Melbourne Places » Melbourne CBD

Melbourne Botanical Gardens and the Terrace Cafe on a wet day

Melbourne — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:30:20 +0000

I joined friends for lunch at the Terrace Cafe in the Melbourne Botanical Gardens on a wet weekday morning. It was a long standing date and we went despite the rain.

The easiest way to reach the Terrace Cafe that overlooks the ornamental lake is to enter the gardens from the corner of Anderson Street and Alexandra Parade. The paths are lined with trees which shelter them from too much rain.

The entrance on the corner of Anderson Street and Alexandra Parade

The gardens are different in the wet. The first sound we noticed was the pure ringing note from the bell birds. They appear to like warm, wet, still days.

As we walked moorhens scooted around us giving their high pitched squawk, the earth smelt of vegetation and the noise from cars in Anderson Street was deadened.

Friendly Moor Hens

We passed this notice.

I always look for turtles but I have never seen one even on a wet day like this one. I wonder if they are real and if any one has ever seen one.

It is quiet expect for the birds, the sound of rain on the leaves and the voices of visitors. Even voices seem to quieten on this moist day. It was peaceful and relaxing wandering along to the Terrace Cafe.

The cafe was restful too. We sat outside at the back completely protected from the rain and with glimpses of the lake. For a wet day the Terrace Cafe was busy, couples chatted over coffee, singles read, someone wrote and a group of mothers met there with very young and quiet babies. The voices came from the mothers in animated conversation.

The ornamental lake in the Melbourne Botanical Gardens as seen from the Terrace Cafe
The cafe is known for its scones, cream and jam. It is the one of the best places to have a Devonshire tea. The scones are so good you want to go home and try making them so you can keep indulging.

Scones cream and jam at the Terrace Cafe

Lunch is fairly simple.

Baguettes with a variety of fillings. These ones are smoked salmon and avocado.

Thai chicken pie.

The chips were excellent. If you like chips order a serve to have with your coffee if you just want a snack.

Presentation is tops. One of our group brings her own bread to have sandwiches made to order. This is what they created.

To cleanse your palate the fruit salad not only looks good but is refreshing. I like the way they write on their white plates

Rain or shine the Terrace Cafe is a relaxing place to be with good simple food. There is a garden shop next door with some interesting items including a very beautiful umbrella covered in pansies. Too beautiful to use – a beautiful present, perhaps.

Getting there:-
Tram No 8 get off at the corner of Domain Road and Park Street.
Enter the gardens from there and follow the signs.

Parking:-
There is 3 hour parking in Anderson Street and 2 hours on Domain Road.

Opening Hours:-
The Royal Botanical Gardens:-
Every day of the year from 7.30 to sunset.

The Terrace Cafe:-
9.45am to 4.00pm, May to September
9.00am to 5.00pm, October to April

Suzuki Night Market is a popular place on Wednesday evenings in Melbourne

Melbourne — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:34:38 +0000

The smell of food cooking leads you to the Suzuki Night Market. The smell is delicious with the main ingredient being the aroma of barbecuing. This is strange because when you get into the market there is an incredible selection foods – a chance to eat your way around the world with food from many countries.

This market is held every Wednesday until 2nd of March on the Queen Victoria Market site. It has been operating on this site for a number of years and has built up a strong following.

In the unusual weather we are having this summer the evening I went was the first sunny Wednesday for a few weeks. Not that rain really matters because most of the stalls are under cover. The market opens at 5.30pm and this is the scene at 5.45pm with the crowd flowing in. In the fine weather this is where the entertainment is.

There are a numerous stalls but with the stomach-rumbling smells that meet you on Elizabeth Street most people head to the food section. There are two food areas both on the right of the walkways. This gives you some an idea of the fare on offer.

Nepalese food – Chicken Sekuwa

African curries

Australian eating – Ostrich Burgers – Croc Burgers – Roo Burgers

Korean tornado potatoes – these were a hit with queues waiting to be served

Beautiful cup cakes to finish you eating experience.

Prices are good for the food – mostly $10.00 or under with the Korean Tornado Potato at $5.00

Food is not the only interest. There are numerous stalls of clothing, jewelry, crafts and an area for tarot reading, massage, reflexology – all good things for the spirit.

