A WEEK IN MELBOURNE

I've been back from Melbourne a week and it is still in my heart. It is my favourite place to visit in Australia. I love it's laid back feel, the fact most places do not open until 10am (I'm so not a morning person), it's streets stay alive at night, the food is remarkable, the people friendly, the shopping excellent (and I call myself someone who does not like to shop!). and it's magnificent architecture. It is a really cosmopolitan city with a European feel.

 

Mostly I just feel at home, especially now I have found a private apartment that I stay at each time I visit.

 

This trip I had fewer 'missions' than previous visit and was meant to be a bit more laid back but I really did pack a lot in! I did manage plenty of quiet, naps, reading, and watching the world go by though.

 

My main missions were to see the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition, Les Miserables (show and exhibit) and the new musical, Once.

 

I saw the movie Once years back and fell in love. It was a little Irish indie musical about an out of work muso and an immigrant who fall in love via their shared love of music. And so years later it is made into a stage musical, and it lends itself so beautifully to that. I headed off to a matinee of it at The Princess Theatre. The cast were superb, most importantly the two main characters. They needed to be able to sing and act and play musical instruments, and they were superb. The set was simple but worked well. It was a full working bar that encouraged the audience to come and order drinks from prior to the show, which was a great concept. Like the movie the show has heart, is funny, and also poignant. If you're in Melbourne, you simply must check it out. Though I am sure it will travel to other states soon.

 

I also caught up with Stop Making Sense on the big screen at ACMI and Intersteller on the IMAX screen. I love a good movie about space and Intersteller is one of the best I have seen in a long time. It's plot is simple in that it is set in the future (never says exactly how far in the future), and the US (where it is set) has returned to the Dustbowl of the 20s. An ex-astronaut (Matthew McConaughey, superb as usual) 'stumbles' across a NASA co-operative (NASA is no longer meant to exist in this future) trying to locate a new planet for earth to inhabit. But it is sooo much more than that, and I kinda wish I had paid more attention to physics at school. With twists and turns including a lot of time bending, this is just a great story with fantastic acting and amazing visual effects.

 

I spent a beautiful sunny day at St Kilda, wandering, shopping, eating, and just sitting in the sun and reading and watching the world go by. I think that is where I would live if I ever moved to Melbs.

 

I did some good shopping, I love the laneways and little alleys in Melbourne, you always come across quirky little stores with interesting things. I also checked out the new H&M and Emporium shopping Centre plus old favourites like the VIC markets, ACMI store, Readings, and Minotaur Books. And of course, the amazing strip of shopping at Acland Street, St Kilda. I managed a fair bit of Christmas shopping this time round plus a few goodies for me.

 

And as always I ate very well. I returned to old favourites, Time Out Cafe, Beer Hut on Fed Square, Caboose Kitchen, E-Dumplings. My friend M is lucky to work near the wonderful Sunny Boy Cafe which is but a block from where I stay, we I caught up with him there a few times and we lunched at the new hip dumpling place at the Rialto Towers, Mr Huang Jin. Oh my and caramel dessert dumplings!!!

And as usual I wandered the city, marveling at it's beauty and architecture.

 

And finally heading to Melbourne at this time of the year wouldn't be the same without Myers Christmas windows:

OCTOBER ROUND UP

Well this month has been challenging as the black dog has taken up inside of me again. I have written about this here before, and I know I am lucky as I usually can control it pretty well so as not to impact too much on my life. I know others are not so lucky. However it took hold strongly and I have had some dark moments this month. I have had the odd episode like this before, but not for a long, long time. I could see it coming and just could do nothing to stave it off this time. Sometimes you get through it quickly, other times you have to give into it...sigh.

With depression, and I hasten to add mine is usually quite mild, it comes in waves, sometimes for no real reason at all, sometimes something triggers it, it doesn't really matter how it begins, but moreso how you cope and how you banish it, and as I say I am lucky to be able to do that. I wouldn't say it is banished, but I do feel a million bucks on top of what I felt like at the beginning of the month. I write this not to make people feel sorry for me or uncomfortable, but to acknowledge, sometimes life is not rosy, and I think we will go through that from time to time. 

