i'm also a sydneysider but i've been there a few times. one tip i would give is, if you get out of the office at 5pm to find warm and sunny weather, convince your colleagues to get the tram to st kilda and grab a table at the bar / restaurant right down on the beachfront for sunset and beyond. i can't remember the name but the wife and i drank and ate one such day away and remember it fondly - it's one of the most relaxing and decadent things we've ever done. there's also a famously cool rock 'n' roll pub there (the esplanade, known to all as the espy) and main street is chock-full of cafes / restaurants / bars that give it a holiday feel. maybe it's my sydney perspective, but i think melburnians underestimate their bayside treasure.
sure, melbourne might be a bit pricey by NA standards but it's not monaco or dubai either and certainly not as bad as m'tightarsed countryman suggests. it's true we don't have a US-style tipping culture and i rankle at any suggestion of tipping in pubs, but there's no harm in leaving a couple of bucks after settling your tab at a restaurant / cafe / bar if the food and service were good - especially if you might go back later, as it will likely be remembered and discreetly rewarded. tipping is not assumed or expected but it's appreciated by those who are good enough to be worthy. hospitality is generally excellent in melbourne BTW, they take pride in it.
Edited by repcobrabham, 24 February 2013 - 03:05.
