I’ve spent the past five days gallivanting (or, as Agnes said, “social butterflying”) around Melbourne, and oh! oh! My heart, my soul, my happiness. Unlike my last visit, which was tacked to a work trip and fleeting in nature, this has been a true holiday. The five days have been filled with nothing but deliciousness, fun, cherished old friends, new friends who immediately curl into your heart like they’ve always belonged there, singing, and so much happiness that it hurts to leave.
To appease the heartache, I plan to relive the trip for me, for you, and for this blog.
* * *
I touched down in Melbourne on Friday to beautiful warm sunny skies and I-Hua’s kind offer to host me for a few days. I popped over to her work to drop off my bag, then accidentally found myself having Cacao Green for lunch (last visit here) before accidentally wandering into the naughty place of naughtiness.
While waiting to order, I was given a sample cup of Starbucks’ new Mocha Coconut Frappuccino. It was, in a word, revolting. Artificial coconut flavouring makes my mind shudder. However, I liked the Dark Mocha Soy Frappuccino that I ordered, although I’d prefer a stronger coffee flavour.
Once I-Hua’s workday ended, her fantastic and ever-tolerant-of-our-singing fiancé picked us up for dinner. First, though, we stopped at Cacao Green for frozen yoghurt, where I-Hua ordered a matcha frozen yoghurt with honey macadamias. I said I wouldn’t have one because I’d already had a tub of Cacao Green’s limonette frozen yoghurt that day, but then I helped myself to I-Hua’s cup anyway. I’m a good friend like that.
We had dinner next to a Safeway supermarket at iSpicy, with Katspat, her husband, and adorable baby girl joining us. Kat ordered for us in Thai, which surely gave our table super cred.
There was a crab fried rice, which beats the ham-and-pea standard of Chinese restaurants by a mile, and a calamari stir-fry which I dutifully stole most of the broccoli from.
There was a[n unpictured] pork belly dish down the other end of the table, but I only had eyes for the Som Tum.
You know what? Canberra’s Baan Latsamy’s Som Tum kicks iSpicy’s Som Tum’s booty. Baan Latsamy’s Som Tum has an intense chilli heat and tanginess, whereas this was too sweet and bombarded with peanuts for my liking. I still ate most of it though.
With dinner over, we headed back to I-Hua and The Boy’s place, whereupon I became giddy with glee at the endless bookshelves filled with shiny, colourful, pristine fantasy novels as far as the eye can see.
And look! Look!
I-Hua made the guest room up for me with a cuddly toy, mini shampoo and conditioner, two Haigh’s chocolates (just like a fancy hotel!) and a gorgeous, shining note that would make no sense to anyone else because I-Hua and I seem to have created our own private coded language. (It’s awesome.)
I was so happy that I took a stupid photo of myself in the mirror. Wearing my pink Elvis socks from Graceland.
However, I have to clear something up. I-Hua has told some of you that I abused her, but I swear it’s not true. It was an accident! You see, I-Hua had been joking about force-feeding me orange chocolate if I misbehaved, and so as a joke she threw me a wrapped orange chocolate truffle when I entered her home. As a joke, I threw it back at her, because I knew I have terrible aim and it definitely wouldn’t hit.
Except my aim was perfect and it hit her in the face. Darling Angle Babe, I’m so sorry! It was the orange chocolate’s fault! I swear I love you like the things in a box*, and never meant to hurt you!
After I-Hua forgave me, we settled in for one of our great, great mutual loves: Classic Disney. It was utter contentment to laugh and sing along to The Little Mermaid together, pointing out plot inconsistencies, debating why Sebastian is Jamaican, and commenting on the potential feminism of “Part Of Your World”.
Also, you know you’ve found a friend for life when one of you mentions that “Les Poissons” is coming up and you both simultaneously shriek out “Hee Hee Hee Haw Haw Haw!”
It was a wonderful first day.
* I’m sorry, it’s very rude to use secret language on my blog. Forgive me.
Question Time: Have you ever tried to socially-deconstruct a Disney movie? It’s both easy and fun, I promise. Do you have a secret language with anyone in your life?
Hmmm, my initial reaction to the secret language thing was ‘no’ however given the way people react when I have understood my husband’s seemingly nonsensical words and gestures maybe I do …
Glad you’ve had a good time here in Melbourne-town and thank you for the links to a couple of fun looking local blogs – more food to make and restaurants to visit, just what I needed!
