Melbourne Cafés

So you may have noticed lately that there have been a few lists for the ‘top cafes’ in Melbourne. After trying out a few of them myself, I think I can justify putting one out there for you guys too! After all, Melbourne is famous for the coffee it resides! Feel free to add a few more as I’m sure there are infinite ‘top’ cafes in Melbourne.

Coin Laundry Café

Definitely a Melbourne café you cannot miss. Its quirky style shows us all what the essence of Melbourne is: fun, interesting and great coffee!

Conveniently located minutes away [by foot] from Armadale Station, Coin Laundry presents a beautiful and simply furnished café, in a quiet inner south eastern suburb locale, without the snotty attitude (No offence Armadale!). It was previously a real coin laundry but the boys have done a great job of fixing it up with some snazzy décor!
It is run and owned by a group of local ex-school mates, who work excellently together and you can really see their teamwork shine through.

Having recently gone for breakfast, I would strongly recommend the ‘Coin Laundry Breakkie’ but there are so many yummy things on the menu, it may take a while to choose! However, be prepared to wait to be seated, it’s no secret!

61 Armadale St, Armadale, 3143 * 9500 1888

Monk Bodhi Dharma.

Looking for the perfect coffee? One suggestion: Monk Bodhi Dharma. Hard name to remember? Yes. Hard coffee to remember? No. Fashionably hard to find? Yes.

Tucked away in the depths of Carlisle St, this little gem of a café lies awaiting to show off its house roasted coffee beans. Yep, they roast their own coffee beans in the café itself. They let the beans speak for themselves.

If you’re going in for a meal, meat lovers be wary, it’s a fully vegetarian menu.

You may have to search a bit for it, but, trust me, it’s worth it. Balaclava station is on the Sandringham Line (same as Middle Brighton) and it will take all of 15 minutes to get to Carlisle St, from Caroline Serviced Apartments Brighton.

202 Carlisle St, Balaclava VIC 3183* 9534 7250 * Weekdays 6:30am to 5pm * Weekends 8am to 5pm

Bossy Boots

What a gorgeous little café! In a world of high-end (and high priced) gastronomy, there’s something refreshing, almost quaint, about a cafe that labels its fare as homemade. And when it’s in a location that’s renowned for its ostentatious displays of affluence, it’s even nicer to know that you can schmooze with Melbourne’s finest and still greet the morning with a breakfast that gives you change out of $10.
Bossy Boots jostles for a slice of the seaside action on Bay Street and offers the aforementioned homemade provisions in a distinctly non-threatening environment. With understated decor that’s very, well, beige, there’s something about Bossy Boots that makes it endearingly homely, like you’ve just thrown open your pantry and the team at Bossy Boots have set up shop and made an ambrosial meal from your bare shelves.

You MUST try the orange cake, the most divine cake I have ever tasted!! Yes, you can hold me to that!
106 Bay St, Brighton * 9596 6825 * Mon-Thu 7am-7pm, Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 7:30am-5pm

Three Bags Full

No one has a bad thing to say about this thoroughbred café. This 2010 café is a brilliant addition to the industrial chic café scene that Melbourne does so well, this is attributable to the buildings history, it was previously the Denton Mills Hat Factory.

It’s quirky interior certainly adds to the husband and wife team’s successful café. With old street signs as seats, and cups and saucers as light fittings it (serious style), they’ve taken a gamble, and are now rolling in the winnings.

Like most Melbourne cafés, their coffee is one of brilliance. Accompanying the coffee is an incredible breakfast menu of at least 20 options on a fabulously bright yellow menu. Their lunch menu won’t be outshone by breakfast though, with beautiful salads and pastas and so much more. And check out their display cabinet! Full of yummy things like HUMONGOUS cookies and delicious muffins, you won’t be able to resist to grab something to take away!

This Melbourne café will not abuse your budget with most mains staying around the $15 mark. Go immediately.

60 Nicholson St, Abbotsford * 9421 2732 * www.threebagsfullcafe.com * Open Weekdays 7am-4pm, Weekends 8am-4pm

Miss Jackson Café

Wedged down an alley between halfway houses, backpacker travel agents and a few seedy nightclubs, Miss Jackson is a shining beacon of class in an otherwise classless (apologies to the Melbourne Wine Room, none such to the ever-so-trashy George lane-way bar) area. The café itself is a converted house that may be likened to more of a rabbit warren than a café. Yep, it looks a bit disorganised, but don’t fret yet!

The menu is brilliant. While not being terribly exciting, the execution of the food is incredible. You might think you could cook everything that’s on the menu, but it simply won’t be as good (that’s a challenge). The food looks amazing, the portions are perfect and it tastes spot on.

