MELBOURNE…YOU’VE BEEN RAD!

Melbourne town (I know it’s a city I just like saying that)…you’ve been great! No really, I just love driving into Melbourne  over the crazy high (and long) bridge, into the city maze dodging trams and crowds of well dressed n well heeled peeps. Melbourne is a bustling city, a vibrant city, a city with all four seasons in one day and a city I happily shop and eat my way around.

We’re getting so much better at driving our way all over Melbourne these days that Suri doesn’t get as much of a workout anymore. We stayed right next to Etihad Stadium at the Travelodge, 2 king rooms are a must with teenagers in tow. It’s walking distance to harbour town, the Mall and Southbank.

We love evening walks along Southbank taking in the wafting aromas from the lineup of restaurants, stopping to enjoy the buskers and sitting on the bench seats and people watching. After a freakishly hot spell our walk on Saturday night was peppered with rain…didn’t care! The rain drops were refreshing and welcome and we happily wandered around albeit a little damp. A trip to Southbank isn’t complete without a visit to the Lindt cafe and this time my heart felt a little heavy for the Melbourne Lindt staff who had watched as their Sydney sister store was held up in a siege just a few weeks ago. I wanted to hug them and say sorry for their loss and that we care…I ordered iced mochas and cake instead.

There were no sightseeing plans in place for this trip, we go to Melbourne a few times a year so feel like pseudo locals anyway. The main purpose of the trip was to give master 16 some distance driving practice. I wasn’t even planning to shop but was open to some food sampling…oh and eat we did! We did the DFO’s and Bourke St Mall, picked up some bargains ( yeah you guessed it, I shopped), we nipped over to St Kilda for some shopping and again another night for dinner…you’re getting the picture aren’t you?!? We shop n eat in Melbourne LOL. We also walk a lot, which isn’t so great when breaking in new shoes…blisters are not fun, just saying! Naturally we hopped aboard the trams, buses and trains in Melbourne and thanked Melbourne free public transport.

 

Dinner at Platform 28 was all kinds of YUM!

A city boutique named FAT, which is how I felt after munching my way around Melbourne.

At times the teenage sons went their own way and the mister and I pleased ourselves. We checked out the much hyped H&M and were left deflated. It was like a flashy Kmart. If I had a teenage daughter I would encourage her to spend her dollars there as it was cheap n cheerful fashion starting at $3…. Seriously!

I picked up a bargain dress at Sussan and changed in the loo as my shorts were so freakin uncomfortable from all the eating I’ve been doing lately. Even better than the bargain price of $39 for the dress was knowing it was from their maternity range (oh the irony!) didn’t worry me though. I know I will belt this baby, team it with tights n boots, sandals even my new white leather high tops. The sales assistant told me the dress had been walking out the door with plenty of non pregnant women…I looked at her sideways with a ‘what you talkin bout Willis’ look…wondering if she was trying to pull the wool over my eyes, in the end I accepted her ego stroking comment and skipped out the door with my maternity dress and my trifle baby tummy!

I also picked up 4 pairs of shoes on my Melbourne travels, I couldn’t help it they just called to me with their uber cool designs and sale stickers! To be fair I had been eyeing off two pairs for months but hate paying full price for shoes…well for almost anything really 🙂 anyhoo I came home with clothes given to me from the lovely team at Harlow (see post here) and shoes… Pretty awesome!

Even better than the shopping and morning sleep ins was seeing our two boys connect. Our trips to Melbourne tend to do that for them. They are 3 years apart in age and over the years they have been close and at times a gulf separates them. My cancer diagnosis didn’t help them as they both struggled in their own ways. I think the older one being driven around by the younger one helped him see his little brother in a new light. Mutual respect and a realisation that they aren’t that different from each other is gained by both of them on road trips. That and being forced to spend time together.

In another 14 months they will be able to hit the clubs together and the gulf will become even smaller as two men who are also brothers hit the town. Another Melbourne road trip will be planned then for sure. See you soon Melbourne town (yeah…I know it’s a city).

Til next time,

Jen x