A Fancy Catch-up

For the past few weeks I've done a really good job in isolating myself. You know, I've even found a new hobby which is spending at least an hour every day browsing for books on Goodreads and searching them on the library online catalog. That, and visiting the library to pick up the books. Soon I've created an endless list of books-to-read and innumerably awaiting collection on my library account reservation. The books keep piling up in my room and I've been reading them like I'm being possessed. (Who can resist fiction fantasy, really? And urban fantasy? My goodness, it's my soft spot!) Suffice to say that if I'm actually trying to isolate myself, then I'm doing it in utter excellency.

The thing is I think that the term 'isolating' isn't quite relevant to the fact that I ain't feel isolated at all. As a matter of fact, I'm enjoying it. I enjoy my spending time alone burying my face behind a book or when I go out for a run or even just exercising at home. Yes, I've been politely declining catch-up invitations from friends or postponing on giving them a call to make catch-up plans. But it's not really my intention to avoid them. Somehow I just feel I'm not ready yet to go out and socialising.

Yet, considering my current state of condition, maintaining a good relation with close friends is also important for my wellbeing. That at some point I have to be out there and spending some time socialising. So, I eventually went out and met Nana and Tab on a catch-up dinner. To be honest, though, them two are the only close friends that I have here; friends who know about me more than other people that I've met, befriended or acquainted. Which I'm glad that they're my friends.

So, on Thursday we met at this restaurant called Fancy Hank's at Queen Street. It's inside the Mercat Cross Hotel across Victoria Market. It's a fancy restaurant with an open-rooftop decor and country nuanced with its wooden floor and tables, and very capacious. I really like it there.

And the food is really nice, come with a generous portion and the with affordable price for students. They make a very delicious chips, I swear. Come over in the happy hour, which is from 4-6 pm, and you get 2 drinks for 1. Their kitchen opens from 6 pm, by the way. We ordered mac and cheese and the food that is called Hush Puppies (which turned out to be corn cookies) for starter, then we had chicken brisket with coleslaw salad after. And yup, you eat it straight from the tray. Cool, hey? (Sorry, the chicken brisket was long gone before I remember to take a photo of it.)

We stayed there, talking, until the sun set and it was really beautiful. Oh, and that's Nana's fingers. And that's the Queen Victoria Market. Did you know that the market was built on cemetery? Yes, it's the local urban legend. A hundred-and-thirty years ago the site was a cemetery, which housed the remains of approximately 10,000 early settlers. Shall worry not, the site around the market isn't that creepy at all. On Wednesday nights they have this Night Market held during summer where you can find a lot of food stalls selling innumerable kinds of food. The creepiness is totally overrun by the hunger people.

 

It was starting to get windy and cool after the sun set and I was only wearing shorts and tank-top, so we decided to head home. I should have known better. I mean, it's Melbourne and the weather changes like a girl changing her clothes. Should never leave home without bringing a jacket. And water. 

One thing that I realised after I got home is this whole catch-up thing isn't just about me being out there to socialise but also it's about me being there for my friends, although I might not be any help of their problems. I realised that it's good to know about what they're up to or about their future plans since one of them is graduating this month. Really glad that I met them that day after a while.

Until next post.