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Welcome to the last edition of 'Lost and Found' for 2006, an email publication that explores Melbourne's hidden creative spaces and the myriad of interesting events that keep the city buzzing. Due to such an amazing response, the Lost and Found journey will extend into 2007. We thank you for your support, and hope you will continue to uncover Melbourne's creative secrets with us in the new year...
Click through to read Issue 1 featuring
Guest Editor Kate Bezar, Issue 2 featuring Lisa Gorman and Issue
3 with Australian CREATIVE magazine's Barbara Messer and Issue 4 with Chunky Move's Gideon Obarzanek. |
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^ Image: courtesy of Hidden Secret Tours |
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| Hitting the Deck |
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| What's on the cards? Perhaps this is the question Michelle Matthews asked herself a moment before she hit upon the idea for her massively successful Secrets guides. These highly pocketable decks of cards act as mini, sortable travel guides each with concise information on one side and a map on the other. The first pack, Shopping Secrets Melbourne was released in 2003 and since then Bar Secrets, Pub Secrets, even Spa Secrets have followed. The cards have forayed into other cities, but the most recent set published is called Culture Secrets Melbourne City. Perfect for the self-guided cultural tourist, the cards are also an insight for locals who may never have explored treasures on their doorstep, from public art in the city to the Aboriginal Heritage walk at the Botanic Gardens. But with 52 cards in hand, the decision about where to begin can be tough. Even for a local, sometimes a guided tour - with coffee stops included - is the perfect way to discover the city's hidden hot spots. Matthews launched Hidden Secrets Tours, with the help of Fiona Sweetman in 2004 and Fiona now runs an expanding list of small group tours in the city. The most popular is 'Lanes and Arcades' - revealing this town's most innovative creative retailers, notoriously the hardest to find. Others on offer include the 'Art and Design' tour, which leads strollers through the city's always evolving galleries, public art installations and spaces. There's also the 'Fashion Triangle' tour and, proving mysteriously popular, the 'Sommelier's Progressive Dinner'. A seasoned local, Fiona is a big advocate of walking (no mini-busses allowed), so you'll burn calories on your way to finding the perfect dress for summer. |
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| Dan Whitford's Arts/Culture |
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| I was pretty excited when I heard that an exhibition on Astro Boy's creator, Osamu Tezuka, was coming to Melbourne. Like most kids of my generation, I grew up with Astro Boy cartoons every weekday morning, and being a graphic designer I've continued an interest in manga. Now at the NGV, Tezuka - The Marvel of Manga showcases the Japanese artist's work, including his original sketches and characters rarely seen in the West like Phoenix and adult manga such as Eulogy for Kirihito. On a much smaller scale than the NGV, another favourite gallery of mine is Neon Parc. Right up at the top-end of town near Spring Street, they opened their doors last year they've shown some really impressive local artists like local photographer Paul Knight. I also really like Don't Come, which is a new gallery/shop and social hangout that has been opened by local streetwear label Schwipe. It's not high art but that's a good thing in my book. |
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Bird's Eye View
Outdoor cinemas aren't new to the city of Melbourne but get ready for a big change this summer...Rooftop is on the horizon. Based on the New York rooftop-hopping movie-screening concept, Rooftop Cinema will present a weekly program of movies launching on December 12, on the roof of the famous Curtin House in Swanston Street. The whole area will be laid with plush bouncy smart grass and decked out with - well - deck chairs. The roof is six stories high, 70 metres wide and half a city block deep, with a Bladerunner-esque backdrop of skyscrapers. Organised by that bunch of Melbourne kids who publish the weekly email style-bible ThreeThousand, Rooftop Cinema will present a cutting-edge program of films from cult to classic arthouse, with some new blockbusters thrown in. The bar will be stylishly orchestrated by the good people at Cookie and meals created on a custom-built yakitori grill. Watch out for the cinema's mini-festivals, including the week-long 'Bill Murrathon' - an homage to the great man's career from Ghost Busters to Lost in Translation.
Stats:
Deck of Secrets - Cultural Secrets. $9.95 from bookshops, selected specialist stores and the Melbourne Visitor Centre, Federation Square, Melbourne. More information here.
