I thought that for once, I do a post that's not too #throwback. This is fresh off the camera! I saved a date on my phone's calendar today, and named it "Student Protest". Well, I wasn't sure what they were protesting about, but I thought I would go and check it out to see what it's like. I've never seen an organic, ground-up protest by a predominantly young crowd before, so something to be taken off the bucket list. It's really quite an eye-opening experience. Here are some pictures and I will caption some of it as we go along... (videos included)!

They gathered at the State Library. The official timing of the protests was at 2pm, but because I was still busy slurping up the remnants of my ramen somewhere in the city... I only reached fifteen minutes later. They were finishing up speeches in the field before the library, all the participants raring to go. Most of them are in clusters of different student societies of the various universities in Melbourne. The student politics is very active and vocal in Melbourne, especially in University of Melbourne where I'm doing a study exchange now. There is a Left Wing Socialist Club that raises awareness about the policies pushed by the Abbott government and how it affects different groups of people in the society negatively. They paste a lot of flyers around the university and it's impossible to miss their presence. I think it's healthy and encouraging to see university students participate in shaping politics as much of the policies affect their future. They also spend a greater deal of time in school to learn about policy-making and institutional discrimination to make more informed arguments.

In a nutshell: they are protesting against (1) Abbott's government's plans to slash education spending, and (2) the university fees deregulation bill. If the bill were to be passed, universities will then have the ability to set their own prices on the courses which will inevitably lead to increased education fees. 

They have very catchy cheers (they rhyme) to catch your attention. One of my favourites is, "Bullshit, come off it, our education is not for profit." They are not afraid to use profanities on politicians on the streets; that is their norm, I'm just being a political prude. One of the leaders even knew beatboxing and started to drop vocal beats to rev up the crowd to add a form of music to the cheers. Even their protests have so much artistic character... it's truly the cultural capital of Australia.

They stopped trams and traffic for a while by storming the streets too. Melbourne is a very laidback city, nobody really complains about such things nor find that it compromises productivity because they know it's important to get the message across. I overheard one middle-aged lady remarked, 

"This is good. This is true freedom of speech." 

Based on her accent, I can only deduce that she's Australian.

In a protest, it's important not to just look at the participants shouting the cheers and messages, but also the people surrounding the protesters. There were several people like me, brandishing their DSLRs, point and shoot cameras and phones to video or photograph the process. The leaders also shouted to broadcast this event on social media as much as we can. In this day and age, social media is a force to be reckon with in the political arena, it's no longer news. It's mandatory to create an online presence before you'll make a true impact.

In Melbourne, the police officers ride horses to patrol the area. Besides the few police officers in the front of the commotion, one highway patrol car trailed behind as well to ensure safety for all. Here are some videos of the situation:

I don't know how to edit videos (okay I admit I'm lazy to learn) so this is the most raw form of the video which I uploaded straight onto Youtube. This is a scene where the students just began leaving State Library and forming a giant snake of a crowd.

I regret not taking a video of the guy beatboxing. It was really quite cool. Initially I thought they were playing a song but it was only moments later I realized it was LIVE! It is the same guy who started shouting "When education is under attack what do we do? Stand up fight back!" at around 0:10.

This is the last video which I took. Some news team was covering the protest as well. This should be the clearest video I have of the entire procession. They paused at the junction of the traffic lights but the cars were already stopping for them to pass. As you can see, the demographics of the protestors are all very young and a good mix of men and women. And yes, facial hair is a big thing in Melbourne ;)

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"They can go ahead and whine for all they want, denial of what Mr LKY did for us. Shame on them!" and,  "Unfriend those unkind people who put unkind remarks"

(I promise to be as unoffensive but whatever, you know how no-offense works. By the way, a late disclaimer but: I do not refer to all Singaporeans.) 

A three-hour cycling session along Swan River - this must be the first time I'm actually cycling from Point A to Point B for purposes of transport rather than practising how to cycle. It feels like learning how to swim in a pool deeper than my height (next on the list to be conquered)! It's definitely a different way in which I've experienced the Swan River and not something I would have thought of doing. This is the route that we took:

We set off from Point Fraser Reserve and rode down the pink far line and back (Google says it's 14km! :o). There was a bike hire service available at Point Fraser Reserve. The fees came up to AUD19 per person in the end. Here is the official website. You can also choose to kayak... we saw a local pushing his own kayak into the Swan River and started paddling around.

This is what the Bike Hire shop looks like! It's quite far into the reserve, across the big carpark.

The bikes were really comfortable and low enough for my feet to touch the ground, it's very manageable for a beginner like me. It is very lightweight and you can also slip your waterbottle in a little metallic holder at the front.

