding-like.

You can probably imagine, that after a mug of milk tea, a veggie-filled quesadilla with two eggs, and then a massive loaf of bread pudding with two scoops of ice cream – that I was very full. 🙂

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Photos of South Bank, Brisbane! Gotta do the touristy stuff here, too.

  • L: a dessert restaurant in South Bank that I want to try!
  • R: photo from the bathroom of Banneton Bakery that took me right back to my summer in Paris, France. I remember all of these stops, and miss Paris so much. Thinking about my time there always makes me happy – and simultaneously leaves me in disbelief. I can’t believe that the 16 year-old me took my younger sister to live in Paris for a month.

Another amazing brunch happened at Pearl Cafe. I’ve wanted to visit Pearl Cafe for ages, and it’s been at the top of my food bucket list for months. For some reason, I thought it would be far away, but it was only a 30-minute bus ride from home.

Here, I didn’t think twice before ordering the crepe, which was filled with fried egg and spinach. It was such an easy choice because the server told me that the crepe was her favourite item on the menu, and she eats it every single day after her shift. Can’t argue with that! The topping is saffron and radish, with fresh prawns and a zingy marinade. Honestly, a spectacular dish, and it was exceptionally tasty with freshly-cracked black pepper and a squeeze of lemon. I can see why Pearl Cafe is so popular!

For dessert… you guys. You guys.

“Tea cake”, to me, sounds boring. I just think of some plain old yeast bread, maybe studded with a couple raisins. Pearl Cafe’s tea cake, however, is on another level. This massive slice was buttery, had incredible crumb, and was loaded with caramelized rhubarb. Yes, caramelized rhubarb! Even better, there was a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. I devoured every crumb, as usual, and would eat this a million times. I’m already planning my next trip back to Pearl Cafe.

Back to the chai! I stole this paragraph from a popular Brisbane food and travel website called The Urban List:

There’s a lot of chat being thrown around by a bunch of heathens trying to tell me that flavoured sugar powder is a worthy substitute. Where’s the LOVE? Where’s the AUTHENTICITY? Nothing compares to the spicy aroma of a freshly brewed pot of proper chai; you feel that shit in your soul, and Brisbane’s got it on lock.

Couldn’t’ve (had to google how to spell that!) said it better.

Anyways, the award for the #1 chai I’ve had in Brisbane so far goes to… the Baker’s Arms! Their chai is a homemade blend, steeped in organic milk and honey. It was rich, had excellent tea flavour, and had subtle sweetness from the honey. I enjoyed this tea with a side of sunshine, before grabbing a tasty meal next door. My only complaint about this chai is that there wasn’t enough. I can’t wait to go back for this!

No, you aren’t having deja-vu; I posted about this incredible peanut butter hot chocolate on my last blog post. It was so good that I had to go back for another mug. Look at those chocolate shavings! That foamy milk! Those granules of sea salt!

Another place I’m dying to visit, and a quote that hit me yesterday. I haven’t been performing very well on a couple recent exams and essays, and surprisingly, don’t feel too discouraged. It’s a weird feeling because I feel like I should be angry or upset about the grades, but I’m not. Interestingly, I’m not in denial about it either… I’ve just accepted it and feel okay with it. I know I didn’t study as much as I normally do, and my grades reflected that, but I’m trying my best. I don’t know – it’s so strange!

Plus, most of my time has been going to – you guessed it – aerials. 😉 I revamped the page, by the way, so y’all should go check it out.

Couple other things – my friends and I are having lunch at Wordsmiths, a cafe on campus, tomorrow. I’ve starred all the items that I think would be delicious, but I haven’t decided which one I’m going to order. I’m leaning towards the soup of the day, depending what it is, but the baked ricotta (it has pumpkin in it!) and vegetable lasagna also sound delicious. Wish I could find photos for all of them, though.

And… I’m back to studying!

By that, I mean I am going to start now, though I should’ve started days ago.

Bye!

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Giant Chai Bowls, Deconstructed Desserts, and PB Hot Chocolate!

Hello! I was really tempted to start this post with ‘Chai there’, but… I resisted. Well, without further ado (this is such a weird word), I visited Three Monkeys Cafe yesterday. It’s described as the most atmospheric cafe in the city, and boasts the biggest mug bowl of chai.

According to The Urban List: “Where else can you get a tureen of chai at 9.30pm on a Wednesday night? When it comes to serving sizes, Three Monkeys knows what’s up. Their yawning bowls of chai have garnered such a rep that a recent stigma has developed towards anyone hoping to ‘nip in for a small one’. To be fair, Three Monkeys’ largest vessel is probably more than most people can handle, but chai addiction is as real as it is harmless and I’ve never known a fiend to hold back when that flagrant spice display hits the table.”

