Dance Classes @ DUTI Studios for a self professed "White Girl" dancer

You'd think a hike earlier in the day would convince me I'd done enough exercise for the whole week (that uphill hike back from Jingga pools though) but what trumped that day was my 2016 promise to finally try a dance class.

Yes, I thought about my future that could have been - as a finalist on America's SYTYCD.

Maybe it was the excitement of spontaneity, or that my hiking girls were also keen or maybe (slightly more accurate) it was my lifelong endeavor to move like a graceful human being.

Source: DUTI Studios

Pu-lease...What's the point of a body roll in isolation if you don't have a routine to go with it?

Anyways, we went to a JFH (Jazz/Funk/Hip Hop) class in a Newtown studio called DUTI Studios. It's only been running for 4 months and I could honestly say, walking through the door I almost squealed. 

 

You want to live the dancing dream? This tumblr-worthy studio definitely plays the part. New York-esque, all white, minimalistic with bright spotlights just like the backstage of a designer runway minus Donatella Versace.

Mathew the owner of the studio teaches the JFH and Jazz classes and he's amazeballs. Talking to him I could see how the interior design reflected his vision, the vibes he wanted to capture.

Uni students regularly frequent the studio with other classes including African, Contemporary Dance, Heels and Yoga.

 

The JFH class itself (for beginners) was really enjoyable! Time flew and my only regret is that my limbs decided to forget all learned coordination. It was challenging but left me so determined to move more fluid and freely!

Beginners like me rest easy:

- the routine is taught and practiced in nicely timed chunks
- the counting really helps you keep up to tempo
- any questions are totally welcome during the class
- you get group and individual feedback (the latter you can ask for)

 

Splitting into smaller groups to perform the routine in sync is that added push to move with flair. You're stuck in your own world and everything is a whirl!

The routine changes after two weeks! As for now I can't sleep easy tonight until I nail it!

Take a peek through the big black door and do something for yourself this year!

Follow them on Insta, Facey, YouTube and on their website!

MVPD
Xx



 

5 dessert spots for a late night (spontaneous?) cruise in Sydney

The mates you really need are the ones that will message you after 8 pm to pick you up for a cruise, dessert and chills. I mean, how else will you fuel your deep conversations till the early am? Real talk: they’ll also let you man the AUX cable!!

Source: Justdessertsau

Desserts are meant to be enjoyed in the ungodly hours encroaching midnight in my opinion. When having “sweet things at night [are supposed to] give you nightmares” said mum and dad in the youngin’ days when you totally allowed them to dress you in white Velcro runners.

Source: DreamsandSparkles

These places will not (I hope) let you down and if you’re anything like me I don’t usually settle for the ordinary. They’re also totally ‘parkable’ places so you don’t need to be a stunt driver squeezing into nooks and crannies.
 If you’re only here to get chocolate ice cream, by all means do but you’ll be dead to me (well that escalated fast).

Enjoy!1. Pagoto Gelato & Waffle House.
Note to self: always trust a place that actually calls itself a Waffle House. Pagoto has endless Greek inspired flavours complete with weird and wonderful names. You have your pastry and sweets infused in the ice cream and it’s amazing! Cue in friend so you can share flavours and get a wider taste! Don’t ask me what’s in it but I totally recommend: Mastiha and Cinnamon, Visino and Karidopita.

301 Victoria Rd, Marrickville

Source: Kindlyyours

Source: Local News P

2. Pie Tin (Thurs, Fri, Sat – close 10pm)
If you’re feeling really adventurous(and haven’t had dinner) have savoury pie  and a dessert pie to finish. Not many places can satisfy the “sweet pie craving” which is a nice change from the usual ice cream.  There are pies to satisfy you caramel, chocolate, nutty, lemony cravings (not necessarily all in the one pie of course!). Recommendation:  “Noelines” Triple Choc

1a Brown St, Newtown

Source: Goodfood

Source:Broadsheet

3. Cheeky Chocolate.
This definitely won’t let you down in the decadent dessert cakes department! You can totally order from the menu or come and pick your poison at the cakes counter! They also have this dimly lit, older century, clandestine interior going on so you can sit on velvet chairs! Recommendation: Newbie (you get the best of three worlds – salted caramel, dark & white choc mousse) and The Raspberry Choc Meringue Tart!

