Blissiimo – Luxury French Tea House – Braddon – Canberra – Australian Capital Territory – Australia – January 2022

Tags

ACT, Blisiimo French Tea House, Braddon, canberra, Cire Trudon candles, Enigma Fine Chocolates, Mariage Freres Teahouse Paris

In line with me wanting to visit all new cafes in Canberra, last week I drove to a local suburb, not far from my home, to check out a new olfactory that is now offering a luxury French teahouse along with its exclusive range of luxury international perfumes. The first thing I saw upon entering the arcade was a fabulous luxurious velvet sofa in front of a wall of green plants and then a huge toy zebra in the window of the store I came to visit, Blissiomo; both making me want to see more of this store that looked so amazing on-line.

But before I entered the store I saw a hand made chocolate shop Enigma Fine Chocolates a lovely family owned business specialising in artisan style chocolates, truffles and yes…dairy free chocolates…I knew I definitely had to visit. The staff were exceptionally helpful and I ended up buying nine hand made dairy-free chocolates all put into a little box with a bow. The staff then gave me a list of chocolates I had chosen so I would not forget when selecting one to eat. I haven’t tried any yet, but am sure I will over the next few days.

After chocolate shopping, it was time for Blissiimo; it was lovely to hear beautiful French music, smell beautiful fresh flowers and I loved seeing the piccolo bottles of Moet & Chandon in the fridge alongside iced tea and other carbonated non-alcoholic drinks. Bit too early for me to start drinking champagne so I decided to take a look around the store starting off at the walls lined with beautiful smelling perfumes all displayed according to their scent with a mirrored backdrop, huge vases of flowers and statues. You are welcome to try one or all perfumes if you have the time but I am guessing you might be there all day!

As you walk through this amazing store you might have to duck your head under a fabulous chandelier or walk around a huge table arranged with fresh flowers, lotions and perfumes. One thing you will have to do is take your time to look at all the displays of candles, clothes and many many other gorgeous items. Items you don’t really need but once you enter this store you know you have to have!

The sales girl was so helpful and informative and said that Blissiimo brings more than 30 independent candle brands to Canberra, including a cult favourite Cire Trudon—the most exclusive candle brand in the world and whose history dates back to 1643 where Trudon, a French candlemaker started making bees wax candles to became a candle provider to the royal court of the King of France, King Louse XIV. This visit was like a history lesson on perfumes and candles and I found it all very interesting.

There is also an incense bar in the store and on a Monday you can have a psychic reading or have your tealeaves read! What a fabulous way to spend an afternoon along with a glass of champagne and a couple of sweet treats.

By this time I had bought myself a candle and reeds from an Italian scent and soap company founded in Sicily in 2006. I had been given one of the amazing smelling candles from my friend Mary, who ordered it from Italy for me (very kind) so once I saw the brand, Ortigia Sicilia, I wanted another candle, some lovely smelling reeds and a soap. I also wanted to buy Mary a soap and when I gave it to her, she was very happy that this brand could be bought in Canberra; saving her exorbitant postage costs from Italy. The lovely sales girl also gave me Ortigia Sicilia brand bags to put my gifts in…so beautiful.

Now, I was feeling a little thirsty so took a look at the teas on offer. There is an extensive range with 125 different teas available from all over the world with an exclusive range from the Marriage Frères teahouse in Paris which has been in operation since 1854. However, I chose a refreshing Persian mint tea from the Monista Tea Co and went and sat outside on one of the more private sofas around the side of the store to relax a while and enjoy my tea.

There are also stands of Cacao Macarons from Melbourne but I only wanted tea which did come with little biscuits but I didn’t know if they contained dairy so didn’t partake.

The store also has an Afternoon Tea or High Tea available and the menu offers gelati, whipped cream and fruit, parfaits, jelly pots and knickerbockers (layered ice-cream sundaes) for the sweet tooth and antipasto platters for those with a more savoury tooth but either way there is so much food to indulge in!

After tea, I took one more stroll around the store to look at the displays of other perfumes, some with the old fashioned pump and others with a glassed item indicating the scent and bright cushions. How fabulous!

This really is a wonderfully luxurious store – it’s a must if you live in or visit Canberra.

Cakes, cakes and bread – 85ºC Daily Cafe – Canberra – Australian Capital Territory – Australia – January 2022

Tags

85ºC Daily Cafe, ACT, Australia, breads, bubble tea, cakes, canberra, matcha cake, Milky tea, Taiwanese inspired cafe

Lately I have been making a list of cafes and restaurants that have recently opened in Canberra with the aim of trying them all. One I wanted to visit is a Taiwanese international chain called 85º Daily Cafe selling breads, cakes, desserts as well as smoothies, coffee and teas including milk and bubble tea. So this morning after my walk with my dog Axel, I drove into town to find the cafe. It was pretty easy to find as its located near our university on the fringes of the city.

