lauren1988

I went on a weekday afternoon, so I probably didn’t get to see it at its best. I assumed that it would be similar to Melbourne’s Fitzroy, which it is, but at the time it seemed a little bit pale in comparison. Looking forward to going back at night some time.

I lived in a tiny village called Lourmais – in Ille-Et-Villaine – for three months when I was 15. I stayed with a French family, who treated me to delicious local food, and went on weekend trips to surrounding areas. Breton dancing at the town hall every Friday night, and some festival in November (or December?) involving dancing and apple cider. Haha, my French was pretty basic for the first few months, so I didn’t always know what was going on, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

In terms of sightseeing, my highlight was definitely le Mont St Michel. Amazing. I also loved Dinan, St Malo, and Fougeres. Breton towns and countryside have this strange, almost magical air to them. Something unidentifiable – there’s nothing quite like it back here in Australia. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to return, older, wiser, and with a better camera to capture Brittany as she deserves!

Lovely university. Great social feel to it and pretty campus.

I went to the St Kilda beach last Saturday, it was quite pleasant. Waves aren’t great, and I suspect that on a hotter day it would be unbearably crowded. Overall though, I liked it. No needles sighted.

Then, last night, I went to the St Kilda festival. The market stalls weren’t greatly impressive and the food selections paled in comparison to the Queen Victoria Night Markets (which is walking distance from my house.). But after sunset, a latin band, some German (huh?) didgetrance artists, and firetwirlers/various stoned dancey people got going. It went down verynicely with a beer on the grass.

I spent a short time in Cargo on the jetty watching a Latin band, but it was too crowded to do what you’re supposed to do in such a situation – dance like a crazyperson. Everyone was just standing around watching, so the ambience just wasn’t there.

This year, I will be in Sydney during MG for the first time in my life, so I hope to make it along. I’ve been looking forward to this since I was a kid. Can’t wait!

I’m a student there, but even though it’s my place of study, I find any reason I can to go back there and stroll through the beautiful grounds. I’ll never get sick of the campus or the clubs I’m an active member of (FOUL, CHAS, Star Trek etc). Unfortunately I may be forced to move to a new uni next year for academic reasons. Wah.

Achingly hip, but if you go out the back on Sunday morning, it’s like recovering from a hangover in a friend’s backyard that is a)so much funkier-looking than most backyards, b)space and equipment for live music and chillaxing, and c) good coffee.

On my first visit, it was sunny so I stayed from 11am until 5.30pm. It seemed completely natural to waste away and not worry about whether or not I should buy another coffee.

Predictably, the regulars are infinitely more interested in smoking Stuyvesants, reading Kerouac, and posing than eating, but if you go with a few good friends you can just relax out the back and maybe have a little laugh at the hipsters.

Also, toastiessssss! $2 for toasted ham, cheese and tomato sandwiches, which have no fancy trimmings, but that’s the beauty of them.