This vacay was a little different because it was a Birthday Family vacation. We - being my family, my mum and dad, met up with my brother and his wife and my niece and nephew to celebrate my Dad's birthday.
Melbourne is pretty fab for shopping, coffee and food - In no particular order, although if you are going by the scales I weighed myself on this morning, it would tell you that maybe the food was first. So lets start at the beginning.
We flew Qantas. Now I am not just saying this because my brother works for Qantas, but I always try to fly them, because 9 times out of 10 they are cheaper. Yes you heard me CHEAPER. On this occasion they were cheaper than Jetstar and Virgin. And you get food and luggage. This is handy for me because I am under no illusion that I could ever just travel with just hand luggage. It would never happen. Like EVER. And one of my most favourite sounds in the world is the sound of that food trolley and the hostie saying " Chicken or fish", and eating that awesome rubbery egg with beans. I watch a few movies (more on that in a later post) and read some of my book. It was fab. What also made it more fab was that it was a Thursday and I wasn't at work.
We chose to stay in Apartments, because there was so many of us. The ones we stayed at were called Shortstay Apartments and they were in City Road. Totally central, just a short walk away. Ours had three rooms, and a big living area and kitchen.
So food - well we ate at some pretty fab restaurants, some of them by chance, some by choice, Dinner on night one was at Crown, in the Conservatory. It was ok. If I had to say the most ordinary meal, this was probs it. A fab breaky in a little cafe in one of the lanes we had two days in a row. lacitta. La yummy Eggs benedict. Say no more.
One of the issues dining with 12 people is getting a spot anywhere. Dinner was by chance in the little cafe across from the little cafe. It was AMAZING. We were all a little stressed because it looked a little dodgy, but the food (Italian) was sooo yummy.
Not dodgy at all.
It is about here that I need to say that the thing that makes dining out in Melbourne so awesome is not that it is affordable (you hear that Perth) but because you get really, really, good service. Like that they want you in the restaurant and you are not an inconvenience.
We didn't go anywhere fancy smanchy because it was not that kind of holiday, but we didn't have a bad meal, which is a great sign. Indi also learnt not to wear new shoes out for dinner, when you are walking.
Soooooo shopping. Well obviously Zara, which, I can't believe I am saying this , was a little underwhelming. I would like to think, well hope to think this is due to it being trans- seasonal. I bought some cutie things for Indi, and mum got a pretty fab coat.
Melbourne Central was also a good place to shop. They have got such a great selection of shops- in fact pretty much any shop you can think of is there. And it has 4 levels. Yep 4 levels of shopping heaven- including The Gap and a Nike Shop.
DFO is awesome for factory outlet shopping. I don't usually do factory outlet shopping because I don't think it is that cheap, but DFO in Southbank is pretty damn good. It has outlet for all the major stores, and it is only a 10 minute walk from Crown. Nearly a whole level is committed to sport shops, including Nike, Adidas, and 2XU.
I didn't make it to Chapel Street, which was ok. It did mean no Topshop, but I will survive.
The most concerning part of my shopping trip was the clothes at America Apparel. I don't get that shop. I also don't get the selection of scrunchies.
Sunday was our last day, and St Kilda was on the menu after a yummy breakfast at The Left Bank. After a minor altercation with the fare inspectors on the Tram (don't worry, a strongly worded letter is heading their way- you don't tap your Myki card, you HOLD it) we went to urban attitude which is the best little shop full of cool stuff, and then had a yummy vanilla slice from Le Bon cakes and coffee.
Le Bon in Acland Street
Then it was off to the airport, a cheeky stop at Krispy Kreme, a cheeky knicker stop at Victoria Secret, back on the Qantas flight, where we were offered....CHICKEN or FISH. For the record I had the chicken, and a bottle of sparkling, and a salted caramel ice cream. I watch Gravity and The Butler. Lucky Oprah made her fortune from talk shows, because she is a really, really bad actress.
So the shopping stash?
Two pairs of skinny "jeggings'- a modern take on the stretch skinny jean - I can see these will be the ultimate basic for winter
a pair of pink jeans, the most amazing shoes from RMK
and a cutie little pair of leopard print shoes from Zara ( $40- yep nearly free).
Make up- some YSL youth liberator foundation,
a touché éclat pen,which only cost $55, they were $90 a few years ago
So here I am back home. I have once again put my credit cards into retirement, and renewed my friendship with Weight Watchers.
Until July, when me and my favourite city reunite once more.
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