With so many second hand markets around these days, it's really a hit and miss as to whether you…read morewill luck upon scoring a good find for a decent price. Fitzroy market is a small market at the Fitzroy Primary School that has a well edited selection of clothes, books, shoes, bits and bobs. There is definitely an element of 'Fitzroy cool' at the market, with a younger range of sellers. Note, when I say younger, I'm talking 20-30s (which is the age bracket I fall in). This is one of my favorite markets around at the moment.

Great little local market held in the grounds of Fitzroy Primary School on the third Saturday of…read moreevery month in 2012 (it's previously been the first Saturday of the month). Mostly secondhand clothes, records, toys and bric-a-brac - almost always at very reasonable prices. Not many food and drink options: a sausage sizzle and a very good coffee stall, but there's plenty of other cafes and bakeries nearby on Smith or Brunswick Streets if that doesn't take your fancy. Entry by gold coin donation.

A trip to Souk Lifestyle is an exercise in retail tourism, selling a range of Moroccan, Indian and…read moreAsian homewares, furniture and accessories alongside some pretty pricey threads. With stock displayed almost like a gallery and a good range of quite tasteful stuff, Souk Lifestyle is definitely worth a visit to see if it's your style. While I definitely wouldn't wear any of the clothes - verging as they do on middle aged - I do like Souk Lifestyle's range of what I believe is called occasional furniture - i.e. small pieces of furniture that can be put to multiple uses - with its tiled patio tables being a particular highlight. Perhaps not so much a lifestyle for me as an interesting place for the occasional browse, Souk Lifestyle is, nonetheless, an interesting and well executed boutique.

I use this bike path regularly whenever I want to go into the Brunswick or even as far as the city…read moreor Fitzroy's Edinburgh Gardens. It is also goes north to Faukner but I haven't rode that part for a few years as I have little reasons to go north. It is a good ride about as fast as taking the tram along Sydney Road and a lot safer than riding on busy Sydney Road. There are a few blind corners that you have to watch out not to hit pedestrians (who share the path) and other cyclists and a few narrow sections of path. And it does become busy for a short time during rush hour. The local council continues to improve various sections of the bike path. It also has the added attraction of a lot of great street art between Jewell and Moreland stations. It is a spectacular sight, if you love street art, there are whole walls on both sides of the track of legal and illegal pieces. When you are on a bicycle you can stop, admire and photograph the street art. You can also see the stencils and other pieces that you might miss from the train.

The bicycle path along the Merri Creek isn't much good for getting anywhere because there are some…read moremore direct routes that you can take. But both C and I enjoy it as a pleasant place to ride through the parkland and along the creek. There are a couple of bridges to cross and plenty of steep hills requiring extensive gear changing as the path winds its way along the Merri Creek. C simply gets off her bike and pushes it up some of the steepest hills. The bike path is shared with pedestrians, dog walkers, baby carriages, so it is not a place for a fast ride. If you want to ride fast try the Brunswick Velodrome along the bike path. I also pass by Ceres Environmental Park and the beautiful Russian Orthodox Church with its gold domes. My favorite feature of this ride is Simon Perry's Rolled Path. It is a fun sculpture that works perfectly with the bicycle path. The sculptor Simon Perry made "The Public Purse" in the Bourke Street Mall. In Coburg the Merri Creeks joins up with the Coburg Lake Reserve where C and I have a break from our ride.

My mate gave me a bike a few years back and it changed my life. It was this rusty old thing he'd…read morehad chained to his fence for years and I had a few at his place and he let me take it home. It's about three years down the track now and I've still got it. I reckon that's a fair claim for its ownership. We have a relationship now. One thing I discovered since getting my bike, is the Merri Creek Bike Trail and I fuckin' love it. The trail meanders along the creek banks from Reservoir right through to Abbotsford. While it's a totally indirect route to either of these places (or any of the in between suburbs), that's kind of the point. You can just relax and cruise along at a leisurely pace and soak up the regenerating bushland and creek banks. There are birds and somehow the noise of nearby traffic evaporates. I love it so much, I'm goin' there right now; not to go anywhere in particular mind... I'm just gonna be cruisin' yo.

When I took the first bite out of the world record food I was speechless. The service there was so…read morefriendly And the place made it felt like Italy. The texture of the restaurant was unbelievable. The ricotta made my mouth water. You should definitely go to this place for a birthday an outing or a date. It's just the perfect restaurant.

Wow loved this place. When I walked up I loved that they have both indoor and outdoor covered…read moreseating. The ambiance is really nice with an upscale feel. The host was very kinda and greeted me and they were very attentive throughout the night. 4 different staff members asked how I was doing and I'd needed anything, all very friendly. The food was delicious!! They have wide selection for food , starters, drinks etc , popular for their pastas and pizzas!! Definitely would come again !!!

I often walk through, park my bicycle or eat my lunch in the Victoria St. mall in Coburg. The mall…read morehas a few trees and bollards blocking off traffic and the location of the post office, the library and so many little cafes make it the center of Coburg's shopping district. The cafes tables almost completely block one side of the mall; there is just enough room for me to walk through. At the far end there is a small sculpture of a typical Australian house and a bench both are covered in pigeon droppings. I read somewhere that mall has won an architectural award. There is the occasional busker, often this guy playing softly guitar, or an aboriginal man playing the didgeridoo and guitar. Along with the occasional chuggers (charity muggers) collecting at the pedestrian lights at the end of the mall. There is a long public table with benches, more benches, lots of bicycle spots for me to park and even more pigeons. It is a great place to watch all the different people of Coburg. This is local colour. It is a very cosmopolitan place with its own atmosphere. There are the older residents in hats and suits standing around a bench talking about life. And the younger residents with tattoos and trendy haircuts sitting at the tables having a coffee.

