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If you would like me to write up any tours, accomodation stays, restaurants or excursions you can contact me at:
nadine.myatt@gmail.com or
www.linkedin.com/pub/nadine-cresswell-myatt/23/366/941
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I work as a freelance travel and food writer as well as teaching writing.
As Marie Antoinette famously said 'let them eat cake.' But the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins is going one better than... [more]
Here is one for animal lovers, both tourists and locals alike. A Taronga Zoo and Whale Watching Cruise Combo deal op... [more]
Sometimes it amazes John and Jennifer Abbott that the couples that come and stay at their 5-star accommodation d... [more]
Jane keeps popping up after all this time. This year (2017) marks the 200th anniversary of the death of this globall... [more]
Most people in Melbourne have visited Prahran Market at one time or another. Or you might be a regular but tend to g... [more]
There is something gloomy about June 1. The guillotine blade drops suddenly between Melbourne's golden haze of autu... [more]
Can't say I've ever considered cruising as a holiday option but when the chance came to tour the 6 star Crystal Symp... [more]
My son spent his teenage years flippin' burgers at Maccas, so now that he's a young man about town and almost finish... [more]
I love historic hotels, which is what took me to one of London's oldest and finest -- the Dorchester Hotel on Park L... [more]
Any fan of art, literature or 20th century cultural history will relish their visit to Charleston Farmhouse, the count... [more]
Weekends away can cost heaps, so a good local choice are Airbnbs. The company Airbnb changes the way you look at tra... [more]
I've become a convert to exercising in hot water. This is not your rah rah water aerobics class but gentle stretchin... [more]
Now here is something to whet your appetite. Ketan Seth, Executive Chef at the Stamford Plaza, was kind enough to vi... [more]
Vanessa has already given an overview of the fantastically low-priced Stamford Plaza's prawn promotion. I visited as... [more]
When writing about the Adelphi's roof top pool parties over summer, I was bemoaning the fact that more hotels do not... [more]
Porridge is a great comfort food. When I was a kid growing up in notoriously icy Ballarat my mother would serve it u... [more]
When Ketan Seth, Stamford Plaza's Executive Chef, was on holidays he was still thinking about food.
Driving thro... [more]
When you think about an afternoon drive to the Dandenong Ranges the old standbys come to mind. Miss Marples Tea Room... [more]
"There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life." (Lin Yutang, The Im... [more]
The skills of celebrity chefs can seem a bit daunting but Mish is a different kind of cook.
She qualified from ... [more]
Sydney is on high alert, for whales that is. Nothing beats the flabbergasting sight of your first whale. The sheer i... [more]
A guy in Melbourne was telling me about the woes with his teeth. He'd just spent $1800 getting a root canal only to ... [more]
Masak Ku is a Malaysian restaurant nestled up on Burke Road near Camberwell Station. It only opened last year, so if... [more]
Most people have driven past Dame Nellie Melba' place. It is behind those humungous hedges, at the Y intersection wh... [more]
Melbourne is fortunate to be the only Australian city to experience the return season of Circus Oz 's show, But Wa... [more]
Recently we did something that seems unheard of price wise in the city. We went for a six course degustation menu wi... [more]
Every week I head off to a class of aqua exercise. Whatever my stress levels or terrible mood I hit that thermally h... [more]
The little inland township of Timboon is perched above the Great Ocean Road. The area is now known as a foodies' hav... [more]
In the Little Red Pocket Cocktail Bar Melbourne there are large screens showing models striding confidentially along... [more]
Uber-excited about this one.
For those of you who weren't around in the 80s, Valhalla was a classic flea pit cin... [more]
Anyone who has been wandering down Flinders Lane and caught sight of the Adelphi Hotel's swimming pool has done a do... [more]
I hope this article will also make finding your dinner a whole lot easier.
Food trucks really come into their o... [more]
It has been a long time coming but finally there is a thread in an exhibition that ties Melbourne together, wraps he... [more]
It is 9.30 at night and everyone here is asleep. Nobody keeps Melbourne time except me. They get up at 6am and go wa... [more]
When two sisters-in-laws with flare and passion go into business they create a work of art.
Iona and Izabela hav... [more]
There are some huge, and expensive places to stay in Hepburn Springs, where you can pay upwards of $300 a night, enj... [more]
Multicultural Melbourne does Christmas extremely well as it looks to all corners of the globe for inspiration.
... [more]
Robin Boyd (1919–71) came from the famous Boyd dynasty of artists and writers. He was the only architect. While he w... [more]
There are already a few articles on Diana Ferrari Factory Outlets on WeekendNotes but not this one in the back block... [more]
By Josphine, is a very girly little shop that sells macaroons and other French treats in Sydney Road Brunswick.It wa... [more]
Some kids don't like to go outside and play. They love computers and books and are fascinated by prehistoric creatur... [more]
While lots of markets have been popping up lately, I think Melbourne definitely needs this one.
