Melbourne Day 4 - 30 June 2014

I went on a cultural & heritage tour today. After a hearty breakfast of Belgian Chocolate and Red Velvet Cupcake, I made my way to the Hellenic Museum located at William Street. This museum is housed at the Melbourne Mint and shows historical records and artifacts to chronical the Greek immigration into Australia. 

My next stop was supposed to be the Chinese Museum at Chinatown. However, on my way there, I caught glimpses of Les Miz's publicity posters and my itinerary diverted to Her Majesty's Theatre instead! :p These posters are everywhere and I understand there's a "Do You Hear The People Sing" campaign being run everywhere. It's so great to be at the Her Majesty's Theatre and I can't wait to watch the musical I've been waiting for this Saturday!

After visiting Her Majesty's Theatre and Chinatown, I left for Melbourne Museum as I had arranged to meet Hwee for coffee at 2pm at Lygon Street. I didn't have the chance to take more photos on my iPhone today as it died on me at noon and the powerbank was faulty. 

With the iPhone gone, there goes Google Maps too and I had to rely on my instincts and whatever I could remember of the streets of the city to navigate. I was really glad I managed to make my way to the Melbourne Museum located in Carlton from Chinatown. 

The museum is grandeur in architecture and exudes its own air of magnificence, amidst the beautiful Carlton Gardens. Walking through the tree-lined walkways make me feel like walking in a forest in autumn. Unfortunately, I only had 30 minutes to view the exhibits as I had to reach Lygon Street by 2pm.  The main exhibition was impressive though, as it showcases the history of Melbourne through the use of old artifacts, photos and items of bygone years such as telephones, electric trams, horse carriages, gramophone and more!

I spent the rest of the day catching up with Hwee in Lygon Street, and she even invited me to her beautiful apartment!  At Lygon Street, we went to Brunetti for lunch and desserts again. This is the main branch in Melbourne and I'm awed by its size and huge variety of desserts available. It's definitely a not-to-be-missed cafe in Melbourne if you are someone with a sweet tooth. 

After four full days of itinerary, I feel totally drained and exhausted. Hope to catch a good night's sleep tonight for my day trip to Ballarat & Sovereign Hill tomorrow. 

Melbourne Day 2 - 28 June 2014

I had yet another exciting day in Melbourne today though there was a short daylight due to winter. Today seemed extremely cold too, much more than yesterday. Thank God I'm fully prepared & geared up in my full winter wear after my first day in Melbourne yesterday. 

First up, we went to the Rose Street Artist Market which everyone was raving about. What struck me when I reached Rose Street was the awesome street graffiti, which was so tastefully done! They were everywhere, on walls of buildings, dustbins and even lampposts! What talented graffiti artists they had there!

The artist market was fabulous too, with many talented crafters peddling their handmade crafts, which included jewellery, cards, candles, ceramics and more! I even spoke to a talented lady selling handmade fabric crafts and exchanged contacts and tips! So happy to be able to connect with a fellow crafter in Melbourne!

The only damage at the market was a hand poured soy candle in a French Lavender scent which I bought for 20AUD. There were so many different scents and I was spoiled for choices!

After we had our fill of crafts, we went to fill our hungry stomachs at a quaint cafe beside the market known as Young Bloods Diner.  The name may sound gory but the food is far from being bloody! I had Roasted Chicken Salad with Quinoa which tasted out of this world. It's my first time trying this out and it definitely didn't disappoint! 

After leaving Rose Street, we took a tram to Smith Street for some vintage shopping & photography.  Smith Street is a not-to-be-missed place in Melbourne for all vintage-goers. The shops lining both sides of the street may look ordinary, but you'll be in for a great surprise when u peep in! It's vintage clothes galore! Bought this pretty vintage dress in my favourite pink for 45AUD. Heart this!

We chanced upon this gelato cafe in Smith Street known as Messina. Heard they are new in this area & serves one of the best gelato in town. Sorry I've forgotten to take photos of the gelato in my haste! It's indeed freezing to be eating ice cream in winter but a brand new experience!

Wished I could have more time at Smith Street but due to time constraints, we had to leave for the Lost and Found Market at Lygon Street.  This place took my breath away with all the vintage & pre-loved clothings and homewares. There are indeed lots of hidden gems in this cosmopolitan region of Victoria!

What do u do on a cold winter evening after hours of vintage shopping? Dinner of cause! :) We went to this famous Thai Restaurant in Lygon Street called Ying Thai (which Singapore has too!). We had tom yam soup, papaya salad and steamed fish, all hot & spicy but perfect to keep us warm in winter! Yummy!

I will be back for more updates tomorrow as I bring you to Mount Dandenongs! Looking forward!