Sylvie Blocher

If you get the chance to come to Sydney before 26 April, go to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney and check out the Sylvie Blocher exhibition. She is a French film artist who creates portrait studies of people, asking questions of her subjects who respond often with surprising candor.

Some of the films are interesting, some are uncomfortable to watch and some will make you smile and then cringe - but all are worth watching.

Mamak

How do you avoid the massive queue at what the Sydney Morning Herald calls the best asian restaurant in Sydney?

You stand in the line, call up, and order the roti planter and chicken curry to take away...

Day 8 - 12+12+12

Collecting arrows

Day 7 - 12+12+12

Day 6 - 12+12+12

Day 5 - 12+12+12

Breakdancing

So the other night I was walking down Goulburn Street and there were a bunch of kids hanging around the front of an office block. This guy kind of stood up, and sort of swaggered in his skinny black jeans, took off his shirt and started breakdancing. He reminded me of that famous Canberra kid Dominic Death.

You've got to love a gang, hell bent on taking over the city by breakdancing.

Bentley Bar

The Bentley Bar is now a fancy restaurant that serves parmesan custard, and spatchcock the size and shape of a squash ball. Odd.

They also have particularly orderly chips.

I had the chance to read up about the chef while waiting for these photos to upload...and now it all makes sense. Brent Savage used to work at Marque, which was one of the most challenging menus I've ever chosen from. The techniques used at Marque were pretty amazing and that restaurant certainly pushed the envelope in terms of gastronomic wizardry. Bentley Bar, like Marque, is worth trying just for the experience - but probably not the sort of place you'd go back to again and again. It is the sort of place you shake your head and wonder how?

Day 4 - 12+12+12

Day 3 - 12+12+12

Dear Bodega...

10 reasons why I love you...

Marinated olives

Mushrooms in garlic

Chorizo with sofrito

Piquillo peppers stuffed with bacalao

Fried calamari

That unbelievable warm octopus salad

House cured ham with potato salad

Slow cooked lamb loin

Old memories of the taffy and charlie v roadtrip and now new memories of dinner with the family

The winelist and the best waitstaff in Sydney

* I realise this may be 12 reasons, but if we all ignore the fact that I combined 2 reasons in the last 2 points we can just be comfortable that the list equals 10.

I also wanted to list the good looking chef, his beautiful wife, the red velvet curtain, the prettiness of Commonwealth avenue on a warm Autumn night...but I will stop at 10.

Day 2 - 12+12+12

Day 1 - 12+12+12

You, my friend, are invited to an online exhibition.

The works are 12cm long and 12cm wide, and there will be 12 in total. That’s why the title is 12+12+12…and because 12+12+12 = 36, it means each work will be produced in 36 minutes or less. Sounds complicated, hard, stupid? Maybe, but you don’t need to worry about that, if you want to see the work - just drop by here everyday.

Here is the first - Shark

My Place & Yours -Pink

This weeks theme is pink - you can check out the other players here.

Hello Afghanistan

Today I took a surprise call from Afghanistan. It made me feel better about things, and now the girl from the yellow house feels like she is back. It has been a terrible, stressful, ridiculous time - and the irony is that... that call made me feel a whole lot better.

Those in the know, will be shaking their head. And for those in the not - the caller from Afghanistan was the boy who broke my heart.

But you know, it might seem silly that I still worry about what he thinks, but I do. So hearing that he was okay about stuff, put my mind at ease and stress...it just went. Dunzo.

Aside from all that drama, we talked about life in Afghanistan and it sounds beautiful. Yeah the base is dusty, but the landscape in and out sounds wonderful. Barren brown mountains, and blue open sky. Nothing like anywhere else.

And to me it still takes my breathe away. How did I end up sitting in an office in Canberra, talking to you in a place like Afghanistan, while I stare at a an empty shopping mall and you eat a muesli bar. A muesli bar in Afghanistan.

It is like nothing has happened and things stayed the same, when really they couldn't be more different.

Finally, my first postcard arrives

I'm a member of the Benevolent Postcard Society. At the beginning of each month, members send a postcard to each other. My first one arrived all the way from the US of A. I don't know if it is from a January sender or February. All I know is that it comes from snowy New York city, a city I love.

Sunday spent....

Driving up that long boring highway, eating wizz fizz in the car. Wizz fizz is hard to eat while you drive you know. Stickers were hidden around the back of the car, and I'm sure there are more than six 102 dalmations...does that equal 612 dogs? I'll be finding those in weeks to come.

The afternoon spent on King street walking up and down in the sun. Skirt from Dragstar and a red top with polka dot trim. Oh and a skirt with owls from that cute shop with the rabbit head in the window. Walked past the Sando, girls singing out the front. Coffee at the place on the corner, where the gypsy stole all my milk. Dinner at Pizza e Birra on Crown washed down with Trumer Pils.

