This day was full of exploring my current home stomping grounds, St Kilda. Fitzroy and Acland are the two major streets in my neighborhood, jam packed with cafes, bars, and shops. I first headed down Fitzroy St toward the beach. It was a chilly but beautiful sunny morning. I walked through a park full of palm trees as I approached the sandy beach. A little cold for a swim though there was a girl modeling in a bikini for a photo shoot. Brrr! The picture of the Melbourne skyline is taken from the St Kilda pier (that is how close I am to the city!). The tallest skinny skyscraper is the Eureka tower, and my office building is right next to it. Apparently, you can see penguins from the pier at dusk. I haven't checked that out yet. I continued along the river, and passed the Palais Theatre (popular venue for concerts) and Luna Park (picture). Luna Park is a theme park with rides and games. I was surprised that I could walk right in without purchasing a ticket - you only pay by ride. From there I headed down Acland St (picture of shops), which is great for shopping and I'm told has some of the best cake shops around. I tried a passion fruit meringue cake, and it wasn't my favorite. Better luck to me next time. Norrell pointed out the "Puppy Phat" store to me last night. They serve puppy-chinos and all kinds of doggy treats in addition to dog beds, clothes, and bags. I was excited to see 'heaps' of dogs out today, many of which accomanied diners at sidewalk cafes! Yay!!
It was a good thing I went exploring in St Kilda today because I was reminded of the St Kilda Film Festival, which started Wednesday and ends tomorrow. The George Palace Cinema that hosted the films is just down the street from my apartment, right by where I catch the tram every morning. I purchased a session ticket for the 9 PM showing tonight, and it was really great. The festival includes Australia's top 100 short films, and I saw 8 films including animation, digital art, documentaries, and dramas. The films ranged in length from a few minutes to more than 20 minutes. The films varied drastically from sharp witty humor to dark twisted plots. The theater was rather ornate, and the concessions included the normal popcorn and candy as well as beer, wine and their popular 'choc tops' (chocolate dipped ice cream cones). There's also a bar attached to the cinema. I'm so glad I went. I may even go back for another session tomorrow!