It was such a bright and sunny day that day - I got sunburnt despite putting on sunblock (only once when I left the house, should have reapplied after two hours) and I still haven't recovered from it, leaving a very obvious tanline on my thigh. Sunglasses are an absolute must because the ground was reflecting so much light; I would not have been able to open my eyes without any shade.

Taking a mini rest at somewhere near the Bell Tower... to take some pictures and refill our water bottles at the portable water fillers.

Onto the road we go! I couldn't leave my hands off the handlebars and had to concentrate on keeping myself on the far left or I'll veer into the wrong lane with my rusty skills. It was generally a very comfortable route because we had a designated cycling path almost the whole way down (except for the Bell Tower area where there was some temporary construction).

I would be lying if I said there weren't times I thought I was about to ride into the water. The good part is that the water wasn't that deep... so even if I rode into it I guess I wouldn't drown.

This is a bronze sculpture called Eliza. The sign on her reads "Happy Birthday"! This statue is meant to commemorate the old Crawley Baths, a prominent Perth landmark. There are people who always wade through the waters to dress her up regularly.

The Eliza statue is within sight of the Blue Boat Shed, which is just about the most famous place in Perth. Everyone is telling me this is a must-go! So is it? I guess so, it's so perfect for photo-taking but other than that there is nothing going on. It's pretty much in the middle of nowhere along the trail and the wooden planks leading to the boat shed were also quite wobbly and unsteady to stand on - perhaps due to wear and tear of many tourists' visits. Surprisingly, there was almost nobody there, except for this man who wanted to take his graduation photos there in the gown and cap.

We went on our way and then finally stopped at the Matilda Bay Reserve across University of Western Australia for a picnic! The seagulls kept on coming towards us for food, but we gave them none of it. 

This was the road back to Point Fraser Reserve.. the return route was much smoother because I was getting the hang of it. These are some other sights that were spotted on the way back.

Hey there I see you're back here again. So was I, back at Kings Park for two consecutive days but I am totally not bored of it (read: first time here). But if you're tight on time, reach there with (at least) two hours to spare from 5pm because that's when the Lotterywest Federation Walkway closes to public access. It didn't occur to me that there would actually be opening hours for this nature park, but yes there are. It isn't very safe for you to be venturing around after dark anyway so yes, get there early.

I will never, ever be bored of this scene. It feels like a major resort place! If I lived nearby, I would seriously jog around here everyday. I don't exercise but this view is just too irresistible even for the absolute sloths.

I came back for this walkway! Gotta jump on it.

komorebi: sunlight filtering through the trees 

More bridges to fulfill your Alice in Wonderland dreams, or to scare that friend with acrophobia. Look at this bridge made of metal grills.

We spotted a little baby owl that was hardly moving! It looked like a soft toy perched on the tree branch. 

There is so much variety of flora and fauna, trust me I lost track of the interesting names at an early stage. But this was definitely the most memorable one: the bottle tree! We have these in Singapore too, but seeing it again, but in a different land feels extra special.

Channeling my inner Jane by scaling a climb-able tree for the first time in my life. I identify more with the city-life so...

Pretending to be lost in the wilderness again... but looking too happy for the part.

Documenting how I attempted to terrorize the ducks! They were totally unfazed by my running and only scuttle away gently. I ended up so breathless from the running but they plunge into the mini lake easily to escape from me.

Now I'm trying to become little mermaid while being splattered with water by the fountain and balancing on the rock... it's not an easy task, okay. But it felt good after being under the sun all day.

You can't go to Kings Park without basking in the sun for a bit, and rolling around in the grass.

Some more pictures on the way back... and this is undeniably one of my favourite shots with the trees all lined up to make a little canopy arch along the road.

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One of the attractions at Subiaco is their Subiaco Station street markets but they are only open during weekends and on Mondays from 9am - 5.30pm. It is literally next to the station. We missed out on the markets because we were there on a Wednesday. Subiaco is a very quiet town and mostly filled with people in transit.

We walked around the Subiaco area but there were nothing much except for regular neighbourhood shops. Then for dinner, we spotted one of the branches of Jus Burgers, one of the most eye-catching burger chains in Australia, right at Subiaco. This is a sign... so there we are, in the burger restaurant! I got the beef cheeseburger ($13) which turned out to be pretty good, it looked small but it was really quite filling.

I thought I have to give up on all Asian food, especially super authentic Asian desserts, for these few months but no... Icey Ice really serves the real deal, with a full bubble tea menu, along with mango king shaved ice, and a lot of flavoured shaved ice with the usual toppings as well. We had the matcha shaved milk ice with marshmellow jelly and red beans, which was easily the best I've tried anywhere (not a lot of places, just Taipei's and Singapore's). The shaved ice had distinctly strong matcha flavour and it wasn't diluted after a while because it wasn't melted ice and matcha but milk-based. It is such a simple tweak in ingredients but made a huge difference to the taste. Definitely a must-try as a dessert place if you drop by Perth!

