So when someone (like Gill a week or so ago – so sorry it’s taken me such a long time to deal with this topic, we should totally catch up for coffee whilst you’re here though!) asks me what there is to do in Melbourne, rarely do I ever have exciting things initially spring to mind. Which, I acknowledge, is pretty darn pathetic. Especially given that there ARE things which I love to do in Melbourne which just aren’t ‘touristy’ by definition nor entirely specific to the city. But maybe that’s my problem – trying to think like a tourist instead of realising that the things gravitate towards unconsciously may just be exciting to someone else as well.

Personally, I love to…

Drink coffee @ Brunetti’s

The one on the corner of Collins and Swanston Streets, where you can cosy up underneath their heaters in Winter and enjoy the sunny people-watching in the warmer months. Close to the Paris end of Collins street, just around the corner from Chanel, of course, the coffee is great, the snacks are divine and it’s one of the loveliest rendezvous spots around. But just make sure you watch out for hungry pigeons who will relentlessly pursue your lunch scraps. Seriously.

Attend the Melbourne Design Market @ Federation Square

Though not a regular activity (it happens twice a year – like this Sunday!), I always look forward to hanging out in the mysterious Fed Square undercover carpark to inspect the wares of local and not-so-local designers. Hanging out with architects certainly does rub off on a girl. Things are innovative, cool, often inexpensive and I always come out with a bag full of goodies. It was here where I first discovered the beautiful creations of Poppies for Grace, purchased my oh-so-handy Keep Cup which travels with me in my handbag wherever I go and purchased a glass teapot practically identical to the one Henry and I used in the Mackintosh Gallery in Takayama, Japan. Ah, memories…

Picnic in the Royal Botanic Gardens

When I was a budding young 15-year old, back in the days when coming into the city was more an excursion than the norm, we used to migrate into the Royal Botanic Gardens for extravagant picnics with 20 of our closest friends. They were lazy days filled with lots of yummy food, lying around and talking about not much and secret walks with boys in attempts to grab a quick kiss behind a tree. Oh, looking back it all sounds so poetic…

Browse magazines at Magnation

A shop dedicated SOLELY to magazines? There’s no way I couldn’t be entirely in love with this store. Not to mention that they’re incredibly good at sourcing new, independent and left-of-centre magazines which don’t usually make it to our ordinary shops (sorry, Borders). Plus, there’s coffee, books, ample seating and occasionally free wireless (though I had trouble figuring that one out on last attempt…) and the helpful and quirky staff. I highly recommend signing up to their email newsletter, it always makes me smile.

Devour dumplings in Tattersalls Lane

Okay, I’ll be honest – I’m not sure this place is really best for tourists wanting an enjoyable Melbourne Masterchef-esque dining experience (for those, I’d recommend Terra Rossa, …). After all, the service here at Shanghai Dumpling House can only be described as abrupt and unprofessional with your dumplings delivered by staff who truly appear to want to be elsewhere. The decor is nothing special, but there’s chairs and tables and a plate of absolutely delicious dumplings (for $8 or something ridiculous like that). It’s a little not-so-hidden gem which often has queues outside nightly. On the upside, you can be in and out in half an hour, full to the brim of dumplings and the best pumpkin cakes you’ll ever taste.

The Age writes -

There are no spruikers or flashing lights alerting would-be diners to the bargains to be had here. Instead, follow the trail of students down Tattersalls Lane to this homely Chinese canteen featuring dirt-cheap dumpling plates.

A brusque welcome may be par for the course, but modest booths and numbered tables are serviced efficiently.

I have no doubt that over time, I will think of dozens of things to add to this little list here.

Especially now that I’m more conscious of the things I enjoy doing around Melbourne – perhaps it’ll teach me to be a bit kinder towards the city that’s been my home for so long.

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Though my pictures demonstrate a noticable lack of human presence (which definitely wasn’t the case), Hobart was a truly beautiful, quiet and relaxing place – and oh so very different from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne.

Though I reside in the outer ‘burbs, I find myself in and around the CBD almost 5 days out of my 7 day week. Consequently, I have forgotten just how big and city-like Melbourne actually is – being able to walk almost anywhere within Hobart was, on reflection, really nice. As I go from buses, to trains to cars back at home, I’m coming to understand just why I’m so tired all the time. That being said, I’m not sure I’d be willing to give it up. Quite the paradox, ain’t it?

