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So we were at dance class – and Sam is doing his stretches with heaves and sighs.
Turns out he ate two croissants for breakfast and shows up for dance.
Halfway between sips of water and chat, he decides we all need to get to Smith St and have more croissants at Monsieur Truffe.
You should know me by now, Sam had me at truffe.

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And it was the perfect Saturday afternoon.
Monsieur Truffe is the real thing – and you know it when you bite it. I grabbed the last “delicious” (pictured for your salivating pleasure). Rosh had a skinny cap and an escargot croissant, Sam had not another croissant (because I stole his favourite), but a hot flat white and an apple crumble, and Jared came late – so he had to get by with Green Tea.
The mocha came with a wooden set – cup, saucer and spoon. So aesthetic, it really was love at first sight.

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And I don’t have enough words for the “delicious” – except that I let everyone taste a 2cm portion – and then “forgot” to ask if they wanted more. No really. – Ooh, also wanted to mention – they have extraordinary seats, made from recycled cardboard and a gorgeous wallpaper with deer on it – to see more pictures, click here. To read about what the Age had to say – click here.

We will all be back – I assure you.

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I often feel like I can’t really work with someone till I get to share a coffee and a bit of a laugh, so I thought you may want to know Jacquie a bit more. Here is her Miss Kish Q&A session. xx K
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Favourite munchies food

Red Rock Deli Potato Chips – 
Lime & Black Pepper
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Best Art Gallery in Melbourne
The Narrows - a contemporary art space which predominately exhibits graphic design work from both local and international designers.
Why design? Why not a doctor / architect / fashionista?
I don’t like latex gloves, needles or blood. No seriously, for me design is enjoyable and I believe it is important to you love what you do.

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Best font.
Avant Garde.
Tofu much?
Tofu?…Never!
( oh dear…..I see an intervention coming on…K)

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Best piece of design you’ve seen this year and why.
Posters designed by Harry Pearce for the Haiti Poster Project.
“A city as a body beneath a sheet. It’s still, silent and the plain facts say it all”. (Harry Pearce)
This poster is how graphic design can make a positive contribution to society.
Fav. thing about Miss Kish
The wide variety of creative design projects and lovely clients I have the opportunity to work with.

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Movie that we all MUST see.
I don’t know about any movies, but everyone must see my fave TV show, Black Books.
On a Sunday afternoon where would you want to be found.
Sitting on any Australian beach, preferably with surf and sunshine.

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One thing for 2010 you want to change.
To continue with my Kiribati project and raise awareness of the tiny pacific island nation, which is under threat of becoming completely submersed due to the effects of global warming and rising sea levels.

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And that – is Jacquie in Q&A!

Recently, I caught an early morning flight from Melbourne to Suva, Fiji and I found myself sitting next to Rachel.

With three boys + a man, a packet of natural snakes and other enviable munchies on a Virgin Blue flight, I made friends with Rachel super fast. I think I actually liked her because it’s the first time I’ve seen three little boys behave themselves so well on a flight.

So Rachel turned out to be based in Hawthorn (the Miss Kish studio is in Hawthorn) and Rachel runs a small business – so does Kish!

After a brief stint in San Francisco – Rachel returned to Melbourne and with her sister, Emma they started Lima Bean. A search for functionality and style for mums.
Now hang on. I can hear you saying – Kish – whats with the babies? I assure you, nothing. But I recently had a baby shower and I bought a bandana bib (come on, how cool is that!!) and a ChangeMate – and it was a hit! So, if you do have friends who are expecting, I think they would really love Lima Bean.

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I don’t know how many of you have design envy – I do. I have it when I see cool dressed people in cool arcades. Argh – don’t you hate them? And I also have it when I go here and here and here.

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So for a long time I’ve had healthy design envy (very healthy, good vibes all the way) – for The Design Files. Lucy Feagins has always been “wow”. She blogs everyday and recently, a fair friend told me she has 10,000 hits a day. You just got green didn’t you?

Anyhoo. Last week, I got invited to her talk – thanks Joyce, for thinking of me – and I, a mildly green Kish went to listen to Lucy talk about her blog – at Coco Republic – (we were sipping on Cloudy Bay’s Pelorus Sparkling and popping Arancini balls). And Lucy was, wait for it………………….
………….lovely!!
She really was.
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She took us through the early days of her blog and her break through post which was picked up by Design*Sponge and the jobs that have come about since then. Clearly humble and frank – it was really refreshing to hear her.

