"Snow globes and koala magnets won't be found at this gorgeous gift souvenir gallery store, melbournestyle. This is instead the place to locate souvenirs Melburnians would like to buy for themselves. Strategically located halfway between the river and the lake on South Melbourne's Clarendon street, melbournestyle is awash with deliciously different distractions for design-addicted shopping splurges. The shop's designer/curator, maree coote, has a good eye for what the home-grown (or blow-in) downtown hipster wants (there's loads of leather daisy chains, cool coasters, twig swizzle stix, elegant skull-and-crossbones jewellery and chunky leather keytags), as well as offering meaningful Melbourne mementos.
This month's items most likely to end up on the credit card are: Australian Open Tennis Balls 6 coasters in fluoro lime ($45), incredibly clever acrylic furniture by maryLou paino in the form of tall side tables and short fat cicciolina table/stool (prices range to $995), blackly beautiful butterfly chandelier light by maree coote for gardenstate gifts($550), more mad Australian history this time as 'Victorian Native' platters and coasters by melbournestyle($220, $45), new works in the Lim/Ed Big Neds series by coote (from $380 to $2500), and finally there are some more large sizes in historic-chic in jersey knit thermal kellygang T-shirts ($68). For the more restrained melburnian with only $8 to $25 to spare, good finds include funky acrylic tram rings, Savon D'Antipodes soaps, art books or mobiles."
BRAND YOU. Here's the answer to every style guru's ulimate wish... designer coasters - a zillion designs and the sky's the limit. There's something for the Tennis, for the furniture freak, the nature lover or the ostentatious...You can even have them custom made if you are busy building your very own personal brand... dust off the family crest, or jazz up that company jpeg. Makes a great wedding gift, or if you have buckets to spend, shout every wedding guest a coaster memento of the big day for a truly unique nuptials nicety. more
JULIA RITSON. Melbourne painter Ritson is prolific in her pursuit of the unlimited delicacy of tone, scheme and pairing. Her series of colour-shape studies is addictive at the least, sublime at its finest. The more you see, the more you want to see... If you are quick, you can catch her current show at Scott Livesey Gallery, Malvern. Otherwise go to juliaritson.com
SID, BERT & NED. Go see The Sid and Bert exhibition at Heide Museum of Modern art.... Sidney Nolan an Bert Tucker's gobsmackingly great artworks should be seen by all.
And while you're at it, the ironoutlaw
website is the most comprehensive accumulation of Nedness ever compiled. And if you haven't read the Jerilderie letter, you're missing out. If it can inspire Peter Carey into a win the Booker, just think where you'd be now if you'd read it before him. Read the transcript online courtesy of the state library here
Meanwhile, more Big Neds are coming to melbournestyle. Large canvases arriving mid January. Here's one, and another, and it's reflection in a melbournestyle butterfly mirror.See more of the big neds and other artworks available at melbournestyle gallery here
It's the year of the pig, so give up bacon.
Discover sheep instead with William Eicholtz's brilliant Jumbuck Cornucopia.
Coming soon to melbournestyle....
NEW TRINKETS in store this month include The 'Victorian Native ' design jewellery. Unique and limited edition handmade bracelets and pendants. Also Platters and coasters.... more
