Written by lainie at 10:50 PM on May 5, 2009 in Music, Holidays / Road Trip.

Found while wandering around Melbourne: Oliver Lane

You know how sometimes you read a food blog (like The Food Pornographer) and you get this suspiciously "Malaysian" vibe? At the risk of sounding like one of those tumpang glamour Malaysians (omg, Guy Whatsisface is half-Msian!), this website, FoodSwings, must be at least half Malaysian. I don't care.

Cause "swing" reminds me of "swingers" yeah, and if there's one thing Malaysians do, it's swap food. You order the chicken, I order the fish, we'll totally pick off each other's plates. Yeah. Pass me that plate, over your brother's head. I want some of your mashed potatoes. Have some of my pasta. It's horizontal plate juggling.

Fed Square from across the road

Websites will tell you that the true reflection of Melbourne city is found in the Federation Square. Personally, I don't think that's quite true, but hey. It still has a lot of things to see.

Dress in the display window at Fed Square's Australian Racing Museum caught my eye

I have been, and will over the next few days, frequenting the Fed Square on a daily basis, due to the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Jazz performances and masterclasses are being held all around Melb for over a week. I can't wait to compare this with the upcoming Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival.

You might even see me on their bloody live Fed Square webcam. I don't know, I refuse to download the Windows Media plugin. Feels too dirty for my Mac.

[ I forgot to upload this post -- the jazz fest is over dy ]

I've been getting a feel of the local jazz scene by watching some of the free performances in Fed Square. Will also be heading over to The Paris Cat and Bennetts Lane. Also 303, La Mama's, Lebowski's and Bar Open. Suggestions welcome for gig nights/other venues!

Incidentally, the best jazz gig I saw by far was one I stumbled upon on Brunswick St. Daph, Tim and I walked by Uptown Jazz Cafe and heard some really good music, so we headed up. There was a cover charge, but it was waived for us (yay!).

The saxaphonist really made my night with his music -- and I've just learnt that I was watching Australia's renowned jazz player Bernie McGann in action, with The Andrea Keller Quartet. So I'll definitely be heading back to Uptown Jazz Cafe. I love the feel of the place, and the staff seems made of really cool people.

The music-appreciation vibe in the place is just sweeeeeet.

Beer DeLuxe's Hamburger Grill had an egg and bacon burger. And coffee. Warmed me right up. Average burger, very good coffee, and friendly staff.

 You see that burger above? That was where I discovered seagulls are bullies and will POUNCE on anything you throw their way. I almost expected a bird, lighting its cigarette, dressed like The Fonz, to come coerce my burger patty from me.

Fed Square is a random place. I had a stranger come up and serenade me a song, while I was nursing a hot cup of coffee (he sang pretty well, I almost wanted to ask if he was going to be in the jazz fest). Another day I was greeted by this:

Protesters demanding peace for Tamils (in Tamil Tigers territory) from Sri Lankan military....

I also met an arts writer for the music scene, Lisa (Dib?), from the website The Dwarf. Funny name for a website. I tried explaining I used to write for an arts website called Kakiseni, and got a blank stare. Nothing makes me feel so far away from home than being surrounded by people who don't know Kakiseni.

It's nice to be in a country that doesn't arrest their buskers (like how Meor was detained). So I get to see stuff like this on the street:

Kristy Jinks (who found my video on Youtube) and Ben Fumi, busking along Southgate.

Was in a really good mood during this performance. I'd just watched the fireshow, and was trying out some award-winning limoncelli gelato from Tutto Bene. Had just met my sister's friend Stephanie for dinner at Southbank's Blue Train Cafe. Stephanie mentioned her friend would be visiting Melbourne. The friend? RETA!

Tis a small world.

Well. I'm off. Here's a pic meanwhile of a charming band called Flap!, from the Melb Jazz Fest. I'll have videos of them up soon. You can check out Flap!'s Myspace page first, if you'd like. I think I watched them perform all the songs but Tetris.