There’s always a first time for everything and I think this is our first time to have yogurt at a restaurant. I’ve seen yogurt cafes in the Philippines when we vacationed there last year but we never had the chance to try it then. This year, Sydney Metro is starting to have more yogurt stores which is a great thing.  Aussies now have more options for dessert: chocolate cafes, coffee boutiques, patisseries, ice cream parlours, tea salons, Asian dessert cafes, milk tea stores and now, yogurt cafes!

After our lunch at Beauty and the Beast Cafe & Restaurant in Strathfield, we noticed a new establishment near the train station. Instead of having dessert at Hello Happy, we decided to have yogurt for dessert.

Yogurberry, from the words yogurt and berry, started in a small town in Korea in 2004. In three years, they expanded into 50 outlets in Korea. Later on, they opened stores in USA, China, Malaysia, Brazil, Sudan, UAE, Bolivia, Paraguay, India, Pakistan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Panama, and Australia.
Yogurberry (Strathfield, NSW)
Their newest store in Strathfield is attractive and colourful that’s why we can’t help but hang out and have a cup of yogurt. 
Yogurberry (Strathfield, NSW)
We eat yogurt at home but we’re practically amateurs when it came to enjoying frozen yogurt in a cafe. It just seemed fussy at first but we’re grateful that there was a board that showed instructions on how to make our own cup of yogurt. 
Yogurberry (Strathfield, NSW)
There were two brightly-coloured cups to choose from: the blue’s bigger and the green’s on the medium side.
Yogurberry (Strathfield, NSW)
Then we moved to the yogurt dispenser which looks soooo cute because of the lighted drawings on the wall above it. You can choose from any of the different flavours of yogurt but they also have an Original Plain flavour (the unflavoured yogurt). Their flavours include chocolate, passion fruit, taro, mango, blueberry, strawberry, pomegranate, green apple, pineapple and banana.
Yogurberry (Strathfield, NSW)
I chose the Taro flavour and I was grateful that the staff was helpful enough to demonstrate how to pull down the dispenser handle. He later handed the cup to me so I can experience doing it myself. 
Yogurberry (Strathfield, NSW)

The fun part is adding the toppings of your choice to our yogurt. The toppings buffet is divided in half: sweets (a.k.a. not so healthy options) and fruits (healthy options). My eyes were fixed on the sweets hahaha, it was only a bit later when I noticed that they had fruit toppings. I was able to add a few strawberries and blueberries to our sweet toppings of M&Ms, chocolates and nuts.

Yogurberry (Strathfield, NSW)

Once finished, the cup is placed on a scale which will automatically measure the weight and its equivalent amount. Our medium-sized cup amounted to AUD$6.30.

Yogurberry (Strathfield, NSW)

It was Yogurberry‘s first week of opening in Strathfield when we visited in October.  It was a rainy day that time but we enjoyed our cold yogurt dessert. The Taro flavour is commendable. It has a good balance of sweet and sour.

Yogurberry (Strathfield, NSW)
We like their spacious branch and youthful interiors. I look forward to having dessert here again.

4 The Boulevard
Strathfield, NSW 2135
Discovered this Korean restaurant in Strathfield that also serves Japanese and Western cuisine in October. We were supposed to have brunch at our usual favourite Korean BBQ restaurant but it was still closed when we arrived. So we walked a few more steps and found Beauty and the Beast Cafe & Restaurant open with an accommodating staff who willingly accommodated us. 

On our first visit, the Husband and I enjoyed a bowl of their Pork and Tofu Kimchi Stew, Pork Tonkatsu and Clubhouse Sandwich.  We enjoyed their well-made dishes that the next time we were in Strathfield, we took our friends there too. Our friends tried their Pork Tonkatsu and Beef Bulgogi and they liked them too. On our second visit, the Husband tried their abundant Bibimbap and once again, I ordered my favourite Clubhouse Sandwich.

