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Showing posts from October, 2015

Photos of Melanie Speaking

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What Mel Wants gets a revamp

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The blog What Mel Wants has now transformed into a sleek new look. The original blog was set up for a very different purpose. A new style was needed to reflect the minimalist professional digital trends of 2015. What Mel Wants was first created during a holiday with family at Lake Macquarie. I was bored. So I made a web site. That's what I do when I'm bored. I create things. Personal articles flowed through on everything in everyday life. If Seinfeld was the show about nothing, then this was the blog about 'nothing.' It was fun, leisurely, and deeply personal. Colours at the time reflected my more casual girly approach to life. Everything was emotive and suburban. A peachy pinky orange suited that purpose. But this blog needs to live on amongst my growing professional online work. What Mel Wants is still a strong vehicle to carry my own personal anecdotes. It complements neatly alongside two other web sites. Each has its own identity and audience. Ne

Eat from a shovel at The Potting Shed

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The Potting Shed , in Alexandria , is home to truly casual outdoor garden dishes. Brands are always shaped by their identities and offered experiences. Main dishes at the Potting Shed definitely tick the box of differentiation.  It's a twist on the normal pub format. Burger: check. Chips: check. Barbecue sauce: check. Shovel: hang on.  That's right. Plates, are like, so last year. It's a step further on the hipster trend.  It all started elsewhere with jars. Why just have raw food, when you can have raw glassware... Now it's possible to really feel how the food originated.  Whatever the purpose, it works. The shovel adds the an overall theme in a restaurant that actually runs in a shed.  Just beware the shovel wobbles a bit... 

Breakfast in a Martini Glass

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Breakfast in a Martini Glass Everything tastes better in a martini glass. Everyday foods feel extra glam in these balanced holders.  It's about more than the James Bond effect. Martini glasses show off the shiny sides of any treats.  It's easy to go beyond the normal clear classic glasses. Colourful glasses look extra showy.  Presentation is everything. Why wait until the next trip to the bar! There's no time like the present to feel that extra bit more sophisticated.   Yoghurt and Berries in a Martini Glass Layered yoghurt and strawberries go perfectly in martini glasses. There are very important reasons for this.  Firstly, it's easy to see all the layered foods all at once. So all the foods can be displayed in all their yumminess.  Secondly, it's served as chilled as any beverage. Taller glasses prevent people from warm tight grips like on normal glasses or bowls.  It's easy to just hold the neck of the glass instead, allowin

Hipster Breakfasts - Are they all they cracked up to be?

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Hipster breakfasts need to be selected carefully. It's worth checking if any hipster food is really the value being paid for. Yes, that's true for all foods. But there's an implied extraordinary value in these allegedly healthier foods. I tried a hipster muesli during a recent holiday. Sure, it was presumably healthy. But it wasn't extraordinary. The container was tiny. It was just a scoop of yoghurt, with a sprinkle of crumbs on top. And it definitely didn't break the fast. I ended up hungry afterwards, craving something solid like a muffin. Bigger portions are fine if they are light and nutritious. In hindsight, this muesli yoghurt could have been on the side of a big fruit salad. Or after some eggs and tomato on toast (my favourite). But it's not a meal on its own. The moral of the story is to be careful when trying hipster foods. They might look trendy and rustic. But they are not everything. 

Review: The Grounds Alexandria

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Sydney allows residents to be tourists in their own city. The Grounds , in Alexandria, is one of those gems which locals should hold as a treasure. It's a break from the high-density shopping and cookie-cutter cloned stores. It's unique. The Grounds is a small village of cafes, shops, and markets. It's like a normal shopping centre but with a twist. Although corridors are crowded on the weekends, there is a settled quiet buzz during the week days. Vibrant flowers fill barrels and boxes all along the foot paths. It's like an old fashioned town.    The Potting Shed is open early in the afternoon, across from the petting zoo. Although there are food options, a simple glass of wine does wonders on a hot Summer's day. The staff are attentive. Everything is themed. The bill is clipped to a gardening shovel at the end. Things are simple and casual. Although customers pay for the theme. It's worth the relaxation and fresh air.    There are definitely