Vapiano Albert St

If you happen to be in the city or planning a day of Christmas shopping in there and wondering what's for lunch, check out Vapiano in the Albert St lane way.

It's been around for a few years now, but is just a fun way to have Italian food. It has a similar approach to ordering that many fast food chains use. 

1. order your type of pasta

2. choose your sauce

3. select your add ins. 

It's all cooked right in front of you in a matter of minutes.

The pasta is all made fresh in store, which you can watch as well.

The 2 level licenced premise features a modern interior with quirky eye catchers.

One of the things I love most about the store is the greenery. In addition to this cool tree on the upper dining level there are pots of herbs at all the tables for customers to add into their pasta.

Live plants in a dark interior can be a challenge, but each table has UV lamps over the pots to compensate for this.

My favourite part upstairs is the green house where the herbs are rotated. This has watering troughs and the UV lighting. Dining at Vapiano is a fun experience that all ages can enjoy.

And if this has got you in the mood for pasta, here's a very easy recipe from the Super Food Ideas magazine that I have been cooking for my family for years and it's still one of their favourites.

South Pacific Fabrics Launch

This afternoon one of my fabric wholesalers South Pacific launched a new range of fabrics milled in Europe. Their guest of honor was Fabrizio Paolini from the Rubelli fabric company in Spain. 

The South Pacific show room looked lovely as always.

The new collection being launched was titled "the walls of Venice" and featured fabric by European designers Dominique Kieffer and Armani Casa.

The collection showcased lots of linens in bright colours with a particular nod to the "it" colour at the moment- Green.

During the launch guests were treated to a lovely light lunch. Cute macaroons! 

Thanks South Pacific for a lovely afternoon.

Saturday morning at Ashgrove

Come on a stroll around the Waterworks Rd and Stewart Rd precinct on a typical Saturday morning.

First up is the Anzac memorial park at the main intersection.

The prominent Home Store Cafe- always busy and has a connecting doorway into the gorgeous giftware and clothing store Aviary.

The main entry to Aviary.

tortured willow display inside Aviary.

The popular Ruby Iles. It's tiny but packed with clothes and some days so busy you physically can't get in the door.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ruby-Iles-boutique/1374478349453137?ref=stream

Then next door to the amazing butcher shop Meat @ Billy's. Their window display looks incredible and the bbq is always fired up on Saturday. 

These are their yummy lamb koftas with couscous and natural set yoghurt.

www.meatatbillys.com.au

And a great spot to finish up- the always popular Milk bar at the entry to Woolworths.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/MILK-Ashgrove/165515596836342

I have tried twice to complete this post, but both times delayed by the vicious summer storms lashing Brisbane the last few afternoons. Today's was fast and furious bringing large hale that sounded like a low flying jet as it made it's way down the street and then hit with force.

The wild afternoon of hail and lighting was followed by a glorious sunset.

Hallowed Grounds- The "new old".

Here's a familiar face to regular Storewrapped readers. It's back to Hallowed Grounds on Logan Rd, Mt Gravatt. It's on the same side as the big hardware store and just across the road from them.

A couple of months ago Hallowed Grounds upped stumps and moved to this new location a few doors down from their original shop.

The new tenancy offered more space both for customers and also in the kitchen area. A lot of their previous equipment and benches have been re-used here.

Cynamon and Amber Norris are a couple of the very clever and creative owners. The gorgeous decor is a combination of their ideas and staff. Some of the cute chairs Cynamon had been saving for years to one day put in a cafe. 

If you expect to see the same things at the new location you'll be quickly proven wrong. They have all "new old" stuff. They proved at the last shop how well they do eclectic and this again shows their skill.

How great is this mattress frame!!

And form work mesh so artistic.

The little ones are not forgotten.

And yes, that was Hallowed Grounds that featured on the channel 7 Brisbane ad.

Well done girls. Another great shop.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hallowed-Grounds-Espresso/327197240643025

Macrame Crazy

WARNING- If you're a child of the 70's you may find elements of this story disturbing!!

Or just a hoot as you travel back in time.....

The other day my eldest and I were exploring the new Gas Works precinct at Tenneriffe. We noticed the new Lorna Jane store and in particular their window display with the macrame plant hangers.

I was having a laugh as it brought back all the memories of my childhood, as I recalled what seems like years of my mother making things out of macrame................ and now it's back again! 

Here's some happy snaps of my childhood. Note the hanging plants in the birthday background, with the necessary orange plastic pots. That was the must have colour to go with the macrame. The plant hangers usually featured timber beads for embellishment.

yes, that is a chook, but it's relaxing on a macrame hammock!

Now for some OMG............. what were they thinking!!??

Mum, I think you permanently scarred back in the 70's. No matter how trendy macrame has become I just don't think it will be featuring in my house.

ps. I did like the salad bar and cafe in this Lorna Jane store. It added to the holistic healthy body image.

Boyd Blue

A big thanks to Boyd Blue girls Mia, Jacquie and Justine for the lovely morning tea at your launch yesterday. I've always wanted to come along to one of your functions, but usually feel guilty that I should be in the office working.

The showroom looked extra beautiful, perhaps that was because I walked in the door feeling like a guest knowing I was about to be pampered, instead of how I usually come in with my mind on work and the latest project I'm sourcing for. Liz your stylist did a gorgeous job.

What a treat!

Let me show you around.......

I love Christmas beetles. My kids discovered one on the ground the other day and after some examination announced that it was definitely dead as there was something crawling out of it!

Ha. LOL!!!

So many gorgeous pieces by the Designer Boys.

Mia, it was a pleasure to listen to you speak so fluently and confidently about the products as it's great to do business with a person who has expert knowledge in their products.