Well, we have been here at the Jolly B & B since Wednesday and we have been having a ball since we arrived.

We had barely parked the car on Wednesday at Richardson Street when we had to head off again. We unloaded our suitcases and jumped straight back in the car to go to Melbourne Salsa in Fitzroy where we had a Cuban salsa lesson booked with Frank. He showed us some basic salsa moves for an hour, then we grabbed a bottle of champagne from the bottle shop next door and shared a glass with Frank and Kiki in the dance studio before heading back to Albert Park.

It was a very warm day, around 28 deg, so we cracked another bottle of sparkling and enjoyed a drink next to the pool. I hooked up my phone to the Sonos system and cranked up the party mix.

After our drink we walked over the VicAsia on Victoria Ave for a chinese dinner.

On Thursday morning we woke up early and took a nice walk down Pickles Street to the beach. We walked along the beach road all the way to Middle Park where we stopped at Victorian Wine Centre for a coffee. The waiter was a real character, a chilean guy with a thick accent who showed us his body-building moves on the footpath while we drank our coffee.

We headed back to Richardson Street and then on to Bay Street where we enjoyed a huge bowl of chicken pho at Glenda Pho. Lidia ordered the Tom Yum but it was a little spicy for her so we swapped in the end.

We took the car to Southwharf for an afternoon shop before heading back to Richardson Street and then taking a walk back to Victoria Avenue for an afternoon cuppa.

That evening our intention was to make vegetable rice paper rolls for a healthy dinner, but after a couple of glasses of wine, we abandoned that idea and went back to Victorian Wine Centre in Middle Park for their Italian pasta night. A plate of pasta and a glass of wine for $20 and it was delicious!

Friday morning we walked over to the South Melbourne market to buy some fresh produce. Unfortunately when we got there we realised we would be eating out for the next 3 days so instead of buying fresh produce we instead ate South Melbourne dim sims, mini quiches, portuguese tarts and a cup of coffee. We then went back to Richardson Street empty handed.

We took the tram into the city for the afternoon. Lidia shopped for a new dress while I endured pan flute hell in the Bourke Street Mall. We fully intended to take the tram back to Richardson Street to make our healthy rice paper rolls for lunch, but by the time Lidia finished shopping, we couldn't be bothered with that, so we went to Stalactites for a souvlaki instead.

We got back to Richardson Street late afternoon and had a bottle of red before making ourselves pretty and heading back into the city for a Friday night cocktail bar crawl. We started at Bomba in Lonsdale street, where I had a Barcelona Club, which is a cocktail infused with smoke, and Lidia had a Spanish sparkling. The place was loud and crowded and the cocktails were expensive and tiny, so we moved on after one drink.

We headed over to 1806 in Exhibition Street next, where we sat at the bar and chatted to the Scottish bartender. I had a Millionaires # 1 and Lidia has a cosmo. The bartender was a great guy and explained all of the cocktails to us while he was making them. He made a Rose Fizz, which had egg white in it and he explained that they used to have to shake it for 20 minutes, so bartenders would hate patrons who ordered them. Nowadays they throw it in a shaky-shaky machine which does the shaking for them and is a lot quicker. He slipped us the leftovers for a taste and it was pretty good, although neither of us were sure we could do a full one. After that I asked him what his favourite cocktail was and he explained it was one of his own invention, containing whisky, maple syrup, pineapple and passionfruit. I thought "why not?" and so ordered that. It was amazing.

We headed up to Melbourne Supper Club after that on Spring Street, which is an old favourite of ours. we stood looking at an empty table for 5 minutes, watching the waitresses have a chat, before one of them approached us. I said to her "Can we have that table?" She replied " First of all, how are you?" I said "Fine thanks, and you?". She said "I'm good. Now, we have a waiting list, so please wait in the waiting room until I call you."

We waited for 10 minutes before she approached us and sat us at the same table I pointed to when we first arrived.

We order a cosmo and an espresso martini, which were divine.

Our last stop was the Gin Palace in Russell Lane. We had been told earlier in the night that we had to order their chicken toastie, which we did, along with a couple of martinis. The cocktails were mighty strong and the toastie delish (they have been featured in the Age Good Food Guide for it).

We staggered to the tram after this then found our way back to Richardson Street where we fell into bed like drunken peasants.

On Saturday morning we woke and headed over to the park across the road for the monthly farmers market. It was pretty awesome, but we didn't buy anything, since we STILL had the ingredients for the rice paper rolls. So we bundled them up into the esky and, after enjoying a coffee in Bay Street, headed back to Geelong where we made them up with Cris and Perry and ate them for lunch.

We, of course, had to go to a cafe for coffee and cake before picking up the girls and heading back to Melbourne. We took the girls to Richardson St for a few drinks and nibbles before heading into the city for dinner at Kri Kri. After dinner we went to see Aladdin at Her Maj. The show was awesome. Sets and costumes spectacular, special effects breathtaking and great performances from the genie, Aladdin and some of the supporting actors.

This morning we took the girls out for breakfast at The Petty Officer on Victoria Avenue before taking them to the train station. Then back to South Melbourne market, where we really did buy some fresh produce for the next few days meals. Enough debauchery, already!

Tonight, Pete and Michelle and coming over for a drink. Loving the Melbourne lifestyle and a HUGE thanks to Jolly B & B! Best accommodation in Melbourne and VERY reasonably priced! We might just decide to stay permanently!