Industrial design – agent evocateur

Tell & Kiss @Grey & Bliss

12 October 201212 October 2012 agent evocateur8 Comments

Knock knock pork hock! With the skies not so blue and the tingling promise of the weekend, where else could one find perfect happiness than Grey & Bliss on Bay Street?

Catchy name right? When I asked hostie with the mostie, Alex, what the g-o was with the cafe’s moniker, he revealed that they simply got lucky from a naming competition with their staff and suppliers, as well as their nearby neighbours. That’s pretty much how Grey & Bliss rolls, getting down with the locals to give them what they really want! Judging from how busy they are no matter what time of the day, they have certainly been getting heaps of love back in return!

The coffee is Five Senses and the mouthwatering menu is seasonal, with a fabulous focus on building strong relationships with artisan farmers. Alex explained that the cafe’s gastrophilosophy was all about the “farm to table experience”.

Owner Leigh must have been an industrial designer in his previous life – how clever are these light fittings! The Grey & Bliss team created the whole design concept, having previous experience with other venues in the heart of the CBD. The Bay Street locale is their first foray into the ‘burbs…

Copper feature — Chinoiserie with copper should always be seen…

I don’t know what I heart more – the chinoiserie pot or their copper lighting!

Even going to the bathroom is an artistic exploration #ninthwonder

Delicious details everywhere... — Delicious details everywhere…

Hostie Alex advised that they really wanted a space that was more than just a pretty face, somewhere where their customers felt at home and treated the cafe like it was their own lounge room…

Certainly wished my lounge was as pretty as this!

I spy with my little eye something beginning with T... — I spy with my little eye something beginning with T…

Flexible and inviting for girly get togethers, double dates or lovers lunch (If anyone is wondering I’m totes down for any excuse to go back here soon!)

Seriously, am I the only one who wants to channel this in my own home sweet home?

My photos seriously do not do Grey & Bliss justice! Everything is just soo adorable!

Exposed brickwork and unsealed concrete – match in material heaven or what?

I'm your biggest fan... — I’m your biggest fan…

Timber fans and reclaimed lighting #ecochic

Oh soy latte how do I love thee! Let me count the ways…

The Forestiere with free range green eggs poached, mushroom ragout, spinach truffle butter and shaved parmesan on brioche – my taste buds are still tingling!

Did it hurt when you fell out of heaven?

Hazelnut and cranberry meringue #mindblowing

Word out on the street is that Grey & Bliss will be staying open later in the coming months for some casual summer fun! Know where I’ll be for din dins ;)

Ciao for now luwow! Happy drooling xoxo

Grey & Bliss 03 9646 9989

197-199 Bay Street Port Melbourne

Open Mondays to Sundays 7:00-5:00pm

www.greyandbliss.com

Creative culture @Fringe Furniture

11 October 20128 September 2017 agent evocateur6 Comments

Missed me bubble tea? It’s been hella hectic with lots of exciting things happening at work and school… soo crazy that I almost forgot about Melbourne Fringe Furniture! The temporal theme this year is ‘You’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat: Bright Ideas, Simply Put’. Hmmm. Inspired by the movie classic Jaws (WT?) that I may or may not have actually watched ever, the focus is on the “simple expression of challenging concepts” (cue Jaws soundtrack!) Partnered with RMIT University, we can expect to see samples of sensational student work #woohoo

The exhibition is located this year in the angelic Abbotsford Convent. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like they are the ‘meh’ in mainstream whenever they are in the City of Yarra? Not jelly I swear, but damn those locals look sooo ridonculously cool with their lentil burgers and locally sourced organic wine #hipsteralert. But I digress. Anywho, if any of you get hopelessly lost like me, the gallery space is around the corner from the white building on your left when you enter the convent. When you see the sign in the photo above, keep going and turn left again! Please do not mind all those industrious looking peeps bumping in to film something (I knew I should have put my lashes on today *argh*)

Gotta love the splash on Pantone’s colour of the year ‘Tangerine Tango‘ to greet you upon arrival #tastytasty

