Autumn in Melbourne, Australia
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| Autumnal Melbourne |
Crisp, blustery days, the Comedy Festival on the way, and footy about to start - must be autumn in Melbourne. The summer heat is on the wane, its layers of stupefaction lifting, making way for clouds.
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| Footy! |
The first sign of autumn is typically groups of men in sleeveless jerseys (on-field and off), heralding the start of footy season. Australian Rules Football is Melbourne’s principal contribution to the sporting world (it was played professionally only in the state of Victoria up until the early 1980s). It’s a fast-moving, physical game, and nothing beats watching a match at the gigantic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Another sign that summer’s over is the lines of people either grinning with anticipation or still laughing as they stream out of one of the dozens of shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. As the name suggests, international acts mix with local funnypersons for stand-up, musical comedy, and cabaret. The festival’s on from April 4 - 29, with many warm-up shows before the 4th, and a few hangers-on after festival’s end.
The National Gallery of Victoria is mounting a major exhibition of Australian impressionism, starting on the 31st of March and running through July 8th. Melbourne hosts the 9th World Congress on Art Deco, featuring four days of presentations and tours of the city’s Deco gems, starting on April 16th.
Of course you’ll need your sustenance - winter isn’t that far away, after all (if you’re staying in the southern hemisphere for awhile, that is) - and the food scene in Melbourne is always changing. New places spring up all the time, and the locals make a sport of tracking down the best new spots.
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| Cafe city |
They also take their coffee very seriously. Two new cafes worth checking out are Superfino (275 Flinders Lane, City, near Elizabeth St), a tiny place downtown with good bread and delicious toasted sandwiches, and above-average coffee. Birdman Eating (238 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, Near Smith St)
is already famous for its eggs, and offers unusual items like black pudding with bubble and squeak, and grilled kippers.
An old favorite, having survived several changes in ownership and locale over the decades, has resurfaced as Mirka at Tolarno (42 Fitzroy St, St Kilda) - the murals, the $2m renovation, the steak tartare. The antipasto platters are some of the best in town. Delizia (160 Victoria St, Seddon) isn’t exactly new, but it’s moved up the street and put new emphasis on dining in. A gem slightly hidden away in an otherwise un-feted suburb, Delizia has superbly cooked Mediterranean food with an Italian emphasis. Gorgeous presentations - perfectly roasted baby green tomatoes (with leaves still attached), perched delicately on a delectable slab of fried haloumi (finished off with a tangy tomato relish). Brilliant.
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| Barflys |
Melbournians also love to find new bars and pubs - preferably before anyone else does. Two more recent entrants to the stakes are The Alderman (134 Lygon Street, Brunswick East), a smallish, unpretentious place with a local clientele and a friendly dog; and the Carlton Hotel (193 Bourke St, City), which with its neon and pink-flocked walls and natural history museum cum brothel vibe has raised the bar for sheer over-the-top verve.
That’s just a few things happening in Melbourne this autumn. For more ideas, check out Viator’s full list of things to see and do in Melbourne.
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