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**For the latest Super Kawaii Mama post, simply scroll down!**

Images – The June image from my Some Fancy Ladies™ 2012 calendar in my portfolio, The cute matching iPad and iPhone cases, my page of temptation on Pinterest.

For someone who is in many way, so very vintage (and that’s not a reference to my age wink), I’m such a high tech kind of girl. I love my auto coffee machines, my bread makers, my massage machines, iphone and just about anything that makes life simpler, easier, smaller to pack more in and simply just more fun.

Being that so much of the work I do is sitting here in front of this computer screen, it has kind of taken away so much of the fun I used to have just wandering round the internet; and now I find that when I sit down at the keypad I feel compelled to work. I just wasn’t getting anywhere near enough down time.  Then I got myself an iPad and it’s totally changed the way I work and relax. Thanks to Vodafone, I’ve been given the opportunity to review the latest iPad and see just what it can do for me.

Being small enough to carry around, it is the perfect thing for working away from home, but it has also replaced my Sunday morning newspaper and is the perfect way to catch up on my favorite blogs in my RSS reader. It comes with me everywhere and acts as a portfolio, a publishing platform, a productivity tool and the perfect playmate. Here are…

My Top 7 Must Have FREE iPad Apps

1. Wunderlist – Without a doubt, the best app I’ve used for making and sharing simple lists.  I’ve tried a number of them and they usually have too many confusing features and not the ones I actually use.  I keep track of my work, to do’s, ideas, plans, shopping… basically every thought I need to track ends up in here and it has increased my daily productivity immensely!
2. BlogPress – I used to lug my laptop around when I was travelling, always worried something would happen to it.  When I discovered how simple it was to shoot, write and publish new blog posts with Blogpress, my laptop now only comes on long haul trips.  I’ll admit, I was a bit suspicious of this app because I didn’t believe it could be that simple – but it is!
3. Instagram -  Kind of like Twitter but with images instead.  All the cool filters make just about any ordinary thing look 10 times cooler, and its loads of fun to see windows into other peoples world all across the globe.
4. Pinterest – WARNING Highly Addictive! Pinterest is like a virtual scrap book pinboard. You find images you like anywhere on the web, click to pin them and add them to your categorized virtual pin boards.  They retain the link of where they came from so when you start exploring other peoples beautiful inspiration boards, it opens up a whole new world of great new blogs and sites you’ve never visited before.
5. 8mm – Simple app to film your videos from you iPad camera with awesome retro effects. Want to star in your own 70’s style action flick? You need 8mm!
6. Handy Convert – This isn’t fancy. No flash graphics of bells and whistles, but when you’re standing at the fabric counter, vintage pattern in hand, not knowing how to convert metric to imperial, this is a life saver! It does all kinds of conversions from food measures, to areas and temperatures.
7. Westfield app – Surprisingly I don’t use a lot of fashion aps. I find most of them less than inspiring. But because my local shopping mall is a Westfield, this one is super handy. Being short on time, the more I can plan my attack the better. This app allows me to live track available parking, best locations, stores, specials, floor plans… basically I can turn my shopping into a military attack on bargains.

This Christmas, Vodafone have a range of iPads and other tablets available with the added bonus of paying nothing upfront! No opening payments, nothing, nada, zero. You simply choose the right tablet for you, figure out how much data you think you’ll use and get yourself the right plan. That way, it is the Christmas gift that keeps giving all year and doesn’t kill your hip pocket.

They come in the most fabulous array of colours, but if you like to go all matchy matchy the way I do, I’ve treated myself to a matching iPad case, phone case, wallet and passport carrier from Forever New. They look so cute together. The 10 hour battery life has been excellent for me, because I’m often faced with long periods of time away from power outlets when travelling, especially on those road trips.

The brightness of the screen has been another great feature that I hadn’t really considered until this summer, when it is wonderful to be able to work outside, but the old laptop screens just don’t cope with how bright our sun can be. The iPad on the other hand, is bright enough that I can sit under a tree, relaxing in the breeze and comfortably read away without getting nasty squint wrinkles.

