ANGIEONLINE: review

Battle of the Bases: The Ultimate Base Makeup Guide

02:20

(Review) The Sculptor by Scott McCloud- Beauty and Madness

08:53

McCloud has done it. He has achieved the combination of brilliance and madness in his graphic novel, The Sculptor (2015). A work that's beautifully visual, simple but also reflective and poignant with lingering thoughts that keep you up all night.

I'm more familiar with McCloud's previous texts Making Comics, and Understanding Comics. I discovered his books during one of my classes at university. His critical texts on graphic novels are acclaimed- Mr. McCloud navigates many similar to myself on this new and uncharted world of comics. As a hobby drawer, these two texts have become a somewhat bible-like work that has truly influenced my appreciation of graphic novels. So he is a very talented artist and his understanding of the visual medium is above any other text I've read, well and truly exemplified in The Sculptor.

The Sculptor is a bildungsroman of sorts. David Smith is an artist struggling to find his way in the big city. He's our 26 year old protagonist who is a talented sculptor successful from a young age. A series of events leads him to lose everything he has, and we watch him struggle with making ends meat, and worst of all, question his very existence in such a huge world. By chance, he is granted a wish- the ability to sculpt anything he can imagine with his bare hands. But he only has 200 days to live as a consequence.

We have the classic tale of a hero down on his luck, where he must make a choice. He decides to achieve greatness and sacrifice everything. The storyline that laces The Sculptor with its backbone is relatively simple, but McCloud's retelling of this trope is simply beautiful and transformative. The text as a whole is rich and speaking to our contemporary identity.

This graphic novel questioned contemporary identities by exploring the main character's ideology and his attempt to understand a world that feels so impossible to "solve". He is finding a solution to the wrong problem, and it becomes so evident to us which is what makes it so tragic. The world feels cruel and uninviting, and David is lost in such a disorienting jungle. He's talented but the world does no recognise his talents. They praise the fallacy of those in power such as the character Finn, an artist on the rise who was born wealthy.

David is stuck, because he sees himself as an artist, despite the fact that his art is criticised by those who are in the profession. He is an idealist, who is guided by pure emotion and instinct as opposed to those around him who might consider trends and the values of their audience. This way of thinking pervades to all aspects of his life: he makes promises which he vows to never break, including not taking charity from others, and not going into a certain chain of grocery stores because of past incidents. He sees things in purely black and white despite it being obvious to us that his life is millions of shades of grey.

His tale begs the question what all artistic minds must evaluate: What is art? Is it a representation of a soul, even though it does not serve please anyone but oneself, or is art what us as a society make it? Do we create our own value for these expressions of the mind, and if so, how do we distinguish what is beauty if it is based on a commercial or collective entity?

This is an extremely difficult question that the text forces us to think about. Is David the true artist? And everyone else simply does not appreciate his sensibilities? Or is he a fool that ignores the "real" world? You decide! It's a tough question that I've been sitting on the fence about since reading this text.

We have many simple characters who are grounded in this often suffocating New York jungle landscape. Our characters are engaging and full of depth. McCloud emphasises simple forms, though realistic. He models them after real people who have posed for him, which explains the certain nature of how dynamic the style is (see author's notes). The characters are so alive and engaging because they feel real, despite the use of tropes that are often overplayed.

David is a very average looking guy. His expressions are subtle, but at points I can really see the despair in his eyes. McCloud's use of human models has allowed for the subtleties in expression and such a large variety of emotions ranging from lust, melancholy, longing to anger.

The style of art in The Sculptor is amazing. As I mentioned, this feels like a rich text with a well developed world that the reader immediately falls into. Each scene is different, each setting varied and well designed, meticulously constructed and very distinct from the previous. I thoroughly enjoyed the detail of landscapes and panels that is amazing for a graphic novel of 400+ pages.

There is so much movement within the panels, being that of the characters or landscapes or text that my eyes simply dance along each page faster than I realise. It's also beautifully still and contemplative when it needs to be. Because the text is so rich and engaging, the pages flew by before I realised there were 400+.

