Faiz got us tickets to the tulip festival more than a month ago but we were both swamped with assignments :(
So during spring break, we spent our Sunday having late brunch at Dundas and Fausset then drove an hour from the city to get to Tesselaar.
Its Faiz's second time frequenting the festival but it was my first. You know I love flowers and greenery and all things nature so I absolutely loved every minute of it.
I haven't been playing around with my Fuji camera for a while so I decided this was a great opportunity to whip it out and practice a lil photography. I just updated the firmware for the 35mm 1.4 lens and it feels brand new?!?! The update made the lens super fast and tact sharp so I was itching to try it out.
Really quickly for those wondering - I take my photos in RAW (it salvages highlights and shadows better = better manipulability for edits) and use Adobe Lightroom for post-processing.
Enjoy!
Quick mirror check before we head off hehehe
With my patient driver for the day :)
Hubba hubba hubbaaa
One of the cafes near Albert Park.
I was in a moving car when I took this hence the lil vibration
White caged flowers
Dundas & Faussett
Not gonna lie but this was our first time at the cafe and I SHIT YOU NOT:
this is my favourite Melbournian brunch place of ALL TIME!!!!
We waited a fair bit for the food, about 45 minutes to an hour but wow, with brunch food of this pedigree... I will wait 10 fucking years if I have to. Soooo many options on the menu (breakfast, lunch, wok-style) and the coffee is top notch. Every single thing we ordered was spot on and unlike the other brunch places I've been to, the portions were v v v generous.
Big big thank you to my lovely Karbear for recommending us this gem!
I came back to Dundas a few days ago for the Grand AFL final public holiday with my fulton friends and they all loved it!! I'll be making a separate post for that brunch so watch this space~
Table flowers
Menu. Looks small but the options alone will blow your mind.
Deep in thought
Faiz has got a really nice side profile. I look like a fair shrek for mine :P Hahaha
Flat white for meeee
Latte for Faiz
BEST HOTCAKES EVERRRRRRRRRR! I will hype this up and give you very high expectations bc I know once you've tried this.... There's no going back to other hotcakes. Every time I go for brunch, if there's a hotcake on the menu, Imma be ordering that for the table. So I've tried about 30-40 hotcakes in the past 4 years and this is the no.1 on my list.
The hotcakes were fluffy, moist and the perfect amount of sweet (if its too much I get muak/jelat/grossed out too fast). BUT THIS WAS PERFECT. It had crumbs, toasted nuts with berries and caramelised bananas (on the side bc faiz lol)
GAME CHANGER!!!!!
Yoooo their sticky beef short ribs was INCREDIBLE. Melts off the bone, melts in your mouth and will 100% melt your heart.
Cooked asian style with lots of coriander.
Steak sandwich on sourdough bread. I love anything on bread (or carbs....) so this one's a win too.
FINISHED EVERYTHING except for the chips
Trying to work my side pose but failing lol. Faiz, baby teach me ur ways PLEASE
Patent gold
Tulip festival
After making our tummies happy at brunch, we finally made our way to the tulip festival!!! The drive was beautiful and lined with endless bouts of trees. I read a book on my iPad while Faiz drove hahahaha.
At the entrance.
Employees fully committing to the theme.
Hensem boi
My favourite subjects to shoot are actually flowers. I love the creamy bokeh that they give in photos. I'm still trying to improve on catching the essence of a person's expressions so I guess for now, flowers it is.
FIRST TULIPS SIGHTED!!!!
Faiz used to be president of the photography club when he was in high school so his photo taking skills are pretty amazing. Grateful!!!
Cute aunty
If you look at the photo closely, you can see Faiz giving someone a side eye hahahaha!
Faiz said the yellow ones were his fav
Baby pink tulips
Saw at least 15 selfie sticks. Serious question but where can I get one *in pink no less
The most stunning cross of colours. WOWWWW.
After spending about 30 minutes walking around the Tulip lanes, we went to the other side of the festival to check out boothes and find food to eat.
Yes you are seeing pine cone necklaces.
Alpaca!!!
Of course I wanted a photo with a rainbow wind fan
Deep in conversation
I like your denim jacket girlllll
First pit stop: fairy floss!
Faiz ate it so quickly wtf give me a chance lah
POTATO TWISTIES!!! I had garlic and parmesan, Faiz had smoky bbq
Last pit stop: dutch pancakes
jam and cream + maple and lemon cream
Live jazz performances
Packing up
With my lovable partner in crime.
Bonus: Waffles
Took some photos of Waffles when I got home. Hehehe.
Thank you Faiz for taking me to the tulip festival on my last (full) year in Melbourne!!! I enjoyed every single minute of it and the weather was so accomodating and perfect.
Writing this on the last day of spring break and I've got 4 x 2500 essays to write in the next month.
Will be updating soon before things get real hectic.
Hope everyone's well and happy!!!
Lots of love,
Sara