TRAVEL WITH CHRIS BROWN

MELBOURNE UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES

Its travel with a twist this week as Amanda sends Chris on an unforgettable trip to . It has been voted most livable city in the world two years running but that’s not why Chris is there. Armed with a list of challenges that Amanda has set, Chris makes his mark on the city courtesy of a graffiti art project and joins a training session with some of Melbourne’s fittest men, the St Kilda Saints. Then it’s off to Fitzroy’s famous Kodiak bar for a ‘Hot Wings Challenge’ against local competitive eating champion ‘Hungry Haddo’. It’s travel day that Chris will never forget!

TRAM SESSIONS

Tram Sessions, a not-for-porfit project is the creation of Sweden study-exchange students Nick Walberg and Carl Mamsten. Inspired by Black Cab Sessions in London and Take- Away Shows on La Blogotheque in Paris, both of which feature artists performing outside their typical comfort zone. Starting off in true guerrilla style with a 2010 pilot that roped in a friend as performer, the duo soon had the approval of Yarra Trams. But beyond the presentation and a simple idea that is so very ‘Melbourne’, Tram Sessions is about the Victorian capital in another, more specific way. Over the last five years, Melburnians have

watched as an increasing number of inner city live music venues have closed their doors. The Trams Session’s Statement of Purpose: • to encourage the use of sustainable transport by letting Melbourne artists and bacnds perfor on city trams. • To provide a platform for established and up-and-coming artists to engoage with the community. • To make live music more acessible to all sectors of the community. • To be the most interatice and accessibel Art-project in Australia.

Random gigs on zone 1 trams @Tramsessions Tickets from $3.50 http://www.tramsessions.com/

ST KILDA SAINTS

The , nicknamed The Saints, is an AFL club based in Melbourne. The club was established in 1873 and its name originates from the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda. St Kilda were a foundation team of the Victorian Football Association in 1877 and later, in 1897, became a foundation team in the Victorian Football League , which was re-named the Australian Football League prior to the start of the 1990 season. Despite being a foundation team in the league, St Kilda have only won a single premiership, a famous one-point win in the 1966 VFL Grand Final. St Kilda have, however, had various other achievements including, most recently, being the minor premiers of the 2009 AFL season and 2009 and 2010 grand finalists. You can have a more intimate experience with your favorite team at ‘open training sessions’ where fans get to sit in on training sessions. Towards the finals, crowds of hundreds come out and it's a scene of its own. St Kilda is a team that holds open training sessions quite regularly, about once a month, check their website for training times. http://www.saints.com.au/

BLENDER PROJECT SPACE

Blender Project Space is a working studio space for artists. Created in 2000 it’s early origins influenced by street art. The early Blender artists helping establish the studio and street art scene in Melbourne. Blender has become more of an art complex and ideas factory where nearly anything goes. It is self-sustainable and tries to bring art to everyone. The creators have set up Melbourne Street Art Tours designed by street

artists to give the best representation of the Melbourne underground street art scene. Melbourne Street Art Tours offer a way to leave your mark on Melbourne like no other! You can have a professional graffiti artist paint your portrait onto a real laneway in Melbourne. All the tours end at the famous Blender Studios, where participants will get a tour of both the studios and the gallery by director Adrian Doyle. Here they can meet practising street and fine artists, and get a feel for the practicing art world. Check out their web site for more details.

Melbourne Street Art Tours http://www.melbournestreettours.com/

KODIAK CLUB

Kodiak Club, based in Fitzroy is home to the famous “Hot Wing Challenge.”

The Challenge: One challenger, one hour, and 60 buffalo hot wings. Whether you finish them all, and are hence rewarded with eternal glory on the honor/shame board, and no bill, will depend on which you value more – your dignity, or $90.

The Bar: Located in Fitzroy Melbourne, the hub of cafes, restaurants and galleries you will find the Kodiak Club. Known as Melbourne’s only Bourbon Bar their food menu specializes in American bar food. They are the purveyors of some very fine snacks including poutine, cheese'n'gravy covered chips, pork cracklin', deep-fried chicken wings and a Kraft Single toasty. Beers and cider on tap are served in big red plastic college-style kegger cups. They have a really good selection of American whisky and they also stock Mexican grapefruit soda for their Palomas - the pride of Mexico, a tequila and soda pop with a salt rim. http://www.kodiakclub.com.au/

WEBSITES

Bands on Trams: Random gigs on zone 1 trams @Tramsessions. Tickets from $3.50 http://www.tramsessions.com/

Graffiti: Melbourne Street Art Tours http://www.melbournestreettours.com/

You can have your piece of graffiti commissioned from $2,000 through Blender Creative http://www.theblenderstudios.com/

St. Kilda Football Club Open Training Sessions: Sessions are on monthly during the season. Contact the club for info http://www.saints.com.au/

Kodiak Club Hot Wing Challenge: http://www.kodiakclub.com.au/ The hot wing challenge costs $90, but if you can finish them in 60 minutes its free