Dining | Melbourne's Bays

What to Wear Around Australia

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Australia is a great place to go on a cruise ship. Royal Caribbean offers lots of options for you to consider. However, there are three big things that you should consider when you go anywhere in Australia. For one thing, the entire continent is just one big island. This is especially pronounced (and pretty fun to think about) if you are on board a cruise ship. You can check out Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and a whole host of other cities (as well as some quaint little towns along the way), and explore nearly everything that Australian civilization has to offer. But of course, there are some other things.

One other thing is the weather. While it is true that most of Australia doesn’t get that much snow (being a generally warm desert, for the most part), it can still get pretty cold. At night time, especially in the winter time, wearing a jacket is a pretty reasonable thing to do. The myth that Australia is always warm can be cruel to the unwary vacationer. And in coastal areas, the rain can pop up with jarring suddenness. If you carry around a rain coat (which they call a slicker, because they have that adorable Aussie English) or an umbrella, you’ll likely find that they’re worth the additional burden.

Another thing you need to realize is that Australia is a lot like Europe. The culture demands dressing “smartly.” If you aren’t looking fashionable, you might not want to walk around outside, lest you look like some kind of mentally deficient freak. While there probably won’t be anybody pointing and laughing if you dress like a “slobby American,” when people don’t point and laugh it can actually be a lot worse. Just be warned that if you go out (as in, out of your cabin), dress well. If you couldn’t afford nice clothes, you couldn’t afford a cruise.

Filed Under: Adventures, Boating, Dining, Family Travel, Tourism Tagged With: Australia, Canberra, Cruise ship, Melbourne, Royal Caribbean, Royal Caribbean International, Sydney, United States

Melbourne – The City for Chocolate Lovers

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If you are passionate about chocolates, you will love being in Melbourne. You can find several chocolate cafes throughout city of Melbourne, including the Central Business District (CBD), inner suburbs, and all the major shopping malls. All of these chocolate cafes are always crowded with Melbournians and tourists from all over the country. You can find a variety of delicious chocolate desserts and hot chocolates in the chocolate cafes.

In addition to the chocolate cafes in Melbourne, you can also find a number of chocolate shops filled with all kinds of handmade milk, white, or dark chocolates. These shops are at their best during Easter when they are full of bunnies and during Christmas when they are full of Santas. If you are interested in enriching your knowledge with chocolates, then Chocoholic Walking Tour is ideal for you.

Chocolate Walking Tours

By spending just $35 in the Chocoholic tours, you can participate in various chocolate shops and cafes situated amidst Melbourne’s scenic arcade and beautiful laneways. The cost given above includes tasting of sample in each shop along with morning/afternoon tea during the tour.

Some tours introduce special offer that includes a brunch walk starting the day with a chocolate bang, or an afternoon walk spreading knowledge about history of Haigh’s chocolates, who are in business in Australia since 1915. Generally, a chocoholic tour include visit to five different cafes and shops and tasting samples in each of them.

The frequency of chocoholic tours is between one-and-a-half and two years. You can book a tour online or over phone. Personalized tours can also be booked for a group of 12 people or more. For more information, you can visit the Chocoholic Tours website.

If you are a little more serious about chocolates and just visiting the cafes won’t serve the purpose, you can also learn the art of making chocolates by joining chocolate making schools in Melbourne. You can join classes for making simple chocolates or complex chocolate showpiece making classes. The prices of these classes vary depending upon the complexity of the class you opt for.

Filed Under: Attractions, Dining, Fun Places Tagged With: Central Business District, Chocolate, Confectionery

Dine for Less than $5 at Melbourne

Are you looking for some cheap food in Melbourne? Visit Queen Victoria Market, which is a great place to find some cheap salads, pizzas, sandwiches, breads, etc. The market is cheaper than other mainstream supermarkets and forms a good place for weekly shopping and cheap lunch. If you are heading outside for picnic, and looking for a meal that will cost less than $5, head to the Queen Victoria Market and pick up some fresh fruit and some food items from the Food Hall.

