NEW - Coffee spots and directional dilemas

YES - we have a coffee problem - a good one :) ... a Melbourne one.. 


How to choose the next step once out of the lift - left to see Jo at Switchboard, left then right to head up to Shany and Danny at Liason, or perhaps our newest short cut - sharp Right and then down to the right again, and we find Rob, and Hugh at Hoboken... Thanks to some well experienced and passionate locals.. this is a great addition to our corner of town! -

It is a dilema! ( and so far that is just the first 3 off the top of my head.. we have 15 that we share on our Cafe Culture Walk  but thats another story!)

Great Salads, fresh pastries, and amazing Soups! - oh some other yummy's too

Hoboken with great coffee from Seven Seeds - home is Hosier Lane

WORK for us - Internships, part time admin positions avalable soon.

Have you ever thought of working in a small tourism comapany?

Or perhaps even an event company, or a marketing, or even a PR company...

Well thats what you would get to do with us... 

Life is never dull thats for sure.



Award winners in the 2008 Melbourne Awards.

We are looking for someone who loves what we stand for, for where we are, and for what we do.

It may sound simple.. but we have not found such people very easily.

With several awards to our name, and more to come, we're keen for an energetic individual to join us.

Some of our team are moving on to do other things, we'll miss them, but its a great time to make an impression.. shine brightly as help will be needed, and there is room to develop.

Laughter in our group of hosts is always present

Think about what you can bring with you.. Do you know the city, and those who work it? Do you like to write blogs? Do you enjoy making people feel as though they have no cares in the world? Are you good with databases, and relationship building? Do you have a good phone manner that will be both professional and at ease? Are you full of youthful ideas, but also  able to manage clients of wealth and prestige...

 We are a small team, and need someone who wants to grow with us...



Depending on how you fit, and what you are interested in, we can discuss Internships, or hours of employement.



Tight knit team, that has a lot of fun.



Start time we'd like as late June,             so in the mean time email Fiona...   

work(at)hiddensecretstours.com

With researched proposals. More info will come in weeks to come.

Cheers, and thanks. Fiona

Finally the Ultimate opportunity we can share!

Fiona and the team at Hidden Secrets Tours after a month of secrecy are so pleased to be able to share that we were hand picked to share Melbourne with Oprah's Ultimate Viewers over two days in December 2010.             It was the Ultimate Viewers holiday after all, so we steered clear of the paparazzi, and gave them a true Melbourne City morning stroll. A good coffee, a little chocolate, and some shopping ideas in our wonderful Lanes and Arcades!

***The show goes to air on Wednesday here is Australia, so don't forget to Watch on ten.com.au this Wednesday 19th January - we were probably too discrete for their cameras, but it will be a must watch show! Who knows who you will see.  - There really is nothing like Australia!

National Architecture Week - Only two more sleeps

NAWmelbourne: Only two more sleeps: "Only two more sleeps until Melbourne starts celebrating architecture! National Architecture Week Melbourne starts this Sunday (October 24) ..."

Did you know, this is the Innaugural celebration of its kind in this town, and of course we are leading the way!! head down to Federation Square to look at the UB archipad! OR join in one of our exclusive tours! - just for the National Architecture week

Book here!

www.nawmelbourne.com

Join the busy bees at the HIVE - FEB 23rd

Wow, doesn't time pass ...

When visiting Melbourne sometimes its not just the monuments that make the trip, BUT the amazing people you meet or learn about during your stay....
and Michelle Matthews is one I of course talk about a lot.. Hidden Secrets Tours would not be around if it was not for her!
Its been well over 6 years that the little Deck of Secrets cards have been on the market, and you can hear her story next week in a great local bar setting!

From an innovative pager service, to delicious shopping books, tiny free press adventure - A7, and her eventual plans of world domination... ( a bar discovery job, many would die for) :) there is lots to love about the city that inspired her, and Michelle's savvy business model that enables us to love it too!!

Next Tuesday 7pm make the most of the opportunity to hear the story from Michelle herself - There will be many other locals who have inspired Michelle's projetcs to continually expand - Join the conversation!! - Head to the Emerald Peacock at 233 Lonsdale Street for the latest HIVE event in Melbourne.

Festival of the Photocopier.. more productive than you think!

Campbell Arcade has had its fair share of distraught times recently.. not least of which was Thursdays Flood!! but as always, its best to rise above it all,.. change the attitude, or space...

Love Sticky, and the crew.. the Photocopier survived the deluge.. and the show must go on!

today was the ZINE FAIR.. such fun to see them all lined up the length of Campbell Arcade.. selling all sorts..
I bought the most beautiful Audrey & Audrey book by Ayano Takeuchi. Such a delight to find a new copy of WIPE, Where did my sock go by Frankie Pan.. and so much more.. The energy of enthusiasm is infectious.. thanks Sticky. Tour clients loved it too!!

