Serotonin Eatery

Their motto is simply at Serotonin Eatery; Every time you eat you are either feeding disease or fighting it. Open 8am till 3pm Wednesday to Sunday, this is the perfect place to get your endorphin-filled brunch fix.

Whenever you walk into Serotonin Eatery, you will be greeted by the friendly and bubbly staff, who are more than happy to help you enjoy the full experience of Serotonin. And there’s so much to experience. From the delicious organic and plant based menu, which can cater to all your dietary needs (vegan, gluten free and wheat free friendly) to their specialty lattes, which come with a signature smiley face made from their house made cacao mix.

If that hasn’t got you hooked, you can choose to be seated at their wonderful couch lounges, or wait for it … their swings!!! Yes you read right, Serotonin has two dedicated benches with swings to get that blood flowing and those positive vibes a-going.

And last but not least, you must end with one of their scrumptious organic raw desserts, which are sugar, gluten and dairy free. Get it take away so you can bring home those happy vibes (or eat it in the car, because you just can’t wait).

Helpful hint: Definitely treat yourself to all that Serotonin Eatery has to offer, so be prepared to spend a small fortune, and you’ll leave with your head in the clouds and a smile on your face.

Serotonin Eatery

52 Madden Grove, Burnley

Facebook: Serotonin Eatery

Instagram: @serotonindealer

- Sarah 

Kuwaii.

Three words: made in Melbourne. There are many things that make Kuwaii very special, with their local manufacturing topping my list. Each season Kuwaii’s designs give a nod to the trends of the season, yet feature strong, classic cuts that enable the clothes to remain practical enough to wear for years following their purchase. Trying on the garments instore you can really feel the quality and care that has gone into the creation of every piece.

Their autumn / winter 2016 collection is to be released in store over the following weeks, and true to form their Aurora collection features structured lines, and strong colour blocking. The largely cool colour palette is perfect for the upcoming season, with a particular focus on grey, blue and khaki tones. You can preview (and pre-order) the current collection online here. Kuwaii will also be showcasing their Aurora collection on the 13^th of March at the VAMFF. Premium Runway 6 will also feature designers including Obus and Limedrop, a line-up way too good to miss. Follow the link here for all the details.

Kuwaii:
Brunswick Store: 37-39 Glenlyon Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056
Melbourne City Store: Shop 7-8 Cathedral Arcade, 37 Swanston Street Melbourne, VIC 3000
Instagram: @kuwaii

-     - Miriam

*Mosaik does not take credit for the images used in this article

Online Oddities: Twitter.

Twitter.

What is it?

Twitter is many different things to many different people. Right now for me Twitter gives me direct communication to @LeeLinChinSBS, an insight into the controversial mind of @kanyewest and a weekly reminder that a new episode of @Brooklyn99FOX is out.

But it wasn't always like this. 

The first time I used Twitter I was truly overwhelmed and frankly a little scared that I would get Twitter famous for drunk tweeting and anyone who has read my drunk texts knows that is NOT good. Re-tweeting made no sense to me and hashtags were not the same kind that you spam on Instagram. This was a whole new world and the combination of tags and hashtags confused me enough to delete the app entirely off my phone.

Until recently...

It probably happened when another @kanyewest twitter rant was reported on the news and I thought "I'm missing out, @kanyewest is more entertaining then the entire Kardashian clan combined." So I re-downloaded the app from the ever mystical cloud and tweeted for the first time:

I then messaged my best friend and fellow contributor Beth to let her know about the new change in my life to which she replied "Twitter is very you." Which I like to think translates to "You're a witty narcissist."

In the days following I mastered the re-tweet and then I decided to take the plunge:  I got a fake tan for the first time, so I tweeted about it.

The joke fell flat but I laughed at my phone for 20 minutes... and then when there was still no appreciation for my mild humour I was pretty sure I was private messaging myself. 

But little did I know Twitter fame was about to hit me. Hard. 

Kind of.

#GreaseLive was on TV and I decided to live tweet it. It was fun but also kind of stressful because it made me feel like if I missed one moment of #GreaseLive it could mean one less funny tweet and that was a sacrifice I was not willing to take. Within minutes my tweet made it onto the screen and fans were screaming my name. I was basically a cast member on #GreaseLive. (*Disclaimer: these are my friends not fans. I am not a cast member on #GreaseLive. But I was pretty close).

I jumped off my couch and shouted at my parents "I'M ON TV! I'M ON TV!" They were confused and I spent the next half of the movie regretfully explaining what Twitter was. Overall the night was fun and it tested how quick I could come up with quick one-liners.