Caversham Wildlife Park is still on my mind even two months after I left. I'm not the sort that is very into animals and wildlife, but I definitely grew to appreciate them so much more after this visit. So animal lovers and those looking for a up-close-and-personal experience with kangaroos and koalas, this is for you... this is one stop you have to make.

It was the peak of summer, we felt invincible so we trekked 2km under the blazing sun into Caversham Wildlife Park.. it was a different experience though, seeing a somewhat 'outback' forested area of Perth! But I would not recommend walking in - dial for the pickup mini bus from somewhere near the entrance of Whiteman Park.

Get off bus at Whiteman Park.

Let's begin the tour at Caversham Wildlife Park!

Grab a map at the start to tour the place strategically, especially incorporating the show timings that you don't want to miss! One of which is the Meet Wombat & Friends:

You can really get super close to the animals, including touching them (gently!) with the supervision of the park rangers. The park rangers are very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, so feel free to ask them any questions. There was not a lot of people in the wildlife park (well, just like the rest of Perth), so everyone really gets a chance to interact with all the animals without much waiting time.

The next amazing thing that I cannot forget: Meet the Koalas!

Converse with sleepy koalas and ask them about what they are dreaming about! This one is thinking about eucalyptus leaves.

Furry and huge koalas that actually move very fast once they are awake. They are all resting on shoulder-level branches, so everyone can get to see them very clearly. The koalas are obviously the most popular animal in Caversham with a whole area dedicated to them! There are many of them roaming around in a controlled environment. I didn't dare to touch them because they actually looked quite fierce when they are awake.

Next, we went into the Feed the Kangaroos zone!

Keep to the rules! There are feeding bins for you to grab food to attract the kangaroos, so you can literally have them eating out of your palm.

Some of them are asleep, but there are plenty of them - at least fifty hopping around or lazing around, you'll definitely have at least a few to entertain. They are very responsive to the food and will oblige for a selfie!

Visitors really have a lot of freedom to hang out with the kangaroos, I practically walked right into their habitat and sat right next to them. The wildlife park rangers come once in a while to check on us, or to answer our questions. It's really very relaxing and surreal to build friendships with kangaroos in here!

This kangaroo warming up to me... because I've been feeding it quite a bit. They will stop eating after a while, probably because they are already full.

We were there at perfect timing - one kangaroo was 'giving birth' to a joey! Do not touch the joeys or they will become hostile to protect their young. Kangaroos don't really 'give birth', joeys return to the pouch repeatedly after being 'popped' out, until they are truly ready for the adult world.

This white kangaroo just woke up, it must be hungry!

On the way to the Farm Show, I caught sight of a llama! She is called Snowy. Before seeing her in real life, all my impressions of llamas are all from cartoons and memes.

Right before this photo, she tried to chew my head/cap. Oh my goodness, such a naughty llama! I was standing too close to it and it could actually reach for me by extending her neck.

The farm show was extremely entertaining and I was so captivated throughout! I'm a city girl, so being initiated to all these farm activities is really new. The farm guy demonstrated how to shear a sheep in a complete whole wool piece. Sheep have a much higher pain tolerance than us humans, so it was not hurt in the process even though it looks quite rough. It trotted away afterwards, looking quite naked but happy. It was thick in the summer, so shedding the thick wool must be a relief!

One of the guys in the audience were invited to try cracking a whip. Not as easy as it looks!

The kids were also treated to a major surprise! The look of wonderment on their faces is priceless!

We also tried to milk a cow, which was surprisingly easy due to their clear and simple instructions. Everyone who wanted to try had a go.

We went to look at the sheep closer after the farm show, and touched its wool. It was great insulation and trapped a lot of heat, but that's not what they want in the summer. To see how thick the wool was, it was parted and about 15cm thick before I could feel its skin. It's quite an eye-opener. 

I enjoyed myself so much at Caversham Wildlife Park! So many things to do, so many first experiences that are so unforgettable. This is the last post for my Perth adventures! I will (finally!!) get on with my Melbourne travelogues from the next post onwards so see you!

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I'm back into beauty blogging for just one post after a long hiatus because I haven't had much of a major beauty haul or time to test out my new beauty products yet. I have a few more coming right up so look out for it. In this post I feature two favourite products out of the many other new ones I have because they are such great value performers.

1. NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil 0.04 Oz

An impulsive buy but I'm so not regretting it. I found this NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil 0.04 Oz for only AUD3.95 (~S$4.30) in a thrift store in town, and I'm doubling up as an eyebrow pencil and eyeliner so that I can get the exact same shade of brown I want to match my hair. One of my many pet peeves includes mismatching eyebrow-eyeliner-hair... it is worse than drawing asymmetrical eyebrows. Weak defense on those uneven brows, I will work on it next time. Anyway this is really good for a day-look out in school or just to the market for a very casual look, without looking like you just rolled out of bed. Nevermind if that is true or not... For that price, it's wickedly value-for-money. The exact shade I'm using is 914 Medium Brown. It's easy to use and very gentle on the skin.

2.  Korres Shea Butter Lip Balm

Those dry lips are definitely unacceptable by any standards. I've always had dry lips because I have the habit of licking them (thinking of too much good food all the time). They crack and bleed quite often, and it's really not a matter of drinking water. I need an extra heavy-duty lip balm to the work of moisturizing my lips. Korres does the trick beautifully. I have the Shea Butter Lip Balm, which is highly nutritious and pumps up my lips perfectly in the cold, blustery winds. It has no taste, and a faint shea butter fragrance (which is best described as a hybrid of a nature-herb-buttery smell). I would say this Korres Shea Butter Lip Balm goes into my March favourites instantly.

Woohoo! I have probably not been so excited about blogging about something for a long, long time but I'm finally onto Melbourne. You cannot imagine how incredibly backlogged I am, but that's also very much my fault because I really want to note down every bit of my exchange journey with you. As of now, I'm approximately two months behind... but anyway, I kickstart the chronologically-ordered travelogue with Melbourne's State Library, the most understated but gorgeous architecture Melbourne has to offer. Nobody ever said anything about Melbourne's State Library, so I thought, 'Oh, just a library. How amazing can it get?' Well, the library is here to prove me wrong. 

Set in the heart of CBD, the State Library is currently under some restoration works on the facade, making it even less impressive on the outside but trust me, it hides a huge secret that you should not miss. The State Library is my number one suggestion if you only have an hour (or less) to spare and can only visit one place.

The gentle giant of a building is both a museum and a library rolled into one, depicting more of Victoria's history of battlefields and gold rushes. It is a fantastic initiation to the Melbourne city for me, coming in with zero knowledge about Australia except about the great barrier reefs and the opera house on the East coast.

Take the stairs to look down upon the formation the tables are lined up in on the ground floor - it is a spectacular sight that has got tourists wide-eyed and jaw-dropped. For a while, I sat at the table nearest to the door where tourists enter from, and observed their astonished expressions. It was great fun and such a simple joy!

For those who hates stairs, there is also an elevator available to bring you to a certain height to look at this.

The library is very conducive for studying too - wide tables, quiet environment (except for the occasional tourist mumbling 'wah' under their breaths) and free Wifi.

They don't really have much novellas stocked up in here, but mostly parliamentary debates from decades ago. I read some of it and it was quite banal and unexciting. There are also some sociology texts but very limited in scope. Obviously this library is not built for actual studying (the local libraries, on the other hand, are immensely well-stocked with the latest novels - more on that soon!). 

You can lounge around and stare endlessly at the ceiling too.

A chess room is available with many chess sets for your playing. This is definitely a must-go if you drop by Melbourne's city centre area. The grass patch outside the library is also perfect for your grass-lying activities and watching street buskers sing. One of my favourite buskers is Ben Whiting - I actually stayed to listen to him sing non-stop for an hour. His voice is amazing and so riveting - so are the many other street performers in Melbourne. I am obviously in love with Melbourne at this point in time, yes.

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I share interesting episodes in life revolving around food, lifestyle, travel and inspirational ideas. If you would like to stay in touch, follow me on my Instagram on @spherepiece and Facebook page!

Need a new sparkle in your closet, need a new outfit for that event next Sunday? I feel you. My closet can be said to be ridiculously dismal now after excluding all my summer clothes (it is too cold for short-sleeves and rompers now) and I am repeating my outerwear so much, I'm not only a fashion disaster to others but I'm boring myself to tears! I need a closet revamp. Everyone needs to go for a shopping haul once in a while to keep yourself looking presentable and interesting. If your excuse is 'so much things to do, so little time', here, look through my online wishlist:

Summer bodies are made in winter, but in case you are not entirely trained for the beach yet, this Relleciga conservative one-piece suit with neon jungle prints (left) would take any mind off little bulges that could make you insecure. I know, food is glorious. If you can spend a little more, this neat little white suit with cute criss-cross details (right) is bound to make you the best-dressed on the beach. Oh yeah. Of course if I had the figure to pull it off, this floral design bikini which exudes summer fun (middle) will be my pick for sure.

