Melbourne Places

The Red Door has been operating in the same space for number years.  I have seen the red door and the beautiful street art on the side of the wall but never visited until now.  I’m not sure why.

A strong recommendation from a colleague prompted my first visit.  She went on a week day evening [...]

Brighten up a grey winter morning and take in the Graf Art  as you stroll  along Chapel Street, Windsor.  Of course it doesn’t have to be the morning, anytime during the day will do.  But the  in-your-face colours gives a me lift on a grey morning.

The corner of McIlwrick  and Chapel Streets (at Tarlo and [...]

This notice is in Tarlo & Grahm’s current window display – I hope you can read it.
Tarlo & Graham’s windows are always fascinating to me.  I have written about them before in ” Tarlo & Graham – view their windows”.
I don’t believe anyone else would decorate their window with objects burned in their fire.

This is [...]

Gattica  Restaurant on Carlisle Street,  Balaclava is a favourite place of a friend of mine  who lives in Fitzroy North.  He is delighted when he has business around St Kilda East so he can head to Gattica.  His is always talking about the coffee and the Hash Stack he has there.
With such a recommendation I [...]

I’m in Chapel Street South Yarra  at 1.30pm on a sunny Sunday afternoon when I remember that I have to meet a friend in a city bar for ‘catch up’ drinks at 3.00pm.  Trams are easy but the last time I ate was a slice toast at 6.30am.  I need food or I will become [...]

When a cafe has been operating for a few years it may seem a waste of time reviewing it – others have done so before – but I believe Melbourne Places needs to visit and talk about the old favourites.  Not everyone knows these places.  Not every well known cafe lives up to its original [...]

W-class trams date back to the 1930’s.

W-class Tram at the corner of Chapel and Carlisle Street
A W-class tram was the first tram I rode in Melbourne.  It was before I lived here and in the days when there was a conductor on board.
I clambered up the high wooden step and sat on a hard seat [...]

The Oriental Tea House is something different.

The Oriental Tea house in Chapel Street was once a pub
Yum Cha on Sunday is something I enjoy – watching the trolleys come past, studying the food and deciding ‘yes’ or ‘no’.  The frustrating part is that when I have eaten enough I see something new appear from the [...]

The Special Cake Shop at 207 Chapel Street, Prahran is an institution in the area.

Over the years Prahran cafes and food outlets have come and gone but not  the Special Cake Shop.  It  just keeps on keeping on.  It was opened in the mid 1950s by a Greek Immigrant and then bought in 1976 by [...]

The Carlisle Street Bazaar opened just before Christmas adding another retail experience to shopping in the piece of Carlisle Street around the Balaclava Rail Station.
This Carlisle Street Bazaar replaces a store where I often browsed.  It was one of those stores that covered an eclectic range merchandise – clothes, furniture, home ware, jewelery, gifts.    All [...]