A Food Pilgrim's Trip to Melbourne

This post is a part of the Indiblogger 'It's your time to visit Melbourne NOW!' contest conducted in association with Tourism Victoria. Here I am blogging about the experiences I would like to bring back from Melbourne.

Think Melbourne and my mind conjures up pictures of food food and more food! Delicious, mind numbing and awe inspiring kind. I'm the kind of person who will transverse scorching desserts and wade through oceans in search of the rarest and most exquisite delicacies. In the foodie paradise called Melbourne, I wouldn't have to travel a lot for that perfect latte or a sensational Potted Pork. Every nook and cranny of Melbourne is brimming with amazing restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars. Melbourne is also a place where some of the greatest culinary experts and my food heroes cook to their heart's content.What wouldn't I give to step into George's (Chef George Calombaris) chic restaurant,'The Press Club' and taste his Granny's Baklava, to wander into the iconic Shannon Bennett's 'Vue de Monde' restaurant and savour art on plate or Gary Mehigan's 'Fenix and Maribyrong Boathouse'.

So with food on my mind, I would like to explore the streets of Melbourne. Some of my stops en route will be:


Street Art
 
Melbourne's streets reek with their passion for art. For an artist in Melbourne, their canvass is as
big as our neighborhood wall!!Known as one of the world's greatest street art capitals, the streets of Melbourne is lit in color by vibrant stencils, paste-ups and murals. Artists create their colorful masterpieces in approved outdoor locations throughout the city. The colorful and vibrant artistic splendor provides an urban touch which is a stark contrast to the overall chick and cosmopolitan look of the city. This very same fact, makes it hop to the top of my list.

Indian touch to Melbourne Street

Food + Architecture = Melbourne Arcades and Laneways

I have already established myself as a foodie but a lesser known passion of mine is architecture. Melbourne has ways to satiate my hunger for food and architecture. Each arcade and laneway of Melbourne has a personality and charm of its own. From Block Arcade’s Italian interior splendour to Melbourne’s oldest trading Royal Arcade, these historical icons will be a feast to any admirer of architecture. Every street here is like an unexplored territory. Walking through the lanes, we might stumble upon small, interesting shops with some amazing products! You can always find the perfect coffee or snack in the many cafes and eateries around. Munching on a freshly baked cookie, you can sit and enjoy the beauty of the laneways winding their way through the heart of this city!

A Melbourne lane

Eureka Skydeck 88

If you are looking for an out of the world experience, like me, you will appreciate this one. Eureka Skydeck 88 is the highest viewing platform in Southern Hemisphere.The switchable glass cube enclosing you will slide out from level 88 of Eureka Tower, giving you a terrific view of Melbourne. Now that's what I call, a room with a view!

Eureka Skydeck 88

State Library of Victoria

I have a thing for libraries. I just love looking at rows and rows of books. State Library of Victoria is not just another library. It is a Melbourne city landmark and cultural icon, a magnificent 19th-century building with some of the city’s most beautiful heritage interiors. It has an octagonal La Trobe Reading Room designed to hold over a million books and up to 500 readers. Its majestic domed ceiling, is an architectural delight. Yes, and it does have rows and rows of books amounting to over two million books, thousands of pictures, newspapers, maps, manuscripts, masses of audio, video and digital material –all reflecting the culture of Victoria over the past 150 years. The icing on the cake is the free exhibitions.

State Library of Victoria

Greek precinct 

So, I took a flight to Melbourne, but what if I landed in Greece instead? That is the feel that is promised when we step into Melbourne's Greek precinct!This is the perfect place for all my Grecian food fantasies. Lined with an array of restaurants and cafes the Lonsdale Street is a perfect destination for all the foodies. Among the innumerable Greek restaurants of the region, Stalactites restaurant is an essential stop for all. Winner of the Dine Out Award and Australian Achiever Awards for best Greek Restaurant,Stalactites's delicious menu includes mouth-watering dishes such as the famous Stalactites giros souvlaki, home made fresh dips, tasty grilled meats and rustic home style dishes from the Peloponnese region of Greece. And the latest Greek music is free with every meal! What more could one ask for!

