The Budget Epicurean

Travel Guides (books)

2008-10-08T04:36:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I've written here. To be honest I'm not sure if I want to continue this blog since I have a few others. But I guess I'll keep it and update it less frequently.

Anyway, as you would probably have noticed already, I have a pretty extensive list of links to some of my favourite travel websites. I decided to make this post on book travel guides, as there are so many publishers out there and there are some really good ones that remain less known, but pack more quantity and quality than the really well-known ones.

When it comes to travel guides, most of us would have heard of Lonely Planet, and I admit in the beginning I thought they were the main authority on travel. Then when I had a proper look in the bookstores, let's just say... my eyes were opened. So after perusing quite a few different ones, here are my top three travel guide series.

1.
- Time Out -

Time Out does mainly big cities, but you can tell it's their specialty. My favourite Time Out Guides are the ones on London and Tokyo. Also, their Time Out Singapore magazine is really well done. Being a Singaporean myself, I personally think it is pretty small and unhappening there after a while, but the magazine had well written articles that weren't the usual repetitive fare that is usual with Singapore guides. I used Time Out as my main book in Tokyo last year, and I loved it so much because it was jammed pack with info, easy referencing and layouts, and best of all? It was thinner but more substantial than some of the other Tokyo Guides I've seen. It had things for a wide range of budgets, and a good collection of mid-range ones, which is the category I normally go for. I notice most travel guides focus on either budget or high end, and TO Tokyo provided a good balance. I haven't had a chance to use their London guide, but it's supposed to be their strongest one and their website for it looks jammed packed with info. Also, the writing for the articles in TO Guides are quite unique... it's not just shoving facts at you. I actually found the reading of the history and cultural bits interesting... I guess the writers put more personal 'flavour' into the writing?

2.
- Rough Guides -

Rough Guides is a rather new find for me. What attracted me to it was the cover design and the layout of the guide. I haven't really looked at many of them. I bought the Japan one because it is more informative and significantly cheaper than the Lonely Planet one (Japan LP was $59.95 and RG was $39.95 at Reader's Feast). The choice of RG Japan was pretty much a no brainer. One thing I find lacking in Lonely Planet is the use of COLOUR. LP is mostly if not all in black and white, and so it all looks the same and boring. Not that RG is all colourful, but at least they have orange font to distinguish things and some pages of coloured photos. It also had really useful info on places in Japan that aren't found in the 'popular' tourist attraction lists, which is good because I go to experience the culture and daily life atmosphere if you will. I'm not really a trekking off the beaten path with a backpack budget person, but I do like discovering areas in cities and suburbia that may not be known to many tourists.

3.
- DK Travel -
DK~ I find that is it a hit or miss, but they have really stunning visuals and 3D maps, and also their guide to Scotland which I purchased is not big and cumbersome to carry around (*cough insight *cough*)~ I'm using it to plan a possible trip next year. One thing I find lacking is directions to get to a place, but it's good for people who are more visual than readers... not that it lacks in cultural snippets, but personally I'm more of a word person, just that I'm really particular on the text formatting.

Overrated Guides:

Lonely Planet- While still quite informative, I think LP has lost its standing as 'The Guide' since other competitors such as Rough Guides and DK came out. I think they need to have a better layout, and could do some some colour to spice it up. Needs to be more updated in some areas and feature more options. I think that LP is good as a starter guide, but you'd need one or two others just to compare for things that LP might not have included.

Insight- it is really more of a book you read about the country in preparation rather than a guide you tote around with you on your trips. Even though it has some excellent photography (I remember someone's comment that they are like small coffee table books), I think I still prefer DK's compact but visual feast.

OK Guides:

- Fodor's -
I have the Tokyo guide, and I like the fact that they tell you which Exit of the train station to get out for different attractions. I was also attracted to the tips and resources provided in an accessible layout at the end of the book. But I think that the recommendations in here tend to be for people with higher budgets because even their low and mid budget recommendations are not that cheap. Their website, like their guide, has a clean layout, and the people in the forum discussions seem pretty friendly. The Tokyo guide would suit Tourists with a more generous budget, and who don't want to get too much of a cultural shock. That can be seen in the food and hotel recommendations. It makes a good read though, and is not so hefty to bring around. I think that Fodor's would make a pretty good bargain for the first time western traveler.

PS.
I don't pay much attention to maps in travel guidebooks as I'll go and buy a seperate more detailed map of the region I'm travel to~ for example I have a fantastic bilingual street directory of Tokyo which I highly recommend, despite the slightly hefty price. It even shows underground tunnels with were really useful for rainy days~ I buy seperate city or town maps because guide books tend to only show the main streets, and I like to know the names of everything.

