Weekend in Melbourne, including a Book Orgy!

[hurly_burly]

So, we spent the weekend in Melbourne for Coronation (ostensibly), although we managed to whittle our SCA aprticipation down to just Saturday afternoon and early evening.  The event was lovely and relaxed and low-key (although I was off my trolley on cold and flu medication).  On Friday night we checked in to our hotel them walked to Chinatown for dinner.  We ended up at Sawasdee, and ate much yummy Thai (including an utterly divine duck salad entree), but the highlight of the evening was the piano-player.  God, he was cool.   He played  many MJ tunes (expected but still annoying), but oh!  I forgive him because not only did he segue from 'Mad World' to 'Heal the World', but he managed to get the Cranberries' 'Zombi' into the same playlist as 'Under the Sea' (yep, from the soundtrack to 'The Little Mermaid')!  Blondie even requested 'Hey Jude' for me *dies*.
Saturday comprised hitting the Vic Market (sparkly mermaid outfit for the small girl's birthday, and then I had to buy her the ladybug skirt, too, obviously), swinging by L'Occitane (where I had to buy stuff based on how nice they smelled last time I was there, because my headcold prevents me from smelling anything at the moment), then heading out to Darn Cheap (purple wool for small girl garb, plus some pretty purple, pink and gold trim for same), before finally making it to the event three hours late.  On Sunday we ditched the tourney (and kidnapped Bart and Katherine) in favour of tapas at a restaurant on Glenferrie Rd, which was ever so civilised.
I bought books as well and too much stuff for the small girl's birthday!  To whit:

Ten Sorry Tales - Mick Jackson
Charlemagne's Tablecloth, a piquant history of feasting - Nichola Fletcher
Kitchen Confidential/A Cook's Tour - Anthony Bourdain
Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
A pile of Agatha Christie novels for the oldies at work, who've been complaining about the inadequacies of the bookself.

Oh, and when I was in Hobart on Monday:
The City and the City - China Mieville (*head asplodes*)
And something by Jack Ketchum, but I forget the title.  Damn Richard!

 New copies of 'Grace' - Jeff Buckley & the soundtrack to 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' were also purchased at JB.  Old fashioned, I know, but I am stubbornly refusing the make the leap to mp3.  Grumble grumble, new technology, grumble grumble.

Yay!

Comments

[cicatrix-alba.livejournal.com]

You're making me all misty-eyed and nostalgic. I loved Chinatown when I was there, and the Market, and St Kilda. I was there during some kinda St Kilda festival one February, and it was perfect. 'Also happened to be Chinese New Year the same weekend, right at the beginning of the month, and so there were dragons and firecrackers everywhere. I think I ate my entire bodyweight in Chinese food. 'No mean feat, I assure you.

What books did you buy?

[glass-violet.livejournal.com]

Hee, it was a lovely weekend :) The piano player really made my night, after what can only be described as a fantastically horrible day! I love visiting Melbourne, but I'm always glad to get home, too :)

[cicatrix-alba.livejournal.com]

I meant which Christie books, but that part seems to have escaped my brain *facepalm*. It's been a long week and it's only Tuesday.

[glass-violet.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure which Christie books they were, I just grabbed the whole pile because they were cheap! Since the facility only just opened the bookshelves are a bit light-on, and a few of the residents have been requesting Agatha :)