I am obviously biased towards the baby-blue palette range. I'm especially drawn to this light blue scallop hem jacket (left) which gives off this very sleek and professional look. On a more casual occasion, channel Asian contemporary vibes on a beach holiday when you slip into this stunning Kendall kimono (middle) with navy fringe, outerwear really does not need to be boring ol' windbreakers. If you value comfort more than fashion, you will love this investment: a Dorothy Perkins lightweight hooded jacket (right). I love hooded jackets and they are essential for rainy seasons - completely substituting the hassle of umbrellas.

 

Little black dresses are essentials to a girl's wardrobe, but little white dresses are extremely versatile and are always ready to prep you for a whole day ahead. This lace-detailed swing dress (left) caught my eye immediately with its delicate floral lace pattern and high neckline which creates this sophisticated look. Look for something fun and flirty to boost your closet as well with this fit & flare dress (middle)! Note the cross-back detail that reveals a little skin but not too much. Moderation and tease is key in 2015. The final dress that I will feature marries both the sophistication of the little white dress with pops of color in this lovely midi dress - complete with side pockets (right).

All these selections are made from the Zalora online shopping website - you can find so much more with its easy navigation and clear categorizations. You can also shop for less by using a 15% Zalora discount code available online! 

All you all-day muggers and/or lazy bones out there, how would you like food delivered to your house? You don't have to change and get out of the house to hunt for food anymore... and nobody will judge you. I know, I have very lazy/busy days like these too and food delivery services are such a God-sent invention. It can get very expensive to keep eating in (well, you pay for them sending it straight to you) but you will be glad that there are some discounts available in case you are looking for this option.

Online food shopping has never been easier with Foodpanda! I've actually used Food Panda before (read all about it here), and so did my friends, during the finals mugging week and assignment submission week when we had no time to cook dinners. Studying is tiring and calorie-burning exercise, you need proper food to fuel yourself on. Hit this link for voucher codes (up to 30% off or $10 off depending on merchants) from Foodpanda. Apparently you can even order ramen from Foodpanda's latest merchant - Shin-Sapporo Miso Ramen! Slurp.

If you are looking to up the atas notch on your online food shopping experience, Room Service Singapore is likely to have exactly what you need, with even seafood paella and winchester pies on the menu. They are bound to make for lovely Instagram pictures too - time to make your friends green with envy as you munch luxuriously away during study week. Click this link for voucher codes (up to 15% off or $10 off depending on merchants) to save your wallet while you dine.

I haven't done beauty blogging for a long while now, but SampleStore has recently sent me the all-new My Beauty Diary Black Mask range, featuring an intriguing all-black facial mask with a special ingredient - Cosphingo. My Beauty Diary is my basic go-to weekly masks because they are always the most affordable, still pretty comfortable and effective for that extra moisture pump. My Beauty Diary Black Mask range features three exquisite variants - Black Obsidian Moisturizing, Black Rose Brightening and Black Pearl Total Effect Black Masks. This time, I'm trying out the My Beauty Diary Black Obsidian Moisturizing Black Mask!

Cosphingo has a long-lasting moisturizing property for improved hydration, enabling the skin to feel soft and supple like baby’s skin. This cotton sheet mask is made of high-quality fine and smooth cotton fibres from Japan, feels gentle on the skin, and its exceptional absorption ability allows the essences from the mask to be thoroughly absorbed by the skin, enhancing its skin care benefits. Free of harmful paraben preservatives, alcohol, mineral oil, pigments and fluorescent agents, these masks are safe for use on all skin types including sensitive skin.

Utilizing mystical black ingredients to help eliminate skin pigmentation, unevenness and loose skin caused by UV rays and environmental impurities, the deluxe Black Mask series helps to restore uneven skin tone, enhance skin elasticity, leaving your skin rejuvenated, deeply moisturized with dewy radiance.

Rich in trace elements and minerals that restores healthy skin, French Black Obsidian helps support the skin’s protective mechanism and enhances the skin’s hydrating power. The infusion of Laminaria digitata and sugar maple delivers intense hydration to the deep layers of skin to improve dry skin texture, revealing renewed and brighter skin. Enriched with numerous soothing ingredients like calendula officinalis, Licorice, and Ruscus aculeatus extracts to relieve dry, rough and irritated skin, the mask is also rich in Bladder wrack seaweed, aloe vera, and hydrolyzed Jojoba for improved hydration, allowing the skin to feel optimally nourished, revitalized with glowing luminosity. 

