AUSTRALASIA Archives - Ultimate Hot Chocolate

Sculptures by the Sea and the Hot Chocolate at Il Lido, Perth, Australia

I have never seen anything quite like Sculptures by the Sea anywhere. Sculptures by the Sea is an annual event that goes on for several weeks. For that period, the beach and area around the beach is transformed into a large, open air, and free art gallery. The sculptures are from a variety of artists, both homegrown and foreign, sharing pieces that range from breathtaking and serene to powerful and thought provoking. A large glass marble reflects the world upside down, dolphins swim across the sand, a surfer appears and disappears depending on where you stand. We visited many many times and each time discovered [...]

August 7th, 2017|AUSTRALASIA, Australia, Perth, Western Australia|

A Hot Chocolate at Duck Duck Bruce, Freemantle, Australia

Given the name and logo for this little café in Freemantle I assumed I’d enter to find ducks everywhere. But no, no ducks. But there is a Bruce. And there is a nice little hot chocolate. Lets start with Bruce. Lets start with the fact that Bruce is a bit of mystery since the creators of this great spot are actually Sean, Charlie and Woody. I guess Bruce is hiding out back with the ducks but no problem, I’m a fan. Actually I did a bit more searching and Bruce is the name of the model shark used in the [...]

July 31st, 2017|AUSTRALASIA, Australia, Perth, Western Australia|

A Hot Chocolate at Bread in Common, Fremantle, Australia

Freemantle may seem to be a part of Perth, but to those that live here it isn’t at all. Freemantle, or Freo as it is called here, is its own little wonderful world and once you visit you understand why the locals not only love it, but see it as its own city. Between the Freemantle Market, the port, the little stores and gorgeous historic buildings, it is a real jewel. If you walk through the centre of Freemantle, turn left down a little road, then right, there it is. This building at 43 Packenham was originally a pharmaceutical warehouse [...]

May 15th, 2017|AUSTRALASIA, Perth, Western Australia|

The Joondalup Festival and a Hot Chocolate at Lowlight Espresso, Perth, Australia

The name “Joondalup” conjures up images of a magical place. The land of Joondalup…well in this case it is the City of Joondalup in Perth, definetly turns into a magical place every year for a few days in April during the Joondalup Festival. The event takes over much of Central Park and parts of the town, and is all about the idea that anybody can perform, create and imagine. Everywhere you look there is a chance to participate; the giant marionette that the public can have a go at puppeterring, the CLOUD that needs visitors to pull its strings in order [...]

April 28th, 2017|Australia, Perth, Western Australia|

Meet the Maker: A Chat with Mork in Melbourne, Australia

I’ve started a new series called Meet the Maker. Here I will interview some of the owners/creators/makers of my favourite hot chocolates around the world to learn more about who they are, what they do, and why they do it! Today I’m focused on Josefin and Kiril from the Mork in Melbourne, Australia. To read my recent review of the hot chocolates at Mork click here. Who are you Josefin Zernell / Kiril Shaginov Founders Mörk Chocolate and fellow chocolate makers What kind of person are you: white, milk or dark? We are both incredibly devoted to dark chocolate, in [...]

September 29th, 2016|AUSTRALASIA, Australia, Melbourne, Victoria|

The one and only Mörk and their ultimate hot chocolates, Melbourne, Australia

I have enjoyed a lot of hot chocolates in Melbourne over the years, but this time I fell in love with one…with many actually, at Mörk. The thing is, Mörk is perhaps the ultimate hot chocolate, for many reasons. First Mörk is not a chocolate shop, it's a hot chocolate shop. Mörk is not a café….its a hot chocolate shop. Mörk is not a restaurant or a bar or a store or anything else. It is a place that is dedicated to serving hot chocolate in many shapes and forms. Now, how many places have you been like that? I’ve [...]

September 27th, 2016|AUSTRALASIA, Australia, Melbourne, Victoria|

Everything you ever wanted to know about Eucalyptus and a Hot Chocolate at the Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery, Kangaroo Island, Australia (5)

(This is part 5 of a 5 part series on Kangaroo Island. Click here to read the rest of the posts) I can’t tell you how many times while travelling to countries around the world, locals have pointed out their local trees. “These are Eucalyptus trees” they will tell me “ they are native of Columbia/Portugal/Ghana/insert country name here”. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint, Eucalyptus trees are all Aussie. Eucalyptus oil is distilled from the leaf of the Eucalyptus and this particularly distillery on Kangaroo Island, the only in South Australia, opened in the 1880s. It is distilled in the traditional [...]

September 23rd, 2016|AUSTRALASIA, Australia, Kangaroo Island, South Australia|