Now the festival is winding up, done forget to head down the stairs in Degreaves street, and see some of the works at Platform Art Space..

Share the love!:)

dont spit :) on the Sommelier's Walk - Melbourne City

Tonight was just one of those lovely Melbourne nights... the sun was out, people are about for the Australian Tennis Open, and I had a small possy of folks join our Sommelier's City walk..

2 from Woolongong, 1 from Dubbo, and 2 guys of East Melbourne... ( they bought voucher at a Charity Aucton for The Warwick Foundation in Oct 2009

First stop was La Vita Buona - a little wine store

right in the city square - and Jeanette served a few little delicacies.. includng the not so buttery ( thankfully) Chestnut Hill Chardonay.. and the Greenstone Heathcote Rose..

The Pop corn school prawns were fabulous with the Rose' and the pear and goats fetta salad worked well too.

Next stop was the always fabulous Verge, where Simon was on board for the night, after having a busy festive / opening season down at his new place Izakaya Den .. but at Verge, Chef Dallas Cuddy surely must entertain himself.. with mouth watering Veal tartare with Olive crumbs, or pickled vegetables in yuzu.. oh and the white almond Gazpacho was something to behold!! We loved all!

OH.. and wines were a sparking trio.. Prosecco italian style first up!, followed by Gembrook Hill Blanc De Blanc, then Gossett champagne.. hmmmm!

Last stop for the night... Seamstress - after walking Crossley Street, Ridgeway Place, and a few more side streets..

Here we had the dollar scallops stuffed with water chestnuts,, the Zuchini flowers, and Pigs ears.. despite what you think... wow.. all amazing.

To accompany we had a Wild Duck Creek estate Heathcote Shiraz, a Crittendens Los Hamernos - Savignin and a lovely Fratelli Sauv Blanc..

( sorry pic was not todays lot.. but is at Seamstress! - scallops are at front!)

Thanks Narelle, Peg, Greg, and local lads James and John for a great evening.. and I am sure to see you again out and about..

Cheers

Fiona

A little Vintage Outing...

We had a group of Melbourne girls head out on the Vintage Outing today.... Danielle was well prepared for the likely hot day - that didn't really evenutuate! check out Florence the car!

Join us on one of these cute little Shopping Tours.... one of our tours.. but around the city..  book here...

Wireless - free or otherwise - this is not New York!

Its Wednesday morning and a lovely friend of Fiona's, Romy - amazing local paste up adventurer.. called for a catch up, and her limitations were that she needs to access the internet...  I wont get into the broadband debate.. but suffice to say there really is a lot to be learned from the practice of FREE wireless that abounds in NEW YORK.... to be able to leave the office for even just an hour and sit in a park, and do some catch up on the all important Vitamin D.. as well as little social networking, or general emails...
    WHY doesn't Melbourne have more of it!  So today is my starting effort to share those little gems of Wireless Hotspots.. where business owners are keen to keep your loyalty by sharing the love and their Wireless access.

As with all things of Hidden Secrets Tours... we are not out to exploit such generosity.. I will scout out those that actually tell you of their services!..

1. first of the rank FED SQUARE... the WHOLE place is free!!! - Swanston Street, Melbourne
2. The New Middle Park Hotel  - Canterbury Road, Middle Park
3. Presse Cafe Wine Bar - Brighton Road, Elwood

Please stay intouch and tell us any that you know of! - PS.. this is one of Romy's Paste ups... at Wall280 cafe Balaclava...

x Fiona

Its HOT!

Yes , we know its a little warm out there! but remember the little things.. perhaps an iced coffee at Koko Black may help... or a drink at the Martini Bar at the Westin hotel - its going to be the way of it for the next few months... but of course we will soldier on... the laneways are cooler than the mains streets - so join us!

OH, and perhaps play at some of the markets.... got a few to share... next blog!

Blek, Fish, Ned, and the Roo...

Its never clear as to who knows who, or even how the collective of artists come to be in Hosier lane at the Same time.. but when Internationally renowned creatives work alongside our local heros... you surely can only smile... no matter the context..

pop ups...!

As the last few days fo Christmas shopping takes a whole new meaning to retail therapy.. not so theraputic! I stumbled past another new cafe!! in Block Place.. seems to be called OLIO.. opposite Segovia.. but I will have to go further to investigate... Loving the lampshades.. seemingly old food (tomato?) tins..

What have you found thats made you stop and take another look!?