So yeah I have done a lot of sleeping (yet still so tired, this is common with the black dog!), a fair bit of sobbing (cathartic!), and unfortunately a lot of comfort eating. They have almost subsided. The whole thing is rather ironic given it is mental health month, lol! But revenge for depression is to try and keep your sense of humour...always!

Simultaneously the month started with the National Young Writer's Festival and you can read about my experience here. I also caught up with the fabulous C for brunch at III Bean and a bit of antiquing.

L, J, and I picnicked at Scotties and had a girly, chatty catch up. I also caught up with D, my oldest friend who I've known since Kindi, we walked and talked, drank at Bar Petite, and then caught the movie Gone Girl. Wow, I had not read the book, I tried, but it's just not the kind of thing I normally read. A colleague suggested just seeing the movie and I am glad I did. It was a great thriller, though I suspected the twist as such. Definitely not a date movie, and possibly rather a scary for anyone in a relationship they are having doubts about. I would call this the Fatal Attraction of this decade!

I also went to The Hop Factory for the first time and was impressed. It's a small bar with a cafe outlook, J & I had 'afternoon tea' there, it consisted of fries and aioli, beers, and crème brulee! We chatted and philosophised about love, life, and everything in between. Man, I love chats like that and am blessed to have friends of a similar headspace. Another first was heading to the Pork Ewe Deli at Mayfield. Oh my, it felt like I was back in Tuscany, amazing imported cold meats, cheeses, pates etc.

Work has been busy, I am doing our baby storytime this year, and really enjoying it. Those that know me, know babies aren't my thing, but it's a lovely group of young Mum's and some cute little bubs. Funnily enough the group is growing each week, so I must be doing something right! But I do love storytelling (it's the frustrated performer within I think) and molding young minds towards literature is always delightful! I have also taken on the project of managing our Christmas Closure and changes to new opening hours, which is a lot of work but a lovely change to my regular work. I do like mixing it up. 

And on a personal note, we have moved to a 9 day fortnight, which now means I have every second Monday off and I am loving it. Though my first two have been clogged up dealing with car stuff, getting electronic keys replaced (do not even ask, suffice to say take care of your keys, they are very very expensive to replace and very very time consuming) and car serviced!

We were lucky to have popular author, Graeme Simsion return to the library, this time to Belmont. S & I saw him almost 2 years ago at Charlestown Library just before The Rosie Project took off, so it was lovely for us to see him have so much success and yet seem not to have changed a bit. He was talking about his success since the first book and about his follow up, The Rosie Effect. It was utterly delightful, he is such an entertainer, and if you haven't read his books about Don Tillman, a 40 year old with possible Aspergers and his search for love, you simply must. Quirky and funny, and told with such kindness and love, it is one of the best popular novels I have read in a long time.

And our local retirement village, Tenison Apartments brought us another play late in the month. Danny's Doomed Love Drama, with three actors and a choir of stunning elderly voices, we were enchanted and brought to tears by this true story, crafted beautifully into a play by Kit, their activities officer.

A, L, & I took an impromptu night out to The Playhouse and saw Checklist for an Armed Robber. An outstanding short play about two devastating events, the theatre Siege in Kosovo some years back and an armed robbery on a local bookstore around the same time. 4 actors on stage with both sets side by side and lines sometimes going back and forth between the two plotlines. Despite the dramatic and tense undertones of the subject matter it was presented with great humour and the whole thing was thoroughly enjoyable.

At Bookclub we got our mojo back, after a few odd months of going off the boil, and had a lively and wonderful conversation about Z: a novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler. You can read about it and other reviews here.

A, L, C & I headed off to Glendale for the premiere of Pride, and I cannot talk this brilliant little indie up enough. It was great for a first time director. A real feel good (but not in the usual twee way) movie based on a true story about the miner's strike in the mid 80s. A group of Gays and Lesbians form a group to raise money for the miners and an unlikely friendship is made. It has such heart, with humour, real drama, and a killer soundtrack. You simply MUST go and see this film!

