Melbourne Places » Tram Route 96

Mart Cafe – Tram route 96 Stop 130 Middle Park

Melbourne — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:13:08 +0000

One of my favourite places to breakfast in Melbourne is the Mart Cafe at Middle Park – Middle Park tram stop for tram 96 to St Kilda.

This cafe is right on the tram stop – platform 2. Notice the name – tram backwards.

In the summer I wander in early and make my way out onto the covered verandah at the back. I use the somewhat old fashioned word veranda because this cafe is in the old station master’s building. Some of the vintage pieces that decorate the white interior reflect this.

The verandah at the back could be described as a covered deck. This is my favourite spot. I like to sit at the bench overlooking Albert Park and the tennis courts. On a summer morning the sun hasn’t reached the verandah so it is cool and a gentle breeze wafts around to give a hint of a hot day to come. Then there is the thwack of the tennis balls, the occasional shout from the tennis court and the rumble of a passing tram.

The bench has room for the Herald Sun and the railing has a flat top so you can put your coffee out of the way of the paper and still have access to the paper and the coffee.

I am going on about the location but it is the location as well the food that sells it to me. I can think of no pleasanter way to spend an hour or so than sitting at the bench browsing the paper and looking across the park.

Tables outside in the front of the station master’s office are on the edge of Platform 2. From there you can watch the trams and the travelling public.

The clientele is an interesting mix of people. It is child friendly and Mums and babies turn up about mid –morning and so do people conducting business. The tables are big enough for a few papers and laptops.

The Food! It is good. I always have the same breakfast – the corn fritters. The corn has been oven roasted and has a slight crunch, and then there is the bacon and the sour cream. I sometimes find myself obsessing about these fritters and I have to go back for a fix. They are always good the quality doesn’t vary.

Also on the menu is home-made Bircher Muesli , French Toast and various varieties of eggs with add-ons.

The muffins are good too, if you are wanting a mid-morning snack. Lime and coconut last time I had one – different and delicious.

For travellers on the 96 tram (fast rail) to St Kilda this is a great place to get off, experience the ambiance and the food, then head on to St Kilda.

Getting There:-

The Mart 107A Canterbury Road, Middle Park. – Phone 9690 8831

Tram 96 from the CBD to St Kilda, The Middle Park Stop, number 103

There is parking for 1 hour along Canterbury Road or in Armstrong Street.

Opening hours:-

7.30am to about 4.00pm. closing does depend a little on the time of year and the weather.

Things you should know:-

They DO NOT take any plastic – you need to make sure you have cash.

There is CBA cash machine in Armstrong Street about 200 meters away

The Esplanade Market, St Kilda is worth a visit

Melbourne — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:00:33 +0000

Summertime in Melbourne is market time and markets spring up all over the place – Pre-Christmas I had great success with some Christmas presents at a market set up in the Elwood School grounds.

This flurry of summer markets led me to forget the markets that just keep-on-keeping-on.

The Esplanade Market in St Kilda has been keeping on since 1970. And some of the stall holders have been there for most of that time.

The market runs from Luna Park along The Esplanade to Fitzroy Street. On my first trip to Melbourne, some years ago, I explored it with a family member and was fascinated. I still have a pair of ear rings I bought on that visit.

This time these brooches caught my eye.

The Market advertises itself as a “Makers’ Market Place”. That is the stall holders must be directly involved in the production of the items they are selling. This makes for an interesting mix.

There is Jena Bedson’s pottery that she describes as ‘comic art’.

Much of the merchandise is familiar to me, in that some of the stalls have been there for years. Obviously the ones that stay the distance are quality and offer something the customers want. Calypsoflash who sell pewter jewelery tell me they have been there for 38 years. They now have their own website to display their creative pieces.

These architectural cards are stylish and beautiful.

There is a huge tourist-browsing population and many stall holders cater for them. For example Matt Irwin’s photographs are there and have been since my first visit in the 1990’s. Then I sent my mother a post card depicting a striking black and white photo of one of Melbourne’s trams. She still has it and they are still on sale.

These magnets were doing good business – I bought 3 for $10.00. They were delighting children who were spending $3.50 to go home with something cute and useful. The stall holder creates the whole magnet from the painted design to the finished article.

The market is vibrant and most of the stall holders friendly. They will talk about their crafts and discuss in detail how they make the items. If you are a craft person you can find inspiration – a sort of “Wow, I could do that!” But many crafts are time-consuming and for these people making and selling their wares a way of life.

Getting there:-

Trams 16, 3A and 79 to stop 31

Tram 96 to stop 138

Times:-

Sundays ( all year round) 10.00am to 5.00pm.

