New Melbourne Loves

Melbourne can surprise you. I love that in the most unassuming places, you can sometimes find the most incredible things.

My boyfriend and I have driven past Miinot Gelato on Melville Road at least a million times on the way to his parents’ house. We’ve seen a line of people out the door to get into this place and have always said that we’d try it out one day. After a recommendation from his best friend who basically told us that we needed to go there ASAP, we drove straight there that very day. It definitely did not disappoint. Greeted with a smile the minute we walked in, we sampled a few flavours before selecting a 1.5L tub of Tiramisu, Pumpkin Cookie and Mango. All three flavours went down a treat for dessert at our family dinner so we’ll be racing to Miinot the next time the sun is out!
With a day off work today, I felt like exploring the CBD for a few hours. Back in my undergraduate years, I’d opt to walk to university from Flinders St Station (about a 20 minute or so walk) to soak up the atmosphere – the street buskers, the sounds of trams and the general hustle and bustle of the city. Today I walked through a number of arcades and stumbled across (NO) Concept Store (Shop 63, Capitol Arcade Basement).
Minimalist and unique pieces were carefully placed around the store. I was particularly drawn to two shirts for my boyfriend and I which I will feature on my blog and Instagram (@spendyhabits) soon. The staff were both absolutely lovely. Another place I’ll be visiting again soon for some timeless pieces.
Have any places made your Melbourne Loves List recently?

Until next time,
– Spendy Habits

Floral Vibes & Healthy Times

It has been 3 weeks since my last clothing/shoe purchase. That might sound like absolutely no time at all to some, but for a shopaholic like myself, it’s a small but steady amount of progress in the right direction.

I’ve been feeling the floral vibes this month, as well as a lot of colour. I think I may have had my winter black on black on black ensemble on repeat for the past few months, so it actually feels good to wear a bit of colour to liven up an outfit. I opted for a spring floral dress for a Saturday balmy night with some nude heels for a friend’s birthday at the incredibly cool Dr Morse in Abbotsford, Melbourne. I highly recommend their Espresso Martinis – so delicious!

Dress by Portmans. Heels by Wittner. 

I had never stepped into a gym until a few years ago. The very thought of the gym and people watching me workout completely made me feel uneasy. Thanks to a fast metabolism, I have been fortunate to always be in a healthy weight range with minimal effort in monitoring my diet, but have always known that my fitness has been below average. This year I have made more of a conscious effort to exercise more and eat healthier with varying degrees of success. I’m definitely stronger and can lift weights that once upon a time made my arms collapse after picking them up. Now I’m aiming for more of a consistent approach over the next 5 weeks. Say hello to Day 1 of Healthy Times!

Inspired by BakingMadGymAddict‘s Meal Prep videos (check her out, she’s amazing!) I stopped by my local Coles to buy ingredients for my first epic #mealprep

Here are the results:

BEFORE

AFTER: BBQ chicken with brown rice & quinoa, baby spinach, roasted sweet potato, zucchini, carrots and cherry tomatoes for lunch 😀

This week’s food and exercise goals… 

FOOD
– Breakfast: bircher muesli
– Work lunches (X5 lunch boxes): meal prepped on a Sunday with chicken + veggies
– Dinner: chicken/poached salmon + veggies and rice
– Snacks: fruit/cashews/almonds/pepitas
– Track meals in MyFitnessPal

EXERCISE
– Gym appearances 3-4 times a week (2 days arms, 1 day legs, 1 day circuit of cardio) – NO EXCUSES!

Here’s to surviving Week 1. 🙂

With love,
– Spendy Habits 

Spring is Here!

FINALLY! After many months of hibernating in mostly dark colours to reflect my attitude towards the horrendous Melbourne weather, Melbourne finally delivered a beautiful Spring Day on the eve of the AFL Grand Final. In case you haven’t already noticed, I like sun. It makes me happy. Pushing my coats and pants in my wardrobe aside, I opted for some bright colours and a floral ensemble in celebration.

Bag by Armani Jeans | Top by H&M | Skirt by Asos
Shoes by Tony Bianco | Sunnies by Ray Bans

My boyfriend decided he felt like making sangria for the first time. I didn’t object. So we set out on a mission to collect all the ingredients from the local shops – oranges, apples, red wine and lemon, plus a cheeky little carrot cake for my afternoon snack. The result? Bloody amazing for his very first attempt!

We absorbed the rays out at a local park with friends and chilled whilst listening to music at a nearby tennis garden party. With a craving for pizza, it was time to check out Old School Pizza in Brunswick West and it definitely didn’t disappoint. We destroyed a half Greek Lamb pizza/half Spicy Sujuk pizza, followed by a NUTELLA DESSERT PIZZA! Yes, you read that correctly, a NUTELLA DESSERT PIZZA. I have no regrets, they were all delicious!

As I sit here watching the AFL Grand Final, as a proud Melbournian, I must say, GO HAWKS! 

Until next time,

Spendy Habits

Casual Sunday Outfits

Yesterday Melbourne finally decided to direct rays our way for some much needed sunshine. After a big bridal shower afternoon the day before where I was rocking a beautiful dress and curls in my hair, I decided to keep my #sundate outfit with the boyfriend a little more casual. With not a lot of time to get ready for our lunchtime adventures, I grabbed a pair of my favourite jeans purchased earlier in the year from H&M in Tokyo, Japan, threw on a baggy tee by New Look, picked up my beloved Marc Jacobs bag and new Adidas runners for complete and utter comfort. I didn’t want to curl or straighten my hair so I added some Moroccan hair oil for some shine and put my hair into a loose half bun.

One of my favourite accessories would have to be my Ray Bans. They’ve been with me since 2009. Given the countless times I had feared that I had lost them, they’ve done well in staying alive over the years.

I’ve been searching for the perfect white casual sneaker/runner for the past few months with no luck. On Friday, I found these bad boys from Adidas at DFO South Wharf in Melbourne. With a 30% off already reduced items sale, these babies came down to $49. They’re actually running shoes so I’ve also worn them a few times to the gym.

Aside from fashion, my other great love in life is food. My boyfriend and I were craving some Jimmy Grants so we stopped by the Emporium food court to get our fix of the classic Mr Papadopoulos with chips. Delicious!

What’s your casual Sunday go-to outfit when you’re dressing for comfort?

With love,

Spendy Habits