As the new Batm... [more]
Nothing screams fashion like a handbag.
Even a highly intelligent woman such as Hilary Clinton is quoted as sayi... [more]
Everyone knows about MONA, the fabulous privately owned art gallery in Hobart that defies all previous notions of wh... [more]
The locals on the Mornington Peninsula have been dealt a dreadful blow. The crew at Johnny Ripe, purveyors of the r... [more]
As the old song lyric goes "Baby, It's Cold Outside."And it was only the thought of the food trucks that prised us o... [more]
We all love Melbourne but perhaps don't realise how much the rest of the world does as well. In fact the votes are ... [more]
Gold once defined Bendigo but these days every colour of the rainbow's spectrum is on display. And with the opening... [more]
You see someone with beautifully blow waved hair. Perhaps you are walking behind them in the street.
Their hair ... [more]
Have you ever been put in charge of booking a restaurant for a work or family get-together? I have. And it is a road... [more]
Having just stayed at the new Art Series Hotel in Bendigo, I was very excited to learn that the Melbourne Art Series H... [more]
There are two ways of looking at the Take 2 markets coming up at the Queen Victoria Market.
The first is that thi... [more]
The Bald Archy Prize is a spoof on the well-known and illustrious Archibald Awards for portraiture. The awards were f... [more]
Never thought I would be sitting in a cafe at a swimming pool and thinking it is worthy of a food review.
Aquali... [more]
My father told me that trams had no brakes and so couldn't stop. I must have been a pretty stupid kid as it wasn't u... [more]
SNA have started in Australia offering cheap trips to China through daily deal sites.
At around $1000 you get fli... [more]
On the article I wrote about cheap movie tickets in Melbourne and which nights they are cheap WEN reader Julia reco... [more]
It is nice to know the National Trust is moving with the times. Or at least kinda moving with the times.
Their l... [more]
You can see why the new owner of Doctor Java Organic Coffee is keen to have her cafe re-reviewed.
Sean Goedeck... [more]
You can just imagine the changing room chatter at the Australian Open. Lots of American tennis players, new in town ... [more]
The popular Friday Night series returns to the National Gallery from the 27 June to the 29 August. These are particula... [more]
For dinner tonight tried to replicate Mamasita's (arguably one of Melbourne's best Mexican restaurants) sweetcorn. O... [more]
It seems that every second person is now into gluten free food. It used to be just coeliacs or those with a diagnose... [more]
One of the reasons for the huge popularity of post apocalyptic zombie films, such as 28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead a... [more]
In Tasmania they have a nudist swim to celebrate the Winter Solstice (the longest night of the year.) I couldn't th... [more]
Had a ploughman's lunch at Southgate today and somehow it just seemed all wrong. Lots of cured meats, prosucitto ham a... [more]
Coffee in the library is no longer a forbidden pleasure in fact it is an indulgence to be encouraged.
Between Ma... [more]
When I was in Year 9, we were a horrible class. There was a science teacher, who to this day, I still feel sorry for... [more]
Daylesford tells you it is the place to relax. Shop signs beckon you inside It seems every third place promises a h... [more]
I love to get away for what Bridget Jones refers to as mini-breaks. Sometimes it is just great to break the cycle of w... [more]
There are no dragons in sight but there are plenty of dungeons sites to explore.
In May there are FREE tours of... [more]
I can remember when my Aunt came out from England in the 1960s. My father drove all the way to Sydney to pick her ... [more]
This may not be everyone's cup of tea, especially not at 4am in the morning.
But a lot of people do have a morbi... [more]
I love walking at night. With my ear plugs in and my podcasts on, I feel like I am in my own little cocooned world. ... [more]
The Aztecs have us entranced with their amazing heart-stopping rituals, their architecture, their use of human sacrifi... [more]
Heronswood thinks it has a nice garden and it does. In fact it is one of the most beautiful gardens in all of Vict... [more]
The City of Sydney is giving away free trees to local residents and ratepayers in a bid to make the area a leafier, ... [more]
The Sidney Myer Free concerts are such an important Melbourne tradition.
These endearing Melbourne concerts are ... [more]
So you think you make a pretty mean chilli? Something to blow the pants off your friends and family. Well you might... [more]
Nothing like a few days away to recharge. This week I found myself at Portarlington on the Bellarine Peninsula which i... [more]
Sometimes after a good movie you can still be left feeling unsatisfied.