Oooh, secret couple language! I’m yet to experience that
My pleasure! I’ll be linking to more Melbourne blogs in coming posts too
Bring it on! I’ve already added four new bloggers to my Reader and five new food places to my ‘must visit’ list thanks to your links yesterday and the paths I followed from there … I have an addiction and I’m not to proud to say so
I think everyone here has the same addiction
Oh no! Too, I’m not too proud to say so – how did I let that get through?!
*laughs* I have that same moment of horror when I see typos in my own comments on other people’s blogs. Totally didn’t even notice your one though!
I love that I-Hua left little goodies on your bed like a fancy hotel, how thoughtful and fun! It sounds like so much fun to watch old Disney movies and dissect them and guffaw at Jamaican crabs and Ariel’s gravity-defying bangs (how do they remain so bouncy even when completely water-logged?!?!) A mystery for the ages.
I was so delighted about the chocolates on my pillow! (Well, towel, but you know what I mean.) Made me feel so special
Bahaha, we talked about exactly that! No one in Disney is ever drenched or bedraggled or has their clothes stick to them after getting wet. We decided it’s simply due to Disney Magic.
Ohhh what a wonderful start! You know I haven’t been to Cacao Green AT ALL??
And how did you know that The Little Mermaid is my fave Disney movie EVER? Never tried to deconstruct it out loud but I do it all the time in my head. Hope your trip was wonderful – next time chica
*gasp* The horror! The horror!
We’ll simply have to go there together when I next visit. You can pretend it’s sugar-free 
The Little Mermaid is definitely up there with the best
Much better than the one we watched on Saturday night, but I shan’t spoil that story yet…
awww what a wonderful first day indeed!!!
Each day was magical
love your ‘hotel welcome’. such a sweet idea, i’ll have to steal it
Definitely do! Speaking from experience, it makes the guest feel so special
hahaha I-Hua is such a cutie setting up your room like a hotel
Isn’t she just? Love my Angle Babe!
I don’t know if what my family has is a secret language. It is more a language that includes random words from other languages plus the odd ginglishism (german english) that my grandmother invented. My old boss and I used to be able to communicate almost without words, it was awesome, we totally freaked out the clients.
Teehee, I think that’s the sign of a good workplace/awesome work relationships! My old boss and colleagues can do that too. It’s amazing what a tiny expression can convey
P.S. Ginglishism itself is an incredibly awesome word.
Woah Angle Babe! Rake Sway super fast post! Lol…I give you many things in a box forever and forever and ever!! HEE HEE HEE HAW HAW HAW… Pocahontas Voldemort gave me nightmares
Arrggh! MY FEET!! What are they doing on here??? Hahahahaha
*giggles uncontrollably* It took you nine hours to notice that?
Purdy feet!
BAHAHAHA!!!!! Best secret language comment ever! Almost as good as being longbottomed fried.
“This is how we say hello: AVADA WINGAPO!”
oh melbourne is a lovely place -especially when welcomed by snuggly puppy dogs offering chocolates! nice to hear you were able to relax in our fine city rather than running yourself ragged
It’s funny, I was completely booked to the brim and spent each day seeing people and walking around for hours, but I felt so elated and refreshed by it all that I wasn’t ragged at all
Yum LOVE Cacao Green! Can’t wait to see more of your adventure and them subsequently feel jealous!
Aw, thanks Casey! Just like I feel reading about your crazy awesome American nut butters and vegan finds
It was disappointing that I couldn’t make the I-Spicy dinner so I could get the chance to meet you, but I’m sure our paths shall cross one day!
Glad to see you had a wonderful time in Melbourne. Can’t wait to see what other adventures you got up to!
I was sorry too, but definitely, definitely it will happen soon! And remember, you’re always welcome here in Canberra
Teehee, so many adventures! I’m thinking there’ll be at least six more posts!
Ha, great timing- I just got a postcard from Starbucks for a free birthday drink of my choice. I’ve never gotten anything beyond black coffee, so I wasn’t sure what to do with it… Maybe I’ll try something more adventurous like a mocha soy frappaccino! If you like it, I probably would too.
Oooh, you just made me rather envious!
Also…. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! To be honest, I usually go for the straight-and-simple soy coffee frappuccino, because I’m not often interested in chocolate-flavoured sweets. I’d definitely ask for less chocolate and more coffee in the mocha in future, if that were possible 
My sister and I were doing not so much a social-deconstruction as a moral-deconstruction after watching The Lion King recently.
