Travel/food writer letting you know great places to eat, sleep and ✈️ 🏰 to next. Contact for write ups nadine.myatt@gmail.com https://smart.bio/redbagwilltravel/
Perhaps you missed RONE's installation transforming the 1930s mansion Burnham Beeches into an immersive work of art.... [more]
Visiting Tequila Bar above Mejico (one of Melbourne's best Mexican restaurants) is like entering a Frida Kahlo paint... [more]
There are plenty of beer, cider and even whisky flights in Melbourne bars. But a sake flight? Sounds like a flight o... [more]
Baby it's cold outside. The chilliest start to winter in decades.But don't sit there shivering with your knees drawn... [more]
After Melbourne's lockdowns, when you venture out again everything old seems new again because you haven't seen it f... [more]
Like most Victorians, I've been to Daylesford countless times. The places I normally recommend are well known. Such ... [more]
It's the first night off the leash after the 4th Melbourne lockdown. Heading out to Rob Dolan Wines reminds me of al... [more]
Entering Flour Child at the beach end corner of Acland Street St Kilda is like walking into an Aladdin's Cave of col... [more]
The first time I saw the Ritz Hotel, I was staying at the Vue Apartments next door. You can see them to the righ... [more]
With many of our favourite restaurants closed during lockdown, we had to reacquaint ourselves with our home kitchens... [more]
Middle Park was out of the neighbourhood for me but what a delightful village area with its clutch of old-fashioned ... [more]
People had some great ideas during lockdown and we are now starting to see some of these come to fruition. Glou a su... [more]
Go to Gaol. Go directly to Gaol. I found a parking spot (easily enough) and went in.I had a few reservations about v... [more]
When I lived in Richmond in the 1990s, Bridge Road was very much the place to be. Lots of great outlet shopping and ... [more]
LUCAS Restaurants have launched their own delivery service with the launch of 'LUCAS Restaurants Room Service'. Now... [more]
As a WeekendNotes reader you are someone who enjoys exploring your city. Many of you are probably keen travellers as... [more]
Many of us would love to be in beautiful Margaret River right now to see those picture-perfect vineyards and feel th... [more]
Tennis used to be all about wearing white. But pretty much everywhere I went at the Australian Open last night I was... [more]
Oh, BENT-OH! This new Japanese eatery is the place for Japanese food and cultural delights. For commuters, it's righ... [more]
Element by Westin, part of the Marriott brand, just opened the Element Melbourne in the new Botanicca Corporate Park... [more]
Staying in a hotel should be more than finding a place to sleep. A really good hotel transports you from your everyd... [more]
An unseasonal wind whips around Mango Lodge, my little holiday cottage near Hervey Bay, but I'm happily ensconced, s... [more]
If you are a busy person (and who isn't these days?) then Rumba Beach Resort in Caloundra is the relaxing break you ... [more]
Yu Kitchen is the type of restaurant that serves culinary creations you'll remember long after you have forgotten th... [more]
Many Australians kept up with news of Colleen McCullough after reading her novel The Thorn Birds. We were agog at th... [more]
A holiday to Norfolk Island offers all the excitement of overseas travel without technically leaving Oz. The island ... [more]
Angus & Bon is a restaurant rather than a cafe and offers standout Melbourne breakfasts. I had read the menu online... [more]
The Melbourne Foodie Culture Walking Tour will delight tourists and locals alike. For tourists, it's a great introdu... [more]
A few of our free-to-visit Parks Victoria parks have deciduous European trees and visiting them in autumn is a joy. ... [more]
You probably heard the crunch as I just bit into a Kanzi apple. To remind me of how good they are as I write this p... [more]
Most people have heard of the National Trust's huge mansions such as Ripponlea and Como House, that as tourist desti... [more]
From Jun 5 to August 31, Coombe Cottage, the home of the diva Dame Nellie Melba will be open to the public for tours... [more]
A restaurant run along ethical principles always leaves a good taste in the mouth. But having owners with a social c... [more]
When its hot outside, it's great to be inside. But then the house heats up as well, so it becomes cooler outside. T... [more]
Lizzie's Lane is a new, summer pop-up bar at the Pullman Melbourne, Albert Park. While there might be a lake across ... [more]
Remember that thing we say each year? 'We really must catch up before Christmas?'
