Let Them Eat Cake!

My sister Sarah's birthday was a few weeks before she came to visit me and one of the things she wanted to do while here was have cake together.

She wanted to have one of the Celebration cakes at Draculas' but I thought that would be too much food in one night, and it ended up we booked too late to order one anyway.

Well I told her I knew this place that we could get some really lovely desserts, and I would take her there instead.

 I had been to Burch and Purchese once before, when we were heading out to dinner with family and wanted to bring dessert. I googled dessert places near their house and bought a few of their Meringue Clouds to take over for dessert.

So Sarah and I headed there for lovely little single serve cakes.

 

 I bought this mandarin flavoured mousse goodness.

 Sarah bought the explosive choc and raspberry dessert

I promised great desserts and Burch and Purchese delivered!

They were so good, Sarah wanted to go back again straight away.

Mine tasted like a Jaffa, and I shared with my boyfriend because I am nice like that. Its made mainly with mousse and is rich and fluffy.

Sarah loved hers though there was a very sweet layer she took her time with straight underneath the crumble layer.

All in all they were great.

Burch & Purchese

Chapel Street, South Yarra Victoria.



Oz Comic Con : Day 2

Day two we headed in much earlier, Sarah was worried we were going to miss Brian Krause again, even though he had an extra slot on the Sunday.

So we lined up, after a bit of confusion (there were 4 lines). Apparently a bunch of people were lined up in the same line we did the previous day, only today you were meant to line up in a different line if you had the weekend pass. There were no signs and no staff so a heap of people that were in the front of the line ended up at the back, not too many people happy with that.

Eventually we got in, unfortunately we were let in on the opposite side of the con to the token booth, and since pack of the upstairs was blocked due to the photo area, we ended up running practically right around the top floor to get in the token line.

Some creeper decided to invade my sisters personal space and kept inching closer and closer to her in the line up (don't know if he was trying to cut in or cop a grope) so I lovingly swung my arm around her shoulders commenting on how exciting it all was and proceeded to keep my elbow pointed out as far as I could to give her some space. I could still feel his breath on the back of my hand (resting on her shoulder) though.

Once we got her token, we ran to the photo line up and I pushed her through while grabbing her bag and telling her I'll wait here for her.

He hugged her and she didn't care what we did for the rest of the day.

I suggested we attend the Piper and Leo panel since she wasn't getting autographs, so we checked out the rest of the con while waiting......

Met this sweetie: 

 Little Joker loved to pose, but hated the sun in his eyes.

 These two looked great!

There were only here today, and we departed as much information as we could to them about where things were. (tokens etc)

 Trying to get inside

 Found myself in a bit of strife

 They weren't clearing out after each panel so we went in to watch Shannon Doherty's panel so we could get a good seat at the Holly and Brian one.

Panels were held outdoors in tents, it was freezing inside and the tent leaked so every time the wind blew we would get covered in water.

Some kind of hellish nightmare, but we persevered and got through the two panels.  

 Holly and Brian were hilarious together, it was such a great panel.

 We then picked up Sarah's photo and left for a warm lunch and a thaw out at Nandos in the city.

We had planned to go into the city for a while but were still part frozen from the panels that we headed home for warm showers instead.

We both got one of the Film Ink bags at the con, and besides some other stuff that is probably cool we both got a stress Minion :-) That alone was worth the $8. 

Oz Comic Con: Day 1

As you already know, my sister visited this week for Comic Con.

She has always loved Charmed and specifically Piper and Leo, who just happen to both be coming to Oz Comic Con this year. I was planning to go with her anyways then... Ron Pearlman was announced !!

The schedule came out a few days before the con and we worked out where everyone was going to be and when and what we were going to do.

Last minute Sarah decided she didn't want to get the autographs anymore, so that freed us up so much for the two days.

Day one I knew would be busy, this being Sarah's first Con, she was not quite prepared for the lines but eventually we got in.

We headed to the token booth before doing anything (having studied the map for several days before we were able to go straight there without much issue), and tokens were selling out quick.

My sister scored her Holly Marie-Combes and Ron Pearlman tokens, unfortunately though Brian Krause was out of the question having the 9.30am slot (when the doors opened after 9am!!!).

I got my Ron Pearlman token :-)

Then we went to enjoy the rest of the Con before we have to get the to photo line-ups.

 Love life-size replicas.