Artist Camille Monet and the St Kilda residents create a special piece of art for the community

Melbourne — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:30:57 +0000

The St Kilda community has created a wall to bring people together rather than shut them off from each other. They are calling it the Great Wall of St Kilda.

This wall is 11 metres x 5 meters and made of clay tiles, in total 807 tiles.

Two hundred and seven large tiles that capture characters and stories of St Kilda have been created by Australian Artist, Camille Monet. Six hundred smaller tiles have been designed and made by local St Kilda people who she encouraged to get involved. This makes the fascinating and creative wall truly belong to St Kilda

In an interview with ABC Arts Programme, Monet said, “The mural caters for all sorts of people, including those in and out of homelessness. It tells the real story of St Kilda and captures its diversity.”
She says it turned out to be bigger than they expected. She walked the streets of St Kilda, speaking to people and getting to know them so she could capture the ‘ real’ St Kilda and get local people involved.
Each tile is unique and you can spend a lot of time just looking at them and taking in each message. It’s colourful and Monet believes colour represents St Kilda.

The Great Wall of St Kilda is erected behind the National Theatre, on the corner of Carlisle Street and Barkly Street, in the Talbot Reserve. It covers what was an ugly Citypower wall that was the target of tagging and old bill posters.

This mural is the final part of an up-grade to the Talbot Reserve which has included new seating, a children’s play area, more paths, landscaping, lighting and a very stylish drinking fountain.

If you are in St Kilda wander into the Talbot Reserve and study The Great St Kilda Wall. I’m sure it will become part of St Kilda’s history. It is a stunning idea and the wall is eye-catching and with so many contributors it is truly unique.

It is a feel good piece of art.

To see it you need to go into the Talbot Reserve as the wall is somewhat hidden from view when you are on Barkley Street.

Getting there:
Melways 58 B10 – You may want to check this as the wall is hard to see from the road.
Tram 17 and tram79 in the weekends – Get off at the corner of Carlisle and Barkly Streets. Talbot Reserve is behind the National Theatre.

Tram 96 – Get off at the corner of Acland and Carlisle Streets and walk up Carlislie to Barkly Street

St Kilda Beach Night Market – Thursdays

Melbourne — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:22:50 +0000

The St Kilda Beach Night Market has become an annual event on the St Kilda calendar.

I love night markets. The first one I explored was in Yogyakarta in Indonesia. There was magic in the air with the music and colours but I felt uneasy being in such a crowded place with so many dark corners. That evening was fun with fascinating things to buy and no harm came to us. The memory of the light–filled night and all the buzz has given me a strange nostalgia for outdoor evening markets so I turn up every year at the St Kilda Beach Night Market.

It is held in O’Donnell Gardens where a shady corner is not threatening – it is part of the evening ambiance. Of course with summer and daylight saving it is a long time before it is dark and there are any shadows to create murky corners.
The Market starts at 5.10pm. Last Thursday the first one for the year and stalls opened on time and the cooks fired up the food.

The market is held on Thursdays and last Thursday was rather grey and overcast with rain later. The market prides itself on opening rain or fine. It was just bad luck that last Thursday brought some rain. If you planned to go and it looks like rain – still go everyone else will be there.

Woxwaste shows ingenious ways to use waste – the waste paper baskets are wonderful. There is something rather satisfying about putting our rubbish in a container made from rubbish.

It’s an eclectic market that shows off the St Kilda area and Melbourne’s diversity of cultures This mixture makes for a friendly warm and comfortable browse, and nosh. There is music too.

The food is interesting and unpretentious the stalls fascinating and the crowd interesting. Remember the music.

I will be back this Thursday to try the Argentinean barbecue.

Getting there:-

Trams 16 and 79 to stop 31

Tram 96 to stop 138

Times-:

From 5.10pm

December – 17th, 21st, and 28th

January – 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th

February – 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th

Alister Clark’s Rose Garden in Full Bloom

Melbourne — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:49:52 +0000

October was a wet month for Melbourne and the roses loved it. They’re in flower all over the city. It was time for a visit to The Alister Clark Memorial Rose Garden in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens. (See my previous post)

I went this week in the relative cool of an early morning when the temperature was to rise into the 30s later. The roses have suffered because of this heat. It has actually singed some of the more delicate blooms.

The Alister Clark Rose Garden is a special place - warm and fragment with the huge sculptured macrocarpa hedge protecting it. It is a little sad to think this beautiful hedge may have contributed to the scorching that some of the blooms have suffered.

It is still worth a visit. Many have been spared by the heat wave and are putting on a spectacular display.

This is one of my favourite roses and I am again lamenting that the roses aren’t named in this garden. I would like to own it so unless I can find a knowledgeable nurseryman who can identify it from the photo I am stuck with simply admiring it whenever I visit the Alister Clark Rose Garden.

