{the aussie files} A Food Odyssey Part Two: Melbourne

Well here it is: the long-awaited part two of my Food Odyssey in Australia, featuring my favourite eats from my recent trip. (In case you missed it, you can find part one here). This time we tackle the Australian food mecca of Melbourne.

Melbourne

Gypsy Hideout

68 High St, Northcote

You might expect a place named Gypsy Hideout to be a dark and dank little place, but that is definitely not the case. Gypsy is a charming and bright little cafe on the High St in Northcote. I loved the box plywood chairs and the little details like the hand-painted bar and the matryoshkas on the wall. There is also a little courtyard but it was a just bit too cold to sit out outside when we were there. They also serve a darn fine baked eggs with wild mushrooms and – as everywhere in Melbourne – excellent coffee. Yum.

The Breakfast Club

206 St. Georges Rd, Northcote

This teensy restaurant (also in Northcote) was a favourite of mine for the whole trip. Not only does it bear the most brilliant name for a brunch cafe that I could possibly think of, but there were adorable little handmade details everywhere. As evidenced above: the needlepoint welcome sign, hand knitted tea cosy, bell-jar terrariums, and most importantly, the silhouette-printed plates with the likenesses of Emilio, Molly, Judd, Ally and Anthony Michael. And yes, of course they also serve excellent fresh food and coffee. I got yet more baked eggs and they came with a beautiful little salad and some wonderful toast.

The Wesley Anne

250 High St, Northcote

When faced with the prospect of going to a pub around these here parts, one will usually end up at some sort of faux Irish bar full of drunken college kids. (This perhaps explains why I’m not a regular pub-goer.) So when I visited my friends’ local watering hole I was more than a bit jealous. For starters, it’s housed in a beautiful old church that has been minimally redone (always swoon-worthy). It also sports a wonderfully leafy rear courtyard. And then there’s the food. This was more what I would expect from a high-end Italian restaurant than a pub. The pasta and antipasto plates I had were ah-maz-ing. The Gypsy Pear Cider (on tap!) was the simply the icing on the cake. Needless to say I was impressed, so much so that I made sure we went back a second time a few days later. Dear Pub Owners in Vancouver, please copy this one for me okay?

Cafe Beaumarchais

corner of Mt Dandenong Tourist and Woodland Ave, Sassafras

All the while that I was in Australia I was impressed with the excellent coffees but not so impressed with the tiny sizes they came in. I am a grande Americano girl myself, so one little flat white just doesn’t quite cut it for me (I know that is so North American to admit). Fortunately, my cousin was sympathetic to my coffee dilemma and quickly remedied this with a trip to Cafe Beaumarchais, in the town of Sassafras near his home on the Dandenong Ranges. Here they serve a flat white in a cup the size of my head, which handily solved all my caffeine problems. The cafe itself also happens to be adorable, with moody charcoal walls and banquettes, rustic linen curtains and burlap pillows. They also serve excellent baguettes and muffins. We quite happily spent a few hours here holed up with coffee, newspapers and wifi.

The Sweets

Melbourne has no shortage of sweets, let me tell you. Now going in, I knew they have a huge Italian and Greek population. I also knew they have a huge cafe culture, so much so that Starbucks has barely made any in roads there at all. I knew all of that yet I was still totally blown away by the sheer volume of cakes and sweets that I saw absolutely everywhere. It was sugar filled insanity – not that I am complaining. Of course we had to do some sweet sampling on more than one occasion.

Brunetti’s in the CBD (I got a cannoli)

Brunetti cakes on Lygon St

The endless cakes in St.Kilda

Hamburger and fries cake or a leopard with a red shoe cake, St. Kilda. (Lucky Steve!)

Cakes and sweets in a laneway in the CBD.