Hair Sticks

coconut watches

Locally designed clothes

While all this is happening there is entertainment. Check the web site here for further information on who is performing.

Where:-
Suzuki Night Market
Queen Victoria Market
Corner of Elizabeth and Queen Streets

Hours:-
5.30pm to 10.00pm
Every Wednesday until March 2nd
Further information

Getting There:-
Tram: Any tram that goes up Elizabeth Street or the Free City Circle and get off at Queen Victoria Market
Train; Get off at Melbourne Central

Web site:-

http://www.qvm.com.au/snm/snm_home.aspx

Myer’s Christmas Windows 2010 – The Nutcracker

Melbourne — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 20:45:44 +0000

The Myer’s Christmas window tradition in Melbourne is in its 55th year. These window animations are always breathtaking in their skill and imagination. As I viewed them I wonder how they did it? How they kept the standard so high year after year? I am glad they do. The pleasure they to give locals and tourists can’t be measured.

This year Myer’s have gone back to the past for their windows by selecting the Nutcracker. The Nutcracker goes back to 1957 and I believe it was their second window in this amazing series or imaginative ideas.

This is the first time they have repeated a theme. And when I look at the crowds lining up every day this year I can’t help but wonder if any in the crowd saw the first Nutcracker and are here with grand children for the 2010 version.

This time the people behind the scenes, brilliant artists, animators and talented crafts -people, have created a magical fair story – the Nutcracker Suite ( originally a ballet by Tchaikovsky) is a fairy story and like all good fairy stories has magic and a happy ending.

The story is narrated by Father Christmas.

The first window is called The Christmas Tree. This is the Stahlbaum’s Christmas party on Christmas Eve.. Clara’s Godfather gives her a Nutcracker as a present.

Christmas party food at the Stahlbaum’s

The Stahlbaum’s Christmas tree

Clara falls asleep under the Christmas Tree with her Nutcracker and the magic begins – at midnight. Midnight is a good time for magic!

Godfather Drosselmeyer and Clara with the Nutcracker in the background.

The second window is The Battle – where the Mouse King and his army fights the Nutcracker and his toy army.

The Mouse army facing off the Nutcracker’s toy army

Clara kisses the Nutcracker and as in all good fairy tales he turns into a handsome prince and they take a journey.

Clara and her handsome prince in a swan coach being pulled by golden dolphins

They arrive at the Land of sweets – the fourth window. They even have jubes and of course entertainment for the royal pair.

Chinese acrobats entertain by spinning cups of tea on sticks.

Clara and her handsome prince

The imaginative and animated wedding cake

At the Conclusion – the final window. Clara and her prince dance and live happily ever after.

Father Christmas tells the story and there is a brief, written outline describing what is happening in each window. There is so much happening it is very easy to miss something in the crowd. The animations are worth seeing even if fairy tales aren’t your thing. The animations are brilliant.

Plan to go either early in the morning or later in the evening when the stores are shut and the crowds are less.

The morning queue at Meyer’s Christmas windows – the rain doesn’t keep people away.

Where:- Myer’s Christmas windows – Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD

Time:- The windows are in place until 5:00pm Thursday 6th January 2011

Akira Isogawa and the Johnstone collection

Melbourne — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:05:56 +0000

The Johnston Collection in Melbourne is secret. Well, not really. Although I heard about it only recently and was surprised no one had mentioned it to me before. It is worth mentioning because the Johnston Collection is unique.

Because of its location in suburban Melbourne the address is a sort of secret. This is so tour parties can collect at a Melbourne hotel and be transported to the house, where the collection is on show, in a bus that belongs to the Johnston Collection. It seems the local residents don’t want people coming and going. It is that sort of street.

Sadly no photographs are allowed. This is because of the insurance cover. However photos can be seen on the Johnston Collection web site

William Johnston’s house is among elegant town houses like these.

This collection is the work of one man, William Johnston. It is made up of antiques, curios and quirky pieces that represent the various passions of this astute and charming man who loved beautiful things and collected them. William Johnstone died in 1986 and left his collection, and his houses to the Victoria State Government.

