Believe it or not, if you drive far enough from the city, the Yarra River is a beautiful place to spend a Summer's day swimming. Warrandyte is a haven of shady gumtrees, flowing rapids, and rocks to perch yourself on while the water rushes past. Bring beers, but esky optional - the water is cool enough to keep them chilled all day.

My favourite commercial gallery in Melbourne, Utopian Slumps represents a group of early to mid career Australian and New Zealand artists. Exhibitions are always intriguing and the opening nights are great for people watching.

This Hare Krishna restaurant has a rotating menu of delicious, inexpensive vegetarian food. The atmosphere is always peaceful and the perfect place to sit is by the window overlooking Swanston St. I recommend the eggplant lasagne if you see it in the window display!

Communal benches & an open kitchen create a buzzy setting for Asian-inspired cuisine.

Besides being covered in the street art that is synonymous with Melbourne, the laneways also lead to some of the city’s best cafes, shops and restaurants, and are always worth taking time to explore.