Me, enjoying a salted caramel macaron, Queen Vic Market

Ceiling and wallpaper, Delphi Cafe, Northcote

Cafe humour at Delphi

Bunny Cake at Delphi

All in all, Melbourne is definitely not best enjoyed by those on a diet, but as they say “when in Rome”. And yes I definitely packed on a few holiday pounds while I was away but I just view that as a vacation well spent…eating. I was truly blown away by the food in general while I was gone. I’ve been searching out local versions of the places I loved since I’ve returned. There are a few gaps to be filled here in Vancouver, which is a city I usually regard to have great food itself. I suggest someone open a cake shop that is cheap and open late – that would be a great start!

If you are looking to give your space a dose of style- whether you are splashing out or on a budget – drop me a line. Check out my Hire Me! page for more details.

{the aussie files} Street Art

Personally I adore graffiti and street art. (And I’m talking here about the good stuff, which is vibrant and complex, not a tag on a random wall somewhere). Most North American cities do not share this love however and many times works are covered up or removed. There are a few pockets in Vancouver where there is art to be seen but it’s still very underground. It’s a stark contrast to the explosion of colour and pattern in Melbourne, a city where street art blooms absolutely everywhere. (This was visible to a lesser extent in Sydney.) The laneways are such a huge part of Melburnian culture and they are almost all appropriately decked out. You could easily spend hours walking around the city admiring the artwork and stopping for many a fine coffee along the way.

I threw in a few other items into this set as well – gig posters, random signs etc. Hope you enjoy!

Sydney

Melbourne

Section 8 Container Bar – I wish we’d stopped in for a drink here!

If you are looking to give your space a dose of style- whether you are splashing out or on a budget – drop me a line. Check out my Hire Me! page for more details.

{the aussie files} Architecture

No one needs to tell you that Australia is a hotbed of amazing architecture. All of the cities I visited had a great mix of old and new structures, but this was especially visible in Melbourne. It was the tension between them that I found the most visually intriguing. How much fun! Coming from a city like Vancouver, where shiny new buildings completely outnumber anything over even the age of fifty, it was a breath of fresh air. What could this city have looked like if we had chosen the same new-meets-old path?

Of course, not all my photos are going to display this wonderful layering of styles. This is more of a motley collection of buildings and details I thought were either pretty or interesting or both. And so, in somewhat chronological order, I present my photo-journey through the streets of Australia.

Brisbane

A pretty grate in my cousin’s house.

Interesting layers of white, in an office building in the CBD.

A not-so-great shot of the very cool Kurilpa Bridge (a pedestrian/cyclist bridge).

Smellie & Co. Okay I admit that I totally laughed at this!

Random pillar, CBD.

Sydney

Sandstone details in The Rocks.

The Lord Nelson Hotel & Brewery. Cry for me beer-lovers – when we went here on Good Friday it was closed.

One of my only shots of the Opera House without other people in it.

The Opera House close-up.

Random old buildings.

Beautiful old terrace houses in Paddington.

Vacant subway tunnel. I would not have got this shot if it wasn’t a holiday!

Melbourne

Federation Square, dramatically modern and across the street from some beautiful old buildings.

Federation Square.

The Forum.

Random gorgeous old building.

The legendary Crystal Ballroom, St. Kilda.

Palais Theatre, St. Kilda (those birds overhead are cockatoos!)

Glass structure encompasses the old, in Melbourne Central Mall.

Take a rather unintersting building, add a glass box on top with a bunch of plastic-y green bubbles and you get RMIT.

Cutesy pastoral signage at Queen Victoria Market.

One of the many laneways.

Just another great random building.

Melbourne Museum.

The Royal Exhibition Building at the Melbourne Museum.

Pretty colours in the CBD.

Saturated colours on Brunswick St.

Church turned apartments in Northcote.

Great patios on which to while away an afternoon on Brunswick St.

Layers of paint, Brunswick St.

Another great looking old bar on Brunswick St.

If you are looking to give your space a dose of style- whether you are splashing out or on a budget – drop me a line. Check out my Hire Me! page for more details.

