Discover St Kilda in Winter

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A fun day in the sun is great, yeah? Wrong! You'll just be stumbling around, sun in your eyes, getting all confused, bumping into things. There's just so much to do in winter in St Kilda, so much to taste, so much to hear and see. I've whipped this little guide up to a great day on Acland St in St Kilda.

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Coffee/Food

Acland St is cake land. I don't understand how one street can support over four specialty cake shops (there's probably more I'm not a cake shop location expert). Late night cake dates will feel special, almost overwhelmed by the choices. "Baby you can have anything you want". However if your sweet tooth isn't tingling my favourite place for coffee is The Fringe Cafe. Comfy low couches, great for street-side people watching, and one of the most encompassing "poster walls" you'll see in Melbourne. The coffee and food is great, but I go their for the couches.

Shopping

As you all know I'm an op shop fiend and this street has one of my favourites. It's run by the Brotherhood of St Laurence; my favourite scores were novelty orange fluoro running shorts and literally the banginest pair of jeans possible (I have a great behind so the jeans can't take all the credit). The store lady actually explained recently that all the brotherhood stuff gets sorted and they get the cream of the trendy and hip.

There's a lot of retail stores along the street, but there's a place called Urban Attitude, its full of things that look like other things (football phones, chocolate bar iPhone cases etc) , irreverent pop culture references and just the best kind of useless knickknacks. I'm poor as all get-up though, so it's more like a Charlie and The Chocolate Factory thing where I stare into the window and save up my 1 cent pieces earned as an internet celebrity, hoping to eventually buy a Harry Potter wand style TV remote.

Ride a land jet ski.



I'm pretty sure that's what this thing is.

Run dangerously across the road and leave your girlfriend on the other side.

LOL



Get a haircut.

St Kilda is the heart of the bohemian Southside fashions, backpackers from Columbia mixing with box packers from Cheltenham. All these different creative and cultural influences come together in the melting pot that is St Kilda Fashion. You know how that Skrillex guy has that funny haircut? I read on a reputable Facbeook page he was inspired by a kid he saw, Who Got His Haircut In St Kilda! I actually made that up, but check out the street art these guys are rockin'. If they can build displays like this then they can sure as heck cut your hair.

Jive.

Check out Claypots just off Acland. This place is cozy, has a great range of beers and one of the most pleasurable jazz outfits my ears have ever had the pleasure of being near. There's also a beer-gardenesque place across the road, and for the hip and cool Pure Pop next door does acts in their backyard as well. I actually gave them my demo CD asking to play there and I never heard back, so at least we know they've got taste. Of course you can go to the espy but an $18 Jug of VB is the cheapest you'll get and it's a bit of a mission. So unless you're rich and have rocket boots or a land jet-ski there's plenty for you just off Acland.

Take a photo in front of Luna Park



You don't even need to go in; it just makes for a great photo. My girlfriend and a million tourists can't be wrong. I once went there for fifteen minutes to meet my friend for one last roller-coaster ride before he went overseas. It was a surreal and poignant goodbye.

Have a beer

The Vineyard beer-garden is the studio 54 of afternoon beers, but if you can get a spot outside you'll see why. Always toasty in winter and there's a great view of the park, both Luna and actual, $10 longnecks, great bands inside. They also do coffee/ snacks and all that jazz.

Have a food.

This place is called Bigmouth, in reference to the infamous Luna Park. But there's no rollercoasters, just hearty meals, jugs of beer dripping with condensation and a breakfast menu that will cure any hangover as long as you get there before 4pm. They also do Vegetarian and Gluten free and have a great view of Acland from the second story dining room. A light snack or a big meal, you'll enjoy it at bigmouth.

Rock the heck out.



These guys are most definitely traversing the astral plane at this point. But yeah lots buskers, street acts, wierdos and sunburnt British people to watch and laugh at.
There's just so much to do in St Kilda that I'd need a thousand internets to tell you about them all, this is just a few of my staples to having a good old fashioned fun day in St Kilda.

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#food_wine
#vintage_retro
#south_east
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