The night was spent listening to one of the best albums ever, played from start to finish. Kim Deal still sings like the angel she is, as the crowd (for the most part) relived their past and remembered those songs, those amazing songs. Big disc aglow from the sides of the stage with sepia film a dream like backdrop behind the wall of sound.

The Whitlams

Do you like the Whitlams? I don't like them or not like them now. I think Tim Freedman is an incredible talent, and I did love the Whitlams of old...but I don't think I ever forgave the band for continuing without Stevie Plunder. Have I told you about Stevie Plunder? I could have sworn I have, but maybe I haven't, because I can't find the post...

Anyway, it was none of my business that the Whitlams carried on, and not really for me to judge. And maybe I didn't judge so much, as just felt sad.

I live in Stevie Plunder's old suburb now. His nickname was the Wonder of Narrabundah! God bless Stevie, and if you saw the Whitlams tonight in Canberra, I hope a little bit of Stevie was still part of the show.

To never doing without something that you love

I'd forgotten I wrote about listening to Dinosaur Jr on this blog. But I did, and I'm sure it was an awesome post.

Do you want to know what isn't awesome? When you leave your laptop on your record player and the heat warps said Dinosaur Jr record.

That kind of sucks doesn't it? But then, do you want to know something awesome? Your friend, a sweet and thoughtful friend, leaves a parcel at the front door of the yellow house in the U, and inside is a replacement copy she has found on the internet.

I'm not sure what is better - the replacement record.....

or the lovely sentiment attached...

I think you'll know what I think is better. And you know it is funny, because just tonight Taffy and I were talking about music and sentimentality.

He is borrowing my copy of the Pixies Doolittle, and I warned him about losing it - because it is sentimental and all. His point was that if he did lose it, he would buy a replacement and then that would have sentimental value of its own. Which is true (but I still hope you don't lose it).

So now when I listen to Fossil, and looking at the cover, I won't be reminiscing about the version I bought from Waterfront records back in the day. I'll be thinking of the lovely Magda, whose thoughtfulness and generosity constantly surprises me.

Thank you ♥

My Place & Yours -Behind the Camera

My Place and Yours has moved. Check it out over here at helloowl!

This weeks theme is behind the camera.

I cheated and used a photo from last winter.

I'm not feeling so photogenic this week.

So a snippet about about the girl from the yellow house...

I live in a yellow house in a street shaped like a U.

The roof is made of tin, to make the rain sound nice.

There are vapour trails in the sky

and squirrels, foxes and deer play in the garden.

Okay there are no squirrels, foxes or deer,

but there is a dog and a possum. And a deer.

Maybe a pretend one?

Sometimes I think in German, and I often laugh in English.

I like making friends with shopkeepers,

and having crushes on strangers.

I don't like disloyalty or unfairness.

I love hello kitty and you.

Feeling better

Newtown

Driving into Newtown last Thursday night, I spent the whole time driving down King street reminiscing about days gone by. I'd forgotten about how much time I had spent in Newtown.

As a kid, driving all the way across the city to go and see out family doctor - Dr Rosenberg. It really was a very long way to go, but that's what we did. Driving in the hot car in summer, bumper to bumper down King street. Newtown was a different place back then, and full of continental deli's and butchers. I guess thats why we went there....

And then I went back to Newtown as a uni student. The days spent at Alice street and nights at the Bank Hotel. And 50 Million Beers always playing at the Sandringham. My first art markets, my first exhibition - all in Newtown.

So driving up King street, I noticed all that has changed, but you know? Some things have stayed the same.

PS I looked out for you to say hi!

Stephen Huneck

I saw some prints on a website that reminded me of Stephen Hunecks work. I know sometimes art is made that is similar to that of other artists - it happened to me at uni as I made a number of large lithographs of hearts. At assessment I was asked about the obvious influence Jim Dine had on my work...hmmm really? Yeah I was familiar with Jim Dines work, but not his hearts, but it is a heart, it is a shape, Jim Dine did not have sole ownership on its use! And then there was the print of heart with wings - it appeared on a mambo design about 4 years after I made that print at uni. But again - not a completely out there concept.

So today when I saw a bunch of animal prints and I immediately thought of Stephen Huneck. The prints were of animals, and in them you could see what the animals were thinking. Like Stephen Hunecks. I don't know - the fact that I related it so quickly to Stephen Hunecks work made me really uncomfortable, especially since I hadn't looked at his work for a few years (after buying some books and prints from his website).

Anyway, as I was looking for the print in question (so I could show the non Stephen Huneck folk) I found out that Stephen Huneck killed himself in January. That made me sad, and thats why I wrote about all of this because his work was so happy and lovely and fun, and I wanted you to know about him.

