Friday, October 6, 2023

Random Buildings

Too much writing is not good. Photos today.

What a lovely building. Even better is what is inside, three floors of the Chinese restaurant Chin Chin. We ate there last summer and foolishly did not book so were placed in the basement sitting skewwhiff at a weird table. It is not expensive and we ordered a set menu, which was far too much for us. We did our best. The service is fast and efficient yet everything appeared utterly chaotic. It is extremely popular for good reasons. 


Unlike the building above, this one looks serious. The lower level is made of what we call bluestone but it is basalt rock, the solidified lava being thousands of years old, no doubt from the west of the state where it grows out of the ground. I can't remember where it is but the city somewhere. 


I thought this might make an interesting photo but it didn't. What was I thinking!


This is a very unusual building in Chinatown, Little Bourke Street. Chinese arrived in Australia in the gold rush years, maybe 1850-60. It really looks like it is a Chinese design with Victorian architecture in mind.


Lovely with its Victorian lace iron work and wide verandahs. (why does spell check not approve of the word verandah. It is a basic English word with an Indian origin)


Well, its attractiveness was fixed up well and proper. What was someone thinking. I am sure this pub is inner Melbourne somewhere. At one point in 20C building owners had to remove overhangs and poles on the footpaths. Maybe this hotel was a victim of such.


End of WWII perhaps? Maybe just a store offering bargain women's hats. Across the road is the GPO, a place where people used to gather and I think still do at times for important happenings. 

23 comments:

  1. A huge sigh at the 'fix up' of the Victoria Hotel. The older version looks like a quintessential country pub - which I hope continue to exist.
    Love the Chin Chin building.

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    1. EC, except it was an inner city pub. God save the country pubs.

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  2. These are awesome photos! And that includes the one you dismiss as uninteresting. ~grin~ The history is much appreciated, too. Be well!

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  3. Awesome architecture.
    Three floors of a Chinese restaurant. They must really do the business. Thanks for sharing.
    Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com

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    1. Sandra, I am not normally amazed by where I live but I was by Chin Chin.

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  4. One of the great things I like visiting your blog is that I can relate to the things you talk about. Just like fiction, it is hard to find things with a context based in Melbourne even.

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    1. That's quite a compliment Roentare. Thank you.

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  5. That top building is beautiful!

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  6. Some lovely old buildings, Andrew.
    I feel spell check thought you were being a bit fancy with the "h" on the end of verandah. Certain speakers of our language lop bits off words.
    Might have to change my name. SM sounds a bit ... kinky.

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    Replies
    1. I'll try dropping the H then Caro. No one else calls you Caro so I was trying an alternative. How about Merlot?

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  7. "Too much writing is not good." Was that a translated quote by Tolstoy?

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    1. No YP. From Proust as he shoved a needle into a rat. He shouldn't have written about that.

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  8. I remember that time, but not the exact date or even year, when verandahs and other overhangs were to be removed, I don't remember why, but it was a stupid idea in a country that needs every bit of shade it can get. If I ever have the chance to build a house it will have verandahs on all four sides. Wide verandahs, six feet at least, eight if possible.

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    1. Get to it then River. Draw a plan of house you would like. I remember doing that years ago. I hope my plans included verandahs.

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    2. I did draw one many years ago, finally tore it up when I moved here knowing I would never be able to realise that dream. It had verandahs all round and larger childrens bedrooms and two master suites complete with walk-in robes and ensuite bathrooms, a spa in the main bathroom and a kitchen I'd die for, though not literally.

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  9. Lovely buildings, and what a shame the verandahs had to be removed, the building certainly looked good with them.

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    1. Margaret, it went from being classic Australian to English Victorian. Sad.

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  10. The. Victorian pub was perfect. The modern version is easier to clean and maintain, but less glamorous.

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    Replies
    1. Hels, there would be that as you describe and we can hope the hotel remained successful and still exists.

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