You would like to know more about the is... [more]
Going to the cinema is such an important childhood experience. While few now remember rolling jaffas down wooden ai... [more]
Reviewing a movie is a lot like filling out two columns of a ledger with the debits and credits clearly listed.
T... [more]
I have only visited one of the new Paleo Cafes, but as they are a growing franchise which stocks the same goods and ... [more]
What on earth, you might be asking, is Bulletproof® Coffee? Now this is going to sound yuck but it's not so bear wit... [more]
Congratulations are in order to the person choosing the line-up of films at Southgate Cinema. Not only are the m... [more]
We all love our outdoor movies but even more so when we can share them with a good bottle of wine.
Rochford Wine... [more]
If you happen walk to walk past the intersection of Flinders and Spencer Streets you could hardly miss this tram. No... [more]
It is an old story that has almost become folklore. Three schoolgirls and their teacher went missing at Hanging Rock... [more]
Eating Paleo has become the latest and perhaps greatest way of eating. If you haven't heard of Paleo basically it m... [more]
Generally roses bloom in early January, March, November and around Anzac Day in April.
You don't have to be a kee... [more]
The hot weather is almost here and it is time to get back into the swim. Many people swim over the summer because it b... [more]
The City of Melbourne has really put on a Christmas extravaganza for families in the lead up to Christmas.
And al... [more]
When it comes to Christmas perhaps we should leave it to the European masters. They have been celebrating Christmas ... [more]
With these tours you don't have to get the Google Map out and try to figure out where all the best light shows are. ... [more]
Seems the best of both worlds -- a festival that showcases both beer and cider. Should be something for everyone ov... [more]
Progressive dinners are where you move between different restaurants for your various courses. Usually an entree, a ... [more]
Fed Square, despite its shaky beginnings, is now the pulsating heart and concrete soul of Melbourne. And I mean that i... [more]
There are plenty of ways of getting your daily exercise and one of them is through organised walks (although a chocola... [more]
My addiction to op shopping for my garden started when I was walking through the sculpture courtyard outside the tea... [more]
Having had three delightful train journeys to country Victoria this year I have become a total convert to the railwa... [more]
In Western culture we quake in our boots at the thought of death, and as for ghosts, we duck under our doonas quaking ... [more]
My mother is 93 and doing well, still walking, talking and enjoying her food. She might not know what day it is but ... [more]
The session I viewed of Mystery Road was introduced, in person, by Aaron Pederson who plays Jay Swan the swank, rugg... [more]
Hot on the high heels of the Hollywood Costume Display at ACMI, which wowed Melbourne, comes a free exhibition celebrati... [more]
It never ceases to amaze me the number of organisations that offer either free or low-cost Come & Try days.
Thes... [more]
It is wonderful that we have places such as the Alliance française de Melbourne - a language school which not only p... [more]
The Queen Victoria Market has always been a Melbourne favourite from loading up your vegetables on a cold winter's... [more]
Imagine flying over Melbourne's skyline. The city is at your feet, the giant buildings look like children's LEGO be... [more]
I have this memory of visiting a Vietnamese market in Ho Chi Min City.
At the first aisle I was greeted by a shopk... [more]
It has always been a bit debatable whether kids should go trick or treating around their local neighbourhood.
In... [more]
If anyone has been watching the mini-series about Mr Selfridge they will know that in 1909 this famous department s... [more]
Gravity is being hailed as the best movie of the year and the best space movie since a 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Y... [more]
During October and November Palace Cinemas are doing something quite magnanimous.
They are offering a deal where... [more]
We had been having a wonderful but penny- pinching holiday on the Mornington Peninsula so on our last night we decid... [more]
When I think of mills and literature (which is not very often) I always think of George Elliot's famous work Mill on... [more]
As all new parents quickly learn a garden rake is something that should now be kept in your broom cupboard. It is s... [more]
You don't hear much about Mecanno sets these days. Lego seems to have cornered the market with its bright colours... [more]
I can always remember when my brother and his girlfriend came back from an extended holiday to India and stayed with... [more]
Walking into an R rated movie about sex addicts can be a bit daunting. It feels like you should be wearing dark glas... [more]
Come follow Sydney's snail trail. There are 24 snails oozing their way around town.
But you don't have to worr... [more]
The next Brickvention (Australia's premier LEGO® fan convention) is coming up on the 18th and 19th of January 2014.
... [more]
There is something riveting about zombies; the rotting flesh, the ragged clothes the glazed over eyeballs. They... [more]
I admit I have used one of those cheap holidays on the back of a Shop A Docket. It was a three night escape to Lakes... [more]
The Supreme Court of Victoria is not a place you get to see inside unless you have jury duty or are on the wrong side ... [more]
The ultimate cinema experience was once Gold Class -- plush seats, someone sneaking in and delivering you a glass of... [more]
It is on again and bound to fill up quickly. How many chances do you get in life to have high tea inside the State L... [more]
This is a new event for Melbourne's Chinatown - a huge long outdoor dining experience and it is three blocks long.