Talon, Inducing vomiting, 24 hour vet hospital

What do all those things have in common? They were google searches I conducted on Friday night. Yep - the Friday night after the Thursday night where I'd had 5 hours of sleep before going to work. You'd also be right in thinking it was the same Friday night following the Fri-day at work where, on 5 hours of sleep I worked until 6.30pm without stopping even for lunch.

It was also the Friday night previously known as the Friday night where all I wanted to do was drink Clover Hill until it seeped out of my eye sockets, and watch Greys Anatomy via a non illegal streaming process from the internet.

So what went wrong? I suspect the dog being locked up inside for a significant chunk of time during the past 36 hours has something to do with it. Bored much? Either way, next time my dog barks in boredom while I'm watching Meredith Grey whinge about something, I'm going to pay attention to the dog. Why? Because before you know it, that very dog is taunting you by ripping apart a box of mice bait for fun and attention. Look at me! I have the box which was hidden behind the toilet cistern. Hello - look...found it! LOOOOOK!!!

So, did he eat any? I suspect not... much...but maybe.

So I googled Talon. Yeah not so great for pets to eat that stuff. Brodifacoum, Talon's active ingredient, is a long lasting anticoagulant poison that can affect a wide range of verbrate species, including humans, domestic animals and pets. You can ring this 1300 number for assistance. We won't actually answer it, but it does make us seem helpful and responsible if we put it on out website.

Next I googled how to make him vomit. Hmm don't have hydrogen peroxide and a syringe handy. But that video sure is educational!

Next google search, the 24 hour vet hospital, and a car ride to a new adventure.

Hello Belgian vet girl on exchange. Look...I'm cowering, shy, submissive and cute. Oh, are you cooing at me? Cool we can be friends.

Lady with the stethoscope, I'm going to make you work for it. So you're going to crouch down to tell me how cute I am. Works for me, I'll come with you to yack my guts up. And off he trotted off with his new super best friend and her friend for half an hour to puke while I got to stay in the examination room looking at a chart on venomous snakes, and another chart on ticks and louse. Friday night - rock and roll!

So after all that you might want to know if he is going to be okay. I did get to look at the contents of his stomach, and it appears he ate just one small pellet. But just to be sure he is on a course of vitamin K1. And yeah - this is a long, detailed, boring post about my dog...but it makes me feel better to get something else out of the $260 trip. It also makes me feel better to know as a 10 month old puppy he never broke into a pantry to eat 3 packets of chips and a giant bag of cashews and some chocolates. Beagle fans out there (and I know there is at least one of you) be warned.

And now he sleeps. And yes I gave him star ball back. He faced death in the eye, so he deserves it.

Pavement

Don't you just love the Enmore theatre in Sydney? I've seen so many fantastic bands at that venue over the years...The art deco features, the cool bar at door 7, the way you can see the stage from the dancefloor.

Don't you just love Pavement? Steve Malkmus has the most beautiful voice, and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is a bit like one of those albums that is part of the soundtrack of my life. They played for two whole hours, under the glittering fairy lights.

Don't you just love your friends? I mean come on...We got in the car in Canberra at 4pm. We were eating dinner on Enmore road about 7.30. After the gig and were back on the highway at 11.30pm, arriving home at 2:50 in the early morning.

Thank you Gypsy girl and Taffy, it was a special gig for me to see back in my old stomping ground - and I'm glad you were both there to share it.

On the drive to work

I sometimes like the drive to work, and often I like it better than the drive home. Don't get me wrong, the drive home is a great way to unwind. I often go too fast, and play the music too loud - but once I hit the yellow house, work is a world away.

But the drive there...it's different. I think about the most random things and that's kind of nice. Today I thought about my lovely friend who is a countryside away. With all the nice things I was thinking I was going to give her a call to say, you know what? I think you are pretty awesome, and you should know that. But instead I wanted to write it down to share.

Now during the last few years, I've really learnt the value of friendship. I know I'm lucky because I have some wonderful friends who I treasure more than anything. Those friends have helped me deal with the crap of the world, like I'm sure lots of friends do - but for me, with the very unexpected crap that came my way, I needed those friends more than they will ever know.

So the friend that I was thinking about today, she is so thoughtful. For my birthday she (and her boy) bought me earrings, and at christmas a beautiful ring. Do you know I remember thinking how nice it was to be given jewelry, because I had 14 years of jewelry that hurt my heart to wear. And do you know is the best? This friend purposely bought me jewelry for that reason, to help me have new memories and to help mend my busted heart.

So as I was driving to work today, wearing those earrings, my friend who is very far away became nice a close.

Vintage Dresses

I can't believe this dress was first made, and then secondly not sold yet. What is wrong with you people of Canberra - it is only $20!

Check it out, at Salvage up the back of Landspeed Records.

Salvage specialises in wearable vintage clothes and accessories with a focus on detail. And dresses with puppy dogs printed on them.