Venture out of our Brighton bubble and give Miss Jackson a go.
2/19 Grey St, St Kilda 3182 * 9534 8415

Grumpy’s Green

Who’s a vegetarian? Who’s not a vegie and is keen to eat some mouth watering food??

Grumpy’s Green is an all-in-one deal. It’s a bar, a restaurant and a café. The extensive menu encourages over-ordering, and you are guaranteed to experience massive order envy for anything you don’t get to try.

Foodies you won’t be disappointed, the food is seriously spectacular. Oh, the presentation, the service, the taste!

I would suggest to go as a group of 5 or less, just to ensure a comfortable dining experience and to increase the likelihood of actually finding a table! With an incredibly relaxed ambience, the set out reminds me of a pub than anything else. Despite all of the ingredients being sourced from Victoria and most of them organic, Grumpy’s Green is not only kind to the planet, but to your bank balance too as the prices are between $8 and $12.

Everyone’s welcome at Grumpy’s, including gluten and lactose intolerant foodies.

Grumpy’s seedy exterior may discourage you from entering, but go on, I dare you…

125 Smith Street, Fitzroy VIC * (03) 9416 1944

Las Chicas

A veteran in Balaclava. Open nearly every day of the year. Superbly crafted coffee, good service and consistent, fresh food. Breakfast all day and plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options. Excellent.

Las Chicas pumps all throughout the week but the friendly staff stay composed when the going gets hectic, delivering generous breakfasts from a menu split into healthy, vegetarian and non-veg.

Definitely a winner, give it a go.

203 Carlisle St, Balaclava *9531 3699

Big Mouth

What an all-rounder! With a mouth watering breakkie (The Big Ben Breakkie is a personal fav- think eggs Benedict) and lunch menu, delicious cocktails, and that buzz that is so St Kilda, Big Mouth hasn’t put a foot wrong.

It’s become a bit of an icon in St Kilda that does both winter and summer perfectly. Picture yourself after a perfect day on the beach in the hot Aussie sun, then strolling up to Big Mouth for that hard earned drink. Ahhhh, bliss! Or if you find yourself in the throws of winter (as we are very much in the middle of now), get cosy in the warmth (temperature and atmospheric) of the upstairs room.

Oh, and also, of course, brilliant coffee. The electricity of both the clientèle and the actual café is palpable. Take a peek.

Monday 9am-12am   Tuesday 9am-12am  Wednesday 9am-12am   Thursday  9am-12am   Friday 9am-3am   Saturday 9am-3am   Sunday 9am-3am

168 Acland St, St Kilda VIC 3182

Which ones have I missed??

Melbourne Winter Festival;

Running from 18^th of August to the 3^rd of September, The Melbourne Winter Festival is set to cast a spell over Melbourne this August – transforming the city into a winter wonderland and warming hearts with all the delights of an alpine snow-season abroad. Fall under the Winter Festival spell and enjoy some of the best entertainment your city has to offer. Glide across the oversized 1100 metre square outdoor Strepsils Cool Ice Rink with the first ever Ice fun Track, be warmed by cosy wood fires in the original winter-lands Alpine Ski Hut, succumb to the delights of the international Alpine food stalls and share a new-found love for your city this winter. Another highlight includes the St Moritz VIP Winter bar and Alpine food stalls with winter delicacies from alpine regions across the globe including Poffertjes, Glühwein and Swedish Meat Balls.

Be entertained by skating performances as dazzling ice skaters from Ice Skating Australia fly and twirl around the Ice Rink. New to Skating? Take lessons with Aussie Skate coaches and learn a move or two.

Entry to the event is free. Tickets for the Strepsils Cool Ice Rink and Winter Festival Packages are available on the website.

Melbourne International Film Festival;

From the 27^th July to the 7^th August, The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an iconic Melbourne event with a devoted audience. MIFF hosts a feast of cinematic delicacies from over 50 countries for some 17 days each winter, heavily garnished with a range of parties and special events that envelop the CBD. In addition to screening the very best in world cinema, MIFF is Australia’s largest showcase of new Australian cinema and most vocal champion of both emerging and established local filmmaking talent.

MIFF has a rich history, celebrating 60 years in 2011 which makes it one of the oldest film festival’s in the world (one year younger than Cannes!). From its earliest days, MIFF has provided audiences with a unique window on the world and has acted as the leading intellectual and artistic catalyst in Australia’s screen cultural landscape.

The Festival enjoys annual admissions of 185,000, making it one of Melbourne’s significant public events.