11 George Street, North Strathfield

Source: the girls who ate the world

Source: Not quite Nigella

4. Oliver Brown Belgian Chocolate Cafe.
Just get any menu item with their “crunchy balls”- I assure you that’s all you need!! Their waffles are also the bomb digitty. Crispy on the outside as it should be!
Recommendation: Crunchy Balls Hot Choc, Banana Split with crunchy balls (see a trend here :P)

Source: The Food Diary Syd

Source: Foodporn

5. Bay Vista Desserts
This one you definitely need a mate to help out because portions are very filling! You don’t want to cripple yourself with a dessert coma! Pop this one on the list if you’re down for an ocean drive and/or can’t decide what kind of dessert. Cakes, pancakes/waffles, scrolls, ice cream bowls and drinks dilemma sorted! Recommendation: “The Original” Mortal Sin (this title has never felt so real!)

183 The Grand Parade, Brighton-Le-Sands

Source: Bay Vista

Source: Bay Vista

Go for your life
MVPD xox

The Freakshow @ Canberra // Review

Milkshakes that   Bringin' all the boys to Canberra (yes, it's better than yours).
No doubt you've heard of Pâtissez. Hailing from Canberra, this cafe is only in its early infancy yet is offerings are attracting masses especially for its notorious crew of "Freakshows." The fitting name encompasses a selection of four milk shakes with which some traditional sense of the word 'milkshake' has gone missing or rather been mutated into something much, much, much, much, did I mention much? More. 

And the story goes; 


Thankfully I've managed to resurrect after a forcing myself to finish what I started... and that was a Vanilla Shake. Not gonna lie, or sugar coat it (because gezee literally why would you?) it gave me a cavity just by laying my eyes on it. Whoa son, you are not my garden variety species of milkshake are ya? Ok, so naievely me and my five compatriots had arrived at 8am on the dot because we were petrified by the potential line that would ensue at about 10ish when we left. Another possible reason why was that we had determined early last night that this would be the ultimate hang over cure. Like any other curious establishment (including that of NASA) we embarked on an experiment.


Ok so 8am we arrive. Ready to conquer and tell our grandkids. Pace through our Instagram filters to the optimum effect. Put about an hour and a half on the car ticket (cos we mean business). The waitstaff tells us that their full...... BUT kindly put us on the waiting list, telling us that the wait is usually 45-60 mins long. Not to be discouraged we accept a minor defeat and fall back to the small alleys of the area, finding a niche little Italian restaurant to settle down in. 15 mins in we get a call telling us that our table awaits...... BUT MY POACHED EGGS ON HOMEMADE TOAST WAS YET TO BE ORDERED. (I panicked) But again, the lovely people at Patizezz pulled through and promised to keep our table until we called about 10 mins away.

I chowed my eggs. (much regret)

We return and are seated in the corner of the cafe. (Prime Insta location to capture interior) We order 3 Muddy Pots, 1 Nutella & Salty Pretzel and a French Vanilla (which I asked the lady to make my life decision on my behalf to order for me).

      

About 20 mins later we get agitated, no drinks yet.
Then again this is not your average.

Then they all come out and as the lady distributed the mason jars, the two straws per serving was a sure sign that we had made a mistake ordering one each. Although the novelty of two straws was something I always associated with childhood, this was a code red. (que nervous laughter x 5 friends & x1 waitstaff). Here comes the devolution of sanity.



*******REVIEWS:
Muddy Pot- Brownie and House Made Marshmallow, surprisingly delicate and not too rich drink, I think its the cream and brownie that makes it rich.
French Vanilla- House Made Marshmallow, cream is sweet and flavoursome, the drink is very vanilla-y you can literally see the vanilla pods through out, great and refreshing but you can kind of tire of the flavour after a while.
Nutella & Salty Pretzel- Probably the best one I tried (v. envious of my friend) its like anything salted caramel, a sweetness then a pleasant taste of salt, also you may want to protect your pretzels from your dining associates.

5 mins in:
Everyone has satisfactory cemented their impending experience on Snapchat, Fb, Insta, twitter (?).

