Saturday Wanderings

It's a long weekend here in Melbourne. It's labor day on Monday. I love long weekends! It lets you do your errands AND relax a bit. I ventured to the St Kilda precinct, a beach side part of Melbourne that attracts tourists and surfers alike. I ventured there mainly for the nameless op shop that I've heard so much about on the internet. I did walk down Acland St but did not care for it, it is crazy touristy. However, I want to go try the many cake shops that line that street. The nameless Op Shop is on Gray St, a mostly residential street that many tourists miss. For good reasons, there's nothing there except for this op shop and an incredible cafe. Incredible.

Old Glass Jar $4

English tea cup, Adams Porcelain from England
$3

3x English porcelain small plates
50 cents each

I didn't have clothes in mind and from reviews this op shop has hidden brand name treasures. I was there for the bric and brac and glasswares. Glasswares were mostly 50 cents and none over $4. There were a few arm chairs in awesome conditions for $20. Nothing is inflated here and I enjoy that because there are second hand shops that mark their prices up because they have gone ahead and done the hard work of filtering all the donations that come through. After I paid $8 for my purchases at the op shop, I walked down Gray St and was suddenly struck with pangs of hunger. I walked past this minimalistic cafe and peered in. Plain walls with a busy crew of cafe hosts and a bustling room of consumers. I walked and sat at a single table, outside in the brick courtyard sheltered by trees and a gentle breeze. Dr Jekyll offers premium ingredients in their simple menu. No tourists here, just locals.
I had a poached chicken, avocado, mayo and spinach sandwich with a long black.

My lunch, looking into the front of Dr Jekyll

Here are a few images of St Kilda:

Old brick buildings dot St Kilda

Luna Park

If you are an admirer of art deco architecture, get ye to St Kilda.

After that, I didn't really know where to go so I just hopped onto any tram that came next. It was bound for south melbourne. Oh! Cool! The research fellow at work had told me about this awesome thrifting place she went that is full of "non-crap" second hand items at a reasonable price. No name but directions were, near south melbourne market and past Coles supermarket. I wandered and found it easily. It is called Grays second hand store. It is indeed wonderful and I wished I had a car to load all the things I wanted to buy. Grays is great for furniture such as chairs, tables, mirrors, frames and a whole lot of wooden, in great condition furniture.

a most wonderful arc mirror at Grays

I didn't buy anything but believe me, I wanted to.


From south melbourne, I walk into the city:
and headed back to Chapel St.

By now, I was horribly tired and the storm clouds looked daunting. I had to, pop into Tarlo and Graham to see if they were open. Remember? The store that was never open when I was there?

Well, I walked in and wanted to make this morbid store of curiosities, all mine.
I asked the attendant working there if I could take a few photos. I wished I had my Canon Rebel but these photos will do:

Deer and Peacock taxidermy


Animals, locomotives, science and drawers galore.

A teal box of antlers and old ladders

As a scientist, I cringe when I see people sell used science apparatus.
These mouth pipettes urk me.



Your eyes just freeze and can't absorb all the fine details

English domes of odds!

If you want to further see what the store sells, you can visit Tarlo and Graham. They stock a few items online. Click even if you don't intend to buy because it's a feast for the eyes.

I got home just in time because after making a cup of tea, it hailed like crazy and the sky opened up for rain. What's a girl to do except take a nap on the couch?