My nephew turned 12! 12, where on earth did the years go, high school next year and nearly a teenager, but still time for cuddles with his aunt. This kid (and his sister) are my favourite people on the planet. We had a lovely family BBQ, laughs and fun.

I also bought myself a little something special, from the always amazing Blackbird Corner. If you do not know what this is, well, you need to take a long hard look at yourself!

My birthday is Boxing day (that is a blog onto itself!) and my friend M, Christmas Day (decidedly worse than mine), so our mutual friend S organised an early (or late) celebration for us, which really was just an excuse to get our wonderful group of gals together for a night out. And what fun we had, heading to Broadmeadow for Pinballs and Pizza. We hired the small back room for a small fee for 2 hours and had 7 machines of unlimited games. Breaking for the excellent pizzas midway. I highly recommend heading there for a night out with a difference, we had a blast.

My month ended with much laughter as I was lucky enough to see Bill Bailey at The Civic Theatre.

As always some photos from my escapades... 

MELBOURNE: Eating and Shopping

What I love about Melbourne is how laid back everyone is, most shops don’t open until 10am and it has a real European feel to the city. You can get food anywhere at any time. Most of the laneways come alive after dark with pop up cafes and restaurants, and then there are the regular ones that are always open. And of course the famous streets like Lygon Street or Fitzroy streets where the restaurants are never ending. I spent a fortnight in St Kilda once, eating my way through Fitzroy Street, and didn’t even tip the surface!

This trip because I was by myself and it was winter and a bit cold out, I tended to eat in cafes for lunch and grab takeaway for dinner. There was a fabulous Chinese place, North East China Family, specialising in dumplings around the corner from my apartment at 302 Flinders Lane. From observations, service left a lot to be desired, but the food was amazing, so takeaway is probably a better option! A really great Thai, Ratee Thai, in Port Phillip Arcade opposite Flinders Street Station. Great service, exceptional food, very busy, but they close at 7pm.

 

I also went to the Queen Victoria markets and bought food to cook, reheat. I bought the most amazing butter chicken pie and teamed it with Lord of the Fries fries topped with Indian style Mango topping. Lord of the Fries is a franchise that is everywhere in Melbourne and I love them! You can buy varying sizes with varying toppings. They also do burgers etc, though I usually only get fries. Another franchise I tried out whilst there was Pie Face. I had one of their egg and bacon pies and was sold. I am not normally a huge franchise fan, but these two are quite good.

Queen Victoria Markets are a favourite place of mine, not so much the wares, but the food. It is always busy and always full of more than you could ever purchase or stomach! There are all the fruit and vege stalls, with seemingly something different at every stall. The fish and meat sections are a blast, very loud with everyone competing with each other to outsell. Then there are cheeses, olives, and stalls from every nationality. Lots fresh and ready to eat, lots to take home for later. There is an amazing cake and bread stall on the corner as you enter from Therry Street (just off Elizabeth), their Macaroons are to die for and that is where I got the Butter Chicken Pie from too.

 

On my last visit there I was looking for breakfast and had for the first time ever, Dutch pancakes. I had a choice of toppings, but went with lemon butter and was asked if I wanted cream with that, of course I said yes. The pancakes were divine, cooked in the lemon butter, so it is crunchy on one side of the pancake and the cream – proper thick dairy farm cream from Tassie was unlike anything I have ever tasted. Every time I think of it I salivate and have never, ever had cream like it since. These were top of my list as I headed to the market. There were every bit as good as last time – you purchase them from the little Italian cafe in the food court area. The Italian always looks good, but I can’t go by those pancakes!

 

I escaped one windy day and had a late lunch at Chocolateria San Churro near the State Library, on the corner of Little Lonsdale and Swanston. I love hanging out near The State Library as there is always something to see, but this day was way too windy and I was hungry. So I got a window table overlooking the Library front lawn and over indulged in Spanish Churros with a chocolate dipping sauce, ice cream and strawberries and an Iced Chocolate. Good thing I had walked heaps and it was a decent walk back to the apartment that day!

