Melbourne: June 2006 Archives

Going to Ikea on a Saturday afternoon is a very bad idea…especially when there is no football match on, as it seems all the gals in town have dragged their menfolk out to look at what the Swedish furniture giant has to offer.

The traffic snarls started in Victoria Street near Nicholson Street, and continued right the way down to Richmond, making the journey which usually takes 5 minutes up to a 20 minute trip. I realise this doesn’t even hit the radar as un embouteillage (traffic jam) by Parisian standards, but it sucks when you’re in Melbourne.

Then when you get in to the store, there are people everywhere, you have to queue for everything: to sit on a piece of furniture you might like, to get a drink, to check out, and to leave the carpark.

Memo to self: Might be worth taking a day off next time you want to go there!

The manchester is 30% off, and I'm darned if I can remember the colours of the bathrooms in the house we have bought. Well that's not quite true, I can remember vaguely, sort of neutral, with maybe a greenish tinge to the tiles, but that's all. And if I am wrong, then buying new towels before I check could be a bit risky, I might end up with towels that go beautifully with a soft sage green, OR they might be totally wrong.

So I am going to have to wait...

Such a pity.

This Saturday's adventure: a trip to Lygon Street, to La Parisienne Patés, and here is a small sample of the delightful food available there:

They include saucisson sec, duck and orange paté, boudin noir (black sausage) and brawn made by a French charcutier who has been producing these delicious foods for some eleven years in Carlton, and who has recently opened a shop in Lygon St.

We also bought some delicious French washed rind cheese called Petit Livarot, made in Normandy and some Lescure Beurre des Charentes- unsalted butter from the Charentes-Poitou region. There were also condiments, dijon mustard and the like, as well as dried french forest mushrooms. Mmmm.

For work mates who are wondering why I am buying French butter? There is butter, and there is butter from the Charente. End of story.

We needed to fill in some time this afternoon, between appointments. Not enough time to get back to work without turning around and having to travel straight back.

So, first up, we visited Mediterranean Wholesalers in Sydney Road, Brunswick. This supermarket has a wide range of Italian and other Mediterranean foods, including a wide array of pastas, pickled and preserved vegetables, anchovies, olives, cheeses, wine, bread and other yummy stuff. We had to restrain ourselves, as we didn't want to have the pantry overstocked before the house move.

Next stop was a Halal wholesale shop in Victoria St Brunswick, where you can buy Lebanese and other Arabic goodies, followed by Casa Iberica in Johnson St Fitzroy, to replenish our supplies of anchovy stuffed olives, and we also bought some New Zealand mussels in cider vinegar.

Last stop before the final appointment was a cafe in Lygon Street, where we enjoyed a fabulous coffee and snack of potato wedges.

A delightful international afternoon where we heard English spoken in the accents of Italy, Spain and Lebanon. Just a small taste of what's available in Melbourne.

Tram driver says "If you need some assistance, come and see me, before you make a mistake"

Later in the journey

"If you're not sure where you're going, it's too late!"