Every Day is Sunday

A few years ago we spent two glorious weeks in Australia for our honeymoon.  We toured Sydney, the Whitsundays, Cape Tribulation and everything in between.  It was a perfect trip that couldn’t be replicated, so we decided not to try.  Instead of re-visiting Queensland, we set out to create new perfect memories in Victoria.

Sydney may have the opera house, a beautiful harbor, and great beaches, but Melbourne has the style, charm, grit, and flair that makes this vibrant city one of our favorites of the trip.

We spent our first afternoon wandering the arcades and back-alleys that weave a maze through the Melbourne.  These arcades don’t have video games – they are narrow lanes full of al fresco eateries, boutique shops, and bars.  All this activity is squeezed into the small alleys of Melbourne to create a charming and intimate atmosphere.

Melbourne is like New York City in that it is a magnet for Australian artists and art lovers.  We skipped the high-priced galleries and instead took in the street art.  Graffiti is an accepted form of self-expression in Melbourne, and it’s legal and encouraged to paint the walls of designated alleyways and side-streets.   

The best part about returning to a developed county is the music.  Although we acquired a certain fondness for the folk music we heard all over Africa, India and Southeast Asia, it was nice to hear guitar chords and English lyrics.

In search of live music we went to Brunswick Street, which is known for its cafes, music venues and alternative clothing shops.  We stopped into a bar to check-out a honky-tonk act that sounded good from the street. 

The music was pretty good, but what really blew our minds were the fashionistas in the audience.  Retro fashion that has gripped Melbourne.  The bar was full of heavily tattooed ladies in vintage clothing and sporting 1950s-era hairdos.

We were lucky enough to be in Melbourne for the last night of the city’s International Arts Festival.  We stopped by a unique visual arts exhibit before making our way to The Forum for some live music.  The opening band had the entire venue on their feet.

Clairy Baby Browne and the Bangin’ Rockettes produced an amazing sound with one lead singer, three doo-wop girls, and an eight-piece soul band.  It was awesome.  We stayed for the headliner – a Brazilian garage band from Sao Paolo – that unfortunately couldn’t match the energy of their opening act.

Of all the bands we saw in Melbourne, the most fun was the 80s tribute band we saw on Halloween. 

It turns out that the Australians don’t celebrate Halloween with the same gusto as Americans (maybe because its springtime and everybody is too happy to be spooked), but we did our research and found out that the party that night was at “The Spot.”

We didn’t have proper costumes, but luckily our $10 cover charge included a free face paint.  We asked the artist to paint something bloody and scary, but instead she painted something that almost broke the cheeze-o-meter.

Melbourne is not just full of vintage shops and gritty artists, it is also a charming and beautiful city.  We arrived just in time for spring, and the Melbourne gardens are spectacular in full bloom.

Love was definitely in the air because every time we turned around we saw a blushing bride.  In just two days we counted 14 bridal parties!