{travel guide} Melbourne, Australia

{Image by eguidetravel}

Melbourne is a city buzzing with culture, coffee and sport. The second-biggest city in Australia often suffers from comparisons to Sydney, but Melbourne has a distinct Euro-like feeling of it’s own. Whether you are into food, sports or shopping, Melbourne has something perfectly suited for everyone.

Where to Stay

1 – Art Series – The Olsen – 637 – 641 Chapel Street | South Yarra

One of three Art Series hotels in Melbourne, The Olsen is a funky and fab place to rest your head. The rooms are swanky and designer furnished, and whisper quiet despite the buzzy South Yarra location. Amenities include 24 hour concierge and a gym with personal trainer and yoga classes. But the can’t-miss-it detail here has got to be the glass-bottomed rooftop pool, which allows you to observe the strolling shoppers below while mid-stroke 15 floors up. Rooms from $151. (Note: I previously featured sister hotel Art Series: The Blackman)

2 – Hotel Lindrum – 26 Flinders St

If you want a luxe hotel with a fantastic location and amazing service, Hotel Lindrum is your best bet. Housed in a former billiards factory on busy Flinders St, it’s an easy walk to both Federation Square and the tram station. The highly-rated restaurant Felt is also located on the property and serves local Australian cuisine. Rates from $225.

3 – The Hatton Hotel – 65 Park St, South Yarra

The Hatton is housed in a lovely restored Italianate building, with oversize rooms and theatrically styled lighting. Contemporary furniture mixes with original arched doorways and windows. Bathrooms are equipped with deep tubs and L’Occitane products. This small twenty room hotel offers both impeccable service and a fantastic South Yarra location.

Where to Eat

1 – Brunetti’s – 194-204 Faraday Street, Carlton

A true Melbourne-Italian institution! Brunetti’s started as a small cake shop and has expanded to a huge multiple counter space. Pick your poison. Brunetti’s Bar section serves all varieties of coffees as well as alcoholic beverages. Pasticceria is where you want to go for something sweet. Cakes, tarts, chocolates – just name your craving – it will be here. Paninoteca serves Italian food as well as gelato. Brunetti’s has become so popular that it has now expanded with multiple locations across Melbourne and even has an outpost in Dubai.

2 – Cecconi’s – 61 Flinders Lane

Cecconi’s is a little unexpected: in a subterranean space, sublime Italian food is served in a rustic space divided by an open kitchen. It’s extremely popular so it’s best to book ahead. For something slightly more casual, try the wine bar side with it’s separate menu.

3 – Thaila Thai – 86 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

This one is off the tourist beaten path but it’s worth the effort. Behind an unassuming front sign, cheap and delicious food is served up in substantial portions, which some regard as the best Thai in Melbourne.

Where to Shop

1 – Kleins Perfumery – 313 Brunswick St or 72 Acland St

If you are a perfume lover (and who isn’t?), this is your mecca. A bijou boutique finished in vintage wallpapers and chandeliers, Kleins presents 80 different brands of Australian and imported perfumes, lotions and potions. Absolutely something lovely to please everyone!

2 – Metropolis – 252 Swanston St

Metropolis is a gorgeous little bookstore specializing in art, fashion, architecture and film books. They also have a great selection of unusual local and international books (great for gifts!) as well as a music section with loads of vinyl and a huge experimental section. If you are feeling peckish, it’s housed in the same building as Cookie (see below).

3 – Quirk and Co. – 466 Victoria St. North Melbourne

Quirk and Co is the perfect destination for a sweet little gift for someone back home. Find a well-curated collection of new and vintage objects by an array of local and international designers.

Where to Drink

1 – Melbourne Supper Club – 1st/161 Spring St

Secretive and signless (as are all the cool places in Melbourne), this one has been going strong for years. Relax into the leather sofas and order a round of the well-poured cocktails and the polenta chips or the creme brulee. If you are looking for a room with a view, try the upper balcony for views of Spring St. below. They are also open until 6 am, which also makes it the perfect spot for a nightcap.

