There’s only one thing that goes better than mushrooms with a glass of pinot. A chamber music concert. This weekend, over five performances, classical music will fill Melba Hall – renowned for its acoustics for chamber music. Part of 3MBS’s Chamber Music Feast, different varieties of wine will be served to match the music. It’s a heady combination that promises to massage all of the senses.

1) Take a long-cut (instead of a short-cut) through the city's laneways - the City of Melbourne's Laneway Commissions start-up again from 4 July.
2) Delight in daphne - it's in flower at the moment.
3) Putt along the Maribyrnong on the old Blackbird ferry - see a very different perspective of the city by boat, chugging about the container ships of the Port of Melbourne.
4) squeeze a few of you into a photo booth for a trio of lasting snaps. (There's one at Melbourne Central.)
5) Use your old phonebooks as pads for kneeling on in the garden, or splash the pages with vinegar and clean the windows.
6) Notice Newspaper House next time you're in Collins St - especially that Deco-style mural painted in 1932.
7) Have a don't-spend-a-dollar day - perhaps next Monday the 30th to mark the end of the financial year.
8) Take the human-operated lift in the Nicholas Building and stop at Buttonmania and Blindside gallery.
9) Don't, whatever you do, use the words: 'do', 'tax' & 'your'.

It kind of spoils it to give it context…Let’s just say that now’s a very good time to wander down Gertrude Street, Fitzroy after dark. Between Fitzroy and Smith Streets some of the buildings have fantastic visions emanating from their windows. There are video messages coming out of the pavements and even from the tree trunks. Our favourite though is Radio’s round window, which is screening a few Slow-inspired films.

And for those of you who simply must know (and who turn to the back of the book before finishing), click here to find out what it’s about.

This Saturday the 21st is the winter solstice, marking the shortest day of the year for the southern hemisphere – or the longest night of the year.

We have solstices, and seasons, because of the earth’s 23-degree tilt. In June, it’s tilted away from the sun. In six months’ time it’ll tilt towards the sun, and in March and September the hemispheres won’t be tilted, but will be at right angles to it, which are the equinoxes.

Perhaps prepare for the longest night by checking out Yelling at Stars, which projected an interstellar message into deep space last month. According to them, we (humans) have been sending messages into space since the seventies. Messages have included examples of human languages, music and scientific knowledge – intended to represent humanity. Yelling at Stars’ message included an invitation to dinner, insights into manners, fish fingers and moving between countries.

What would you yell at the stars this weekend? Slowly, slowly: it's gonna be a long night.

Y’know those discoveries that are soooo good, you can’t believe everyone’s not talking about it, writing about it, doing it, song-and-dancing around it?

Hello mecu.

It’s simply a socially responsible bank that’s owned by its members (all 100,000 of them), so exists to serve mecu members’ interests and members of the world by investing and partnering in socially responsible enterprises. And it’s local - its head-office is located in Kew.

Add ‘part-owner in a bank’ to the list of things you do, next time you're rattling off your qualifications.

The gentle art of discussion is in practice tonight. Are We There Yet is a public forum examining the federal government’s policies on refugees. It’s an all-star panel of experts, including Julian Burnside QC (human rights lawyer), Paris Aristotle (dir Foundation House) and Michelle Foster (dir Centre for Refugee Law Melb Uni), and is hosted by Tracee Hutchison (broadcaster and journalist). And then of course there’s you whose ears and voice complete the all-star line-up. (Federation Square, BMW Edge, 6-8pm, free.)

It’s one of many events held as part of Refugee Week, which includes exhibitions (featured pic Viv Mehes), film screenings, musical performances and the opportunity to just sit down and listen to refugees tell their stories.

Shigeo Obara found this 21-leaf clover in his backyard last week, one of the many rewards for quietly kicking around in the grass.

So, it’s Friday the 13th. Seems an appropriate time to talk about Bernard’s Magic Shop. This darling little store is like our very own never-ending carny. Open since 1937, it retains its old-world romance - staunchly determined to bring some magic into city life. But it’s not all poo-poo cushions and fake vomit, down the back, past the novelty items is the serious stuff: books and devices only for the brethren of magicians. And then there’s everything in between, from juggling supplies to ventriloquist’s dolls. There’s always room for more magic in a day; do stop in next time you’re in town.

The peanut-butter machine is a particular favourite: pour peanuts in the top, a clunk and a whir later and perfect peanut butter comes out the bottom. The Friends of the Earth Food Co-op is delightfully Wonka-esque: chock-a-block with giant tubs, sacks and bottles of varying colours to which customers are invited to help themselves.

Entirely staffed by volunteers, the co-op peddles organic, bulk produce (BYO bags, bottles and jars) – reducing packaging, supporting local small growers (as in economy of scale, not in stature – the Wonka analogy ends here) and minimising the use of chemicals and pharmaceuticals in food-production. It’s at 312 Smith Street, Collingwood, and open 10am-6pm Monday to Friday and 10am-4pm Saturday.

Never mind Godzilla. Imagine a marauding aloe vera stretching its tentacles above the skyline. Bernadette Trench-Thiedman has. She’s made architectural models of cityscapes and planted them with edible and non-edible plants. Eat the City re-imagines ‘the urban environment transformed by plants in ridiculous, beautiful and sometimes violent ways.’ It’s in the Degraves Underpass. Watch it grow, til 28 June.

It’s broadly accepted that we bloggers are all nerds who use our employer’s time to catch up with friends in the ether-net. And who are we to argue? Visiting a blog is like calling in on a friend. (One who doesn’t mind how long between visits, but is checking.) Gain a new perspective on your hometown, here are some Melbourne-specific blogs, depending on your mood:

• Feeling political (but not in a right-on way)? Visit Sustainable Melbourne
• Need some nurturing? Loobylu is a crafty mother who diarises her daily goings-on
• If you’re looking for inspiration, find it at Platform Artists Group
• Mapping Melbourne takes pedestrians off their predictable paths and jolts them into a new awareness of the urban landscape.

• Quietly walk from room to room and switch off unused appliances at the wall
• Put on a cardigan instead of the heater
• Don’t drive: use a tram, train, bike or bus
• Using junk mail, cut and paste a ‘No Junk Mail’ sign for the letterbox
• Do less: go to bed early and read

Thursday 5 June is World Environment Day – the UN’s initiative to popularise reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. To really get into the spirit, calculate the household’s emissions and create an offset account. Or just slow down and spend less energy all-round.

It’s officially winter, and it's rolled out the cloudy carpet. The characteristic fog of this time of year is essentially low-lying cloud, which affords the unique opportunity to walk on them. Fog hovers just above the ground before the sun chases it away, which makes morning walks in June spectacularly eerie.

Drop down to the Yarra behind the factories in Abbotsford and follow it along to the Convent and Children's Farm. And you'll truly be able to say you've been on Cloud 9.