More Melbourne

I can't show you The Dress.  A traditional under-wraps approach is being taken to this.  The plan is that the groom will see the bride in her finery for the first time, only when she steps radiantly towards him on the day of the wedding. But I can show you the establishment where we went for our fittings of the bride dress and mother-of-the-bride dress. This, by the way is not the dress.

My dress is no secret though!  I can tell you it is a simple silk sheath with some asymmetrical features. It will be made in a reddish rose colour.  I've never had a couture dress made for me before. What an interesting experience and not as expensive as it may sound.

After the fitting we went for a cuppa with Gabi in Hawthorn, Last time we visited she showed us the hilarious and charming DVD she has had made of HER wedding movie from 1971. I have a similar historical document on videotape, gives me an idea...

Also visited Sandrea at Southbank, where the saga of the bathroom moisture problem is slowly unfolding. Our renovation company, Smarter Bathrooms has come to the party and some repairs are underway.

In the evening we went over to Chris and Pam's warehouse apartment in Collingwood for a great home-cooked Italian meal just like Nonna used to make. Also met Edie, their new baby whippet.  Edie has two speeds: "flat out" and "off". This is "off"

Tuesday we cruised the CBD shopping precinct. So many hats! So many shoes! It's the lead up to the Melbourne Cup. But I showed restraint.  Unlike Dita Von Teese,  http://www.google.com.au/search?q=dita+von+teese&hl=en&prmd=imvnsuol&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Ua2rTvvyN6ufiAfdrsnqDw&ved=0CD4QsAQ&biw=1333&bih=665&sei=%20Xa2rTqLzHdCJmQX1xoD3Dg who is a visiting US celebrity, here for the Spring Racing Carnival. I don't usually approve of celebrities, but she is a phenomenon. She is feisty and beautiful, and revived Burlesque around the globe. We spotted her while out to dinner with Wim and Akinyi at Chin Chin in Flinders Lane.http://jeroxie.com/addiction/chin-chin-melbourne-melbourne-cbd This is where the restraint part comes in. She doesn't have any. She was wearing hugely tall gold-heeled stilettos on which her little foot was perched almost completely vertical.  Plus the rest of the outfit to match. She was leaving just as we were and we saw being ushered into a waiting limousine and driven just about 200 metres around the corner into her luxury hotel. I don't suppose you can actually walk in heels like that.

Wednesday morning and I was on the plane to Sydney. David texted with the unhappy news that he had left things at Linda's, did I have any ideas? So I spent the half hour between arriving off the airport train and leaving on the XPT, galloping with my luggage - including an extra bag of birthday presents for David - up the hill to Linda's place in Surry Hills and back with another little bag and an umbrella. Fortunately I was not wearing gold stilettos at the time.

Here he is, opening one of his birthday presents after I got home to Hallidays Point. Thanks, Lian and Wim. You did good.