"No, you can't say cock."

I reached a point in Melbourne today. The point of being able to walk through the city and bump into someone you know. New places always bring the joy of anonymity, but over time that will certainly dissolve. You reach a point where you occasionally see people you know when you go out, and as you spend longer somewhere these interactions will become more frequent, until you reach a point where it seems impossible to go out without bumping into someone you know.
For now Melbourne will remain for me a place where I occasionally bump into someone I know, because I am temporary in this place. My flights are booked and in a little over a week I move on. I will find anonymity again in Perth, but then I will return to the intense familiarity of HB where I do most often bump into acquaintances when I go out.

This past week I certainly continued finding the phenomenal food around the city, but I have also returned to my happy place which counteracts the food addiction and found a wonderful pole and aerial studio to immerse myself in. With a special offer 2 week unlimited casual class entry deal I have been taking all the strength and stretch classes I can. My muscles are sore but so happy to be working again. Time off really effects the fitness level.

But back to food! I've been introduced to Lentil as Anything, a fantastic organisation which works on pay as you feel and volunteer staff. I have been to the Abbortsford branch, twice for dinner and once for breakfast. The atmosphere is great and the concept fills me with warmth and joy. Everyone should be able to eat and Lentils is an embodiement of this. The second dinner I had there was on friday, world poetry day, and I even did some open mic. I am still distressed by that however as the poetry event was run by a youth organisation I was told I had to be PG, which ruled out rather a lot of my writing.
I also had my second taste of vegie bar (Brunswick St, Fitzroy) where I got a great tofu burger sandwiched between roti bread. We followed this up with frozen yogurt at Berrissimo which unfortunately was in its last week of trading. Definitely discovered that one too late. But I still have La Panella. Look out, food porn!

Situated on Preston High St, 30 mins train ride from the city, this bakery is a vegan heaven. Super cheap, everything was about $2. Pies, cakes, slices, pizza bread, and donuts, delicious and vegan. I will definitely be going back before I leave Melbourne.

I will shut up about food soon, but since I mentioned everything else I will mention Panzerroti (Flinders Lane). These are like pizza pastie kind of things, and they have a vegan on demand option, so you just pick ingredients from a list and they make it fresh. Delicious, and just round the corner from where I am staying, so no doubt I will sample another combo of ingredients before I go.

Also worthy of a mention from the past week was seeing Cock, the current Melbourne Theatre Company play. It was moving and amusing, and suitably raunchy, much to the shock of the two old ladies seated by me. What did they expect from a play called Cock?

The Week That Was

Looks like it is updates time! Blog neglect must mean I've been keeping busy, right?

Something like that...

I went to see Grease on wednesday night which was really great. It was exactly what you want Grease to be, excellent singing, excellent dancing, and just good fun.

Thursday night I had an extreme feast with a great group of vegans at Loving Hut in Northcote. That was some damn good food. The highlights for me were mock duck katsu with plum sauce, and the ice cream.

Can't go wrong for food in Melbourne. I have even had some delicious vegan fresh hot jam donuts.

Friday really was exciting. I had a job trial at a vegan cafe. I think it went well and should be speaking to the owner about it today so fingers crossed I have a job. Then it was onto the train to go far away to Boronia. By far I mean one hour travel. 

I stayed with family friends for the weekend, which was a great escape from the city and the super busy grand prix weekend. I got to get close to some parrots and had the pleasure of hanging out with the family dog, a darling labradoodle called Monty. This also allowed me use of a proper kitchen. I made curry, tofu fried rice, and pb choc pillows.

Now I am back in the city, back to hostel life, and ready to enjoy more of the food Melbourne has to offer.

Including an Ode

Today was good. I don't have a job (well I haven't told the company that yet but I am not wasting more time on sales). But money is not absolutely desperate yet so there is time to worry about that later.

Roll back to last night. I went for dinner at Gopals, a veggie restaurant, it was cheap and tasty. We then moved onto a wonderful bar attached to an alternate theatre called The Butterfly Club. It is so cute and I had a delicious cocktail there.

This morning I went out for brunch, had yummy pancakes and tried tempacon (tempeh bacon). Then the group decided to continue on to a park because we all agree you are never too old for playgrounds.
Then four of us decided to go to the beach so we picked up towels and headed to St Kilda. The cool sea was very welcome since it is really hot today. It is now 8.30pm and I am still warm in a summer dress. Then we went for ice cream, and here comes the Ode.

Ode to Fritz Gelato

You bring a joy to the mouths
of Melbourne.
You are the true bliss
of summer
days in the heat.
To Bounty
God of Sorbet
we praise
bow down
coconut delight.
Tantalizing
you complement tanned
skin and sea salt hair
and as sun sets
oh Bounty
you are Ice
Queen of dreams.

This shit is seriously good. If you are ever in Melbourne make sure you try it.

Following that one of the guys and I went to Starbucks so we could organise tickets to see Grease on stage! Super excited for that on Wednesday night.

Future Thinking

So when you calculate the hours and pay for sales if you are no good at it it is below shit. If you are ok at the job then it gets just about acceptable. If you are an awesome seller you earn awesome money.
I don't have time to get awesome at the job so I am over that experience. Which leaves me with plan A and plan B.

I interviewed for a hospo job this morning.
Plan A is get the job. Stay here til the end of April as planned. Work and do tourist and fun stuff on days off.
Plan B is do not get the job. Do all tourist things I want to immediately. Book flights on to Perth as soon as I have my passport back. Spend 2 weeks there then return to NZ earlier than planned.

I actually do not mind either way. I still get some awesome time in Melbourne whichever happens. Both sides have benefits, and I have already come into new interesting thoughts about the whole 5 year plan that hangs round your thoughts generally, or it does mine at least. Particularly since I find I hate hostels future travel plans are going to involve normal holidays or more permanent living. I don't dig the inbetween.

On the Job

I have now spent two days observing door to door sales. I got to see a bad day and a good day for the team, and tomorrow I get official training and start getting paid. Despite this really not being the job I was looking for any job means money and local friends and the team I am working with are good fun.

Today I went with the team manager and we went to a big block of flats, cheap housing kinda places. This meant a fun and interesting experience. The people you come across are fantastic. I will try to remember some of them!
One man immediately said he wasn't interested in the power offer but invited us in for a drink, so we stopped for a glass of water. He had an interesting story, whether a yarn or true it was an interesting chat. He used to play guitar in a band and was a multimillionaire, then he got divorced and his wife got the house and car and most of his money. Now he is a manager doing some sort of work helping people that need it (addicts etc).
One lady peered round the door at us and immediately shut it again.
One man we signed up was 85 and from Glasgow and been 50 years in Aus.
We spoke to a lady who was a bit of a worry, even said she didn't care about the power bill because she might commit suicide tomorrow. Comfortingly she has a lovely dog who seems to be a solid reason to keep going for her. She also told me I have nice legs.
We signed up a man from Sussex who was pissed off at a bad deal he'd just signed up for with someone else. Team Brit getting shit done. (George, team manager, is a Yorkshire lad).
There were also lots of Russian people who barely spoke English.

Overall interesting experience. I don't think in the long term sales is something I would want to do but for a temporary job while I am here I am happy to have a new experience, and since it is 6 hours walking each day at least it will keep me fit. :)