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But that’s where I spent my Australia Day, with a whole bunch of acts from other countries…=P

I can only attribute my lack of posts to the fact that I’ve been a busy little bee! Tomorrow, I get organised. Tonight I try to relive yesterday.

Kasabian

@designtavern and myself

Powderfinger…from afar (legs get tired, okay?? I’m getting old.)

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It was somewhere around the time when we were addicted to The OC and the iPod mini was the coolest invention ever. During this time, there was a somewhat unhealthy epidemic of ‘camwhores’.

Trusty urban dictionary explains this concept better than I ever could -

3. Camwhore

Someone, usually female, and often of the scene, emo, or goth“subculture” who enjoys taking countless pictures of their heavily made-up selves and posting them online. Camwhores usually post their pictures on myspace, less often on livejournal and xanga, and sometimes even on our very own Urban Dictionary, out of a desire for attention and to show off their low-cut t-shirts and pale, underdeveloped boobies under poor lighting.

- urbandictionary.com

Having grown up in this aforementioned era, I was beginning to think that all hope was lost for those who post self-portraits online. Thank goodness that fashion bloggers have helped the practice to regain its street-cred and evolve into something fashionable, artistic and entirely enviable. These fashion bloggers, it seems, have worked wonders -demonstrating that online self-portraits need not be stereotyped. I challenge anyone who to tries and call these fashionable ladies ‘camwhores’.

Lady Melbourne

Tavi Gevinson – Style Rookie

Gosh, if only I could work my digital camera properly!

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We liked you boys before they did, just remember where your loyalty lies.

Regardless, please enjoy:

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Before Gossip Girl, Gilmore Girls, The OC – there was this lovely little show called Dawson’s Creek. Well, its rival was Felicity. Both shows had cult followings, of course, as both possessed a cast of the most melodramatic and overly thoughtful characters ever to appear on television. And I love it. For those of you who are unware (and I hardly blame you because my mother was the one who introduced me to the show) I suggest you start here.

Basically, Felicity jumps off her conveyor belt life in California and decides to move across the country to NY to pursue a new life, and the affections of a super-sweet boy called Ben after he left a heartwarming message in her year book, despite having never spoken to each other throughout their high school years. Pathetic?Anti-feminist? Oh, shoosh.

There’s really nothing like the over processing of Felicity to make a girl feel like she’s not alone in her silly little thoughts and in worrying about silly little things – it’s all just a part of life. No other show has been as real (they actually do homework and worry about assignments – SHOCK!) and close to tapping into what my mind is going through, despite the fact that our situations are completely different…mainly that my life is real, and hers is…fictional, and in the past.

At the same time, however, it’s making me depressed in another way as I’m hardly having the same mushy college type experience. Nor am I in New York City. Nor do I have an abundance of deliciously curly hair.Nor is it still cool to wear shapeless and ginormous sweaters.  Hmm – what was my point again?

Oh, yeah…it’s 9.15pm on a Tuesday night and I’m cuddled up in my PJs watching the show, pleasantly melancholy and bittersweet. That’s not too bad, I suppose.

Sweet Dreams!

xx

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After what has seemed an endless winter of pouring rain (though not enough to fill our dams!), Spring has finally sprung which means holidays are close, summer is near and bbqs are on the horizon! YAY!

And we know this is true, because Seafolly has debuted its new line of cossies at Rosemount Sydney Fashion Week. I’d best be getting off this silly laptop and into the gym!

Enjoy this lovely sunny spring day Melburnians!

xx

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I saw The Hangover last friday. And, in the wise words of Roger Ebert,

The Hangover” is a funny movie, flat out, all the way through. Its setup is funny. Every situation is funny. Most of the dialogue is funny almost line by line. At some point we actually find ourselves caring a little about what happened to the missing bridegroom — and the fact that we almost care is funny, too. - “The Hangover”, June 3

Couldn’t have put it better myself. Treat yourself to a filmic excursion for some hardcore giggle fits, sure to chase all your troubles away.

To top it all off, my Fossil Sutter Crossbody satchel (purchased for my impending trip to Japan) is now famous as the ‘Man Satchel’ of Zach Galifianakis’s character, Alan.

