Lisa Defazio THE Unofficial Ambassador of Everything

I have grown up in Melbourne Victoria where the cuisine is world renown and we have a great depth of culinary variety. Our city is vibrant and diverse, so even when I am familiar ground I am thoroughly spoilt. My comparison when I travel is...

'Is as good as I can get at home?' 

I love to cook, fine dining and occasionally fast food but of course it must be good. Often a meal can be one of the more memorable markers of traveling or life in general. I will never forget the Lobster Pasta I enjoyed at the Grossi Restaurant when it was in Eltham many many years ago - little did I know that the restauranteur would go on to be a hugely respected and famed chef. I had my unconventional 21st at Florentino's as it was known in the day. I think I managed to confuse my friends but the Spinach Gnocchi was divine.

Word of mouth is very powerful - I have taken some ordinary advice but upon reflection it was from a person far removed from me, we were after different things. The good meaning individual sent me off for a wonderful afternoon of shopping that turned out to be cheap knock offs and a less than desirable food court in Thailand. No harm done - what I can tell you is what I have found to be remarkable in the many places I have been. you can see my instagram profile lisadefazzio for examples of what delights or excites me.

Culture is a subjective experience, I do not long for the mundane. I want to know the people, see the back streets hear some back stories. Find the proverbial hidden gem and I seem to have a nose for it. There was a wonderful little cafe I found in Sapporo called Eamon's Chouchou that had charming smiley cutlery that was so full of character it is still in my head today. Then there is the local fare like that found at No 35, Attica, UAE, B'stilla Cantina to name a few.

Art, fashion, food, retro reflections, interviews and my fabulous friends. Subscribe to my youtube channel 

Lisa Defazio 'Have You Got a Minute?'

It is about to get very interesting!

Day Four - Patong...

Another gorgeous day in Phuket and I am looking for the more typical experience and am off to Patong. Busy busy Patong very tourist driven, lots of bars, shopping, entertainment and real estate for sale in tiny shop fronts that were more like cubicles, while it was great to see seeing Bangla Rd once was enough it was pretty hectic. I found it to be like Rye carnival on steroids.

There are lots of bars and entertainment I can see how this might appeal to a younger market. Groups of friends hitting the town out to have fun. The Aussie themed bars were something I chose to avoid. So yes I did the fishy feet thing and I loved it, while others squealed I blissed out. But as for riding elephants and watching animal acts I chose not to. If I were traveling with children I recommend a day visit and leave the after hours for the over eighteens. A quick visit then off to Juncelon for families I would say.

The large shopping complex called Jungcelon is in the heart of Patong that has numerous restaurants and offers both traditional and western options, of note was the Ramen Burger and the Almond Choco balls which I would imagine to be a lot like Nutella Nuggets. Nom nom!

Speaking of taste I did discover a new fashion store I fell in love with JASPAL tiny sizes though I just squeezed into the large. Lovely lovely accessories and well planned options and colours,very elegant great price point and as I found after returning to Australia a Thai company. I picked up some wonderful shorts but will have to wait a whole season for summer to roll around before I can wear them would have loved to have snagged this range and the quirky applique dress it's just perfect.   

      

So in a land of diversity I decided to head back to The Pullman Phuket for dinner where I indulged in a two course a la cart dinner. From food court to fine dining whats not to love? So back to the room for a quick shower and change then a cocktail before dining.

Tropical pack hacks working well... 

I packed light - new blog on whether my planning worked or not coming soon. This is the view from the C-bar - I recommend The Pullman Signature containing fresh mint apple and has a sweet and sour zing! Gorgeous and alcohol free very refreshing and hydrating after a long hot day. 

I chose an a la carte two course dinner at Elements restaurant.

'All Day Dining will showcase fusion delicacies and the fine traditions of Thai and Western cuisine.'

Can I just say everything did taste as good as it looks. The appetiser was a standout for me Chicken Beef and Prawn cooked three ways, don't get me wrong the Fish in Mango sauce was incredible as was the Curry Chicken. I live in Melbourne the unchallenged food capital of Australia and as such I eat well every day - this place does not fail. The Food Court was fun but...

Melbourne Vintage Curated.

I have been shopping Vintage stores in Melbourne for over 25 years and some are a standout!

Looking for 80's and 90's retro?
A great mix of old school and cool to be found at American Vintage.
I am talking Kylie Minogue early neighbours and Molly from a Country Practice, Molly Ringwold and Shannen Doherty of 90210 fame.

Cute Kylie in cut offs riding nice and high.

Kylie - rockin' it in the oversize jacket and batwing sleeve leather jacket!

