Merry Christmas from Melbourne

Far from snowy Toronto where families spent the holiday's sipping on hot chocolate and bundled up in knits and wool, Christmas came to Melbourne and we celebrated in typical Aussie fashion: with beers on the beach in 38 degree heat.

For me, this Christmas included two firsts: my first away from home, and my first in a warm climate! As Melbourne enjoyed the hottest Christmas day in 18 years, my cool Canadian heart was required to trade in my boots for flip flops and my cozy sweaters in favour of a bikini. During the days and weeks leading up to the 25th there were times when I struggled to get into the holiday spirit. Without the chilly temps and festive snow, it felt like we were far away from the usual Christmas feeling. But, having my parents and brother here for a visit helped to get me into a more festive mood.

Christmas eve was spent with family and friends, playing board games, watching movies, and trading laughs over beers and spirits as we gathered together at a friend's apartment and cheered when midnight came. Although my parents had to fly out on Christmas day (and landed home on Christmas Day, too) I'm glad they got to experience the unique traditions associated with Christmas down under.

Christmas morning was for sleeping in, before sharing brunch and trading gifts among friends. My brother and his girlfriend Sara were still in Melbourne, which helped make the day feel more special. By the time 3 'o clock rolled around, we roused ourselves from our relaxing mimosa-induced slumber and headed to the beach!

St. Kilda Beach was overrun with travelers, backpackers, and families, who soaked up the sun in earnest and enjoyed each others collective company in the afternoon heat. It was too hot to suntan, so our group sat, swam and floated in the shallows with beer in hand until the sun finally set over Port Phillip Bay, ushering in a much needed relief from the heat.

Suntanned, salty, and covered in sunscreen (SPF 50 - don't worry Mom!) we all retreated home briefly to shower, before continuing our Christmas celebration at our favourite pub into the early hours of the morning.

In the end, Christmas came and went without a drop of snow or reindeer in sight. All in our group of travelers agreed that although we were happy to celebrate the holiday, the big day didn't quite feel the same. Having said that, it was without a doubt the most fun Christmas I've ever had, and I will look back fondly on this years celebration with a smile for many years to come.

The Christmas Eve late-night crew (aka a photo that had us in fits of giggles all night long)

Mom's homemade cinnamon rolls greeted us on Christmas morning!

Christmas morning feast

Everyone wore their Christmas crowns over brunch

Ready to picnic at the beach!

St. Kilda beach was the place to be on Christmas day

Cooling off in Port Phillip Bay

Christmas vibes

Peter giving Sara a taste

Conor taking Derek for a ride

Sunset over Port Phillip Bay

Drying off in the late afternoon sun

Group shot - cheers to Christmas 2016

Meet Me Where the Sky Touches the Sea

When I left Toronto on the first of August with a one-way ticket to Heathrow (and then onward to Singapore before finally, finally Melbourne) I was acutely aware of what I was leaving behind: a city I love, and the best friends and family a girl could ask for. Standing in terminal 3 of Toronto Pearson International Airport I hugged my parent’s goodbye, with vague notions (and hopes!) I would see them again soon.

I think anyone who knows my family would agree with me when I say that I didn’t get my travel gene from my Mom and Dad. I got a lot of awesome things from my parents: my love of reading, a passion for running, and a solid appreciation of Dave Matthews Band and The Tragically Hip… but the desire to see the world, that came from just me.

My Dad hates flying, and my Mom hates flying with my Dad, so back in August when we said goodbye, the dream of getting them to Australia felt like a long shot. We traded travel itineraries, airline reviews, and hotel recommendations back and forth over email so endlessly, it almost felt like planning the trip would eclipse the trip itself. But, after 24 hours of travel including stopovers in Vancouver and Auckland, my family touched down on Aussie soil last week. Where the sky touches the sea, we were reunited once again.

It’s been great having my Mom, Dad, my brother Peter, and his girlfriend Sara, in Melbourne these past ten days. I’ve enjoyed showing them all my favourite and frequent spots (Chapel Street, the Fifth Province on Fitzroy Street, South Wharf, etc.) and it’s been fun to watch them explore Melbourne on their own.

Last weekend we escaped the city in favour of the Great Ocean Road, a stretch of highway along the south-eastern coast of Australia that is deemed a national heritage site. The windy single lane highway that runs along the bottom lip of the continent gave-way to gorgeous coastal views, revealing some of the best beaches in the world.

Despite the windy weather, we enjoyed two days on the beach before I had to return to Melbourne for work on Monday. My family continued on to Barwon Heads, a golf resort just south of Geelong, where they took advantage of some much needed R+R after a busy few days in Melbourne.

We are all back in Melbourne now, and are trying to get into the Christmas spirit, with plans to cook and bake some holiday treats in the coming days.