The mask is made up of conforming fabric with refined tailoring and texture characteristics. However, it can get a little too big and ill-fitting for small faces (yeay, #humblebrag). Well, better too big than too small anyway! The best part is that the mask is the first mask I've seen that offers an extension for my neck area to provide it the care that is often neglected.

Previously I felt like my skin was ravaged so bad by the harsh cold winds here, but luckily this mask came at the right time. I felt very refreshed and glowy afterwards, with an obvious increase in hydration levels. Go get yourself radiant and well-hydrated looking skin with a weekly boost: My Beauty Diary Black Obsidian Moisturizing Black Mask retails at $16.90/1 box (5pc). It is available in all major pharmacies and supermarkets from September 2014 onwards.

Readers benefits

Redeem a sample mask to discover the wonders of the Black Obsidian! From 20 April till 5 May, simply submit your entry here and we'll pick 2,000 lucky winners of a single-piece pack Black Obsidian Black Mask! Hurry and take part in the contest today, and all the best!

Melbourne has many prominent streets in its grid-like sprawling city centre. The most iconic one has to be Flinders Street. This 'ultimate walking guide' is created based on my own ventures up and down the city streets countless of times. It includes all of Flinders Street's most important stops and architecture you should look out for, not including the little lanes connecting to it., which are still important but not covered because this article will become too long!

As an inexperienced tourist when I first arrived, I couldn't decide what building the city was famous for... not as striking as Sydney's Opera House or Paris's Eiffel Tower, Melbourne's representative sits innocently and functionally in the middle of Flinders Street. This station is the largest, and still serves Melbourians till date. It's glitzy and pretty outside, but quite run-down on the inside. Still very worth it to walk through it (if you are not taking the train to tour around).

This cathedral welcomes all, religious or not! It is massively grand and comparable to the ones in Paris - not the magnificent Notre Dame but the slightly smaller ones. Walking inside always gives me a sense of serenity, especially sitting inside and just quietly observing everyone around. There is an epic giant organ inside and plays beautifully during service. Photography is strictly not allowed inside the cathedral, so all I have are these few sneaky shots.

Juxtapositioning the classic old English buildings against a very contemporary building of Federation Square, this had got to be one of the many awe-inspiring corners of the city that showcase its creativity in architecture. There is an area for events, gatherings (protests, lol), zumba sessions and basically a place for interaction and meetings.

In the distance towards South Melbourne, you may notice an octopus infiltrating a building! Don't be alarmed, that's the Arts Centre...

An elegant, timeless building - this is the Forum Theatre. I haven't been inside - I'd expect it to be more grand, but you will pass by this on the way to the most reputable graffiti lanes in the city centre...

Lose yourself in these staggering amounts of graffiti, some towering storeys above your head on the walls of these buildings. I'm amazed at how they manage to draw so high up, and so beautifully. All these are handicraft and sprayed on painstakingly. Good 2 Go cafe is also hidden in a literal hole-in-wall fashion, selling preloved clothing at super good bargains. You wouldn't notice it unless you looked really close!

Just down the bend, turn into ACDC lane which house some of the best restaurants in town. Take a spin inside and settle your meal here. Melbourians have a penchant for really strong flavours (saltier, sweeter than the local Singaporean palate), but more on that next time.

Stroll back towards the Yarra River for a scenic route and you've completed the Flinders Street's Highlights walking guide! I will be adding more to this series - including Bourke Street (and Little Bourke) and more for a comprehensive city walking guide. Have fun in Melbourne, the city I've grown to call my second home.

I haven't been doing much beauty products reviews these few months for some reasons... I've been constantly on the go for the past few weeks, coupled with bouts of bad complexion periods, and most of all, I haven't found any particular new products that I've been using that really did anything substantial at all. Nearly two weeks ago, I've embarked on a new skincare journey with award-winning Dermagold as part of my day-and-night beauty regime and in particular Dermagold's star product Miracle C+. This is a great challenge for the Miracle C+ to hold up because travelling, late nights spent rushing assignments and biting cold autumn winds have been really harsh on my skin lately. Read on to find out how it is helping me. If you are also facing similar skin problems and have yet to find your holy grail, this is probably it! [Reader benefits]

If you've been reading my study exchange travelogues, you would have found out that I'm in Melbourne right now. Contrary to the rest of the world, this southern hemisphere is saying goodbye to summer and entering a very windy autumn. Melbourne is also known for her erratic weather, the ability to let you experience four seasons in a day and sudden temperature drops or rises. This makes it very annoying to prepare what to wear, and of course, what type of skincare products to use.

My skin appears to be pretty alright from afar (everything looks perfect from faraway, right) especially with the use of makeup.