Food at Stalactites

WineYards

This is yet another place I'm dieing to visit. Yarra Valley is famous for their wineries which produce some of the country's best cool-climate variety of wine. To enjoy the scenic beauty of the valley and sip a nice glass of wine while brewers explain the story of the exquisite drink is going to be a an amazing experience. Cellar wine tasting is offered in many of the wineries and you can dine on local produce at winery restaurants.I'm so looking forward to this one!

Interior of a winery

Queen Victoria Market

How will my trip be complete without shopping! Queen Victoria market is the right place to shop till you drop! Spread over 7 acres, this open air market has everything. Clothes, shoes, accessories, tiny curios to take back home and the most amazing food market! Melbournians always try to make use of local produce in their food.The shops reflect this attitude and are stocked with all sorts of fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood and some special delicacies. The market is famous for its special jam donuts sold in doughnut van. I would love to visit the food session and walk through aisles and aisles of fresh produce, feasting my eyes and tastebuds!

Farm fresh delicacies from Queen Victoria market

Hot air Balloon Ride  

No surprises there! Everyone visiting Melbourne will definitely find time for this one. Floating high above with the clouds, looking down at the beautiful Yarra valley and watching the sunrise.. I am already feeling all warm and fuzzy!! MUST SEE!! MUST SEE!!!

Balloon Ride at Sunrise

Great Ocean Road

Its time to soak in the natural beauty of Melbourne. Great Ocean Road is one of the world's most scenic roads which winds through the coast of Melbourne.The famous 12 Apostles, which is a huge rock stack formation rising from the Southern Ocean, is along this stretch. The beautiful beaches of the region brimms with a variety of recreational sports like fishing ,diving and surfing. But I have my eyes on the excellent restaurants and heritage hotels of the coastal region. There is nothing like fresh seafood. Combine it with a beautiful beach and warm and friendly people and there you have a magical concotion!
For all those Pirates of the Caribbean fans (like me), there is a real Shipwreck coast here! ;)

12 Apostles

Seafood Market

Melbourne Cricket Ground

My friends and family will be terribly dissapointed if I'm in Melbourne and don't visit the hallowed ground of MCG! How many times have we watched with bated breathe as Indian Cricket team took on Aussies at MCG! This stadium has witnessed the tears and victory dances of millions of Indians. I would like to pay homage to Indian Cricket by stepping into MCG and taking a few pics to show off back at home! :D

Melbourne Cricket Ground

And yes, I almost forgot to mention, I'll be skipping through the Melbourne attractions on a TRAM!! Wuhooo.. Isn't that awesome?? :D I'm all ready with my camera and backpack for a customized Melbourne experience and it's your time to visit Melbourne NOW!

There are umpteen places to visit in Melbourne and hand picking a few is a huge task.. To help you plan your very own Melbourne experience, visit www.visitmelbourne.com/in.


Image Courtesy :
http://whatkatieate.blogspot.in/2011/08/melbourne-report-and-a-little-hiatus.html
http://choieevon.blogspot.in/2010/12/hello-from-melbourne.html
Google Images

Fun in the Sun!!

"California girls, we are unforgettable
Daisy dukes, bikinis on top
Sun-kissed skin, so hot
We'll melt your popsicle"