Hidden Secrets Tours, book online or by calling 03 9329 9665.
Rooftop Cinema, Curtin House, 252 Swanston Street. From December 12, 2006 - April 9, 2007. Check online for bookings.
Tezuka - the Marvel of Manga at NGV International, 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne.
03 8620 2222.
Neon Parc, 1/53 Bourke St, Melbourne.
03 9663 0911.
Don't Come, L2 Royal Arcade, 314 Lt Collins St, Melbourne. 03 9639 2227. |
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| ^ Image: courtesy of Rooftop Cinema |
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In Search of Style...
Most Melburnians know that the best style can sometimes be difficult to find. Located upon the top floors, down in the subways and out in the suburbs, the following boutiques are worth travelling that little bit further for a fashion fix...
Hidden below the Degraves and Flinders Streets intersection is Corky Saint Clair. Known around town for its in-house screen print T-shirt label Corky, the store has now branched into jewellery and accessories made from stainless steal and Perspex. Another popular store label is Artichoke, created by two design-savvy sisters (who are barely legal, at just 18 and 19 years old). Their use of water-based inks on delicate hand painted fabrics puts an individual stamp on the common tee. Not far from CSC is Retrostar Vintage. Situated on the first floor in the Nicholas Building, Retrostar is a one-stop shop for retro and vintage fashion. The store recently expanded to encompass even more space for the biggest variety of boots, velour jumpers, second hand T-shirts, visors, patterned tights and outrageous vintage dresses in town. Further down Swanston, the 6th floor of Curtin House is the destination for all things Brazilian and beyond. Exclusive stockist of Brazilian couturier Alexandre Herchcovitch, acclaimed new-comers Misericordia from Peru and Melbourne-based TV (Tvanek Verner), Order and Progress also houses some of the most unique accessories around. International jewellers like Alex and Chloe, Les Bijoux De Sophie and local young accessory craftsman Hamish Munroe are currently in-store.
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Image: courtesy of Queen |
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| ^ Image: courtesy of Order and Progress |
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Fashion Secrets...
For boutiques less-trodden out of the city, Queen has two little stores full of fashion surprises. The original boutique near the corner of Smith and Gertrude streets in Collingwood has just recently expanded to a sister store over Windsor way. Both shops stock some hard-to-find independent local labels such as Melbourne-based designers A Name Is Not A Label - who only produce one-off intricately constructed/deconstructed pieces from recycled clothing. Other labels such as Dick and Dora, Maru and Holly Chalmers provide the store with their eclectic mix of jewellery, accessories and fake collars. Closer to the beach, boutique Hoss is as good an excuse to visit St Kilda as the Acland St cake shops. Maybe it's the store's seaside proximity, but Hoss covers all bases when it comes to topping summer wardrobe. Filled with a selection of both men's and women's wear, this summer tailored shorts (for men) and designer dresses (for ladies) are the key. Hoss's stock covers Alice McCall, Belinda Fairbanks and Shakuhachi, as well as in-house signature label Hoss.
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Stats:
Corky Saint Clair, Shop 1/4 Degraves St, Melbourne. 03 9663 5559.
Retrostar Vintage, L1, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne. 03 9663 1223.
Order and Progress, L6, 252 Swanston St, Melbourne. 03 9654 1329.
Queen, 71 Smith St, Fitzroy. 03 9416 4964. And 80 Chapel St, Windsor. 03 9529319.
Hoss Clothing, Shop 3/135 Fitzroy St,
St Kilda. 03 9537 0933.
