It`s hard to believe that in 1 months time I will be departing Melbourne for good. Trying not to think about it and just savour the final 30 days.

They Don`t Call it 'Melbourne Weather' For Nothing

As much as it is summer here in Melbourne the weather continues to fluctuate, between hot and cold and rainy. This weekend was the perfect example of that. 

Friday night, the weather was perfect for a summer drink on the patio. So I headed to the Elsternwick Hotel to enjoy a few beers with Ty and some friends. 

Saturday brought about grey skies and downpours, but that didn`t stop me checking out the mediocrity of the Carneige Christmas Carnival, to try and get more in the Christmas spirit. 

After that I met Amy in the city to take on the Myer Christmas windows (again), some Christmas Starbucks beverages and Christmas shopping at the Queen Vic Market.  For all my Starbucks phenes back home, the Christmas specials are actually frapes here! 

The rain continued into Saturday night, which put a damper on any plans of going out. So movies and Grill`d hamburgers it was instead! 

Sunday the weather looked like it was going to be another dreary day, but ended up turning out miraculously nice. So I took another Sunday stroll around Albert Park and into the city. 

Weekdays in the City

Weekdays in Melbourne are just as (if not more busy) then the weekends.

Wednesday night I met up with another au pair to check out the Myer Christmas windows. The windows resemble those of the ones at the Eaton Centre back home, but really help to get in the Christmas spirit!

Thursday I headed back into the city to run some errands and finish up some christmas shopping at DFO and Melbourne Central. 

My first interesting run in was a protest of nurses who are currently on strike in Victoria. 

Next as I was walking back to the train I saw a bunch of secret service men on the side of the road, so I stopped to have a look and learned that Princess Mary and Prince Fredrick (who are visiting Australia) were coming out of the opera shortly. So I stayed and waited and managed to catch a glimpse!

Another good week in Melbourne! 

Nothing like a Melbourne sunset over the Yarra River.

Christmas in Melbourne

When it`s 30 degrees outside and your walking around in shorts and dresses, it`s hard to get into the Christmas spirit. No first snowfalls, no ice rinks, no jack frost nipping at your nose. So needless to say I hadn`t really got into the Christmas spirit... until today!

It all started seeing my first Christmas tree in Southgate, which I climbed 3 flights of stairs to get a picture of.

My first tree spotting of the year

After that it was off the Myer, which really got me in the Christmas spirit. The store was filled with Christmas decorations and holiday shoppers. And who better to get you in the Christmas spirit then Santa himself!

One of the toy soldiers in Myer 

 The streets are slowly starting to look like Christmas is on the way. Hopefully in the next few days it will begin to feel a little bit more like Christmas!

Time Flys When Your Having Fun

It`s incredible that after 9 months in Melbourne I continue to fall more and more in love with this city everyday.

This weekend was about the old and the new.
On Saturday I ventured back to my old stomping ground, Brighton, to visit my first family the Anson`s. Then it was down to Bay St. to check out the Brighton Bay St. festival, which included a 5 animal petting zoo, a jumping castle and a pony to ride. Clearly I thought this festival was for a different kind of crowd. Saturday night was spent in Brighton checking out the local pub scene including the New Bay Hotel.

Sunday was a day of exploring new parts of Melbourne I hadn`t seen yet.

Mid-day I started off on a long walk from Albert Park, around Albert Park lake, through South Melbourne, along Southbank, to Bourke Street, into China town and then back to Flinders to catch the train home. It was great seeing new parts of Melbourne I hadn`t seen before and came across some nice sights. 

The view of the city from Albert Park. 

The black swans famous in Albert Park Lake. 

The Australian National Academy of Music Building in South Melbourne.  

Enjoying the South Melbourne Market on a beautiful Sunday. 

It`s never a bad time for a trip to the Crown. 

South Wharf 

New views of the same buildings everyday, can`t go wrong! 

Can I just reiterate... 

I

Melbourne 

Coming and Going

The thing with au pairs is that they are always coming and going. Just when you make a good friend, they are off to somewhere else. This weekend was my friend Jess`s final weekend in Melbourne before she goes off travelling Australia, so we were determined to go out with a blast.

Friday night we took on some adventures in St.Kilda. Sometimes the walk to the bar is just as fun as the bar itself.

The famous M at Metropol

Penguin spotting on St Kilda pier 

Enjoying some time on the child`s bike we found. 

Boot in the sand?  

After having a ton of fun on the walk me made finally made it to 'The Vineyard'.

Rockin` Ronnie. 

Great night with great people! 

After spending the day Saturday at the beach, Jess and I headed to the Crown Casino Entertainment Complex to take on some arcade games and bowling, which was a blast! 

Never to old for arcade games

Sunday I started some Christmas shopping in St Kilda at the Sunday Esplanade Market and on Ackland Street. 

The St Kilda Sunday Market, featuring stalls of all varieties from photography to jewellery. 

One of the fun sculptures on Acland St.

After spending the morning in St Kilda, the weather didn`t want to cooperate with us. So we headed into the city to get a birds eye view of Melbourne from the top of the tallest building in the city, the Eureka Tower. The tower is 975 feet tall, and ranks the 6th tallest residential building in the world. It offered fabulous views of the city and really allowed me to take in all this wonderful city is given to me and all that I have seen. 

Taking in the city  

Looking out to Albert Park Lake and the Eastern Suburbs. 

Melbournes sporting complex including my favorite MCG. 

Ending off a fabulous weekend! 

To finish off a wonderful weekend Andrew and I went to one of my favorite restaurants in the city, Banff, where they serve the most delicious fire oven pizzas.

Then we finished it off with a walk along St Kilda esplanade and some Trampoline gelato! 

Another fabulous weekend in Melbourne! <3 

Aussie Christmas is coming