The collection is huge with a large part of it being stored in a warehouse near Government House.

The current exhibition has been arranged by the fashion designer Akira Isogawa and is called ‘Akira Isogawa Meets Mr Johnston’.

Isogawa had the run of the house and the warehouse to make the choices he wanted to use to give the house his touch and style, and to create his own ambiance in the rooms. This gives some of the rooms an Asian flavour. However the curator has to work with the wall colours, the window drapes and the floor coverings.

The wall colours are Victorian so besides the Asian influence there is a touch of Victoriana in every room.

The mood for the tour is set as you arrive through the charming formal garden and into a graceful reception room. You are offered tea or coffee in delicate English tea cups and a piece of home made shortbread.

William Johnston’s life is discussed and his passion for collecting revealed. His passion began when his grandmother gave him a delicate Minton tea cup that he fell in love with. This cup is on display on a bedside table in this exhibition.

The streets in this part of Melbourne are wide with central nature strips.

If you do get to view the collection make sure you see the courtyard garden. It is lovely.

I am going to keep the faith and keep the address a secret. It is such a pleasure to be allowed to view these beautiful things that I would hate to spoil it by upsetting any of the locals.

Information:
Akira Isogawa Meets Mr Johnston runs until 20th October 2010

My Cup Runneth Over: Christmas at The Johnston Collection 2010
3rd November – 25th February

A very charming local house.

Visitor Admission:-
Weekday Tour Times:
Guided tours at 10.00 am, 12.00 noon and 2.15 pm.
Weekday Tour Cost:
Adults $22.00
Concession $18.50 (Seniors, Pensioners & Students)

Contact:- Phone 9416 2515

http://www.johnstoncollection.org/index.html

The Melba Room at the Langham hotel-a return visit and another great eating experience.

Melbourne — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:22:25 +0000

Last week I had lunch at the buffet in the Melba Room at the Langham Hotel, Southbank, for the second time. It proved to be as good as my first visit about nine months ago.

The grand staircase leading to the Melba Room.

On this cold, bleak, winter Friday the dining room was almost full. Proving what I have always thought; a cold bleak day is an ideal day to spend eating.

This trip empathized just how great and varied the food is at the Melba Room buffet.

The Melba Room opens at noon and steadily fills up.

To me the lunch time buffet in the Melba Room is all about eating. The light, bright and elegant dining area is heavy with food and it needs to be eaten.

As we had been before and knew what was available we decided to plan our meal. That is, put some order into our eating and treat it like traditional feast with numerous courses.

I decided to pass on the soup – it was vichyssoise (leek and potato) which I make myself.

I began with hors d’oeuvres and headed for the cold meats and salads – delicious.

Then on to the fish course – prawns and crab and I added sushi to this course as a sort of sub course.

The sushi is made to your own personal order. The more knowledgeable about sushi you are the more you can vary what ends up on your plate.

I liked the idea of a stir fry for the next course, it was light with rice noodles available and scallops. The scallops were for use only by the stir-fry cook, not to be confused with the fish course– again we chose the ingredients.

You may think by now enough food has been consumed but think on those long Italian Lunches; course after course comes from the kitchen to the table and into continually munching and talking mouths.

It was now time for roast beef and the wonderful roasted vegetables – a sort of heavy main course. It lacked Yorkshire pudding. I wonder if the cooks can cook Yorkshire pudding. Has it gone out fashion? My mother always cooked it with roast beef.

By this time a good two hours had gone by and it was time for deserts.

Each desert is a perfect miniature

This slice was a work of art – as nice to look at as it was to eat.

Finally coffee and cheese.

We will be back and then I’ll try the curries. What course in a great English feast would include curry? And I missed the Chinese dumplings on this visit…………there is still more food to sample.

Times:
The Melba Room starts serving luncheon at noon, the hot food is removed at 2.30 and the restaurant closes at 4.00 to prepare for dinner.
Costs:
Monday to Friday $49.00.
Prices in the weekend are higher
Saturday $75.00
Sunday $84.00
It is suggested you book especially on Saturday and Sunday when it can be very busy.

