More Melbourne

It’s another day of catchups, and this morning I go to see cousin Fiona and her baby, Zac. He’s got a wide grin and big blue, curious eyes, and sits happily on my lap while Fi gets ready. Today is St Kilda Festival, and my arrival in Melbourne suddenly seems better timed than my arrival in Tasmania, where birth is imminent now.

Fi and I try a few cafes along our walk, but in the end Matcha Mylkbar sounds like the best option. No complaints from this foodie, and today I’ve decided that savoury is the way to go. While Fiona indulges in salted caramel pancakes, I stuff my face with waffles covered in vegan feta and mac ’n’ cheese. It’s salty, filling and delicious - but not quite as good as the rhubarb and white chocolate latte; that one gets ten out of ten.

I’ve discovered that The Northern Folk are opening the festival on the main stage, and I drag Fi and little Zac to come and enjoy the short set. They’re a tight 11 piece band and, as usual, her voice and their musicianship blow me away. Fiona and I dance on the spot in the shade and I feel so lucky to have her as family and friend. The sun has come out with full force and it’s probably time for Zac to head home and have some time out of the pram. A short stroll back to Fiona’s place and I hop back in the car to meet Sarah at Serotonin.

The theme to most of my travel is food and nature, and this trip is no exception. Serotonin is a place I’ve tried to visit twice already, and each time it was closed. Today, we enjoy a fresh fruit and vegetable juice each and I choose the tacos. I’m still full from brunch, and the idea is to take the leftovers on the boat tomorrow.

Serotonin is a well designed space. They have low cushioned chairs surrounding the larger tables, and swinging seats hanging from the ceiling in other areas. It’s sleek, modern design with an element of fun and a chemistry theme. Our water is served in a beaker, the menu is set up like a periodic table, and even the artwork is a mix of florals and geometric patterns. It’s very yuppy, and very cool. The food is amazing, of course, and it’s so lovely to see Sarah again - albeit a little strange seeing as we met in Wollongong. She’s a good ear and a good friend, and I’m glad she’s doing well back in Melbourne.

I’ve been utterly spoiled during my stay in Melbourne. Robyn and Phillip’s hospitality has been wonderful, and everyone I’ve met has insisted on covering the bill. I’m embarrassed to have not contributed and so incredibly lucky to have the friends and family I do. What can I say, except a wholehearted “Thank You” to each and every person I’ve met with down here - you’re all beautiful.

Around 2:45pm, Meg calls, asking me to guess the baby’s sex. I guess wrong, but she’s so excited it doesn’t matter and I recognise the mix of exhaustion and delight that comes from attending a birth. When it’s the birth of your own granddaughter, it’s extra special, and I set aside my own disappointment at missing this one. It went well, and Ailis is now a mother! The photos come later and she’s a perfect little bundle of newborn cuteness. We timed it so perfectly for Meg’s birth of Hamish, I couldn’t expect a repeat this time, really.

I decide to catch the evening acts at the Festival. My preconception is that it’s something like the other music festivals I’ve attended, even after seeing the scale that morning. The crowds prove otherwise, and after being squished up against a railing for the best part of ten minutes, I make a break through the masses and find a grassy spot on the hill while I decide my next moves. The queues to get to the other stages are miles long, and the only band I’m really keen to see doesn’t start for another hour. You only live once though, so I find myself squashed into a mass of sweaty late teens and millennials. Being a small person, I wriggle my way towards the front - first mistake. Being a small person, I’m also mostly invisible and so for

the next hour there are waving arms meeting my head, and as the masses surge towards the front, I’m popping my head up for air, only to be met with cigarettes, vape and a huge lungful of pot from somewhere in front of me. The Cat Empire play on, cheeky, fun, and oblivious to the human pancake I’m becoming at the bottom of the stage. It’s a far cry from when I saw them at the Domain in Sydney, where the whole crowd danced with space to spare and a whole lot more respect for each other.

It’s impossible to leave afterwards and the best we can all do is shuffle together towards the narrow gate, swept along with everyone else trying to move to and from the main stage. The band were good, but the crowd was not my idea of fun. I’ll stick to Illawarra and Jamberoo from now on. As I'm walking back to the main road, I turn to look back at the masses behind me. St Kilda has put on a most beautiful sunset and suddenly it was worth staying here.