Alan’s bag:

My bag:

I feel instantly more hardcore.

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7 Ways to Be Happier at Work

According to this recent post on the Harvard Business Blog, Americans are not one of the happiest nations in the world. Well, gosh – that’s a bit depressing! In response, this post written by Jeffrey M. Stibel, brain scientist and entrepeneur, features a number of ways simply to be happier. Granted, it’s directed towards the US who are desperately grasping at any positive rhetoric that comes their way, but the basic premise applies to us all. The article lists and expands upon seven simple ways to be happier and you’ll find it’s hard not to have your day brightened even for a moment as your worries soon melt away.

Remaining Positive!

Oh, Yaro, where would we be without you? Internet and blogging mastermind, Yaro Starak posted this article some time ago on his blog, Entrepeneurs Journey, outlining his method on How To Remain Productive When You Feel Like Giving Up. And you know what? Yaro would know. I, and many others I’m sure, turn to the piece to gain the courage to keep on working towards our goals.

Quote Unquote – ‘You can’t change the wind, you can however adjust your sails.’

Sometimes, all it takes is a couple of kind words to change your outlook on something. Here is an extensive range of quotes about success, what it takes to gain it and what to do when you get it.

Lack Discipline?

Here’s a six small steps you can take if you’re one of THOSE people who simply can’t self discipline. It’s not so bad – but it’s time to stop hating your procrastinating habits and get on with the work! Written by Leo Babauta, the list is sure to get you moving forward! Check it out on Zenhabits.net here!

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Now, it seems, the trend is to devastate your audience. For example, I recently developed an obsession for first generation Skins. I realise that I was undeniably a few years behind the rest of the world, but forgive me. Skins started off as an ordinary guilty pleasure, and then progressed into a more hardcore flirtation until it finally developed into full blown infatuation; I was hooked.

For those who aren’t familiar with BAFTA award-winning Skins (if those people still exist) is not your average OC-esque teenage drama. Rampant drug use is the norm, their family lives are more screwed up than we can imagine and sex is an all consuming concept for the teenagers just growing up in Bristol, England. A dramatic masterpiece, Skins is groundbreaking in a myriad of different ways. Through complex characterization and ambiguous narratives merged with reality, Skins subverts our expectations of what the typical teen drama should be. Highly intelligent, Skins proved to be nothing short of a divine construction of dramatic storytelling conventions. I shan’t spoil the story for those who haven’t had the pleasure of watching, but the point of this loving diatribe is that Skins, though I love it, broke my heart upon the final episode of season 2.

When we watch a television series, we grow fond of the characters and enjoy being a part of their world. I feel like I was kicked out of the Skins world far too prematurely.  I’m not sure I will ever fully recover from the annoyingly unsatisfying but devastating finale, let alone the complete revamping of the third season. At the end of season 2, we waved goodbye to the original skins cast for good. Mysteries were left and there are questions we will never know the answers to. And you know what, perhaps that’s the way we like things these days.

The idea of the lack of finality to a narrative isn’t really a new concept; experimental cinema from the Film Noir period right through to Taratino‘s masterpieces brought the concept to the fore a long time ago. But in this day and age, when pessimism is already running high and life is often lacking in any truly joyous moments, why do we choose to subject ourselves to such frustration? It’s an almost perverse pleasure – Spielberg-esque films with lovely complete narratives are rejected in favour of television that shocks our systems, makes us feel uneasy and often shatters our preconceived expectations. And for what? So we can go away from the series feeling empty, heartbroken and rejected by characters, filled with an ongoing sense of unease and regret?

Apparently so. It seems what used to be considered the worst way to end a television series is fast becoming the norm -are we seriously that numb that we need these to shock us back to life? Perhaps there are more complex psychological forces at work here, but all I know is I’m never going to get over this and I can’t put my finger on why I did this to myself. All I know is that I feel a pang in the pit of my stomach upon hearing the ‘s’ word and the soundtrack almost brings tears to my eyes. Let’s just not talk about it anymore, alright?

Skins has now finished its 3rd season in the UK. You can get all the details from the official  Skins website and is currently airing on Fox 8, Tuesday nights 9.30pm. Though watch at your own risk – heartbreak is destined to ensue.

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