Linh in Melbourne - Final day; Best and Worst Things About Melbourne

Mad About Melbourne by Linh

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Melbourne and spending the last few days in the Donald Bradman room was a lovely change, but I still love the Penguin room.

I'll be missing Melbourne when I leave and will definitely return next year to see more theatre, live entertainment and visit the Melbourne Aquarium again.

I haven't been to many eateries as I'm not a dedicated foodie but I will attempt to increase my visitations to restaurants and cafes during future trips to Melbourne.

I'll miss The Stork Hotel, and will look out for more theatre when Helen and Paul Madden open up their new theatre venue next year. Hopefully it would be in the CBD and within walking distance.


Best Things About Melbourne:

- Everything in the CBD is within walking distance including the Melbourne Aquarium, the Victorian Arts Centre, the Immigration Museum, Federation Square, Chinatown, Greek Precinct, Queen Victoria Market, Bourke Street Mall.

- There are internet cafes on every street. Some internet cafes are within metres of each other.

- The Skybus Super Shuttle which transfers you from Tullamarine Airport to the Southern Cross Station, where you then board a Skybus Mini Shuttle to transport you to your hotel.

- Choco Churro, the enchanted Spanish doughnut.

- The Victorian Arts Centre which is the equivalent to the Adelaide Festival Centre.

- The Queen Victoria Market which is combination of Adelaide's Central Market and the Brickworks Market.

Worst Things About Melbourne

- The sexual predators who goose, grope and rub up against women and young girls on crowded trams. This would become a problem in Adelaide if Transadelaide decides to remove more seats from public transport instead of getting more trains, trams and buses. (Yes, I was groped during a short trip on a crowded tram).

- The closure of the historic Stork Hotel, not only losing accommodation for tourists but also a wonderful theatre venue.

Linh in Melbourne - Hotel Heaven Part Three ; Bradman; Spanish Doughnut

Bowled Over by Linh

For the last weekend at The Stork Hotel, I have been lucky enough to get an upgrade of sorts to a different room.

It was sad to leave The Penguin room but exciting to be in a room dedicated to one of cricket's greatest players and an Australian icon.

The Sir Donald Bradman room is The Stork Hotel's tribute to the man who epitomised outstanding excellence not just in sporting pursuits but is also a fine example of professionalism, dedication and sportsmanship for future Australian athletes in all sports.

It's inspiring and wonderful to be in the midst of a truly great Australian.


Spanish Doughnut by Linh

My idea of a conventional doughnut are those voraciously devoured with much haste by Homer Simpson. That is until I came across the enchanting Spanish doughnut stand 'Choco Churro' on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets.

Cooked in cholesterol free vegetable oil, without preservatives or artificial colouring and sweeteners, the Churro comes with a variety of flavoursome fillings including chocolate, caramel, custard, jam, orange, lemon, passionfruit and apple and cinnamon.

The lightly textured dough and the crispiness are appealling and the taste is pleasing although slightly chewy. Having only tasted the Choco Churro Loops and Bombon Churro, I would recommend the Spanish doughnut as an alternative to the ringed and circular filled ones.

Unfortunately, Choco Churro is a franchise only found in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia but not in South Australia.

Linh in Melbourne - Sappho Unravelling; theatre review

CLASSICISTIC: Jane Montgomery Griffiths wrote and performed the solo stage production Sappho Unravelling. Image:www.storkhotel.com/sappho.htm

Classical Studies lecturer and award winning actress Jane Montgomery Griffiths has written and performed a play which attempts to 'fill in the gaps' of the life and works from the little known Greek lyric poet Sappho.

Sappho lived in the 7th Century BC in Mytilene, on the Greek island of Lesbos, where women had more freedom, and she was probably married with a daughter named Kleis.

Her substantial body of poetry comprised of erotic love poems, religious paeans and celebratory wedding songs. Much of her work was destroyed in the burning of the Library of Alexandria, with only a few fragments surviving the blaze.

Ancient writers, philosophers and poets have praised her prolific work as genius yet condemned her homosexual lifestyle. Her poems have inspired many modern writers, poets and performers who regard her as one of the most important and influential contributors to the arts and literature.

Fragments of Sappho by Linh

Sappho Unravelling is a brilliant and insightful one-woman production with Jane Montgomery Griffiths giving an astounding performance not only as the Greek poet Sappho, but also as the lover Sappho calls Atthis and Sappho's daughter Kleis.

Jane gives an apt narrative presentation where she not only reflects on the way past writers and philosophers have regarded Sappho, but is equally adept at reflecting on Sappho's love affairs, particularly with Atthis.