Twitter has been great ever since. I have seen @kanyewest deny butt sex rumours and change the title of his album 193740730820+ times. @AnnaKendrick47 and @Wil_Anderson have made me laugh out loud as they kill the Twitter Game. I have tweeted at @LeeLinChinSBS a gazillion times (and will continue to until she lets me take over the world with her).

Twitter is a great, confusing, strange place that unites narcissist from all walks of life and lets them compete for the greatest punchline.

Get amongst it.

-Alessandra

*Mosaik does not take credit for the image of the twitter icon used in this article

Let's Talk About Autism.

They view the world in a different way to most of us. The complexities and brilliance of the way they live their lives is admirable, and I am so appreciative to be able to work with them every day. Autism does not define, but it does illuminate; it illuminates the fact that the world needs different kinds of minds to work together to progress and learn more human relationships and the world in which we live.

Here’s a few things I have learnt from working with young people with autism:     

• About the senses: Sensory overload is something I often see when dealing with my students. When they experience too much sensory stimulation, like being in a crowd, or hearing a lot of chatter in the classroom, they sometimes get very anxious and stressed. Some ways to prevent this is to take the student for a walk or to a room with little noise to calm them down, or even just to provide a little pair of earmuffs to block out most of the sound. Allowing students with autism to have a ‘sensory break’ of sorts can work wonders when they have reached a point of sensory overload.

• About visual schedules: 'showing' rather than 'telling' when working with young people with autism is usually the best way to approach them. This ensures that they aren't overloaded with information and know exactly what needs to be done. Visual schedules, such as colour-coded timetables that match up to colour-coded folders, or writing check-box schedules in class for students so they can tick off when they have completed tasks lowers their anxiety levels and gives them more order, which makes them feel more comfortable and at ease when entering unpredictable situations, such as a new day's class with new information. Even using visual stimuli can be a fantastic tool - when the students I work with have 'break times' where teachers are explaining new information, they can get quite fidgety, so having something like a little beanie bag or a balloon filled with flour can stimulate their senses just enough for them to stay focused on their teacher and not get bored or distracted by other things in the classroom.

• About the future: In some ways, we have a detrimental impact on their future. At school, we help youth with autism connect with their society; we help equip them with the skills that they will need when they leave school. Whether this is teaching them how to count money, to read and understand how to catch a train and read train schedules, or to simply have a pleasant conversation with the person they are seated next to, it is important to allow them to gain these skills that will become important to them when they enter the ‘real world’. They are skills that most of us take for granted, but these skills are what allow people with autism to live the most typical lifestyle possible when they leave school.

I still wake up every single morning looking forward to the workday ahead, regardless of how unpredictable each student’s mood or behaviours may be when I walk through the door. I am there, wholeheartedly, to aid in each students’ social, emotional and cognitive wellbeing and development as best I can, but I cannot overlook just how much they have all taught me, too.

Here’s a few things I have learnt from working with young people with autism:  

• Honesty: The kids I work with are the most authentic and truthful humans I have ever met. They have taught me the value of being completely honest with people and how speaking out is a feat of strength. I have come into work some days to the very sweet “you have a beautiful smile”, to the ruthless “you look very tired today!” (this is often on Mondays when the coffee shop I go to isn’t open. Darn.). I appreciate their honesty so much, and it is refreshing to watch these students being unapologetically their complete selves, without fear of judgement – you don’t see that often in teenagers (or people in general) because they are often worried about what other people will think.

• Rational thinking: Removing emotion and external influences from decision making is something I have learned from working with the students I work with. Thinking logically about things and wanting to gain different perspectives on situations is something I have been more aware of recently. It is the quality of being open-minded enough to disagree with people but still value their views on things and understand that they have been through different things that may alter their perception on things.   

• Individuality: The quirks that each student has are the things I love most about them. One student, a thirteen-year-old bookworm with a ‘thing’ for numbers, is the brightest young person I have ever met. He is curious about everything and poses some of the most interesting questions that even get me thinking. Another boy, a sixteen-year-old with a love for Jersey Boys, comes in every morning to do karaoke and have a dance to Sherry, and it is the highlight of my morning. Just like everyone else, these students have distinct character traits, strengths and interests that I hope will be recognised by people in society when they enter the ‘real world’. They are the most incredible individuals, and they all have qualities that make them worthy to live a fulfilling life just like anybody else. 