Sushi Burgers

Located at Exhibition Street, Sushi Burgers offer a nice option for lunch or dinner. A burger which is enough for one person costs around $3.80. It is a modified version of burger of sushi that includes patties made up of white rice, instead of the white bread. Its filling is made up of chicken or prawn avocado and vegetable tempura.

Lord of the Fries

With an unusual name and a number of stores all over the Melbourne, Lord of the Fries offer inexpensive yet delicious food. Some of the chains are located at Flinders Street Station, Chadstone, Northland Shopping Centres, and Melbourne Central in CBD. Fries made up of fresh Aussie potatoes cost around $3.95 for a cone and $4.95 for a box. Different kind of sauces, such as Thai, Indian, Mexican, French, etc can be added with an additional price of 75 cents to $1.25. You will also purchase beef and vegetarian burger here.

Bread Top

Located at Richmond, QV square, Box Hill, and Bourke Street, Bread Top is one of the best chains of bakeries in Melbourne. They specialize in Asian-style buns and breads which is a very economic and filling snack. They also have a list of other interesting varieties of Danishes, doughnuts, bread loves, and specialty cakes.

Lentil

A unique concept restaurant with a great value for your money, Lentil is located in Abbotsford Covent. This is a non-profit restaurant that serves a huge range of healthy vegetarian food. The best part of having food in Lentil is that you can decide the amount of money you need to pay. It provides training to people struggling to establish in hospitality industry.

Filed Under: Attractions, Dining, Travel

Jersey City Apartments and Jersey City Redevelopment

Things are looking up for Jersey City along the Waterfront and other sections like Liberty Harbor North. The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency, founded in 1949, has been working assiduously for the last decade to make New Jersey worthy of its prime location across the water from New York. And why not? Why should Manhattan be the only dazzling sight on the New York waters? Shouldn’t its closest neighbor be able to claim a bit of the light?

Jersey City has set about redeveloping its neighborhoods one by one. The Waterfront, the oldest and most industrially gritty section, is now home to gleaming glass towers. Just inland is the Liberty Harbor North redevelopment, which has brought a whole new meaning to “Jersey City apartments.” New, private, and protected, the new apartment buildings here offer condominiums at reasonable prices, right across the water from the prestigious Wall Street and Battery areas of Manhattan.

Construction on one of the largest projects, 225 Grand Street in the Liberty Harbor North, was completed recently and is open and renting. It has 348 units and 15,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. The Liberty Harbor North development is a partnership between two companies, Ironstate (a division of Applied Development Companies) and SK Properties.

This redevelopment area of 28 blocks covers 80 acres of mixed-used zoning between the Jersey Avenue and Marin Boulevard light rail stations. The Redevelopment Agency plans propose 10,000 residential units, 4 million square feet of office spaces, and another 250,000 square feet of retail space. These new apartments aren’t for the stingy. Some, like 225 Grand Street, come with a 24-hour doorman, fitness center, billiards room, lounge, business center with a bar, and a swimming pool on the roof with a sundeck. The view for Jersey City is becoming dazzling.

Filed Under: Accomodations, Attractions, Dining Tagged With: Jersey City New Jersey, New Jersey, New York

A Getaway with the Girlfriends

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You have a few days to unwind for a relaxing weekend, and you want to bathe on the shores of some pristine beach close to picturesque towns. You’ll find all that and more when you travel to Melbourne’s bays and peninsulas and enjoy one of its many vacation rentals. Bring the camera and suntan lotion for lying on the beach and taking snapshots of colorful boats as they go out to sea. Make some new memories in charming historic towns in Mornington, Sorrento and Portsea. Take the Queenscliff ferry across the bay and rent a bicycle to browse bookstores, antique shops and unique stores for gifts.

Stroll the Botanical Garden

Use the morning to visit the art galleries, have a latte at a cafe then stop by the St. Kilda Botanical Garden to smell the flowers. Take a swim with the dolphins and seals for a new experience then bask in the warm sand on a sun-drenched beach. In the afternoon, you could catch a movie and visit the arcade. Stop by one of the many boutique vineyards that grace the rolling hills of Sorrento. Ship a case of your favorite wines to arrive when you go home.

