Oh how I want to be with St Kilda

When the Saints go marching in!

Jack and I made our way over to the sunny suburb of St Kilda (alliteration much?) and its neighbouring Elwood, home to my cousin Nandi, her assortment of pot plants, and an inquisitive magpie who is yet to be named. 

The vibe in that part of town is worlds away from what I am used to: it is beachy. hip, and a little more free if that makes sense. St Kilda really buzzes too; it's well and truly alive, cafe chairs spilling onto the crowded pavement, accommodating tattooed patrons in Ray Bans and fedora hats. It promotes a strangely casual chaos, encouraging both afternoon drinks and patisserie-fuelled sugar rushes. 

We decided to skip the sweet treats available at the 1, 2, 3 (!!) bakeries, and headed to the beach with a picnic basket and homemade hummus. Despite being a far cry from the glorious Byron beaches I grew up on, it was nice to feel the sea breeze again. We did some tandem skate boarding (which, of course, ended with falling over), walked along the pier, and marveled at a guy flying above the ocean in some sort of jet pack...?

All in all, it was a brilliant day and I really do love that part of Melbourne. I'll have to start visiting Nandi more often!