The Chinese scholar and writer Lin Yutang once wrote, “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.”
Along with other sacred belongings, my pillow is gathering dust in the attic of an airport hangar at Melbourne Airport. I reluctantly abandoned it moments before tearing through duty free to make my flight to Washington, D.C. (via Los Angeles) last May, a five-year U.S. visa stamped in my passport.
The truth is, I was devastated to leave. Melbourne is my first love—and returning home from my adopted home of Washington, D.C. is virtually impossible. As a freelance news producer, I’m obligated to be “available” the half of the month that I don’t have scheduled work. Sometimes I stare resentfully at my agenda, cursing the thirty-hour journey it takes to get from Washington to Australia.
I often think, if I had just three days in Melbourne, this is what I would do:
Friday Evening: Dinner at Thanh Phong
240 Victoria St, Richmond 3121, t 03.9427.7429
Navigating the chaotic Vietnam-meets-Victoria Street is worth the almost 180 items on this hot little menu. Try the crispy spring rolls wrapped in fresh iceberg lettuce and mint or (my favorite) the giant garlic prawns with chilli oil on the side.
Friday Night: Melbourne Wine Room at the George Hotel
125 Fitzroy St, St Kilda 3182 t 03.9525.5599
A favorite with classy urban singles, this St. Kilda hotspot always has a lively vibe. It’s a great place to unwind, especially on a Friday night.
Saturday morning: Brunch at Caffe e Cucina
581 Chapel Street, South Yarra 3141 t 03.9827.4139
An espresso and fresh bowel of bircher muesli at Caffe e Cucina will provide ample energy to pound the vast shopping pavement that stretches five miles to the left of this café. First stop: Scanlon and Theodore—followed by Alannah Hill, Witchery, Country Road, Third Millennium, and the very sexy Wayne Cooper.
Saturday afternoon: Sanctuary Day Spa, Grand Hyatt Hotel
123 Collins St, Melbourne 3000 t 03.9657.1234