Take a Midnight Swim

You’ll find that the fun doesn’t stop because the sun is setting. Charter a boat for a cruise around the bay and experience the glorious sunset over the water. Stop by a local pub and listen to the live music and order some great food with your favorite beverage. Dress up and try one of the top-notch restaurants that cater to the tourism crowd with fresh seafood and produce. When the moon is over the bay, take a stroll along the boardwalk to enjoy the scents and kinetic energy of the town. Dance all night at a club or take a midnight swim, you have another fun-filled day in the morning.

Filed Under: Dining, Fun Places, Tourism, Travel Tips and Tricks Tagged With: Gardens, Midnight Cellars Winery, Mornington Peninsula, Tourism

Why Rent New York Luxury Apartments When You Could Come to Melbourne?

If you’ve been planning a vacation, chances are you’ve evaluated many options. You might consider New York luxury apartments for a comfortable, luxurious yet cheap stay if you’re visiting the Big Apple. However, if big city living isn’t for you, you might enjoy a quieter trip to Melbourne, Australia, away from the city lights.

Melbourne offers a wide variety of water activities. Instead of catching a cab and rushing to dinner and a show, you can sit back and watch the waves crash in on the shore. Relax and watch the boats sail around the bay, or better yet, charter one yourself and spend an afternoon or evening on the water.

If you’re a wine lover, you’re sure to enjoy a tour of one of the beautiful local wineries. Taste a local vintage, and be sure to pick up a few bottles for your friends back home. While they’re waiting in line for a table at a fancy restaurant, you can be lounging on the beach in a bikini, wine glass in hand. After all, it’s more fun to relax near the ocean.

As you plan your trip to Melbourne, be sure to leave room on your itinerary for dining at one of the many seaside pubs. Enjoy fresh fish or seafood, caught that day from the bay. Relax and enjoy your meal, along with an ocean view. You and your partner are sure to enjoy a moonlit walk down the beach, arm in arm, strolling through the surf.

If you’re tired of the hustle and bustle of big city life, it may be time to make your escape. Step away from those New York luxury apartments and make your getaway to Melbourne. Your dream vacation is waiting.

Filed Under: Dining, Family Travel, Travel, Vacations Tagged With: Apartment, Australia, Melbourne, Wine

Travel Tips for Melbourne

There is so much to see and experience when you travel to Melbourne’s scenic bays and peninsulas. No matter what time of the year you’re planning to come, you’ll find a reason to stop for pictures and adventure. Walk the promenade along the Yarra River bank where fresh seafood restaurants and unique shopping beckon you. Then visit the well-established bayside suburb of St. Kilda for a fabulous beach, sidewalk cafes with world famous cakeshops and the wonderful St. Kilda Botanic Gardens. You’ll get all the great insights from Melbourne’s Tourism site at melbournesbays.org.

A trip to Melbourne isn’t complete without driving along the south-eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay. Rent a bicycle and take the path that runs from South Melbourne to Mordialloc on the southern peninsula. Take the 40 minute ride on the ferry from Sorrento to the historic Queenscliff, after you fully explore Port Phillip Bay. Along the way, you’ll find some of the best arcades of any city in Australia mixed within quaint historic buildings, one-of-a-kind shops and tucked away cafes with delicacies for any palate.

Take one of the cruise deals on the many bays and peninsulas around Melbourne and fall in love with the view. Breathtaking unspoiled beaches, fascinating wildlife and the rolling hills of the countryside. Take a walk through art galleries, stop at the many wineries for tasting, then explore the wetlands. In the evening, if you’re looking for a major entertainment center, try the Crown complex. The Crown was originally hailed as the largest casino in the Southern Hemisphere and will thrill you with the ambiance. You’ll never run out of interesting, exciting things to do like scuba diving, charter fishing and national park sightseeing. Melbourne will entice all of your senses with fine food, friendly locals, unique shopping and attractions. Get the latest from melbournesbays.org to see what events are happening along the bays and peninsulas.

Filed Under: Accomodations, Attractions, Dining, Family Travel Tagged With: Adventures, Melbourne, Travel