#FeastOnCarlisle Sign

With all the elaborate #artwork around #StKilda, sometimes a simple sign is all you need. Like this one at the rear of a #café called "Feast" on #CarlisleStreet, #Balaclava.

#Grilld on #CarlisleStreet

Looks like the new Grill'd on Carlisle Street, Balaclava (#EastStKilda) is off to a positive start. There are so many places to eat along this strip now, so opening it back up to a chain eatery is an interesting move.

There was a time when KFC and Red Rooster used be on Carlisle Street, and the only real major chain food store was, and still is, Subway.

Grill'd do have great burgers, which some people have said are a bit over-priced, but if you have not yet tried, it might be worth giving them a go if you live nearby.

 

It is a shame, however, that several small independent businesses and shop were sacrificed to make room for the relatively large burger venue, but time will tell whether locals will continue to like it for the long term. For now, it is something new and exciting.

#StKilda #SurfLifeSavingClub Redevelopment

#StKildaBeach is looking like a bit of a construction site at the moment. But the 2016/2017 #Summer season, we should be getting a brand new Surf Life Saving Club to replace the old one. We can't wait!!

For more info about the club check out their website here:  http://stkildalifesavingclub.com.au/

Photo taken 4 November 2015

Photo taken 19 November 2015

The old Club House. Photo taken 22 April 2012 

Messy Construction @ #MiddleParkBeach, #Melbourne.

This section of beach at Middle Park (between #StKilda and #SouthMelbourne) is looking like a complete mess at the moment due to the works to replace the #sand. The #dredging is taking place in #PortPhillipBay just off the shore and when this is all finished, the beach will look great.

Let's hope they finish it as soon as possible because #Summer is only a couple of weeks away!

 

 

Here is a short 15 second video of the works from yesterday afternoon.

 



#RememberanceDay2015 in #StKilda

#RedPoppy displays were being put up along the #UpperEsplanade yesterday evening in preparation for Rememberance Day today.

Details for the ceremony in St Kilda as on the City Of Port Phillip's website are below:

REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY

DATE: 11/11/2015

Time: 10:30:00 TO 11:05:00

Venue: Cenotaph, Alfred Square Gardens, St Kilda

Free event: Yes

On the 11th November 2015, the St KildaRSL Sub-Branch Inc. will commemorate Remembrance Day starting at 10.30am.

 

 

 

 

Wall Two 80 Cafe's new paint job.

Recently the #WallTwo80 café in #Balaclava / #EastStKilda had a little makeover. Gone is that mural artwork on the external brick wall facing Nelson Street. This is what it looks like now.

Are we fans?

The Wall cafe's new paint job on the outside wall.

#StKilda #Brothel #ForSale!

It looks like the #CaliforniaClub at #StKildaJunction is up for sale... and has been for a while!

Anyone interested? 😝

California Club on St Kilda Rd, St Kilda Junction

#RestuarantRevolution hits #StKilda

#Scarfo is the #restaurant name and it is now open in #StKilda as a pop-up in the #StKildaTriangle next to the #PalaisTheatre.

 

This is team Melbourne for the #Channel7 Television show, "RestaurantRevolution".

 

Since it is situated in the carpark next to the Palais Theatre (and directly opposite the St Kilda Foreshore, it is easy to find and easy to get to. If you're coming to St Kilda via public transport, then take Tram No.96 and get off at Luna Park and it's a short walk of approximately 100m from there.

We haven't been there yet, so when YOU do, let us know what you think!

 

#Term3 Begins in #Melbourne.

Just wanted to wish everyone who is starting Term 3 of #school today the very best of luck.

 

We are now in the tail end of the year so not long to go now. Best of luck to all our friends and their parents doing their Year 12 #VCE too!!

"Fresh is Best" for #FruitAndVegetables?

Supporting local businesses and buying fresh #fruit and #vegetables are always high on the agenda, but this concerned my friends and I while walking along #CarlisleStreet, #Balaclava the other night.

 

This long standing Green Grocer is a family business with competitive prices, and the staff are always really friendly. But it is a bit of a worry that they leave their stock outside in the little arcade over night (See photo below).

