Melbourne’s put on a little weight lately. Like a voluptuous woman who’s had one or two chocolate eclairs too many, the middle button on her blouse is suffering a little under the strain. I mention this only because the population balloon has a knock-on impact for your short stay, corporate or holiday accommodation options.

Vue de Monde is undeniably one of Melbourne’s *starlet* eateries, but if you can’t get in, or don’t want to part with the requisite *starlet* pennies, Café Vue will give you an inexpensive way to hover in the glow of the Vue de Monde halo.  Open for brekky and lunch Monday to Friday, it’s worth [...]

(Ed note: June 2010, sadly this great space has recently been taken over by a very popular, but only moderately good Mexican restaurant.  *Sigh*) Bar/Cafe Upstairs, 11 Collins Street I love a set of stairs.  Oh, not for the workout for the gluts (pleeese!).  But for the fabulous sense of anticipation you feel at the bottom [...]

Melbourne’s CBD is full of fabulous sneaky little laneways and Hosier Lane is one of the best. A magnificent ‘gallery’ of some of the city’s best grafitti and home to Movida, providing the CBD’s best Spanish fare.