... [more]
Chinatown in Melbourne's Little Bourke Street is worth a visit at the best of times. It is a flash of bright red i... [more]
Who would have thought it? Little green men, not from Mars, but from all the corners of the globe are set to inv... [more]
Ernest Hemingway called Paris a moveable feast, but he had probably never heard of Whittlesea in the northern suburb... [more]
This is so very Oxford or Cambridge. So very Edwardian.
It is also such a brilliant idea that I am surprised no-... [more]
There is a rumour going around that Roald Dahl hated kids.
If he did, it was a love/hate relationship as they lo... [more]
Walking is all about communing with nature right? Trees and birds, a weighty back pack, tough shoes, tougher paths, ... [more]
Perhaps you are tired of running on your own (it does take quite a bit of motivation) or maybe you just want to get a ... [more]
Recently we took my son's girlfriend out for dinner. She's a vegetarian which isn't an issue but she also doesn't eat ... [more]
Melbourne Market Week is a chance to celebrate our great markets. This increasingly popular event is on from Septemb... [more]
Tourists spend significant dollars doing speciality tours of Melbourne's markets. They find our markets: the food s... [more]
How about a winter coat, a David Lawrence dress, a silk scarf, leather belt and an evening handbag all for just $42.... [more]
Hello Sailor Vintage Fair is not an event where you will find sellers shedding pieces from their op-shop wardrobes
... [more]
Mámor Chocolates is a richly decorated tea salon where you go for highly indulgent and also extraordinarily yummy h... [more]
Most people now know the inimitable Miss Phryne Fisher. Even if you are not a reader you will have possibly caught t... [more]
We have all gone stark raving 1920s mad. Recently we have had the remake of the Great Gatsby, the musical King Kong... [more]
A few years ago I went out to a tiny back lane theatre with three friends. We were the only ones waiting for the doors... [more]
This will be the third annual Scarecrow Festival and it is becoming a particularly lovely tradition that highlights th... [more]
You may have walked past this hidden treasure a thousand times, without even knowing it was there.
It is a secre... [more]
Everyone likes to spruce themselves up for the Spring Racing Carnival Season.
The right dress and handbag are sure... [more]
Whether it be a burrito, a taco or a marracca, Melbourne has gone crazy for all things Mexican.
So the Mission M... [more]
I did the Open Studios at the Nicholas Building last year, so I can thoroughly recommend this adventure.
I went ... [more]
With eight million visitors a year the Smithsonian, which includes the National Air and Space Museum, is the most vi... [more]
Famous children's author Andy Griffiths will be gadding around in the next few months, instead of sitting at his des... [more]
It was the revolution that had to happen. There has been a growing trend towards drive-in coffee spots and now a fir... [more]
Most people think of Geelong as a day trip but it is nice to stay there overnight so that you can do some back-to-back... [more]
From the one advertisement I'd seen of Moorabool Valley Chocolate By Design it looked a bit twee. A little bit fake... [more]
After visiting the tiny hamlet of Trentham you will probably stare longingly at the properties in the real estate a... [more]
The Senior Curator of the Nicholson Museum at the University of Sydney remembers being taken to the British Museum ... [more]
It's a new generation. When my kids hang out after school they are more likely to eat noodles or dumplings than hang... [more]
A cat can look at a king and mere mortals can look at properties that are way beyond our meagre pay packets.
But n... [more]
If you think you know Melbourne then think again. Because you have probably never been shown your city through the e... [more]
There is a nostalgia about local milk bars. They were once a focal point in a community. You didn't drive there, yo... [more]
Parents and grandparents won't need much encouragement to go on this little outing.
It will allow them to relive... [more]
This ghost tour of Daylesford Convent offers wine on arrival and coffee at the end of the tour. I think it should be t... [more]
Here is a tour to make the hairs on the back of your neck virtually bristle. What could be more bestial than a haunted p... [more]
Bastille Day is a national holiday in France that celebrates a new form of government. Oh Lordy, it sounds a bit li... [more]
Ikea is a lot of fun. Okay, so navigating one of the stores requires a GPS but you get in your 5km daily walk and t... [more]
The spotlight is on Frankston with these incredible projection displays. It's another "rug-up in winter event" so we... [more]
There is such a thing as a free lunch and you can see it being prepared above.
Volunteers are whipping up 17 000... [more]
Have you noticed something in the air in Melbourne this winter, besides the chill?