#51 Spume by Jo Li & Mark Watson (18mm laminated board) 1500x2200x700mm

#7 I am a Liar by Byron Raleigh (mock solid timber door – MDF, Radiata Pine, CNC router cut lettering) 2040x820x35mm

Under the sea, under the sea, darling it’s better, down where it’s wetter, take it from me…

#50 Trap V2 by Graheme Mandelson (plywood) 40x50x1200mm

#36 Renaissance by Thomas Lentini (reclaimed Baltic pine floorboards, reclaimed hessian coffee sacks, reclaimed steel) 450x1400x450mm

Is anyone else thinking Coco Pops bling right now? #lightfittinglove

#43 Weave pendants by Edward Linacre (reclaimed timber veneers from an industrial waste bin, brass double cap rivets, steel fittings, light fixtures by Pakumba) 850/650x800mm or 800/600x600mm

We’re going, going, back, back, to Cali, Cali…

We are truly blessed in Melbourne with so much homegrown talent in our hood #3000represent

#34 Tree by Cachet (bamboo plywood, glass) 395x1542x522mm

Although we’ve come, to the end of the road…

#39 Rough diamond pendants by Jonathan Ben-Tovim (old copper coil from air conditioners, steel wire, fishing thread) 1200x860x800mm

Winner of ‘Lighting Design Award‘, this showstopper was definitely my pick of the bunch!

Make sure you put your riding boots on and trek over the Yarra as soon as you can, the exhibition is on 11-5pm until this Saturday – eeek!

Ciao for now, brown cow! Happy drooling xoxo

2012 Fringe Furniture @the Abbotsford Convent

1 St Heliers Street Abbotsford

Wednesday 26 September-Saturday 13 October 2012

http://fringefurniture.melbournefringe.com.au/upcoming-exhibitions/

Stop this instance @Tyranny of Distance

26 September 201229 September 2012 agent evocateur17 Comments

Oh haaai cherry pie! For those who are not familiar with this wonderful Windsor institution, you have been missing out! An oldie but a goodie, Tyranny of Distance has been providing locals and Swinburne students alike with fantabulous food and even better drinkies (from what I’ve heard!) since 2008. FYI, happy hour at the lubritorium is everyday between 5-7pm #you’rewelcome

Stage right is the entrance to their enclosed smoke free dining area that meshes Rio Carnivalesque colours with op shop treasures #didsomebodysaysamba

More finishes eye candy of the inside dining area! Owners Carlo and George commissioned several Melbourne artists for the fitout, with Melbourne jeweller and goldsmith Marcos Davidson leading the regime. The finished concept is almost gallery like in exhibiting artworked pieces that have been recycled, reclaimed and re-used.

It’s just so right…

The various vintage pieces throughout the venue gives homage to the site originally being a lube garage (for cars, silly!)

It's all in the deets — It’s all in the deets

Everything in the cafe feels like it has a super cool story to tell… Tyranny of Distance is like the Grandmaster Flash of eco-industria that is soo haute right now!

From raw metal beams to unpolished concrete floors, it’s like what I’ve always wanted my bachelorette pad to be… except for the bachelorette part! Oh, and did you know you can pretty much smoke everywhere on this side of the cafe ;)

Don't ruin the rotation — Don’t ruin the rotation

Seriously, this place totes floats my boat on aesthetics alone #suckerforaprettyface

Now that’s a totem of mass reconstruction!

These light fittings created from rustic old gas bottles kinds reminds me of those recycled LPG gas bottle fruit bowls from Industria X on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy – do you know which ones I mean?

A little birdie told me they get their bewdyful bouquets fresh everyday from Sarrucci on Chapel Street, Prahran…

A native flora by any other name… Does anyone (this is your cue landscape architects) know what this is?

Chair porn! Soo many choices, only one booty…

I find that I am developing a fetish for fine china in my old age #octagonsaucerforUFClovers

Today’s special was slow cooked lamb shoulder with confit garlic, spinach and pinenuts wrapped in their signature flatbread… how could I resist?

