Spring Panorama
By Eric (Discover English Teacher)
Spring is on its way, and with it the tantalising promise of our freedoms returned. It’s exciting to think about even the possibility of being able to act like a human being again.
A large part of being human is socialising – we are communal animals after all, and isolation does not become us. In Australia, like many other places, socialising often involves a few (or more) alcoholic drinks with friends; talking happily amidst the background hum and buzz of other groups doing the same.
And Spring adds an extra sizzle to the pleasures of socializing, for it sports the first sparkling rays of post-winter sun; fresh growth on the tips of branches; legions of teddy bear clouds marching lazily across the infinite blue sky.
Melbourne is blessed with a multitude of cool places to socialize over a drink (assuming lockdown doesn’t send them all bankrupt). I thought I’d share my three favourite places to take overseas friends in order to enjoy the Spring panorama and a beer.
Pony Fish Island. This small place is located under the footbridge between Southbank and Flinders Street Station. Literally on the river. Walk down the narrow staircase and find yourself in an easy-going and relaxed little bar just a few centimetres from the lapping brown currents of the Yarra. It’s only small, so it can be difficult to get a seat, but once you do you can savour a glass of wine or a beer and watch the sun set over the city, glinting in the ripples of the passing river.
Naked for Satan. This well-known Fitzroy icon is just near the corner of Brunswick Street and Johnston Street. The elaborately decorated venue is a treat to experience but it is the rooftop bar and restaurant that will steal your breath – a few storeys up in the air, the large terrace offers unparalleled vistas of Melbourne from the lush greenery of the Carlton Gardens to the glittering spires of the CBD.
Rooftop Bar. This Melbourne institution has been perched at the top of Curtin House on Swanston Street since the early 2000s. The whole building is full of various creative businesses and venues, and tramping up the seven flights of stairs is an experience in itself (more fun than the elevator). After the climb, you’ll be rewarded with the thrill of being both deep within the city and soaring above it.
Of course, we’ll have to wait until we’re allowed out, but the promise of a cold beer under a blue sky with the world spread out below is a tantalising and achievable dream worth holding onto.