There are all these incentives... [more]
Director François Ozon's film In the House is a playful romp which baits and teases the viewer yet remains at all tim... [more]
It's great to have a night out, where you get a meal for your stomach and a thorough belly laugh in the same region. A... [more]
I have to be honest and say I went to the old Brunetti in Carlton because it was a Melbourne institution.
The dr... [more]
Bored kids during the winter and especially the winter school holidays end up skating on thin ice as they drive the... [more]
Even after so many generations the magic of the Wizard of Oz continues to sparkle.
So put on your ruby red shoes... [more]
I guess with that title I have captured your attention. Because everyone loves Devonshire tea.
So imagine my del... [more]
High teas are something the whole family can enjoy, but while kids love cake, they might turn their little noses up at... [more]
Had every intention of spending my spare half hour doing some rigorous walking along the Yarra Trail. Then, as I ... [more]
Who would have thought a tour of an old convent could be so fascinating?
Having no specific religious affiliat... [more]
A progressive dinner at South Wharf is a great way to get a feel for Melbourne's newest waterside precinct where he... [more]
This is wonderful entertainment in anybody's book. The antics of the Fawlty Towers crew just hasn't lost any of its ... [more]
Having had a lovely Devonshire tea at the Light Factory Gallery some time back, it has been at the on my mind to go ... [more]
If you like dinner and drinks with twist of humour (or should that be twisted humour) then why not try Faulty Towe... [more]
It's pay back time. For years and through sweltering summers we have had to wait for the opening of the Prince Alf... [more]
The new kid on the Bridge Road strip is a very hip and stylish cafe.
Fifty Acres opened early in 2013 and is ... [more]
Most football patrons associate the MCG with great games, mediocre meat pies and bland mid-strength beer. But now foo... [more]
What's in a name? Well lots.
Especially in some of the street names we walk past every day and take for granted.... [more]
I was reading a women's mag recently and there was a five page fashion shoot on a woman whose only claim to fame was... [more]
Living around Mont Albert means the opportunity to wander down glorious tree lined streets with stunning period homes ... [more]
~~~~~~~~
The best way to describe the new business, Epicurean, is probably as a food resort.
At a resort you get ... [more]
Hungry? Then quick follow that truck!
Food trucks aren't exactly a new phenomenon but the kind of food they now serv... [more]
CERES Community Environment Park is such a nice place to hang on a Sunday.
The busier market day is on Saturdays a... [more]
Mothers come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them need fattening up and others shall we say, are delightfully cuddl... [more]
After our Age newspaper subscription ran out I got a phone call about renewing. The lady on the other end of the lin... [more]
Already the steepest graded public railway in the world the Scenic Railway in the Blue Mountains just got a whole lo... [more]
Zimt Patisserie Cafe was previously in Hamilton Street Mont Albert. I gave up going there as it was always dark and ... [more]
In 1984 George Orwell was concerned that Big Brother was watching our every move. Today the converse is probably mor... [more]
Cafe Dorii is a tucked away little cake shop in Brentford Square which is on the Forest Hill/Vermont divide.
It ... [more]
I visited the Incinerator Gallery on a wild and woolly day, when the sky was dark and threatening and tree branches ... [more]
When the kids were little I would hide Easter eggs in the house then hold a treasure hunt with clues. Each clue woul... [more]
It is a novelty to go to the drive-in as almost all have disappeared, torn down and replaced with housing estates.
... [more]
WeekendNotes is about things to do. So why am I writing about a supermarket?
Well the thing is, that like many peo... [more]
They say that Balwyn is a wealthy suburb. I know why. I have squandered most of my wealth there on my coffee habit. ... [more]
How to frighten a teenage son.
Tell him you are going mud wrestling with his father.
"Your not" he said. "Fo... [more]
The Tassal company is Australia's biggest salmon producer and they now have two shops where they sell direct to the ... [more]
I love Jane Austen's tenacity, her staying power. Here we are on the other side of the world, two hundred years sinc... [more]
T-shirts just are. They are something we take for granted. We throw them on and forget about them.
But if you sto... [more]
It's always nice to see high class cinema at a low price and that is one of the many things ACMI offers.
And it d... [more]
One of the beauties of WeekendNotes is learning about all the tucked away gems in other people's suburbs.
Yet,... [more]
I've been fortunate enough to do two great train journeys in Australia the Indian Pacific which I reviewed here and ... [more]
I wasn't quite looking forward to staying at the Adabco after staying at the stately Buxton Manor the night before. ... [more]
Travelling can be heavy duty. Simply organising yourself and your stuff can be a nightmare so here are a few tips to... [more]
One of the fascinating aspects about the Barossa Valley is that it is not a unified place but a series of microcosms... [more]
Having an interest in architecture, particularly in the Arts and Crafts style, I have long been covetous of a stay a... [more]
Langmeil Winery in the Barossa Valley offers both fine wines and a heritage setting.
