Sayers Sister (Perth WA)

236 Lake St
Northbridge Western Australia 6000
(08) 9227 0429
Hours  
    Tue - Sun: 07:00 - 17:00
Website
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THE PLACE

A bit hidden in Lake St, a few metres away from Hyde Perth, in the outer skirts of Northbridge, Sayers Sister is a replica of the menu of the mother house, but delivered in a funkier and smaller setting.

The place has a beautiful rustic romantic vintage decoration. Everywhere you look, you see something beautiful and special: From the little flower arrangements to the chandeliers and brass lamps, from the cute mugs to the colourful water glasses, from the artistically designed sweets and lollies containers to the old-fashioned sugar bowls. Everything, even the toilets. The ambience music is great, too.

The place receives patrons of all ages and conditions. From tradies to business people and everybody in between, but it is especially popular with young people and professionals.

 

FOOD AND COFFEE

They have Mediterranean inspired dishes in simple but winning recipes. Their food is well prepared, portions are generous, flavours fantastic, and the plating beautiful. Their tagine, croquettes, and full breakfasts are yummy and man-sized! The Ploughman's board is also huge, and has a nice mice of flavours and textures. Everything I have tried is great.

Their sweets are great, too. The gluten free chocolate and strawberry mini-cakes are one of those things that you think about often after trying one. Their pineapple muffins are delicious.

Coffee is good, smooth and not strong. They use a mix of the house from Five Sense. They do mugs. I repeat, they do mugs!

SERVICE

All the waitresses have been delightful, smiley, polite and willing to serve every time I have visited. Service is laid back, but they do their best to accommodate and please patrons, especially at peak times.

 

PRICING

At Sayers Sister, you pay more or less as you would pay at any other café for your breakfast, lunch, coffee or cake. However, the food you get is way bigger, better, fresher, tastier and prettier. 

I always wonder why Sayers and Sayers Sister can be successful businesses without ripping us off, while other renowned cafés in Perth need to overcharge us and treat us as morons with the excuse of them using fresh seasonal produce. I think the answer relies on the fact that the Sayers do not want to make money out of hype and laziness, despite the fact that they use local fresh produce too. They respect their patrons, the same that cue at their doors every weekend.   

DOWNSIDES

- It is almost impossible to get a seat at Sayers Sister during the weekends, and cues are common at peak eating hours. Weekdays are way better, still, if you go at certain times, it will be difficult to find a table. 

- As a consequence, the place can be a bit hectic and crowded at times.
- The cashier counter is a bit high, or better said, the place from where the staff stands. That always puts customers in a position of "looked down", unless, of course, you are 6 feet tall. 
- At times, their poached eggs are a bit overdone, and the muffins left too much time in the microwave.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

- Let's face it. Most people do not want to seat at the communal counter. However, there are not enough individual or two-people tables on one of the sides of the café, and some of the four-people tables are used by two people. Therefore, patrons arriving are turned down, or do not stay, or the staff have to ask people to move around. They should replace the four-people tables with two-people ones, so they can be joined or separated on demand. I do not need to say that a few more tables outside would be welcomed.
- It would be great having a few extra more magazines available for patrons.
- It would be great if they had their Sayers Sister-only dishes and specialities.

***

The Sayers have done it again! Sayers Sister shares the brilliant menu with the mother café, but I feel they are a bit behind regarding excellence. However, their food is still great, their service is very good, and this a funkier, more modern and stylish café than the original one. 

Location: 7.5/10
Layout: 6.5/10
Ambience: 9/10
Service: 8/10
Food: 8.7/10
Sweets: 8.5/10
Coffee: 7.5/10
Pricing: 8/10

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Moana Coffee (Perth WA)

Shop 1F/ 618 Hay St
Perth Western Australia 6000
Moana's Website
Facebook
Hours:
    Mon-Fri 7:00 - 15:00





Note: Yes, I have eaten at Moana and visited repeatedly...

