Fewer tumbleweeds roll through the CBD these days with a clutch of bars opening to complement the handful that existed. In a pocket on/off St George’s Terrace there is Andaluz for swish tapas, Helvetica for swish whisky/ey and the Greenhouse for swish ingredients. Around the west end of Murray Street there is the funky Wolfe Lane, the mellow 1907 and the shoulder-to-shoulder Generous Squire. So DON’T GO HOME! Don’t go back to your hotel! Stay out and hit the town and help us create the happening vibe that Perth is gagging for.

Previously, I wrote that Northbridge by night is seedy, stuck in a 90s time warp and is in need of a jolly good clean up. The good news is that the clean up has begun, especially with the recent opening of the Northbridge Piazza. Funky new bars to join the fray are Ezra Pound at #201 and Bar 399 at #399 William Street. As it is, Northbridge is a lovely spot in the early evening for a meal, but you want to leave before the drunken thugs start running amok on Friday and Saturday nights. Try Northbridge by day: a walk along William Street takes you past funky boutiques, lively cafés, and one of my favourite shops ever: Kakulas Brothers, where you buy herbs, spices, cereals, coffees, teas by the scoopful from open hessian sacks.

As a 24 year old I would have been frothing at the mouth about five hours of booze, food, booze, entertainment, a few horses somewhere, booze, wearing the skimpiest dress in my wardrobe, and booze; and so I probably would have paid the $350 for a ticket to Tentland at Perth Cup and misbehaved all arvo. But I’m glad to have that out of my system and now not feel the need to spend a 40-degree day fully tanked with thousands of fully-tanked others. I won’t put the kybosh on Perth Cup, Perth’s way to usher in the New Year on 1 January; I’ll just say that after the Perth Cup has been run and the barbarians have nicked off, it is very pleasant to sit in the grandstand on your General Admission ticket and watch the remaining races ... at a tenth of the price.

Perth beaches are bliss in the morning and buggers in the afternoon; once the sea breeze comes in, usually at about midday, you'll think you're in a sand storm, so go early to beat the heat and the gales.

Suburban shopping malls are blaaah with their bland look and homogenous shops. Head instead for the character-filled high streets of Mt Hawthorne, Leederville, East Victoria Park, Subiaco, Claremont, Mt Lawley and Fremantle. Each of these areas has a local pub, funky cafés, independent retailers (as well as chain stores, if you must), and, most importantly, fresh air and sunshine!

Got any more places to avoid? Have your say using the comments form below.

Next: Near the beaten track