The directory in question is the Tokyo City Atlas by Kodansha, my favourite bilingual publishing house~

Emerging Writer's Festival

2008-05-06T22:44:00.000-07:00

Melbourne has quite a few literary festivals and perhaps the biggest one you'll have heard of is The Melbourne Writers Festival which is around the September period.

But what if lets say, you can't make it to the Melbourne Writers Festival?

For a lesser known alternative, why not try the Emerging Writers' Festival? It is going to be held this weekend (9th-11th May), at the Melbourne Town Hall, and will have many exciting and informative events, such as panels and talks by authors from different levels of experience, a 48 hour play generator event, scrabble night, zine stalls and more! The EWF original started as a more youth orientated writing festival, but has since branched out to cater for writers of all ages and experience.

Not to mention the EWF has a great goodie bag for all who attend; packed with tons of information on manuscript services, writing courses, and free issues of literary zines like Overland, Monthly, Voice, etc which gives you a good idea on the Melbourne writing scene- the goodie bag alone is worth coming for! - how I know this? I'm a volunteer and helped to stuff them ^_^

So if you're a writer looking for a place where you can hear from people in the writing industry, or are simply a reader looking out for new creative voices aka reading material, come and check it out!

For more details, vist:
http://www.emergingwritersfestival.org.au/

Cheap Hot Drinks

2008-05-06T22:37:00.000-07:00

Some people may wrinkle their noses at the idea, but for a quick coffee/tea/hot chocolate fix that is cheap, you can always try the machines at 7-Eleven. For $1.50 a cup its worth the price. It sure saves spending twice as much the amount or more at the usual coffee cafe chains like Star Bucks and Coffee Bean. Not saying that you have to skive off cafe coffee totally, but buy in moderation. That way you can use the money saved to buy something you want, like a dvd or book. Save about $3 a day and you can buy a movie ticket in less than a week!

Even better, get your own coffee powder or beans at supermarkets and make it yourself! You can buy gourmet or cheap brands depending on your budget, and make it to your own liking!
Tip: For fast hot milk, heat some in a microwavable cup or bowl.

Medieval Manuscripts Exhibition

2008-03-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

The State Library of Victoria is putting up an exhibition of Medieval and Renaissance Illuminated Manuscripts contributed by Cambridge and various institutions around Australia and New Zealand.

An Illuminated Manuscript is a text which has been decorated with gold and/or silver. The decorations range from border illustrations, to elaborately scripted initials. Most of these texts are religious. Very few texts from before the Middle Ages have survived.

Pre-modern history buffs out there, this should make an interesting day out. It's definitely something you won't see often, and best of all, it's free! I'm definitely going to check out The Prayer Book and some other texts I've come across during my past history studies.

The exhibition entitled "The Medieval Imagination" will run from 28th March till 15th June 2008. There were be various activities held in conjunction, and in May, an international conference: Imagination, books and community in medieval Europe will also be held at the State Library of Victoria.

Website for more details:
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/exhibitions/kmg/2008/medieval_imagination/

Ps.
I would like to plug the talk on medieval prisons. It's given by an ex-professor who inspired my interest in history and medieval studies. She's awesome.

Epicurious: Time Out Cafe

2008-03-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

A big trend in Melbourne's food scene are what I like to call Cafe-Restaurants. These places range from simple roadside stalls with a few tables next to their business (the bare bones), to semi-classy places that serve food that can rival some posh restaurants, and at much more affordable prices! Aside from pasta and pizza (the main staples in these cafe-restaurants), many of them offer a selection of finger food, fresh daily made cake, as well as a decent selection of coffee and tea, making it a great place to hang out after work or in between university classes. You can sit there through three meals and they probably won't chase you away as many of these establishments open straight from breakfast to dinner.

Time Out Cafe is a cafe-restaurant located in Federation Square, a prominent landmark of Melbourne City which will deserve a post on it's own when I can get time to do it. To find Time Out Cafe, one just has to look for a sea of orange umbrellas behind the Tourist Information Center.

These are the cushier seats in Time Out Cafe. The layout of the place itself makes it an eatery you won't mind sitting in a little longer in to chat with your mates ones you've finished your meal. Simple, clean, using basic black and white, chairs and tables are nicely spaced out so you don't have to worry about pushing your chair into your back neighbour's seat.

And the most important part - the food! I was there with my mom for a late lunch (around 3), and we had drinks, pizza and cake.

An absolutely gorgeous pizza. I think it was Turkish Lamb.