Getting there:
The Melba Room, The Langham Hotel, 1 Southgate Avenue, Southgate 8696 8888.
You can enter from The Southbank Promenade along the river or it is just off St Kilda Road, in Southgate Avenue

Trams:
Any tram that goes to Federation Square or Flinders Street Station will get you there.

Cars:-
There is parking underneath – remember to get your parking ticket validated when you pay for your meal.

Australian Made: 100 years of Fashion at the Ian Potter Centre, Federation Square

Melbourne — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 23:02:09 +0000

This is an exhibition of frocks from 1855 to 1960. It is interesting to see how design and fashion has changed over those 100 years. Especially when you think it reflects enormous social and lifestyle changes for women.

Day dress 1865-1870 sold in Geelong

The exhibition focused on where the dress was made and sold – that is what department store retailed it.
What I missed was how they were made especially those from the 1850s. Very elaborate garments with tucks, ribbons, bows, flounces, puffs etc. Who cut the patterns and what sort of sewing machine sewed with such intricacy? How much was done by hand?

Handmade dress 1850s

We know that one garment was made completely by hand. When you look at the frock and think about that, it is awe inspiring to consider the skill and time needed. You would also need good eye sight – although I’m sure people wore glass in the 1850s.

We know that in the 1950s dressmakers used tissue paper patterns – they can still be seen in op shops and at markets but how did they cut the design in 1850s – the same way?

The bodice of a wedding dress 1907

It is interesting to note that the 1950s fashion was more restrictive and formal that that of the 1920s. The 1920s garments are free and fun whereas the 1950s are designed to a ‘female figure’ with emphasis on the waist and full skirts with stiff petticoats.

1950’s day dress with stiffened petticoat

A disturbing item in the exhibition is the cape made of platypus fur. I worked it out that several of those charming beings gave up their life to make this cape.

Cape of platypus fur 1890

There is also a glass cabinet of accessories with descriptions of each one.

Perhaps the success of an exhibition is that when you leave you want to know more – your interest has been roused. I want to know more about the early frocks and how they were designed and how they were made. I want to know what the very early sewing machines looked like and easy they were to use.

What:-Australian Made 100 Years of Fashion.

Where:- The Ian Potter Centre: NGV, Federation Square

Opening Hours:- 10.00am to 5.00pm daily, until 23 Jan 2011

Admission:- Free

Sticky Institute for zines, creativity and the rumble of trains

Melbourne — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:21:35 +0000

The Sticky Institute was a great Melbourne Place to find. I came across it one day when I was hurrying through the underpass from Degraves Street to Flinders Street Station. I ducked into the subway under Flinders Street to speed up the journey and came face to face with the sign. I pulled up short, stared and trotted in and was so absorbed I missed my train.

I hadn’t heard of a zine before. It is pronounced ‘zeen’ and is a small, self published magazine with a small circulation and is usually reproduced by photocopier.

You can make your zine at the Sticky Institute. I haven’t made a zine yet but I enjoy browsing though the dozens on display and always buy one or two. For a couple of dollars, and that is all they are, you can share someone thoughts and get a peep into their world. The zines come in all shapes and sizes and they are a personal publication straight from the author’s mouth as it were – there is no editorial input. The ideas, the style of presentation, the layout and illustrations are the authors. Zines give complete freedom of expression and allow anyone to express themselves.

This is called ‘Mixed up Files of an Unusual Teenager’s Brain’ and made at the Sticky Institute. It comes with a badge which was also made at the Institute.

This is an American zine ‘Love Letters to Monsters #2′ and sold here in Melbourne.

Zines can be any size or shape you like. This is locally made zine is called ‘ The Day of the School Bag.’

Anyone can use the The Sticky Institute’s shop/workshop to make their zine or badge. You can also spend as long as you like browsing and reading and when you feel the creative urge talk to the staff. They are mostly volunteers and of course love the world of zines.

The most you pay for a zine is $5.00 but many are just $1 or $2.

The Sticky institute is alive with creative energy and music. This is often intensified by the rumble of a passing train, just to let you know you are underground.

