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Deep-Fried Pastry And Swimming Pools: How The RIISE Team Spends 24 (Busy) Hours In Melbourne
03/11/22
Author: RIISE Team
DOCUMENTED BY: @collingwood_yards
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Last year, RIISE proudly partnered with PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival to bring you a whole host of great content and events.
For that week, our attention was squarely focused on Melbourne and all that one of our favourite cities has to offer. But this wonderful place is also the hometown to a number of RIISE friends and family, so we thought we’d take the time to share some of our top spots to check out the next time you have a day to spare in Melbourne.
Morning
A swim at Melbourne City Baths
Documented By: @mooncruller
Morning
A swim at Melbourne City Baths
Heads up, this is going to be a day full of eating, drinking, snacking and moving so it’s worth starting things off with a wholesome bit of low-impact exercise. Not only will it work up an appetite (you’ll need it; Melbourne is famously food obsessed) but it’s also a nice way to centre yourself before jumping into the swirling festival.
The Melbourne City Baths is one of those rare institutions that is as beloved by your grandparents as it is by your cool gen Z cousin who you’ve low-key been trying to impress for years. Not only does the historic setting make you feel like you’re literally swimming in an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, but it’s also so central you’ll easily be able to pop in before the day gets too busy.
While the city baths are in the CBD, duh, Melbourne is actually pretty stacked with great pools. Brunswick, Carlton and St Kilda house beautiful historic bathing pavilions.
Our personal favourite is the Fitzroy Swimming Pool, which famously walks the odd line between neighbourhood meeting place and open-air day party (warning, go during peak hour and you will feel like you’re at the club in your togs).
Coffee and pastries at Moon
Literally every city guide is going to tell you to get a croissant at Lune. Yes, they’re amazing. Yes, they’re literally designed by an ex-Formula 1 aerodynamicist. Yes, the bakers make them in a climate-controlled glass cube (known as the Lune Lab) that’s kept at a steady 18 degrees to ensure full control over the delicate pastry. But also, you’re going to stand in line with half the city to actually get one.
Locals know to skip past Lune, keep walking down Rose Street, and stop in at its sister store Moon. Moon specialises in crullers, crispy rings of deep-fried choux pastry that still manage to embody the ethereal lightness of those famous croissants.
Vintage shopping on the north side
OK, by now you’re full of endorphins, caffeine and sugar. So, you’re probably ready to get to work. And by work, we mean trawling the city’s many vintage and designer consignment stores. While we love an op shop, and honestly can’t walk past one without buying another 2000 Olympics commemorative plate, it’s fashion week so let’s talk designers.
Melbourne’s northern suburbs are overflowing with great vintage stores, but a few stand out as extra special. For seriously affordable pieces from great local and international brands check out SWOP, Goodbyes and Mutual Muse. These all carry an excellent, constantly revolving range that often competes with high-street prices.
If you’re after something special, Bruce, Reina Melbourne, Martin Fella and dot COMME focus on garments and accessories from luxury and cult brands. Stopping by these guys feels as much like a modern fashion history excursion as a retail outing.
Afternoon
Lunch at Smith + Deli
Documented By: @goodbyes
Afternoon
Lunch at Smith + Deli
For Australian vegetarians and vegans, Shannon Martinez has become something of a food saint thanks to her celestial abilities to create plant-based versions of literally any cream, cheese, milk, egg or meat-laden dish.
Smith + Deli is her popular vegan breakfast and lunch spot, where you can mess with your own mind with her take on omnivore classics like ham and cheese baguettes and pastrami sandwiches. Obviously, all to be chased with a sample from its extensive pastry cabinet. Hey, this city loves pastries!
Swing by Collingwood Yards
Collingwood Yards is serving as one of the hubs for this year’s PPMFF. So, you’ll find several eclectic events taking place here across the program. But it’s honestly a pretty interesting place to catch your breath any time of year. With a collection of stores, makers, studios, restaurants and bars, you’ll get a juicy sample pack of the best of Melbourne creatives. Or you can just chill in the shady courtyard and wait for one of the many resident dogs to come say hi.
Grab a drink at Glou
Around the corner from Collingwood Yards is sustainable wine dispensary Glou. It offers a unique return and refill service for a wide range of wines. Not only does this approach cut down waste from eliminating all those bottles cluttering up your recycling bin, but it also keeps costs down. Meaning you end up paying 30 per cent less than you would for a single bottle of an equivalent drop.
It sells by the glass too, letting you try a few options before you commit to one of its very practical jugs. Side note: let’s make jugs of wine a thing.
Refresh at Human~Salon
By this point you’ve swum, shopped, eaten and drunk. And your excited glow might be condensing into a bit more of a classic sweat. Before heading out into the night, pop into Human~Salon for a refresh. This female-owned, sustainable boutique salon only uses ammonia-free, animal-friendly products and repurposes more than 95 per cent of its waste.
If you ask us, not enough people get impulse haircuts on holiday. Or if the Glou wine hasn’t left you feeling that brave, maybe opt for a blowout.
Evening
Dinner at Big Esso
Documented By: @glou.melbourne
Evening
Dinner at Big Esso
You’re looking and feeling great – it’s time to head into the twilight to be seen. Located on the land of the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung peoples, on the banks of the Birrarung (Yarra River), Big Esso is a First Nation–owned business focused on using, eating and celebrating Indigenous ingredients.
Its dishes are vibrant and exciting and leave you feeling not only satisfied but also in awe of the incredible produce available in this country. Plus, it’s conveniently located by the PPMFF pavilion, perfect if you plan to catch a RIISE panel.
Nightcap at BYRDI
A lot of things can influence a cocktail: season, taste, memories, how quickly you want to kiss someone you’ve said 40 words to. At BYRDI they take a slightly more elevated approach (no shade to that near stranger you’re eyeing).
Here the local environment informs the drinks. The result is a modern Australian twist on a classic cocktail menu, built around romantic ingredients such as nasturtiums, mountain marigolds and Davidson’s plum.
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Documented By: @collingwood_yards, @mooncruller, @goodbyes, @glou.melbourne
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