Usually throwing yourself off a building is considered a fairly anti-social act, but in Melbourne they're encouraging tourists to do it. But it has to be the sixth-floor roof of the Urban Central backpackers' building, under the guidance of someone from Macka Mackail's Rap Jumping.

Rap jumping is a bit like abseiling, except that you're staring down at the ground, which makes it a whole lot scarier. For A$65 ($55) you can jump off the hostel not once but three times. It's not that tall--but it looks kind of terrifying.

Rap Jumping in Melbourne boasts a 100 percent safety record (which sounds kind of like Aussie carrier Qantas, until recently) but if you're still not sure, check this video and decide if you're brave enough to rap jump or not.

Related Stories:
· Rap Jumping [Official Site]
· Over the Top in Melbourne [The Advertiser]
· Melbourne Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Micheletti11]]]> amandak 2008-09-05T09:30:22-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/3/121357/1816

Jaunted is planning our fall travel with some help from the networks. Check out our Fall TV 2008 Map to go where your new favorite characters go.

Are adult children who act like kids hilarious? Only to millions! In "Kath & Kim" (NBC, October 9 at 9:30 pm), a rebound kid comes home after a trial separation from her loser husband to find life with Mom is not as fun as it used to be. Kim (Selma Blair) dumps her Best Buy-employed guy and expects she can lounge at home and let mom Kath (Molly Shannon) take care of her again... but she's mistaken.

We're not sure if we really liked this better as a Matthew McConaughey star vehicle, but "Kath & Kim" is actually a remake of a popular (and, we hear, saucy) Australian show set in Melbourne. The new version is shot in the San Fernando Valley but is set in an unspecified suburb of Florida--think "Golden Girls," but with women not old enough to know how tacky they are.

NBC's been chewing this one over since fall 2006, but we're hoping the zany antics of Molly Shannon can save it. Are we overly optimistic in this, the season of almost no pilots? Maybe.

Related Stories:
· Scarlett Johansson and Selma Blair Take Vegas [Jaunted]
· National Enquirer's Trusty Chateau Marmont Source Strikes Again [HC]
· Fall TV 2008 coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: CelebrityFIX]]]> egw 2008-09-03T15:10:21-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/8/1/6598/34659

Jaunted's Amanda Kendle just got back from Melbourne. This week: Read all about it.

Melbourne might have great cakes, but it's got even better chocolate. With half a dozen excellent chocolatiers across the city center, it's hard to choose but once you've tried the chocolate mousse at Koko Black you'll be completely converted.

Koko has several locations across Melbourne and a store in Canberra now, too, but the sweetest shop is in the Royal Arcade off Bourke Street.

Head upstairs and order a sit-down chocolate meal with a smooth and steamy hot chocolate, or just buy up a selection of incredible truffles and other assorted chocolates at the front counter on the ground floor. Or do both.

Related Stories:
· Koko Black [Official Site]
· When in Melbourne: Must Have Cakes at Brunetti [Jaunted]
· Polish Cuisine in Melbourne: Borsch, Vodka & Tears [Jaunted]]]> amandak 2008-08-01T09:45:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/31/62614/6953

Jaunted's Amanda Kendle just got back from Melbourne. This week: Read all about it.

You don't have to spend all your time eating cakes or drinking vodka to enjoy Melbourne. Just wandering the central streets of downtown Melbourne is probably going to get your camera clicking.

Melbourne has a well-deserved reputation as Australia's cultural capital and it does a much better job of supporting art, music and theater than other cities. Street art is alive and blooming in Melbourne and you can find it along heaps of alleyways running off the main streets. Just follow your nose and turn right or left--the grid layout of Melbourne makes it impossible to get lost.

For example, stumble into Heffernan Lane between Bourke and Lonsdale Streets, and you'll see the results of a "camouflaged street art" project where street signs are actually full of wise sayings. Others have spectacular graffiti and then there are lanes with cool names: There's even ACDC Lane, named after the great Aussie band. Only in Melbourne!

Related Stories:
· When in Melbourne: Must Have Cakes at Brunetti [Jaunted]
· Polish Cuisine in Melbourne: Borsch, Vodka & Tears [Jaunted]]]> amandak 2008-07-31T09:18:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/30/81814/5850

Jaunted's Amanda Kendle just got back from Melbourne. This week: Read all about it.

OMG. There is actually a heaven on earth and it's at Brunetti, Melbourne's most famous spot for cakes. You might not even be in the mood for cake--or even particularly like it--but walk into Brunetti and you will be converted for life.

All Melbournites seem to know that the best Brunetti cakes are at the Carlton branch--try to head into the City Square branch and you'll only find tourists. The best way to deal with the mind-boggling selection is to go for a few of their bite-sized cakes and if you find your favorite, take away an entire cake. It's not even expensive.

Curiously, Brunetti all started because owner Giorgio Angele came to Melbourne as the Italian chef for the 1956 Olympics. He liked it and later migrated; everyone but the Italians should be grateful for that. Don't leave Melbourne without your Brunetti sugar fix or you haven't seen Melbourne at all. Of course, we could be biased towards cakes--but all the best travelers are.

Related Stories:
· Brunettti [Official Site]
· Melbourne Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> amandak 2008-07-30T09:18:26-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/5/18/6384/53771

The newest airline to become the proud owner of some A380s looks to be Qantas, with its first 20 super-jumbos currently being fitted out in Hamburg. They're getting one now and two more by December, with the others to follow "soon."

The surprise is that the Flying Kangaroo is planning to use the new plane on the Melbourne to Los Angeles route--everybody was expecting it would be used to fly to London. Qantas has apparently decided otherwise.

A non-stop Melbourne-LAX flight will make the Qantas route look a lot more enticing than main rival United, or at least that's the plan. We're wondering how the giant jet will stack up against V Australia's 777 service from Sydney.

Related Stories:
· Qantas A380 Across the Pacific [Business Traveller]
· Qantas A380 Ready for October Take-Off [news.com.au]
· Qantas coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Naddsy]]]> amandak 2008-05-19T09:20:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/9/7/15423/96885

Classy, artsy Melbourne would never invite those dirty "Real World"-ers in. Find someone who will be with you off-camera at these hot spots:

Amaretto Pasticceria -- Get your espresso straight or sweetened with a liqueur at this coffee bar, which also features delicious gelato. 565 Hampton St.

Double Happiness -- Travel + Leisure recommends the ginger-and-vodka Great Leap Forward cocktail at this chic little lounge. 21 Liverpool St.

B.coz -- Take your honey to this tiny fusion restaurant with a liberal wine list. (Don't worry, the waiters are there to help, not embarrass.) 403 Riversdale Rd.

Related Stories:
· Missed Connections coverage [Jaunted]
· Melbourne Hotels [HotelChatter]

[Photo: phildickenson]]]> egw 2007-09-07T16:15:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/