check this out!!

why i love melbourne!? this link was given to me through swingpatrol (yes, there's a little bit of dancing in the streets here, but only a short moment). it's a wander through the city of melbourne. so for those of you who've lived here and miss it, those who have visited and want reminding, and those who have never ventured out - check out my city. :)

oh, the link... HERE!!

friday night in richmond

more dancing to be had at the funpit. meg and i had some mexican fare in the hour break and walked down swan street a little.

gotta love this barber shop - funky seventies. mikky g's style perhaps.

the photos are such because i left my camera at home and was using my phone. many apologies.

oh, and i caught the tram home. took about an hour around midnight but since i was passing the waca i got to hear the lovely tunes of rival football clubs as revellers left the event. yep, i'm in melbourne.

3.6 degrees on the way to work

and there was ice on my windscreen when i got into my car this morning... brrr.... jack frost is coming. i remember him well from winter mornings in boulder when i was a kid. and had to use the outside loo at my nan's. oh, sweet memories. happy friday chilluns.

hi, my name is leisa franklin and i've been 178 days swinging

so far this week i've danced each night. monday was brunswick lindy, tuesday was balboa in richmond and then last night at spenserslive in the city - lindy and blues. on the way into the venue i noticed this poster, my sister had obviously snuck into melbourne without telling me (and formed a band). :)

off to the cbd tonight for some more swing action.

who ever invented umbrellas, i thank you.

there was a chance on saturday that i could've been washed away. i was out on a walking tour of melbourne's moderne buildings from the 30s and 40s and it rained. and rained. and rained. if this sort of thing continues there will be a pair of bright wellington boots purchased. but even with the rain and the cold (i was told the temperature reached a high 9 degrees C) i loved it. and of course there were many pictures taken.

this first shot is of the gorgeous mcphersons building. it used to be a hardware showroom and now the ground floor is all cafes. from the outside it reminds me of what a food automat would've been.

can you see the lights inside collins hill house? they remind me of frankenstein lights - you know that contraption hanging over the bed when the monster is brought to life "it's alive... alive".

and we struggled bravely through the elements.


me trying to be a little arty.



how fantastic is the alkira building? need to get back there for more pics when the weather is a little clearer.



robin related an urban myth that the flagpole on this building was taken from a german submarine. no evidence, but it's a good story.

this isn't deco but it's pretty fabulous. inside the anz bank on collins. shocking photo but the reflection off the wet glass wasn't helpful. another one to get back to and hopefully inside with camera.

these next few photos are from mitchell house on lonsdale street. it used to be the site of a cobb & co stables. this gorgeous moderne building was completed in 1937. i love it.







the tour ended at mitchell so i walked back to the bourke street mall to wander through the stores.

sunday was another art deco-ish morning. i had an film showing by the art deco society at the sun theatre in yarraville. oh...my...goodness. it is a beautiful complex. originally opened in 1938, it had one screen and seats for 1050 people. it was in disrepair for a long time until the current owners bought it in 1995. it now houses 6 screens and they have renovated and remodelled the building gloriously. the film that was showing was miss pettigrew lives for a day, light entertainment, beautifully deco.

this theatre can be seen from the carpark of the sun. another gorgeous building needing some tlc.


and in other news, larissa and her team won their first netball game on the weekend. i'd better be a better aunt and ask her what position she plays. :)

at weekend's end

there were movies and wanderings and large coats with scarves. hot chocolate and pasta. popped down to camberwell flea market this morning, found a great women's weekly mag from 1940. moved onto st kilda for a late breakfast. bought myself a "fat mama's" bag from the st kilda markets - gail will be proud. :)

love the old trams.