Moana is the beautiful Samoan name for "deep sea", and also the name of a documentary of the 1920s. However, Moana Café takes its name from the Moana Chambers Building where it is located - An example of the glamour and charm of the 1920s' Perth that, despite all odds, is still alive and thriving. The space has recently been refurbished and reinvented by Architects Nic Brunsdon and Beth George, and turned into a triptych space: business offices, a newly built womb-like jarrah exhibition area, and the café. 

Moana Café encapsulates the spirit of a Colonial-European café of the 1920s but it has been revamped for the needs of a modern weekday café. Old architecture, cozy cute decoration details, nice simple fresh food, welcoming quiet space, and great service. This elegant café is in the heart of Hay St Mall, but, at least at present, it is like an oasis of peace. It has a relaxed atmosphere -in part due to the smallness of the place-, which allows you to have a meal, chat with your companion or just relax on your own while seeing the world pass by from the balcony.

The food offer is small at present. The chicken and vegetarian quesadillas are simply delicious (with or without sour cream), full of fresh ingredients - A perfect light lunch. Their three salads on offer are simple but very tasty, and you can have them on their own or as a side dish with any other thing. Their wraps are terrible. Sorry, my opinion. They have a lovely good-looking home-made selection of cookies and muffins.

Moana' s coffee is good. They use Bonissimo beans; hit! They have mugs; hit! And their coffee tastes great and is well prepared; hit! 

Service is terrific, and the young ladies behind the counter are very welcoming,  friendly, and eager to please.

The place is taking off by worth of mouth, and it is becoming quite popular despite the fact that it has just opened. Great news for such a lovely humble café.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

• I would like their list of hot dishes and sweets enlarged, with more cooked options available.
• I would like those terrible wraps replaced with others that have something tasty inside.
• They can easily add some more individual tables in the balcony and in the indoor area. 
• I know I should not be saying this, but the jarrah exhibition space would make a very trendy restaurant dining room, if it was incorporated into the café. There are gazillion better spaces for an exhibition area around the city, but this would be perfect to turn the café into a restaurant. My opinion. 

Location: 9/10
Ambience: 8/10
Layout: 7/10
Coffee: 7.5/10 
Food: 6.5/10 
Service: 9/10
Pricing: 7.5/10

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Salsa's Fresh Mexican Grill (Mt Lawley, Perth WA) (Closed down)

568 Beaufort St
Mount Lawley Western Australia 6050
(08) 2289 627
Hours:
Website
Facebook

Recently open, Salsa's Mt Lawley is another addition to the Fast Food Mexican Wave spreading around Perth. Salsa's is a fast food franchise owned by the same company as owns Boost Juice, and they have an emphasis on fresh fast Mexican food. Salsa's  offers a selection of Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas, nachos, snacks and Mexican bowls.

The best thing I have tried there is their street tacos (carnitas, chicken chipotle, and Habanero steak) with soft flour tortillas, and they are way better, bigger, tastier and fresher than those prepared in other similar places in Perth. To my surprise, they were beyond average, truly tasty and delicious.

 

Other things like the supposed fajitas (which are burritos) or the fries are completely forgettable, tasteless, and not worth the money. Burritos are better at Zambreros, really.

Portions are decent, and prices are terrific.

The have a selection of soft drinks, including Mexican "Jarritas" (sugary soft drinks). No alcoholic drinks yet. BYO.

The place is functional and spacious, pleasant and well ventilated.

The staff are really friendly and welcoming. I have visited several times, and they have been consistently nice.

They are still waiting for the alcohol license and for the Town of Vincent permit to enlarge their seating area, which is small.

MIND
They have Tuesday Tacos (soft or hard) at 1.95 bucks. However, they are smaller and less well prepared than the ones I tried the first day I visited.

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The Gallery of WA's Exhibitions Lighting

Every time I visit one of the paid exhibitions at the Art Gallery of WA, I leave wondering why the Art Gallery people seem oblivious to what I call fatal flaws in an exhibition.

