Tori-ichi Restaurant

I have to blog about this before i forget - it was about 3 weeks ago that i went to eat here and it was only by chance!Was meant to go eat at Masuya's but with their 2 sittings, i missed out. I was catching up with some friends so was waiting on O'Connell St and stumbled across Tori-ichi Restaurant!Right next to Masuya, I decided to take a punt and try it out....and what luck!The most amazing carppacio, wagyu beef skewers, the freshest of sashimi and an extremely extensive list of sake.They have a tasting of 5 sake for $20! awesome :)Unfortunately being so new, they didn't have a dessert menu...

Poplin and Panache!

Ola ola!It's been forever since i've last blogged amidst travels and catching up to do in Sydney since i've been back for a month now - this is much overdue but this would appeal to you business peeps! Christmas is around the corner! order some for your friends. your boyfriends. your flat mates. Not even business peeps but just plain rockin' shirts that won't put a hole through your pocket.I've had a feel of the material. a try on even ;) comfy as! Girls, you'll love them if you want to want to steal them to wear on those Sunday mornings ;)Here's...

Quang makes the finals if Lev Vlassenko 2011

So I've been a bit slack on blog entries but I have wn excuse, I've been in Europe and currently London checking out this amazing city for the first time as an adult! Anyways, more about that later. Te more pressing news is that Quang Hong Luu, my dear friend has made it into the finals of the Lev avlassenko Piano Competition! I am so proud to have seen him grow as a Pianist for the past few years as he undertook studies in Australia at the international Cinservatorium of Music, Sydney. I was able to grab a few moments with him to ask him how he was preparing: 1. How did you feel your first round...

Hoang Pham in Recital (Melbourne)

A concert for all your melbournites or anyone who happens to be in the area on August 12th! Please come along for a divine evening of a Bach inspired concert by Australian Vietnamese concert pianist, Hoang Pham. Back from New York City, Hoang will present a solo recital in the beautiful Elisabeth Murdoch Hall. The program will consist of: Chopin 24 preludes (complete) Interval Bach D minor English Suite Liszt - Variations on a Theme of Bach A newly recorded cd with Master Performers Australia will also be available for sale on the night...

Little Red Pocket

Has it really been almost a month since my last post? That's absurd! I guess it's been busy busy busy bodies around here :)Spent the weekend in Melbourne for a few things including the opening weekend of the Little Red Pocket Cocktail Bar. You should TOTALLY check it out! Uber cool! Enjoy! With cocktail names like ginger ninja or geisha, you know there's an Asian invasion! Little Red Pocket at 422 Little Collins St opened up this week as a concept bar where you don't need to get up from your seat to order drinks anymore. Ipad2s stuck to your table...

Domingo & Katherine Jenkins lanyard? get out!

Well well well... seems like the classical artists are gracing stadiums even more frequently these days and people are up for not only the music anymore ... it's the experience and the add-ons. In hard economic times, value seems to come into the equation. Artists are trying by all means to find their angle to make the concert experience worthy of remembering - it's all the add-ons, the meet-and-greets, the merchandise. It's breaking down the barriers between audience and artist, none of this "i'm going to do a concert for you and disappear after...

Lang Lang is to Lady Gaga...

Lang Lang is to Lady Gaga as Alexander Gavrylyuk is to ... Christina Aguilera? It seems like these days, the freaks are getting freakier, trumping all and the rest are left trying to find that quirkiness to set them apart from the rest. Some succeed but most end up in a messy dribble.Having an impressive and firey 16-year old Gavrylyuk performance as the benchmark and with 10 years down the track of not having heard his playing much, I was very curious as to what Gavrylyuk had grown into. Gavrylyuk presented an aesthetically (on paper) pleasing...

Psssssttt...... Gossip Couture!

Pssst ... have you heard the latest rumour? Gossip Gossip Gossip is what women do best. But when it's Gossip and it's in reference to beautiful garments, NOW we're talking! Sick and tired of the brainless mass-produced clothes in malls and everyone looking like everyone else, I've gone rogue ... ha! My love for clothes has not and will never cease so i'm continually on the hunt for new pieces.... so coming across Gossip Couture on FashionTV one night, I set out to find this amazing gems and the brains behind it.Over the weekend, I had the lovely...

Melbourne Piano Trio Sydney Launch Concert

Moving people together....Melbourne Public Transport ... Most Paid Trio ... whatever you want M.P.T to stand for, I'm talking about The Melbourne Piano Trio. It's refreshing to see a new crop of young energetic musicians gracing our classical music scene with serious determination, high-spirits and a true passion for chamber music.The Trio of 26 year olds consist of cool-calm-collected Hoang Pham (piano), tiny-pocket-rocket Ji-Won Kim (violin) and friendly giant Chris Howlett (cello). Each have established themselves in their solo careers having...

be happy!

I like to think that I'm an optimist and see the glass as half full; to see the upside to every situation; to laugh off any unfortunate events that occur to me and say everything happens for a reason. But sometimes, you feel SO frickin' down and feel like you've hit an all time low. You ask yourself WHY this has happened to me? Me out of all people? I know the feeling, we've all been there but watching the news this morning as well as a few other things recently, I am assured once again there are MUCH MUCH worse things that could happen to me.Just look at the earthquakes in New Zealand, not once,...

my May favouritesss

Zoe Saldana in Armani Prive @ Cannes Festival 2011.ummm...like the cutest kid ever??Kiera Knightley looking amazing as usual.<3Cassius Eyewear - Lautner Havanaarriving in the mail soon :) worn by Lady Gaga, the BEPs, MGMT, Rihanna, NAS & Kanye West.Fav food: peanut butter & jellyReading: Water For Elephants ... still...Wishlist: Zoe Saldana's Armani Prive dressCurrent city: SydneyListening to: Lior - This Old LoveFav clothing item: Jigsaw thigh-high boots!Next destination: HCMC, VietnamMissing: warmth & sunshi...

Saigon to Dalat to Hanoi

This trip has been the trip where i've honestly travelled the most across Vietnam in a while. The last time i went to Dalat was probably about 6 years ago. Nothing has changed much - the market is still there, the roundabout is still there. People are much more shy. And it was much colder than HCMC, dramatically less humid. But beautiful. Really peaceful and somewhere where drinking a hot coffee in the frosty air reminds me of Melbourne.This afternoon, I head to Hanoi and everyone is telling me it's freezing. 8 degrees? That can't be right in Vietnam - but it is! I'm slightly scared of freezing...