Melbourne, part two.

I promised more about Melbourne. Perhaps the most important thing I discovered when I was there was this: I am hopeless at taking pictures and documenting a trip. Why? As soon as the camera comes out I'm constantly stopping to take pictures and I'm not shy about trying to get a different angle of the world. This of course means it takes me about half an hour to get one hundred metres down the road.

As such, on a trip with limited time and a long list of things I want to do, photos tend to take a backseat. It's my own fault I was perpetually in a rush during my stay... but luckily I plan to go back soon. Next time the trip will be more leisurely. I hope.

On Saturday night I caught up with some friends. The original plan was to eat and drink at Borsch, Vodka and Tears in Windsor, but the place was far too busy for us to get a table. We ended up at TGI Fridays. I actually found this tremendously exciting as we don't have one in Sydney. To celebrate, I ordered something I had not had in years. A Long Island Iced Tea.



It was as delicious and potent as I remembered. It also had the side effect I seem to have erased from my memories of previous experiences... and that's the side effect of it making me think that a Pina Colada is a BRILLIANT idea, because I want the tiny plastic cocktail-toothpick pirate sword that holds the garnish together.

I'm told that there is a picture of me brandishing said pirate sword cocktail stick, but I haven't seen it yet.

After feasting on deep-fried macaroni cheese and burgers, we wandered back down Chapel St and managed to get a table at Borsch Vodka and Tears, where we proceeded to drink our way through as many different Polish vodkas as possible. I personally had Żubrówka (one of my favourites) on the rocks, Wódka Żołądkowa Gorzka straight up (delicious!) and an Apple Pie - Spiced vodka, apple juice and cinnamon.



Much more civilised, don't you think?

I will definitely be revisiting BV&T on my next trip to Melbourne.

Another thing that absolutely knocked my socks off in Melbourne was the Tim Burton exhibition at ACMI. If you get the chance, go! There are no cameras allowed in there so I don't have any exciting photos... but the view into Burton's head is weird, wonderful and at times a little disturbing. There's drawings, sculpture, video and movie props and it was far bigger than I thought it was going to be. When I walked out I was reeling from the sheer volume of amazing that was in there!

A shoutout also to Mr Johan Vonshag who sent me to the best coffee in Melbourne. You rock, sir.