sunshine

How well do you know Melbourne? Where would you take visiting friends and family to? 

Cute animal keychains at Monster Threads (Collins St, Brunswick St)

So my friend Carissa came over to visit from Queensland and I only had two hours to show her one of the things i love most about Melbourne - h i d d e n  p l a c e s. (The other love is food but our other friend, Joelyn, took on that role while i was at work!) Some places are not so hidden but you might pass by it everyday without even knowing (like the Bernard's Magic Shop on Elizabeth Street) or only realise its charm when someone else wants to check it out.

To me, exploring goes in hand with op shopping. You have to be open minded to get the best out of them.

Japanese inspired hair clip ($2) from RetroStar

Okay, now i'm sure nearly everyone knows about RetroStar but i never knew they had another room filled with more goodies until Friday! 

Wish i had taken a picture of all the mini buckets of hair clips and vintage scrunchies. So pretty!

We also shopped along Degraves Street (more for eating really but it's the live music that lures me in) and other arcades and Carissa bought a lot of stuff rofl yay for quirky souvenirs! 

The Mini Elf' House in Spellbox 

Another popular place is Royal Arcade off Bourke Street but i had never thought of entering SpellBox until Carissa suggested it. 

It's this enchanting place full of quills, talismans, witches spells and psychic readings but I think the Elf' House intrigued me the most. 

We also spun the Wheel of Stars and my oracles were Letting Go and Purification. hmmm okay but yeah i really like the clothing and toy stores in Royal Arcade.. 

Oh, and you should check out Kimono House, l'uccello, Pop Up Studio, Collected Works Bookshop, Buttonmania and the other shops in Nicholas Building along Swanston Street too :) Octopusssssssssss

We also had lunch at Oriental Spoon (thankyou for lunch Joelyn!) but if i had more time I would have taken Carissa down Johnston Street (I really want to check out Urban Attitudes), Lygon Street and underneath Degraves Street for more quirky stores. Oh and of course Camberwell Sunday Market and fairs like the Hello Sailor Vintage Fair if she had stayed during the weekend. And then a few more hours for opshopping tehehehehe .. But yeah it was really good catching up with both Carissa and Joelyn and i hope we can meet up again soon :D

By the way, has anyone been to the Underground Cinema yet? I want to go one day!

Anyway, time to study.. and happy birthday Tom :) :) you cute poo!

N.B - oh and my chatterbox died :(((((( didn't get enough love oh noooooo