It's officially one month until Christmas Day. Hard to believe when we've just had a sweaty heatwave but take this as a warning to buy your red bikini and draw your Secret Santa names. Until then, here's how you can spend your final Monday of November.

The Headlines

• The celeb lookalike trend sweeping major cities has finally made its way to Melbourne, with a Jacob Elordi lookalike contest being held over the weekend. You may have seen the contests for Harry Styles, Paul Mescal and Timothee Chalamet amongst other heartthrobs across the globe yielding some better results than Melbourne's attempt—the Jacob Elordi contest was somewhat of a flop with the organisers picking a winner from a random group of boys on a bench, the winner commented 'I don't look like him at all, I'm just tall'. Hilarious.

• Melbourne is obviously famous for the humble op shop, with a significant amount of them concentrated in the northern suburbs—Brunswick, we're looking at you. If you find the sheer amount a little overwhelming, this list breaks down the best spots for vintage and second-hand clothes shopping out there. From hidden CBD stores to the National Trust's curated vault, there are plenty of options to refresh your wardrobe if you've exhausted the aisles of Savers.

• For the lucky dog owners looking for a new place for a weekend walk, here’s a roundup of Melbourne’s best dog-friendly parks and beaches. If you've exhausted Albert Park (although arguably impossible) switch it up and pay Citizens or Jells Park a visit. If your pup loves the sand on its paws, Mentone Beach offers a 24-hour off-leash stretch, perfect for when they get the zoomies. If this is making you miss your dog back home, there are plenty of pet-sitting sites out there so you can get your furry fix.

Where to Eat and Drink

Dreaming of revisiting your favourite Southeast Asian countries and missing all the delicious food on offer? Look no further than Rice Paper Scissors—albeit not at SE Asia prices. Modelled on the rustic hawker dining bars of Southeast Asia, they offer modern, upmarket twists on authentic Asian street food dishes and classic cocktails. There are locations in the CBD and Fitzroy, visit the latter between 5-6 pm Monday to Friday and enjoy happy hour cocktails for just $10.

Where to Live

Every apartment block seems to come with a unique offering, and this one on St Kilda Road is complete with a padel court (the photo looks suspiciously like a tennis court, but we'll go with it). It's available from mid-December, and there's space for an extra bed if you and a friend want to get cosy and split the rent. It's not confirmed if the views of Albert Park put you in a prime position to catch a glimpse of Lewis Hamilton when the F1's in town, but surely you've got a good chance.

Core selling point: a huge variety of wooden Ikea furniture.

Where to Work

In today's edition of random Working Holiday job of the day, there is a job going as a full-time sit-on mower operator across Melbourne's parks. Spending your days razzing about on a mower soaking up the sun with a bit of leaf-blowing and edge-cutting thrown in sounds like a cushty summer money maker. Perks include getting to drive their ute around with your precious mower in a trailer, and not having to deal with annoying customers or questionable colleagues. One for the social recluses amongst you.

Where to Go

While the boomers are perfecting their tennis backhand, the cool kids have moved on to pickleball—think tennis had a baby with ping pong, then put it on a smaller court. The Jar in South Melbourne is Australia's first dedicated pickleball paradise, complete with four indoor courts where you can have a midweek knockabout with mates. Whether you're a total newbie (coaching's available) or ready to show off your dinking skills, The Jar's got you covered.

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