Upon a simplistic and minimalistic stage, Jane provides the audience with dialogue punctuated with lines from Sappho's poems, and has the charisma to hold the audience's attention for two hours.

Jane's portrayal of the irrepressible Sappho through voice, movement and music, brings you a clearer understanding of what Sappho was like, and how she lived her life through poetry as they were about love, passion and eroticism.

Sappho is dressed in a simple, black dress, and to switch characters, Jane wears a blue raincoat for Atthis. Jane is remarkably convincing as she glides effortlessly from one character to another and she connects their dialogues on an emotional and intellectual level.

Jane shows every side and emotion of Sappho but Atthis is equally compelling as a lover whose departure brings Sappho to a maddening struggle of emotion, which brings the play to it's climax.

Jane's performance deftly moves the play's tone from humour to heartwrenching and from anguish to hope. Music from David Chesworth's 'Badland Suite' effectively underscores Sappho's desires, intentions and her will to love and be loved.
The lighting from last minute fill-in light technician, Kei, casts mysterious shadows around Sappho, perhaps signifying how very little is known about the real Sappho during her life and after her death.

Director Alex Pinder's uncomplicated direction of Sappho Unravelling keeps the focus on Sappho yet magnifies Jane's magnetism and elan in delivering a dramatically charged performance.

Sappho Unravelling is the final production for the Stork Hotel, as the venue is set for demolition after 2007. Producers Paul and Helen Madden are finalising plans to establish a new theatre venue in 2008.

Linh in Melbourne ; Hotel Heaven - part two

ARRIVAL: Finally, I can unpack some of my luggage.
Image: Linh - www.linh-chameleon.blogspot.com

PLUSH TOUCH: An adorable plush toy penguin hangs from the corner adding playfulness to the room.
Image: Linh - www.linh-chameleon.blogspot.com



Playful Penguin Room by Linh

I immediately loved my hotel room.
Apparently every room in The Stork Hotel has a theme such as Foster's Lager or Ned Kelly, and mine is Little Penguins. All themes in the rooms are related to the history, arts, culture, tourism or environment of Victoria.

It instantly brought to mind the various artistic and literature connections of penguins. For example, Penguin publishers of classic works from plays to novels or The Flying Penguin Productions which is a South Australian creative theatre production company. Also the Adelaide Angry Penguin blog or the villainous Penguin from the television series and movie Batman.

It's a joy to be sharing a room with a unique symbol of artistic greatness and eternal cuteness.

PHOTOGENIC ART: Penguins are a tourist attraction and threatened species due to global warming.

HANGING AROUND: Exploring the room from all angles.
Image: Linh - www.linh-chameleon.blogspot.com

THIRSTY: Quenching my thirst............
.........Anybody for milk?
Images: Linh - www.linh-chameleon.blogspot.com


LITERATE LIZARD: Interesting reading from The Stork Hotel Directory booklet.
Image: Linh - www.linh-chameleon.blogspot.com

Linh in Melbourne ; Hotel Heaven - part one

HISTORIC HOTEL: The Stork Hotel has links with Ned Kelly and the Kelly Gang, opened in 1855 and shuts its doors at the end of 2007.
Image: Linh - www.linh-chameleon.blogspot.com


Stoked With Stork by Linh

I'm finally in the boutique pleasure of The Stork Hotel on Elizabeth Street.
I particularly love the Stork perched upon the roof as if welcoming all guests to its humble abode.

I chose The Stork Hotel for its proximity to the CBD, affordable accommodation prices and live entertainment - particularly theatre productions.

Helen and Paul Madden run The Stork Hotel enabling guests to enjoy their hospitality as a publican as well as a theatre venue.

Theatre producer Helen Madden has worked tirelessly to bring audiences and hotel guests extraordinarily obscure yet brilliant theatre in an intimate setting. Throughout 2007, Helen has staged classical works and rarely performed productions such as Homer's The Odyssey, Homer's Iliad, and various other pieces from French playwright Albert Camus and currently playing is a one-woman production about the Greek poet Sappho. All the productions feature familiar Australian performers from television, theatre, radio and film such as Helen Morse, Richard Piper and Kate Kendall.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and the end is nigh for The Stork Hotel. After thirteen years, the lease is up and the Stork must fly away in search of greener pastures at the end of this year. In it's place would likely be a shopping centre or swish eateries.

However, Helen and Paul will still be around and will continue presenting more theatre in the near future somewhere in Melbourne, and you can bet I'll be there.

Image: Linh - www.linh-chameleon.blogspot.com