[Taipei] The Sparkle Spa

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[Taipei] The Sparkle Spa

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Sparkle Spa

Address: 2/F No. 294, Section 1 Dunhua South Road, Taipei / 台北市大安區敦化南路一段294號2樓
Tel: (02) 2784-9883
Hours: 12:00~11:00pm
Website: www.thesparklespa.com
Price: [body treatment] 3,000~5,500 NTD
Visited on: 2012-01

When I was looking for information on day spas in Taipei, The Sparkle Spa – opened by Jeffrey Huang (黃立成) – caught my attention. This is apparently a favorite among celebrities in Taiwan due to its very private setting: hidden on the 2nd floor of a non-descriptive building on Dunhua South Road, you wouldn’t even notice it unless you are specifically looking for it. Let’s explore, shall we?

Upon entering Sparkle Spa, the spacious rest area made quite an impression. The design is modern yet comfortable, with sharp geometric lines softened by the combination of natural wood and olive green. It’s almost like entering a well-manicured forest.

At the reception, I was greeted by a therapy consultant, who led me through a brief questionnaire regarding my body condition and needs. She then presented 7 different blends of essential oils, each focusing on a different part of the body: heart, throat, stomach, head etc., from which I was to pick out one that I particularly fancied. So what are we in the mood for fixing today?

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[Melbourne] D.O.C. Pizza & Mozzarella Bar

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[Melbourne] D.O.C. Pizza & Mozzarella Bar

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D.O.C. Pizza & Mozzarella Bar

Add: 295 Drummond Street, Carlton, Melbourne VIC 3053
Tel: (03) 9347 2998
Hours: [Mon-Sat] 5:30pm-11pm [Sun] 12-10pm
Price: [entree] 13.50~23.50AUD [pizza] 14~24.50AUD [dessert] 8AUD
Visited on: 2012-04

D.O.C. Pizza & Mozzarella Bar is a simple place. The storefront is bare and the decor is minimal, but owner Tony Nicolini, who is apparently the granddaddy of artisan pizza in Melbourne, has struck the right cord with his brilliant pies. We arrived at 10pm on a weekday evening and the place was still boisterous, with customers filling up every table in the house and a swarm of Italian men in the kitchen busy shoving pizzas in and out of the oven. We knew we were at the right place.

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[Melbourne] Great Ocean Road

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[Melbourne] Great Ocean Road

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Yes yes, I know the Great Ocean Road is for tourists, but I am a tourist after all. We drove along the beautiful route, stopped randomly to marvel at the gorgeous blue, munched down some fish and chips with ginger beer, watched the sun set over the 12 apostles, then, when it’s completely dark, star-gazed in the fields next to a pack of cows (more details on this later..)

And yes, it was a wonderful, wonderful day.

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[Melbourne] Storm in a Teacup

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[Melbourne] Storm in a Teacup

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Storm in a Teacup

Add: 48A Smith St, Collingwood, Melbourne
Tel: (03) 9415 9593
Hours: [Tue-Wed] 10am-5pm [Thu-Sat] 10am-11pm [Sun] 11am-4pm
Website: www.storminateacup.com.au
Price: [tea] 3.50~8.00AUD [desserts] 3.50~7.50AUD
Visited on: 2012-04

“Tea drinking” wasn’t on my itinerary for Melbourne – I mean, this city is known for its thriving coffee culture, not tea brewing – but when we passed by Storm in a Teacup on a late afternoon, we were so drawn to its cute storefront that we just had to go in for a look…

It’s a small place, with no more than 10 seats at the bar and only 2 tables near the back. We sat ourselves down at the bar and began to peruse the extensive tea menu. Black tea, green tea, white tea from all corners of the globe: China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Hawaii, Australia, South Africa, Kenya, India and Sri Lanka. They’ve also got some modern twists, like bubble tea, frappes, and cocktails…and if you must, there are even a couple of filter coffee options from 5 Senses. But you are at a tea bar, so why not try the tea?