2 – Cookie – 1/252 Swanston St

Cookie is a little bit unexpected. It’s one part beer hall, one part cocktail bar and one part sleek Thai restaurant. But the sum of it’s parts is much greater than you would think. It manages to be both a fantastic place for a quiet lunch but also a great place to unwind on a bustling Friday’s eve. Order a microbrew or a glass from one of the 350 bottles of wine on hand.

3 – Murmur Bar – 17 Warburton Lane

Laneway bars in Melbourne can be hit or miss. Sometimes you end up somewhere truly great and other times you feel you are hiding in your grandmother’s basement. Murmur Bar is at the top of the scale (and has been for years) but it’s definitely not snobby. Occupying a former coffee warehouse, this heritage building is both cozy and cool and serves up an impressive variety of Southern-USA-influenced cocktails. Hello Bourbon!

What to Do

{Image by Justin Roselt}

1 – Yarra River Cruise

A cruise is always one of my favorite ways to get to know a city. Yarra River cruises give you a view of Melbourne from the water combined with a palatable history lesson. There are few operators out there but give Melbourne Cruises a shot.

2 – Swim with the dolphins

If the thought of swimming with captive dolphins in a pool doesn’t exactly thrill you, you aren’t alone! But here is the chance to seize a swim with the wild dolphins of Port Phillip Bay. Get pulled behind the boat and await the curious creatures who will be swimming along side you. Polperro tours depart daily and include wetsuits and refreshments. $55/pp

{Image by Joneforsyth at TravelPod}

3 – The Penguin Parade

Phillips Island is a two hour drive from Melbourne, but you will find it no trouble at all to make the trek. $21 buys you a bleacher seat for the nightly migration of the penguins from the sea to their nests. If you can’t make the trip try you can try to catch a glimpse of them in the city at St. Kilda pier.

If you are looking to give your space a dose of style- whether you are splashing out or on a budget – drop me a line. Check out my Hire Me! page for more details.

{daydream destination} The Blackman, Melbourne, Australia

When you think of Australia, sun and surf leap immediately to mind – not necessarily the leafy streets of Melbourne. But this is Australia at it’s most global. Cafes, gardens and Victorian architecture combine with art, music and a love of sport to form the country’s cultural capital.

The hotel is named for Charles Blackman, one of Australia’s most well known figurative painters. So it is no surprise that the hotel is drenched in his lively artworks. The rest of hotel is a bit fantastical in it’s design: full of bright candy colours to compliment all the unusual art. The rooms feature Starck ghost chairs, mini love seats and frosted glass shower partitions. The service is relaxed and friendly. Staff are extremely knowledgeable about local dining and transportation options. Hotel-branded local maps are available.

There are two eateries on the property. The first is Fleur Depot de Pain, a sister to the famous French Fantasies Boulangerie, which serves amazing pastries and deli items for breakfast and lunch. The second is the fine Italian-themed restaurant and bar Classico. Try one of the Neapolitan thin-crust pizzas for $17 AUD. The restaurants are popular with the beautiful and cool home town crowd as well, so be sure to dress appropriately in the evenings.

The Blackman shines with smaller thoughtful details. Hotel branded bikes, scooters and even a SmartCar are available for rent. All rooms include 42 inch HD flat screens TVs, iPod docking stations (including a playlist specifically created for the hotel by Sony Music) and a mini art book collection. There are high-tech features throughout the hotel catering to their business travelers as well as wifi in every room. Some of the rooms equipped for long stays have small kitchen facilities – dishwasher included. If the art theme has you thoroughly charmed, the in-house curator organizes in-house art tours which explain the history and significance of the hotel art.

Singita Lebombo in South Africa at The Luxury Spot

Tree pod dining at Six Senses – Koh Kood, Thailand at Kim Vallee

Casa Kimball in DR at The Luxury Spot

Hangar Eenenveertig cafe in Antwerp at Remodelista

The Everland Hotel in Paris at Freshome