You can find out more about Vodafone’s offer and the range of different tablet plans available here, and should you have any questions about how they work or other peoples experiences with them, check out the Vodafone community page.  Thanks Vodafone for giving me the opportunity to improve not only my working day, but my kicking back time.

When I had the opportunity to go and see Dita Von Teese launch her new vintage inspired fashion label, I knew I wanted to wear something pretty but not too over the top. Of course an occasion like that feels as though it calls for the christening of a new outfit as well, so it was the perfect opportunity to take my new ‘Honey’ dress out for a spin.

The ‘Honey’ dress by Trashy Diva, is available through my wonderful sponsor who carries all manner of beautiful vintage reproduction dresses, Miskonduckt Klothing.  I have a real fondness for their pieces, not only for their retro sensibilities but also for their quality fabrics and construction.  This dress is a gorgeous scarlet polished cottoning a heavy weight, with some stretch and a side zip. It allows for a very figure hugging fit without the danger of splitting a seam in a moment of haste.  The skirt is super full and perfect for a spin round the dance floor, but my favourite hidden feature? Pockets!  There is something so wonderful about these 1950′s style dresses with pockets on both sides of the full skirts; it just makes you want to start posing around like a movie star on her day off.  And thanks to my lovely friend Helen McLean Photography, that’s exactly what I did.

Outfit Details

Dress – ‘Honey’ dress in red by Trashy Diva of New Orleans, available from Miskonduct Klothing

Shoes – Red faux suede wedges – Spendless shoes ($40!- a great find and super comfortable)

Stockings –  Voodoo “Bombshell” seamed stockings

Suspenders – (unseen) Kiss Me Deadly Vargas roll on girdle in blue.

For my all my new readers, thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you find things here to delight, inspire and help you on your glamorous journey. Make sure to follow me on my official Facebook Fan Page and Twitter to keep up with all the events and news hot of the press. You can also subscribe to my Super Kawaii Mama You Tube Chanel to be the first to see all the new interviews and tutorials.

Happy Melbourne Cup Day all!

*This post is a Nuffnang Sponsored post*

It just wouldn’t be the proper introduction to a weekend without a Friday night cocktail hour here. Even if you’re someone (like me) who works on the weekend, there is something very important about mixing it up and giving your days some punctuation.

The whole idea of coming home and mindlessly cracking open whatever happens to be lurking in the fridge is totally unacceptable to my mind; I mean, where is the glamour in that! No, instead I like to take a moment to weigh up my mood with what delights happen to be in my bar that evening and set about creating a cocktail menu for the evening.

Now you could get quite organized about the whole process, plan out your menu and go on a spending spree to stock up the cabinet; but most of us have a standard selection of our favorite liquors and those that have been hiding out for a while.  Once I have all of these lining the bench top I like to do a bit of a Cocktail Creation moment.

Like being the kind of chef that stands in the kitchen and begins with one key ingredient, adding each new one as you imagine the flavor combinations; that’s how I create my cocktails. And while I’m not much chop when it comes to creating the next big thing for the plate, I may possibly be a cocktail savant.

 With the warmer days here, my afternoons are always tinged with that wish to be somewhere tropical, and with that thought in mind this is the cocktail I created especially to cater for your holiday state of mind. (Yes, this is a Candice DeVille original cocktail, created at 3am as most great inventions are)

I’ve named this drink for my favorite designer of classic 1950’s Hawaiian poolside chic.

“The Shaheen Dream”

Blender 1/3 filed with ice (approx. 3 cups of ice cubes)

250 ml of Pearl Royal Coconut water (without a doubt the best and most pure tasting coconut water in my opinion).

