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This Week In The Loft

Hilton Honors Member


I couldn’t actually afford to travel this long weekend (with the USA trip coming up) so I brought the holiday to melbourne.  I joined Hilton Honors on Saturday and to celebrate I stayed at the brand spanking new Hilton South Wharf.  I love a shiney new hotel.   The Hilton South Wharf has large comfortable rooms with floor to ceiling windows with great view of either Port Philip Bay or the Yarra River and the CBD.    The CBD is the better view (in my opinion).   This morning I woke up just in time to see 3 hot air balloons float past my window….   NICE!

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This Week In The Loft

It's a New Office!


Well the office has finally moved in to it’s permanent new location in the Docklands.   We moved into a call centre in the CBD about 18 months ago until this place was built.   It’s a great new building but it’s quite a lot further from the loft, so I have to get a tram , scooter or bike ride to the new location.   It’s a bit sad that the location is outside of the CBD.  I liked being so close.   Here is a shot of the employee’s lounge.   It’s a nice area to hang out during the day.   I will be sharing my time between Docklands and our recruitment agency on Collins Street.

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This Week In The Loft

Weekend in Newcastle


I actually think that keeping busy makes time go faster.   So this month I have been packing in loads of small projects to keep my mind occupied until I leave for San Francisco and New York next month.   So last weekend I headed up to Newcastle with Chris to check out the place.  Okay, so we were there barely 24 hours.  But it was enough time to look around the city, checking out the beaches and the harbour, do some shopping, eat and get back on the plane again.  I was actually hoping to get a swim in the Chifley Apartments “heated” swimming pool but the water was way too cold!    It’s been about 20 years since I was last in Newcastle…  the place hasn’t changed a whole lot.   I had no idea they had so many nice beaches there!

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This Week In The Loft

Easter in San Francisco


I just remembered where I was this time last year.   As I walked up Castro Street on Easter Sunday in San Francisco people were yelling Jesus Christ! at the person I was walking alongside.   I really do love San Francisco…  there are so many bizarre and creative people living there.   There’s always something or someone new to meet whenever I go there.   I’m really looking forward to my visit there in May.

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This Week In The Loft

The Long Scooter Ride


I finally ran out of other things to do today so there was no putting it off.  After having parked the scooter for 43 days it was time to take it out for a run.  It took quite a long time to get it started.   And I decided to head in a direction I had never been before.  It turns out that Nicholson Street somehow ends up in a place called Epping.   It was an easy slow ride out there with very little traffic on the roads.   But it was a bit more busy on the way back in to the city.   Even though I rarely get out on the scooter I love having it.  I might even ride it to work occasionally when the office moves to the Docklands.

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This Week In The Loft

City Beamer


Oh the perks of having a friend with a car!   in the past couple of weeks I have seen more parts of Melbourne than I have seen in the previous 5 years.   Costco, IKEA, Bunnings, Docklands, Chadstone…   it’s been fantastic.   But enough with the shopping now.  I have to save for the trip to America in May.

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This Week In The Loft

I Spy


I had lots of projects over the Easter long weekend.   One was to revive my photography.   After checking out some photo blogs last week like TheSelby I was motivated to start shooting again.   At some point in time I want to create my own photo book.  I’ve admired so many other photographer’s work I think it’s time that I gave it a go myself.  I just haven’t quite worked out how yet.  I have plenty of content already.

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This Week In The Loft

Trip Planning


I love the Qantas 747 but on the next trip to the USA in May I will actually get to fly on the Qantas A380 for the first time.   This will be QF94 from LAX to Melbourne.  I actually paid a little more to get onto this flight.   The other flights are all on Qantas 747s and an American Airlines 767.  The routing is:
Melbourne – Sydney – San Francisco – New York – Los Angeles – Melbourne
I will be staying for 6 nights in San Francisco and another 6 nights in New York.   Can’t wait!
The photo above is the Qantas Airbus A380 just about to cross Sepulveda Blvd in LA.

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This Week In The Loft

Cupcake Mayhem


What’s going on?   It seems that cupcake shops are becoming just as popular as 7-Eleven stores across the city!   I woke up this morning to find that a “Cupcake Bakery” is opening right in front of the Loft.   There is another one (pictured above) just 1 block away.   I love these little devils but putting one right out front is a bit dangerous.  My block is almost becoming a snack and treats strip.   Of course I’m hoping for opening specials.

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This Week In The Loft

All Booked for the USA!

Well this is very exciting news.   I have been holding off talking about this until all the bookings were actually made.   The last time I tried to book a trip to the US this close to the departure date it all fell apart because I could not get all the bookings I wanted.
I’ve booked to travel to San Francisco 7th May and New York 13th May.   I’m staying at the guesthouses where I stayed on previous trips.   They both have a really nice feel about them.   And since I am travelling alone it’s always nice to meet other travellers which rarely happens in a big hotel.   Both cities are very exciting and I have friends in both places.   It will be my 8th visits to San Francisco and my 5th visit to New York.
Now I’m hoping this huge collage of my previous visits to the US will load okay.  You may have to download it to see the full size.