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[Melbourne] Fitzroy

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[Melbourne] Fitzroy

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Home to Melbourne’s bohemian set, the suburb of Fitzroy is a great mix of art galleries, studios and specialist bookshops. What you can do here: shop for vintage goods and local designer pieces, check-out street arts and commissioned wall murals, people watch, sip lattes, have dinner at a stylish restaurant, hang out at a bar till way after dark…We spent two whole afternoons here, mainly staying at Smith Street and Brunswick Street, and that wasn’t nearly enough time for us to explore the neighborhood!

There are vintage shops all over the neighborhood, but a good one to start with is Lost & Found Market on Smith Streets:

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[Melbourne] Hobba Coffee & Kitchen

Categories melbourne
[Melbourne] Hobba Coffee & Kitchen

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Hobba Coffee & Kitchen

Add: 428 Malvern Road, Prahran
Tel: (03) 9510 8336
Hours: [Mon-Sat] 7am~5pm [Sun] 8am~5pm
Webiste: hobba.com.au/Hobba
Price: 15~25 AUD/meal
Visited on: 2012-04

Through a string of serendipitous events, we arrived at the doorsteps of Hobba Coffee & Kitchen on a sunny late morning. We took a quick glance at this cafe, housed in a huge converted garage with an open-air design, lofty ceilings, bare bricks, and exposed wooden beams, and decided that this is a place to stay. As we eased ourselves into one of the wooden booths, I took note of its laid-back atmosphere, brought alive by friendly waitstaff and Melbourne’s early Autumn breeze. What’s on the brunch menu? Simple, comforting dishes made with fresh, local produce from “the most accomplished people in the industry”. Perfect, just what we were in the mood for.

First, flat white (3.80 AUD), latte (3.80 AUD), espresso (3.50 AUD), so smooth and aromatic, I was starting to think that it’s impossible to get a bad cup of coffee in Melbourne.

Here’s a friend’s fried egg, bubble & squeak, farmhouse slab bacon, roast tomato, brown butter hollandaise (16.50 AUD). What is “bubble & squeak”, you may ask? This traditional English dish, named after the sound made whilst cooking, is a mix of mashed potatoes and chopped cabbages (though carrots, peas, brussels sprouts or other vegetables can also be added), shallow-fried in a pan until browned at the sides. It’s that yellow thing is the second picture below, and it’s delicious. I was also very in love with the brown butter hollandaise, its creamy texture and nutty aroma made it a heavenly match with the crusty bread.

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[Melbourne] The Cullen

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[Melbourne] The Cullen

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The Cullen

Add: 164 Commercial Road  Prahran VIC 3181, Australia
Tel: (03) 9098 1555
Website: www.artserieshotels.com.au/cullen
Visited on: 2012-04

In Melbourne’s quirky and bohemian Prahan neighborhood sits The Cullen, a daring and unique hotel named after one of Australia’s most collected contemporary artists, Adam Cullen. From the architecture to the interior design of individual rooms, each part of the hotel has been influenced by Cullen’s famously controversial artwork. Its motto? Live fearlessly.

Here are the reception and foyer areas, both featuring some of Cullen’s original pieces. Upon checking-in, I was given a map that outlines some fun shops and restaurants in Prahan, which is a really fun neighborhood to explore. Just diagonal across from The Cullen is the vibrant Prahan Market (where Market Lane Coffee is), and Chapel Street (great for food and shopping) is only a few minutes away. Very charming.

