Next Stop: Melbourne, Australia
Your Ultimate Guide to the bustling city that loves its Footy and happens to have the best Thai Curry that you’ll ever eat.

The City:
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The Vibe:
Melbourne is unlike any city you’ve ever spent time in. Yes, you could describe it using many of the same buzzwords you would use to describe any other; bustling, alive, energetic, and so on. However, it’s what makes this city stand apart from the others which makes it so special: the galleries, the parks, the gardens, the beaches, the food, the nightlife, the people, the mindset.
Yes, the hustle is alive and well in Melbourne, but for the amount of time spent grinding, equal time is spent socializing, discovering, living. After work Happy Hours are real. It’s like a big community that all know the value of a balanced life, a life that isn’t meant to live drowning in work. I mean, the entire city shuts down for Footy Grand Final day. (Footy = Rugby, basically, and once a year they have the big game, kind of like our Superbowl. And the entire city shuts down. And. No one. Goes. To. Work. It’s just a thing.)
Life in Melbourne is meant to be lived to the fullest.
The Necessities:
Though you can ride within the Central Business District for free on the Tram, you will need to purchase a Myki card from any 7/11 or corner store. You can add money there or at most stops, but if you want to go outside of the city center at all, or take the train to any of the beaches, you’ll need the card.
I know it sounds silly, being in Australia and all, but if you’re in Melbs during their winter months (May — September) you better get yourself a scarf. Using my profound American ignorance, I thought Australia was all beaches and outback, with a few kangaroos scattered around. Therefore, I was hit with a huge dose of reality when I found out that its location is perfect when those brisk Antarctic winds come through. Cold as ice is the phrase you’re looking for. So yeah, make sure you’ve got a scarf and throw in some gloves while you’re at it.
Sunnies, water, rose water spray, and all the lotion you can find. Australia is the opposite of Miami. Yeah, it’s hot. But it’s that dry hot. That Egypt on a 45 degree Celsius day hot. That just opened the oven on your poor little face hot. That sucks the life and energy from you hot. And your skin, alone, must pay. You’re going to want to stay hydrated and spray that rose water like you’ve never sprayed before, sister. Lotion is your boyfriend now. Use ‘im.
Quick Bites:
Jing Jang Thai, Sushi Hub, Rocket Burger, Campari House, Degraves Street.
Jing Jang Thai: When I got back to the states, a lot of people asked me what ‘Australian food’ is. When you think of a country, it’s usually pretty easy to associate with it, the cuisine; Italian, French, Latin, American. Well Australian is a fusion of a lot of cultures, but I think they are best at Thai. With the huge influx of tourists from Southeast Asia, Asian cuisine lines the streets of Melbourne but the BEST and CHEAPEST Thai Curry is at Jing Jang Thai. There’s always a table-you might be squished, but you don’t mind because, guys seriously, it’s the best GD Thai food I’ve ever had. And its only… $13! This is actually an incredible price for an expensive city like Melbourne. And it’s the BEST Thai Curry you’ll ever eat. I promise.

