Daily Detours for the Week of June 19
Featuring a mid-week venture to the Queen Victoria Night Market.
Daily Detours for the Week of June 19
Featuring a mid-week venture to the Queen Victoria Night Market.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Melbourne is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule.
We've teamed up with Mazda3 to celebrate the landmark 40th anniversary of their iconic small cars, and in turn, help you celebrate the little things that bring that sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Melbourne. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine.
This week, get competitive with a round of film trivia at Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn, treat yourself to a sweet and savoury meat dessert at Dexter in Preston, then spend your Saturday night celebrating the winter solstice by a campfire. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here.
All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
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Shake away the Monday blues and show off your film knowledge at Lido Cinemas’ Film Trivia Night. If you know the score from Casablanca to Captain Planet, you’ll have no trouble at this specialty trivia night, which asks questions via picture puzzles, music rounds and more. The session kicks off at 7pm and runs for just under three hours, plus there’s a bar and extensive menu to keep hunger at bay. Entry is $10 per table of four to six people, and prizes include a free movie ticket and poster for every member of the team in first and second place, with a choc-top for every runner up.
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Dexter is a ‘non-traditional American BBQ’ joint specialising in prime cuts of meat cooked low and slow and buns, served with a melange of pickled sides and experimental entrees. Get stuck into Dexter’s famous hot meat doughnut this Tuesday — a light and fluffy batter stuffed with burnt brisket ends, deep-fried and dusted with sugar and paprika. Try one for $4.50 or three for $12 — a sweet and savoury delight.
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Cosy up this Wednesday, and head to Queen Victoria Market. The Winter Night Market returns in 2017 for another season — this time bigger and better than ever. Alongside the traditional round of crackling fires, roving entertainers, food trucks and craft stalls, the Night Market has commissioned lighting designer John Fish to create three light installations to brighten up the otherwise dreary winter night. Wander through walls of rouge smoke, neon lights and bright white beams, and enjoy a bite to eat from one of 30 food vendors. There’s even a fortune teller and a silent disco.
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Salute the sun with Snoop Dogg this Thursday morning. Hip Hop Yoga has landed at Richmond’s Yoga 213 to bring a funky twist to the tired silence of traditional yoga practice. Thursday’s early morning session is Hip Hop 1, a smooth vinyasa flow set to a soft soundtrack of acoustic, electronic, reggae and R&B. This morning session of breathing to Biggie and holding your downward dog to Drake will awaken the senses and set you up for the day ahead. Early morning sessions begin at 6.30am, meaning you can get an hour of practice in before work.
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When you hit the town this Friday after work, don’t just call it after knockoff drinks. Melbourne’s 24-hour nightlife is held in high regard, and without those pesky lockout laws that have befallen other cities, you can keep dancing (or eating) until dawn. Gaze upon the sprawling city from the rooftop bar at Fitzroy’s Naked For Satan, before catching a band at The Worker’s Club, an intimate live music venue only metres away. If you’ve caught the boogie bug, stick around for their resident DJ, Cassette Walkman, who’ll be spinning rock and roll tracks until 1am. Round off your night with a burger and some chilli fries at Le Bon Ton, Collingwood’s late-night eatery that serves food until 3am, and showcases flavours from the American South. And when that second wind kicks in, head to Nieuw Amsterdam for a drink and a sneaky snack — they’ve got a 24-hour license, and will be more than willing to serve you a beverage alongside some late-night eats.
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Celebrate the winter solstice at CERES, Melbourne’s award-winning, not-for-profit sustainability centre and urban garden sitting pretty near Merri Creek. Beautiful Darkness celebrations start at 4.30pm, with a ceremonial fire as the focus of the evening’s activity. Local musicians Melody Moon and Samantha Starr will perform throughout the evening, while artisans showcase their work and share their talents in a series of craft workshops. Locally-produced food (pizza and hot jam doughnuts included) will be available for purchase, alongside hot drinks to warm the cockles. The event runs until 8.30pm with an adult ticket priced at $19.50 (tickets aren’t available at the door, so be sure to book in advance).
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Pizza. Pasta. Salumi. Gelato. The Italians have gifted the world with some pretty spectacular eats. And this Sunday, you’ll find all that and more at the Italian Wine + Food Festival. Taking over the Royal Exhibition Building, this day-and-night gastronomic bonanza will welcome the proprietors and chefs from some of the most beloved Italian eateries in town. We’re talking 400 Gradi and Rosa’s Kitchen, to name but a few. There will be cooking demonstrations, wine-tasting workshops, and those looking to put what they learn into practice can swing by the festival food market and find all the ingredients they need to cook an Italian feast at home.
Personalise your next adventure via The Playmaker, driven by Mazda3.
By Rebecca O’Malley, Libby Curran and Tom Clift.
