Winter breeze in July, coffee fragrance in the air, the clacking sound of trams cruising around the city and before I knew it, I have landed in Melbourne! 

2015 was the year where I lived by myself for the first time ever. Away from family and friends,  away from my comfort zone. Despite that, I was excited to begin my patisserie study in a city known for its brunch and coffee. Melbourne.

At that time, my knowledge of patisserie was nothing compared to my classmates. Luckily enough, my teachers were patient enough to teach me everything I need to know in order to develop my skills significantly, ranging from making simple pastries to chocolate production. The repercussion for that though, I gained 8 kilos in a blink of an eye. Shortly after noticing it, I made some changes in my lifestyle to mitigate it, including balancing my sugar intake, avoiding the public transport to force myself to walk everywhere and adding hot yoga into my daily activity after class. 

Me walking everywhere also helped me achieve my plan to use my free time to explore every nook and cranny of this of this food-loving city! 

Living in Southbank, South Melbourne Market became not only the closest market around, but also my absolute favorite part of the city! Every weekend, to replace my previous Sunday family tradition back, I would stroll there, grab myself a freshly brewed cup of coffee and some decorative flowers for the apartment. It would also cure my homesickness watching other families having a wholesome time in the market. 

Having mentioned it a couple of times in this article already, Melbourne is well known for its coffee culture! Market Lane Coffee describes it best by saying “We love to make coffee for the city that loves to drink it.” 

You will find good cafes in every corner of Melbourne, there is a long list of cafes worthy of a visit. As a big fan of brunch myself, I would spare at least one morning each week to try new brunch places! But amongst that huge list, there is one specific iconic boulangerie that stood out. LUNE. It has the most mouth-watering croissant I have ever tasted! They managed to pack such a strong yet delicate flavor into a simple croissant whilst still achieving an appetizing texture. Indulging their croissant is an experience out of this world.

Another thing that was apparent in Melbourne is how chill and friendly the residents were. Looking back at one afternoon I had in a bookstore at South Melbourne, it was the moment I had that realization. I was about to buy a book and greeted the cashier in which he replied in a friendly manner and even offered me a piece of chocolate! Those kinds of small chit chats really show just how chill Melbourne, or rather, Australia is. 

All in all, I have learnt so much during my time in Melbourne. Not only have I had the chance met creative enthusiastic professionals to help me hone my skills, but I have also grown plenty as a person, both mentally and physically. Since Melbourne is also the birthplace of Lou Lou, it holds a special place in my heart.