THURSDAY:
My best friend since year 9 at high school, Trent married Katie over the weekend.  So myself and the family all went down to Melbourne for the wedding.  I was in the bridal party and it was an action-packed weekend.  We left on the Thursday morning at 9:55 and arrived in Melbourne airport at 13:15, the weather was fine, a bit of a breeze, but not too bad.
Checked ourselves into an apartment on Toorak Rd, Hawthorn East and went for a wander.
That night I caught up with some of my old JB work friends who were originally from Melbourne, Brooke and Maree.  There were 8 of us: Maree, Brooke, my sister Lou and her fiance Ben, Mum and Dad as well as Ben’s friend, Hannah.  We went to Vegie Bar, Brunswick Street, Fitzroy which is one of my favourite places to go when I’m in Melbourne.  Now, it’s always busy at the Vegie Bar, but it was overly busy this night.  We hung out at the bar for awhile and half of us were seated – due to it being busy we had to split up.  But not too long after the others were also seated not too far from us.

Mostly Greens with tahini at Vegie Bar

I always order the Mostly Greens with tahini.  I’m one of those people who dreams about particular meals from places and hope that I’ll order something different from the menu, one day, but I always seem to get the same, so as I’m not disappointed...  Therefore, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, couldn’t eat it all, but I did try.   I also ordered their chocolate cake to takeaway, but seeing as I’m getting into raw cake at the moment, it didn’t really compare.  
Everyone that I bring to Vegie Bar loves the food, there’s always such a great atmosphere, the meals are well-priced, the service is great and the food is quick.  They were extremely busy this night but helped us be seated together as much as they could.  Mental note: book next time.  Another thing that impresses me about the Vegie Bar is their environmentally friendly toilet:

Don’t worry, the rest of my party gave me the same look you are giving this screen, but it’s ever so exciting!  See, when you flush the toilet the water to re-fill the cistern with is what you watch your hands with.  I do believe that every 8 of us managed to see this toilet by the end of the night.

FRIDAY:
I had to be in Melbourne city for a day spa treatment with the other gals as part of Katie’s hens get together.  I went in the city early to find an internet café as I couldn’t use my laptop and had so many emails to catch up on.  It was very relaxing after my massage and then I went to see my friend, Jamie.  We met at Flinders Street Station and caught a tram to Fitzroy where we were going to go to Las Vegan Bakery but it was closed.  Decided on Soul Food Café where Jamie’s partner, Noah caught up with us.  I love these two, they are both very passionate and active vegans, so we obviously had a lot to talk about and a great deal of catching up to do.

I ordered the samosa with roasted vegetables which was divine.  Noah and Jamie both had tempeh burgers and they were huge!  Jamie couldn’t finish hers, but Noah made sure it didn’t go to waste!  Noah went back to work after lunch but Jamie and I hung out for the rest of the day.  I wanted to get some vegan muffins at The Organic Food & Wine Café on Degraves Lane/Street but they had sold out of the vegan versions.  Fortunately Jamie suggested Habib whole foods on Flinders Street that fast became my new favourite place in Melbourne.  It’s an organic and biodynamic store that has so many vegan options.  I bought various fruit muffins and a chocolate one, just in case of an emergency.  They were divine.  Jamie and I hung out until 6pm when we decided that we should probably say good bye and hopefully catch up sooner rather than later.  Was a great day.
That night my FaceBook friend, Sasha and I went to a new place in Fitzroy, yes, again, I know.  It’s like West End in Brisbane and Newtown in Sydney!  A great place called Yong Green where Sasha and I committed the biggest sin of all: eating too big an entrée so we couldn’t fit in dessert!  We ordered a pancake for entrée, curry and noodles for main and shared them.  My friend Emily had advised that I should try the raw green tea cake when I was there, but we were seriously too full.  Fortunately the very friendly ladies brought over a little piece of the chocolate raw cake to try, it too was divine!  Oh how I love raw cake!  
Up until this time I had been really good with using my camera, a 30th birthday present from my family, so no pics of the meal, sorry.

SATURDAY:
By this stage I’m getting tired, a lot of early mornings, a lot of walking around and late nights, and it’s not over yet...
We went to see Trent on the day before the wedding in St Kilda, also a great vegan area!  He was just near the Vegetarian Pizza place who were closed and Lentil as Anything who were way too busy.  When Maree picked me up we went into the city to get me some food, at Habib, these great sort of Indian-style wraps that are sealed not open, lentils or beans with spices, yum!  Maree had to buy a dress for that night so I went wandering around the city.  By this stage the weather had changed and it was getting cold.  We ended up quickly running out of time so we drove by Veg Out Time, St Kilda to get me some takeaway, then back to the unit where I got to do Maree’s makeup and hair!  Early to bed this night.

SUNDAY:

The big day, the day we’d come to Melbourne for, Trent and Katie’s wedding.  For bridesmaid duties I was to start at 10 in the morning and finish at 12 midnight.  It was going to be a big day but it was a lot of fun.  I was partnered up with another school friend, Michael and the rest of the grooms men I’d known for years or known of for years.  The bridesmaids were such a lovely bunch and we all had a wonderful time.  I was exhausted after the big day though.
The weather was mostly good, though raining and cold so not really suitable for beach shots, but we managed.  At the wedding there were a few vegetarians and myself catered for.  I had noodle with vege entrée and a big vegetable-filled pastry for the main with sorbet and strawberries for dessert.  By the time we left for the unit it was FREEZING.

MONDAY:
I do not want to get out of bed, it’s been raining and miserable all night and I have no intention of being out in that sort of weather.  But we have to be out by 10am ;(  luckily I bought my scarf, jumper and jacket with me so I have a few warm-ish clothes, but if you’ve ever been to Melbourne, you know what the wind is like: icy and you just can’t get warm when it breathes icicles through you.  Mum and Dad were staying in the city this night so we dropped our luggage off there.  Dad and Ben went to the museum while Mum, Lou and I walked around the city.  I ran into an old JB friend, Garran which was great, we went to visit Brooke at her store to say hi and then had more of a wander around the city.  I bought some food for lunch, before the plane flight and some muffins for home, at Habib!  Left at 17:05 and returned home at 18:15 to the humidity, heat and home: Brisbane.  That night I slept ever so well.