It was delicious, and a perfect serving size for me because I can never get enough chai. It came with a single packet of honey, which was perfect, but I think two packets would’ve made my sweet tooth even happier. Next time, I’ll come back for some of the cakes – I was bewildered by the number of cheesecakes, tiramisus (is this how you pluralize it?), mud cakes, and more. It was amazing. I’m actually very tempted to stand up, get dressed, and leave my house right now to go back to Three Monkeys.

After I spiced up my life with the chai (pun stolen from the Urban List), I went to Botanica! I talked about this place in my last blog post, so you all know already how much I love this place. Gluten-free treats, a massive variety of vegan salads, incredible quiche – everything made with fresh ingredients. If this place was any closer to my home, I’d be bankrupt.

I went for a walk yesterday to Brisbane’s awesome West End! When I leave Australia, I will really miss the beautiful river walks and early sunsets.

The river walk and the Go Between Bridge took me to the Boundary Street Markets! The markets run every Friday and Saturday evening, from 4:00 to 10:00 pm. There were about eight to ten stalls, all selling unique ethnic eats. Ones that stood out to me include a Malaysian satay vendor, an Italian waffle ice cream vendor, Dutch miniature pancakes, Korean barbecue, and Nepalese momos (steamed dumplings). I had dinner plans, so unfortunately I didn’t get to grab any of the treats.

Some funny things – a tweet I saw and a street sign that someone improved. 😉

On Monday morning, I felt like going for a nice walk. Since it’s getting cooler in Brisbane, to a much more comfortable weather, I love going for refreshing, sunny morning walks. One morning, I headed straight ti John Mills Himself, a trip I’d been looking forward to for so long. Finally, finally, I got my hot chocolate! They offered hot chocolate in every flavour imaginable, and you can choose between two levels of chocolatey-ness: milk chocolate or dark chocolate (70%). The lady behind the counter informed me that while the milk chocolate is sweeter, the dark chocolate is richer. Then, you add a shot of flavour! These are some of the flavours I remember:

  • lemongrass
  • bergamot (the citrus from earl grey tea)
  • chai
  • peanut butter
  • peppermint
  • lavender
  • rose petals
  • and about four or five more
 that I can’t remember! But don’t worry, I’ll be back to double check 😉

I originally came for the lavender, but was so tempted by the peppermint – and ended up choosing peanut butter. If I see peanut butter, anywhere on a menu, I need it! Next time, I want to try the peppermint or the lavender, though I’m sure the chai would taste wonderful with hot chocolate as well. In the end, my 70% chocolate peanut butter hot chocolate was topped with a heap of chocolate shavings, freshly-cracked sea salt, and
 it was divine. Honestly. From heaven.

Also, love the double-walled (is that what you call it?) cup.

Today, I felt… celebratory? For no reason. Why not? I celebrated my Tuesday morning by visiting the Gunshop Cafe, where I had a spectacular and memorable brunch. I’ve always loved the West End, an area of Brisbane which is known for hundreds of trendy and hip cafes and restaurants, but I hardly ever go there. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know why.

Well, I went! I finally went!

Thanks to this incredible picture on Instagram posted by the Gunshop Cafe, showing their famous gnocchi with blue cheese sauce and mushrooms. Doesn’t that look amazing?

I went for brunch, so the gnocchi wasn’t an option, but I was exhilarated to order the raisin and walnut toast, which was topped with – get this! – grilled camembert cheese, sautĂ©ed mushrooms, crispy sage, and red onion jam. Is this real life?

For dessert, the deconstructed carrot cake was calling my name. This came with a parsnip puree and a scoop of nutmeg gelato, garnished with carrot-coconut chips and walnut crumble. Even better, the carrot cake itself was warm! One of the dreamiest desserts I’ve enjoyed in a long time. It was also such a photogenic dish that I took a million photographs, and had a hard time narrowing it down to three images.

Some other little bits and pieces:

  • I had a chai latte from Merlo’s Coffee (on campus) this morning. Merlo’s, to me, is the Aussie version of Starbucks – they sell breakfast goods, plenty of drinks, and have snacks to-go. Their chai latte was mediocre: not hot enough, overly sweet, overpoweringly milky. I’m 99% sure that it was made with chai syrup rather than real spices (in other words, the chai latte didn’t even have tea in it). Thankfully, I got it for free because everyone who signs up for a Merlo’s card gets two free drinks!
  • I have the most serious internal debates when I’m trying to figure out which restaurant or cafe I want to go to!
  • In the suburb that I live, it’s so easy to go to the “busy part” of Brisbane, or the “downtown” area, by walking! It’s not a long walk, and there are plenty of water fountains, benches, flowers, and areas to rest along the way.

On Saturday evening, I had tickets to see a spectacular one-woman show called Invisible Things. Before the show, I chatted with some friends from aerials, and they recommended a different show to me. Kelsey and I share a lot of mutual friends, though I haven’t met her in person before, and I’ll probably pick up tickets for her one-woman show as well.

