Yesterday, Time Out published its list of the World's Best Cities for 2026 — and Melbourne was ranked number one. To me, this feels completely, undeniably earned.
If you ask what I love most about this city, my answer comes without hesitation: coffee.
Melbourne is celebrated as one of the coffee capitals of the world. Having travelled widely, I can say with conviction that this title truly belongs here. The city's mild climate, clean water, and Australia's exceptional dairy all conspire to produce a cup of coffee unlike any other on earth.
But what makes Melbourne truly extraordinary is its cultural depth and artistic soul. Every café has its own personality. From the arrangement of furniture to the play of light through a window — each space is a visual experience, a world unto itself.
I came to this city due to my child's education. Somewhere along the way, finding a good cup of coffee became my morning ritual. I would sit by café windows, let the sunlight fall across my hands, and feel — genuinely feel — that everywhere I looked, there was beauty.
So I started exploring: more neighbourhoods, more roasters, more hidden laneways. I brought my camera. I documented the mood of each cup, the warmth of each space, the particular quality of light on a Tuesday morning in Fitzroy.
Years passed. One day I looked back and realised how much I had gathered. That was when this book was born.
昨天，Time Out 公布了 2026 年全球最佳城市榜单，墨尔本荣获第一。我觉得，这是一个实至名归的排名。
如果你问我最喜欢这座城市的哪一部分，我的答案会不假思索脱口而出：咖啡。
墨尔本享有「世界咖啡之都」的美誉。走过世界许多角落之后，我依然对这个称号心服口服。这里得天独厚的气候、洁净的水源，以及澳洲出色的乳制品品质，共同造就了墨尔本独一无二的咖啡风味。
而更迷人的，是这座城市丰富的文化底蕴与艺术气息。每一家咖啡馆都有自己独特的气质。从家具的陈设到光线穿过玻璃窗的方式，每一个空间都是一场视觉体验，一个独立的世界。
因为孩子教育的缘故，我来到了这座城市定居。不知不觉间，每天寻找一杯好喝的咖啡，成了我开启早晨的一种仪式。我常常坐在咖啡馆的窗边，让阳光落在手背上，真切地感受到——目光所到之处皆是美。
于是，我开始探索更多的街区，走进不同的烘焙坊，寻访隐秘的小巷。我带着相机，记录每一杯咖啡的温度与心情，以及菲茨罗伊某个周二早晨那种特别的光线质感。
几年过去。有一天，我回望这一切，才意识到自己已经积累了那么多。于是，这本书诞生了。