10 mins in:
Toppings are attempted

20 mins in:
A Muddy Pot pilgrim starts feeling the heat and opts out. (1/6 complete, absolutely tragic, she will be missed)

30 mins in:
Nutella & Salty Pretzels breaks through the topping and finally starts the sipping

40 mins in:
There was only two left. A Muddy Pot and me (Vanilla)

Second Muddy Pot made a valiant effort (1/2 way), Nutella & Salted Pretzel threw in the towel at about the same time (just 1/2).

50 mins in:
The whole "I'll do ___________ for the next full minute" occurs, obviously a distraction technique.

60 mins in:
Hollow slurping noise throws into sharp relief that one has defied all obstacles to finish. It was not me. Not yet.

65 mins in:
Not to be discouraged, a break through occurs, I've done it. Someone mentions that this was probably as arduous if not more than a final high school exam.

70 mins in:
Two victors servant their triumphs with hearts as heavy as their current body mass. Bliss, euphoria mixes violently with self-loathing and the urge to get on a treadmill.

  

OTHERWISE what a fabulous experience. I imagine I could only say that retrospectively. This no doubt will help the capital's economy. The cafe was buzzing even on the Friday morning we came, the staff were empathetic and efficient. There even was a camera crew there filming the place and obviously putting the bloated walruses outside of the frame (well played). Although we didnt get to try any of the other offerings in the cafe, we picked up a red velvet on the way home for a compatriot that went a little too hard the night before.

Pro-tips:
#1 Its a bit hard to look for but if you spot a crowd, your in the right place.
#2 Bring a mate that does not back wash.  


Pâtissez, 21 Bougainville, Griffin, ACT

I’m in love with the Coco .... whip!

Ice cream, gelato, frozen yoghurt move over cause I’m feeling like some soft serve!
I never knew Sandhana’s Kitchen in Enmore served this until a friend was literally fangirling to me about it. The only words I caught were “refined sugar free”, “gluten free” and “topped with superfood caramel slice”. Pretty much all the words I needed to hear before we popped in for our no-refined-sugar hit!  

 

I don’t know about you but the phrase “flavour bomb” pretty much wins me over (whatever it is) and it was so hard to choose which topping to grace our cocowhip! How do you choose between toppings which are organic, raw, vegan and refined sugar free! We got ours twisted with SK cacao and coconut and in typical soft serve fashion began melting before our eyes (and camera lens). Sorry Tim Tams because we opted for the Salted Caramel and Wagon Wheels Sundaes.
You can't go wrong with any choice really! The topping in all its healthy goodness can taste a little strange to begin with but goes so well with the cocowhip (wow the raspberry jam on the wagon wheels sundae)!

Sandhana's sure knows how to make you feel good after eating dessert!
This is dessert done guilt free so what are you waiting for?

MVPD xx






 

Vietnamese food that isn't PHO?!

Let's get a little cultural and adventurous. When you say Vietnamese food. We say Cabramatta and Canley Heights. We're not always keen to head in the westerly direction but you'll be kidding yourself if you think you're enjoying authentic Vietnamese cuisine in the city (there are few exceptions)! This could be the next road trip with friends!

As suggested by mum, we paid a little visit to Huong Xua on 208 Canley Vale Road for a slightly different kind of Viet food.

The restaurant specializes in dishes with Oc which is Vietnamese for sea snails! A little French vibe oui? Well that made ordering a tad easier - just order the specialty.

And the reason we wanted to share this food outing was to show that there's more to Vietnamese cuisine than good ol' Pho soup and noodles! We're not hating on the Pho (we couldn't flick past it on the menu) but we just wanted to show something new. Pho we will save for another day don't you worry!

We ordered Bun Oc (pronun. Booo-m Op), not in the soup for but as dry form (you can choose between the two) which came with vermicelli noodles and bowl of soul with the sea snails to dip with a side salad. Everything tasted fresh and light - it was really satisfying. 

We also called for pork Hu Tieu (pronun. Who Teew) in soup form (thin flat glass noodles in pork broth) which the noodle was just a little chewy just as it should be and the broth was light but deep in flavour at the same time!