Half a fresh mango

4 jiggers of Peach Schnapps

4 jiggers Cointreau

½ cup Caster sugar

Half a lemon slice

Lychees and maraschino cherries for garnish

1.         Using your lemon slice, rub around the rim of the glass until it is coated in juice, the place rim down into the caster sugar to give it a nice even coating.

2.         Place ice, coconut water, mango, peach schnapps and Cointreau in the blender. Blend on high until all ingredients are just combined and the ice has become slushy. Don’t over blend.

3.         Pour into each sugar rimmed glass, garnish the rim with a split lychee and maraschino cherry on toothpick.

4.         Drink with friends while wearing your best Hawaiian print sarong dress.

* A jigger measure is 1 ½ ounces*

While you’re in this laid back and tropical mood, it always pays to have another delight on offer to surprise you senses and keep your guests smiling at your exceptional hostess skills.

The perfect compliment to my “Shaheen Dream” is this sizzling, sun-drenched taste.

“Hot as Haiti”

Two seeded 1-inch lime wedges

Two seeded 1-tangerine or orange wedges

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 cups of crushed ice

1 ounce of killer dark rum – I personally prefer Sailor Jerry Rum

3-4 ounces of Schweppes ginger ale

1. Place the lime, tangerine and sugar in the bottom of a heavy bottomed 8 ounce glass.
2. Muddle the mixture until the juice is extracted and the sugar dissolved.
3. Add enough ice to fill the glass, add the rum and top up with the Schweppes ginger ale.

Fancy that drink now? I’ll bet you do!  To help you find your muse, Schweppes has created the ‘Cocktail Revolution’. Because enjoying a drink is a sensory experience. It is a moment that should entice your eyes, set your taste buds alive and put a smile on your face.

I know not everyone has my gift for finding a fabulous flavor (you’re probably that amazing  chef I envy so much), Schweppes has created a virtual cocktail mixing experience where you can come and mix it up. Located at Southern Cross Station from now until November 4^th, from 7am-7pm each day, you can come and create your own cocktail sensation.

In a virtual reality experience, you get to pick a Schweppes product and a selection of fruit, that the very clever virtual bartender will then mix up your own personalized recipe for you to take away and impress your friends with. But that’s not all..

While you’re getting your mix on, the Schweppes virtual cocktail bar will take your photo that can be uploaded to Facebook and tagged, giving you the chance to win all kinds of great Schweppes cocktail prizes – including the major prize of hosting your own Schweppes mixing party!!

So come on down to Southern Cross Station and join the Cocktail Revolution, where you can take home a goodie bag of your own Schweppes mixers and recipes.  I’ll be there on Thursday 20^th October in my vintage cocktail finery to mix it up with you. Who knows – you might even inspire my next cocktail creation!

Being a Malaysian Kitchen Insider has been a fantastic way to discover lots about Malaysian cuisine, but also to explore the city around me.  On Saturday, we finally visited the aptly named ‘Malaysian Kitchen’ restaurant in Doncaster.  I’d driven past this one so many times and wondered what it was like, because from the street, it has a fantastic appeal.  It has a look about it that reminds me of being in Singapore, dining out at night on those warm tropical evenings.  With a big bull nosed verandah, great lighting and a warm vibe, there is something about this place that makes you want to bring all your buddies and sit there eating and drinking till midnight on a warm Spring evening.

(Thanks to Miss 7 for her photo skills in this portrait.)

The one overriding thing about this particular restaurant was the level of service – exceptional!  The staff were so friendly and attentive, paying attention to everything and anticipating your needs. It is a slightly odd, but good combination of one step above a cafe vibe, but not full on restaurant; yet the wait staff’s level of service would have been quite suited to a good restaurant. Certainly better than I have encountered in some of the more expensive Melbourne restaurants for sure.

The choices and selections of food were ample, with a more true Malay and also Indian influence rather than the often seen Chinese. But the measure of a good Malaysian restaurant is it’s laksa.