Lo and behold, with a closer look, under all that foundation, it is actually extremely dry. I actually never realized exactly how terrible it looks until I am editing this picture... the winds are really taking a toll on my face!

Dermagold sent me three of their best products after knowing the climate I am in and my skin type - one of which I headed straight for was the Miracle C+. Dermagold Miracle C+ is a silky smooth high performance concentrated 18% Vitamin C Ester serum. It serves as a flexible and versatile multi-functioning product with anti-oxidant, anti-age, anti-pigment, anti-inflammatory and anti-wrinkle properties. This little powerful bottle is formulated in a base of hyaluronic acid to boost, protect and restore skin, and beyond that, it also helps to balance oil.

It is very fuss-free to use and dispenses from a pump. Very lightweight and absorbs into the skin lovingly upon massage, the Dermagold Miracle C+ is to be used twice a day after cleanser and toner on the face, neck and decollete. It leaves zero sticky residue and my skin feel pumped up with moisture. It is perfect for combination-to-dry skin like mine, with no issues of oiliness or bumps from excessive moisturizing. I am so glad that it fits beautifully with my skin combination and helps my skin maintain tip-top condition now. I have no qualms about leaving the house without any makeup on now.

The Miracle C+ has also recently been crowned the Editor's Rave Face Serum from Simply Her Smart Shopper Great Skin Awards. Many women have experienced a great skin revoution to achieve the ideal skin complexion with Miracle C+, it could be your turn next... with discounts for this product! 

Quote “Amie Hu” to enjoy the specials (valid till 31st Aug):
Buy Dermagold Miracle Trio (Miracle C+, Skin Elixir and Hydra Recovery Gel) to enjoy 8% off.
Buy minimum 5 Dermagold products to enjoy 8% off.
Dermagold Miracle C+ $69/15ml
Dermagold Skin Elixir $128/30ml
Dermagold Hydra Recovery Gel $42/15ml

Where to buy?

Dermagold is currently stocked at Hadara Aesthetics Boutique – the 1st beauty boutique in Singapore to carry Dermagold skincare and facials.

Address

23 Lorong Telok #01-01, Singapore 049035

Contact number

+65 6969 3022 

Opening hours

Mon - Fri: 10am – 8pm

Sat: 10am – 2pm

Closed on Sun and PH

The depth and diversity of food scene in Singapore is something which surprises everybody. To feed a population of five million, Singapore has 20,000 eateries! This is a great testimony of the fact that food and outside dining is an integral part of the culture and lifestyle of Singaporeans. Singapore has a rich, multi cultural heritage. There are different varieties of cuisines in Singapore - Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai, Korean, Vietnamese and Mongolian plus local cuisine from Singapore. Peranakan and Nonya food are a mixture of foods from China, Malaysia and Indonesia. They are also an integral part of the local foods of Singapore.

Malaysian foods have a bigger say in the flavor of local cuisines of Singapore. It is also integrated deeply in the food culture, dining and lifestyle of the people staying in that region. So if you are searching for good Malaysian food restaurants in Singapore then you won’t be disappointed as there are countless of them. When the urge for Malaysian foods knocks you down all of a sudden, then search for any of these restaurants in your locality and sink deeper into the original flavor of Malaysian cuisines in Singapore. 

Straits Kitchen 

If you want to indulge deep into the buffet dinner of local delights in Singapore then Straits Kitchen at Grand Hyatt Hotel is the ideal place for you. It is a Halal certified buffet restaurant in Singapore which offers the best of local cuisines in a modern contemporary and upbeat setting. It offers an excellent choice of foods at good price. 

Sinar Pagi Nasi Padang 

Usually there is a long queue over at Sinar Pagi Nasi Padang - it is a very famous place for local cuisines in Singapore. You have to stand in the queue. Singaporeans are very strict about this. They don’t allow anyone to break the rules. Their dishes are always fresh with a sweet and sour flavor with a dash of spiciness. If the Nasi Padang isn’t spicy enough, it is not Nasi Padang!

Blue Ginger

Blue Ginger’s specialty lies in Chinese, Asian, Malaysian and Singaporean cuisines. It offers a perfect atmosphere for family dining. It is also popular for Peranakan cuisines. Don't miss thier Beef Rendang, Ayam Sambal Serai and Assam Puteh when you find yourself in Blue Ginger.

East Coast Lagoon Food Village 

While the true local foodie claims that there are plenty of dining enclaves around the island, the East Coast Lagoon Food Village is regarded as one of the best in Singapore. With a voracious spread of international cuisine selections, set yourself back some bucks and an appetite for some finger-licking delectable Malaysian food.

