Quick stats for this week:
- 40.3 mi / 64.8 km walked (it was cooler this week, so a lot better for walking)
- 3 kombuchas drank (non-homemade. Not that hipster yet)
- 1 live concert attended
- 2 dead jellyfish seen (on the beach)
- 2 movies watched
- 0 books read (65% thru Aurora, but hey I had visitors!)
Friends were in town! Only two weeks in and already showing folks around town! I only know a teeny bit more than they do but it’ll have to do! My friend Melissa was in town for a wedding so we explored Queen Vic Market and the famous graffitied Hosier alley.
Melissa and I at the Queen Vic Market 
I think that’s supposed to be Lily Allen on the wall?
It also happened to be the St Kilda Festival, so caught a live Regurgitator concert! I remember listening to them back in the early 2000s when I was here. They’re a local indie/punk band that are all grown up now with kids so they’ve put out a childrens album! It was lots of fun to see adults with their kids rocking out.
Sebi assured us the ferris wheel wasn’t too high up. Felt high up. 
Loved seeing the kids and families rock out!
Some kind soul gave us some ride tickets so we got to go on the ferris wheel! It’s always higher than it looks from the ground, and it was nice to see the beach and fairgrounds from up there.
Anthony was in town too so we got to explore Melbourne and I got to share all my fav carb spots with him. Coffee, carbs and we went to the beach! The Brighton beach boxes were a short 30 min bus ride away. It’s a teeny strip of beach with 80ish boxes lining the shore. Each is pretty small, without power or water, but they’re so iconic and rarely on the market as they’re passed down generationally, that these days one went for a whopping A$337,000! These are 6x4m boxes! They are awful cute, but that’s some Bay Area real estate pricing for you. I left the Bay to not pay those prices!
Fell in LOVE with this wallpaper. It’s all carbs! 
Fancy pants pet store with lots of kangaroo meat items. 
More croissants at Lune. Lemon curd was divine. 
I tried to ask if I could cover my apartment in this wallpaper. They said no.
Oh other critical thing: I have a place! OH YES. So I only just got my bed, so I’ve been sofa sleeping for a few days, using my raincoat as a blanket (it’s the biggest thing I brought with me). Glamorous, I know. But now, now there’s a real bed for me to sleep on! And a fridge so I can go buy groceries. It’s a whole different world.
The drivers license process is shockingly easy (no physical test and they just check that I have a current US one). Considering it’s a right-hand drive, I’d kind of expect a driving test, but I’m glad I didn’t have to do it. I still don’t plan on driving any time soon, but having a local form of ID is helpful. I’ve got two library cards now (they do them by suburb… oddly enough). A local bank account is next up on the docket. Well, I should get internet soon too. That’s kind of important I guess.
Went to a superb exhibit at the National Gallery of Victoria this week too! The perfect thing to do on Valentine’s Day. Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds was so so excellent. Creative designs, interactive displays and so many fun, mind-bendy exhibits that perfectly matches the source material. We had fun running around in the Nendo houses and I especially loved seeing Escher’s studies before his final prints were made. So cool seeing a bit into the mind of a creative genius. Didn’t have time to see the rest of the permanent collection, so I’ll be back for that soon!
I have this print! It’s been on my wall since college. 
MCE self portait 
They deck the cafe to match the exhibit. 
Loved this eye piece. Creepy. 
Chess sketches. So skilled! 
Nendo houses were so fun and interactive. 
Art pieces were strewn about in the houses. 
Danny and Norm in the vanishing hallway. 
Tons of teeny houses and a big house! 
Escher’s final piece. That man WAS a printmaker.
We also hit up the local bouldering gym (first bouldering-only gym in Australia!). It was pretty compact but plenty hard enough. Gotta dust off those muscles but I’m thankfully not that sore. It’s Ladies Night on Mondays so I’ll be back for sure. 🙂
Ute of the week (with extra graffiti background):
Also, other fun things I’ve seen around town:
- I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen a lady crosswalk signal!
- similar to handicapped parking, they have pram parking for parents with prams/strollers. It’s so thoughtful!
- bus stops face inward from the street. Haven’t figured out why yet… safety? But it does make the bench more useful and welcome to sit, even if I’m not waiting for the bus.
I’ll show pics of my place next time, once I get a chance to fully unpack it and all!
Miss you all!!
What Em's Eating Now 
Congrats on being one step closer to owning your own Ute! 😉
And having a real bed now!
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Haha you’re so right. I’m probably gonna buy a Ute eventually. 🙂 A real bed is a godsend too. Next up: getting internet!
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