I talk too much my mouth hurts: melbourne

, by Viv

Smart Living Tip: Top flat hunting search sites

In any city or country I have lived in, there has always been at least one go-to site for almost everything. Before I move to a new place, I try to find out the most popular site to start my searches early on. Even before beginning the actual house searches, I limit my searches to a handful of areas, making it easier to focus without getting overwhelmed with pages of so many unfamiliar area names.

In New Zealand it's TradeMe. Every Kiwi knows about it. I have used it to buy/sell textbooks and hunt for new flatmates in my uni days, to buy secondhand toys, and even to search for job openings. In an eBay style, every buyer/seller has an account to build credibility, with comments and ratings. It's free to join, but may have small service fees when your item is sold successfully, for example.

If I were to move back to Auckland Central, my suburbs of note would be: Mt Eden, Newton, Freemans Bay.

In Australia, it's Gumtree. Not as stylish in design as TradeMe, and it's primarily a buy/sell point. I found my Melbourne menage thanks to Gumtree. One visit and pizza dinner together, and I was in love, with the house and the lovely housemates sharing it. I also looked out for a bike, but I never ended up getting one, too scared to risk my clumsy self on the Melbourne roads.

I only had one choice of suburb in Melbourne in mind: hipster hotspot Brunwick.

In Paris, I used Facebook and the university network for the apartment and job, actually. Sometimes Craigslist came in handy, but of course, to be used with caution. I'd say all online trades should be used carefully, but when there is a language barrier and you are alone in a foreign land, it becomes doubly important. That being said, I found two incredible internships during my year in Paris online - though I ended up letting go of one of them.

Cool places to live in Paris: le Marais, St Canal de Martin, Republique.

Again in France, I relied heavily on Le Bon Coin for my current Bordeaux abode. It did take a while longer than in most cities to get this place. I think it was mostly due to the timing, being summer when no one was here, then suddenly nearing back-to-school, with everyone trying to secure a roof over their heads. I thought of going though an agency to help me out, but in the end, decided that wasn't my style, and I stuck it out until, luckily, an ideal apartment came up.

Advised areas in Bordeaux: Chartrons, St Pierre, Hotel de Ville.

Sometimes flat hunting takes time, and with it, patience. Don't get discouraged you don't find the perfect place on your first visit. Perhaps your expectations are too high. Central city is convenient with easy access to work and play locations, but the places may be smaller, noisier, and more expensive. Be realistic on how much you want to spend, and what that amount is going to get you.

Perhaps even more important than the location and price of your new apartment, is who you are going to share your new space with. For me, sharing a bigger house with one or couple of housemates has always been more attractive than living alone in a tiny studio. Living alone, I found myself picking up weird habits such as reading out aloud to myself, and eating quickly, messily, unhealthily.

Or maybe you are joining up with your other half to start a life together. That's great news, but make sure you understand that sharing a place with others means sometimes compromising, and sharing roles. Such as cleaning. I've been in both cases where I was the 'only' cleaner in the household, and also always 'never' one. Things don't end up well, in either cases.

Your new housemate becomes your new family. Take time to do things together, like Monday movie nights, weekend brunches, grocery trips. I can't wait for my housemate to get back home from his Spanish trip, already. I'm starving!

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, by Viv

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Melbourne: Melbourne in Three Days

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Sweet place: La Belle Miette

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Melbourne: Top 5 Melbourne Memories

I have an announcement to make: Today is my last day in Melbourne. Whaaattt?

I haven't even been here a year, and I'm already moving out. I would have like to stay a bit longer - my original plan had been three years, after all - but a new opportunity is taking me elsewhere, it seems. It's been exactly ten months since I moved to Melbourne last year. Ten months is still quite a long time, for me especially, to be in one place. Here are my top five Melbourne moments:

Morning, Miss Marmalade

Morning coffees, weekend brunches, on the way to the city or to the infamous Sydney Road. It's in the middle of nowhere, but it's a definite local favourite, and a favourite of mine. I really fell in love with their passionfruit muffin. They should make it more often. I also love their green pea fritters.

Italian dinners... and desserts

Cavallino's where we always sit in the same corner, greeted by the same waitress, eat the same creamy gnocchi pasta. Then obligatory stop at Brunetti, a.k.a. dessert heaven, for a box of delicate mini cakes and tarts. On cloud nine. Too full to move.

Hot stuffy summer

I arrived in the beginning of winter in 2013 and couldn't wait for Summer to arrive. Winter in Melbourne is damp, cold, and miserable. Summer, I found, was damp, stuffy and almost suffocating unbearable, as well. However, there were moments where everything was perfect. Like at the Convent, picnicking on the grassy mounds, with sangria in one hand, food in another. The Victoria Night Market, with sangria in one hand, food in another...

Backyard

Similar to the summer story above, I loved our backyard in the warm weather. The summer barbecues in the backyard, with the new barbie we got for Christmas. Movie nights with a bed sheet screen and a projector, friends in camping chairs or on mattresses and pillows. Naps in the hammock under the fig then later the walnut tree. Rainbow lorikeets' morning visits to peck at our abundant fig supplies.

Hipster coffee snobs

Last but not least, the hipster culture, the cafe culture, the very things I came over to Melbourne seeking. I got what I'd asked for. Hipsters are the norm in Melbourne. Every guy, it seems, has thick frames and beards, turned up jeans with funky socks showing. Tattoos are in, as are piercings. Plus lots of graffiti. There are great cafes and restaurants around, Melbournites are very spoilt for choices. Lucky you.

I've been living a very lucky life here in Melbourne. Lovely city, even lovelier house with fantastic housemates. I'm going to miss them and my life here, but it's time to return across the ditch to good 'ole New Zealand. For the time being, anyhow. I have big plans for the rest of this year. Until it comes to be realised, I am crossing my fingers. Hard. Will let you know, very soon!

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, by Viv

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Food Photos

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House Rules

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Creative Morning: Lucas Grogan's Freedom

I have been attending these monthly morning lectures called Creative Mornings (CM) a couple of times, now. They started in New York, and have around 80 chapters world wide. On the last Friday of every month, one speaker give a mini talk on the particular theme for that month. These short twenty minute talks are usually preceded by coffee and pastries, and followed by a brief QnA session. Freedom was the theme for May. The CM Melbourne chapter brought along an Aussie artist Lucas Grogan to share his story on how he achieved freedom in his work.

I hadn't done much research before going in, and was a little confused by popularity for the morning's talk. Is he a very famous person? Turns out, I'd seen his work around. In fact, I had been smitten with his 'fuck yeah' plate, which had stuck me as fun and calming in its patterns and blueness. Everyone else must love it as much as I do, because I have seen it around in various shops and social media posts since.

from here

While definitely his most famous work, the 'fuck yeah' plate is by no means Lucas' only artwork to date. He experiments with many different types of media, trying his hands at embroidery, sculpture, weaving, ceramics, murals... There are pretty cool murals done by him in Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and even Bali.

I really liked how he only uses blue, white and black. It is strangely calming in spite of the intricate patterns and texts Lucas incorporates into all of his works. Plus his message:

The best cure for worry is work

To gain freedom in life, and thus at work, you need to work hard. Hard work will pay off in freedom to choose how and what you work on, and how you live. Here's a young artist with the right mindset, I thought. He is off to another adventure away from Melbourne in August, he says, and I wish him luck!

I find Creative Mornings a great way to find inspiration by hearing these creatives tell their stories, and in turn they are great motivators for my creative goals. Working hard towards them!

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