Apart from plans for the evening of Christmas Eve, we had nothing else planned. We went for a wander in a area close to where we shop in Prahran, but at the Windsor end of Chapel Street, where we rarely venture. I think this is on top of a tertiary education building, which itself is being transformed.
An old sign I'd not noticed before, maybe recently exposed. Five seconds of research tells me H Metcher was about to open a shop in Glenferrie Road, Malvern, in 1909. The shop would offer house decorating, picture framing and supply wallpapers and artists' materials. I would assume he also had this shop in Chapel Street with similar offerings.
Rosenbergs Shoes has been here for as long as I can remember. I always thought it was called Dr Rosenberg's but it seems it is D Rosenberg's.
Strange frontage of Holy Grail. It must be new, although it doesn't look it.
I'll pass on the squid, thanks.
Looks like a place to get very messy in a Russian kind of way.
The upstairs here was once part of a nightclub, but it may no longer be there. Behind the little shutter was an aquarium and at night the shutter was raised to reveal the blue lit aquarium and the swimming fish to passersby below.
We eventually chose a trendy little cafe for brunch, which was hard as the area now abounds with trendy little cafes. We were spoilt for choice but chose well and had some good food and superb single blend coffee at
School of Seven Bells. I've no idea what the name means. The coffee was seriously excellent.
Maples Corner Store no longer and hasn't been for many years. I am pleased it was saved and reinvented.
So tiring going out for two hours and having brunch, so home for a rest, then into town for dinner and to see the Christmas light displays. We went later than we normally would, so the gap between dinner and darkness at 9pm wouldn't be too great. There was a Christmas Eve queue to get into St Pauls.
We decided to dine in the very ancient and historically important Princes' Bridge Hotel, aka, Young and Jackson's. The downstairs part has a great pressed tin ceiling (most likely Wunderlich).
The view out the window towards St Pauls and Federation Square. The window seats were not popular and I wasn't sure why, until we sat there and the air con outlets blow cold air on your legs. It was ok for us with jeans on, but not for women and men in dresses and shorts.
R was just inside at the third window along. Flinders Street Station in the background. Young and Jackson's is the home of the large female nude painting,
Chloe, but she is in an upstairs dining area. Young and Jackson's has a rooftop cider bar, which is rather fun, but it is an effort to climb so many stairs.
Another recently revealed sign after a building was demolished.
People adore the Manchester Unity building, and so do I.
We needed strawberries for Christmas Day
champagne sparkling wine, and they were found and bought. There were light projections on the State Library, Town Hall and Fed Square. We were underwhelmed by the Library projections and decided we'd had enough of town and caught a tram back home.
Christmas morning arrived and we travelled for an 1 hour 15 (normally 50 minutes) to Tradie Brother's where Sister and Bone Doctor had prepared Christmas dinner. We just had time to open the block of chocolate gift from our Friend in Japan before we left. It is made in her town and now sits in a prominent place. We keep looking at it, but can't bring ourselves to open it. Do Japanese write bad English as attention seeking behaviour. You know I would happily proof read labels for a small Japanese company like this one for free. "RAW" CHOCOLATE HAVE A SPECIAL AND PURE ENERGY. WILL BE A NEW STANDARD IN CHOCOLATE
Tradie Brother writes signs and spreads them around.
Great niece Little M could not understand the concept of harmony, so she changed it to sunshine. Tradie Brother makes the actions with his hands as he tells his grandchildren the sayings.
Tradie Brother has seen out two dogs, Aussie and Buster, but his attachment and love for his Cobber knows no bounds. The chook, Thelma, made some appearances from nearby under the ferns, but because of her toilet habits, she was not encouraged.
His neighbour Joyce died early this year. There was an opening on fence fitted with a venetian blind. TB has now removed the opening as the house has been sold. Ring the bell, Joyce would call out through the hole, and she then visited for a drink or a cuppa. She was lovely.

Gift wise, it did not work so well. For the past two years we have done Kris Kringle after a draw from a hat. Oldest Niece said this year, let's drop that and just buy for the kids. We agreed. When I spoke to Sister before Christmas and she and Little Jo had great fun out buying presents for everyone. But, but........well, we haven't. Just for the kids. I take no responsibility for not buying for anyone other than the children. We did slip Mother $100 in an envelope. Mother looked lovely on Christmas Day. Come Boxing Day, no stockings and just wearing socks, hence showing her bad legs to garner sympathy. Though I must say, she did well, attending both days and not moaning on to all and sundry about her medical problems. ABI Brother took her home early from the Boxing Day Christmas celebrations.
Ah, I haven't mentioned Boxing Day. Another Christmas lunch, this time at Ex Sis in Laws. She promised this is the last one she is doing too. Heaps more gift giving. All the family was there, plus some of Ex Sis in Law's husband's children. Just Sister, Bone Doctor and Little Jo missing, oh yes, and Fire Fighting Nephew and his wife, as he was on fire call. Children really do make Christmas special, and there are some very spoilt children gift wise in our family. I did get the names of the baby twins right but only when I could see them together. I studied their differences hard yesterday. Their Mother, Hippy Niece, is back on keel and enjoying her offspring and the twin's father was quite sociable and friendly to our quite large family.
It was a great couple of days of Christmas celebration but very tiring. Let Tradie Brother's Betty have the last word.
Peace tomorrow (Wednesday), with nothing to do but late Boxing Day sales in town for a set of towels. Thursday, Little Jo will be here while Sister and Bone Doctor sees the third day of the cricket test. While I am very much sports ignorant, did I note that the captain of the English team is called Rooter. I wonder how fast and how hard.