Simba thinks that he’s responsible for killing his father and, rather than facing this, he runs away. Later he returns and confesses to the pride “Yes, I’m responsible for my father’s death.” This is where you expect the film to teach some morals like honesty-as-best-policy, responsibility-for-actions, redemption-and-forgiveness-for-mistakes. Instead, it teaches the exact opposite!! Without further questioning, the pride is immediately against Simba after his confession, horrified, sitting back to watch as the evil Scar makes Simba pay the ultimate price for his crime. It’s only once the truth comes out that it was actually Scar that was responsible all along that the pride finally jumps in to protect Simba. If the truth hadn’t come out?!
The moral seems to be “If you do something wrong, you’re best not admitting it, unless you can pin the blame on someone else.”
So then we started joking about the bad lessons you could take from other Disney films…
The Little Mermaid – “It doesn’t matter what you have to say; beauty is only skin deep anyway”
Beauty and the Beast – “Put up with your abusive relationship; they’ll come good eventually”
Aladdin – “You can get away with being a liar and a thief if you’re charming and good looking”
… etc. Disney is fun as an adult!
Of course, the other thing I took away from watching the Lion King again after so long, is that I could still remember nearly every word of every song, despite not having heard some of them for 10+ years!
*laughs* I’m usually lazy and just say “sexist, racist, sexist, racist” about most Disney films, but you’ve certainly gone the extra mile here! And I’m the same; couldn’t believe how well I knew lyrics even to the movies I hadn’t seen often. Now, why my brain holds onto this information and not more relevant knowledge…
The LE POISSON song is one of my favourite Disney moments! Gotta love them insane French chefs.
I also have an unpleasant reaction to artificial sweeteners – even Starbucks’ iced coffee with milk is wayhayy too sweet for my finely tuned tastebuds. ‘sall about that wonderful bitter-with-a-hint-of-sweet dark chocolate, yes?
Absolutely! But do all the Starbucks’ frappuccinos have fake sweeteners in them?! I didn’t know that! I definitely don’t order them with sugarfree syrup?
That’s so sweet having that bed made up for you like that and giving you two chocolates? Well you just need to move in now!
Hear that, I-Hua? I’M MOVING IN!
Oh oh oh I miss Melbourne…. so glad you had an amazing time though
I actually have never had coffee from Starbucks (shock!)
One of my primary school teachers looked exactly like Ursula… I’m serious. Creepy.
I have many secret languages in my life – one with Viper, another with MIsty, and one with my bestie. No wonder people think I’m mad.
Not shock at all! I’d never, ever go to Starbucks for actual proper coffee, I just like to treat myself to these sweet thickshake-like frappuccinos when I’m on holiday
Bahaha! That would be terrifying! The Poor Unfortunate Souls song gave me the willies as a kid.
Not mad, awesome.
Aww this all just sounds so lovely.
Glad you had such a great time.
My younger sister and I used to have our own language. It was a mix of English & Chinese and a million inside jokes. To most people it just sounded like we were talking nonsense, but it made sense to us, haha!
Teehee, my brother and I can be a bit the same with all our inside jokes. One of the best things about having a sibling, right? Along with the unconditional love
When I was but a wee undergrad dreaming of being a university lecturer, I thought – I *have* to teach a class about Disney films. There’s so much to discuss, sociologically.
I sometimes do the “I have shitty aim so I’ll throw this thing” and then, oops! It actually made contact! Why can that never happen when I’m trying?
YES EXACTLY! Why is it that I can hit people’s faces, but not get the chocolate wrapper in the bin?! At least I’m not alone.
Oooh, I’ve totally had that teach Disney in sociology thought too. Difference is, you actually *can* do this
Yay for Melbourne
And this trip has clearly got off to a wonderful start, chocolate orange throwing shenanigans aside (clearly you can’t be trusted with orange chocolate at ALL!). I’ll look forward to hearing more!
Teehee, I hope you can maintain this enthusiasm throughout teh nest 5 or 6 Melbourne posts!
I still maintain it was the orange chocolate’s fault.
I’m sorry I can’t do Disney films, must be something in my childhood – too many big jaws and pert chins and covert dogma. Though I am an old Thunderbirds junkie.
Love the Asian food insert! And not really a secret language (tho no one can understand us) but BFF and I always speak half Italian half English (make that half Veneto half strine with my kids) and I find it is just the best!!
It’s okay, I won’t hold that against you.
That’s totally a secret language! A really, really clever secret cosmopolitan language showing how awesome you are 
How lovely of I-Hua to make your bed like that – all the bonuses of a hotel but better! I’ve just looked at the last Melbourne post and I need to eat somewhere called Lord of the Fries… brilliant!
