Melbourne Patron

As you may have gathered, I tend to stay northside in Melbourne. This is due to several factors: I'm very lazy. The coffee northside is waaay closer to my house, and I can't operate until I've been caffeinated. I don't have a car and who can be arsed PT-ing when you don't really have to?! There is a BUCKETLOAD of Awesome on the north side, and  I came to Melbourne from Sydney for a different vibe - why would I visit the side of Melbourne that is most like Sydney?! (On a side note, I find it quite hilarious how there's a north/southside divide in Melbourne, much like in Sydney... Waterways, eh? They could cause wars!)  HOWEVER, on the very odd occasion, I venture out of my comfort zone to other suburbs (hey, sometimes even other CITIES! I know, right) and whilst there, I try to milk said unknown area for its best coffee/food/venues available. Recently, I spent a night in St Kilda prior to a weekend day trip, which meant that early one Saturday morn, I w...

It has long been my belief that everybody should be granted a holiday on their birthday. (Sadly, this is yet to pass as national law.) Likewise, if you are single on Valentine's Day, you should go out - if you're a girl, with the girls; if you're a boy, on a boy's night. Things are much more fun that way, and you still get to partake in the specials and menus designed by bars and restaurants specifically for the day. And so it was, that on a glow-inducing, ultra-steamy Valentine's Day in 2013, a poss é  of nine fabulous Melbourne gals rocked up to Casa Ciuccio (15 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy) for cocktails and a sumptuous feast in celebration of our awesomeness. Casa Ciuccio (meaning 'donkey house') is a sibling of the lovely Bar Lourinhã  on Lt Collins Street - one of my first forays into Melbourne's laneway dining scene and also into Mediterranean, tapas-style share food. Ciuccio opened quietly in early 2012 to a positive reception, particularly by n...

WARNING:  I'm going to rave a bit in this one, so if it makes you want to vomit or roll your eyes, stop reading now. Things I Love About The Union Club Hotel  (164 Gore Street, Fitzroy): It's a classic Aussie, red-brick corner pub that hasn't been overly updated and yet doesn't feel in the slightest old-fashioned.  ...except for the occasional stained glass window. It's located somewhere in between Smith, Brunswick and Gertrude Streets, so not every man and his dog goes there, therefore making it overcrowded or uber-hipster-wanky.  There's a pool table. [Side note: I learnt to play pool on my grandparents' pool table whenever we visited them in Queensland, so pool tables give me a nostalgic, warm fuzzy feeling. Can anyone recommend other great pool-playing places in Melbourne?]   Main bar There are heaps of sections to choose from: a main bar area complete with fireplace, tables, armchairs and the pool table; dining room;...