I'm a sucker for sticky date pudding. This one would've been better without the additional chocolate chips in it. Personally I feel that chocolate on everything is not necessarily a good thing.

My Mint Tonic drink. It was refreshing but I'd have preferred it with something other than grapefruit. Not too fond of grapefruit.

Another view of the interior. I really like the clean white theme going on there.

Service there was quite fast and efficient compared to some other places; the portions were generous, and the food looked and tasted great!

Price range: Average/mid priced meal (see this post for price rankings)
Overall rating: 4/5

Time Out Cafe's website:

http://www.timeoutmelbourne.com.au/home.php

Suzuki Night Market

2008-02-06T02:04:00.000-08:00

The Suzuki Night Market is what I'd call a mini-Summer fest. of sorts, as it takes place during the summer period in Australia, which is from the end of November to the end of February. This event, held in Melbourne's famous Queen Victoria Market, has being attracting thousands of people, both local and foreigners, over the past 10 years.

~ Assault of the Senses ~

The first sight that met our eyes was the crowd. Never had I seen so many people in one small area since my not too long ago experience of Shibuya Station, Tokyo at rush hour. At the entrace, people are milling around, sitting on white plastic chairs and tables that have been specially set up for the night market. Many of them are sitting and waiting for their friends and family to come and join them, while the listening to the strains of a street band and drinking to distract themselves from the dry summer heat.

Inside the night market, the air is stuffier and smoky from the twenty or so food stalls that offer a tempting array of international treats. Fried Chinese noodles in boxes, German sausages, Italian pasta with a generous amounts of seafood, Greek pitas wraps, Australian meats (kangaroo or emu anyone?); it seems like the whole world was represented in this little market. There was even a African themed stall with offerings like zebra and ostrich meat.

Eventually, we manage to find a seat and I set out on my quest through the long snaking lines in search of food. I settle on a basic but delicious dish of Risotto Porcini (a type of mushroom), and a glass of cool hand-made lemonade to quench my thirst. Dessert came in the form of cute honey dumplings with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, drizzled with honey syrup. Yum!

After dinner, we go to walk around the other part of the market, a collection small but interesting stalls selling an assortment of things from scarves to jewellery, designer fish tanks, tribal handicrafts and even eco-friendly clothes.

(witches fly on their brooms overhead, as if guarding the sparkling gems in this trinket store)

We end the our little night adventure by watching some happy crowd members trying to salsa to the music from a band playing what sounds like latin music.
(Although, calling it a night market is a little strange, as at 8.30 pm, the sun is still gleaming at us from his place in the cloudless sky).

(once again, food, music and dance transcends cultures and generations, bringing everyone together)

For more Information on The Suzuki Night Market, you can visit:

http://www.qvm.com.au/night_market.php

Speciality Bookstores in Melbourne

2008-01-31T07:51:00.000-08:00

Reading is my biggest passion, and Melbourne is a great place to find all sorts of books. For a seasoned and insatiable reader like me, I have looked around for bookshops which specialize in genres that I enjoy reading most, and have found quite a few gems. Here is a list of smaller and unique bookstores which I hope will be of use to fellow book lovers in Melbourne; and for those who aren't book people, I still recommend you to just go for a look- have a taste of Melbourne's extensive reading scene. I have also included the web links and addresses of the stores should anyone be interested in checking them out.

Bookshops I have visited

Book Affair

200 Elgin Street, Carlton

Comments: A quaint bookstore that has one of the biggest secondhand book selections in Melbourne. Many of their books are in good quality and the staff is friendly.

Andrews Books

Lygon Street. Opposite Readings, in the same building as Cinema Nova and Borders.

Comments: You can find some steals here like a range of literary classics for AUD 4.95 a title.

Classic Comics

City, 50 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Comments: A store which specialises in American Comics (Marvel, DC, etc).

Foreign Language Bookshop

259 Collins St, Melbourne

Comments: Find study materials for all kinds of Languages imaginable from African to Yiddish. They also have a small but interesting fiction section. If you've ever wondered what Harry Potter is translated to in Italian or are curious about Asterix in Arabic, this is the place to go.

Kanga Kanga

Level 5, Bourke House
145 Russell Street, Melbourne

Comments: A quaint treasure trove of Japanese Magazines and Japanese Language study materials. They can even help you with subscriptions.

Kill City

Basement, 119 Swanston Street

Comments: As the name suggests, it is a crime bookstore.

Minotaur

121 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne

Comments: The biggest pop culture store in Melbourne. Selling all kinds of odds and edds from Buffy figurines to American comics, SFF fiction; and has a wide selection of manga

Of Science & Swords

Shop 11/250 Elizabeth St The Strand Arcade Melborne

A very well stocked science fiction and fantasy bookstore.

