Free lectures held in a cosy bars around Melbourne's inner north. This wonderful organisation runs weekly courses on a range of topics, purely for the pursuit of knowledge. The perfect antidote for a post-grad like myself who often misses lectures and class discussions. Uni with a glass of red wine - yes please.

The Astor always makes going to see a film feel special. The art-deco building itself is beautiful and the program of cults and classics are always well curated. There's no comparison to seeing a film in it's original format - 35mm and the rare 70mm.

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.

Fresh is best. The best place in Melbourne for fresh cheese. The Buffalo Mozzarella and the creamy Ricotta are to die for. I used to have to wait years and fly half way across the globe to my home in Italy just to bite into one of these creamy morsels of goodness. Now my life can be defined by the ‘pre La Latteria period’ and the ‘post La Latteria period’.

The Everleigh is a sumptuous bar hidden above a busy shopping street. A perfect place to share a leather booth with friends, while drinking gin cocktails from old-fashioned crystal glasses.