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Ladies who lunch
Ah, children. Bless their cotton socks (and skinned knees and scuffed shoes). Though they're darlings in small doses, the school holidays were made to illustrate the dangers of having too much of a good thing. By the time the school bell rings to mark the beginning of term, most parents are quivering wrecks, having well and truly overdosed on Happy Meals, cartoons and "are we there yets".
While some parents return to the grown-up bliss of the office, others savour the newly returned quiet of the home, picking up the detritus of another school vacation. After all that, these poor housewives (and househusbands) deserve a little leisure time, a couple of months of long lunches to prepare for the next onslaught.
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The Tea Room QVB
Sydney
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Perched at the top of the QVB, this grand restaurant has long been the last word in elegance. While their contemporary a la carte menu would keep any group of girlies happy, their elevenses and afternoon tea menus are a highlight. Curl up in the high-backed chairs for an extended gossip session over little cakes and tea or champers.
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Swell Restaurant
Bronte
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This is traditionally where Bronte's yummy mummies converge for skinny lattes and top-class cafe food. Once the holidays have ended and those babycino-swigging darlings have gone back to school, the mums can relax again, smooth their blow-dries and tuck into a well-earned rocket salad with pumpkin and pine nuts.
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Cafe Vue
Melbourne
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Sometimes all you want is a quiet coffee with some friends. But still, there's no reason to slum it. Cafe Vue offers the best of both worlds, with gourmet fare by the same crew that produce the exquisite fare of Vue de Monde, served in a laidback cafe space.
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EQ Restaurant + Bar
Melbourne
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For any ladies who feel guilty about indulging in long lunches or girly dinners, EQ is the antidote. Located in the Arts Centre, it offers a dose of culture along with the Mediterranean cuisine. Even if you don't actually attend any of the performances at the theatre, the proximity to culture is sure to ease your guilt.
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High Societea
Clayfield
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There's something very Pride and Prejudice about getting together with some girlfriends over high tea. This traditional teahouse offers tiered cake stands of sweet and savoury goodies, served with tea in antique china cups. Alternatively, if you're not worried about behaving in a manner that Mrs Bennet would approve of, you can BYO booze to the tea party.
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The Lobby Restaurant
Parkes
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Though packed with politicians, there's plenty of room for groups of girls to while away an afternoon here. The garden setting provides a blissful scene for any kind of celebration, whether it's a wedding or an engagement party - or just an impromptu party to celebrate the kids' return to school.
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The Brasserie
Adelaide
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While hotel restaurants are notoriously daggy, the Hilton does thing differently, with The Brasserie a glam example. The kitchen is devoted to local South Australian produce, so a long lunch here can arguably be sold as a selfless gesture to support local producers. It's practically charity work. Really.
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