 

This arcade, that is a walk-through between Carlisle Street and the #Coles car park, is locked at night at both ends and has a roof to protect from rain.  However, the metal gates that close each end of the arcade only stop people from getting in. 

 

Surely the uncovered fruit and vegetables are still exposed to wind, dust, traffic pollutants, as well as the strong possibility of bugs and small animals, and cannot be good for the "freshness" of the produce. 

 

Yes, the weather is cooler at the moment due to Winter, but this questionable practice is not very appealing for consumers. Our own experience of buying a bag of Navel oranges was disappointing after having to throw away many of them because they were rotten on the inside, and we weren't able to determine this until cutting each one in half for juicing.  At the time we just assumed it was bad luck that we got a bad bag, but after seeing the same table of oranges left outside overnight, we now have doubts.

 

We took the night photo on a Saturday night and the day time photo was taken on the following Monday. It seems that the tables of produce that normally are on display out front on the Carlisle Street footpath were merely just wheeled into the arcade so they could be locked up. 

 

It is such a shame that they did this because unfortunately my friends and I will now shop elsewhere for our produce for the time being.  It's also ironic that their little signs have headings saying, "Fresh is Best".  Sadly, that has now come into question. 

 

Fruit and Vegetables left outside in arcade overnight.

During a normal trading day, the arcade is open.

 

#StKildaTownHall Lights Up at Night

If you have gone past the St Kilda Town Hall at night in the past week or so, you would have noticed that it is colourfully lit up and displaying large banner photos of different women on its exterior, as part of an exhibition called "The Furies".

 

According to the City Of Port Phillip's Magazine, "Divercity", these depict 12 local women who are survivors of violence and you will be able to see these for the whole month of June!

 

St Kilda Town Hall is on the corner of Carlisle Street and Brighton Rd, St Kilda.



St Kilda Town Hall lights up at night to display "The Furies".

#BikeShare #StKilda Locations

#Melbourne Bike Share is becoming more and more popular with #tourists and residents, with bike stations popping up all over the city. In St Kilda there are now three locations where you can pick up or drop off a bike. One location is right in front of #LunaPark.  See the map below for the other locations.

 

Wearing a bike helmets is law in #Australia and even though some of these blue #bikes come with courtesy helmets that are passed on by previous users, so if you get a bike that comes with a helmet, then you just leave this helmet with the bike for the next user to use.  Alternatively, you can buy your own blue helmet from selected 7-11 and various retail stores across Melbourne for only $5! For tourists, these are fantastic souvenirs as well!

 

These are such a great way to see the city as well as being a cheap mode of transport.  For more information, check out their website http://www.melbournebikeshare.com.au/

#2XU #Sale at #StKildaTownHall

It's their yearly clearance. This Sunday 19 April 2015 is the final day to get some bargains on 2XU Sportswear. For all those fitness buffs, this is a great opportunity to stock up on things like #CompressionTights which are on sale for $80 each. These normally sell for $139.99 in stores like Rebel sports, so it's a good discount.

 

The only criticism, which has been mentioned by friends and work colleagues, is that they DO NOT give you a proper tax receipt.  Not sure if this is legal or ethical, so it is very disappointing for such a well-known company to do this.  They also have A4 printed signs all around the room stating that all sales are final, and that there are no exchanges or refunds.

 

For many people this probably isn't a big deal because there are fitting rooms setup inside, so you can try things on before you buy them.  If you are buying items for a friend or partner, for example, just make sure you know their exact size. 

 

Still, the very least that 2XU could do is give customers a legitimate receipt. Some of our friends work in the fitness industry and want to claim some of the apparel on their tax, but without a receipt this is difficult.  It is really odd for them not to give customers a receipt, especially when people are spending hundreds of dollars in one transaction. This is nothing to sneeze at. People work hard for their money, and it is only fair to get some sort of itemized proof of purchase. This is probably something to ask Consumer Affairs or the ACCC (The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) about, for those who are concerned.

 

Overall, some of the discounts are worth checking out. Today is the last day of the sale for this year so get on down to the St Kilda Town Hall, on the corner of Carlisle Street and Brighton Rd, in St Kilda between 9am - 5pm.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

 

 

Happy #ChineseNewYear

A Happy Chinese New Year to all friends and family that celebrate this.