Here’s a little step by step on how to eat your Bun Oc (kind of like Oreo - dip and enjoy!):

How else do you end a Vietnamese dinner out than with the traditional dessert Che! We only had to cross the road before we were seated outside with our orders taken. There was simply only one choice on our minds: Che Thai

I'm not sure about the English translation but I can tell you what's in it: cubed fruit salad, agar jelly, mung bean, durian, lycée, sweet coconut milk and topped with shaved ice

Usually durian is too hard core for me but I can always manage it here only for some reason! Che Thai is always a personal fav of mine (I’m not even sure how it gets the ‘Thai’ in its name – just don’t take it too literally) and here is the best cafe I’ve had it at.

We were beaming inside by the end of the night – such great Vietnamese food to explore all the time even for us Viet sistas.Until next time!MVPD

Magnums at Westfield

We already have the problem of choosing which magnum to get from the ice cream vault at the beach or supermarket but making your own magnum is a new level CRISIS.

If you feel like ice cream on the paddle pop unlike your Gelatissimo, Copenhagen or Baskin and Robbins or if you're just a chocoholic like everyone else, than a visit to the Pop Up Magnum is just what you need. CRISIS almost averted.

Don't worry - Not all for me
Maybe your magnum reflects your personality?
Tray included because a mess is inevitable!

My friends said mine was more photogenic but hey lets not discriminate Magnums!
I had a dark choc shell topped with some rose petals, pistachios, hazelnuts and dried
strawberries! ($8)

We went to the one in Sydney Westfield which is sadly gone now (as of October last year) but its still worth a mention to get you excited next time its in town!

You choose the "base", chocolate shell and toppings and watch it all come together before you - it looks like an art form! It was so hard to choose which 3-4 toppings to bedazzle your magnum, this was the real CRISIS.

How do you say no? Or more like "How do I take the first bite?" But needless to say,  I was feeling pretty sick and very full one magnum later  and probably couldn't even look at one for another 6 months. That's probably just me but I still thoroughly enjoyed the first few bites!

Definitely keep an eye and ear out for whispers on the winds of the next pop up store!


MVPD

Yum Cha 101

Another stray away from the usual cafe lunch scene is a trip to Chinatown for some authentic yum cha with a group of friends.
Yum cha is just one of those things you just need to try (a food adventure and catch up all in one!) so hopefully I can tempt you to book a date soon!

I recently went to The Marigold in Haymarket Chinatown to rekindle my love for yum cha with some snaps to share of my fav dishes (and also the newbies I've discovered!).

Lightly fried steamed rice rolls with satay sauce
This was new to me, not my cup of tea as much as I tried.

Siew Mai (p. seeeew my)
The pork mince is stuffed in wonton sheet is my #2

When we could, yum cha was our every-now-and-then Sunday brunch treat (we began on the baby high chair) to wind down with the family, sipping on our bubble milk teas that we bought on the same street! But with a group of friends you feel more adventurous and dare to try more strange dishes.

Seafood Spring rolls
They come with any filling, you just have to
inquire.
Not my go-to dish since mum makes
 the best ones at home :)

Banh Cuon (viet title)
We always request these steamed rice  rolls/cake
with prawn. These can also come with
BBQ pork :O Served with Vietnamese
fish sauce is delish!

I always appreciate a friend who knows how to order their yum cha! It's been great for broadening my yum cha experience!

Your classic steamed pork bun - enough said

These egg tarts are always too much on the eggy side
for my liking but they're so popular

Some other dishes that went too fast I couldn't take a picture of were the Prawn Dumpling and Deep Fried Taro Puffs!

Deep fried taro puffs with duck filling
A bit strange when you bite and see purple (taro)
but nice anyways!

Ha Cao (prawn dumplings)
My #1 go-to yum cha dish

Equally as important as the dishes are the condiment sauces! Its best to eat with the sauce served specially with the dish but don't be afraid to add a little dollop of chilli sauce to be really authentic!

Mango pancakes are the best way to finish yum cha!
The pancake is filled with light Creme and chopped mango!
The mangoes are always the just right - sweet, never sour like the supermarkets!

I definitely left the restaurant in a good mood!
If you're feeling a little empty right now, chances are you're missing a little yum cha in your life!

MVPD xx