The shop/work space has been around since 2001 so it definitely works as a creative space . On the shelves you can find zines from all around Australia and the world.

Getting there:-
Shop 10 Campbell Arcade
Degraves Street
Melbourne Phone 9654 9559

If you are getting off the train use the center stairs and find the exit to Flinders Street.

If you are on Flinders Street duck down the subway, opposite the side entrance to the Flinders Street station, at the end of Degraves Lane – there are two entrances.

Opening Hours:-
Monday to Friday
12.00 (noon) to 6.00pm
Saturday 12.00(noon) to 5.00pm
Sunday closed
CAMPBELL ARCADE IS CLOSED ON SUNDAY.

Find out more about the Sticky Institute from their web site here

Rupert Bunny Exhibition – The Ian Potter Centre – Federation Square – CBD

Melbourne — Thu, 13 May 2010 09:24:25 +0000

Rupert Bunny is an Australian Artist who having been born here in Melbourne left for the cosmopolitan world of London and Paris. You can imagine how different life in Europe was at the beginning of the 20th century to life in Melbourne or any Australian city. His paintings depict it.

Rupert had grown up in an affluent household and learned to speak French and German fluently. He became much better known in Paris for his art than in the country of his childhood. He made a good living in France.

The exhibition at the Ian Potter Gallery at Federation Square is a very comprehensive look at his work, covering the different styles that evolved over the years

Rupert Bunny has become a news item over the last few weeks. His exhibition opened at the Ian Potter Centre in Federation Square and a painting of Rupert Bunny’s that was stolen 19 years ago was found in a house in East Malvern and was seized by the police during an early morning raid. The painting is called Girl in Sunlight and it belongs to my favourite era of his paintings – the Belle Epoque - meaning beautiful era

He excelled at painting beautiful women in beautiful frothy clothes showing a graceful and languid life style with a background of colour, texture, light and warmth from the Belle Epoque period.

These are the paintings I enjoyed. These are the paintings I bought post cards of. The NVG shop on the ground floor has a French inspired display in their window and you can buy a rose or poppy parasol/umbrella.

Those of us with a touch of the Francophile in us can’t resist.

A bag decorated with poppies is just another beautiful reminder of that time and place in history.

Here is an example of a completely different style that he painted. It reminds me of some of the Indian miniatures I have seen.

Rupert Bunny Exhibition:-
The Ian Potter Centre
Federation Square
CBD Melbourne

Opening Times:-
10.00am to 5.00pm Daily
The Exhibition lasts until July 4th

Admission:-
Adult $15.00
Concession $12.00
Child (ages 5-15) $7.50
Family $42.00
NGV Member $7.50
NGV Family $21

Eating Korean at Dae Jang Geum Korean BBQ – Korean Food, Melbourne’s CBD

Melbourne — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:12:11 +0000

Recently, I scrolled through some of the blogs I follow and read a review of the Dae Jang Geum Korean BBQ. We decided to try the restaurant.
When I mentioned at work that I would be lunching at a Korean Restaurant everyone said,

“What’s Korean food like?”

It is a good question. We know so much about other Asian cuisines but what do we know of Korean? We eat regularly Thai, Chinese, Indian and Japanese. We grab them as take-aways, we read about them on the food pages of magazines and newspapers. But Korean food? When did you last discuss Korean food with a mate?

The Dae Jang Geum Korean Barbecue restaurant is a great place to get acquainted with the cuisine.

Dae Jang Geum Korean BBQ is upstairs in Little Bourke Street, just around the corner from Swanston Street. You can’t miss it. There are large garish pictures of some of the dishes severed on either side of the wide entrance stair case.

As we know so little about Korean food I think this is a good idea. It shows us what we can expect to eat before we climb the stairs. The menu also has a picture of each dish. I found all these pictures helpful.

I have been to Korea and I had a couple of dishes in my mind that I remembered I liked and haven’t eaten since. I also remember the blistering heat of ‘kimchi’ that was added to everything, including soups.

Upstairs

The room is large and feels like any Asian cafe that is about the food and conversation not the decor. One feature wall is interesting. It is covered in Korean writing. When you look at it closely you can see how it differs from Chinese or Japanese. We wondered what it was saying. Dae Jang Geum over and over again??