Reader's Feast

Midtown Plaza
Corner Bourke & Swanston Streets

Comments: A well-stocked bookstore in the heart of the city.

Rendezvous- The Romance Bookstore

359A Lonsdale Street (inside the cnr of Elizabeth & Lonsdale St, next to Michaels Camera store)

Comments: A cosy treasure trove of romance books, with many titles that you won't find in the huge bookstore chains like Borders and Dymocks. Staff is very helpful and knowledgeable- they've actually read many of the books there! Not well-know is that the bookstore also has a pretty well kept Crime & Mystery section, Crime Ink.

Unversity of Melbourne Bookshop

University of Melbourne, Parkville Campus. Next to the Baillieu Library, which is next to the blue Econs & Commerce building (it's the only blue building!)

Comments: Academic books, fiction, stationery, etc. The seasonal clearances are worth a look, you may find a reference book going for half the original price.

WORD
1st Floor, Port Phillip Arcade
232 Flinders Street, Melbourne

Comments: A branch of a Christian bookshop chain. Sells bibles, cds, dvds, gifts, devotionals and more!

Other Finds

Alice's Bookshop

629 Rathdowne Street, North Carlton

Store Description:
Approximately 20,000 old, rare, interesting secondhand books in four ground-floor rooms. No specialisation, but emphasis on the arts, literature, humanities, travel, ancient and medieval history.

Reader's Refuge

An Online new and used bookstore.

TESL Books

82 Chapel Street, Prahran

Store Description: "Our mission is to support the community by providing educational materials and bridging the gap between different cultures." A bookshop selling not only ESL materials but also a foreign language bookstore with translation services.

Snowglass Books

An online catalogue order for Science Fiction & Fantasy books.

The Paperback Bookshop

60 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Store description: The Paperback stocks an extensive selection of new release and backlist titles, particularly fiction, Australian non fiction, history, poetry, classics, music books, cultural studies and travel. We are happy to source books that we don't keep in stock.

The Big Book Stores

Angus & Robertson
Borders
Collins
Dymocks
Virgin

Cinemas in Melbourne

2008-01-27T05:28:00.000-08:00

One thing good about living on the fringe of Melbourne city, is that everything is conveniently a couple of tram stops, or if I'm up for it, just a twenty minute walk away. One of my all-time favourite forms of entertainment is going to watch a movie, because while you can obtain DVDs, nothing beats the experience of watching movie on the big screen. In and around Melbourne city, are are a handful of cinemas to suit various needs- there are the big generic cinemas that screen all or most of the latest blockbusters, or smaller cinemas that cater to the artsy or asian audiences, amongst others. Here are the ones that I know of, and the first three are the ones I frequent most. Because I stay very near the city, I did not include many suburban cinemas, but if you go to the websites I linked in this post, you should be able to find the various branches of these cinemas littered around Melbourne.

1. Village Cinemas @ Crown
Village Cinemas @ Crown is like the big daddy in the city because before Hoyts had it's spanking new overhaul and change of location (see 2), this was the place most people went to watch the big shows. It is also a choice venue due to it's location at Crown Casinos, which is littered with many stylish eateries along the Yarra River. Tickets there are a little more pricey though.

2. Hoyts @ Melbourne Central
Hoyts is the new city cinema to be, especially since it got shifted to Melbourne Central- a very convenient location (Melbourne Central is a train station cum shopping mall). Personally I prefer it to Crown and other cinemas because it has a really nice new look and pretty much all the cinema halls are about the same size, so you can tell the ticket person your seat preference when you've gone there often enough. Also, the seats are nice and comfy, and the space and legroom is more generous than the other cinemas I've been to.

3. Cinema Nova on Lygon
Cinema Nova is where you want to go if you're into artsy and foreign films, and they do show some bigger films at the same time. It is about 10-15 minutes from Melbourne Central by tram, in a quaint little suburb called Carlton or what I call the student suburb because a few minutes walk away is the University of Melbourne. The cinema is conveniently placed in a building with a Safeway, Borders, and Lygon St itself is littered with little cafes and lots of authentic Italian restaurants at reasonable prices.

4. Greater Union on Russell
I haven't gone here in a while since Hoyts moved to Melbourne Central and is now nearer for me, but this place is alright if you want more quiet (not such a big crowd), and is very near to Chinatown and lots of shopping (aka Bourke St), since it's in the heart of the city.

Other Cinemas

Chinatown City- Self explantory. For Asian films.