If you’re looking for a place that serves delicious and well-made Korean dishes, plus Japanese and Western cuisine, Beauty and the Beast Cafe & Restaurant is a dependable place that I recommend.
Beauty and the Beast Cafe and Restaurant (Strathfield, NSW)
Beauty and the Beast Cafe and Restaurant (Strathfield, NSW)
Beauty and the Beast Cafe and Restaurant (Strathfield, NSW)
Beauty and the Beast Cafe and Restaurant (Strathfield, NSW)
Beauty and the Beast Cafe and Restaurant (Strathfield, NSW)
U1/39 The Boulevard
Strathfield NSW
Phone: 02 9763 2155

Our friend and former workmate in Manila came with her family and travelled to Sydney for a week. Their family is now based in Singapore and they enjoy travelling a lot. The Husband and I were so glad they chose to explore Sydney. Like we always say, we love seeing friends from overseas as it’s nice to re-connect and share the beauty of Sydney with them.

I was fortunate to take two days off work while the Husband took Friday off so he can also spend time with them. We had so much fun catching up, savouring good food and walking around the city in such a beautiful, sunny weather.  It was two lovely days spent with friends that we’ll always be grateful for. (Note: We miss them already but we know we will see each other again–someday soon we hope.)

Two days around Sydney:

Thursday – Queen Victoria Building, Sydney Fish Market, Darling Harbour, Lindt Cafe, Hurricane’s Grill, Westfield Sydney, The Galeries

Friday – Manly Beach and Circular Quay, Lunch at Bavarian Bier

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Summer officially started on the 1st of December and the day before, we were hit by a heatwave-ish temperature of 34-37 degrees Celsius. The Husband and I were blessed to hang out at Manly Beach with friends on Friday. In the city and at the beach, the heat wasn’t as bad as the wind was cool. 
When the sun is out, I take advantage and wear something light and cool. Last Friday, I wore a sundress I got on sale via yesstyle.com and paired it with platform Havaianas which I got from Boracay, Philippines.
The dress I wore had a bright, floral design and had a very simple cut. What I loved about the dress was it had two lines of embroidered flowers on the front. It’s a tiny detail but it made the dress more dainty. 
Style Musings: Summer Dress
While I prefer good quality and designer sunglasses, however, I’m open to buying a pair of cheap sunnies. Once in a while, I find a style that can easily match an outfit on an everyday basis. Here’s a pair of wayfarer sunnies that I found at Valleygirl for only AUD$10.00. 
I hope the Summer season will bless us with moderate warm temps ahead so all of us Sydneysiders can enjoy wearing our sundresses, shorts and singlets and flip flops.
Ensemble: Sundress by 59 Seconds (via yesstyle.com) * Platform Flip Flops by Havaianas * Wayfarer Sunglasses by Valleygirl * Brown Handbag by Marithe et Francois Girbaud
A fresh bouquet of flowers were waiting at my desk this morning when I arrived. They came from one of my trainees who wanted to remain anonymous but (according to my workmate) profusely sent her appreciation for all the work I’ve done in running the training program that she’s attending. 

It’s made my heart tender as I start my Wednesday on a sweet note. My trainee’s thoughtful and sweet gesture made my day! I wish I could personally say thank you but nevertheless, I’m thinking good thoughts of her and will say a prayer that she’ll hopefully feel how grateful I am.

Oftentimes it’s not the grand things that make us truly happy and appreciated. I’ve always been contented and fulfilled just seeing all my trainees present in their workshops, learning new skills and improving their craft. They don’t even have to thank me for it. The mere fact that they make an effort to learn is enough for me. Knowing that I’m a part of their successful careers makes it all worthwhile. 

The past few weeks have been quite stressful at the office. Some days, I’ve lost the equilibrium I have maintained and always enjoyed. But there are two words that helped me soldier on: determination and passion. Determination is what helps me bring order in every tangled a situation there may be. Passion is my fuel, the stamina of my heart, mind and spirit. 

Receiving flowers is the icing on my cake, a bonus that can never be measured. On days when things are getting rough at work, I will go back to moments like these to inspire me to serve more.