Until then,

Heather

The family is all here! Overlooking the Yarra River in beautiful Melbourne

Our first meal together in Melbourne at Riverland pub

Mom and Albert Park Lake, with the Melbourne skyline in the background

With my cheering squad before my futsal game

Peter and I on the beach along the Great Ocean Road

Overlooking Apollo Bay

Mom and I after the hike to the lookout over Apollo Bay

In true Australian fashion, Peter decided to give surfing a try

Mom on the beach

Peter and Sara catching sun not waves

A little footy on the beach!

Just a beautiful view...

One of the nicest beaches I've ever been to

Summer in Melbourne: Beach sessions, a new brunch spot, and a night out in St. Kilda

You know that part in every romcom movie when the protagonist hits their stride and he or she begins to feel that things are finally going their way? Guy-scores-big-date-with-girl, or, girl-finally-lands-dream-job, or, unrequited-love-suddenly-seems-a-little-bit-more-requited. On the big screen this scene usually plays out in montage form, with a cheesy, uplifting soundtrack accompanying wide shots of cityscapes and big smiles from all.

Well, this blog update is my romcom moment.

As I dodged the crowds on my way from Southern Cross station this morning I untangled my ear buds and scrolled through Apple Music searching for a song I haven’t been able to get out of my head in two days:

Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations

Saturday evening, sun-soaked and a little tipsy from too many ciders on the beach, my friends and I collected in a cozy living room in Balaclava and were serenaded with this song by Liam and Alex. After much coaxing, the group cheered when the pair stood front and centre and preformed—dance moves included—The Foundations most famous hit. Liam and Alex danced and sang together for a few awkward verses, until the rest of us dissolved into a fit of giggles and, eventually, joined in, too. Technically, there is video evidence, but I’ll spare them (and you) the embarrassment of sharing it.

As I walked across the Yarra River on my way to work this morning with Build Me Up Buttercup playing on repeat, I thought back to Saturday night and couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I feel incredibly lucky to have met such a wonderful and vibrant group of people out here: a circle of friends that continues to expand with each weekend brunch, afternoon beach outing and evening footy game in the park.

In my last update I vowed to take more photos, and I have done that, though still so many great moments went uncaptured: taco night with my flatmates on Monday; Amy’s second Halal snack pack after Iddy Biddy on Tuesday; our 2nd place finish at pub trivia on Wednesday night…

My life in Melbourne is so full, I feel as if to capture and catalog it all would mean constantly looking at the world through the lens of my iPhone.

Having said that, here are some of my favourite shots from the weekend, which included back-to-back beach sessions, a new brunch spot and a night out in St. Kilda. 

Starting the weekend off right with dinner at Treehouse

Saturday evening at Elwood beach

Three Canadian gals loving life in Australia!

Girls at at Freddie Whimpoles on Fitzroy Street Saturday night

Amy, Kent and Kristy: all smiles (and a little blurry!) 

Went to Las Chicas in Balaclava for Sunday brunch

Melbourne brunch is just so photogenic

Babes in bikinis Sunday afternoon at St. Kilda beach

Toronto to Melbourne 2.0: Ending and Beginning Again

I wanted to begin this blog with a bit of an update. It’s been nearly three months now (!!) since Dave and I touched down in Melbourne after a month-long journey across Europe. We begin this journey together, nearly a year ago, booking plane tickets and sourcing Airbnbs from half a world away.

Unfortunately, most grand adventures don’t usually go as planned, as was the case for us. Dave and I make the difficult decision to split last month, and to continue our Australian journey as just friends. We are on good terms still, and I wish him nothing but the best. It was a hard decision, but ultimately the right one, and I’m excited to continue my Australian adventure solo: Toronto to Melbourne 2.0 we can call it.

I’ve since moved into a sharehouse in Toorak with some fantastic people (+ 1 cat). I love everything about Toorak: it’s a beautiful eastern suburb just south of the Yarra River, steps away from Chapel Street, nearby St. Kilda (a traveler’s paradise) and upscale South Yarra (with its endless shopping streets and cafes).

I spent this past Sunday walking through South Yarra with my friend, Amy: together, we enjoyed the mild Melbourne spring as we pushed our bikes amongst the lazy weekend crowds. On impulse, Amy and I decided to stop into a cozy pub that advertised live music all afternoon. For an hour we lounged on couches and sang along to acoustic covers over ciders and snacks.

More and more that’s what Melbourne is beginning to represent to me: weekend brunch on sprawling outdoor patios; poached eggs and avo on sourdough toast; sipping a flat white on Chapel Street before an afternoon spent lounging on St. Kilda beach; kicking around a soccer ball when the hot Australian sun finally dips below the horizon and the air begins to cool.