328 Katong Laksa 

This would be the answer if you were to ask anyone where you can find the best laksa in Singapore. There are plenty of close competitors, it really depends on what type of laksa (spicier or creamier, your call) you like because they all do it differently. 328 marries best of both worlds and might potentially err on the side of having more coconut flavour, but it never lets you down.

Another unique way of accessing the delicious foods of these restaurants is by ordering online. You can go on sites like Foodpanda, Roomservice.sg, Pizzahut, RedMart and Dominos and select restaurants that have been named above. They will deliver the foods ordered by your at your doorsteps. For offer and deals on restaurants food visit leading Singapore coupon website CouponzGuru.

As a (poor) study exchange student who has been in Melbourne for nearly two months, I have exercised my prowess in sniffing out the best deals around to save more dollars for traveling without depriving myself of a generally good standard of living everyday. I got my camel-shade of leather jacket for only AUD25, and a lot of other really great deals around. They said Melbourne is one of the most expensive (but very liveable) cities in the world but that's because they aren't looking at the right places. Although you might get more suggestions from a local, this is an original list from my own experience here. Time to be more frugal than ever:

6. University of Melbourne for free meals/ freebies

You will never starve to death in the University of Melbourne which provides a lot of free barbecue lunches on campus. Granted that you can't be eating barbecue lunches everyday, you will at least save a bit on lunch money occasionally if you're feeling financially tight. There are also frequent freebies giveaways right outside Union House and along South Lawn. If you love coffee, join the Coffee Appreciation for Enthusiasts at a small one-time fee of AUD5 for free weekly coffee around campus cafes (which are really good btw). The membership is literally my best buy in Melbourne because otherwise all my allowances will be going into coffee fund. I'm getting so much value for this membership. Many other clubs provide pretty frequent dinners as well with one-time membership fees of AUD10 or there-abouts which is a good deal if you will commit yourself to the club meetings... a good way to meet friends too!

7. My Chemist Warehouse for the cheapest local drugstore

If you are looking to buy that omnipresent Lucas Papaw, the magic price is AUD4.95 - anything more than that is a fleecehouse (hint: Melbourne Central pharmacy on level 1). The name to remember for toiletries is My Chemist Warehouse. They are not boasting when they plastered cheapest prices in town all over, they really are because I've scoured many other drugstores (including Priceline and other smaller names) to ensure that My Chemist Warehouse has the most competitive prices across many pills, bathroom essentials and the Lucas Papaw. So yes, grab your toiletries and assorted medicines here if you need to. They have plenty of outlets sprinkled across the entire city, the most annoying part is that they run out of stocks so quickly.

8. Arthur Daley's Clearance House for random cheap essentials

Think of Arthur Daley as the true Daiso of Melbourne. Nobody really knows of this place because the entrance looks pretty dodgy, but I got my foolscap paper stack and adult ponchos for AUD2 each (usual price for a similar size goes from AUD4 and above). I also got my NYX eyebrow pencil here at AUD3.95. There are plenty of kitchen essentials, party accessories, and simply random things that will come in handy eventually found here. A trip to this place is pretty much important for you to get a sense of how much things are priced at, so you don't end up paying too much for certain things. It is located at 33 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.

The gorgeous autumn glow is upon us as the Southern hemisphere eases into cooler temperatures. It's a feast for the eyes now - trees in Melbourne are majestic shades of amber, red and gold, making it best for long walks to admire at nature's work and photography! Where can you go to experience some of Melbourne's best autumn sights?

The Dandenong Ranges is home to some of the best parks and gardens where you can enjoy autumn sights with golden sunlight and mellow comforting atmospheres. You can do an autumn sightseeing together with the Puffing Billy Railway experience by getting to the Emerald Lake Park (alight Lakeside station) for a day of picnic and scuttling around carpets of fallen leaves. An abundance of maple leaves for you to collect as souvenirs at this lovely park. Paddleboating, fishing and duck observing are some other activities available. Don't miss out on Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens and Pirianda Gardens if you are in the Dandenongs region too.

Mount Macedon is another popular location to bask in glorious autumn colours! Forest Glade Gardens is a breathtaking, magical private landscaped garden with plenty of statues, gazebos, maple trees and fountains that is perfect for photo-taking. There is every shade of autumn here with a surprise at every turn. The peaceful aura in the gardens makes me feel like I never want to leave. The entrance fee is very reasonable considering the large span of gardens they have to maintain and for you to roam.

Besides endless natural sights, brilliant colours of red and orange look beautiful against a backdrop of European architectural buildings! Laze in the South Lawn or under a tree of blooming flowers and watch students mill about this campus. The gardening around the university oozes of effortless flair as they display little touches of golden tinge in the midst of evergreens. The university is your best bet if you don't have enough time to travel out of Melbourne.