We leave in an isolated part of the world, off the beaten track for most cultural events. Now that our State's economy is booming, there is a demand for Art. More precisely, a demand for conventional traditional classic Art. Masters of the Past. Historical Pieces. Pieces exhibited in big Museums overseas. The problem with some of the paid exhibitions is that, many times, the material we get is the one other galleries want to lend us, not what we would like to see, or what is excellent. Still, this is better than nothing, and a sort of luxury we have to pay for.

Now, we have the flashy exhibition and the masterpieces, and what does the Gallery to exhibit them? Let me think. Hanging the pieces from the wall. Having paid information earphones. Having security people around. Controlling the access to the paid area...  

How many times have you seen the image of a bulb (or two) reflected on a canvas in a way that affected your viewing of it no matter how much you moved around it? This was the case in the last two paid exhibitions I have visited: the Picasso to Warhol exhibition, and the Picturing New York.

Both of them had the same problem. Lighting was bad. What I call bad? 
1/The lighting is not specifically adapted to the pieces exhibited, but the general one of the room with directional lights that are mediocre and work well for large format exhibition or rooms with a better layout. Therefore, the lighting reflects on the masterpiece, and it does not allow you to appreciate the colours, shapes, textures or images on display from a frontal point of view. 
2/ The glass used in the frames is not mate but glossy glass, so it reflects the lights, and the framed piece becomes a mirror where you see yourself (and the rest of the room) reflected. See, as an example, the image that accompanies this entry. Hello, me! Most of the photos hanging from the wall had the same problem, although some of them were less affected than others.

This would not be a problem, if were talking about an independent money-lacking exhibition or institution. However, this is the Art Gallery of Western Australia, and these are paid exhibitions. Our ticket should serve to have the pieces better exhibited, no? However, adjusting lighting and glass panels would cost more money and would take more effort. How is possible that the curators of the Gallery and the original owners of the pieces do not care about this? Perhaps because everybody seems to be content with the poor display, no matter the quality of the piece exhibited. Nobody seems to be complaining in Perth, Art critics, newspapers or the general public. So no one is making an effort to change it. My guess.

If I pay for an exhibition, I expect it to be exhibited in a way that honours the artists and pieces on display. Otherwise, I leave, as I did last time, feeling that I should have paid for the Catalogue; at least there the the pieces are beautifully photographed and can be appreciated properly. This is a bit sad, really. Especially because some of the pieces hanging from the walls are fantastic.

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"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" by Terry Gilliam (2009)

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is Gilliam's return to his old and most playful self with an extravagant modern Fausto-inspired, cirque-looking, fairytale full of magic.

The movie tells the story of a travelling "Magic show" troupe, led by old Dr Parnassus, who gambled his daughter Valentina with the Devil thousands of years ago, and what happens when a charming roguish Tony start romancing her, and the Devil wants to claim his prize.

The acting is very good, especially on the part of Christopher Plummer, who is truly terrific as Dr Parnassus, as well as Tom Waits as the Devil. This was Heath Ledger's last film, and he is good in his portray of the naughty, nervous and charming Tony. Also good is Andrew Garfield as the good-natured but jealous Anton, and Verne Troyer as the little bright Percy. Supermodel Lily Cole is just OK as the homey dreamer devoted daughter Valentina; not bad for for a first timer.

The parts of Tony behind the mirror, which had to be played by Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell after Hedger's death, are cleverly used and well performed. The two first actors really keep in tune with Ledger's performance, body language and even the inflexions of his voice. The story is extremely believable without Hedger as what happens inside the mirror is a fantasy and projection, not a reflection of reality.

The images, costumes, sets, colours, and dream-like images of the film are spectacular, full of creativity and artistry; they are an intrinsic part of the story, never an indulging showy element. Is the heart and soul of the movie what captivates the viewer, not the special effects. One feels immediately drawn by the magic mirror to a world of enthralling fantasy that the viewer would also like to experience.