Degraves Street: Melbourne is known for their alleyways with hidden restaurants and bars. There are bars that I’ve just given up going to entirely, because I spent 20 minutes looking for the door. *heavy eye roll* But one of the most famous and charming alleys in the city, is Degraves Street. Packed with cafes, bakeries, restaurants, bars, and shops down either side, you could spend hours eating and drinking down the street. But if you’re in the mood for a quick bite-the toasties are only $5 after 3pm and you can get doughnuts that will put you in a 2 day food coma. So if you’re into that sort of thing…
Date Nights:
Pidipipo, Movida, Supernormal, Chin Chin, Rice Paper Scissors, Lume, Bomba, Milk the Cow, City Wine Shop.
Pidipipo: If authentic Italian gelato is your thing then you have to head a few miles out of the city to Carlton and enjoy the best Italian gelato the city has to offer. I say authentic, because the founder of the shop attended Gelato University in Italy — which is actually a thing. In walking distance to plenty of restaurants and across the street from the movie theatre, this is the perfect ending to the perfect date night. There is always a line, BUT there is also always a fountain constantly pouring out Nutella. So… I’d say it’s worth the wait.
Bomba: Right in the heart of the city and with a beautiful rooftop bar, Bomba became one of my favorite dinner spots. Serving up Portuguese style tapas, this is a great place to go on a date or with a group of people. I mean, I had my only two ‘Goodbye Dinners’ here with my girlfriends. It’s a great space, with a great vibe. Also, there’s a really cute bartender behind the bar — if you’re reading this, fate has finally brought us back together like I knew it always would. (Just leave your number in the comment section below)
Late Night:
Gin Palace, Bar Ampere, Loop Roof, Ponyfish Island, Butcher’s Diner 24-Hr Deli, Bar fifty-five.
Gin Palace: Gin Palace was the after-work spot. At first, because they serve food until 3 am — but then we discovered the Chicken Sammies. When I say the best chicken sammy I’ve ever had. I mean the Best. I’ve. Ever. Had. Picture this shredded chicken with mayo gently tucked between the two most perfectly toasted pieces of thinly sliced artisanal bread. Cut into 4 triangles. Laid on a board with lemon and spicy Cajun salt on the side. And, of course, a bottle of tobasco sauce. Simple. Incredible. One night I ate 3, sober.
Butcher’s Diner 24-Hr Deli: The late night bar scene is huge in Melbourne. And if you’re a part of the hospitality industry, you’re used to rushing to the bar just to make last call for drinks — girl, you know that kitchen closed hours ago. I, in fact, worked at a late night restaurant and bar that served alcohol until 2 am and food until 1. So I was always out too late. However, last winter this 24-hour diner opened that was a dream come true. There is a different special every night and they even serve beers all night long.
Brunch:
Archie’s All Day, Degraves Street, Code Black Coffee, Auction Rooms.
Archie’s All Day: The first real brunch place I went to was in Fitzroy, one of the trendiest subarbs in the city. Even if it’s downpouring outside, once you walk through the doors of Archie’s All Day it’ll feel like a bright Sunday morning. Lined with some of the best pastries around, this truly is one of the best brunch spots in Melbourne. Best thing on the menu — their famous Bloody Marys. I’ll take two please.

Auction Rooms: Tucked up in the quaint North Melbourne, Auction Rooms might be one of the most well-known brunch spots in the city. Not only is the food fresh and local, the actual space that holds the restaurant is pretty mesmerizing in itself. Walking through, you can wrap around to the indoor/outdoor patio lush with plants, as if you’re eating in the middle of your own personal garden. It truly is like being at home.
Rain:
National Gallery of Victoria, Botanic Gardens, Markets, Victoria State Library.

National Gallery of Victoria: One of the places I found myself drawn to on my days off, was the National Gallery of Victoria. Even when the sun was out I would walk through the Gallery most days. The exhibits changed seasonally but the energy was always there. Vibrant and buzzing. It was also massive, and easy to get lost, so even though the exhibits weren’t always different, I always found something I hadn’t seen before. It also is home to one of the largest stained glass ceiling in the world.
Victoria State Library: Going to the State Library is almost like attending a social event. The front lawn is always packed with people, students, and tourists. There’s almost always a musician or two setting the mood, it’s a vibe. Upon entering is like an experience all on it’s own. It regal and strong. There are equal amount of people walking around snapping photos as there are typing away on the computers and studying reference books. The architecture is one that designers dream of and the photo ops are never ending.
Shine:
Queen Victoria Market, South Melbourne Market, Botanic Gardens, Shop Fitzroy, Degraves Street, Federation Square, St Kilda Beach, Brighton Beach, Sandringham Beach, Parks, Noodle Market, Arbory, Wine tours, Night Markets.

Queen Victoria Market: Just north of the city lives the famous Queen Victoria Market. Named after Queen Victoria herself, the market is the largest open air market in the Southern Hemisphere. Stalls full of pastries, wine, coffee, chocolate, bread, cheese, cheese, cheese — every girl’s dream. Walk inside and you have fresh seafood and meat — anything you can imagine. The fruit and vegetable stalls go on for days and you can taste anything you’d like. Cross the street from the American Doughnut stand and you’ve got a stage for live music and paella being cooked to order. All the food you could possibly want, and then shops and shops and shops. If you ever needed a souvenir, then you’ve come to the right place. Anything you could possibly need — the Queen Vic’s got you covered.


Botanic Gardens: One of my friends and my favorite thing to do was walk through the Queen Victoria Market, grab everything to make the perfect cheese plate and as many bottles of bubbles we could carry and set up a picnic in the gardens. Even though it was a short walk outside of the city, it was as if you were miles away in the country, somewhere. Quiet and remote. You could get lost for hours and the people watching was prime. They even show films in the garden, under the stars, in the summertime.
Two words: Pure bliss.