Her top websites for now – which she felt as quirky + ones to watch out for – are Modernist Australia, Behind Ballet, Hello Sandwich, Junior and Home Love. She also mentioned – the must haves, Core 77, MoCo Loco, DeZeen and designboom. So my point is, usually – there is no point in being green, because generally when you meet the person who is making you green, they are lovely and all the greenly-ness is gone!
Thanks Lucy for the lovely talk. xK

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When we walked into Five Boroughs I had a strong sense of déjà vu – till I clicked, that it felt so much like Mad Men! Based in Brunswick East, further up Lygon St, Five Boroughs is a store full of little surprises.

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They stock Brooke Johnston earrings, Peeping Tom Gift Cards and ceramics made by Miss Jones – wowza, have you seen her milk bottles?
When you pop by, check out the tiling on the floors and at the entrance – it you’re in the design industry, it should make you smile. Pictured here are brooches by LAB THREEOFIVE.
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Behind Five Boroughs, theres also Holly Daze, a design collective producing a range of artworks, paper products and screen print based textile design. You can see some of the goodness at Five Boroughs as well – prints on recycled wrapping paper. Pictured are textiles by Mingus Designs.

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Notebooks by Ask Alice – printed in Melbourne on 100% recycled paper with ink from veggies – oh so vegetarian.

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Brooches by Peta Pledger – who also has a super fine blog.

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And just while we’re talking period – Cutler And Gross, have a new campaign inspired by Tamara de Lempicka – one of my favourite artists. To be startled – click here to see Tamara’s art (yes, I just upgraded to firstname basis) and here to see the newly inspired campaign. Lusciousness.
Hope you like + have a lovely week!

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On Friday, I spotted Kinfolk. No, its not a bike. It’s a cafe with a cool bike in it.

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I heard about Kinfolk via the Hive and thought “sigh, I just don’t know when I’ll be able to pop by…”. Well folks, it’s just opposite Spencer (Southern Cross) Station on Bourke St – truly. Right there, with the big windows, the old signage, the little pot plants and the woody interiors – Kinfolk is in the loveliness that is Melbourne city.

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According to the Hive (and me, cause I pretty much always agree with the Hive) Kinfolk is Melbourne’s latest and most exciting social enterprise project. Kinfolk operates as a premium café, serving quality espresso and fresh, healthy produce, all the while redirecting its profits to various worthwhile international and local development projects.
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I met Jarrod, who was lovely (which you would so expect si si?) – and took all my change in exchange for a super fine goats cheese, rocket, beetroot + rye (I think it was rye) combo. All lunch on the menu was under $10. And I got my little takeaway sandwich in a cool brown packaging.
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Jarrod says he has the time to chat with Kish – so watch this space for more.

If you’d like to hear the duo that is Kinfolk, Asuka & Jarrod, speak, then all you have to do is turn up at the next Hive event – which is free – and always worth it.
So see you soon at 7pm on Tuesday June 22nd at The Order of Melbourne, 401 Swanston Street, Melbourne.

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I have a thing for windows – here is the one for Husk on Lygon St. I first clicked when I read about them on the Design Files – and I saw Aimee McCallum’s interview. Just wanted to share this one.

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A bit more detail.
Have a lovely week! K

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I loose contests, competitions and anything that involves luck – a lot of the time. You know that Easter bunny hamper back in the 80’s and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sweater? I didn’t win either, but D, my sister, won both. Cow (said with affection). Anyhooo. I did win something with the lovely folk at Michi Girl. I won double passes to the screening of New York, I Love You at Cinema Nova in Carlton! Hell yeah. With a super stellar cast, including Andy Garcia (personal fav), Irfan Khan (super personal fav), the gorgeous Shu Qi and of course Natalie Portman. It was D-lightful.

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More so, Michi Girl had treats. In brown paper bags, there was love from Frankie, Honey Honey, Gorman, Obus, Mor and more more more.
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I’ve chatted with Honey Honey on twitter – and subscribed to their newsletters for my fashion / fun updates – we got their books – “Travellers I met and Liked” & “Shopaholics I met and Liked”. Super coolness.
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We got Gorman teatowels, which I’m still deciding whether to keep at the office where I can see them 30 times a day, or keep them at home and feel chic and organic? Can’t decide much.
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I shared my Mor lipgloss with D – she deserved something for sharing her sweater with me back when I was growing new teeth.
Michi – super love for you for restoring my faith in luck xx K