Throughout your life friends come and go. You meet people at times in your life and often under unique circumstances and often they become the people that have the largest influences or build the strongest friendships with you.
I think when you have children you really begin to appreciate and value those friends that understand you and walk in the same shoes you do every day.
On the weekend just gone I was fortunate enough to travel to Melbourne to spend four days with three of my greatest friends (disappointingly we had to leave one behind as she has a baby on board)......all three friends I met under completely different circumstances but all three influence me and my life every day and always in the best ways.
This trip for us was a girly getaway, we left the husbands and kids behind (11 kids combined) to travel on a shopping, eating and drinking adventure and I can honestly say it was an amazing, relaxing, laughter and fun filled trip.
We left Perth on the "midnight horror" Thursday night, landing in Melbourne at 6am. After dropping the cases at the hotel, we ventured off to breakfast and hit the Mall at around 9am. Apart from stopping for lunch we did not rest those legs or purses until we entered our apartment for the first time at 5.30pm that evening.
Friday night included dinner at Guy Grossi's Florentino Restaurant in Bourke St, we sat outside and had a beautiful meal and a glass of wine. Followed by a journey to a roof top bar.
Saturday involved our Shopping Tour - definitely well worth the $84 it cost. This included lunch and a glass of wine!
And when you let loose four girls on a shopping tour with a bus to store their purchases it resulted in this;
Big thanks to Tracey for her fantastic knowledge and for being our driver!
Saturday night was filled with laughs. We had teppinyaki at Ginza in China Town. And out came the delicious strawberry dacquiris. I don't think Ive ever laughed so much. There's something so atmosphere building about flying egg and bowl catching that just makes for an awesome night!
I think we left Teppinyaki around 11pm and went on the hunt for somewhere to drink & dance. It was then we relied on Bel to use the extent of her Italian language to find out where was the right place for us and fortunately "Compare" led us straight to The Spice Market & it was exactly what we were looking for....a nice place with great music and good drinks! For the first time in as long as I can remember, we left at closing!
Sunday morning, a bit of a sleep in, then by the time it came to eating, we thought it was more brunch than breakfast, so off to the amazing Brunetti's in Lygon St Carlton we headed. WOW, WOW, WOW, if you have never been there, I suggest you visit. It's sensational. Cabinets and cabinets full of sweet delights, fridges full of whole cakes. A coffee station as big as my kitchen at home and a menu that would please everyone.
This place is more than worthy of a visit. Even if it was just to sit in there to take it all in. The food was beyond outstanding and so affordable. I think Melbourne really makes Perth look bad in the food department!
Sunday afternoon we headed up to Chapel St for even more shopping! And of course more laughs!
Then I was clock watching to ensure we made it to our booking at the P!NK Pop Up Store at 5.30. I was like a kid on Christmas Eve, being a huge P!NK fan, I was counting down the hours.......
Enter 5.30 & enter me like a kid in a Candy Store!!! A pop up store with props from the Funhouse Tour made for a laughter filled half hour!
Oh & p.s - great friends encourage this kind of behaviour & even if they don't encourage it - they accept it! Just saying.....
Sunday night, our last night :(, off we headed to the Crown Casino. Dinner as usual did not disappoint. Followed by a flutter on the pokies. Me being the veteran pokie player I won an impressive $38!
Followed by Strawberry Dacquiris & Toblerone cocktails at the Velvet Bar that were bigger than our heads!
Monday morning..........our last day. Yep, you guessed it, more shopping in the city. Heading back to the hotel at 3pm for pick up, I just had a gut feeling the suitcases would not fit in the car.........and I was right. But never parting with a purchase, we just accomodate and nurse the suitcase in the back seat on the way to the airport!
And the best way to finish off the ultimate girly weekend away.......more wine & "mummy porn" books!
With the warmest heart I want to thank these special friends, amazing mums & inspirational women for our four days together. The laughs we shared will be remembered forever. I'm grateful for all of you!
I feel lucky every day to have the support of friends like all three of you. Life is complicated enough to travel the journey alone and you all make it so much easier. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart, not only for the trip away and for "walking the dog" but for the friendship we share, every day. xxxxxxx