The property was first sett... [more]
While we don't want kids following a life of crime there is something captivating about the story of Ned Kelly.
... [more]
Before ice creams were dipped in double chocolate (do we really need them) and expensive cones were slopped wi... [more]
One of the boons of holidaying is the breakfasts. At home it is usually some form of roughage and coffee to kick sta... [more]
It's always tough when you arrive in a new town. Especially when you arrive in the late afternoon, knowing full well... [more]
While not wanting to totally typecast this Art Gallery restaurant, on the day I ate here, my daughter and I looked... [more]
After a week in the Northern Territory, we were really hanging out for a great coffee when we hit Adelaide.
But ... [more]
As the long summer stretches ahead it is worth knowing about a few new activities you can try out at the beach. Beca... [more]
Summer nights make you think of sitting outside, catching a breeze and sipping on something cool.
Even better when... [more]
I had heard from friends that this was the best place for a Devonshire tea in the Eltham radius, so went for a taste... [more]
Invariably one day you will find yourself driving through Bairnsdale, possibly on the way to somewhere like Lakes Entr... [more]
I was driving through Winchelsea, on the back road through from Apollo Bay, with a cartoon by Age cartoonist Judy H... [more]
I heard that locals take their overseas visitors on this particular walk so I figured it must be something special.... [more]
This is to alert you to a bookish corner in Melbourne. Three pillars of Melbourne's literary community have formed a... [more]
It is common in Box Hill to see new businesses enshrined with flowers.
I had never quite realised the significan... [more]
When I lived in Ballarat in the 1980s, Craig's Hotel was a real dive. Almost a backpackers with high ceilings and n... [more]
Just as the Swedish have their special celebration every year so does the French community.
The festival starts... [more]
I keep wanting to refer to The Moat as The Vault mainly because this place has nothing at all to do with crossing over... [more]
The Christmas Bazaar at the Swedish Church is one of the great events on the pre-Christmas calendar.
It is alway... [more]
I had certain expectations about Embassy@97 in St Kilda. None of which were realised. But these expectations were re... [more]
Thinking about doing up your tired old garden? Stuck for inspiration? Or perhaps you just love looking at other peopl... [more]
If you are interested in tennis, and perhaps planning to go to the Australian Open in January, then you just might ... [more]
If you are looking for a new recreational activity, mostly you just want to "give it a go." You don't want to spend he... [more]
Anyone who watched David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz review the new version of Wuthering Heights on the Movie Sho... [more]
Tourist attractions are great for locals. But they can get a bit ho hum when nothing changes from year to year. So i... [more]
Don't get the impression the Spring Racing Carnival is just for adults. Kids can have fun as well
If you are sta... [more]
You have to imagine this. You have never been on a helicopter ride. You fly over Melbourne, over the skyscrapers, t... [more]
For anyone who has ever tried to get a taxi from Flemington after the last race or god forbid driven their own car... [more]
The Indian Pacific is a legendary train journey that makes its way between Sydney (the Pacific Ocean), then to Adela... [more]
Funny that one should go to Perth only to find oneself in Sweden.
There really is a very different feel to Miss Maud'... [more]
When you are on holidays, hotels do some amazing buffet breakfasts but nothing quite beats the breakfast you get at Miss... [more]
A good option when you holiday in Adelaide is to spend some time in Glenelg, an upmarket seaside village. There is ... [more]
Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail of water but decided to start a restaurant instead. And there has been ... [more]
The Americans are coming. And I have but one question. What on earth to cook them for dinner?
After various cross-... [more]
There is a new shopping precinct at the Queen Victoria Market called String Bean Alley. You can't miss it, as the graffi... [more]
You have to love the people on the Mornington Peninsula. When they decide to do something they do it with exuberance... [more]
Mámor Chocolates & High Tea Szalón in Collingwood is the very epitome of indulgence. It is the crimson hidey-hole o... [more]
Anyone who knows Box Hill will tell you that it is a commuter hub - a major train station, a bus depot, a market and... [more]
I can't quite make up my mind about Rivers Cafe in Yarambat.
I'm an Eastern suburbs girl, so it was a bit of a tr... [more]
I'm with the American humorist Dave Barry when he said "camping is nature's way of promoting the motel business."
Bu... [more]
I'm with the American humourist Dave Barry when he said "camping is nature's way of promoting the motel business."
