Victoria's
license plate proudly boasts this Aussie state is "The place to
be." I was thrilled to check
it ot for myself on this weekend getaway to Melbourne - my namesake city. Which by the way, it is actually pronounced "Mel -
bin" by all of Australia. I
was corrected many times this weekend and quicky called out on my 'mericaness
when OVER annunciating my R's.
Mel-BIN not Mel-BOURNE. These
Aussies, I have to say, are just the nicest bunch. I stayed with a super kind bloke and met some great people
who were excited to hear my adventures and to talk about all things America-
particularly TV. The Aussies are loving Hardcore Pawn, My Secret Obsession & Dancemoms right now.
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| Southbank Riverfront |
I
was also in Melbourne to check out its potential as a city to call home in
December. Everyone said I would
love it and they were right. It felt fantastic to be on a street filled with people
on the go.
There is a great food scene, and I ventured to Chin Chin for a
spectacular spicy sweet sour savory Vietnamese party in my mouth lunch.
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| Crispy Barramundi and Green Apple Salad - Yum Yum |
The
neighborhood of Fitzroy also loves to show off its foodie side. I grabbed pizza from Umago for my
Sunday pizza- wine- ice cream fix, but there were a ton more cafes and eateries to try. If I could describe Fitzroy, I would say it is the love child of DC's H street and Pittsburgh's Carson Street. Vintage
clothes and furniture, artsy store fronts, hipsters, coffee, good eats, music venues, and
even a trolley!
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| Not much from the outside, but great pizza. |
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| Would love to work here |
I happily lost
several hours of my life in a store called Clear It and walked away with some
grest deals. $100 got me 2 new
dresses, a bracelet, a new hat, a pretty tank, and shorts. This is fantastic for Australia where
the prices for clothes are sky high. I've been missing my TJ Maxx but got my fix at this warehouse. http://www.clearitonline.com.au/
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| I love my new $5 hat! |
Some other cool things in Melbourne are The Queen Street Market and the side street cafes. The Market has heaps of food stands to make all your cooking dreams come true. I was introduced to these secret alley ways when I went for a lovely brekky with my
adorable Aussie host. It was very
unique and had a European feel.
Next stop, Hosier Lane to check out street art and graffiti.
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| Traveling solo = lots of self pics. |
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| This made me giggle - this wall is taunting all the girls on their walk of shame. |
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| Bright lights - Big City! Night time in Southbank looking over Port Philip Bay |
Monday I was blown through the Royal Botanical Gardens in Southbank (so windy!) and to
Chapel Street in South Yarra. There are nice
shops and restaurants to explore just outside the CBD.
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| Royal Botanical Gardens |
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| Shrine of Remembrance |
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I would love to live in Melbourne for the remainder of my time in
Australia if I find work and think Pam will love it too. Truth. Crazy weather. There really are 4 seasons in one day in
Melbourne. Rain, sun, wind, cold/hot... it is hard to dress right. But that can be overlooked in exchange for some city living.
Last but not least, here's some new music to check out. Angus and Julia Stone http://www.myspace.com/angusandjuliastone. Enjoy! |
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