I feel delighted to have stumbled upon this text by coincidence, and somehow gifted for bearing witness to such a hidden gem. The strength of The Sculptor is the attention to detail- the character's and their mannerisms, capturing the unique and lively setting while also being structurally sound and having a world so engaging that the end of the tale comes much too quickly for me as the reader.

This could simply be a tale of a fool who doesn't know what's good for him, but even the biggest realist will experience a conflict in which the character brings his world to life and we see through his eyes. We can see he sadness, the desperation, the beauty and the madness in such a fleeting moment.

The 200 days that David Smith has left feels like sand running through our fingers, inching to a sudden halt that jolts us back into our realist mindset. Life does suck. For David, for you and me and everyone in this world. There are difficulties, hardships and moments where everything is against you. McCloud shows us that it's all part of the plan, and that it is up to us to enjoy the smallest moments, to appreciate the beauty in love, life and also appreciate the beauty of such a terrible and temporary world.

Lush 2014 Round Up

03:01

Long time no see eh? Another year is (almost) done and dusted! I knew this blog was piling up some stagnant cyber dust, so I thought, what better time than now to do some long overdue posting!

I decided I would love to share with yall my 2014 Lush extravaganza: a round of of my tried and tested for this year, the year of Lush! This will be a mega post of all the things I've enjoyed and my experience with the products pictured. Be prepared for reviews, swatches, demos, everything you need and more. Is this not one heck of a Lush hullapalooza?

So let us get right into the 2014 Lush Round Up!

DREAM CREAM: FACT OR FICTION?

First things first, this is definitely one of Lushes most famous products. I managed to pick one up recently at the 50% off sale, otherwise this baby cost a whooping $29.95 for a little under 250g. Luckily, I have been using this one quite a bit. It has a slightly oaty-floral scent and the texture is a slightly more goopey than the average lotion. Dream Cream is an intensive moisturising lotion that feels replenishing on the skin. I hate to say that I really enjoy this stuff. It's expensive, but it's great. Perfect for dry skin or post shaving legs.
This product doesn't keep your skin soft; it clings on and keeps your skin moist. It doesn't want to let go. There is a slight sticky texture after applying it but I really like it because it really feels like the product is working on my skin, and I'm not just wiping it away to nothing.

So bonus is that a little goes a long way. Without much thought, I slathered some onto my hand to get a good picture of the consistency. I soon realised that it was a terrifying mistake! I probably need about half of what is pictured to cover my entire body. The rest I spent slipping around lol.
Definitely recommend if you're out for an intensive moisturiser.

OCEAN SALT FACIAL SCRUB: OLD TIME FAVOURITE

My sister recommended me this product and I've steadily enjoyed its power for quite a while. Admittedly I haven't been using it much lately because I've been reaching for my Clarisonic, which is NOT a good combo with course sea salt and vodka.

This scrub is great for clearing out my pimples and impurities, perfect for eruptive and oily Summer skin. It's made with absolut and salt, lime and coconuts. It feels quite creamy but there are large and small chunks of salt mixed in. A very strong zesty smell that I find is refreshing as hecckkkaaa.

I feel like this product is combating the bacteria and spreading of it by acting as astringents. The scrub is great for sterilising and drying out active breakouts so they don't spread or erupt. Ocean Salt is another famous Lush product that I've really loved. Definite hit for those who would like some exfoliation. Warning that it can be a little tingly, so probably not the best for broken or sensitive skin. (And reminder, please do not make the mistake of using this if you're using an automated exfoliator device like the Clarisonic or Sonicare in your routine. Your skin will be too raw and having acidic products on it will not be fun.)

RUB RUB RUB IT OUT COS YOU CAN

This year I picked up a few newbies to my Lush collection including this sample pot of Lushes Rub Rub Rub (eheh) for $4.95. This hair and body scrub is like a close cousin to the Ocean Salt Scrub. The difference is that it is a very watery formula with fine scrubbing particles. Sweeter smell (slightly citrus-y) and good lather.
I like to use this occasionally when I want something refreshing. Other than that, I usually stick to the shower gels (because I'm lazy). I think this is a decent product that is quite affordable compared to some of the other things they sell at Lush. Better on the body than it is on hair. Great product for if you want to try out Lush but don't know where to start. It's very easy to use and accessible.