... [more]
The latest news from my doctor wasn't the usual demanding walk 30 minutes a day but the more gentle chiding: "Two an... [more]
Is there something in the water that flows down the Eastern Freeway from Carlton? And if so could that water possib... [more]
When it comes to afternoon delights some people think of matters more sensual, but my thoughts turn to high tea with... [more]
A Latin lover is a stereotype that stretches back through Italian history. Casanova was an Italian, right? As was R... [more]
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Above is a group of peopl... [more]
When we asked a local where to find a good lunch in Mount Macedon, he said "they have just reopened the old pub. Th... [more]
You've probably heard of planking. Or perhaps even lamping where you cover your head and face, and position yoursel... [more]
The only time I ever managed to sneak into Bickleigh Vale was when one of Edna Walling houses was up for sale. Then... [more]
The tiny township of Trentham is a rising starlet on the horizon. Certainly one to be watched as she rises alongside... [more]
Legends surround Hanging Rock in Woodend. The red smeared on boulders is said to be the blood of the notorious bushrange... [more]
It is only a 45 minute drive out to the tiny hamlet of Woodend making it the perfect destination to head to for a w... [more]
The phrase "all the tea in China" takes on new meaning when you visit Chat a unique Chinese tea shop in the bustli... [more]
If ever there was a year to celebrate Friday the 13th this is it. By a strange anomaly there are three Friday the 1... [more]
There are a lot of us who do our duty by our parents; making their lives a little easier now they are elderly. Once ... [more]
Every suburb should have a community cafe like this one. It is not that it is flash or fancy. It is all about the way yo... [more]
The longest night of the year is about to hit; the Winter Solstice. You could hide away from it, crank up the heater ... [more]
Since reading The Secret Garden as a child, tucked away botanical places have held a special meaning. The thou... [more]
Fondue doesn't have a particularly exotic origin. It began as a way for Swiss Alp farmers to use up bits of cheese. ... [more]
A trip to Aldi is like the Hunger Games. It is the survival of the fittest.
Such as my first experience. Tentat... [more]
Even in the 1890s Mornington Peninsula was known as Melbourne's playground; a place for the rich to build their countr... [more]
For over 20 years the Railfan shop had traded from the intersection of Market Street and Flinders Lane. So there was a ... [more]
The Maling Road shopping centre in Canterbury has turned back time. It had become a popular outing because it preserves ... [more]
I'm young at heart, fashionable, trendy, clothes conscious and errrr size 16.
What's a curvaceous girl to do whe... [more]
Everyone loves a night out at the cinema. There's something about sinking down into plush seats, sliding the chocola... [more]
The similarities between Bundoora Homestead and Bate's Gothic mansion in Hitchcock's Psycho are chilling.
Bo... [more]
With all the miniature train rides in Melbourne you could fill up more than a month of Sundays. Miniature trains are abo... [more]
Residents from Melbourne's western suburbs can tell you a thing or two about history - like the story behind Melbour... [more]
When they put up new signage at the Balwyn Library, one bored teenager quipped "and they say that nothing ever happe... [more]
On my son's recent birthday, he asked to be taken somewhere French. He wanted to relive his backpacking trip to Fran... [more]
This is about a passion for passion fruit vanilla slices but it all started with a recent article in The Age (which ... [more]
If you have a senior's card or just want to take mum or granny out for a slap up afternoon tea be aware that the Mel... [more]
Captain Cook Cruises are offering commuters nine free ferry trips to launch their new International Convention Centr... [more]
A scrumptious breakfast is always on the cards for Father's Day but you don't have to sit in a crowded, stuffy and o... [more]
Ben & Jerry's are well known for their free ice-cream cone days. But now they are offering free tubs! Yes, it's true... [more]
Ben & Jerry's are well known for giving away their cones of ice-cream once a year, but this time they are giving awa... [more]
In order to celebrate National Ice-cream Day, Ben & Jerry's is giving away 20,000 tubs of their fine ice-cream on Su... [more]
I was recently at a conference and when they bought out the Krispy Kreme donuts for afternoon tea there was almost a... [more]
Four is the preferred number here. A degustation menu with four rather than just three courses, Four Pillars and f... [more]
Melbourne city dwellers love their weekend breakfasts. Perhaps you are one of them setting off to eat smashed avo on... [more]
You couldn't ask for a more inviting line-up to get you outdoors this winter.
