Arty-farty festing in Melbourne

It's on again. The program has arrived.

The Melbourne International Arts Festival from 11-27 October.

So much pouring over.

Much figuring. What can the credit card bear?

BTW, love this Visit Victoria ad.

As readers of this blog will be aware, Miss E loves Melbourne's lanes.

Highest on my list of must-sees is The Temptation of Saint Anthony. This is a musical theatre collaboration by Robert Wilson and Bernice Johnson Reagon (we all know her from Sweet Honey in the Rock) inspired by the text of Gustave Flaubert. Reagon's daughter Toshi Reagon will be a significant presence at the festival. Not only in The Temptation but also with her own band BIGLovely.

Whatta place - Howey Place!

On Friday night, Miss Eagle was having a wander in the city and found herself in Howey Place. Aaaah!

Howey Place is a laneway of lovely shops off Little Collins Street. The circle on the map above marks the spot.

Dear Reader, if you are living overseas, you should know that Melbourne is the shopping capital of Australia. It is also the artiest city in Australia and the most European. Mmmm...

At the entry to Howey Place is Oroton on the left...
and French Connection (FCUK) on the right.
Special occasion elegance is in the window at Stellini...
and the latest trends at Jason Grech.
Accessorising is done at Glass Tree ...
... and sheer class comes from Andrea Yasmin.
David Medlow Chocolates are a recent addition...
...with fruity delectables...
...and liqueur choclates.

And then there is Miss Eagle's favourite - Alannah Hill.

Miss E has written about her before.

Funky, feminine elegance...
...mixed and flaunted...
And in the door Miss Eagle went, dear Reader...
...into the luscious foyer...
...with the glowing red portholes and signature Alannah flowers...
...and more flamboyant fashion...

...under red canopies of light.
All in all, a stimulating walk, daydreaming, musing, enjoying.

Milton House, Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Milton House has a point of difference from most of Melbourne's inner city heritage buildings - it's Art Nouveau style.

Milton House frontage in Flinders Lane, Melbourne

External fanlight and detail

Fanlight in portico

Frieze detail
Front doors in portico

Wall detail

Light shade in portico - one of a pair

Maria George - 3

Sparkly and Sequinned Eggs

Maria George - 2

Framed Eggs in Maria George's Window

Maria George - 1

Maria George is nothing if not a Melbourne institution. From her premises in 179 Flinders Lane, she supplies sequins, beads, crystals, pearls and rhinestones. She will even teach you how to bead. Indulgence in all that is pretty. And her window for Easter is pretty too.

graffiti, e e cummings, kisses and wisdom

Graffiti in Hosier Lane, Melbourne

Bank Place - where the corporate and legal world meet

At the financial end of town, between Collins Street and Little Collins Street, is Bank Place.

Roaming Graffiti

In Melbourne, it is possible just to walk into the heart of the city and let things happen to you. Yesterday Miss Eagle bounced up the stairs out of the Degraves Street Tunnel to meet a group of people holding up boards in a context that could only be described as roving graffiti. What fun, Miss Eagle thought and here it is for you to enjoy.

Meanwhile, over in Hardware Lane...

... the only hardware getting a guernsey these days is the knife and fork.