Good Food & Wine Show

3^rd- 5^th June 2011.

Feed your inner foodie; Spend a day exploring the ultimate food and wine playground. Watch live demonstrations from celebrity chefs. Indulge yourself in a delectable array of local and international produce. See the latest in kitchen appliances and cookware and stock your pantry with new and exciting products.

Love Never Dies

22^nd May – 24^th June 2011.

Personally, I am so exited about this one, a musical lover at heart, this will probably be the highlight of my winter… now to get my tickets! – Anna

The world’s greatest love story continues in the musical LOVE NEVER DIES.

Having been seen by over 100 million people worldwide and having taken more than US $5 billion at the box office, The Phantom of the Opera is widely regarded as the most successful piece of entertainment in history. Now, the story of The Phantom of the Opera continues in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s latest musical masterpiece, LOVE NEVER DIES.

The year is 1907. It is 10 years after the Phantom’s disappearance from the Paris Opera House and he has escaped to a new life in New York where he lives amongst the screaming joy rides and freak-shows of Coney Island. In this new electrically-charged world, he has finally found a place for his music to soar. All that is missing is his love, Christine Daaé.  In a final bid to win back her love, the Phantom lures Christine to the glittering world of Coney Island with her husband, Raoul and their young son Gustave… unbeknownst of what is in store for her….

LOVE NEVER DIES will be the first new Australian production of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical in more than 20 years – Directed by Simon Phillips, Choreographed by Graeme Murphy and Designed by Gabriela Tylesova. Melbourne will also be only the second city in the world to host the musical after London, setting the stage for a theatrical experience of a lifetime.

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibition.

From 22^nd April 2011.

Uncover the myths of Ancient Egypt when the captivating exhibition Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohsarrives in Australia. Learn the history and see artefacts belonging to Ancient Egypt’s ‘Boy King’ before this acclaimed collection returns to Cairo.

Untold riches
Discover more than 130 artefacts, including 50 from the tomb of Tutankhamun, and get an insight into the daily life and burial rituals of Ancient Egypt’s ‘Golden Age of the Pharaohs’. See statues, mummies, jewellery and weapons along with the crown from the young pharaoh’s resting place in the Valley of the Kings.

The chance of a lifetime
Don’t miss out on this remarkable exhibition that has broken attendance records all across the globe. The collection of Egyptian treasures comes direct from New York City after showings in London, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and forms part of the celebrated Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series.

And one for the kids… and big kids at heart!

Moscow Circus

April 28 – May 15

‘Renowned Russia performers together with exclusive International Guest acts from around the World, showcasing a performance of sensational skill and agility.’ Over 2 hours of breathtaking entertainment from the worlds most famous circus.

The Performers will astound you with a thrilling combination of acrobatic artistry, along with Incredible magical illusions – ” Its not possible how do they do that?”

Not only does the Great Moscow circus feature sensational death defying acts…. The Wheel of Death, but wait! The Grande Finale, the Highly Tuned Spectacular of Four Daredevil Motorbike’s from Brazil in the splitting ‘Globe of Death’ never seen before in Australia.
Watch in wonderment…. spellbound, at the precision juggling, silks, hula hoops Cubes, and the famous statue act, not forgetting the clowns, who will leave you in stitches!
If you thought you had laughed enough wait for the Wacky Ringmaster with his trampoline and the fastest somersault in the world.

So, get out there and enjoy this winter!!

Over the Easter Break I headed to Melbourne’s Docklands to test my skills on the ice. It’s been at least ten years since I last ice-skated, and yet I was completely confident that a) I wouldn’t fall over b) I’d still be able to spin around in a circle and c) I would not break anything.

Well, guess how many of those things turned out to be false? Yep – all of them! But don’t despair, it was still so much fun re-learning the skills required to stay upright and move forward. My attempt at a spin was also responsible for my first and second falls on the ice! I think after you fall over once, you realise that it’s not that bad, and the only way you will get better is by continually trying to challenge yourself (and don’t worry about looking silly).

I saw a lot of other people who spent their entire time gripping the side wall and tentatively moving around the edge. Personally, I think that this will not help you improve at all because you would rely too much on that wall for support, and not start to understand how to bend your knees to gain better balance.

The breakage? No I didn’t break any limbs. It’s ridiculous really, because as I was taking off my skates I broke my thumb nail badly by scraping it on the boot. It bled, so I considered this a breakage! Hehehe.