Kino Dendy on Collins

Moonlight Cinema- one that I should check out some time. Seasonal outdoor screenings at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Palace Cinemas- a posh looking cinema theater (from their website pictures), showing international arthouse films. Located in the trendy Chapel St/Toorak Rd area (and with a few other branches elsewhere). By tram I'd say about 20 minutes from Flinders St? (could be a little longer though, depending on traffic).

Random Flight Advice

2008-01-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

- Make sure you state your dietary preferences for meals-on-board, otherwise you will find yourself with very limited choices. For example, I forgot to state I was allergic to chicken and I ended up with some vegetable pasta dish which was quite bland and insubstantial. Most economy flights only have the option for a meat or fish/vege dish.

- There is less turbulence in the front cabin than if you sit towards the back of the plane. In some airlines, like Singapore Airlines, you can log into your booking account and look and choose from available seats.

- Singapore Airlines currently has cheaper business class flights than Qantas, but I have no idea whether those are special period rates. Still, it's a few hundred SGD cheaper. However their economy pricing is about the same.

- Don't worry about not being able to bring water into the plane; most airlines will provide you with a bottle of mineral water on board the flight and you can ask for more.

- Always remember to get up and walk every few hours. It is also good to bring a pair of bedroom socks or slippers so you can rest your feet during your flight instead of having them in your shoes all the time. Make sure your feet don't smell though!

- If you have something to declare, don't tie your luggage up too much because more often than not, the inspectors at the airport will just snip open the bindings and not tie them back for you. You can try getting the suitcases with the universal lock specially for that purpose, so the airport security can use a master key without damaging your suitcase.

- Dress in layers, because carrying a jacket can be awkward. The planes can be hot or cold depending on the time of the day. Bring a light vest with you so you can change in the airport or on board the plane.

- Sweets are good to help with ear blockage caused by pressure & altitude during take-offs.

- Carry your essentials (passport, writing tools, tissue etc) in a bag small enough for you to shove under the seat in front of you. It prevents you having to get up and open the overheard compartments, which might disturb your neighbours (especially on night flights). Plus, you don't know when you'll sneeze, cough etc, so keep your medicine with you too!

- A book, small mp3 player and/or hand-held game console (PSP, Nintendo DS etc) are good for travelers with insomnia or who just can't sleep on planes. And it also helps while the time away if you can't find anything interesting to watch on the plane's entertainment system. They can also be used to calm your nerves if you get anxiety attacks.

- Try to go to the bathroom when people in your row are awake, so you don't have to wake them up if they're asleep.

Eating out in Melbourne

2008-01-18T01:56:00.000-08:00

Melbourne has become a second home for me ever since I went there to begin my tertiary studies in mind-2003. I admit that because I live really close to the city, there are many places that I have not ventured out to. It will be the primary focus of my blog posts, as I want to provide tips for new and current students there.

Melbourne is a very vibrant city with a diverse population of local Australians, Chinese, Malaysians, Indonesians, Greeks, Italians, Vietnamese etc just to name a few of the bigger ethnic groups. Which means that international food is abound in Melbourne. However, it is important to know where to go to get food that is authentic, and at decent prices. I would first like to point out that many people make the mistake of thinking prices of international cuisine are the same as in their own countries. It really depends on the costs of living in each place.

These are my cost-of-food ratings:

Cheap meal: anything below $10 (in Aussie Dollars).
This is found mostly in food courts, fast-food cafes and one dish asian meals.

Average/mid priced meal: $10-20
This is for the average price of pasta.

Mid-to-high range meals: $20-30
At the more classy chinese and italian restaurants.

Expensive: about $30
Food at the higher-starred hotels and restaurants with star chefs. And for the best of the seafood catch.

Introduction: A Wayfarer's Profile

2008-01-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

My very first trip was around the age of 6, to Perth, Western Australia. I still have that picture of myself in a red knitted hat and matching scarf, bundled like a dumpling due to mom's paranoia of catching a cold. I remember feeding Black Swans as tall as myself and experiencing the rather disturbing tradition of shearing, in which giant wolly rams became as awkward and naked as new born lambs.

Since then, I have traveled to many places, and mostly (if not all times) with a member of my family. When I was in school, it was an annual tradition to travel during vacation times, although the amount of this has dwindled due to the fact that most of our finances are funding my tertiary education. Despite that, I am really glad to have the opportunity to study abroad, as it is somewhat of an extended travel experience for me.

In this blog, I hope to share discoveries and experiences in what is now my second home, re-discovering and finding old and new places in my home country, as well as adventures from various trips around the globe. Hopefully, I will be able to provide a not to touristy sounding insight on the places I love.

Have a pleasant stay!