Travelled through the Hawkesbury earlier today. Such a beautiful area. This photograph was captured with a mobile phone camera, held up against a dirty train window. So you can only begin to imagine what it might be like with a proper camera outside, enjoying the winter sunshine.
“I feel like some ice-cream or some gelato”, I said to my friend Sue, so she suggested Brunetti’s at Carlton as one of those quintessential Melbourne experiences.
We had plans of heading out into the country to look at some of the bushfire affected areas, and to do our bit to help their economic recovery, but decided the combination of cold and wet weather, and long distances, meant a day in Melbourne instead.
So we had a late morning bite to eat overlooking the river, spent some time at the Art Gallery (not that interesting, to be honest), and then headed over to Carlton.
We spent a fair bit of time in Borders (currently being renovated) and looking in shop windows, and then headed over to Brunetti’s. There was much people watching to be done.
Brunetti Gelato
Late in the afternoon we came back to Sue’s place where I had a nap and she did some work. And then in the evening, we searched (without much success) for something to watch on television.
As I ate my breakfast this morning, I reflected on two things. First, the Sunday papers are terrible. Second, there was a time when I’d be barely awake on weekends before lunch-time.
On Friday and Saturday nights, I’d go out drinking and dancing with friends, often until 3 or 4 in the morning. Then, I’d come home and sleep until lunch-time. After that, I’d get up, go to a local cafe, where I’d spend an hour or two reading the papers over breakfast.
Twenty years on, I’m usually asleep by 10.00pm, and I’m usually awake by 6.00am, often 5.00am. I’ll usually have cereal for breakfast, though today, as sometimes occurs, I’ll head to my local cafe. Reading the papers doesn’t take nearly as long. They’re half the size they used to be, and there’s not much inside to read that I haven’t already consumed elsewhere. And watching “Insiders” at 9.00am has become part of my weekend routine, rather than later catchup.
Sunday SunriseSunday morning light-rail construction in Surry HillsBreakfast and Newspaper
These days I’m more likely to see a sunrise than a sunset, as I sometimes have a late afternoon nap. So maybe things haven’t changed that much, except the hours of my weekend sleeping pattern? :)
Sunday Morning Coming Down – Johnny Cash
Well, I woke up Sunday morning
With no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn’t bad
So I had one more for dessert
Then I fumbled in my closet through my clothes
And found my cleanest dirty shirt
Then I washed my face and combed my hair
And stumbled down the stairs to meet the dayI’d smoked my mind the night before
With cigarettes and songs I’d been picking
But I lit my first and watched a small kid
Playing with a can that he was kicking
Then I walked across the street
And caught the Sunday smell of someone’s frying chicken
And Lord, it took me back to something that I’d lost
Somewhere, somehow along the way
On a Sunday morning sidewalk
I’m wishing, Lord, that I was stoned
‘Cause there’s something in a Sunday
That makes a body feel alone
And there’s nothing short a’ dying
That’s half as lonesome as the sound
Of the sleeping city sidewalk
And Sunday morning coming downIn the park I saw a daddy
With a laughing little girl that he was swinging
And I stopped beside a Sunday school
And listened to the songs they were singing
Then I headed down the street
And somewhere far away a lonely bell was ringing
And it echoed through the canyons
Like the disappearing dreams of yesterday
On a Sunday morning sidewalk
I’m wishing, Lord, that I was stoned
‘Cause there’s something in a Sunday
That makes a body feel alone
And there’s nothing short a’ dying
That’s half as lonesome as the sound
Of the sleeping city sidewalk
And Sunday morning coming down
I left work a little early today, as seemed to be the custom.
I had plans to head off home, get changed, and then meet Graeme for a drink later in the afternoon, but that somehow went awry.
Instead, a colleague invited me for a drink, and we spent an hour or so together chatting while she waited to catch up with her friends and I waited to catch up with Graeme.