You walk into this cafe and its interior is quite pink, to say the least. Pink walls, pink chairs, fake flowers on the walls are all shades of pink and there are pastel coloured flowers in small baskets, trolleys and vases near the cash register; pretty much all pink. All very sweet I must say.

I chatted to the young Chinese girl behind the cash register and asked her if she was from Taiwan (considering the cafe originated in Taiwan), she told me she was from Mainland China and we chatted a while about my travels throughout her birth country. She told me that all products in the cafe contained egg so I ordered a Jasmine tea and chose a small table near the window to sit and enjoy. The tea arrived in a teabag which was a bit unfortunate but it was nice all the same!

As for the cakes; there are so many lining the walls of the cafe in refrigerated glass side boards. And they look great; there are slices of layered sponge cake, chocolate mousse cake, cheesecake, strawberry cream cake, egg tarts and so many more…including several Asian flavours like a matcha (Japanese green tea) red bean roll and pineapple cakes.

All different sorts of breads and brioche are also sold including cheese bread, cheese twists, chocolate chip bread, coconut twists and croissants. So much choice! Unfortunately for me, similar to the cakes in the store, these savoury treats are non-vegan as they contain either milk or egg or both. These are also beautifully displayed in cabinets where you will also see more beautiful flowers above and lovely take-away boxes on display. I can imagine taking one of the larger cakes as a gift to a friend, looking fabulous in a see through box complete with bow!

The waitress told me that the name of the cafe 85º Daily Cafe actually comes from the idea that the perfect brewing temperature for espresso coffee is 85º Celsius. Interesting! But back to the cakes…there are also full cakes on display for any occasion I guess, then again who needs an occasion to eat cake!

So whilst I could not eat any of the sweet and savoury items on display, I did very much enjoy the visit and the opportunity to practice my Mandarin and view the cuteness of this cafe!

A country drive to Gunning and Gundaroo – New South Wales – Australia – December 2021

Tags

Country driving, Gundaroo, Gunning, New South Wales, Telegraph Hotel Gunning

Just before the end of 2021, I decided to take a day road trip to two nearby country towns. I really enjoy taking these short road trips especially to places I have not been, and then again I enjoy revisiting some places because there is always more to see.

My first stop was the small town of Gunning about an hour’s drive from my home and located on the Old Hume Highway in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. In the past, every truck, actually every vehicle, travelling between Sydney and Melbourne would have to drive through the town. Today it is a chic small town bypassed by the highway which means that the historic buildings in the main street – the court house, post office and other historic buildings can be visited without any interruption from heavy traffic.

I had never visited Gunning so had a couple of places I wanted to see when I arrived. I parked at the start of the main street and went for a walk. My first stop was Pye Cottage which is now a museum (entry by appointment) and as I peeked inside the windows say it was appointed with period pieces and photographs of significant people and events of the local district.

I really enjoy walking around the streets of places I visit looking at the homes which is just what I did whilst in Gunning. Such lovely old homes and beautiful gardens including some very interesting fake sheep and flamingoes in one!

I find the main street in any country town really special, I think it’s because there are so many sweet cafes, pubs and buildings that are so different to those you find in the city. Gunning didn’t disappoint! The Telegraph Hotel had wonderful art on its side walls, the cafes were so inviting with wonderful dishes on their menus and there were beautifully restored homes along the street. Fabulous!!

And as I was walking back to my car, I saw the only motel in the town near the river reminding me of motels I have stayed at many years ago. I did see a beautiful hand-made box containing an array of books. This ‘library’ allows people to take a book to read and/or leave one for someone else to read. I love this concept.

My drive through Gundaroo was actually on the way back to Canberra and I know the small town quite well as have been to there on two previous occasions for lunch at Grazing an award winning restaurant located in the beautifully restored 1865 Royal Hotel and…it only has one small main street with not much else to do.

I did park the car on the side of the road to take some photos of the lovely old buildings and of the police station with its picket fence and climbing pink roses. It’s no longer in use by the police but was for some 78 years before it closed in 1935.

It was then I saw another car pulled over down a small street and the driver was out taking photos…I wondered what this driver was photographing so drove down and saw she was taking photos of a large field with fresh grass hay, newly baled. I just love seeing fields of hay, well fields of anything really but especially love the look of bales of hay; they looked so beautiful just sitting there waiting to be collected to sell for farm animal feed I expect.

Time to head home but not before one more stop as I saw another old home with a sign advising that it was Sally Paskins Store which by the look of it was not open anymore. There was a sign on the front door but I didn’t cross the road to read but I do wonder who Sally Paskins’ was and what she sold in her little store. I can only imagine it would of been a gorgeous building back in the day but also today it looks so in character with other lovely homes and building along Gundaroo’s main street.