Very generous of you to help out with the frozen yoghurt too…
Exactly! I’d rather I-Hua’s place than a hotel any day
Ooh yes, LOTF is fun! Definitely give it a try 
Phew! That was one whirlwind of a post. I think I need to lay down, watch a Disney flick and eat orange chocolates to recover. I think it must have been such a great time – to have friends who really ‘get’ you and love you to go to so much trouble. Thank you for sharing – it made me really smile.
I support everything in your comment except the orange chocolate part.
It honestly thrills my heart that you enjoyed this post enough to make you smile! Hopefully I don’t bore you with the next (many) Melbourne posts. I have so many wonderful friends to rhapsodize over 
Rhapsodize away Ms W Chocolate, I love Melbourne, food, friends and your posts, so, I can only look forward to more posts from your trip!
I utterly adore Classic Disney but try to shut down the social analyzing bit of my brain while I’m watching, otherwise my brain might fall out my ears altogether. That said, Bedknobs and Broomsticks isn’t too bad, considering – Angela Lansbury plays a messy witch who happily lives alone and basically saves England from invasion in WWII (yes, with a little bit of help from a man but mostly through her own skills) and HAS A FLYING BED.
What a beautiful guest room! Can’t wait to read more of your Melbourne jaunts, even if they’re completely out of order of occurrence.
Well, if she had a flying bed, then clearly she was a prostitute. Good old Classic Disney.
(P.S. I’ve never actually seen Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Are there good songs involved?)
Teehee, thank you! I’m actually hoping to go through day-by-day, but might intersperse recipes if I can find the time…
I think, just from the food and how she made up your guest bed, that I might have just a teeny weeny crush on this magnificent I-Hua!
What a woman!
She definitely deserves to be crushed-on
it brings me an awful lot of joy to know that I am not the only person who arrives in Melbourne and makes a bee-line for Starbucks. It’s not that I don’t realise there are a million and one other places to get coffee, it’s just one of those things…
And socially constructing a Disney movie? Best use of a day ever! In fact, I have spent most of my day watching every possible version, remix, live cover, reverse version, abridged version of songs from Hunchback of Notre Dame that I could find on youtube. What is not to like?
Squeeee! *high five* Exactly, I’d never go for proper coffee, but the dessert drinks are the bomb
Ack, Hunchback is one of the Disney movies that I’ve barely seen. Maybe once? I’m missing out!
You know Hannah most fancy hotels don’t actually put chocolates on your pillow. So I-Hua is better than a fancy hotel! 5 days in Melbourne! I wish. Maybe this year. I love Melbourne. And I love how your Melbourne is so vastly different to mine. Though I will definitely have to check out Cacao Green next visit.
There may or may not be two other frozen dessert places coming up in future posts
And yes, one of the fabulous things about travel blogs/posts is seeing waht other people get up to and prioritise! Much much fun indeed 
It’s so cute that I-Hua made up that room for you! The soft toy looks gorgeous and cuddly.
I loved Cocoa Green when I was there but my boyfriend didn’t like it. :S
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Disney movies as well! I have a lot of favourites but Little Mermaid is high on the list and definitely a few of the better songs to sing along to. Never really tried deconstructing it though since when I watch it, I get mesmerised like a baby. No time or space in my brain for thinking!
So soft and cuddly! And hey, nothing wrong with a bit of mindless Disney happiness. I simply can never turn the sociologist part of my brain off
“Canberra’s Baan Latsamy’s Som Tum kicks iSpicy’s Som Tum’s booty.”
That goes on my Top Sentences, Ever list
Oh gosh, thank you! All the apostrophes and letter s-es(?!) make my brain feel funny, but I decided to go with it
awww i’m glad that you are having some quality time with your friend! that is the best.
Many, many more friends were involved this weekend too
wow honeyed macadamia nuts – sounds good to me
Man, I haven’t done a classic disney session in ages! Must rectify this with lots of The Little Mermaid! And also, I love cacao green. Can’t get too much fro-yoooooo! Looking forward to seeing what you got up to on the rest of your trip!
Can’t wait to show you! Oh how I loved froyo! This definitely wasn’t the only frozen dessert goodness of the trip
Aww, this sounds all wonderful (except the accidential hitting in the face – sorry, Hannah!
)! Friends like that are such a gift!
I had no idea you like fantasy novels! Do you have a favorite?
I have secret languages with my best friends. Another secret language for each best friend.
I only have very few best friends, so this amount of secret languages doesn’t overwhelm me.