Several drinks were then had downstairs at The Midnight Shift. But then, at about ten o’clock, as I realised I’d had a drink or ten, and it was a full-moon, maturity kicked in.
Suddenly I decided was time to go home and hit the sack. Graeme followed moments later.
It’s amazing how suddenly mature you can become, isn’t it?
“It’s my last day”, the bloke behind the counter said to me. “What?”, I asked half in disbelief, and half because he has quite a thick accent. The owner of the Surry Hills Charcoal Chicken Shop (or Charcoal Chic as it is at the moment, which is so incredibly “Surry Hills”), went on to explain that due to the difficult economic times he had been forced to close. When I asked if he was moving somewhere else, he was a little less forthcoming. I suspect he has nothing lined up.
For me, It’s personally sad because he has been in the shop for as long as I have been in Surry, probably longer. And he always has a smile, and he always remembers your name and your face and what you like to order. I’m a fan, in particular, of his roast potatoes which are always excellent.
Surry Hills Chicken Shop
The convenience store on the corner has also closed in the last few days. And we have a bunch of new “health” shops on the strip these days. So it looks like my end of Crown Street in Surry Hills is undergoing further change. Maybe it’s the first sign of the recession, or maybe it’s part of the evolution of the suburb that is ongoing?
Or maybe it’s the fact that I only called in for a soft-drink this time, and not one of their BBQ meal dinners?
I was on my way to a house-warming party for a colleague who has recently bought an apartment in Ashfield. Michael’s apartment is very funky. And as it’s a classic 60s/70s apartment block, he’s decorated accordingly with some terrific furniture he’s found on ebay. Much sought after furniture, it seems, as quite a few people were eyeing off the lounge chairs in his bedroom, and actively – jokingly – plotting their removal. “You don’t really need these chairs, do you Michael?” was one of the phrases I heard a few times.
The only other bits of excitement for the day included a morning pick-up by Damien of some software, and endless hours spent watching “Will & Grace”. There’s a Foxtel marathon on this weekend which I’m enjoying very much.
Today, my friend Kate and I spent quite a few hours at Dance Rites, a celebration of First Nations culture at the Sydney Opera House.
Though we didn’t stay around for tonight’s performances (we’re not as young as we used to be), we were there for the massive opening “contemporary corroboree” as Rhoda Roberts called it, and for the dance “competition” featuring lots of “grass roots” groups, mostly from the East Coast and from the Torres Strait. They performed in a range of traditional, as well as contemporary styles. It was an awesome insight into the many different cultures around the country.
URAB DancersDance Rites
As well as the dancers from Australia, there were also performances by other First Nations people from Canada, the United States and Aotearoa (New Zealand). The dancers from the US were especially warmly welcomed, with their fantastic outfits, energetic performances, and thumping musical beats.
For me, a great discovery came in the music of many of those performing from the Torres Strait, and North Queensland islands. “You love the drums, don’t you?”, Kate said to me, when I mentioned this to her. “Absolutely”, I told her. Great vocals, great drums. This is definitely going to be an area of musical exploration for me.
A particular call out from today was the MC who was informed, funny, and knew everyone in the audience it seemed!! We’ll be heading back tomorrow night (Sunday) for the finals, being held at the Sydney Opera House from 6.00pm. It’s highly recommended.
Post Script – Some Pics from Sunday
Maori Dance GroupFirst Nations dancers from North America
And here’s some animations, which hopefully show some of the movement of the activity.
Twelve months ago, as I was travelling overseas the film “Mamma Mia” had just opened. Everywhere I went, Mamma Mia seemed to be following me. It’s interesting how in some countries ABBA was the drawcard, in others it was the stage-show, in some it was the Hollywood cast, and in Hong Kong, it’s Tom Hanks as producer who gets top-billing. Meanwhile, the small Norwegian town of Narvik (near where Frida from ABBA was born) claimed to have the “World Premiere”.
Beautiful.