Looks like the horses of Australia aren’t fans of the British monarchy, as poor Zara Tindall recently found out the hard way. To all the Lords or Marquesses out there, stay clear of the ponies. For the rest of you, here's how to spend your Thursday in Melbourne.

The Headlines

• If you're looking for a sprinkle of Euro summer, Southside's newest opening is calling your name. Greek restaurant Astoria Bar Kè Grill has arrived on Toorak Road with a menu featuring all the classics with a modern spin. House-made spanakopita, saganaki, and Fremantle octopus for starters, followed by mains featuring shareable plates like snapper with avgolemono and a proper youvetsi lamb stew—delicious. It's not yet been revealed whether plate smashing is encouraged, give it a go—what's the worst that could happen?

• A rare collection of Barbies worth $15,000 has been nabbed in a home break-in in Northern Victoria. The targeted attack was heartbreaking for the family, as the collection contained one-of-a-kind collectables. If you see some retro dolls on your op-shop trips, do the right thing and let’s get them back to the rightful owner. The culprits could be heading down to Melbourne anytime, so lock up your Barbies and stay safe.

• Fresh off featuring Section 8 last week, we now turn to another Melbourne institution. Revs' January calendar is stacked and ready to keep you entertained at all hours of the day or night, from early evening sessions to their signature Sunday morning stretches. If you're looking to get the weekend started a little bit early, Scottish duo LF System will take over the dancefloor this evening fresh from a European run.

Where to Eat and Drink

For those in the trenches of dry Jan, the word 'bottomless' will feel illegal right now. But forget bottomless brunch—the Provincial Hotel in Fitzroy offers bottomless gnocchi and garlic bread every Thursday night—sounds way better anyway. The deal runs from 5pm, and you can pick from three tasty sauce options. They even have a 'gnocchi hotline' phonebox, where patrons can call up their order—we're living in the future. If you're not familiar with the popular spot, they have a gorgeous rooftop, and it gets a bit lively in the large venue in the early hours—a Melbourne must-visit.

Where to Live

Forget flat—try a sun-filled art studio. This is everything you romanticise living in an apartment to be: pink skies, penthouse views, and party lights by night. There's a room in this fun CBD spot up for grabs from next week, complete with a well-equipped kitchen for all the wannabe chefs out there wanting to cook up a storm for their new flatmates.

Core selling point: the wine cellar.

Where to Work

Melbourne Recital Centre in Southbank is hiring for a casual stage door attendant at the live music venue. One of the many responsibilities is welcoming performers and artists—its not quite A-listers, but if you've always wanted to meet the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, now is your chance. As the venue's Jack of all trades, you'd be a a concierge, receptionist, operations assistant, and security guard all in one.

Where to Go

Everyone knows there is nothing sexier than knowing your way around a wine list. So, if you're looking to upskill to impress, this event at cosy CBD wine bar ReWine is perfect. They host weekly casual wine-tasting evenings on a Thursday, where you can enjoy their selections for $20, or make an evening of it and add on the cheese pairings for an extra $15. Could be a fun and classy date idea, or just head down with your mates.

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