Well, the nature of best friends should mean that you can’t have many!
Love that you have secret languages too.
Favourite fantasy novels? Ack, I hate answering questions like that off the cuff! Stresses me out. Do you read much fantasy?
Haha, I see. I had the impression you were intrigued by the book shelf.
I don’t have as much time for reading as I’d like to, but I like to read fantasy novels. I’m very selective, though. LOTR is still outstanding, but I absolutely loved Tad Williams’ Osten Ard books (the first one it “The Dragon Bone Throne”). I also really loved HP. 
Now I’ve ordered “Game of Thrones” because I’ve heard so many good things about it. And I’m also working on a fantasy novel (okay, it’ll be 3 books at least 
) with one of my best friends, although we’re still in the beginning and mostly do plotting and character development. I hope to have more time for that again now!
Oh, that was the right impression! I have read a fair bit of fantasy in my life, but in my experience people tend to get quite… enthusiastic about their favourites, so I’m scared of telling mine for fear of judgement
I totally out-nerded I-Hua by reciting Aragorn’s poem and the verses from Rowan of Rin off the top of my head, though. So you can definitely say LOTR has been read
I haven’t read Tad Williams, but enjoy the Obernewtyn series, some Raymond E Feist and Robin Hobb, and many others I can see the covers of but can’t quite remember the authors of… 
Would DEFINITELY want to read yours!!
Oh, I think I don’t know any of the ones you mentioned …
(As I said, not much time for reading. Boo.)
Of course you can read mine! M friend and I are actually going to write it in English. (She’s very, very good in English and has been writing in English for many years, so this is why I dare to do that. Writing a novel in a foreign language is a totally cup of tea than writing scientific stuff, as I’m currently doing already. It turned out that I’m generating most of the ideas and she’ll have the bigger role in manifesting them in words. So probably, during the course of the next years, there’ll be stuff to read from the two of us.
)
Don’t worry, me neither. Blogging takes up all the time I used to use for reading!
Oooh, squee! Absolutely in awe of writing in another language, particularly in terms of creative writing. Go you!
Awesome bed setup!
oh! Melbourne fun! Many delicious eats, none of which I have tried yet. For shame. Lots of friends fun
& I LOVE Disney. Cinderella is a fav. & Robin Hood. Never deconstructed them though. I need more Disney and less work this week!
Heidi xo
Amen, soul-sister! Would you believe I think I’ve never seen the Disney Robin Hood? Or maybe once, but I can’t remember? It’s the one with the foxes, right? However, I do own the BBC Robin Hood, because it’s very… how shall we put this? Pretty.
Next time, darling, Tasti D’Lite and Disney xoxo
YES! I have definitely socially deconstructed Disney movies. One of my best friends loves Disney even more than I do and we’ve seen almost all of them together, and we plan to see Beauty and the Beast when it’s re-released in theaters this weekend.
THAT SOUNDS AWESOME.
Naw Little Mermaid! Haha I used to think Prince Eric was hot (still do!).
Next time you’re coming down, I’m DEFINITELY stealing you for a few hours, missy!
Teehee, I-Hua and I were absolutely debating the relative hotness of the Disney males! For example. Eric beats the human version of the Beast by about a squillion million miles
Squeeee! I love being stolen! And even more, I love being wanted to be stolen! (That only made sense in my head, I think.) Definitely next time!
Glad you had a lovely trip. I think my workplace has a secret language and my job is to counter it!
Straight-language-shooter Tammy?
I’ve never been able to watch Little Mermaid. Ursula freaked me out so much when I was little, and now that I could (probably?) handle it, I believe I have lost my interest. But I remember playing a fun Little Mermaid medley in orchestra once…
That food looks so good. How have I never thought to put such delicious ingredients as crab into fried rice? That kicks plain fried rice’s butt any day. Imma try it out!
So nice that you were able to spend so much time with so many lovely people:)
She’s pretty scary, to be honest. Although my main Disney fear was the end of Fantastia, so I’d always stop after the mushrooms and fishies and fairies and flying horsies
Oooh, I’d love to see what youmma do with crab fried rice! Betcha could make it more delicious; you probably have fresh crab around.
It got better! It got better! So many lovely lovelies!
What a great first day in Melb! Can’t think of a better way to kick start a trip than with good food and even better/hospitable friends. Certainly are Ms Popular, so many friends wherever you go, hehe!
Teehee! One of the most wonderful things about blogging is ending up with friends in place already wherever you go! I’d never call myself Ms Popular though
Such an amazing city; love Melbourne!
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