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[Melbourne] Market Lane Coffee

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[Melbourne] Market Lane Coffee

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Market Lane Coffee

Add*: Shop 13, Prahran Market/163 Commercial Road  South Yarra VIC 3141, Australia
Tel: (03)9804 7434
Hours: 7/8am~4/5pm (depends on the day)
Website: www.marketlane.com.au
Price: 3.50~5.00AUD/coffee
Visited on: 2012-04

At Market Lane Coffee, there’s no skim milk, no decaf, and no tea (or hot chocolate or anything resembling a frappuccino for that matter). They only do one thing – coffee – and they do it well. Delicious, high-quality coffee are seasonally sourced, freshly roasted, and meticulously brewed here, and if you are interested in learning, the baristas will generously share stories on where the beans come from and how their journeys have influenced their taste. But really, even if you are not a coffee aficionado, you will like Market Lane Coffee for its bright, airy, ever so pleasant interior. This is a place to linger.

*Second location at Queen Victoria Market

To help you order, here’s a coffee diagram. Espresso or pour over? Lighter body or bigger body? Strong or smooth? No milk, dash of milk, 1/3 milk, or mostly milk? Simple enough :)

Market Lane Coffee only serves coffee that is in season, and the offerings change throughout the year to reflect that. Here’s a cup of flat white and a latte (both 4.00AUD) brewed from Rwanda Musasa beans, recommended to us by the coffee barista. Admittedly, I’m not so gifted in discerning coffee flavors, but this is what Rwanda Musasa beans should taste like: buttery mouthful with tropical fruits and notes of cherry and peach!

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[Melbourne] Friends of Mine

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[Melbourne] Friends of Mine

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Friends of Mine

Add: 506 Swan St, Richmond, Melbourne, VIC 3121
Tel: (03) 9428 7516
Hours: 8am~4pm
Website: www.friendsofmine.com.au
Price: 15~30AUD/meal
Visited on: 2012-04

Friends of Mine is bright and sunny like Van Gogh’s sunflowers. Nothing describes this breakfast and lunch cafe better than what’s written on its own website (which, by the way, has the lovely Java Jive as its background music so don’t forget to turn on your speakers): A place to meet, ponder over a glass of wine, read a great book, get your daily fix of caffeine, laugh with friends, devour a perfect hangover breaky, celebrate with a bottle of bubbles, sing songs if you want…or a place to just kick back and just “be”.

The decor is lovely, a mix of raw bricks, concrete floor, chalkboards, and industrial lighting. I perched on a cheery yellow stool by a large window pane, feeling sunnier than ever.

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[Melbourne] Max Brenner

Categories melbourne
[Melbourne] Max Brenner

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Max Brenner

Add*: Shop OE5, Central Shopping Centre, 300 La Trobe Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9662 4442
Hours: [Mon-Thu] 8am~10pm [Fri-Sat] 10am~12pm [Sun] 10am~10pm
Price: [drinks] 5.00~8.20AUD [desserts] 6.50~19.00AUD
Website: www.maxbrenner.com.au
Visited on: 2012-04

I’m actually not too crazy about chocolates and chocolate desserts (gasp, did I really just admit that?), but I still found myself standing at a Max Brenner boutique and utterly disoriented about what to order…Waffles drizzled with pure chocolate? Chocolate mountain cupcake? Chocolate pizza with a crunch? Chocolate souffle? Dreamy chocolate cloud? My gosh, life is tough.

*Various locations available. Check website for details.

But first, here’s a short blurb on Max Brenner. This popular chocolate boutique chain was founded in Israel (yes, Israel, not the U.S. and not Australia) in 1996 and now has stores in Israel, the U.S., Australia, Singapore, and the Philippines. What you can expect to find here: a wide range of chocolates, chocolate beverages, chocolate desserts, and other chocolate-related items – all in a warm interior colored in…chocolate.

At the recommendation of the staff, we ordered a Tutti-Frutti Waffle (14.00AUD/one, 18.50AUD/two) to share. What it is: warm belgian waffles drizzled with pure melted chocolate, served with ice-cream (choice of chocolate or vanilla), fresh strawberries, and bananas…a combination that’s hard to disappoint. Though the waffles were not as good as the ones I had in Seoul, they were satisfying and I imagine quite irresistible for those with a chocolate craving.

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