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Out with the old and the young as well
New Year's Eve must be the world's oldest excuse for a party. But if that's the case, then it's also the world's oldest source of party anxiety. Where is the best place to drink? Where should I be dancing at midnight? Who should I be dancing with? All important questions. And the plethora of events on offer in Melbourne this year ain't making the decisions any easier. Free entertainment from live bands to DJs, dancing and roving performance will be presented across six main venues: Alexandra Gardens, the beautiful Birrarung Marr, Federation Square, and along the waterfront at Southgate as well as New Quay and Waterfront City, Docklands. Fireworks will explode at 9.15pm, just to warm things up (and satisfy the kids before bedtime), then again at midnight. The key is to find a bar close to the action. Federation Square's Transport Hotel is a good pick - arrive early and settle in on the rooftop lounge garden. At Southgate, a staggering list of bars and restaurants are offering menus and themes - from the Hawaiian Beach Party at Bear Brass, to the four course Italian extravaganza at Tutto Bene. At the Docklands, Fix Jamm Room is a party hub, while the more stately and cushion-conscious can book a table near the water at Mecca Bah. St Kilda, of course, is a celebration destination. The party heritage of this suburb is legendary, so they have a lot to live up to come New Year's Eve. The best tactic here will be to secure an outdoor spot at one of bars along Fitzroy Street, or ring The Stokehouse right now and book a waterfront table. If you can handle the crush of celebrities, The Vineyard on Acland Street throws a famous New Year's Eve bash worthy of the most hard-to-impress St Kilda local. |
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| ^ Image: courtesy of Tutto Bene |
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| ^ Images: courtesy of St Jeromes Laneway Festival |
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Plan of Attack
So you've just unwrapped the diary your Mum gave you for Christmas. It's pristine, unsullied pages are conjuring that delicious one-a-year feeling of endless possibility. Quick, before you start writing in dentist appointments and back-to-work deadlines, think about what you'd really like to book yourself in for. Summer in Melbourne offers some seriously diary-worthy options. Number one better be the St Jeromes Laneway Festival. Founded in Melbourne four years ago by Jerome and the gang at his namesake laneway institution, this event has spread to Sydney and now Brisbane. Melbourne's festival still happens right at the source, and now incorporates Lounge Upstairs as a venue. The line-up is, as they say, awesome. Melbourne bands will be on rotation. The Temper Trap made their Laneway debut last year, and they were so good that now guitarist Johnny Vegas doesn't work at Jeromes anymore - the path to stardom is mysterious. Other Melbourne kids listed include hip hop lady Macromantics, who has just been signed to legendary US label Kill Rock Stars. The hypnotic Ground Components will perform new stuff and album classics, and of course party people the Midnight Juggernauts will bring their synths and incomparable brand of indie-electro. The internationals are too good and too numerous to mention. Let's just say, in one day you'll see Swedish pop trio Peter Bjorn & John's Australian debut, the Galswegian Camera Obscura, south-west London's Archie Bronson Outfit and NYC's The Walkmen. Ring up and plead vigorously for tickets now, then put something worthwhile in your diary for February 24. |
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Stats:
Transport Hotel, Federation Square, Melbourne. 03 9654 8808.
Bear Brass, River Level, Southgate Arts and Leisure Precinct Southgate, Melbourne. 03 9682 3799.
Tutto Bene, Mid Level Southgate, Melbourne. 03 9696 3334.
Fix Jamm Room, L1, 119/439 Docklands Drive, Waterfront City, Docklands. 03 93290001.
Mecca Bah, 55a Newquay Promenade, Docklands. 03 9642 1300.
Stokehouse, 30 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda. 03 9525 5555.
The Vineyard, 71a Acland St, St Kilda. 03 9534 1942.
St Jeromes Laneway Festival. February 24, citywide. See website for ticket details. Lounge Upstairs, 243 Swanston St, Melbourne. 03 9663 2916. |
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| ^ Image: courtesy of Husk |
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Retail Craftsmanship
There is a selection of spaces in the city where design and craftsmanship come together within a retail setting. It is here that shopping becomes not a battle against the masses, but a relaxed experience complete with essential oils, soft lighting and expertly crafted products. Earthy, raw and beautiful, Husk has long been a Melburnian haven, containing hand-picked clothing, homewares and accessories from Australia and New Zealand. A retail sanctuary amidst busy Collins Street, the city store combines a cavern-like interior with rainforest prints and curling incense. Relaxation and beautiful things are a Husk prerogative, embodied in the store's collection of signature tea blends, sensory care products, essential oils, thick candles, and intricate glass-blown and porcelain homeware. Soft leather and braided bags from Husk's in-house label, paired with designers such as Easton Pearson, Vixen and New Zealand's Sample Only adds the fashion touch, completing what is a sensory shopping experience. If you can make it past the alluring range of design, fashion and lifestyle magazines that line the entrance to the NGV Shop, then be prepared to browse for hours. In the creative heart of Melbourne, the shop delivers the thick range of art books and design products you'd expect in such a location. Currently in-store are art posters, bags, notebooks, CDs and publications like British Art of The 60s and a book detailing the NGV's latest exhibition Tezuka - The Marvel of Manga, which you can purchase and then become immediately absorbed in while sipping a coffee at the adjoining Jolimont Pleasure Garden café.
