My lovely friends and I had such a nice time away and we managed to fit quite a bit in despite the short trip. Melbourne was looking beautiful in all its autumn colour, the weather played nice and we stayed in what turned out to be the perfect spot, at the very top of Exhibition street with a view of Carlton Gardens from our balcony. That meant we could walk everywhere or take the free city circle tram.
Our first afternoon we visited Federation Square and came back via the graffiti lanes and Chinatown. Our night out started with champagne near our hotel at Trunk (which I loved for its retro industrial recycled feel) then dinner at lovely middle eastern restaurant Maha tucked away in a cosy basement in Bond Street. Our five course tasting menu was a real treat. On the way home we had lots of fun window shopping in the dark up little Collins Street.
Saturday after a big cafe breakfast we walked through Carlton Gardens to Brunswick Street where we shopped up one side and then down the other. It was a real highlight, lots to see. Lunch was at Little Creatures Dining Hall, another wonderful revamped industrial space with a great family vibe and great chips.
On the way home we squeezed in a trip to the Melbourne Museum to see the 'blockbuster' Tutankhamen exhibition before rushing home to change for dinner and cocktails at Gingerboy in Chinatown.
Sunday we headed out by tram to St Kilda to get a cake fix then squeezed in another shopping trip to Little Collins street, this time in daylight, and then it was off to the airport again.
I lived in Melbourne for a few years after uni, had my first job here as a book designer, and I have a real soft spot for this lovely town but hadn't been for ten years! There are lots of memories for me here and I remembered all the things I love about this town which is quite different to its flashy speedy sister Sydney. I know it won't be another ten years till I get back there.
(p.s. Shopping credits, french botanic poster from Zetta Florence, Samantha Robinson cup from Douglas and Hope, Dress from Princess Highway, Paper garland from little paper shop, all in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Stoneware jug from Bison in Little Collins street and long sleeved top from Claude d'Alban of Paris (via China) in St Kilda!
While I've been away the wonderful Christina Lowry has made the most wonderful tutorial for all of us, which I'm going to feature in a guest post tomorrow! Make sure you come and see how she makes her wonderful pieces.
Melbourne is my town - it rocks in every way! Glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI love your photos of beautiful Melbourne. Its been 20 years since my one and only visit. But its still my fav place over here. Thanks for letting us know where you got to!
ReplyDeleteTrunk is a favourite watering hole of mine. Lovely feel and a good spot to go in the city centre.
ReplyDeleteWe turned on some unusually warm weather for you over the weekend. Back to colder temps now though :)
I've only been to Melbourne a couple of times but really enjoyed it. Your pics were a lovely way of revisiting it for me, being further away now I probably won't get to see it in person for a while.
ReplyDeleteI love ALL of these photos! Somehow today all the blogs in my reader are 'advertising' Australia as a fantastic place to visit. Maybe I'll have to give in....
ReplyDeleteGlad you had fun in my little home town!!
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned loads of places that I must try to get to ... someday!!
xx
whoo hoo ! I love melbourne too and am glad to call it home - although it seems you've managed to squeeze more in one weekend that i do all year!! funny that! lovely pics xx
ReplyDeleteI love a visit to Melbourne - I love to just wander - so much to see.
ReplyDeleteFour sleeps until I catch my plane to melbourne. I cannot wait!! Your pictures made me even more excited!
ReplyDeletegreat pics of Melbourne, what a great city! Love your little Bison jug too, I found one the same size in Vinnies for $4, he does the most beautiful colours.
ReplyDeleteI have happy memories of an afternoon spent in Melbourne with my cousin and her husband. We had no time for shopping, but enjoyed some of the sights anyhow.
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit Melbourne and have heard such wonderful things about the city, your post just makes me want more.
ReplyDeleteIt makes we want to book a flight and have a mooch around down there!
ReplyDeleteWow! It's so nice to see my city through a visitor's eyes.... glad you had such a lovely weekend!
ReplyDeleteSounds fab! You gals managed to pack so much into your weekend. I feel like we might have crossed paths a few times. I adore that top pic. x
ReplyDeleteyaaaaa i love melbourne .. great city
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