Here’s why you should try ice-skating:

• Skating is great fun. It’s actually fun to do stuff out of the ordinary.
• It worked so many muscles that I didn’t realise it would (such as my abs, which were a bit sore the next day – probably from trying to keep balanced). Also I should mention that your quads, calves and glutes also get a nice workout too.
• There’s always someone worse than you! That’s right, if you’re embarrassed about falling or looking silly then get a lesson. The ice rink at Docklands is filled with people of all ages, sizes and skill levels. No one is just looking at YOU. Everyone is just there trying to get better.
• It’s very family friendly with fun things for kids to do on and off the ice. Even Homer and Bart Simpson were skating around the ice and helping the smaller children stay upright.
• You can also watch people practicing ice hockey! It may not be as huge in Australia as it is in North America, but it’s still impressive to watch the people training. I saw one kid who could barely see over the side of the rink, yet he was smashing the pucks into the goal with incredible skill.

If you have a spare couple of hours, and want to try something fun then definitely go ice skating at Ice House in The Docklands.

Melbourne is full of diversity, in every possible way; food, entertainment, people!

The vibrant, cosmopolitan atmosphere of this historic site has endeared the Market to Melburnians for 130 years. The Market is probably best known for its huge variety of fresh produce. Almost 50% of the Market area is dedicated to the sale of fresh produce, including fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, chicken, seafood and delicatessen products.

The remainder of the Market is used for variety and speciality goods, with Sundays being the most popular day for this category. On Sundays, the hustle and bustle of the weekday Market gives way to a more relaxed and leisurely family day. Queen Street is closed and converted into an outdoor cafe area, with children’s rides and other activities.

The Market is divided into Market Precincts; Deli Hall, Elizabeth Street Shops, F shed laneway, Vic Market Place Food Court, Fruit & Vegetables, The Meat Hall, Organics, General Merchandise, Victoria Street Shops & the Wine Market.

My personal favourite thing about the  ’Queen Vic Market’ is the ‘Suzuki Night Market!‘ Every Wednesday night from 5:30pm ’til late the market is filled with people gathered to watch a variety of live entertainment, and enjoy the fully licensed bars where you can select from a range of Victoria’s regional vineyards. Taste their best vintages by the glass or bottle on the night or take some home for the cellar. If your looking to relax there is an area dedicated to mind, body and spirit - enjoy massage therapists, visit tarot and aura readers, reflexology and iridology practitioners.

Wednesday's Night Market

“I just got to Melbourne for the first time. What should I do!?”

Well, this got me thinking. After spending a majority of 2009 and 10 abroad and enjoying Europe and Australasia’s amazing castles and ancient ruins, I realised just how different Australia is to the rest of the world. As a fairly new country we don’t boast castles which the King Henry’s of the world have lived in, or have a particularly long and exciting history, but hey Melbourne is one of the MOST livable cities in the world, and by the number of international guest that we have stay with us here at Caroline Serviced Apartments while relocating their entire lives to Melbourne proves this!

So, to all of you who have just relocated to Melbourne, or are here on holiday, here is a locals favourite pass times…

Read a book in the State Library.

Melbourne’s own version of an ancient building, the State Library has mountains and mountains of books to choose from. Browse the isles for books, magazines, journals and newspapers, check out the extensive film and music collection or wander through one of the many and ever changing art galleries.

Enjoy a champagne picnic while watching a film under the stars at the Moonlight Cinema.

Pack some roast chicken sandwiches and a punnet of fresh strawberries (don’t forget the wine!) and head down to the Royal Botanical Gardens to enjoy a screening of your favourite film. You can even hire bean beds to sink in to! This years season starts on December 16^th and runs all the way through until the 20^th of March, 2011!

Soak up the urban atmosphere in Fitzroy.

Fitzroy’s inner suburban streets contain an eclectic mix of alternative, artistic and trendy elements. Browse quaint and quirky shops, check out colourful public art, flick through cult classics at alternative book stores or rummage through retro fashions at a second hand store. There is an array of eateries along Brunswick, Gertrude, Smith and Johnston Streets, so grab an all day breakfast and a beer and get to know the locals. Grab tram number 112 from Collins St or tram number 86 from Bourke St.

Roller blade along St Kilda esplanade while the sun sets.

Chuck on a stack hat and some knee pads, grab yourself some rollerblades and head down to the esplanade in St Kilda this summer. Join the array of locals who walk and ride along the foreshore. You might even see some little penguins at the St Kilda Breakwater. Grab an ice cream cone and enjoy a warm Melbournian summer night.

Sipping on beers at the Belgian Beer Cafe on a Sunday afternoon.