Katy Perry's voice blared from the stereo system as we sped through NH17. Kyra was singing along drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. As usual Kyra looked great, in her mint green knee length strappy dress. I really envied her. How could she wear such clothes in summer and not worry about the sun? I looked down at my long sleeved shirt and long pants and wondered. Monica was slumped at the back seat, her head resting on a cushion and slighty bobbing to the rythm of the song.Her baggy jeans and tank top looked a bit oversize but that was her way of beating the heat. I looked at the map on my lap for one last time and folded it up. "We are on the right path, we should reach Goa in around two hours!" I declared. "Yeyy.. we are gonna have so much fun! The sun, the beach, the boys..wuhoo..here we come Goa" Kyra cooed excitedly. "Brrr.. don't remind me about the sun. I hate the sun. I don't know why I decided to come with you guys to Goa in this sweltering summer", Monica grunted." Come on Mon, I promise, you are gonna love it!" Kyra winked at me. "Ky, even I'm not comfortable with the 'sun' part! I wouldn't wanna have fun at the expense of getting a tan", I said. " Come on you two, don't be such spoil sports. Haven't you heard anything about using sunscreen?". " Oh yea, but sunscreens don't seem to work on my skin. I get tan even after applying them", Monica said. " I agree with Mon, even my sunscreen isn't really effective. It has this greasy texture and it is so heavy that it makes me look like a doll."I supported her. " Yea, exactly. Some of the sunscreens have this shine and after I apply them, I start looking like Edward Cullen in sunlight. All shiny shiny." Monica complained. We couldn't help smiling at her comment. "Choosing a good sunscreen is as important as using them. You have to consider a few factors while choosing one", Kyra said.

1) Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 

    Its the measure of effectiveness of a sunscreen against UV B rays of sun that cause sun burns and tan. The more the spf, the better the sunscreen. Indian skin requires an spf of 30 or above for effective protection.

2) PA

  It is the measure of effectiveness of sunscreen against the dangerous UV A rays that cause skin aging and cancer. Depending on the effectiveness, they are graded as PA, PA+, PA++,PA+++. The latter being the best. A sunscreen which provides protection against UVA and UVB rays is called a broad spectrum sunscreen. 

" Its also important to choose a sunscreen which suits your skin type and then applying them liberally on your skin about 20 minutes before going out in the sun. You also have to make sure that you reapply it after every two hours. " Kyra concluded. "Pheww.. it looks like a huge task selecting the right sunscreen." I exclaimed. "Nope. It’s not. I'll tell you the easiest way to choose the right sunscreen- use Lakme Sun Expert! It is a broad spectrum sunscreen with non greasy, non shiny formula that is light and easy to apply. Try it on and you are gonna enjoy summer like never before!!" 

Lakme Sun Expert Range

Kyra was right. Lakme Sun expert changed our summer vacation to one long party in the sun. Now we could wear breezy, short dresses without second thoughts. We played around in the beach chasing each other, building sand castles and playing volleyball with hot foreigners ;) We swam in the sea for hours and bathed in the sun. Speed boat rides, jet skiing and endless hours of shopping in the chic Goan shops added to the fun. After every few hours, we would relax with a nice cold drink from the beach stands. We rented bicycles and drove them around the city, the breeze blowing our hair and sun kissing our skin. We drove to beautiful Goan churches and different beaches. At night, we would attend the night parties on the beach, dancing all night and having fun. The Goan food was mouth watering and the people bright and warm like their beaches. We laughed and played around meeting new people and having fun.The beaches even inspired me to start writing poetry, something I had long forgotten I could do. I jotted down a few lines and here it is
 

Out on the sunny beach

Amidst the playful crowd

Watching the waves kissing the shore

I lay down and watched the world.

Sea is blue, the sand pearly white

Sun is bright and is staring down

Swimming and splashing people are playing

A few are building castles on the shore

Tiny tots holding their parent’s hand

Chasing the waves lapping at their feet

The waves are big and surfers few

All around, people are laughing and having fun

Camera clicks and funny poses

Flying hair and the salty air

Bright bikinis and naked torsos

Cool cocktails and beach chairs

World is happy and sun is bright

Its fun in the sun, it’s the beach time!

 We left with the promise that we would be back next summer. Monica got a brand new tattoo on her hand in the memory of our summer fun - A shining sun! " I've changed my mind, I love the sun" Mon screamed as she brandished her new tattoo. We left the beaches with our skin beautiful and supple, the way it was. Thank you Lakme and thanks Kyra for the fabulous summer!! :)

( This article is written as a part of Lakme Diva blogger contest. For more details log on to http://www.facebook.com/ilovelakme  )