Melbourne Easter Break.

 Over Easter break I treat myself to a 4 nights trip to Melbourne.  Somewhere close yet a good place to get away from all that working I've been doing.

I didn't shop as crazy as I normally would, but I didn't really find much I like and I spent more money stocking up my professional kit than on myself.  Anyway a friend and I who is also called "Mandy", my partner in crime when it comes to shopping and eating, flew off on Good Friday night and arrived super early on Saturday morning (Melbourne is 3 hours faster than Perth).  Being super early we had to wait to check in so we dumped our bags and walked around in the dark early morning.  I know crazy.  Nothing was even opened but we were looking around and familiarizing ourselves with the streets so we knew how to find places easier.

First stop on the first day... met up with my highschool friend who had just moved over at the beginning of March and ate breakfast at one of Melbourne's top cafe and still number one on Urbanspoon.  It was delicious!  I had baked eggs with Chorizo and it was so good I ate the whole thing.  People line up for ages sometimes just waiting for a table, but being super early we got there as soon as it opened.

Menu at Hardware Societe

Melbourne are full of these alleyways that have cute little great places to eat cafes on them.

No coffee for me on the first day.  Just some nice warm hot green tea.  It was cold compared to Perth.

Baked eggs with Chorizo!  Oh so delicious I actually miss it!

Here are some other tourist-y and shopping photos....

Felt girly on the second day.  How RARE to see me in a dress!  

Came home t hat day with the most childish thing ever.  Big Ear Muffs!  They cost me $2.80 at Daiso.

China town was really just a road/street full of chinese/malaysia/other asian restaurant and cafe.  No shops, so a bit of a disappointment.

Love alleyways like this full of cafes and food.

Wanted to be like a Tourist.  So I took a photo of the famous Flinders Street Train Station.

Federation Square was right next to the Flinders Street Train Station

Cannot remember the name of this church....

There were a couple of these Vintage/old styled looking shopping laneways.

A part of Melbourne City at night.

Crown hotel and Casino.

I am so bad with names.  This was at Federation Square and I have forgotten the name of the restaurant.

Mango Pash Mocktail at Crown Casino. So Yummy!

Tea again for an early morning breakfast as another popular cafe.  While waiting for food I was checking email and booking in work :( I know, how sad that I still had to do work related stuff while on vacation.

Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese on Bagel with Capers and Salad.

People were waiting in this alleyway for table.  I know it doesn't look like much and we had trouble finding it, this place is very casual and worth going to.
Manchester Press Cafe

The only Yum Cha/ Dim Sum we had.  it was ok, nothing really special and to be honest I actually think good ol' Perth does better.

Passionflower!  Time for dessert 

There was so much to choose from and this was just before dinner so I had to save room for some yummy Italian later .

Taro, Black Sesame, and Green tea Ice Cream.

Shopping that day.  Only the black bag on the left side isn't mine....

Dinner at Costerino on Lygon Street.
Craved Ravioli and loved their Pumpkin Ravioli.  It was so good and filling that I had trouble walking afterward.

Horrible picture of my dinner with Uni friend Kim and her Husband Euhin.  This is supposed to be Pork Belly :(  I just see a black lump.

Happy Lab - Jelly beans in tubes with a free rack. So cute I couldn't resist.

Bao anyone?

Bao Now.  Average but different since we don't get these sort of shops in Perth.

Went broke stocking up on some MAC Face and Body Foundation, Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation, Inglot Listick pan, Ben Nye Cheek Wheel and a big tub of Ben Nye neutral set Powder.

Was determined to buy myself another amazeball kicks.  Last time was when I was in Hong Kong, but because there is Hype DC in Melbourne I just had to.

 I actually bought 3 pairs of ballet flats and not just this one pair of kicks. However these were what got me more excited than ever!  It felt so good to wear them too.

LOVE!! LOVE!! LOVE!!

Of course I had to wear them the very next day.
Casual, chick? and a bit girly?
My style is so messed up.

The last thing we did in Melbourne before we left was a nice relaxing Tramcar lunch and Tour.  It was lovely and even though we were pretty much the only "younger" generations there we didn't mind.  Our waiter and Chef was very friendly and the waiter had a great sense of humour.

It was a busy day, there was actually 3 tramcars!

Got on the last tramcar

Appetizers: Roast Capsicum dip and Chicken Liver Pate with Crackers

Chose Seared Kangaroo for my Entree

Steak for Mains ;)

To finish off while on our way back to the departure point with finished off with cheese and crackers.

 They also served, champagne, red wine, white wine and liqueur to finish.  Had a nice little shot of Bailey's with ice.

Awesome coffee place with no shop sign, but loved their coffee.

There were so many pictures I didn't take and I could go on and on with taking photos of my shopping... but I'm too lazy and I'm sure there is already plenty shared here.

Hopefully I'll be posting soon!