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sausage sizzles
melbourne
icy poles on the beach
mr whippy van
four seasons in a day
hot jam donuts
aussie open
run around the tan
eat/drink
shop
play
Melbourne. My home - filled with secret laneways, alley bars, memories of my childhood, fabulous coffees and some of the best food (and I mean this) in the world.
The year in Melbourne begins with fireworks along the Yarra. The Aussie Open rolls around, with Australia Day bbq's and long days in the sun. Easter and its autumn leaves is followed by the coming of winter - ski trips up to Hotham, devonshire tea in the Dandenongs and escapes to Noosa to chase the sunshine. The Melbourne Cup Carnival means that spring has arrived, the flowers start blooming, the hayfever hits and the city's greys melt into colour. The weather finally heats up, and the year winds down into the summer holidays - carols by candelight, Boxing Day sales, Mr Whippy soft serves on the beach...and New Year's Eve fireworks all over again.
EAT:
Orita's
34 Jackson St
Toorak VIC 3142, Australia
(03) 9826 2111
Modern fusion Japanese. This restaurant is filled with memories of my teenage years - I even held my 21st birthday here.
Cumulus Inc
45 Flinders Ln
Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
(03) 9650 1445
Fresh clean flavours. Lemon curd filled madelines to die for.
M
448 Toorak Rd
(03) 9826 9878
Easy cafe food. Love al the salads, especially the 'chop chop' and salmon stack. The bread here is not artisan, just a simple white fluffy baguette. Yum.
Zanuba
6/521 Toorak Rd
(03) 9827 1299
This is my breakfast, bruch, quick coffee place.
Akita
34 Courtney St
North Melbourne VIC 3051, Australia
(03) 9326 5766
Family favourite since I was in primary school. Authentic, consistently delicious Japanese cuisine. The fact that this place can afford to close weekends is a testament to its success and beautiful food.
Degraves Espresso
23 Degraves St
(03) 9654 1245
Service is average, but lunch is not bad and it's one of my favourite places to watch Melbournites go by.
Bistrot Thierry
511 Malvern Rd
Toorak VIC 3143, Australia
(03) 9824 0888
Intimate, quite delightful and oh-so-frenchy-french. Great place for a set lunch or Parisian bistrot dinner - who can say non to steak and frites?
Babble
4 Izett St, Prahran VIC
Australia
(03) 9510 6464
Casual sun-drenched cafe perfect for a quick repose from Greville/Chapel St shopping. I don't like the cocktails here but the food is solid.
Vue de Monde
Normanby Chambers
430 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
(03) 9691 3888
Exciting and dramatic fine food. Sit near the kitchen to watch the action via mirrors suspended from the ceiling. The cafe attached next door is perfect for a city lunch.
Aka Tombo
205 Greville St. Prahran, VIC
+61 (03) 9510 0577
Delicate, authentic Japanese. Everything about this tiny restaurant is marked with Japanese precision, care and immaculate presentation. Meals here are slow, so go when you have the time to sit awhile.
DRINK:
Martini Bar
205 Collins St
(03) 9635 2222
Conveniently located next to Chanel, this bar is a quiet place for a girly catch up over lychee martinis.
Gânache Chocolate
250 Toorak Rd,
South Yarra, VIC 3141
(03) 9804 7485
Rich and wonderful hot chocolate. Even when I think I'm too full I manage to find room for this one.
Gin Palace
10 Russell Pl
(03) 9654 0533
Nice martinis in a faux baroque setting.
Der Raum
438 Church St
Richmond VIC 3121, Australia
(03) 9428 0055
Cocktails are an art form here. 'Death in the afternoon': an icy ball of spiced absinthe, champagne & rosemary *swoon* They also have a seasonal menu so you can justify going again and again and...again.
CLOTHES:
Malls/Dept stores
Myer: the quintessential Australian department store.
DJ's (David Jones): supposedly more upmarket than Myer
Chaddy (Chadstone): the suburban mall that just keeps on growing.
Boutiques
GPO: Beautiful old, airy building on Bourke St. Champagne bar upstairs if you need a respite from shopping ;)
Brunswick St: slightly artsy and alternative, independent boutiques.
Greville St: small boutiques, a lot of Australian designers.
High St: in between the bridal boutiques are some great accessories and clothing stores.
Toorak Rd: nice, quiet shopping atmosphere between Toorak Village all the way up to Chapel Street.
Labels to look for: Alannah Hill, Alice McCall, Zayt.
*Favourite store listing coming soon.
MAKEUP
Mecca: skincare and cosmetic one-stop shop. In Myer city and Chadstone.
FOOD:
Prahran Market: fresh produce, loads of deli stores and bakeries.
Vic Market: loud, bustling and huge. Go for the hot jam donuts straight out of the van.
Simon Johnson: artisinal produce, fine cheeses and all sorts of very specific foods you won't find in a supermarket. I love tasting cheeses in the cheese room.
Thomas Dux: kind of organic, upmarket, specialty supermarket. Took over Macro (the original organic supermarket here).
This is a list of things I love to do in Melbourne, all of which are special, personal memories from my years here.
Devonshire tea in the Dandenongs: magical escape from the city in the wintertime. Scones, cream, jam, tea and Christmas in July.
St Kilda beach
Yes the water's grotty, but we go for tanning, not swimming. The restaurants are great (think Donovans, Stoke House) and it's not a faraway drive.
Mornington Peninsula
Gorgeousness. Wonderful little road-trip away.
Arthur's Seat
Get lost in the hedge mazes, go for leisurely walks and enjoy the scenery.
Wineries
The Yarra Valley region holds many of my happiest childhood memories; day trips with the family, long slow lunches and whine tastings. Also worth a look - the dairy farms and cheese makers.
Botanic Gardens
Run around the Tan (the track surrounding the gardens), have a picnic inside or simply lie on the lawns and dream the day away. During the summer there are usually theatrical performances and Moonlight Cinema screenings in the gardens as well.
Yarra trail
Run or bike down the Yarra River to the city.
Fed Square
I didn't like this place until I went to the square to watch the Aussie Open finals one year and realised how lovely it could be on a balmy summer night. It also houses ACMI cinemas (art house movies).
NGV
National Gallery of Victoria - depending on what exhibits are on. The free guided tours are usually very professional and well-run.
Sunday Markets: Arts Center, St Kilda, Camberwell
Lazy mornings spent browsing market stalls, followed by lunch with a good friend is my idea of a beautiful Sunday.
Plays/Musicals
Melbourne is the arts capital of Australia. Check listings for plays and musicals from all over the world. A lot of restaurants in the city offer special pre-theatre menus to start your night out.
Chicken at Ripe, Dandenong Mountains
Mozarella and prosciutto
Vanilla slice from Sorrento's famous vanilla slice
A bird's nest I found hiking near Sorrento
Mr Whippy icecreams