POPCORN LIPSCRUB: THE THING YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR

As someone who loves food a little too much for it to be socially acceptable, this lip scrub is heavenscent-holy-buddha-what-is-live level of awesome. This was a gift from my sister but it retails at $9.95. It's basically the answer to my prayers disguised as some super natural products mixed into a scrub in a small lipgloss pot.

I needn't say more because what will sell you? It's edible. And it really tastes like popcorn. And it's delicious. AND IT'S EDIBLE. Go buy it now if you're salivating at the thought.

THE MIGHTY BATTLE OF THE SHOWER GELS

I firmly believe that you can't really go wrong with a shower gel. So what draws me into them amongst a sea of extreme moist advertising? The smell of course! Now I know I have an affinity with food, so call me immature, call me silly, but I cannot get enough of these two shower gels by Lush. They both smell divine (in very different ways).

Snow Fairy is a candy sweet, intense bubblegum smell, while So White is a refreshing but soft apple smell with a slight vodka mix. Both shower gels are amazing and the scent lingers forever. Great for those who love to bask in their own scent. Let's be real, who doesn't love smelling themselves when they smell amazing?
I absolutely love using So White as a shampoo. My hair smells amazing and super clean. It contains apple cider, which is great natural alternative to cleaning hair. I think I love the So White a little bit more just because it works wonders on my hair, and the scent is a little more wearable. Snow Fairy is for something special when I'm needing a sweet pick me up. I've gotten compliments when using both though.

A 250g bottle will set you back $16.95. Quite pricey but I think they are very worth it. They do last a while if you use sparingly or on special occasions. For us mere peasants who don't own baths, these shower gels are the only thing we can cling onto to feel special. They are my most used products from Lush!

HIGH ON HERBALISM

Herbalism Fresh Cleanser was also picked up recently at the end of year sale, and so far I am enjoying it very much. It's a cleanser targeted at oily skin (checkmate!). At first I was very apprehensive of the product. Inside this seemingly innocuous black pot was a strange dry murky green paste product that seemed all too intimidating at first. It also smells indescribably sour. But don't be scared off, I'm glad I wasn't. This cleanser includes kaolin clay, which I find is amazing for minimising pores and controlling oily skin. I put my faith in Lush and I do not regret it!
I find that clay products are always extremely effective, but they often leave my sensitive skin stinging or dry- utterly unpleasant and uncomfortable for me to use on the regular. I'm so so so glad I found something that I can frequent for them kaolin powers!

Instructions tell you to take a pea sized amount and mix it into a "milk" in your hands. Use it as a normal cleanser after that. The method does take getting used to but it is not as bothersome as it would seem. Very easy to mix in. It's great if you want to control how intense you want the product to be on your face. Really loving this so far and would definitely recommend for oily skin or Summer skin control.

BERRYLICIOUS: REINDEER ON ROCKS

No one really uses soap bars anymore, let's be real. But if you're looking to up your soap game, get this Christmas special before it is gone!

I was given a sample of this when I purchased some thing quite a while back, and I couldn't get enough of it. The soap is a berry smell- not just any berry- but lingonberry. It's buttery soft and the the lingonberry makes you just want to sniff it over and over. Okay. So I have a slight obsession with lingonberry that stems back to my childhood and some very delicious IKEA beverages. So this bar of soap is like destiny for me. I'm not sure when I'll get the chance to use it though. I wish I had a grandma to give this to.

FINALLY.... ON THE 2015 AGENDA

I have two things swept up in the sale that I have yet to use but I'm super excited to get into! Though I'm a little freaked out by the fun (main ingredient is corn starch? o_O). Hopefully we'll see what I have to say in my 2015 Round Up!

...aaaaaand that was it! My 2014 Lush round up! *wipes forehead*. That was a long one! Hopefully you found this helpful, and if you made it to the end, I applaud yall patience. Overall I have been pretty happy with my Lush experience this year, and all the products have been generally good.