Some food truck venues are transit... [more]
Munich Brauhaus on South Wharf is one of those iconic experiences. You might not eat there all the time, but it woul... [more]
Lovers of Joni Mitchell's music and poetic lyrics are cross-generational. Everyone has heard the song 'Big Yellow Ta... [more]
While tequila has a bit of reputation for kick-starting wild parties and memorable hangovers, that is the cheap stuf... [more]
It might be winter, but Melbourne is not turning a cold shoulder on culture, especially given the world class exhib... [more]
If you can secure a place for one of these free State Library of Victoria tours they are absolutely fascinating. Th... [more]
If you are looking to do something a little different this Mother's Day for a family get-together then a trip to 360... [more]
Astute filmgoers will note a number of short films playing in various Village Cinema foyers.
They are all on the ... [more]
The free guided boat tours of the Port of Melbourne are popular with families as it is a real experience to see huge... [more]
Anyone heading down the Great Ocean Road might want to duck into the Lorne Sea Baths to try out their new salt thera... [more]
Whether it's a hot summer night or just wanting to cook up some fresh prawns you just bought at the Victoria Market,... [more]
Like many people I hate car parks, until now that is! Because with this one you drive up and around, up and around,... [more]
Most of us want to make the best of the long summer evenings. But where to go? Nothing worse than being cooped up in... [more]
Camping is no longer roughing it or having to cart around a whole bunch of gear. In fact, there are a range of inno... [more]
You've probably heard of Hot Tub Cinema well now comes Hot Wheels Cinema. This one is for kids and families. From De... [more]
Having overshot my destination, using Siri, I also missed out on being able to park my car on brightly lit Sydney ... [more]
I am a total fan of Airbnb as it makes travelling practically anywhere affordable. You can even do an expensive cit... [more]
Monday, the worst day of week. But what if you could get a FREE lunch to brighten your workday. Not just a sna... [more]
The Chris Millar Foundation for Integrative Medicine and Menssana Mindbody Medicine will be screening Shannon Harvey... [more]
Once the huge clubs on the NSW/Vic border were the supreme places to go. You could feed poker machines to your heart... [more]
It is the return season for the Coburg Drive-In Food Truck Festival and just in time for Valentine's Day.
And dr... [more]
Melburnians love their summer cinema especially when it is local and even better still, when the movies are free.
... [more]
If you have not visited Eureka Skydeck in some time Chinese New Year is an auspicious time to do so.
In Chinese c... [more]
There are lots of restaurants out there offering romantic dinners for Valentine's Day but nothing quite beats a home... [more]
At Harry's Restaurant, in the heart of Melbourne, love is not just in the air but on the menu this Valentine's Day.
... [more]
Because of recent disruptions V-Line is offering free train and coach services until 7th February 2016.
While it... [more]
The Australia Day festivities at Docklands were quite-something last year with crowds of people in a great mood enj... [more]
People who have never ventured out into the midst of a noisy, colourful Chinese New Year festival are missing out on... [more]
The annual event, Movies by the Bay, has just kicked off and its just where we all need to be right now. Imagine a c... [more]
While others might be lapping it up down the beach, if you stayed home in Melbourne it is nice to know that there is... [more]
If you have wandered down Flinders Lane and caught sight of the Adelphi Hotel's swimming pool you have probably done... [more]
In the count down to Christmas markets are the go. No cloned Christmas presents and plenty of gorgeous foodstuffs fo... [more]
Melbourne's hot February nights are some of the best times to be outside in the cool, instead of trapped inside ho... [more]
If people are having only a third of the fun they seem to be having in these accompanying photographs then they ar... [more]
MegaAdventure Aerial Park (MegaAdventure) has just opened its doors. Or should I say, opened the heavens as this is ... [more]
This promises to be a lovely outing. It is a place to unwind, relax and yes, smell the roses.
There are ten acre... [more]
The Boorondara Council is showing off its green belt again by showing free films under the stars in some of it's gr... [more]
I am one of those people who fall in love with buildings and such was the case with Moonah Links Golf Resort.
... [more]
You have to hand it to Melbourne's Food Trucks they know where the people are.
And yes this time of year we t... [more]
The Lido's new rooftop cinema in Hawthorn might just be the best ticket around for watching movies on a warm night. ... [more]
A new fun bargain hunter's market is coming to Richmond called the Rag Trade and Recycle Gleadell Street Market.
... [more]
My mother lived untill 95 but looking back she would not have reached this milestone if a certain gynaecological can... [more]
Who says Australia doesn't have much history? We have plenty. Enough to have a few established ghosts hanging about ... [more]
Country train journeys are a joy. The adventure starts at Southern Cross Station -- one of the best places in Melbou... [more]
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of Melbourne's iconic cinema, the Rivoli is hosting a weekly classic film serie... [more]
Philipine Food Week is on at Sydney's Shangri-La a five star hotel with views over the Sydney Opera House. This is ... [more]
They say that summer love is like no other love, and there are plenty of chances for your own romantic outings, lift... [more]