I found the end of the movie a little bit rushed, and Dr Parnassus's past  underdeveloped, and, well, everything a bit predictable.
 

This is a very enjoyable entertaining film with a good story, amazing creativity and decent acting. I would say it is a chick flick, in many ways, but I have found many men liking the movie, so it is also a blokey flick for some type of blokes.

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Simone Pérèle Outlet (Harbor Town, Perth WA)

Harbour Town
840 Wellington Rd
West Perth Western Australia 6005
(08) 9481 2345
Facebook
Opening Hours
   Mo-Thu: 9-17.30
   Fri: 9-21
   Sat: 9-17
   Sun: 11-17

Simon Pérèle is the quintessence of femininity and class in the underwear world, perhaps because it is a brand created by a female corset maker, who knew what I woman wants and needs. Their lingerie is colourful, delicate, classy, sexy, with attention to the detail, and enhancing of your body assets. I do not know you, but I would like to wear Simon Pérèle every day if I could afford it. 

The Simone Pérèle Outlet at Harbour Town Perth has provided me with innumerable moments of "ohmygoshness" and delight in the last three years. Even with the discount, the pieces are pricey, but they are affordable enough to feed your inner "hottie" now and then. They have regular discounts on full-priced items and on discounted ones, too, so it is a matter of being lucky when you visit, or visiting often to find real bargains. The cheapest prices are always on the items at the entrance racks. You get 15% off full priced items when you spend +50 bucks, which is easy.

The shop always has a mix range of styles, colours and prices, from the boring shapewear and invisible items to the movie-star-like lingerie. As in any outlet shop, finding your size might be a problem, or finding the matching pants of the bra of your choice, too.

The shop has four theatrically curtained spacious fitting rooms, which I love, but the space between racks is a bit narrow and uncomfortable to browse.

The staff members have always been helpful and welcoming. They let you browse around if that is what you want, or will give you a personalised attention if you decide to try anything, and they are very good helping with finding your perfect fit bra.

The shop has a VIP system that will inform you of discounts, exclusive events, and will give you a voucher for your birthday.

Simone Pérèle Outlet is one of my must fashion stops at Harbour Town Perth, together with the Oroton and Alanah Hill outlets. They always make my day.

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"Caramel"‎ by Nadine Labaki (2007)

‎Caramel is a Lebanon-France co-production with a charming story of female love, friendship and ageing. The story focus on the love lives of a group of young and middle-age Beiruti women who are regulars at a hair & beauty salon.

The movie mixes romance, humour and sadness with simplicity, warmth, and heart under the fresh direction of young director Nadine Labaki, who also plays the leading character.

The movie shoes a multifaceted image of Beirut and its dwellers, a city that is complex, diverse and rich in culture. Far from the stereotypes about the Midle East that we find in Western movies, Labaki is a local who knows her city, and brings to the screen the rawness and charm of everyday Beirut and of its dwellers. The movie has an honest and respectful approach to the interaction between Christians and Muslims, and how different social groups and genders relate in Lebanon.

The movie was shot in warm caramel tones, which is the colour of the home-made sugar wax traditionally used in Lebanon for waxing.

The music is a warm and sentimental mix of French and Arabic songs. Truly fantastic, but also very melancholic.

All the actors are terrific in their performances: Yasmine Elmasri as the modern Muslim girl Nisrine, who is going to get married; Joanna Moukarzel as the boyish Lesbian Rima; Gisèle Aouad as the aging divorced actress Jamale; Nadine Labaki as Layale, a good-hearted girl in love with a bad man; Adel Karam as the sweet policeman Youssef enamoured of Layale; Sihame Haddad as the patient and shy single tailor Rose, and Aziza Semaan as an impressive demented Lili.

Caramel is a heart-warming enjoyable chick flick, soapy at times, that offers a real portrait of life in Beirut and of Lebanese women. The story is narrated in an universal simple language, but breaks many stereotypes about religious confrontation in Lebanon and on how Middle Eastern Women think, feel or live.

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