I'm with Muriel

 

I caught some of Muriel's Wedding on telly the other night, and then found out that the film came out almost twenty years ago, Eek! I can't believe it. I'm going to mull this news over while viewing this awesome scene again and again.

Milkbar

I love the look of this colourful new book Milkbar: A Photographic Archive Vol 1, by designer and creative all rounder Eamon Donnelly. This type of corner shop is called a dairy in New Zealand, but if you move to Australia and tell people you're just popping out to the dairy then you'll get some funny looks.

These photos are all come via Eamon Donnelly's new website The Island Continent, where I have just spent a ridiculous amount of time. It's quite something.

Tropical Times

I took a welcome break from Wintery Melbourne by jetting up to Australia's 'Tropical Far North'. The first stop was Cairns, where we roamed around Rusty's Market, one of the best fruit and vege markets I've ever seen. I wish I could shop here every week, I'd be whipping up tropical delights like nobody's business.

Sugar cane juice - I've tried this once before and it is an absolute taste sensation.

These are from the Skyrail cableway to Kurunda village.

These crazy trees were everywhere in Kurunda. Google informs me they are called Curtain Fig Trees.

This was on the beach at Port Douglas and looks like it is spelling my name, but it actually said 'Happy Birthday Grandma'.

There were some pretty good markets in Port Douglas too.

This dog was so lovely. I said hello to him and received a gentlemanly snuffle to my hand.

The Daintree rainforest was amazing, we spent a whole day up there.

This a Tawny Frogmouth, who greeted us as we went to a crocodile farm.

Here we made friends with lots of crocs! Not really, but it was fun.

Weekend in Sydney

I went up to Sydney last weekend and had the best time! You hear a lot of Melbourne vs Sydney banter round these parts, and even though my heart belongs to Melbourne, I always have fun in Sydney. Even when it rains the whole time!

Messina Gelato in Sydney make the most amazing gelato, I'm obsessed with it. It's probably just as well I haven't found gelato this good in Melbourne, as it would be disastrous for my waistline.

Not Quite Golden

Finally! Some pictures from my short trip to the Gold Coast. I saw lots of high rises and walked along the beach, and it was warm enough to do all this while wearing a t.shirt - no huge heavy coat and scarf! Then I came back to Melbourne and fell ill with a terrible nasty flu. Hence the long time between posts…

Also last week I met the lovely Kate from the best ever blog Lovelorn Unicorn. She was just as lovely and charming in person as any reader of her wonderful blog would expect. I am just sorry that I may have passed on some of my nasty flu germs to her, rather bad form indeed.