Well, here is the perfect oppor... [more]
Like the rest of food-obsessed Melburnians, I'm always on the prowl for new places to add to my foodie hit list. Th... [more]
For a small place, the heritage City of Maryborough in Queensland's Fraser Coast Region has had any number of firsts... [more]
Treasury on Collins is a stunning heritage hotel with a contemporary, plush and velvety feel to the interior. Staff ... [more]
Every once in a while, you have one of those magical days where your life is drenched in sunshine and you seem to mo... [more]
It was a whizz-bang trip to Yeppoon with scarcely time to lick the spoon clean in between food stops. But if my one... [more]
Driving along Bell Street, one can hardly miss the standout Punthill Ivanhoe building. But we almost did. 'Ivanhoe i... [more]
There are so many arresting, new and upmarket things to do in Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast. One is the Yeppoon Lag... [more]
If you haven't been to Rockhampton and neighbouring Yeppoon recently, then head there immediately to see some of the... [more]
I was surprised to find five-star hotel service at motel prices when I pulled into Blue Shades Motel in Maryborough.... [more]
'School's out for summer. School's out forever', sang Alice Cooper. But wow, this place is school, but not as you re... [more]
I spent about seven hours deliberating on where to stay in Rockhampton, pumping data into Google Maps before decidin... [more]
Blink twice and Melbourne changes. Take Docklands for instance. From industrial wasteland to rapid development with... [more]
A tap at the door and a tiny voice pipes up 'housekeeping." Then two smartly uniformed women in frilly aprons enter ... [more]
From when they first arrive in Bali to the moment they leave tourists are serenaded with the chorus 'Transport, tra... [more]
What captivates tourists visiting San Francisco are not always the amazing bay views, Alcatraz or even the girders o... [more]
Hawthorn has a host of ethnic eateries and a diverse population from students watching their spending to the well-he... [more]
Not sure what I expected when heading to Little Collins Street Kitchen at the Sheraton Melbourne. Their new winter e... [more]
After perhaps an expensive weekend, it is nice to know you can start the week with a bargain-priced trip to the mov... [more]
Okay, muggles the Harry Potter year is upon us like a sweep of a magic wand. Monday 2nd July 2018 marks 20 years since ... [more]
In Europe, people sit down to their scrumptious heavy Christmas meals of roasted meats, golden baked potatoes and he... [more]
The Deal
The RACV Inverloch Resort has quite a good deal in the winter months. It is $349 for two nights (not in... [more]
We all know Carlton as a great Italian hub to eat in but do you know anything else about Carlton? Now you can. You c... [more]
Today I went to Sofitel on Collins to indulge in a New Yorker Lunch which pairs so beautifully with the MoMA art exh... [more]
When you visit the city, it is great to find the Victorian Government has provided free wifi coverage almost everywh... [more]
When I learn't that RocoMamas, a famous South African burger place, was opening in Melbourne, it did raise a questio... [more]
What we need is a great big melting pot. Preferably one bubbling over with hot, tasty curry.
Food is one sure-fi... [more]
If you are local, you probably know a lot about Melbourne's CBD but the suburb of St Kilda is another matter. Perhap... [more]
Lewes (pronounced LOO-Iss) is a quaint market town in East Sussex that is only an hour's express train journey from ... [more]
Visiting MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art) in New York is one of those iconic experiences up there with visiting the T... [more]
If a flight to New York City to visit MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art) is not on the agenda this year, then you still... [more]
Some 1.248 million Australians holiday in Bali each year. A short plane trip to warm smiles and the open arms of leg... [more]
A visit to Rock Bar where you sit at a ledge like bar, while the waves crash beneath you, is a once in a lifetime ex... [more]
When watching the TV series Vikings and they started attacking Pari,s I had to go and check if that was historically... [more]
Diamonds are a girl's best friend and some of Princess Grace's most spectacular diamonds can currently be admired in... [more]
Tiger turned 10 in 2017. I know this because it was announced in the rather tatty copy of their airline magazine, Ti... [more]
Makeovers make you feel on top of the world and so does a visit to Sofitel with its luxurious surroundings and views... [more]
North & Eight Cafe is at the residential end of Buckley Street in Essendon. But at first glance, I could have sworn... [more]
Imagine being tucked up on the couch when the tummy rumbles hit. The Netflix series is so spellbinding you don't fee... [more]
One of the most expensive aspects of travel is accommodation. On a recent trip to UK local friends kept mentioning a... [more]
Len of Rayner's Orchard sits proudly driving his tractor around his forty-acre property.
When he started forty y... [more]
Many Perth residents remember Mandurah as an idyllic childhood holiday place of swimming, crabbing and boating. Some... [more]
This is an ashes to glory story about the reopening of the Albion Hotel where dreams once lay smouldering. You may ... [more]
The Sebel Mandurah is a stunning hotel on the edge of Mandurah's glistening waterfront.