There are some big shady trees for a picnic and at the moment it is also a chance to admire some of the irises – they don’t appear to mind a gust of hot wind.

The gardens are open from sunrise to sunset (from dawn until dusk) seven days a week.

Getting there:-

96 Tram to the terminus the end of Acland Street. Walk up Blessington Street – on your left.

67 Tram to the corner of Brighton Road and Carlisle Street and walk along Blessington Street -on the right off Brighton Road.

The Good Life, and Good Food at Albert Park Lake

Melbourne — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:01:08 +0000

The Carousel, is an events center with a café attached. It is on the edge of The Lake in Albert Park – such a great position. It’s a stunning experience to sit on the deck outside the cafe, sip coffee, while swans and ducks float by, joggers pant past and walkers chat as they amble along.

The main venue is used for wedding receptions and other catered-for events. The entrance to the building is imposing. That’s the reception entrance. I am writing here about the café with the entrance tucked around the side.

The café is popular in the weekend. Everyone pitches up here; bikes, joggers, walkers, families out for a stroll and breakfast groups. There are no bookings for breakfast so you front up and get your name written on the window in texter with the number in your party.

Last Saturday our party arrived and we were written on the window with a number 5. We hung around outside with the dogs and visualized empty tables. It was cold enough for us to visualize the empty table being inside which was a pity because when it arrived the table didn’t have a view. There is an open deck in front of the café and on a warm day the windows are opened up, so if you are inside, you get the feeling of being outside

The coffee is very good and it made up for the cold wait outside and by then we were ready for breakfast. The food is fine. Not great but good enough to go back. A nice touch is having a water jug with mint and lemon left on the table.

The jug of water adds style to a Carousel Breakfast.

This is ‘The Carousel Breakfast’. The mushrooms have flavour!

The muffins are worth trying especially if you arrive when they still warm from the oven. This one is Blueberry and white chocolate.

The Carousel is quieter during the week. This makes it more relaxing and there is no need for the texter and the window. It is a place full of light with some of the best views in Melbourne. It’s worth going for the views and of course a walk in the park.

Swans wander around chewing the grass. As you can see in the photo they are numbered with a wide band around their neck. Can any one tell me why? It looks very uncomfortable for them.

Getting There:-

The Carousel, 22 Aughtie Drive, Albert Park Lake, is open from 8am every day and shuts around 3.30 to 4.00pm

The easiest way is by car and as a bonus it is $2.00 for all day parking in the weekend. This is not the same during the week. Be prepared to pay more.

Tram 96, the light rail, takes you along the back of the Park. Get off at the Wright Street station and walk across Albert Park towards the lake.

You can also take any tram that goes down St Kilda Road as far as the St Kilda Junction. Get off at High Street and walk to the park from there. As it crosses St Kilda Road, High Street becomes Lorne Street. You walk done Lorne Street to the Park . Remember you have to walk around the lake to get to the Carousel.

Cafe Racer, St Kilda Beach

Melbourne — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:28:55 +0000

Weekend biking around the Eastern Bays is a Melbourne tradition. On Saturday and Sunday mornings hordes of bikers, in the very best lycra and helmets, form packs and peddle furiously along Beach Road to Marine Parade in St Kilda and then on to Port Melbourne.

Those of us who drive have to keep a keen eye for them. One of my nightmares is that I will park and open my car door into a bunch of cyclists. And the cyclists may well have nightmares of somebody doing just that and knocking them under a passing vehicle.

For the lycra clad the place to stop for a breather is Café Racer, 15 Marine Parade, St Kilda. In the weekend Café Racer is all about bikes, cycling and breakfasts. If you ever wanted to learn what cycling is about pop along for a chat. The place is heaving with people to talk to. Perhaps you should wear lycra, too.

Café Racer is also open during the week when it presents another face to the world. The clientele is different. There are few bikers, more locals, beach walkers and people who sit for hours with their laptops. My favourite place to sit is on the bench looking through the window, across Marine Parade and out to the sea while I read the morning papers. They have the best selection of papers and magazines – lovely glossies like Vogue and Gourmet.

There is Black Board menu that leans toward organic and free range. The food is interesting and good. Their bacon and egg rolls are the best I have had. Lightly toasted, they are slightly crisp on top with a soft bread roll. $6.50. The eggs are soft-cooked and for those of us who are used to chomping through a firm piece of yellow it comes as a delicious shock. If you order one just watch the yoke doesn’t dribble down your chin. You are given a knife and fork to make eating easy. They also have muffins etc from Phillippas . I am not a fan of Phillips cakes and muffins so I am never tempted with my morning coffee.