I've recently moved to the inner north & just walked passed The Prague & saw that they do stuff…read morewith skipping ropes & they have live riot grrrl rock bands! Signed up for 1 class per week just over a month ago to check it out before joining a gym . It's awesome! Really fun energetic classes, down to earth & complete with a woman's touch (hot flannels, oranges, free classes & gear & complimentary goal setting with a trainer!) I love group fitness training but I find most gym classes stuck in a time warp & I'd rather starve myself then get up at 5am for bootcamp!?!. You gotta love grrrl rock & have a playful spirit. Oh & there's a really cool supportive womens community vibe. I'm signing on for an Unlimited pass next term... & how many places can you work out & have a beer on tap afterwards?! ;-)

Very good pasta! Ink spaghetti is great. Love the garlic bread and the minestrone soup. Best of all…read moreis the service 1st class, promt and friendly.

First dates can be tricky. You can often run out of things to talk about, one person always likes…read morethe other more and then what do you do when the cheque comes? I was taken on a first date to Il Cantuccio and it was incredible. It was a very brave choice by the gentleman concerned considering this venue is quite intimate and romantic - perhaps more an Anniversary destination than a first date. The wine list is extensive and the staff have that warm, family feel and will help you match your wine to your meal and assist with any other queries. The food is traditional Italian but not the greasy, cheesy kind you can so often find in other restaurants on the Lygon street strip. This food is filling, classic and made with love (yes, with love.) This is a great destination when you are trying to romance your partner - it worked on me!

We enjoyed our first trip to Cirelli & Co. the food was lovely. Unfortunately, the service was a…read morebit underwhelming. My husband and I ordered a panzerotti to share as an entree. My husband ordered the gnocchi sorrentina special as a main and I ordered the mussels from the shared plate menu which I wanted as a main. The waitress didn't write down our order but confirmed which dishes we wanted brought out when. We weren't surprised when the dishes were not brought out in the correct order because she didn't write it down!!! The panzerotti and gnocchi came out together and I had to ask for my mussels to be brought out. The owner/manager was apologetic and offered a free drink which was lovely - the offer was not honoured and we were charged for all our drinks. Oh and 3 of my mussels were not open upon cooking but were served to me anyway, very disappointing. In terms of the fitout, the tables are extremely small and difficult to share dishes on. I'd go here again but I'd keep my order simple.

A beautiful little restaurant in Brunswick West with an intimate rustic feel. The menu is short and…read moresweet which I think is great, not overwhelming with choices but rather dishes that have been perfected. The food, authentic Italian, the truffle risotto is to die for. The regular specials are always a good choice. The mussels in the bread bowl, yummm! Desserts are absolutely delicious however a dairy free / gluten free option would be great for those intolerant. For those not in the mood for too much the antipasto platter is divine and some beautiful imported wine to choose from. Amazing host and very friendly staff. Highly recommend and one I will definitely return to.

I had an hour to burn between two house inspections in Carlton North, so I phoned a friend who…read morelives in the area and we popped into Enoteca Sileno's wine bar on a whim. I'd always been curious about the place - I figured for such a big restaurant/food store to survive on one of Lygon Street's most residential stretches, it must be good as it couldn't rely on pedestrian traffic. Customers need to travel specifically to Carlton North to eat here. Given it was only midday (which, on a Saturday is equivalent to 9am) I wasn't hungry, so we asked the charming waiter for the wine list. Oh my god, what a list. I have no idea what half of the bottles were, but I'd say a good 20% were over the $300 mark, and there were a few above $700. Needless to say, I stuck to the cheaper end and picked a dry Prosecco for $50. I've never met a Prosecco I didn't like, but I would happily have babies with this one. Amazing. Despite just drinking and snacking on free (free!) olives, the waiter treated us as though we were $700 bottle customers. We started chatting to him about the food, and he showed us the menu - unlike some of the wines, the traditional Italian meals are extremely affordable. As such, I've written Enoteca Sileno on my 'to eat' list and will be back soon. Watch this space for an updated review...

Who knew there was this lovely Italian restaurant-cum-deli on this particular section of Lygon…read moreStreet? It's not near the concentration of Italian places, down south a bit near Cinema Nova/Readings (you know, all the gelaterias, D.O.C., the touts waiting outside for you). Rather, it's a standalone place near Pigdon and Lygon. But it's worth the tram ride up! It's huge inside, with a bar up front, a restaurant section out back -- and in between, a deli jam-packed with all kinds of imported goodies. We're talking jars. Tons and tons of jars, and pots, and cases, full of delicious Italian food. Pickles, sardines, vegetables, truffled honey -- everything you never knew existed, but now can't leave without. I went for the launch of the Italian Film Festival, and was treated to lots of prosecco that Enoteca Sileno sources -- complete with adorable paper around the base of the glass telling you what you were drinking, which I found out was the brainchild of the owner for the evening. It's the little touches like that -- the Italian dedication to detail -- that really shows through.