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| ^ Image: courtesy of NGV Australia |
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| ^ Image: courtesy of Handmade in Melbourne |
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All Sewn Up
Design, craftwork and fashion meet at Douglas & Hope's inner Melbourne boutique, in which patchwork quilts, clothing, homeware and a pastel-dominated colour scheme recall something of an English cottage (minus the drab weather). Nestled unassumingly in Melbourne's heritage Block Arcade, this little haven is the brainchild of owners Paul Douglas and his quilter partner Cathy Hope. Inside, Diptyque candles and tres bon stools complement Cathy's quilted fabrics, which merge florals with geometrics and rich Japanese prints. The label's one-off fabric totes and delicate coin purses have garnered something of a cult city following, while a selection of designer threads from the likes of Karen Walker, Kate Sylvester and Cathy's own label Immune have the sundress and printed-tee market cornered. |
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Stats:
Husk, 176 Collins St, Melbourne. 03 9663 0655. NGV Shop at NGV Australia, Federation Square (corner of Russell and Flinders Streets), Melbourne. 03 8620 2222.
Douglas and Hope, Shop 14 Block Arcade, 282 Collins St, Melbourne. 03 9650 0585. |
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Dan Whitford's
Cafes/Restaurants |
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| When I'm craving an espresso Degraves is the one place that always delivers. After a big night out the 'no fuss' approach and French toast has proven a saviour many a time. Whether inside at a quiet table during winter or out on the street tables in summer, this is always a good place in which to while away the hours. Another old favourite is the Nudel Bar. Offering quick service and well-priced meals (mains are just $16-$17), the food is always dished-up fresh and the location makes it a perfect place to enjoy an early dinner before catching a film at ACMI or the nearby Palace George. When it comes to a relaxed meal, Movida is my local haunt. There isn't a hangover that can't be cured with a plate of Costilla con Sobrasada, a bottle of Heathcote Jinks Creek Shiraz and the expert service here. The sunken couches and relaxed atmosphere makes this an ideal place to unwind with a few friends for lunch or an evening meal before (or after) a long night out. |
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| ^ Image: courtesy of Oyster Little Bourke |
New Kids Off The Sidewalk
Over the past year Melbourne has given birth to some new culinary heavyweights. Be your choice Italian, Greek or French, these new kids have it covered. Not to be confused with the Melbourne Oyster bar, Oyster Little Bourke provides a fresh take on the shucked oyster. Tasty morsels from South Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales are combined with crisp wines from Victoria's Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas. There's also a wider menu boasting pork belly and veal if you're more landlubber than seafarer. Open for lunch during the week and from 5pm for dinner, Oyster also caters for cultural types wanting to catch a show or film after their meal. Just tell the staff what time your curtain goes up and the restaurant will do the rest. Oyster is also open late if your show proves toast worthy. Unless you've been living in a media-proof cave, you will have heard of Fifteen. With locations in Amsterdam, Cornwall and London, Jamie Oliver's restaurant-come-training programme for disadvantaged youth opened in Melbourne during October, convincing even seasoned sceptics that the kids can cook. Although it's booked out for dinner until February, you can still slip in for lunch a' la carte. The Italian-based menu is constantly changing, but with dishes like 'Sardine fillets with lemon zest, fennel tops, pine nuts and chilli with a fennel and blood orange salad' there's little room for disappointment. |
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| ^ Image: courtesy of Comme Wine Room |
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| The new grand darling of Melbourne's restaurant scene, Comme opened earlier this year and was instantly embraced by the city's fashion set. Tall marble columns and sweeping staircases make dining here a stylish affair, reflected by the French menu with a Spanish touch. The dining area, Comme Kitchen, is surprisingly relaxed for an 'it' location, combining informal bench-style seating with a menu featuring everything from a 'blue swimmer crab and asparagus omelette' to 'free range chicken with Dijon mustard'. Also try the expansive Comme Wine Bar downstairs for a pre-dinner drink. |
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Stats:
Oyster Little Bourke, 23 Lt Bourke St, Melbourne. 03 9650 0988.