This year is the Year of the Goat (or some call it the Year of the Sheep). It is apparently a Yin year which symbolizes peace and harmony.

 

Even though we don't have any specific celebrations going in #StKilda (maybe something the City of Port Phillip can consider for next year and beyond?), there are plenty of things happening around Melbourne.  The main festival takes place in Chinatown in Melbourne's CBD along Little Bourke Street and Russell Street this coming Sunday 22 February from 10am to 10pm.

 

There will be a second event at Federation Square the following week on Sunday 1 March 2015 from 12pm to 4pm.

For more information you can check out the website:

http://www.chinesenewyear.com.au/mel_locations.html

 

Photo: Dragon Parade along Little Bourke Street last year, 2014.

Photo courtesy of Allpict.in (http://allpicts.in/)

#DiscoYoga @ #StKildaFestival

The Disco Yoga this morning in #CataniGardens was a hit. There was a great turn out and instructor, Nickie Hanley, did a wonderful job.


Photo: Disco Yoga in Catani Gardens for St Kilda Festival 2015

 

Photo: Stretching it out.

Photo: Omms to finish the session.

 

Photo: Disco Yoga Instructor, Nickie Hanley.

It's #StKildaFestival Today!

Hope you're all ready for it! It's going to be a fun day.

#LiveNLocal #StKildaFestival

If you love live music and like to get out there and support local artists, then this is the perfect week to do just that.  It's part of the St Kilda Festival and is on in various venues throughout St Kilda every night this week, ending with the big festival this coming Sunday 8 February 2015.

 

There is an information booth on the corner of #AclandStreet and Shakespeare Grove in St Kilda if you are out and about and want to get some info about who's playing and where. They are FREE gigs too! With so many amazing performers and bands out there, so there's bound to be something that satisfies everyone's taste.

Check out their website for more info: http://stkildafestival.com.au/2015-s2/page/pages/73

 

Photo: Live N Local Information Booth on Acland Street.

 

More #PrideMarch Photos

Just wanted to share some more #event photos from the Pride March last weekend in #StKilda.  It was a great day with a very positive and friendly atmosphere. We have so many different types of events in St Kilda and it's so nice to see that they're all welcomed and loved by everyone.  Congratulations to the LGBTIQ community and to Port Phillip Council on a successful day.

Photo: The colour and fun of Gay Pride March along Fitzroy Street, St Kilda.

Photo: Lots of people crowd Fitzroy Street, St Kilda for Pride March 2015.

Photo: It was Pride March's 20th Anniversary this year.

Photo: The celebrations continues after the March in Catani Gardens.

Photo: Crowd in Catani Gardens for Pride March celebrations.

Gay Pride March

It's the 20th Anniversary of #PrideMarch in #StKilda today. It's Just so nice to see our diversity celebrated & supported by everyone. It's also nice to see the #gay pride flags displayed at the council building!  That's very cool. Congratulations #CityOfPortPhillip!

Petrol at an All Time Low

WOW! We haven't seen #petrol this cheap in a LONG time!

The #Shell service station on #BarklyStreet and the #Caltex on the corner of #InkermanStreet and #ChapelStreet in #StKilda both are displaying the same price today. This is exciting news for drivers!

Photo: Petrol price today in St Kilda

#StKilda Twilight Market

If you haven't checked out the #StKildaTwilightMarkets, then you should get yourself down there during #Summer. They are held every Thursday from 5pm-10pm, until 26 February 2015, in O'Donnell Gardens which is right next to Luna Park.

 

It's a great vibe right in the heart of #StKilda.

For more information check out their website: http://stkildatwilightmarket.com/ or Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stkildatwilightmarket 

Photo: St Kilda Twilight Markets

#Fire at #StKildaPier

It seems that a #Catamaran caught #fire at #StKilda Pier this evening. #FireTrucks and #Police are on site. The Pier is currently closed while Emergency Services investigate the scene.  

After the #Rain

The rainy #weather of last week has subsided and we can look forward to some proper sunny #Summer weather this week!