Invisible Things was created by Alex, who coached my old aerial straps instructor, Ben, and his partner, Maddy. Alex’s show was described by reviewers as an “emotionally-charged performance [that] journeys to an intimate inner world”. In the show, Alex fuses dance, theatre, and circus arts.

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According to the site, Alex designed the show to reflect on nearly two decades of her personal journals, where she battles with her identity, and the dark voices in her head. I’ve never met Alex personally, but I have heard incredible things about her athleticism and creativity. All my friends who saw the show before me told me about how the powerful storytelling and gorgeous hand balancing made up an amazing show. They were right! This was super cool. I was amazed by how one woman, without even using words, could captivate an audience for 45 minutes.

That’s all! I’m not sure if I have anything else to share with you guys today, so I suppose I will leave it at that. Wishing you all a wonderful last week of May!

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Seline’s first ice cream of 2018!

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Bites of Life and Things I’ve Been Loving!

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Good morning!

I really wish I had something interesting and thought-provoking to share with you this lovely Monday morning, but I really don’t.

It’s almost winter here in Australia, and the weather is getting noticeably cooler. Fortunately, I can still wear shorts and a t-shirt since we are around the mid-twenties for most of the day. This is my favourite kind of weather – warm and sunny, but not overwhelmingly hot. It’s such a comfortable temperature that I wish it could stay like this year-round.

On Mother’s Day, I had a lovely brunch with my landlords (husband and wife) and her daughter (my housemate). We savoured brunch at a cafe called CafĂ© 63 in New Farm. Their menu was very extensive, they had quick service, and it was great to sit out in the patio. I ordered the mashed avocado, multigrain toast, two poached eggs, and smoked salmon. I haven’t had avocado toast in quite a while, so this was incredible. The black pepper and lime juice took the flavours to the next level.

I’ve been neglecting my blog a little bit with only two posts in the last three weeks. It’s because my schoolwork is getting busier. Final exams begin at the start of June, so many of my exams are less than a month away. When I have a lot to do, I genuinely enjoy making to-do lists – the longer the better! – and feel so much satisfaction checking off the tasks.

I haven’t been taking many pictures of my food, mostly because I feel like I eat the same thing every day. It’s always a combination of store-bought salad from Botanica Real Food (check out their Instagram, seriously), alongside some homemade quiche or omelet, and sometimes fried halloumi or bread from the farmer’s market.

Broke my record for steps! In contrast to… sitting on my butt for hours at a time to study.

I love Brisbane! At night it becomes such a colourful, vibrant place when all the bridges light up and illuminate the water. I learned yesterday that swimming and rowing in the Brisbane River is highly advised against, because there are bull sharks in here!

After my term in Australia, then July and August, I will be moving back to Waterloo, this time with my sister! Seline was accepted into the University of Waterloo, so we are very excited about being able to live together. I’ve been choosing my courses, and we have been working together to find a nice and affordable place at a convenient location in Waterloo.

Now, for something completely unrelated to school and housing:

Here’s a list of my favourite side dish salad combinations, inspired by Botanica!

  • potato, peas, dill ⭐FAV
  • brown rice, squash
  • pumpkin with seeds and cumin hummus dressing
  • Israeli couscous with spinach, red onion, sweet potato, pesto dressing ⭐FAV
  • roasted cauliflower with dates and parsley ⭐FAV
  • shredded beet with orange and goat cheese, mint
  • purple cabbage with mayo
  • chickpea, spinach, carrot with creamy curry dressing
  • broccoli slaw with dried cranberries
  • carrot and quinoa
  • currant, quinoa, green/brown lentil, red onion, parsley, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, cabbage
  • roasted potato with capers, dill

My sister asked me for a list of foods rich in B12. Here you go, S!

Food sources of vitamin B12

Meat-based Vitamin B12-Rich Foods

  • fish
  • milk
  • red meat
  • eggs
  • fish (trout, salmon)
  • crab
  • cheese
  • chicken
  • oysters and clams
  • yogurt

Vegan Vitamin B12-Rich Foods

  • almonds
  • soy milk
  • carrots
  • papayas
  • squash
  • sweet potato
  • peppers
  • mangoes
  • avocado
  • melon
  • peaches
  • apricots

Now, for a little note on things that I’ve been loving recently:

  1. Cirque Physio, a website by physiotherapist and circus artist Dr. Jen Crane. She provides all kinds of excellent tips and tricks (that I get on FB!) about recovery, injury prevention, and healthy habits – all targeting aerialists and acrobats.
  2. Along those lines, I downloaded The Artist Athlete Podcast by Shannon McKenna. I’ve never been a big fan of podcasts, but her podcast has featured interviews and conversations with high-level performers, occupational therapists, riggers, and a variety of artists. Her voice is so easy to listen to, and she brings up some excellent points. One of my favourite episodes was one from May 7, where she spoke with Anton Belyakov, a professional hand balancer born into a circus family.

That’s pretty much all I have for today, but I’m going to some great cafes today and tomorrow, and an awesome show that I’m very excited about. Have a great day!

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