Damn girl, you must be tired because you've been running through my dreams all night long! — Damn girl, you must be tired because you’ve been running through my dreams all night long!

Homemade fruit salad crumble muff. That is all.

Ciao for now carabao. Happy drooling xoxo

Tyranny of Distance 03 9525 1005

147 Union Street Windsor VIC 3181

Open Mondays to Wednesdays 7:00-11:00pm; Thursdays 7:00-12:00am; Fridays 7:00-1:00am; Saturdays 8:00-1:00am; Sundays 8:00-12:00am (no rest for the wicked!)

www.tyrannyofdistance.com.au

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Feelin’ fine @Grand Designs

24 September 201229 September 2012 agent evocateur16 Comments

How do you do coochie boo? Had a wonderful weekend checking out Grand Design Live‘s inaugural Melbourne event at MCEC, where I soon realised that I still have not gotten over my thang for timber…

Check out all the amazing RMIT landscape architecture outdoor features located in the Grand Outdoors section…

Aren’t they stunning?

Promoted as a celebration and challenge to traditional design, the installation is “an exploration of aggregation in nature… what DO bees know?”

It’s a toss up for me between the pic above and the featured image for the post as my fave translation, what about you?

How charming are these bronze giant snails and birdbaths from Willie Wildlife Sculptures? All their delectable designs are made just down the (Great Ocean ) road in Ocean Grove…

I have been a massive fan of Who Did That since I snipered them at Design:Made:Trade over two years ago. 100% Tassie designed and made using eco-veneers, their Grandeliers lighting range is flat packed fabulous and sustainably sexy!

I am apparently not the only one who feels this way, with Who Did That recently winning the much coveted Maison et Objet ‘Les Découvertes’ award for their entire product range #CongratsLoz&James

Headed into the Grand Interiors section to check out another student exhibition called Rooms by Design, there was really much else that tickled my fancy! Created by third year interior designers-to-be from Whitehouse Institute of Design, the collaboration showcased the design brief of their three finalists. The image above and below is a study of personal space called ‘Zenith’ by Victoria Allan.

I wonder if the wooden bowl in the bottom middle shelf is from the Ifugao collection at H&H?

The image above and below are by Jordan Christodoulou‘s concept of organic technology called ‘Renewal’…

How clever are the floating shelves made out of books?

Last by no means least is ‘Meditation’ by Natasha Busbridge. Definitely my fave out of the three, although I do seem to be a sucker for bathrooms… does anyone else have a weird weakness for wet areas?

On a really awkward segue, guess who I ran into in this area? One of my fave designers, Adele Bates who has recently opened her own practice! As one of the Saturday Indesign insiders in Melbourne this year, the very talented specifier was also one of the mentors for the Whitehouse competition. What a woman #inspiration

My last stop for the day was local lovin’ Melbourne Movement. With the objective of making manufacturers, retailers and consumers become aware of the value of good design, the collective “promotes the design excellence of young Australian designers” (awww!) The image above are the Corporate Culture Design Pitch 2011 winning Monkey Pots by Adam Cornish, inspired by mid century classic toy ‘Barrel of Monkeys‘…

If you have not seen the Solaris clock by DIA member Tate Anson you have been missing out! The award winning accolades of the former RMIT Industrial Design student include the Colourways Industrial Design Graduate of the Year Award (GOTYA), Furnitex‘s ViViD Award in Best Student category and Indesign Award at Launch Pad.

As a long time lover of Melbourne design, I was pretty pleased to see so many home grown representatives at Grand Designs Live, my only wish that some were actually from Swinburne! The exhibition was by far the most inspiring and innovative that I have been to for awhile now (and trust me, I get around!)

Ciao for now carabao, happy drooling xoxo

Grand Designs Live Melbourne @MCEC

2 Clarendon Street Southwharf

Friday 21- Sunday 23 September 2012

http://www.granddesignslive.com.au/location/melbourne.aspx