Hotel Ibis – Little Bourke St, Melbourne

Now to share with you my little accommodation bargain – $65 per night, booked just at the right time – Hotel Ibis, Little Bourke St.

Comfy beds!

I understand the rack rate to be closer to $120 – I probably wouldn’t have paid that online having not seen it before, but it worked out well for the $65 (I never pay full price for my hotels!) but this little twin room suited us for our stay. And it was walking distance (past the strip clubs of King Street!) to the Crown conference venue/casino.
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Nashi Cafe, Melbourne

Since returning home, I’ve learned that Nashi is a small chain of cafes/sandwich bars in Melbourne, with the cute green colour of the Nashi fruit.
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Blanc Cafe – King St, Melbourne

Fruit Salad, $5.50

While I’m on breakfasts, I had to eat something for brekkies while in Melbourne this week – and fortunately we stumbled across Blanc Cafe on King Street on the way to the conference venue.

I like the collectible teaspoons!

Melbourne, you really do know how to make coffee, don’t you? I don’t think i can have Canberra coffee for awhile now! Spoilt!

(Their raisin toast was also awesome!)

Chocolate Buddha, Federation Square

One advantage of going to meetings interstate has to be trying the different restaurants they take us out to!

Fed Square was packed on Friday night for the men’s semi-final for the tennis.

The year we were booked into Chocolate Buddha in Federation Square Melbourne. They technically don’t do a banquet, but the very attentive waitress organised one for us. She was also vey good at paying attention to those with food allergies and intolerances – including among the group MSG, peanuts and dairy.

The stated us off with the beans, which we munched away on. So much green!
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Soy Gelato on Lygon

I was a very happy girl when I found soy based gelato on Lygon Street. I think I had coffee and hazelnut flavours. Nice to have them without then getting an upset stomach in return!

It had a slight different feeling on my teeth, but it’s easy to get through that because of the flavour!

Casa Del Gelato 163 Lygon St, Carlton Victoria.

My Distraction: The Great Ocean Road

As I head into a weekend of writing my final essay for my Managing Complex Behaviour subject for this semester, I have a little light to look forward to – hitting Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road for a week at the end of it all.

The car has been hired, but still planning what to do and where to go in Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road in the time….

Any suggestions, my dear stalkers?

The dangers of Trams

So, I survived, and generally enjoyed, four days in Melbourne. Despite 45 degree heat (in which I crazily walked to meet Nadine for lunch! I caught the tram back for free)…

I injured my toe, tripped on a tram… as only I would do. It goes with the one that’s still giving me trauble on the other foot that I hurt when we were moving in at the start of November

Melbourne does, however, give our more freebies than Canberra:

Admittedly, the Red Bull was chilled and I got it Monday, when it was a cool rainy day (yes, I got rained on in St Kilda) and the Vitamin water was warmish, and I got it on the 45 degree Friday. It made my teeth feel funny *cleans teeth furiously* but would have been better chilled.

I also got a free clip on Koala at Chinese New Year celebrations. And an Ox tattoo. Hot.

Much more eating and shopping was done. And I’d do it all again. Except maybe without spending Saturday in a meeting. Though, they paid for my flights (wine on the way home!) … and fed me a fair bit too. And gave me a pen. It’s worth it :p

(the rest of the photos are here)

Five days a week

So this is one of those weeks this term (rare I know!) that I have to work the whole five days, and I don’t have one or more taken up by public holidays, PD events, or galavanting up and down the east coast. I can do it! :)

Weekend recap – Flew down to Melbourne on Friday morning – somehow the flight got in 20 mintues early. No small feat for a 65 minute flight ;) I learned later that day that the scanners don’t seem to pick up tweezers in your carry-on: I was only going overnight so had my mini pink suitcase… when asked if I had anything sharp, weezers being an example, I said “nah don’t think so” and scanned through no troubles. That night of course, what do I find at the bottom of my toiletries bag? (aside from the PO box key I’m missplaced?) Tweezers. Oh well, they came in handy, and no, I didn’t bother checking the bag in on the way back and they went though no worries (unlike the two pairs of scissors one girl was carrying *heh*)

Spent the day shopping – came out with three summer dresses on sale… At least it was cool enough to contmplate winter boots… maybe next time :)

The meetings – I came out a combination of inspied and overwhelmed at how little our little branch can and has done :p Oh well. Talking today, just have to roll with it :)

Right now I have chicken in the oven to go with some fettucini I think when Rish gets home… Still hot and sweaty from a netball game that we lost, but wasn’t too bad…