 

As much as we need the rain, nobody can deny that we love the sunshine a little bit more. However, there are some that really enjoy the rain and what it leaves behind. Nobody could sit on the grass the days after the downpour of heavy rain because it took a little bit of time for all the water to drain away, but the birds loved it.

 

The unevenness of this area  and poor drainage is a common occurrence and is highlighted during wet weather. Hopefully the council can take this on board for future improvements to the already beautiful foreshore.This grass area of #StKilda Foreshore has since dried up and people are able to once again sit and enjoy the sunshine.

Photo: Birds enjoying the water on St Kilda Foreshore the day after the downpour.

Sand Bags on St Kilda Beach

What appeared to be bags of rubbish on #StKildaBeach this evening actually were sand bags from today's #SLAM #BeachVolleyball event. 

Well done to the team that packed up everything very quickly and efficiently! You would never know there was a major event there today. Impressive.

Photo: Sand bags on St Kilda Beach

Outdoor Shower Drainage Problem

It's great that we have #OutdoorShower facilities such as this one at #StKildaBeach, so people can rinse off the sand and salt water after spending the day at the #beach.

 

However, some of these shower areas suffer from bad drainage problems. Having to step into still warm sandy water in order to rinse off isn't the most appealing of circumstances but people do out of necessity. It is unfortunate that this occurs every season, and seems to be a common problem with outdoor showers at beaches around Port Phillip Bay, and one wonders if something can be done to improve them. 

 

In the case of the one at St Kilda Beach, perhaps if this area was elevated, or situated on some form of decking, similar to the decking that exists only meters away as part of the boardwalk along the foreshore, it would allow for better drainage. Something to consider, City of Port Phillip?

 

Photo: Outdoor showers at St Kilda Beach need better drainage.

Fitness First on Alma Temporarily Closed

The #FitnessFirst gym on #AlmaRoad is currently closed for renovations.

 

For those that don't know where this is, it is on Alma Road in East St Kilda between Chapel Street and Westbury Street, opposite Alma Park.

 

They are apparently refurbishing the pool and the entire entrance areas, which is well-needed.  Having lived in St Kilda for nearly three decades and having once been a member of the then St Kilda Fitness, one can remember that the indoor 25m pool was looking old even ten years ago, so it will be exciting to see the upgraded one!

 

The whole gym is closed until 18 January 2015 (which is only a few more days) but the pool works are scheduled to continue until the end of the month.

 

For more information, check out their website. http://www.fitnessfirst.com.au/find-a-club/st-kilda/

 

Photo: Fitness First on Alma Rd closed for renovations

 

Saving the Trees

It's such a shame that some of the #trees along our #StKilda streets are being stolen or vandalised. Why would people do this? However, it's great that something is being done about it by the council, and by the looks of these trees on Alma Road it is working. This looks like a good choice of tree too.

 

Well done to the City of Port Phillip for being proactive.

Photo: Protecting the street trees on Alma Road.

Mad #Melbourne #Weather

This morning it was 37°C and by lunch time it was 38°C. Then at around 3pm, the clouds rolled in and the #sky went grey. Then the downpour of #rain began. It lasted just under an hour and according to the news it was 20mm worth. It seemed to stop as quickly as it started and it wasn't long before the sun came out again and the temperature gauge hovered back to 35°C.

 

This spectacular #cloud formation appeared over the Bay at dusk and resembled something from a SciFi movie. Was an alien finally coming to visit St Kilda? Or was it God? Or was it a portal to another dimension that the plane was flying directly into?

 

Enjoy your warm Summer evening, folks! :)

Photo: Cloud formation at dusk at the beach.

Interesting Architecture Design

#StKilda is full of interesting #Architecture, and this #ApartmentBuilding's façade is testament to our suburb's diversity. This unique and eye-catching design definitely adds some colour to what would be just another boring block of apartments.

Photo: Apartment building façade in St Kilda.

Happy New Year

#HappyNewYear everyone!! Hoping you all have an amazing year ahead.
Love, Peace & Success to all.

Photo: Melbourne's New Year's Fireworks 2015