The rooms have vistas ov... [more]
Perth residents travel down to Mandurah just to experience Redmanna Waterfront Restaurant. Jason Hutchen is the accl... [more]
On my husband's Facebook he lists Oxford as his place of education. Well yes, he did go to Oxford. He drove the hi... [more]
It sounds idyllic driving around the Margaret River region, an area renowned for its gourmet food and wine. You have... [more]
Okay, Balwyn what's happening? You used to be boring, but now there are Chin-Chin-like queues outside Mr Hendrick's ... [more]
Heronswood is possibly my favourite attraction on the Mornington Peninsula. It has it all - stunning views, remarkab... [more]
One of the enjoyable activities in Melbourne's hot summers is a dip in one of our city's cool pools. Carlton Baths i... [more]
Brunswick Flour Mill Cafe is on Sydney Road hedged in by vintage shops, ethnic eateries and hip culture. It's opposi... [more]
It's not the festive season without candy cane and gingerbread, so if you want incredible cocktails to toast Christm... [more]
What if you could leave town and reach a special little vineyard with French grape varieties and exquisite French cu... [more]
Murchison a small township, between, Nagambie and Shepparton may not yet be on your radar. But while it might sound... [more]
Ripponlea Food & Wine is a great, cosy-corner venue five-minute walk from the famous Ripponlea Mansion. Already a ne... [more]
Sydney's little sister, Newcastle, has come of age. She might just be an hour up via the coast, but it seems she sn... [more]
An Indian wedding is an amazing spectacle of colour, music, feasting and festivities. We may never be lucky enough ... [more]
Rye might not be far from home for many Melburnians but every now and again, it is great to have some time out and j... [more]
I am just back from eating out where I used the Liven app and I wanted to report back and say it was a flawless and ... [more]
Can a cocktail alone make you feel elegant, sophisticated and on top of the world?
After experiencing Sofitel on ... [more]
As Marie Antoinette famously said 'let them eat cake.' But the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins is going one better than... [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]
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]
Whether it's a hot summer night or just wanting to cook up some fresh prawns you just bought at the Victoria Market,... [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]
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 what an opportunity shop is but tip shops aren't that well known although you probably have a bit of an... [more]
Everyone knows about MONA, the fabulous privately owned art gallery in Hobart that defies all previous notions of wh... [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]
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]
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]
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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]
Dinner Party a documentary by Paul Cox" wrap="0" title="dinner party paul cox " margin="5"]
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]
Friday 13th comes around sometimes once or even twice a year. You can find out when the next Friday the 13th is by c... [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]
Cat on a hot tin roof? No way. Especially when you could be sipping icy gin on a rooftop instead. With drinks so icy... [more]
For horse and equestrian lovers, there aren't many events on beyond the races. But here is one that is age and inter... [more]
The word "herstory" flashes on the screen minutes into director Stephen Frear's The Lost King. Blink, and you'd miss... [more]
Here's a pre-Christmas event that ticks the right boxesBuying a Christmas presentA family outing in the fresh airTas... [more]
Thornbury Picture House on High Street is "indie." It's a local hangout but why should locals have all the fun? I th... [more]
I've become a convert to the idea of organised small group travel since the world was knocked off its axis in the pa... [more]
It's on again and it's every child's right of passage to enjoy the childhood delights of the Royal Melbourne Show. ... [more]
Nothing like a glass of red to keep the blues away.Winemakers from the Grampians and Pyrenees will gather in Ballara... [more]
Victorian ferry companies have some great free or reduced trips for seniors this winter from May through August. Enj... [more]
I'm kicking myself. I missed Mulled Wine Day (March 3). Though I'm pretty sure I didn't miss World National Drink Wine D... [more]
You'll remember the loud crunch if you've ever bitten into a Kanzi apple. Kanzi apples blush red with a tinge of gre... [more]
If the mountain will not come to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain. With few of us heading over to the Vati... [more]
What could be more atmospheric? As night falls, the glow of thousands of flickering candles surrounds a circle of mu... [more]
Food Yard is a new vibrant and edgy street food, entertainment and shopping destination opening on Saturdays with di... [more]
On my visit to Rockhampton, I found it to be a highly sophisticated city that treasures its past but looks to its fu... [more]
It should be a right of passage for every child to ride on Puffing Billy with their legs dangling over the side. It ... [more]
Nothing beats the heat of summer better than adding water. And a pool is a great open air place to be.! Sound Waves ... [more]
