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Funky Fitzroy - Melbourne city living at its best.

Thursday, 17 May 2012 09:59 | Written by Doug

When visiting a city, it is difficult to decide what area to stay in, for the majority of us, we look for a good hotel and go from there. However, usually the main gaggle of hotels are in the city centre, and although this gives good access to all the tourist stops, it may not always be the most vibrant and exciting place to stay. City centre accommodation in my view on my travels, is not the best experience, despite being the easiest, so choosing a suburb close to the city and the sights becomes important, however, do your research first to ensure you pick an area that will have all of your needs.

On coming to Melbourne, I chose to stay in Fitzroy. Right decision. It did not disappoint. There are good connections via the Sky bus, from the airport, to South Cross Station on the west side of the CBD ("Central Business District"). From there, you can then catch the free tourist tram, that does a circuit of the CBD area and you can hop off at the bottom of Nicholson Street in Fitzroy.

The main focus of Fitzroy is the cafe culture filled Brunswick Street. On my first trawl up Brunswick, I felt that i might be the one people looked at, as I was not tattooed, nor did I have any piercings and I was not wearing cool trendy vintage clothing, however for as many of those interesting characters that you see, there are just as many 'normal' residents. One thing that does strike you straight away, is that it does not feel a tourist spot, which for me is exactly what I loved about Fitzroy. A place to sit and soak up the atmosphere and feel like one of the locals.

There are so many cafe's to choose from to sit and watch the world go by for a few hours. Most have outdoor seating on the street. A few of my favourites are Atomica, and Madame Sousou. In fact a lovely way to spend a few hours is cafe hopping from one to another, book in hand and sitting outside or at a window to watch life pass you by on the street. People are also incredibly friendly in Fitzroy, so If like me, you are sitting on your own in a cafe, it won't be long before someone says hello to you. Once night time hits, again, Brunswick street remains alive and caters for all needs from intimate dining, sophisticated cocktail bars, or real ale pubs. Little Creatures Dining Hall is a large aircraft hanger of a pub, but clearly a hit with the locals as always packed full. Try the australian brewed Little Creatures Pale Ale. Just further up the street is the funky Black Cat bar for a quieter funk filled evening in its lounge laid back atmosphere.

You can not stroll through Fitzroy without noticing the street art and graffiti that adornes nearly every street corner and spare wall. Make sure you have your camera with you. As well as the street art there are a few independent art galleries on Brunswick and nearby. Of course there are also hundreds of boutique and vintage shops to browse through.

If you are visiting in the heat of summer and wish to cool off, then a visit to Fitzroy pool is a must on a particularly hot day. Just walk to the top of Brunswick and turn left and you can't miss it. The 50 metre length outdoor pool is spit into various different lanes to cater for everyone's needs. There is a teared seating area, where the beautiful and fabulous lie all day long on a hot day. Don't let the bronzed bodies put you off though as most are there to enjoy the sun and swim. There is also Live music on Sundays, a sauna and steam room, kids pool and grassy area to relax on.

The other great thing about Fitzroy is its proximity to other local suburbs and that it is walking distance from the city. To the east of fitzroy and a short walk away is the suburb of Collingwood and essentially the two merge into each other. The main focus of Collingwood is Gertrude Street and Smith Street. Again there are great places to eat drink and shop, too many to mention. To the south of Collingwood and over the other side of Victoria Parade, is Fitzroy Gardens, a quiet paradise in the middle of the city. In the park is the famous Cooks Cottage being the cottage of Captain James Cook the famous British explorer. The cottage was originally constructed in North Yorkshire, England but was sold in 1933 and transferred to Melbourne and rebuilt! To the west of Fitzroy and crossing through Carlton Gardens, where the Melbourne Museum is, you will arrive in Lygon Street in Carlton, otherwise known as Little Italy.

What I found when staying in Fitzroy is that I was not compelled to leave, however of course, it is a short walk to the main city, and all the sights there are to see, and not much further a walk to the River Yarra and across into the Botanical Gardens. If you are feeling that you want a bit of beach action, then simply hop on the tram on Brunswick Street and ride over to St Kilda, and experience the beach vibe, visit Luna Park and spot penguins on the pier. Ackland Street in St Kilda is famous for fabulous cake shops, so a coffee and cake is in order.

