lately.

i've been in melbourne for three months now!
time is moving both quickly and slowly at the same time.
i miss my friends back in brisbane but i am loving my new city.
i'm still searching for full time design work but until that comes, i'm having fun working part time and relaxing/exploring/creating.
i've finally gone back to the gym and after yoga this morning found myself feeling nice and zen, like i'm slowly finding my feet again.

anyway the posts have been slow around here as there's too much food to eat (read: gym to visit), sights to see and life to soak up.
thought i'd share a logo i just finished for a friend, nice and simple and me.

 

 

.

taco truck.

my new office.

that's right, i am a taco lady.

it's awesome but sadly the deep-fried potato taco is as delicious and diet-unfriendly as it sounds and i am addicteddddddd.

tonight we'll be at emily green and lucy hall's new scarf launch, which is very handy as i was planning on going anyway :)

.

melbourne food adventures.

Stolen from my other blog - vegawesome!

So I just got back from my bi-monthly Melbourne trip and it was amazing, as always.

The most vegan-friendly city in this country always ensures that we eat about six meals a day to cram as much goodness in as possible.

This visit was too short to explore and try some new eateries off my list (getting longer all the time) so we just stuck to the ol' faithfuls;

Bimbos

Cnr Brunswick Street and Rose Street, Fitzroy

1 x vegan pizza - pumpkin, pine nut, soy cheese, rosemary and olive oil

1 x mushroom pizza minus the cheese and plus garlic

Soulfood Cafe

273 Smith Street, Collingwood

1 x pot of AMAZING soy chai

1 x monster vegan breakfast - delicious sourdough grain toast, spinach, grilled spiced tomato, homemade hash brown balls, marinated mushrooms, tasty relish and THE MOST AMAZING SCRAMBLED TOFU I HAVE EVER HAD! It's filled with spices and caramelised onion. Not all shown as Jeff stole a lot of it on his plate as we shared this epic meal.

The Veggie Bar

380 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

1 x Crispy baked brown rice balls with satay sauce (holy CRAP these were amazing)

1 x Moroccan pizza with pumpkin, eggplant, olives, mushroom, onion, sesame seeds etc.

1 x portabello mushroom with a rich onion stew, melted soy cheese and quinoa topped with fresh salad

Lord of the Fries

Corner of Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street (also one in Flinders Street Station and one coming soon to Fitzroy!)

Over multiple visits we had;

1,000,000,000 x chips

1 x mini parma burger with napoli, vegan chicken, bacon and cheese

many x original burger - lettuce, mustard, pickles, vegan beef, cheese, mayo and onion

1 x hot dog with mustard, ketchup, pickles, onion and vegan sausage

Camy Shanghai Dumpling

25 Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne CBD

1 x serve of 20 steamed veggie dumplings

1 x serve of 20 pan fried veggie dumplings (both serves only $6.80ea - BARGAIN!)

Kitchen of Mai

Mai is my friend (and an amazing vegan baker) and does not have an address, sorry!

1 x orange and poppy seed cupcake

About half a cake of apple tea cake - SO. GOOD.

Melbourne - get in it.

.

melbourne.

melbourne was as amazing as every other visit.
i am back in the real world now and not happy about it.
turns out seeing pretty things, eating great food, seeing friends, shopping and sleeping in is way more fun than getting up early, going to the gym and working an uninspiring job.
boo!
here are my happy memories.

p.s yes these are all instagram photos, i am obsessed.
my account name is amylcupcake if you're also obsessed.

.

trip time.

i'm going to melbourne tomorrow!
have only been counting down for like, three months!
just went to the op down the road and scored two tops (shiny silver spots - hurrah!), a skirt (pretty floral delight), wallet, toiletries bag and mini sachel (for soundwave!) for $35.
i'm so ready for this trip, five days of awesomeness and then when i get back only eight weeks until i go down for good :)

hire me?

ok, big news.
i am finally doing it, i'm moving to melbourne!
it's been four years since my first visit and i've been down every six months since then.
these visits are no longer enough.
i'm doing something that i've never done in my whole life, taking a risk.
i have a very cosy life here in brisbane.
all my family are here, a huge group of amazing friends, a cute apartment, a well-paying full time design job and the list goes on.
in ten weeks i am moving down alone, with a car full of stuff and staying with a friend until i can secure a share house room.
then there's that whole issue of income.
this is my problem.
i am kind of FREAKING OUT about not having a job to fall into.
cue - leap of faith.

so, although i would love a design job i am being realistic and am aware of the fact that i'll probably end up doing anything i can to pay the bills.
so, i pretty rarely use this blog to communicate so personally, but it's worth a shot right?
if you are in melbourne and have a job/know of a job that will be available in ten weeks (or now really), hire me?
i can do design stuff, make totally awesome vegan treats, run errands, make lists, clean things, make coffee... sing and dance?
oh and i also need somewhere to live so all vacant share rooms, send my way!

ok?
cool, now i can say that i tried :)

p.s the strange picture is of me on australia day, post-hottest 100.
it pretty much sums up how happy i am about this move.

.

instagraming.

yes, i have joined the masses on instagram.
my name is amylcupcake.
i mostly photograph food and flowers, but who doesn't.

.

happy new year.

so i may have taken off with no goodbye, sorry about that!
my last two weeks of work last year were stupidly hectic then all of the sudden it was christmas and i made a huge effort to stay off the internet and try to soak up the real world.
of course this killed me, not doing my daily blog stalks and posting my pretty finds here.
anyway this year is full of big plans and expectations!
2011 was okay, i finally got my license and a car.
i also got to my first weight goal, a 30kg loss!
so, productive - but boring.
this is the year my friends, i am ready for it.
it's time for adventure and change and excitement.
time waits for no man!

this is my first find of the year, something i have been looking high and low for.
a lovely planner! (found via miss moss)
i will need one to organise all these grand ideas of course.
i spent weeks stalking horrible shopping centers for one that wasn't a hideous black leather blob but no win for me.
today i found the one and i am saying hello again to etsy, i have missed you.

.

vegawesome!

my friends and i started a new blog.
it's called vegawesome! and is all about vegan food finds and cruelty-free products.

it all started over talks about how many secret vegan things there are.
random stuff you would never think - like iced finger buns, nesquik and cottee's topping!
there are also cruelty-free products that aren't on the eco/green/boutique trend like radox body wash and face of australia make-up.
all my vegan friends and i were finding and sharing all these great non-typical finds.
so, the blog was born, i made a cute banner and we're off!
it will be updated when ever new things are found or great recipes need to be shared.

take a look and please comment or email if you have any secret vegan/cruelty-free finds so we can share it with all :)

.

here.

dear grey grid paper readers,
just letting you know that i am alive and i have compiled so much cool stuff to show you but work is hectic and home is internet'less.
so please stand by, i'll be back soon!
amy x

.

break.

i went on a tiny holiday break recently and thought i'd share a few nice pictures.
first stop was a little cabin on the beach near coffs harbour then we stayed in an awesome yurt (amazing canvas tent house thing) in the mountains of nimbin.
it was only a short trip but oh it was perfect.

.