We ordered a glass of white wine to sip while we made food decisions. White wine is the only wine by the glass and it is what it says, white wine. For $4.00 you get a full glass of drinkable dry white. I have photographed it because I wanted to prove the value!

The tables are set up for a tradition Korean BBQ, with a gas ring in the centre.

We ordered a plate of dumplings to share

They came with mild flavoured dipping sauce and the spring onions that gave them a fresh taste. We enjoyed them.

The seafood noodle soup with a couple of side dishes was very good. It was large and had plenty of seafood.

I ordered a seafood pancake. I remember eating these rather starchy pancakes when I was in Korea. They were often pleasant and mild without too much heat in the mixture. This one came with two side dishes neither very hot but added to the overall flavour.

Side dishes are part of the Korean cuisine and each order came with its own side dishes.

We plan to return for an evening meal and to have the traditional barbecue. We want the fun of our own gas ring and the chance to cook our own food Another dish we want to try is a soup that is served in a stone bowl with a raw egg on top that you mix in and it sort of cooks with the hot soup.

I am puzzled about the lack of chilli in the food. No one discussed heat with us. We were the only westerners in the restaurant that lunch time and I wondered if the cooks made a decision on our behalf and cut the heat or have we struck a regional fare of Korea that is not hot?

Another question that was asked at my office is why Korean food hasn’t taken off like other Asian foods? I have no answer to that question. Perhaps you have.

Where:-
Dae Jang Geum Korean BBQ,
Level 1, 235 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD
Phone 9662 9445

Opening Hours:-
Open 7 days a week
Sunday to Thursday – 11.30am to 10.00pm
Friday and Saturday 11.30am to 11.00pm

Getting there:
Any tram that goes along Swanston Street and get off at Bourke Street. It’s about 20 metres along Little Bourke Street towards Russell Street.

Guilfoyle’s Volcano overlooks Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens

Melbourne — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 04:09:09 +0000

Guilfoyle’s Volcano sits on top of the highest corner of the Royal Botanic Gardens and from here you can look over the rest of the gardens and to Melbourne’s CBD.

For years this strange wonder was hidden under an uncared for wilderness.
It was built in 1876 by William Guilfolye, who is quoted as saying, “ Combine the useful with the ornamental.” Originally it was a reservoirs and Guilfoyle’s folly. The restoration has made it into a reservoir again – combining the ornamental with the useful.

It has been restored with a path winding to the crater lake and a water resistant garden of cacti and succulents. The plantings are startling and it gives a weird effect of a planted moonscape.

The red areas represent the lava flows – they are planted too.

I found the cacti fascinating and felt impressed with the production of so many perfectly round bright green cacti that look almost as if they were on the move. They are called Golden Barrel Cacti ( Echinocactus grusonii)

The recent hail has damaged some of the succulents and the pole cacti. Some of the pole cacti are now staked and one is preparing to produce a couple of large flowers.

Numbers can be interesting and daunting for example; approximately 17,000 plants of 250 different species have been planted, of those species 97 are native to Australia. There must be hundreds of these round cacti and I managed to let go of my urge to count them.

The lake in the crater is full. The idea of looking into a crater lake creates an expectation of seeing steam rising or a few bubbles coming to the surface. It is a slight let down when nothing of the sort happens. Instead there are floating islands. These are to improve the water quality and in time this water will be used to help irrigate other areas the gardens.

The garden is new as are the floating islands and it will be interesting to see how the area looks when everything has become established. If all these pole cacti flower it will be a startling and beautiful sight.

Getting there:-
Tram 8 will take you almost to the Volcano. Get off at the Corner of Domain Road and Park Street and walk into the gardens. It is right there.
The Botanical Gardens can also be accessed from St Kilda Road – follow the signs to Guifoyle’s Volcano.
Parking:- 1 hour free in Domain Road. Paid parking in Birdwood Avenue.

Opening Hours:-
The gardens are open from 7.30am to sunset every day of the year.

Tours:- can be arranged by calling (03) 9252 2429