So remember to investigate when visiting a city and be daring and stay somewhere a bit out of the ordinary!

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Check out the Brooklyn Arts Hotel in Fitzroy www.brooklynartshotel.com.au a quirky country manor house in the middle of vibrant Fitzroy and seconds from Gertrude Street.

fitzroy When arriving in a new city its a good plan to research where is the most exciting and vibrant suburb. To stay in the city centre, despite giving good access to tourist attractions, is not always the place to be. On coming to Melbourne, I chose to stay in Fitzroy. Right decision. It did not disappoint.

There are good connections via the Sky bus, from the airport, to South Cross Station on the west side of the CBD ("Central Business District"). From there, you can catch the free tourist tram, that does a circuit of the CBD area and hop off at the bottom of Nicholson Street in Fitzroy.

Filming The Hotel Inspector

Sunday, 06 May 2012 13:45 | Written by Jess @ QA

alex An email came through that at least distracted me from our robbery disaster. Could I be in Birmingham within days for the filming of The Hotel Inspector? Although excited by the idea, this definately wasn't within my comfort zone - especially as the theme was Naturism. I began to wish I had done a few more sit-ups in the gym.

As I like to think of myself as open-minded and an adventurer I would be cheating myself, and QuirkyAccom, if I didn't accept the challenge. Luckily my colleague and friend Zoe was keen to come along. Phew, I wouldn't have to face the cameras and the naturist community alone.

Local Fiestas in Spain

Thursday, 26 April 2012 18:59 | Written by Jess @ QA

flags Each town and village in Spain has its own fiestas at least once a year. For many this includes days when the streets are lined with cages and barriers from which spectators watch or daredevils can leap in and out to provoke the bulls, (like it or not). There are also impressive firework displays and bangers that puncture the sky and music stages are constructed for all night entertainment. Even smaller hamlets have parades and big party nights until dawn with giant paellas and much celebration.

Until I lived here I had no idea that there was such widespread frivolity. I knew about the well-known events that attract tourists from all over Europe and beyond, like Semana Santa parades at Easter in Sevilla, the Running of the Bulls at Pamplona, Carnival in Tenerife or Cadiz (a big fancy dress-fest), and the historic Moors and Christians parades and reanactments in Alcoy. But did you realise these traditions are also recreated in almost every town across Spain? And each locale also has its own designated, much awaited days of fiesta where normal routine stops and those that live in the village itself give up on the idea of sleep.

Sport Heaven - Club La Santa

Wednesday, 18 April 2012 11:53 | Written by Jess @ QA

windsurfcls Whether you want a bit of sun round the pool while your kids are worn out with swimming lessons and squash, or you want to improve your fitness or even compete, Club La Santa in Lanzarote is a highly motivational and varied environment to holiday. The lagoon offers windsurfing and kayaking; there are olympic and leisure pools; a wellness centre; an athletics field; plus tennis, squash and badminton courts, coaching and tournaments; salsa to fitball to yoga classes, and loads of activities organised for kids and teenagers, even a talent show. But lets not get ahead of ourselves....

My day began eagerly at 8 with the warm-up and stretch to music around the pool, followed by a run. I generally went for middle distance of 3 km around the lagoon, but longer and shorter group options are possible. It was so nice to be pacing myself against fellow runners in the morning sunlight rather than my lonely machine-based run in the garage! Feeling invigorated, the family congregated back in the apartment for breakfast and to finalise plans for the days activities - of which there were many.

