Melbourne Patron

Regular readers of this blog will know I'm a fan of the classic Aussie pub. When it comes to the Napier Hotel (210 Napier Street, corner of Moor Street, Fitzroy), a lot of rave-phrases (hereonin referred to as phraveses -  just cos I can) have been thrown around. Reviewers point out the pub's 'commitment to the old-school Fitzroy vibe', its support of the long-defunct Fitzroy Lions *, and inevitably mention its infamous Bogan Burger - a meal which the pub is no doubt trying to disassociate itself from, at least somewhat (as revealed by the words "Not Just Bogan Burgers!" on the menu section of its website) - possibly due to the gentrification of Fitzroy overall, and the prolific rise of foodies in Melbourne (ahem). And here comes the crunch: Although I like the Napier, I don't love it. I don't mind it. There are better pubs around, in my opinion. Despite this, it is still very popular, raking in a 92% approval rate on Urbanspoon at the time of...

Aside from MONA , two areas of Hobart that people kept recommending were Battery Point and Salamanca . Since we were staying in the CBD within walking distance from both, we were easily able to check them out. On our first night in Hobart (after the exhausting but illustrious start to our trip - and a two-hour nanna nap!), we decided to check out the Shipwright's Arms Hotel in Battery Point, or " Shippies ", as it's known to locals. A traditional-style pub, Shippies is best known for its link to the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race : it has long been a favourite with crew members and spectators alike. Sadly, it was too dark outside and too packed inside for me to get many decent photos. The front bar is very old-school, with a wooden centre bar, brick walls, sporting paraphernalia and TV screens - and, when we entered, it appeared to be men-only. (Had we unwittingly stepped into the nineteenth century?! Should we have worn our bonnets and corsets, and carried em...

Top Paddock ? A new cafe in Richmond? Pfft, I'm not going there. Richmond doesn't have quality cafes that actually last. Plus, Richmond is a huuuuuge suburb. I'm a PT kind-of-a-gal. Tell me EXACTLY where it is, then maybe I'll check it out. What? 658 Church Street, near the river? Just down the road from my work?! No WAYYYYYYY! Okay. I'll probably get there one day. A venue for a belated birthday lunch, with my weekly lunch date? ...Why the hell not!? Geez. That was easy to find. And this place is huge. And schmick. I don't think I've ever seen so much cool designer lighting. Are they recycled crystal vases with lightbulbs inside, casting different geometric patterns on the wall? White coffee machine. White marble benchtop. Bar stools. Long communal table. Small private nooks. Clean. Airy. You have HOW MANY different coffee blends? I'm in love. Okay. What are you having to eat? One steak sandwich, please, ...

Some names in Melbourne's bar scene are thrown around quite a lot. Everyone's heard of Cookie , the Carlton , Gin Palace , Supper Club . Since arriving in Melbourne in 2009, I have heard the name Double Happiness  (21 Liverpool Street, Melbourne) a lot, and thought, 'What a nice name!' (DOUBLE happiness! Man, I reckon most people would be pretty content with SINGLE happiness) - not realising I had actually already been to this tiny, iconic laneway bar. Double Happiness is topped by New Gold Mountain - technically a separate entity, but both bars are so small and so close, one would be forgiven for thinking they were the same bar with a different theme on each level.* They're run by the same crew as Lily Black's - a 'top marks' bar for its location (on Meyers Place ) and its Art Deco stylings - and Mr Wow's Emporium on Smith Street (another place I've heard of a lot but not yet made it to... SAD FACE). Liverpool Street is one of the many la...