 

Lunch the following day was a bit more refined. I took time to relax with a late lunch, after a heavy morning of shopping, at Caboose Canteen in City Square Park, Swanston Street. It was drizzly, but warm, so I ate outside but undercover. It was quiet but much to see and the service excellent. Their specialty is Steak Frites and of course I had to have that. It was outstanding.

 

My friend, M, introduced me to Brioche, on Queen Street. It’s Melbourne’s best sour dough bakery, and the Raspberry Brioche I had for brunch was indeed outstanding! I also had brunch on another day with M and S, at a very hipsterish cafe on High Street in Northcote called Gypsy Hideout. An amazing array of breakies to choose from, I had eggs and chorizo on Sourdough, rather spicy but delicious!

I’m not a fan of shopping, can’t stand shopping centre and can think of nothing worse than an hour of shopping, let alone a day. It’s mostly as the kind of things I would like to buy just doesn’t seem to exist in this cookie cutter world of crapola! And also I find it a vacuous waste of time when I could be reading, or taking photos or watching a film or doing something interesting.

But I do need to purchase things and sometimes need to shop.

In Melbourne I find I actually enjoy the experience. There seems to be superior shops and a better way of shopping. I adore the laneways for that, it feels like you are exploring the city and yet finding gems to buy on the way.

Even so, I usually don’t spend that much time shopping in Melbourne. However, this time I outdid myself. Mostly as I was after a few things, specifically new red shoes, so I did cover a lot of ground shopping wise!

I rarely leave Melbourne without something from Quick Brown Fox, mostly accessories and some clothes, they have always had great shoes. They are in Sydney also, but I rarely get there anymore. There is one just near the entrance to Degreaves and I bought a great pair of green flats, so soft and comfy with little holes cut out of them, I wish I had bought a pair in every colour (except the yellow, don’t do yellow!).

 

I got some very lovely reddish sunnies at a newish French store, with a range of accessories from exy to reasonably priced. It was in one of the laneways, but I cannot remember where, it was teeny and the lady who I chatted to delightful. She imports most of the items from France.

I went a little mad on scarves, buying some from the Markets, Target (even Target in Melbourne is better than ours!) and St Kilda.

Acland Street, St Kilda is a great little place to shop. Boutiques, bookstores, cafes and the world famous Cake Stores!!!! I bought some earrings and a brooch and Rose Garden at the Walk. It’s another favourite that entices me every time. Claude Dalbarn I adore. My fabulous cherry red wallet was a sale purchase there about 4 years ago. This time I got a classic black crocheted poncho and some scarves. Readings bookstore also packed with a zillion books I want to read.

 

Acland Street is also full of cafes and restaurants, it’s a short walk to Luna Park and just beyond that the famous St Kilda pier, walk back along the water front past the classic Espy Hotel (home of RocKwiz) and back up Fitzroy Street for more shops and restaurants that you would need months to work through.

 

This visit I had caught the tram from Federation Square and got off on Fitzroy Street and cut through the back way directly along Acland Street, a bitterly cold day so not diverting to the pier.

 

But really it’s the cakes that you go to Acland Street for, I can’t go past the Strawberry tart and the Chocolate cream filled brandy snaps!

 

Another favourite shop is Minotaur Books, on Elizabeth Street. It is a nerd and geeks mecca. Filled with books and graphic novels dedicated to Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Popular Culture, and littered with dolls, toys and memorabilia. You can walk in during the day, and walk out and it’s dark, and not realise so many hours have passed. The crew there really know their stuff and are great to listen as they chatter amongst themselves. I bought a moving Tardis this time, and some great Star Wars pieces for my sister’s birthday, including Lightsabre Chop Sticks!

 

I ended up with two pairs of red shoes, a funky casual pair in red patent from a shop in Australia on Collins and a really classic cherry red wedge reduced down at Myers.

 

But really, if you want good shopping, just stick to the laneways and back alleys, you’ll always find something.

But then of course, there's always Tiffany!