The two robots ( I forget R2D2's orange little friends name) actually moved! We saw them later running around the con and beeping, via remote control.

 I hate my camera! These two were awesome!

 Alice and the Hatter, with the ever-present Cheshire Cat

 So many Pop! Figurines.

I am totally starting to obsess over these things!

Though as yet I have only bought villains.

I have a heap on my wish-list but decided before the con that I definitely wanted to get a Hordak from She-Ra Princess of Power.

 Hordak is so cute!

Sarah got an Agnes from Despicable Me.

I took this photo while waiting for Sarah while she went and lined up for her photo with Holly.

 Amazing Babydoll Cosplayer, so lovely and nice too.

 She waited 15 years for this moment.

When she came out she was so excited she was shaking, its not everyday you meet your childhood idol.

 R2D2 was nice enough to stop for some photos with people.

 The Fast and The Furious cars were in town.

Isn't it beautiful!

 Then this totally happened!

Didn't have a huge budget for Con this year but still got some stuff.

Jean and Ivy art post cards, Captain Human Robot Comic (only $1), and Pop! Hordak.

Dracula's Caberet Resturant

Last Thursday night my sister, Sarah, and I went to Dracula's in Melbourne.

We had intended to go on the Friday night but there were some complications with her flights over and the VIP tickets for Friday were sold out by the time it all got sorted, so we booked Thursday night instead.

 Our VIP Goodies: The bag came with a souvenir program and a syringe pen. We got VIP necklaces instead of lanyards. VIP tickets included half an hour prior entry, canapés and a glass of bubbly on arrival, ghost train ride into the theatre and special seats.   

 Glow in the dark bracelet you receive once you have paid for the drinks you had at dinner.

 VIP Necklace

 My sister looks rather young, so got carded at the door and had to wear this around her arm the whole night, beats getting her ID out all the time.

 We ordered this with a basic spirit for $18, it changes colour and has a push button on the bottom.

They are sold for $10 prior to dinner if you don't want to drink from yours.

 So we rocked up and waited in line. Fiends came out and checked our bookings, carded those that looked too young to drink (show is recommended for people 18 years and over) and hand us our bags and necklaces.

We were flirted with and joked at then led into the receiving room in groups of around 10 (maybe), we are then greeted by another vampire who shows us into the Moon Bar.

(there was a brief break in character here as my sister didn't get her VIP bag while we were in line as she was waiting to get carded, and we had to ask the vampire to get us one)

In the Moon Bar we are greeted by more minions of hell who try to flirt with you or check out the 'fresh meat' that just entered.

Drinks are handed to you as you walk through the door and canapés are brought around to you.

Its here you will pose for your photo before entering the ghost train to the dining area.

*The Cyber Ghost was great! Its a blue cocktail.

The ghost train ends and you are in the dining area, bookings are checked by the ghoul on the stairs and they give you your table number which you give to the guy at the door and you are taken to your table.

Our waiter was Fillix and he played his character very well.

I read many reviews before we went and they were all very mixed. The wait staff are in character, and will be gently rude the whole time as they are playing minions of hell. If you get offended easily this really isn't the place for you. In saying that I didn't find it as confronting as I had expected.

For whatever reason we missed out on the entrée, I think it had to do with the people we were sharing the table with already having eaten theirs.  So Fillix came around and took our main choices, we both chose the pork belly and it was SO GOOD! Succulent pork belly portions (2) surrounded by chat potato halves and baby spinach with a balsamic dressing drizzled over the top.

Dessert was the signature chocolate coffin filled with French vanilla custard and a mix of berries.

(google search photo)

The show then started. Spiderlash was the name of the show on at the time we went.

The show is a variety type show of dances, comedy, puppets and burlesque.

Sarah and I agreed the black light puppets were probably our favourite act.

There is an intermission half way through the show but while the show is actually on (45mins x2) you will not see your waiter, they give you plenty of notice asking you for last drink orders.

There are two dances that the waiters perform in and Fillix was involved in a progressive act with another waitress, I wont spoil the fun encase they do it every night, but  it was highly entertaining.

 

After to show there is an opportunity to meet the stars of the show in the bar. The waiters will bring your bills over to your table for any drinks you had that night (meal is included in ticket price) and they will give you a glow in the dark bracelet to show that you have paid for easy escape.

This time we were unable to go up as I still had to work the next day, but we left feeling we got our moneys worth.

Sarah is keen to return though I think we will wait till the next show is released.