2015 has been a big year! Australia swore in its fourth Prime Minister in three years, Bruce became Caitlyn and Snezana captured Bachie #3’s heart when she introduced herself to the country using the word parmigiana.
2015 also marked my foray into the blogging world, which is code for boring anyone who cares to listen with the adventures of North Korean Dictator 2.0, Kim Jean Lamb.
Despite being a much-needed creative outlet, probably the most rewarding thing that has come out of starting Eat Play Love Travel, so far, was when a long-time friend proclaimed their amazement at the fact I was a word wizard. This is despite having been employed to write words for lots of companies for lots of years.
Anyway, as the year comes to a close, and while I’m having a totally shit New Year’s Eve watching the fireworks from Sydney Harbour and no doubt eating too many party spring rolls, I thought I’d leave you all with the seven blog posts that have proved ridiculously popular this year (this is after I’ve removed all of Mum’s site traffic).
So here’s what you all clicked on in 2015:
1. The Block and The Block Tour
Let’s get it out of the way and talk about it. THE BLOCK!! I did two posts this year around the Channel 9 reality show: a tour of all past The Block sites in Melbourne (our version of a Sex and the City tour of New York) and a photo gallery of the recent Blocktagon build. I didn’t expect the latter to go viral, nor did I expect to inadvertently become a roving reporter on the subject for the Daily Mail. Regardless, I can categorically say that I’ll never give up six months of my life again stalking some E-grade celebrities and a bunch of construction workers renovating a hideous-shaped building. I’d much rather be trying to find Melbourne’s best chai latte. Sorry Blockaholics.
Read the full posts: The Block tour of Melbourne and The Block: Hotel Saville photo gallery sneak peak.
2. Graze Bar: Prahran’s newest meat explosion of a restaurant
When the daggy fish and chip store five metres down the road from home closed up shop, and planning approval for a promising new tapas bar appeared on the boarded up windows, I was a wee bit excited. Nine months later, Graze Bar, a BBQ-style/tapas meat-fest, finally opened its doors in Prahran, back in June. Sadly little is out there on the interweb about this hidden gem on High Street, which is why this post is essential reading. And any restaurant that plays My Heart Will Go On with the waiters and chefs singing along is essential eating.
3. 5 things you need to know about the Melbourne to Adelaide drive
Clearly the area between Melbourne and Adelaide is not only a barren wasteland of life, scenery and food options, but also information because every man and his surfboard wants to know what there is to do, eat and see along this eight-hour stretch of highway. My five hard and fast rules for doing the Melbourne to Adelaide drive have proved a Giant Koala-sized hit.
4. A day out in St Kilda… 7 things to do
To be honest, I have mixed feelings about St Kilda. Somedays I love its party vibe and that its a United Nations of beachgoers; other days it scares the fruit loops out of me. Nontheless, the notorious beachside suburb is a Melbourne icon, with lots to do, even if its just people watching. While my itinerary on how to spend a day in St Kilda doesn’t include this, it does include CHEESE!!
5. My NEW Favourite Prahran breakfast spot, Journeyman
If the snaking, hungry lines on Sunday are anything to go by, Journeyman is a popular one! Over the course of the year, on a mission to find my breakfast soul mate, I wrote about a few different brunch boyfriends (Coin Laundry and Palate being the others), but it was Journeyman that got down on one knee with a big sparkler and soy latte.
6. 7 things I wish I knew when moving to Melbourne
I so wish someone had written this for me before I moved to Melbourne (preferably old-school letter-style on nice Kikki K stationery). It would have saved me a $320 fine for having my car towed, living in an apartment that was dustier than Dubai and finding out the hard way that trams are about as fast as riding a camel to work. Moving to Melbourne? Do yourself a favour and go introduce yourself to this advice.
7. Hotel review: is it worth forking out mega bucks to stay at the W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak?
Earlier this year, I paid a cool $500 a night to stay in an ocean-facing villa at W Retreat & Spa Bali in Seminyak. The question is, was it worth it? Well I can’t bloody tell you, otherwise what’s the point in the post’s headline! Pull off your lazy pants and read it for yourself. What I can tell you is that the pool was pretty AH-mazing.
So what’s in store for 2016? My Marie Claire horoscope tells me that there’ll be quite a bit more avo smash critiquing, more Melbourne bar and winery hopping, and hopefully a bit more cocktail-in-hand pool lazing!