There is nothing I love more than a fine hotel. I love the sparkle and polish, the chandeliers and the attentive ser... [more]
They are calling it the quickie but with so many wedding plans dashed in the last two years, maybe a quickie is all yo... [more]
We have all become risk-averse to planning holidays. Too many of us have been burnt in the last 18 months. I had a t... [more]
I'm not sure what part of this exhibition is more exciting. The possibility of a first in a lifetime opportunity to... [more]
Ainslie's Edgar's Inn, a laidback gastro-pub in the heart of the leafy suburb of Ainslie, is a second home to many l... [more]
The 1974 movie Murder on the Orient Express, with sleuth Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney), was arguably the best filmi... [more]
Puffing Billy Railway is encouraging the community to get on board with the release of their annual, unlimited-acces... [more]
You know how your pooch loves to sit in the car watching the world whizz past? And if they can stick their head out ... [more]
Celebrating Sinhala & Tamil New Year Day, the Sri Lankan Awurudhu is returning to the iconic Queen Victoria Market, ... [more]
Most of us who enjoy travel, have taken the time to investigate how we can support some of the regions worst hit by ... [more]
The last time I was having lunch at Mr Joe in Richmond was a weekday and Head Chef Martin Sun cooked us amazing glob... [more]
If you haven't checked out the Hotel Chadstone Melbourne MGallery you should.This ritzy hotel is in keeping with Cha... [more]
Porters in Williamstown is a glittering gem worth unearthing. It's on the main drag but not part of the fray. Most v... [more]
In 2001, the world looked on in horror when planes rammed into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and almost 3000 liv... [more]
If you missed out on the $100 vouchers for travelling in Victoria that the government was waving under our noses, yo... [more]
A young whipper-snapper and new to a very old scene - NIÜBI has hit Melbourne's historic Chinatown. NIÜBI ... [more]
To attract us back, the City of Melbourne is offering free parking all of December through to 3 January 2021. It's ... [more]
Vietnam officially marks every December 12 'the Day of Pho' in celebration of the nation's most well-known dish. Pho... [more]
One of the newest things about the Australian culinary scene is in fact one of the oldest. Bush tucker has been a so... [more]
Now open to the public with free entry, the Chau Chak Wing Museum brings art, science and ancient cultures together ... [more]
The Australian Museum reopened to the public on Saturday 28 November after a 15 month $57.5m building transformation... [more]
How is this for a beautiful start to your weekend? A session of Yoga in the Vines, then after a good stretch with e... [more]
If your family loves going to Rottnest Island, then here is a great offer from Rottnest Fast Ferries. You will need ... [more]
Most locals know you can walk the Busselton Jetty. At over 1800 metres, it is the longest jetty in the Southern Hemi... [more]
New Year's Eve like never before. This year, instead of huge crowds, there will be a two-day dining experience deliv... [more]
Visitors to the Art Gallery of New South Wales are in for a treat - the most significant retrospective of Australian... [more]
Even if you don't have a convict in your family history, their stories are ultimately fascinating and here is a chan... [more]
Operating for over 30 years, Searoad Ferries is the iconic car and passenger ferry service sailing Melbourne's Port ... [more]
If you have been watching the excellent ABC show Further Back in Time for Dinner then the stage is already set for ... [more]
Romswood Peony Farm has cancelled its annual November open days but you will still be able to go and pick your own. ... [more]
Parkside Winery is in Lancefield, near Woodend, just over an hour's drive from Melbourne. They are pleased to announ... [more]
If you have grown tired of walking or cycling around your own suburb now is the chance to go further afield. In term... [more]
Dog Days or rather dog stays. Marriott Melbourne CBD is one of the only dog-friendly hotels in the Melbourne CBD. Mo... [more]
This Christmas, let Carla O'Brien light up your life. Part of the free Christmas celebrations at Dockland is a serie... [more]
There has been a resurgence of interest in drive-ins. It makes sense as in your car you are in your own little bubbl... [more]
If you are easing back into life after lockdown, this stay sounds perfect. A home away from home, but with so much o... [more]
For an outside walk with a difference, check out Urban Blooms. This is a walk past a series of large scale floral in... [more]
If Far North Queensland could be identified with an object, it would be a fruit bowl dripping with tropical sweetnes... [more]
The Hoddle Grid is the name given to the approximately 1.61 km × 0.80 km grid of streets that form Melbourne's CBD. ... [more]
The Tweed Artisan Food Weekend, on from 27 to 30 November 2020, celebrates the incredible people, place and produce ... [more]
Element Melbourne Richmond is helping you celebrate the end of lockdown, with the Ultimate Sleepover Experience. Enj... [more]
Bobby Dre's is opening stores in Werribee in Melbourne's West, and also in Geelong in regional Victoria. A great ad... [more]
A hell of a lot more interesting than a flight to nowhere. And a chance to get your Instagram account back into gear... [more]
