Melbourne? Yes please!

A wise woman once said "I'd rather Melbourne than marking."

And it is too true.

So there are many things that make Melbourne good. Not so good that I want to move there forever (despite the repeated requests). But good enough to make me keep wanting to go back.

1. The Coffee.

My addiction to caffiene is no secret. And it is also something that I don't want to give up. I am not excessive about it. I NEED one good coffee a day. I like 2. More than that makes me a little bit flighty/buzzy/anxious/insomniac. But that doesn't tend to stop me anyway.

A strong flat white is the poison of choice, and there are far too many places that totally nail this beverage.

2. The Cafes

This might sound closely related to No. 1. And I admit there are some correlations. But the baristas and the owners of the cafes take the ambience and style of their establishments seriously. They make it Different. They make it Cool. On purpose. Artworks, mirrors, table arrangements. The fact that they fit a whole cafe into a space that may usually be allocated to storing a bicycle and some ski boots.

Brother Baba Budan on Little Bourke puts their chairs in the ceiling.

A Minor Place has a whole paper-stencil-house motif going on. (evidence of how cool they are is that cosey couple in the corner are staff from ANOTHER funky cafe.) And they are set up in what appears to be a cottage (pic above)

The problem that I have with the cafes in Melbourne is they are all so good, so cool and interesting and fun. And when one has only 10 days, there are only so many meals. So it means making decisions. And I hates decisions.

3. The bars

There are too many to name. Each has its own quirky vibe, and I would happily give a small left hand digit for one of them to set up in West Bubblefuck. It is because the Wise and Way Cool (I can say that cause I don't live there) Victorian State Government has much more realistic and relaxed laws about entertainment licences - live music, serving of alcohol. Plus there is a very beautiful and serene lack of poker machines. That noise you can hear? Its not the evil money sucking con artists. That is the sound of celebrating angels.

Plus I love the fact that they are hidden down alleys, up innocuous staircases and behind deceptive facades.

The Carlton had a whole taxidermy glamour thing going on

The Alderman felt like I was drinking in my best friend's loungeroom.

The Lounge had great food, and was so much a classier student bar than the Rege. No offence to the Rege.

I didn't get to Atticus Finch this time. But even the name makes me want to make it my local.

Keithy took me to a few other places, but my Current Conflict with Alcohol meant that there was not as much consumption as I would have liked.

4. The People That I Know That Live There.

They know who they are. And I love them.

5. The shoes. (pics to come)

I went a bit shoe nutty. I couldn't help it. It was only 4 pairs...

6. Trams

Ever since The Tram To Bondi Beach, I have thought they are the most romantic form of PT. I love the DING! So much cooler than a horn.