• Love and appreciation: Due to the very literal and straightforward way that young people with autism interpret the world, it is sometimes hard to read their emotions and feelings. Additionally, it is hard for them to read our emotions and feelings. However, when you have a ‘little win’ with one of the students you will know. Whether it be gaining the trust of the students who have shut everyone else out, or by receiving a very little smile when you say something to them, or by them coming to visit your office every morning just to say hello, these moments are special. I say this because showing genuine love and appreciation is hard for anyone, and young people with autism find socialising with people even harder than the rest of us. So, for them to gain the courage to give a little bit of themselves to others is a massive deal. They have taught me that love can be expressed in even the smallest of gestures – you just need to open your eyes to the people in your life and what they do for you that little bit more.

Young people with autism have so much to offer. They hold the skills and the heart to make as much impact – if not more of an impact – as anyone else, and I hope the larger world embraces their differences and sees them how I see them – as remarkable people with different perspectives that have the power to change the world. They are the most amazing people I have ever welcomed into my life and I am so grateful for them.

“Autists are the ultimate square pegs, and the problem with pounding a square peg into a round hole is not that the hammering is hard work. It’s that you’re destroying the peg" - Paul Collins.

-Nicole

Filtering Instagram.

New Year ... New Instagram feed.

It's our fourth installment of Filtering Instagram and incase the app wasn't addictive enough we have found some profiles that make it too hard to look away, while also creating some envy and giving us some inspiration.While life may be all about taking the lead, Instagram is all about following- so here are the best people to follow for 2016.

-Alessandra

(Check out Filtering Instagram 1   -    2   -   3)

@maddylemmo_

An absolute babe having fun and making us all want to be teenagers again because she does it so so well. 

@ryanpola 

In case you never got around to reading our People Profile on Ryan you should know that he is extremely talented and his Instagram proves it. Its also amazing to scroll down his Instagram and see how much his art has evolved since we interviewed him. 

And you might just recognise a famous face or two. 

@brittanyodell

Finding the beauty in simplicity. 

This Instagram feed is simply beautiful. 

@natalieoffduty

Model/ Singer/ Songwriter/ Curator of this amazing Instagram. 

@somevelvetmornings

Somewhere in between ferns and rays of sunshine. 

@hellablissed 

Lines never looked so good. 

Illustrations by Belle Langford. 

@cleowade

A poet. 

A beautiful poet. 

That's all. 

@kevinwonka

In case you haven't been able to tell our team here at Mosaik is in love with the concrete jungle that is New York and this photographer knows all its best angles. 

@konradannerud 

The Instagram of 90's Leonardo Di Caprio's doppelgänger AKA Konrad Annerud a 21 year old Swedish bartender who went viral 'cause he looks so damn much like Leo in his Titanic phase #peak. 

If the nostalgia's not enough he is also a musician #swoon

@camillewalala

A graphic artist living life in full colour. 

Her Instagram is as colourful as an 80's music video. 

@thewaywemet

I am about to go totally sloppy and gross on you guys but our contributor Beth would kill me if I didn't include this profile full of totally loved up people. 

Okay, it's pretty cute (but also a little mushy).

It is the profile for "Modern day fairy tales [and] love stories in all variations."Just imagine Humans of New York but instead it's international and it's about couples and the way they met. And it's interactive, you can submit your own love story at thewaywemet@yahoo.com.

Spread the Love. 

Tahina.

I was told about this little gem that is Tahina, on one of my very first days at my internship. Everyone was raving about how great the food was, and how they all couldn't wait until lunch time. In typical Sarah Pizzonia style, I brought my lunch in my little Tupperware container and had to wait until the following week to try it. And boy was I missing out.

Located on High St Northcote with its neon blue sign, Tahina has so much to offer with its vegetarian Israeli street food menu. Falafels in pita pockets, shakshuka, grilled eggplants, tahini, quinoa salads and lots of hummus are what you have to look forward to. Not to mention, they have an awesome and delicious selection of super smoothies, if you aren't quite up for a meal.

Every bite (or slurp) is so wholesome, you can taste the freshness of the ingredients and the passion that goes into making them. Every bite is an explosion on Middle Eastern flavours that leave you wanting more, but feeling completely nourished and full.

So get yourself down to 223 High Street Northcote and nourish your body and soul with their delicious creations.

Facebook: Tahina
Instagram: @tahinabar

- Sarah 

* Mosaik does not take credit for the images used in this article. Photographer Brodie Chan, courtesy of Broasheet