Molly - there are no words that can describe her look but I will say fuchsia was a definitive shade of pink at the time. 

                   Molly Ringwald 'Pretty in Pink' the 80's film is a fashion experience - a great blog has her entire wardrobe from the film here. 

Bad girl Shannen in here signature highwaist pants, lace bodysuit and choker. 

Cool Western boots and looks with attitude? 60's and 80's specifically.
Iconic footwear and looks at Vintage Soul.

This vintage steadfast specialises in Tex Mex think Uma Thurman in Even Cowgirls get the Blues.
A huge collection of Western style boots, from amazing snakeskin originals to some 80's hightop retro sneakers.

The very lovely Uma Thurman looking perfect here.

Wonderful lifestyle vintage?
60's, 70's, 80's and 90's.
A whole lot of goodness at Hunter Gatherer.

These ladies shop there for sure!

 I may have found some perfect 99 styles from my fave store Hunter Gatherer.

Everything from tea cups to canisters, a cross pollinated selection of brilliant vintage a something for everyone shop. This is possibly the best handpicked vintage stock you will find in Melbourne. I never leave here empty handed - ever!

Dapper Dan's, Ladies and Gentile Men?
1940's and refinement.
Suits and selected elegance at Circa Vintage.

A wonderful treasure trove of apparel awaits - you can thank me later and remember it doesn't have to look like a costume...How to get it right!

Caving into Porn and Design Paleo Style

There are many architectural movements no doubt 1000's to explore. 

Mid Century to Brutalist is the range that serves me best, its is my little luscious niche. I find it all very stimulating, the lines, the space, the colours the textures, it percolates in my head.  I must confess great design is the porn I choose, I pore over it, it gives me the jolt I am looking for.

Recently I found these stunning examples of design and it stuck me what truly resonates at the core of good and great architectural design. A building or structure can connect with you at your core in a Palaeolithic subconscious sense. This house below is cave like appearing to be encapsulated by the earth and trees the timber and lighting emulates a flame like warmth inviting you inside.

This reptilian inspiration is undeniably animal as it negotiates its way through the interior of this restaurant. Damn fine!

Awesome in scale this building is part limestone cave interior, part sun lit sap dripping from a tree, it reminds me both of beetle and armadillo shell this creation is magnificent and inspired.

We are all part animal and we hear the wild wild call no matter how far removed from deep inside of us we may think it is. Our hidden paleo past pings into existence even if it is triggered by the most civilised escalation of our expression and development.

While marvelling at the technology and genius it takes to create these magnificent buildings from deep inside me comes a very reassuring 'Ugg.'

Unlikely Vintage Inspirations that are Completely Queer

I love a bit of vulgar culture. Fashion offers up a plethora of fodder especially during those most perplexing of decades of the 60's and 70's. Recently I was discussing the true hideousness of some of the television at that time. The recollections of truly questionable character portrayals and fabrics that were as confronting as the sideburns presented.

The worst offenders were the British - UK TV. 

Are You Being Served?

Now I do not mean to be unkind but what was the casting brief here?

Ever questionable physical comedy. 

Resulting in cringe worthy intimacy leaving you reeling and queasy not unlike car sickness. 

The Stoic and the Flamboyant counterbalance apparently resulting in hilarity.

Now I don't know what happened in my head as a small child taking this all in but somewhere amongst the mix of abrasive voices and the bad comedic premise I fell in love. I turned...

To this day I love this look above.

Something about her powdered look, his true degree of maturity and dapper refinement and most of all the fabrics and the past its use by date of early 1960's fashion being worn on and on. Perhaps that is the reason I collect nasty nylon night wear that I am sure that Mrs S could have swanned about in. Oh the harsh nylon goodness, the smell and look of the old 'Taft' hairspray, talcum powder and face compact heavily layered, lavender eyeshadow and pastel pink lips. 

Or as I like to call it...

Old lady Grunt.

This image is such a great exponent of what I am on about. Besides the almost Groucho like face on the dark haired man these folks are totally and completely rocking it. 

With an attitude adjustment these people could be positively sexy. 

The foxy redhead wins hands down to me...Go Mrs Slocombe!

Wikipedia...

During its run, the series attracted some mild criticism for its reliance on sexual stereotypes and double entendres, including jokes about Mrs. Slocombe's "pussy" (cat) e.g., Mrs Slocombe, "Animals are very psychic; the least sign of danger and my pussy's hair stands on end".

Come to think of it you could spell her name in an all together different way...upon reflection perhaps they weren't so clueless.