Australian Adventures: Discovering Melbourne

My last time in Australia was ten years ago.  I spent thirty hot and sleep deprived days in a military training area and four glorious days in Sydney.   Throughout the years, I always felt the need to return to this vast, magical place.  Luckily for me, I was recently sent on a work assignment to Melbourne, Australia.   Given I had a long road ahead of me, I took the opportunity to take some days off and experience a small fraction of what this continent has to offer.  Getting to Australia from Washington, DC is a long journey but it only takes are short time to acknowledge the trek was worth it.  



St Kilda Beach

My first stop in my adventure down under is Melbourne where I spent a week working during the day and indulging in the amazing culinary life of Melbourne on my time off.  Upon our arrival, we head to Prahran neighborhood for brunch.  As we walked through Chapel St, we found it difficult to choose where to eat as the choices in this modern neighborhood ranged from Russian to Basque.   My Dutchman and I have both been suffering a sunshine deficit in our respective countries so when we saw the corner outdoor seating area at Tusk, we were sold.  After enjoying a delicious dish of cornbread, egg, and guacamole, we walked around the neighborhood of vintage shops, art galleries, and bars with some old neighborhood stores intertwined. If Williamsburg, Brooklyn and The Mission in San Francisco would have a hip baby, Prahran would be it.   We finished our stroll at Babble Café where we sipped on Australian wine, people watched, and took advantage of their free wi-fi as many establishments in Melbourne do not have wi-fi.

Streets of Prahram

Another treat for those of us in Northern Europe and the Mid-Atlantic is the sunshine.  The last few days before my departure, the days in DC were wet and gloomy.  What better way to cure the winter blues than to go to the beach.  St Kilda beach was relatively close to the hotel.  We enjoyed a Sunday with ciders on the pier and even caught a fast glimpse of a little penguin.  Later during the week, we went on a run along the pier, the boardwalk offers a nice, flat course that is very runner friendly.  It is nice to be traveling in the early fall in Melbourne:  the beach is not invaded by crowds but it is still warm enough to take in the sunshine but cool enough to go on a nice run.

The Good Life in St Kilda Beach

Aside from the sunshine and the beach, two of my main takeaways from my week in Melbourne are the food and the hospitality.   As the director of my conference pointed out,  Melbourne is a very culturally diverse city, with 30% of its citizens being either foreign born or second generation.  It reflects on the food we sampled throughout out stay.  From the Malaysian Laksa soup to the Gnocchi with Duck Ragu, we enjoyed all of our meals.  We got a taste of local delicacies at Cumulus, a popular spot in the Flinders Lane.  This ample dining space gives you the opportunity to see the chefs in action and take in the liveliness of the crowd.  From the grilled octopus to the freshly sliced charcuterie, we felt the freshness in every bite.  We had the same feeling for Balancea, an Italian restaurant in South Yarra.  On a rainy night, we indulged on Prosecco, local oysters and fresh pasta.  The best part of these two restaurants was the service.   Although both quite expensive, we felt that it was completely worth it.

Local Oysters at Balancea

A trip to Melbourne is not complete without a trip down the “lanes”.  Lanes are tiny alleys in the city center which are lined with shops, cafes, and restaurants.  We took a break from exploring at the Brown Sugar Café where we shared a delicious bottle of Tasmanian Pinot Noir and witnessed the merge of personalities: the tourists, the businessmen having an after work drink, and young girls hanging out after school.  

The Lanes

Our Australian hosts treated us to a lovely evening at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.  Although there was not a game that evening, we had the whole MCG to ourselves.  We began with a reception of the National Sports Museum, which included a hologram video of  Shane Warne, one of Australia’s cricket greats.  It concluded with a lovely dinner at the club floor with a spectacular view of the grounds.

Working it at the MCG

 My trip to Melbourne concluded with me being surprised by my Dutchman with a spectacular gondola ride through the Yarra river.  I was extremely surprised and moved by the gesture as I never thought of a gondola gliding through the Yarra.  It was a beautiful, clear night as we had a brief history of Melbourne, admired the architecture (old and new), and to conclude, we witnessed an intriguing fire display at the Crown Casino.  We followed the magical night with another delicious dinner at Virginia Plain.  My goal this month is to try to replicate the shellfish risotto we had there.  We were about to lick the plate!


View from the Gondola

From drinks in the lanes to a magical night on the Yarra, I left Melbourne with many lovely memories.  The runs by St Kilda beach, walking hand in hand past the Victorian homes in Prahran, and falling deeper in love with my Dutchman sailing through the Yarra will always be in my heart.  The city is a magical combination of eclectic neighborhoods, green spaces (such as Albert Park and Botanical Gardens),  and the ocean.  It may be a 24 hour flight from DC, but completely worth every hour of it.