The Belgian Beer Café (Tram stop number 26 along St Kilda Rd) is housed in a historic bluestone building with rustic furnishings from Belgium and offers an extensive array of draft and bottled Belgium Beers. It’s Melbourne’s largest beer garden and is set among 100 year old elm trees and green, grassy, lawns which boast picnic settings, outdoor bars and barbeques. What more could you want for a cheeky Sunday session?

So what are you waiting for? A Melbournian summer of fun awaits!…

Take it or Leaf it

Melbourne in Autumn is spectacular. With the temperature dropping a little, the winter fashion hitting the stores and the city filling up with colourful Autumn leaves. We’ve decided to celebrate not only Autumn, but also the city of Melbourne in our latest competition.

Here’s how to win:

• Become a Fan on our Facebook Page
• Go to a favourite hangout or landmark in Melbourne (or your hometown)
• Take a creative or funny photo of yourself or a friend holding an autumn leaf (or leaves)
• Post it to Caroline Serviced Apartments Facebook Page: Here’s how to do this!
• Get all of your friends to ‘Like’ your photo. Fan Photos can be found on the left hand column, beneath our photo albumns, information and list of Fans.

The photo’s with more than 50 ‘Likes’ or votes will all be included in our Autumn YouTube Video as finalists and also go into the draw to win…..

• Two nights accommodation in our 4.5 star luxury apartments
• A surprise ‘Welcome Pack” on arrival
• A winery tour of the Yarra Valley for 2 people
• 4 x Daily Metcards (Public Transport passes)

Anna from our Brighton property getting into the Autumn theme

In this competition we would love for some of our in-house guests to get involved:

To be instantly included in our finalists, you must take a photo within one of our apartments at either South Yarra or Brighton. Show off your room, your balcony or your view!

All finalists will be announced on Monday 10th May via our YouTube Channel, and the winner will be chosen at random from the finalist entries on 17th May 2010.

Only one photo entry per person, so get creative and have some fun… and send us your best autumn leaf pic!

• For a Summary of the competition Requirements, check this PDF: CSA Autumn Leaf Competition Summary
• For Full Terms and Conditions, see this PDF: Take it Or Leaf it Rules

After reading this great blog post (from Jade Craven & ThinkTank Media) on Twitter Lists, we put together all of our new found knowledge to try to make some sense of this new feature of Twitter…

How do we use Twitter Lists?

Twitter lists have made it so much easier for us to categorise the people or companies that we follow on Twitter. We have created lists based on industry, geography, clients, connectors and activities in our area.

Industry

This has helped us group together all of our peers (accommodation providers) around the world. We can easily keep up with trends in our industry.  We use this to see how other hotels are utilizing their Twitter accounts, and also to find some really useful links on marketing or industry trends. It actually has reinforced to us that we are leaders amongst our competitors, as we have created a Twitter community that we engage with on a daily basis.

Geography

Our business is located in 2 areas of Melbourne. So we have created one list for South Yarra businesses and another for the Brighton area. We’re hoping to increase these lists as more local businesses get on board with the power of Twitter, but so far it is fairly limited, and not as useful as it could be. If we had more businesses to add to these lists it would be a fantastic opportunity to cross-promote other businesses and create close relationships that help bring more people to our local areas.

Clients

At Caroline Serviced Apartments we have a number of large corporations that send their employees to stay with us whilst working on projects in Melbourne. This Twitter list has only a few of our clients on it, at this early stage and we hope to find more of them utilizing Twitter in the near future.  We hope to be able to follow and provide support for the company progressions.

Connectors

There are a number of Travel Bloggers and Twitter networking events that we can bounce off to improve our profile within Social Media platforms. Travel Bloggers may even be able to use our accommodation for a review on their blog, or offer our accommodation as a prize in their own competitions. Twitter networkers such as @tweetupmellers is an invaluable source of people that we’ve met face-to-face. Although it’s great to chat to people online, there really is something to be said for meeting people in the flesh! Now we’ve met lots of the people at TweetUpMellers, they also now have a connection in the accommodation industry in Melbourne, so that they can recommend us to their clients or friends. Connecting is all about sharing!

Activities

I made a separate list for Melbourne Activities after discovering several individuals or companies who have some outstanding content on things to do in Melbourne.  At our Brighton Property we provide  ‘daily news’ for our guests with suggestions of activities and restaurants , so this list is a great source of ideas! It provides a ‘locals’ perspective on some cool things to get involved in around Melbourne.

It’s a good start…

Although some of our lists are more useful than others at the moment, we see the  potential that some lists can bring. Now all we need is more businesses and good connectors to become involved in Twitter!!! It’s not as scary as they may think!