Sydney Beaches - Manly to Bondi

Wednesday, 11 April 2012 09:40 | Written by Doug

Northern Beaches v Eastern Beaches

As well as eating and drinking, Manly is well suited for good walking. Take a walk along the beach, round Cabbage Tree Bay to the beautiful and quieter Shelley Beach. Depending on the time of day, either sit and watch the sunset over Manly, or continue your hike round North Head with its spectacular views over to South Head and the city. At certain points you can see the Centre Point Tower and the top of the Harbour Bridge. North Head has National Park status and apart from the amazing views, you will be walking through and experiencing some of nature at its best.   Alternatively, from the Wharf, do the famous Manly to Spit walk. This might take you the best part of an afternoon, but you will be well rewarded with views of the harbour and some amazing quiet beaches along the way. I decided to hire a bike and cycle it instead. You can't follow the harbour path for all of this as bicycles are prohibited along part of the route, but instead you get to see some of the magnificent houses in Balgowlah Heights and Seaforth. If on a bike you need to get

off and walk a bit to visit some of the quieter beaches, such as Forty Baskets Beach.  North from Manly there is Freshwater Beach, then Curl Curl. It is possible to walk from Manly up to Curl Curl. About an hours drive from Manly, further north there is Whale Beach and then Palm Beach. This is where the rich and famous live with huge houses overlooking the beaches. Spot how many of the houses have glass lifts on the outside! Try and spot Elle MacPherson, who is rumoured to live there. Palm Beach is famous for being the beach set for the TV programme Home and Away, and there is the opportunity to have your photo taken at the Summer Bay Surf club. You might even bump into Alf Stewart. Make sure you also take a walk up to Barrenjoey Head and take in the views from the lighthouse.  In comparison for the Eastern beaches, a quick hop on the train from Circular Quay will get you to Bondi Junction. Then a quick bus journey will get you to Bondi. The cynics amongst us might say that it's just another surf beach, but there is definitely a different vibe going on at Bondi. Definitely more of a backpacker crowd. You can't deny it, it is a fab beach. Bondi has probably got more of its share of quirky boutique shops than Manly but also has its fair share of coffee shops and restaurants. Go to Ravesi for nice eats and Gertrude and Alice for good coffee, which doubles as a cool secondhand book shop. Make sure you take a look at the famous Bondi Icebergs, for either a nice meal, or swim in the great outdoor pool.

Take an afternoon out to do the Bondi to Coogee walk. Some of the locals seemed shocked when I said I had walked there and back in afternoon, but it is easy and I even had time to stop and have a swim in the outdoor rock pool at Bronte Bay. From Bondi you will pass through Tamarama Bay, Bronte, and Gordon, before arriving at Coogee. Have a quick refuel at the Coogee Bay Hotel before commencing the walk back.  In the opposite direction a 15 minute bus journey takes you to Watsons Bay and South Head. Similarly like North Head in Manly, you can do several walks here with breathtaking views over to Manly, and to the city. Watsons Bay is also famous for the restaurant Doyles, so stop here for some fish and chips, after your walk back from South Head and Hornby lighthouse.  The advantage of Bondi and the eastern suburbs is of course that it is quicker to get to the trendy areas of Paddington and Darlinghurst. Oxford Street runs through both suburbs all the way to the city and along here you can stop to take in the cafe culture and the fabulous bohemian boutique shops. Stop by on a Saturday and visits the Paddington Markets which boasts over 200 stalls of gifts and food and is open every Saturday come rain or shine.  I find it difficult, as a visitor, to have a favourite side to Sydney, but certainly on speaking to those that live there, they have their preferences and like to stick to them! The best advise as a tourist, is to go and enjoy all that the northern beaches and the eastern suburbs have to offer.  ----------

For alternative and interesting accommodation, why not check out the historic Q Station near Manly.  Taronga Zoo has the opportunity to camp in one of the best locations of Sydney. Check out Snore and Roar  Cockatoo Island in the harbour also boasts several different kinds of accommodation, for that alternative stay.http://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/accommodation/index.html

Photos: (top) - Doug doing the gruelling task of visiting Sydney's beaches on our behalf / (left) Shelley Beach at sunset / (right) Palm Beach to the left of the peninsula / (left) Bronte beach / (right) Snore and Roar at Taronga Zoo.Northern Beaches v Eastern BeachesNorthern Beaches v Eastern Beaches

doug Northern Beaches v Eastern Beaches

Apparently there is a saying in Sydney, that once you move to Manly, you never leave. This has certainly been true of my friends who have lived in the Manly and Northern Beaches area for about 8 years. So, staying with them, I was able to enjoy all that the Northern beaches have to offer.