I love Lush products and have been big on them this year. I was especially excited with the end of year sale, most products, including their christmas sets are now 50%. Pick the stuff up before it sells out!

Sleek Haul Part I Review- Del Mar Palette (+ Swatches)

07:20

ENCHANTED BY THE OLD CROW (Northbridge)

02:18

The Old Crow in Northbridge is a place that knows how to hit all my soft spots. Believe a foodie when she says this is undisputedly the best place she has ever eaten at, because I cannot offer many more adjectives of praise higher than this. This is the second time I've visited The Old Crow, and it has quickly clawed its way into my stone cold heart.

The staff offer fabulous service, the interior is engaging but not excessive, and the dining areas are intimate, practical and welcoming.

They score top marks on both aspects of ambience and service, but this does not detract from the show-stealer, which is the menu that keeps us coming back for more. Both times that I have been, the food has been exceptional- large serving sizes, good variety and most of all, displaying an utter creativeness that cannot be found anywhere else. We greatly anticipated the challenge of their new seasonal menu, full of unique and exciting flavours The value and experience of coming to The Old Crow is something I have never encountered at any other restaurant.

Our picks:

Fried potatoes, ranch, Cajun salt………$9

Duck parfait, rhubarb, charred bread………$16

Rye smoked salmon, beetroot remoulade………$17

Lamb rump, crispy belly, lentils, cauliflower puree………$32

BBQ pork hock, mash potato, pickled cabbage………$30

New Orleans Nutmeg Pitcher

I didn't get a chance to snap a pic of the New Orleans Nutmeg Pitcher before it was down our throats. Elderflower is my weakness, it was so good I cannot describe. Definitely recommend this one hands down!

We went with the fried potato side again (above), this offering was minus the spicy seasoning that was on their summer version. Still absolutely delicious for something so simple. I loved the complimentary bread and the fragrant butter was heavenly.

We also decided to try the duck parfait small plate, served on a wooden platter with toasted bread and rhubarb. The parfait was fragrant, smooth and intense. A Great combination with the crusty charred bread. Definitely a unique experience for me. Although I wasn't entirely used to the flavour, I enjoyed sampling it as a side.

The smoked salmon was another intense dish was stimulated my senses. I'm not a huge fan of salmon (unless it's steamed, yes, I'm boring!) but this dish was also great. I became a fan of the beetroot after nibbling on the cubes. There are several elements to this dish that work in perfect harmony together. The smokiness and intense salted salmon is neutralised by the poached egg and several textures were at play with the beetroot and garnish. All of it melted in the mouth.

The lamb rump was beautiful and pink, with two variations- a simple cooked slice contrasted the battered and crunchy strips. Again, another dish with excellent harmony within the elements. Loved the lentils and sauce in this one!

Now what could top off this plethora of flavours? The GIGANTIC piece of pork hock is what! It came out as the stunning finale to our whimsical journey. There was a unanimous silence as we beheld the beast at our table- a thrilling offering of meat that had been prepared perfectly. Each shred off meat that fell of the bone unmasked soft puffs of smoke that was a tribute to its freshness and delicious flavour (My mouth waters even thinking about it now).

Even the mashed potato was perfectly smooth, without the noticeable presence of a sickening creamy flavour.

I cannot praise The Old Crow enough. It is the epicentre of where you want to be on an adventure. Anyone who has a palette for unique flavours needs to come here to experience it done right.The dishes are a perfect blend of classics spiced up with exciting flavours. The Old Crow reminds me of why I love food and the magical quality we experience and the reason I continue to have a passion about food. With it's current popularity, the restaurant still delivers and will exceed your expectations beyond any hype.

You know ain't no body had time to be taking proper pictures when the food is so good. I'm not even going to apologise!

The Old Crow

Northbridge 172 Newcastle Street Perth, WA 6000

http://www.theoldcrow.com.au/

FREMANTLE ADVENTURE- OOTONG&LINCOLN

05:16

Typika Artisan Roasters (Claremont)

04:34

Typika Artisan Roasters is a large cafe-style establishment located in Claremont. The space is a trendy restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch and other cafe treats. The decor and design of the place itself is similar to Raw Kitchen, with rustic and unique ornaments and embellishments and different varied seating areas placed in an upscale environment.