I’m lucky to have met a good group of people here: already we’ve spent lots of time dancing together to Wagon Wheel, trading rounds of pints after work, and playing card games as the night carries on around us: a muted and dim backdrop to our wild, ever-laughing crowd. It’s becoming increasingly rare for me to find myself without anything to do each night of the week. Between regular Tuesday night pints, Wednesday evening pub trivia and Thursday night futsal games, I’m living moment to moment, bouncing between all Melbourne has to offer, and loving every second of it.

I’ve also been lucky enough to land a full time job in Melbourne. As of last week, I joined a small digital marketing agency, located in South Wharf that focuses on serving the digital content creation and management needs of a wide variety of clients. I’ve joined in a digital content creator role, and I am enjoying the chance to refresh and improve my skills, since leaving my last full time gig in Toronto.

As we transition into December and fully-fledged Summer, down in the southern hemisphere, I’m feeling more and more settled in Melbourne. Job? Check. Apartment? Check. Great friends? Check. My family is coming for a visit soon, two weeks from today, and I’m so excited to show them my new home, and all the wonders of Melbourne and beyond.

Here are some photos that capture the past couple of week. Going forward I’m going to try to take more (for real this time!), and hopefully update the blog more regularly, as I continue to explore and immerse myself in each opportunity as it comes.

Until then,

Heather

Melbourne's coffee culture is the best in the world

Enjoying the Night Noodle Market in the Melbourne CBD

Doughnuts on a stick at the Night Noodle Market

Kent and all the girls enjoying the rooftop patio at Naked for Satan in Fitzroy

St. Kilda beach on one of the first truly hot days of the season

View of the Yarra River from my new office in South Wharf

Brunch on Chapel Street with the usual crowd

My go-to Melbourne brunch: poached eggs and avo on sourdough toast

Amy and I enjoying some acoustic music + cider on Chapel Street this Sunday

Showing off my new (temporary) bike that lets me get to and from work in just 20 minutes

Melbourne: One month later

As the weather in Melbourne finally turns from winter to spring, and then oh so gradually from spring to summer, I've been busy exploring new corners of the city. The past few weeks have been bursting full with trips to the beach, evening pints, sports games and afternoons spent in cafes and exploring bookstores along Chapel Street. I've also embarked on a serious job search, with the hopes of making my stay in Melbourne more permanent (at least for a little while).

I owe a lot of my happiness these past few weeks to a group of great people I've met, who have made my transition to Melbourne easier than I could have hoped for. Each Thursday my futsal team comes together for a fun game of social soccer, and we follow up our inevitable win with beers at a nearby Irish pub, where live music is ever-present. Friday has come to mean a day at the beach, with a deck of cards, cold beverages, and good company, as we work on our tans (or in most cases, our burns) and soak up the Australian sunshine.

Saturday and Sunday are for brunch, trying the many Mebourne cafes, followed by a walk through a park or a casual wander around a local art show, in support of a friend. On Sunday evening I play Australian Rules Football (AFL), which is a hilarious combination of rugby and American football, and is a challenging work out (if not a sightly embarrassing athletic performance by me).

The rest of the time I'm filling my life with my favourite things: curling up in a dimly lite cafe with a coffee and a good book, walking up and down Chapel street in search of the best live music venues, window shopping down Toorak Road for dresses and clothes. Laundry, groceries and resume writing also find their way into the mix of ongoing to do's.

When I pictured living in Melbourne, I imagined waking up on the beach, spending my mornings surfing like Sandy Cohen and writing in the evenings while a salty-ocean breeze drifted in through open windows, cutting through the oppressive heat. So far, my time in Melbourne has been different than I imagined: there's be much more rain, for starters, and I've yet to touch a surfboard. But in spite of all of this, I'm proud of myself for being able to embrace and appreciate each evening at the pub, weekend brunch date, and most importantly, each new friendship that comes my way. So far, the people I've met have made my traveling abroad experience stellar, and for that I am grateful.

Having said that, things aren't perfect. I've been battling a head cold for the past week (which has made playing sports a challenge), I've yet to acquire a bike, and the job hunt is still ongoing. Melbourne recruiters and/or bike sellers: hit me up!

Regardless, here are some photos that I've taken over the past month, which I hope illustrate the wonder that is Melbourne, and the great people + experiences that are filling my life these days:

The reading room in the Victoria State Library in Melbourne

Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne

Luna Park, St. Kilda Beach

Colourful beach huts in Brighton

Brighton Beach

Looking back at Melbourne from Elwood Beach

Futsal Aztecs get dolled up for the Melbourne Cup

The entire team toasting to the big win

Amy and I enjoying the brief moments of sunshin

Beach day with the lads in St. Kilda

A little rugby practice in the sand...

Melbourne at dusk from St. Kilda Pier

The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne

Melbourne skyline from the top of the Shrine of Remembrance

The Yarra River from Southbank, Melbourne

Sunset on Elwood Beach