Gertrude Street - Melbourne, Australia; It's All Happening Here

It may be the buzziest breakfast destination place

in all of Melbourne.

With its mix of glam and global vibes.

Wafty with it's whiffs of Olde Melbourne - 

from her Goldrush days, when she was the richest city in the world......

Gertrude St. has an arty bent.

and a fashion-ey flair.....

If you are looking for Australian fashion design

with a bloomingly nostalgic profile

or a blowsily romantic one....

a blocky-n-boyish allure.....or

full-on fantasy

FANTASTIC-ness....you will find your heart's desire here.  It's very likely.

Bounded by Brunswick St. roughly to the West, and Smith St. to the East-ish

Gertrude Street's vibe is happy, adventurous, communitarian

and colorful.  Poised between sophistication and sincerity.

It has a particularly bright and approachable

flavor - a characteristic that Aussies are known for the world over, it seems.

(Spacecraft's uber-glammy, dressing alcove)

But it wants to remind you that Australians are also hip and able to leave home and soak in all

the very best the globe has to offer.  Then come home and fashion those influences into

ATTITUDE and PERSONALITY and WELCOME with GREAT STYLE.

This you will find on Gertrude Street.  

Within the Victorian shopfronts.

And along the shady sidewalks.

You'll be spoilt for choice for snug winebars 

and vest-pocket restaurants.

If noon is a little early to start with the vino....and you're feeling slightly

monstrous from too many Xmas parties already - like the Paradis family were....

If the lines are too long in the mid-summer heat for that breakfast......can we suggest that you tame the savage beast and simply treat yourself to a nice cup of COFFEE?

  Because the coffee in MELBOURNE IS THE VERY BEST.   And you'll want an excuse,

on Gertrude Street, to have a little sit and watch the world go by.  I promise you that!

St. Jean de Luz in Color

You can't go wrong

in St. Jean de Luz.

It's a big-hearted little tourist town.

With pleasures aplenty.

Especially if your idea of gladness is a cheese shaped liked a Citroen 2CV.

There's lots of girlie kinds of shopping.

Even if some of the girlie goodies actually originated elsewhere.

The love of color is engaging and intoxicating.

Whether you're looking to fill your cups.

Or fill your tummy - at Yves Camdeborde's "Le P'tit Suisse." 

Don't miss out on Gateau Basque

or Maison Adams macarons which are not entirely

like the other sorts of macarons that you know and love.  The Basque version is perhaps the 

"Grandpapa" of the colored and flavored versions in Paris patisseries.  But just as "croquant".

Basque chilis seems to be fatter, meatier, juicier, happier than any chilis you've ever encountered.

And Basque espadrilles?  Brighter, cheerier, stripier?  Ya think?

Did I mention that St. Jean de Luz might just be where the Basque bon-vivant comes to cement

his or her reputation for savoring the "Good Life"?  You could go there too and start practicing.  You might have a little catching up to do.

How's the Christmas shopping going?