I have a new favourite street in Melbourne. It used to be Acland St, mainly for the cake shops and Quick Brown Fox (QBF). I also love Degraves St, filled with cool-as cafes where the staff happily cruise around in holy jumpers and navel-revealing t-shirts (except The Quarter - best brekkie on Degraves, no navels) , and the cutest cupcake store (Little Cupcakes) where you can buy a mini cake and a coffee for $4.90. Guilt-free pleasure right there (subscribing to the philosophy that if it weighs 30g or less the calories don't count. Included in this group are Lindt balls, Milky Ways and belts of scotch).
Little Collins Street and Flinders Lane give me a sense of satisfaction: I can leave a shop without buying anything (hello, Scanlan and Theodore) and get a workout (why the hell did they build Melbourne on a hill?).
Last time I went to Melbs, we spent most of our time at the beachside glory of St Kilda. This time, I headed north to hunt down a few op shops I had read about online. After the uphill battle getting from Spencer St to Albert St (I was forced to stop in several little arcades and laneways for sustenance and rack-flicking), I found myself at the top of Smith St. In hindsight, I should have given myself way more time. Had I known about Lost and Found I would have dedicated an entire day to it.
Lost and Found is one of a few market-style stores along Smith St, but by far the best. It’s filled with 3 levels of all sorts of treats and treasures. Each section is “owned” by one person, but the only thing that gives it away is the different tags. The prices are similar, and the flow is uninterrupted. There’s only one counter, which helps make it feel like one store. If I hadn’t spent all of my money on the way there (damn you, tiny boutique stores) I would have bought more than 2 numbered tiles (3 Clubs and Ace Spades) and a lovely, bright orange scarf covered in butterflies (not sure what I'll wear it with, but look how pretty it is!). That didn’t stop me from spending over an hour looking at all the stalls filled with racks of vintage clothes, shelves of old books, stacks of old furniture and piles and piles of bags, shoes, scarves…
Given I was on the hunt for the St Marks Op Shop at number 298, and I was at number 12, I tore myself away… Only to be distracted by more cute vintage shops and a boutique I had to enter, given its name: Release the Hounds (hello, Friends of Couture wrap dress on sale. Come home with me and live in my Floordrobe). By about 5pm I was ready for a snack and sit down, and found myself in a tiny little bar drinking cider (yes, honey, I lied) and eating beetroot and mint dip. After 15 minutes of staring into space, I realized I was staring right at another vintage store... which was closing. I did contemplate skulling my cider, stuffing my mouth with pide and running over to check it out for the last 15 minutes, but thought better of it. It could easily have resulted in a nasty tummy ache and the purchase of a hot pink jumpsuit. Probably a good thing I stayed put.
With a full belly and cider-head, I wandered off for a tram and just happened to find Nook Vintage. It's a mix of furniture, vintage clothing and other bits and bobs. Luckily I found something to buy. Luckily it was a little red dove brooch and not a chair. Luckily it was only $6.00. Luckily it matched the outfit I was wearing. Luckily I didn't miss my tram and was back at the hotel in time for dinner. Phew. Sweet relief.
Shop
Quick Brown Fox
162 Acland St
St Kilda Vic
www.quickbrownfox.com.au
Lost and Found Market
12 Smith St
Collingwood Vic
(03) 9419 4477
Mon-Sun 10am-6pm
www.lostandfoundmarket.com.au
Smith Street Bazaar
305 Smith Street
Fitzroy Vic
(03) 9419 4889
www.smithstreetbazaar@live.com.au
Release the Hounds
279 Smith St
Fitzroy Vic
(03) 9486 0226
www.releasethehounds.com.au
Nook Vintage
258 Johnston St
Fitzroy Vic
0417 187 196
www.nookvintage@blogspot.com
Scanlan and Theodore
285 Little Collins Street
Melbourne Vic
(03) 9650 6195
www.scanlantheodore.com.au
Eat
The Quarter
27-31 Degraves St
Melbourne Vic
(03) 9650 6156
Mon - Sat 7am-late B/L/D
Sun 8am-5pm B/L
www.thequarter.com.au
Little Cupcakes
Shop 7 Degraves St
Melbourne Vic
(03) 9077 0413
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm
Sat-Sun 9.30am-5.30pm
www.littlecupcakes.com.au
Bebida Bar Cafe
325 Smith St
Fitzroy Vic
(03) 9419 5260
Mon 8.30am-4.30pm
Wed-Sun 8.30am-late
bebida.com.au
0 comments:
Post a Comment