Feels like I moved back to LA (minus the homeless people and syringes). I like all of the graffiti…read moreartwork. The rule in Melbourne is that you can only cover it up if you do better than what's already on the wall. I have no idea how often people paint over other people's work. Cool spot to take pics and walk around and have some fun.

It's a tourist attraction a smaller less formal version of Wynwood Walls in Miami. Essentially an…read moreartist can tag this alley even over existing artists. It's free flow and you get some interesting results.

Degraves Street was one of Melbourne's first laneways. Laneways are narrow streets, like an alley,…read more that support diversity in public spaces. Love the cute cafes and shops along this passage off busy Flinders Street.

Degrave Street feels like Europe , people watching and lots of different people walkign through…read morewhich makes it interesting . You have buisiness people coming in for their morning meeting , creatives with their cameras and artisitc accessories. There are so many friendly homeless with a story and not to mention the tourists who are from all over the world

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.

I visited The Mussel Pot at the Queen Victoria Market over a year ago and I kid you not I still…read morethink about these mussels regularly and every time I eat mussels! This was unexpectedly one of the best things I ate on my entire 2 week Australia trip!! I'm not even a big fan of mussels.... but at the market I noticed everyone was sitting at tables just eating mussels out of a big bowl? Such a random meal choice so figured it's gotta be good. Went up to order and there were so many different options I just asked the guy working there what he recommends. He suggested the chili coconut mussels which was not the one I would have picked on my own but went with it. Oh my god these mussels changed my life LOL. They were SO big, plump, juicy, and packed with so much flavor!!! The chili coconut sauce almost reminded me a bit of a curry sauce, not very spicy and very flavorful and it was perfect to mop up with the yummy bread on top. It was so good I'm literally drooling writing this review a year later and I have not had any mussels that can even begin to compare!!!! If I get to visit Australia again I am 10000% hunting down this mussel food truck as soon as I get there!

Nice fresh mussels with a side of bread, what a perfect comfort food. It's located in Prahran…read moremarket which is an awesome market.

The Public Purse is a huge granite and stainless steel sculpture. It was created after a contest to…read moredesign unique seating in Melbourne. It is a quirky place to have a seat for weary shoppers or tourists in the Central Business District. So fun!

I'm not really all that sure about this particular thing, though I guess it does serve to give…read moreMelbourne a bit of character. Mind you, I wouldn't go as far as calling it an icon, because it isn't as if people come to Melbourne just to see 'The Public Purse'. Yet, it is one of those places that could serve as a meeting spot, if it wasn't for the fact that there happen to be some clocks on Flinder's Street Station where people do the exact same thing.

What a great way to start the morning. I Decided to go for a stroll and ended up at the market and…read morespent a good chunk of time then walked out with a bag of groceries. Reasonably priced and a great selection of products. If you ever want to prepare a meal, there's great selection.. Market city coffee was fantastic, bought some cheeses, and picked up a borek pastry. Market is separated into different buildings. Seafood, deli and meats, and I didn't get to walk to the produce section. I stopped in at nine, but according to Google, it opens at six. In a shopper. Owner told me they close at three on the weekdays and four on the weekends. Open every day!

Definitely glad I booked my Melbourne hotel next to this market knowing I'd spend a good chunk of…read moretime there! The market is huge with so much to see - I spent almost an entire day here! Really great lively atmosphere with lots of people and the large downtown buildings in the backdrop of the market were beautiful! There was a great fruit and vegetable selection - I choose a few different fruit options to take back to my hotel later to enjoy. I LOVE mangosteen but it's hard to get fresh ones in the US so was super stoked to see those available! The indoor section with cheeses, meat and seafood was also super impressive! I snacked on some lobster and oysters then went outside and had some sugarcane juice and the BEST MUSSELS I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. Such a great day at this market!!

Tucked away beneath an underpass on the border of Southbank and South Melbourne, Backlot Studios is…read morea cute little screening room that makes for an intimate and unique event space. Greeted with a goodie bag of delicious movie snacks, we got some time to eye the awesome display of movie posters and paraphernalia that made my empty walls at home feel plenty envious. Then, it was into the cinema and time to start the show. I didn't know anything about 'Me, Earl and the Dying Girl' going in, which was a fun way to approach a film in a time where the Internet usually ruins half a film for you before you see it (*shakes fist at Internet and tells it to get off my lawn*). It was a really touching coming-of-age tale that subverts the usual clichés and aims for a greater truth about love and loss in the adolescent years, all with an off-beat but real sense of humour rare in such 'teen films'. A perfect double-bill with 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' surely beckons. Also noticed Backlot do a monthly cult film screening which sounds like a lot of fun. Have subscribed to the twitters and facebooks to keep updated on those. Thanks Tresna and all involved!

I'm a lucky girl! These Yelp events are just plain awesome. What's not to love? Backlot Studios is…read moreamazing, I want to have a birthday party or big event there! Movie snacks, every treat you could want and oh yes, i ate every one, all while watching a really good movie BEFORE the general public. Then swag! I'm loving the Yelp reusable shopping bag. Everybody loves those, especially the earth. Huge fan of the Sofi Spritz, delicious. I'm glad those are coming back in fashion. Had one too many of those! A wonderful night :)

Not really going to miss the old Chaps when I move away from here in the not too distant future…read more Used to be a lot more exciting years ago but is now a bit drab. Lots of vacant shops, places to get a decent coffee or fancy cocktails in this SY strip of Chapel St are few and far between. Lots of shops to buy polyester clothing if you're into that. Most exciting thing to happen this year on this strip was the fire above cafe Sienna. And that's saying something. Not going to miss the parking officers, the attention-seekers on their over-powered bikes and in their yellow and red Lamborghini's (parked in all of the no standing zones of course)... Nor will I miss the puke on the streets on my early Sunday morning walk or the hotels dumping glass bottles into their bins at two AM. Saying that, I will actually miss B'Stilla, G-Star & Market Lane plus my walks to the lovely Fawkner park... But I shall come to visit you guys so don't worry. I think I've overstayed my welcome. See ya Chapel St. x

This is where an abundance of cafes, restaurants and clothing outlets comes up, almost giving High…read moreStreet Armadale a run for its money. If you do not have much money to spend and/or you are not in the mood to go shopping; well then forget about it. Save your visit to Chapel Street for another time. This experience is not to be rushed either; it is meant to be enjoyed and appreciated at a slowish pace; so make a day out of this experience on your day off. I am not joking about the money part. You need to also be in the mood to reward yourself for all your hard work; otherwise the experience will be made redundant. The vibe is like a visa platinum credit card with a credit limit of anywhere from $20,000 upwards. South Yarra is a great, trendy area (kind of like Newtown in Sydney) yet it is expensive. You could even live in the city on less rent than what your might have to pay to live in this area. I love Chapel Street, and it is usually always on the agenda of visitors to Melbourne in particular: not many people visit Melbourne without having to visit Chapel Street; and it is also a common theme among the locals who are in the mood for a great day out.

We docked here today as part of our cruise. Was able to take an excursion to see the Great Ocean…read moreRoad and the Twelve Apostles.

In A Nutshell:…read more -Melbourne is a nice cosmopolitan city. -It reminds me alot of San Francisco/Seattle. -There is a big Chinese influence, so sometimes I don't feel like I'm in Australia. -I really like their tram system, not only is it free within the CBD, but also that it's never a long wait for the next tram. -There are plenty of food options, which makes it a good city for foodies. Overall, compared to Sydney, Melbourne felt dirtier (i.e. litter) & more crowded.