We were greeted at the entrance by the manager and then seated around the middle on the high tables and chairs. it is evident the space has been designed for sharing despite the large seating areas only occupying 2-3 diners in the relatively quite lunch hour that we decided to visit.

Beverages were latte (above), naked ice coffee (not pictured) and I chose the chai iced beverage and it came with a scoop of ice cream. Tasty, delightful vanilla-ry flavour and authentic chai. Really liked it.

what we ordered:

Onion Rings $6.00 Beer battered onion rings, served with aioli.

Beer Battered Fish & Chips $30.00 Beer battered fish of the day served with beer battered chips and sweet potato wedges and our own delicious tartare sauce.

Petite Steak Sandwiches $25.00 Three mini steak sandwiches on garlic croutes, succulent grilled fillet steak, cream cheese, bacon, asparagus and harissa hollandaise, served with beer battered onion rings and aioli.

We didn't realise the steak sandwiches came with onion rings (our mistake!) but they were delicious and quickly snapped up. We chose dishes that were quite similar in style but they were still very good. My favourite would be the petite steak sandwiches, but I wish the serving size was a little larger.

Despite it's minuscule size, the sandwich is packed with flavour. The steak was cooked perfectly and melted into ones mouth, leaving the crunch of the bacon to contrast with a great mix of fillings. I loved that I could still distinctly taste the garlic croutes amongst all the flavours- wasn't too much at all surprisingly. Would definitely recommend!

The fish and chips were good but not my favourite. The fish was well cooked and enjoyable with the unique and flavourful tartare. I assumed the spray bottle was a vinegar of some sort but there was no real noticeable flavour as I sprayed it onto my fish to test. Not sure what was going on there. I really liked the chips and would order them as a side on my next visit.

Upon entry to the restaurant, we were asked for ID- "this is a licensed venue". A few minutes later, once we had sat down, we were asked by a different staff member for ID again. Although they didn't push the matter once we explained that we had done so upon entry, it did leave us feeling a little puzzled, especially due to the fact that none of us were ordering alcohol anyway.

The restaurant itself was a new experience. Typika does tend to render some polarising opinions from not only my acquaintances but also on sites such as Urbanspoon. I'm fairly sure the staff and management are well aware of the criticisms they face as they seemed weary once they noticed I had brought a dslr camera with me (a very clear indication that I would be publicising my dining experience).

I was honestly quite uncomfortable taking pictures as I was receiving vibes from the staff. They were not rude vibes, but more so that they were extremely aware of my camera... I don't even know really (I can't explain the feeling properly).

I could see how people dislike the style of service as they do appear to approach different customers in inconsistent ways. I don't feel like the place is particularly welcoming and constrasts greatly with the type of service you would get at places such as The Tuck Shop Cafe. I can't help but think that they would've been so much more accommodating at Typika had I been decked out in luxury brands. They were not as rude as a lot of negative reviewers make them out to be though. The girl who handled our bill was lovely and very professional.

I think that their customer service and serving policies need more consistency as it is quite confusing and other diners could feel discouraged to visit. On top of the ID situation, we also had my chai come to the table twice (not sure why) and it ended up being billed twice too despite it being their serving error. Although the issue was resolved quickly, I still find it strange that these experiences occurred in the first place.

I don't think that the polarising views are due to the food. The portion sizes are good and the food is flavourful and plated in a simple but engaging manner. I personally dislike the approach of splattering everything all over the dish in abstract patterns ala Raw Kitchen, so I was relieved when everything came on a clean board and was neatly placed. The dishes I ordered matched my personal tastes very well.

I liked Typika and would recommend it to people who aren't too fussy and like a fulfilling eat with some great flavours. I do think that it's better than it's rating and I prefer the food over other places I've been to in the ninety percentile. Although nothing is unbelievably outstanding, I quite enjoyed the visit. Give it a chance!

Typika Artisan Roasters

Claremont 331 Stirling Highway Claremont, WA