Melbourne

I have a bunch of books/dvds for sale, listed in this post on my journal. Available for pickup (inner north) or can mail them. Signal boosting welcome!

The situation: Our flatmate is moving to Japan for six months! Amazing for her, sad for us -- because now we have to fill her shoes.

The house: A four-bedroom sharehouse in Brunswick. With new kitchen and carpets installed when we moved here back in 2010, it's a comfortable late-Victorian (the era, not the state) with an attractive front and a concrete-and-corrugated-iron backyard that wouldn't be out of place in a serial killer movie. The rooms are large but lack civilised things like built-in wardrobes. Short walk from Moreland Station and the 8 and 19 trams.

The flatmates: A film student, an office worker and a cat. The humans are quiet homebodies with nerdy interests and creative tendencies. The cat is so neurotic he's on human Prozac. If your idea of a great Saturday night is sitting on the internet with a glass of wine close to hand, you'll fit in great.

The ideal candidate: A lion-tamer. Or someone with a profound passion for cleaning. Or, failing all that, a non-smoker with a job, a sense of humour, and basic interpersonal skills. Would especially suit a post-grad student or young professional aged 25-35.

The money: rent is $650 a month. Bond is $600. Bills and internet are extra.

Available: beginning December 2012

Hey Melbournians (or Batmanians, as some of you like to be known)!

My friends and I are putting on Melbourne's first fat burlesque show this Friday night (June 1) at Revolt in Kensington:



Tickets are pretty cheap (as far as burlesque shows in Melbourne go), group tickets are cheaper (you need to book those ahead). The performers are awesome - the show is funny, queer, kinky, sexy, deliciously corpulent, and brilliantly talented. It's going to be great. Please come along!

(Va Va Boombah is being made possible under the benevolent auspices of Chub Republic Melbourne.)

I was a bad girl a few weeks ago -- it was early in the morning, I needed to get to work, and on boarding my tram I discovered that my purse held $1.45 in small change and a $20 note. And, as if starting work at 7am wasn't bad enough, the ticket inspectors loomed.

So now I have a fine waiting to be paid, but the inspector recommended that I appeal, as it was a first-time offence and I had extenuating circumstances. I was originally inclined to pay the fine, but then I saw how much it was. $178 >>>> laziness.

So, beloved Melbournians, have any of you appealed a fine, how did you phrase your letter, and did you have any luck?

 I'm happy to note that after months of rebuilding after that unfortunate fire, the Turtle  has reopened! I just drove by and it's packed with people. 

I can't wait to cure my craving for the Turtle Benedict this weekend.:)

  So, I've been inspired by tangent_woman to ask - would you leave Melbourne to live in country Victoria? And if so, where? And why?

After driving down the Great Ocean Road to Johanna Beach, I have to say I fell in love with Joanna and the lovely little seaside towns between there and Melbourne. Living on the coast really appeals to this island girl, but, I suspect it would be expensive.

Would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations on places to visit or live in country Vic. :)

 I see the melbournemaniac community on LJ just kicked off a massive "introduce yourself" thread... and it made me realise I should get my butt in gear and post something over here.

So, did anyone else go to Community Cup at Elsternwick Park? If you spotted a really hyper goldren retriever pulling his owner along behind him, you saw me and my dog. :)

"The City of Melbourne - despite having a surplus of almost $8 million this year - is cutting its arts funding by 20%, or $300,000, which will have a major impact on the independent arts sector in the coming months. Essentially it will result in 25 less exhibitions, events or arts jobs in the next year, which in the middle of a recession, which usually sees people flock to the arts to escape the grim reality of their everyday lives, is a thoroughly fucked situation," writes Richard Watts.

Can it be *Melbourne* doing this? :(

 For the musical theatre buffs out there... 
I went to see A Little Night Music at the Arts Centre last night. I can now say I really GET Sondheim, and I see why so many people are in fervent love with his musicals.

I was hanging off every word. Oh, the lyrics are wonderful! 

I was sitting up in the dress circle without my glasses *grin* so I can't attest to whether Sigrid Thornton really looks as young as she did on the cover of the Melbourne magazine, but I really enjoyed her performance, and the chap who played her lover (I have no idea of the actor's name, unfortunately).

Definitely worth seeing, if you're a musical person. Not as glitzy and eyepopping as Wicked but clever and funny, and I'm still humming "Send in the Clowns" to myself this morning. :)

 I was soooo happy when I heard the news... The RRR Community Cup is back. If you haven't been... make sure you come along to Elsternwick Park on Sunday, June 21 to see a silly, shambolic footy match where out of shape DJs (PBS Megahertz) play out of shape rock pigs (the Espy Rock Dogs) for charity. There are also bands and stuff, but for me the best part of it is everyone brings their dogs and it's a cool kind of "alt family day out" vibe.

The Community Cup has been on hiatus for several years as the charity it used to raise money for decided it had grown too big and they couldn't afford the public liability insurance anymore, or something like that.  The charity the event now supports looks cool - they do social sports stuff for disadvantaged/marginalised folk.

Yay, see you on the 21st. :)