Mmmmm… good! Really fresh ingredients, nothing watery or frozen; moderately spicy and with a perfect combination of seafood that wasn’t all filler.  The only thing I felt was missing was the ginger flower I’d been spoilt with at Laksa Me at the beginning of this taste journey.  This Laksa was rich and full bodied, but was missing that vibrant lift that the ginger flower gives.  But at the end of the day, each dish ordered was tasty, well presented and quick to arrive. Combine that with the affordable price point, $60 for four people, the great service; and I think I may have found a new local favourite!

It was the little things about Malaysian Kitchen that really impressed me. The waiter that brought new chopsticks before they’d even hit the ground, the tea was refilled before any indication was given, the staff smiled and were genuinely happy; and then to top it off.. they were playing music by Bobby Darin!

Restaurant – Malaysian Kitchen, 920 Doncaster rd, Doncaster

Ambience – Warm, friendly, relaxed; like a great street cafe you’d find on holidays in Malaysia. Excellent staff!

Average price for mains – $17

Value for money – Tops! A really great dinner for four for only $60. Fast, friendly service and even good music. It has a bar and serves good coffee. One of those great places to go with friends after a movie and hang out till all hours.

*Super Kawaii Mama dined as a guest of The Malaysian Kitchen program. All reviews are conducted on a fully transparent, non-paid, no obligation basis. *

When I first began this Malaysian Kitchen Ambassador program, I remember saying something about being all inspired to cook more. That hasn’t changed, but then again, neither has my punishing schedule which is why there is still no food in the house.  After a huge weekend away in Sydney for the Fifties Fair, I came home and hit the ground running without a moment to stop for breath let alone a loaf of bread. When Monday night rolled around and the girls looked at me with hungry eyes, I knew it was time to hit up a Malaysian Kitchen to save me from their appetites.

The last adventure at Penang Inn was moderately successful in terms of getting them to eat dinner. But I did recall that when we’d taken them to Singapore earlier in the year, they’d eaten so much of a certain style of fried chicken I thought they’d burst. I had no idea what it was called, but the hunt was on to find it again.

Heading out for dinner on a Monday night isn’t always advisable, as it turns out that there are a lot of places closed. My lack of preparation was entirely apparent as we drove around, list in hand awaiting an open sign. While the children nawed on the head rests, we pulled up to Rasa Malaya, a simple strip-shop front with only one other customer in sight.

During the drive around I had called ahead to book us a table, and now upon entering, saw why this was funny. This is not the kind of joint you book for, more of a friendly drop in for locals who like me, never stock the pantry.  We were quickly shown to a table and given polite, perfunctory service – no frills.  But all of about 2 minutes later, the food appeared! Considering we were nearly falling off our chairs with hunger, this was an impressive feat.

Wanting to create one of the simple Singapore dining experiences we’d recently had on our family holiday, we chose Chicken Rice, Chicken satay (honestly – these kids and their ‘chicken on a stick’!) Ayam Kapitan (that amazing kind of KFC like fried chicken), a lamb curry with naan bread, and for desert a coconut based creation called Chendol.  Of course we all laughed about eating a “Ken Doll” for dessert, ’cause that’s what you do when you’re 4.

But honestly, the food was great. Fast, fresh, delicious, inexpensive and a typical no-frills hawker style experience.  It is the kind of place I’d go back to over and over for a fast and satisfying meal that will keep me out of the dog house.

Restaurant – Rasa Malaya 272 Blackburn Road, Doncaster East

Ambience – Dark, rudimentary hawker style type of set up. Authentic and traditional Malaysian dress worn by the serving staff. If you’re bringing children and plan on enjoying a leisurely dinner, make sure you have your phone stocked with kids games. They’ll eat and finish so fast you have to keep them entertained while the adults linger.

Average Price for Mains-  $13.00

Value for Money – Very good. The value was great, as was the taste. The super fast service is the perfect solution to when you think you need fast food, but want something with far more substance and loads more flavour.

My tummy says – Thumbs up! Don’t eat alone though as this is food made to be shared.