The coffee is the best. Better than any of the coffee I’ve had along the beach front.

Café Racer is open from 6.30am to 6,00pm seven days a week, 15 Marine Parade St Kilda.
It’s an easy walk from Acland Street. Just wander down to the beach and it is a couple of blocks towards Elwood.

Trams to St Kilda the number 96 to the end of Acland Street or the 16 that takes you to the corner of Acland and Carlisle Streets

A retro experience at ‘Lost and Found’ in Collingwood

Melbourne — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:32:19 +0000

If your idea of heaven is whiling away a few hours amongst retro/re-cycled/vintage clothing and collectibles, then head for Lost and Found 12 Smith Street, Collingwood.

It is said that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. The odd thing is that there is so much ‘treasure’ left around. When you walk into Lost and Found you think you have found all the collectibles left in the city because there is so much ‘stuff’. It is an Aladdin’s cave.

The building itself is Vintage. Something out of a horror movie – except it is full of light rather than shadows but you could get lost in the same way.

You enter on the ground floor and there are staircases disappearing up and down in all directions. There are little alcoves, recess, and hidden nooks where ever you turn. It is fascinating and I couldn’t stop taking photos. You may think I’m posting too many but you may see something you want in the photos.

At first glance this could be a very well run Op Shop but instead it is a bazaar filled with different stall holders. Down stairs there are pieces of the Scandinavian-style furniture that was so popular in the middle of last century and you can find smaller pieces of furniture hidden away behind a rack of vintage clothing and the collectibles.

Last time I was there I found myself wanting to collect those standard ash trays that stood beside your chair and you pushed a button on the top to whiz it around to take the ash and the butts into the bowl. I don’t smoke. It is a childhood memory from relative’s houses that attracts me. I loved pushing the button.

Stall holders tend to stay once they have secured some space. I believe there is a waiting list of over 100 would-be stall holders wanting a spot.

There’s a good turn-over with more stock arriving regularly and the Vintage clothes are wonderful but I’m not sure about the macramé wall hangings. Should they have been found or stayed lost?

Lost and Found Market 12 Smith Street Collingwood is open 7 days from 12 noon to 6pm. Phone 9419 4477

Take the 109 Tram and get off at the corner of Victoria Street and Smith Street it’s a few doors up on your right. Or the 86 or 95 Tram and get off on the corner of Gertrude and Smith Streets and walk down towards Victoria Street.

Edwardian Poster – one of the many on sale.

Chess at St Kilda Botanical Gardens – St Kilda

Melbourne — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:28:19 +0000

One of the attractions at the St Kilda Botanical Gardens is the Giant Chess Board.

There is an area set aside especially for Chess near the pond and the conservatory. It has built in bench-seats and tables. The tables have regular chess boards set into them so you can bring your own set, sit in the fresh air under the trees and challenge your friend to a game. Summer’s fine too because there are beautiful old trees shading the area.
For the experience of walking around with your chess pieces you need to to book

Ring 9209 6777 to book the Giant Chess Set.

If you are reading this over Queens Birthday weekend you could wander along to the St Kilda Botanical Gardens and check out the ‘Paint These Gardens Competition’.

The winner is announced at 4pm on Queens Birthday Monday. All the paintings, winners or not, will be on display in the St Kilda Town Hall in September.

A lot happens in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens – they are ‘user friendly’ as they say.

Take either a 3 or a 67 Tram to the corner of Brighton Road and Carlisle Street then walk up Blessington Street. The 96 tram will take you to the end of Acland Street and you can walk to the Gardens from that end of Blessington Street.

Either way it is about 2 minutes from the tram stop.

Fitzroy Nursery – Garden Oasis in Fitzroy

Melbourne — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:37:09 +0000

Brunswick Street on a busy Saturday afternoon and you’re shopping until you drop.

Give yourself a break – feed your soul for a moment? Duck into the Fitzroy Nursery – The Artists Gardens at 390 Brunswick Street.

Listen to the fountains playing, gaze at the lush plants, take in the garden art and find a spot to linger. It’s a haven from the vibrant life on the street and the art is fun.

The garden art on display is sourced locally but some comes from further a field. The animal sculptures are from New Zealand. They’re made of all-weather re-cycled corrugated iron.

If you come from the land of The Long White Cloud you may want to add one of these to your household. They all have their own unique personality and there is nothing like a touch of nostalgia for corrugated iron.

Fitzroy Nursery is at 390 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Take the no 112 Tram from the CBD.

If you are coming from St Kilda stay on the 96 tram and get off along Nicholson Street at Rose Street and wander along Rose Street to Brunswick Street.