Saturday, March 10, 2012

Laneways, lemons and laundromats.....!


There's a big push in Perth at the moment to restore and turn unused laneway space into trendy little eateries and niche bars to bring it up to the same standard as Melbourne and Sydney. There have been quite a few around for a number of years, little jazz clubs and tapas bars etc. but we're stepping it up to play with the 'big guys'. I had lunch yesterday in Lemon Lane in one of Perth's exclusive suburbs Claremont. Another favourite spot is Crepe Cherie below, with a little imagination for an hour or so you can make believe you are in Paris, c'est très agréable! It's very hard to take a decent picture around midday just now as the sun is unbelievably glaring.....
The shopping in Claremont is fantastic, I love the exotic garden and homewares in Plantation Colonial Trading Co  below, where I found a fabulous new spring/floral table runner for my outside patio table (I think I'm in denial that spring is a long way off and that we're in the middle of a heat wave)....
Another of the restored laneway shopping areas, if you're after a big cotton nightie like your gran used to wear, the rack close to the front is the place to shop.. I didn't....!
Then there's the  Bayview Centre where you'll find so many designer shops it'll make your wallet fear for it's life! Not mine, fortunately I find these days that I shop more for what I actually need than what I 'think' I need., but it's always fun to look. This mural on the wall coming down the escalators into the shopping centre says it all, style, elegance and fashion....
Walking back to the car I had to snap this sign, everytime I see it it makes me laugh, only in Claremont would a laundromat be called a 'day spa for your clothes'.....
Sorry I wasn't around much yesterday, with 36, 38, 39, 40, 38C all in a row, it's pretty hard to keep motivated, the natural instinct is to 'languish' complaining loudly, or is that just me haha! Have a great weekend, catch you soon.....!

38 comments:

  1. "Day spa for your clothes." That is good. It seems that you had a good day in this area. And you didn't buy granny lingerie?

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  2. Well, I had just posted a long reply and it disappeared! I am blaming it on the solar flares! Anyway, looks like a fun place to shop!

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  3. Great post Grace. I would love to visit some of these lane ways.

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  4. With those temps I would be lolling about drinking lemonade and doing nothing! I love the day spa for my clothes. Fun use of laneways!

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  5. Lemon lane is interesting. I love the "day spa for your clothes" sign, how original!

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  6. Okay, you've made me want to do a little shopping even if it's just window shopping....no time this weekend.

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  7. That could be really cool. Interesting mural in the first shot.

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  8. Oh, I could really get into spending some hours there! What a great looking place -- mind you, I said spending hours not necessarily money, but I would be tempted! Colorful, fun post for the day, Grace! Hope your weekend is going well!

    Sylvia

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  9. How very clever and humane! Even the "Cloud"s are moving in to wash your clothes!


    Aloha from Waikiki
    Comfort Spiral

    >< } } ( ° >

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  10. Interesting murals especially the 2nd one :-).

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  11. "The sun is unbelievably glaring (...) we are in the middle of a heatwave." -- Well, let's just say these are two comments I am not even CLOSE to typing about Seattle these days. It is pouring down tonight as I type this. Winter is far from over here... Enjoy, Grace, enjoy, heat wave or not ;) Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

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  12. I love the first one. The graffiti is really nice.

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  13. I love these photos; my kind of place.

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  14. I love the art-work on the wall in the first photo... Well done!

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  15. Nice pictures and nice temperatures!

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  16. Seems like you have some pretty wonderful choices to visit in your laneways. Must be fun to browse. You posted a great variety.

    Have a relaxing and wonderful week-end!

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  17. These spots are beautiful. Love the artwork.

    Darryl and Ruth :)

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  18. Georgeous photographs, all full of colors and live :)

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  19. You are so fortunate to have such wonderful places and spaces. I'd probably eat out every night and spend most of my waking hours wandering about taking photographs...or just looking at yours - they're so excellent!

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  20. The crepe place is the one pour moi! :)
    Bon weekend chère,
    V

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  21. What a great idea! I love little alleyways like this.

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  22. day spa for your clothes is really such a cool name! i wish i came up with that. surely i would bring my clothes there.. :D

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  23. I sure enjoying finding and exploring unique shops like these you found in the laneway.

    Fabulous sunset yesterday!

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  24. All that sounds very inviting! Crepe chérie!? I bet Paris would like to enjoy such a sun.. :o)

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  25. Best to make use of such places or they become home to wasters.

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  26. I'll be over as soon as the temperatures drop! I'd loooove this!

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  27. Wonderful to see... there is a plan to regenerate my little town but it's been on hold for quite a while now... fingers crossed it happens one day.

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  28. Yes, I gather it is a bit of a challenge over West at the moment. Whereas here is the opposite. Our challenge is an over-abundance of rain.

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  29. Wow, it sure it hot down there...maybe you could send us a little bit of that warmth up here! It's been cold rain for a couple of days now. The whole shopping area looks like so much fun! :D

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  30. Bringing life to forgotten areas is great! Glad it's becoming fashionable everywhere.

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  31. Crêpes pour moi! I got to the end of this post and thought you were talking about bra sizes not the weather temps - sbtttttt! Whaaaat?

    Bises,
    Genie

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  32. Great idea for revitalising some of the grungy parts of the city...
    Love the photos.

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  33. woww isn't this place amazing !!
    love it !! and that lane with the Street art (Graffiti) ohhhh that's my fav !!
    If i ever come to Perth... i will contact you to remind me all the places i need to see :)

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  34. Great colours - and LOVE the sign!! As long as Perth doesn't clone itself into Sydney or Melbourne - it's got enough character of it's own as far as I'm concerned!!

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  35. Nice name, interesting place...

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