Fifteen Melbourne, Basement, 115-117 Collins St (enter through George Pde), Melbourne.
1300 799 415.
Comme, 7 Alfred Place, Melbourne.
03 9631 4000.
Degraves Espresso Bar, 23-25 Degraves St, Melbourne. 03 654 1245.
Nudel Bar, 76 Bourke St, Melbourne.
03 9662 9100.
Movida, 1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne.
03 9663 3038. |
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Dan Whitford's
Nightlife |
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| Troika has been one of my chill-out, low-key drinking locals since I was at Uni. With cocktails and snacks, the place is perfect if you're waiting to meet someone, and the music there is always great in an indie kind of way. I'm pretty sure I've heard Cut Copy there on the odd occasion. A constant flow of arty types also seem to have saved the place from the suits...Whether its been to DJ or dance, the tempo at Honkytonks is tailored to an aerobic workout. Even though it's closing down after this coming NYE, the white grand piano turntable, hanging plants and glittery features will remain memorable long after the doors close. As usual with Melbourne for every death in bar-land there's a birth, and although it has a totally different feel with its fake grass and Pimms, I have a feeling Madame Brussels will fill some of the void left in Honkytonks' absence. |
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| ^Image: courtesy of Golden Monkey |
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| ^ Image: courtesy of Honkytonks |
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Honkytonks - The End Is Nigh
There is a pre-apocalyptic hush around Melbourne at the moment, or maybe a quiet before the storm as Honkytonks, Melbourne's most notorious club counts down to its closing on New Year's Eve. If you don't believe us go to savehonkytonks.com where Melburnians continue an all-be-it futile attempt to salvage what remains, or at the very least, salvage some memories. In addition, resident DJs Mike Callander and Adam Chapers have released The Last Dance compilation through Stomp, which serves as a tribute to the music that has made Honkytonks an icon. Regardless of which weekend you are in Melbourne it is bound to be a circus at Honkytonks, with Podwars, international DJs, a money machine, plus all the usual shenanigans that should be part of a weekend in another city. |
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The Specialists
It's hard to know who to trust these days, so when in doubt turn to the specialists...
Golden Monkey - Sake
Unlike beer or wine, sake is not the sort of drink that many have grown up with which makes seeking advice crucial. Golden Monkey has one of the most extensive lists in the country and is owned by Melbourne bar maven Andre Bishop who owns Robot and is partial to a bit of manga. Golden Monkey may be new but it certainly has a good heritage.
Borsch Vodka and Tears - Vodka
Usually it's gin that leads to tears but over 100 European vodkas is enough to make anyone cry. Combined with Polish cuisine Borsch Vodka and Tears has become an institution, with the common denominator of the clientale being an appreciation of quality, service and Russia's finest tipple.
Gingerboy - Cocktails
Some say never trust a bartender without a hangover, but at Gingerboy the bartenders are so busy that they don't have time to drink on the job. Specialising in cocktails, you can sit at the bar and drool over the food, or book in advance and gloat while you sip your 'lychee pear fix' with a crisp Thai/Vietnamese-inspired dish. |
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Stats:
Honkytonks, Duckboard Place (off Flinders Lane). 03 9662 4555.
Golden Monkey, Rear 389 Lonsdale St, (enter via Hardware Lane) Melbourne. 03 9602 2055. Borsch Vodka and Tears, 173 Chapel St, Windsor. 03 9530 2694.
Gingerboy, 27- 29 Crossley St, Melbourne. 03 9662 4200. Troika, 106 Lt Lonsdale St, Melbourne. 03 9663 0221.
Madame Brussels, L3, 59-63 Bourke St, Melbourne. 03 9662 2775. |
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Lost and Found Issue #1 |
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Lost and Found Issue #2 |
| Lost
and Found Issue #3 |
| Lost and Found Issue #4 |
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