Long Way From Home

I'm back from a (long) weekend in Sydney. The weather and the company was wonderful. Although I mainly took film cameras, you should still be prepared for photo overload. It's what I do.

 Camera bag packed and ready to go.

 My flight there was cancelled, and then the replacement one I got put on kept getting delayed. All of this I could handle. It was when I got to my seat that I nearly cried. I get claustrophobic really easily, but I still asked for a window seat because I feel a bit better when I can look out and see all of the sky outside. I managed to get seated in the only "window" seat without a window. That bit of the wall also comes in about an inch or two further than what the window would. Add to that the annoying child that was next to me, and it was not a pleasant flight.

 The Grace Hotel, where we stayed.

 It was a gorgeous art deco style hotel with beautiful features. Just don't order the room service. Even if The Witches of Eastwick comes on the TV at lunchtime and you just CAN'T leave because you need to know what happens. Also, don't put a toy dinosaur under your roommate's pillow. She will freak out. Especially if you leave the tail hanging out.

 Apparently in Sydney the all day breakfast is unknown. We tried a few places at 12 and were told by many that we were too late for breakfast. This one place was nice enough to accomodate two ladies on Brisbane and Perth time who couldn't stomach lunch yet.

 Off to check out some art at the Art Gallery of NSW. I actually preferred the works from the collection to the Picasso exhibition that we'd paid to see.

 This is my worst fear when I'm at work. 

 Might have bought some $5 gold shoes because I didn't pack my comfy walking boots.

 We had this table at work I think for the 21st Century exhibition (all the exhibitions kind of blend together in my mind). The carving is amazing, but when it was on display in Brisbane there was no photography. No such rules here, so I snapped away.

 My cubist sculpture. I'll always find the kids activities :)

 At one point we made a plan to see this, but unfortunately didn't get around to it because we'd just jammed too much into our weekend. Bummer! If anyone has seen it/has plans to see it.. please let me know about it!

 This was meant to be a little afternoon snack. I still can't get over the size of that lemon merengue pie.

 I think we did pretty well.

 This is why girls with fake red hair don't have white towels.

 Some birthday celebrations at the Belgian Beer Cafe.

Time for some vintage shopping in Newtown.

 

 Unfortunately most things were either too big too take home with us, or out of our pricerange.

 Time for a retro birthday party! Do you remember making those chains? In my memory they were fun and quick to make. In reality they take about the same time as a crappy Amanda Bynes movie to make just one chain.

 I had to steal thses couple of pictures from my friend Kim's facebook, because yeah, only had a film camera with me.

 Smoking lolly Fads with a fake Rock of Ages lighter. Classy. Note my cool tie. I won that because I was the winner of the music quiz (which only one other person bothered to play). I probably should have worn it as a belt since the muu muu wasn't very flattering (I LOVE the fabric though).

 The Instax were a big hit. Only probloem was that I left the photos on the wall with the donkey, so I can't scan them.

 The Rafael Lozano-Hemmer exhibition at the MCA was brilliant. My photos don't really do it any justice, but if you're in the area, go see it!

 On the way home I snagged a window seat AND an empty seat next to me. Score!

And it's back to work and reality tomorrow..

Round Our Way

So apparently it’s Thanksgiving. That amazing day where you wear cozy sweaters, eat turkey, and (for reasons I still don’t understand) sweet potato with marshmallows. It’s snowing outside and there’s a warm golden hue to everything inside. I’m not sure if this is correct. Like most things, my understanding of this event comes from movies. I don’t like turkey, but everything else about this seems amazing. I am a winter person. I am a snuggle up and eat comfort food person. I am a person who is living in the wrong city. And lets not forget that Thanksgiving seems to be nicely positioned in that wonderful line up of celebrations that starts with Halloween and ends with New Years Eve (again, I’m making assumptions based on movies).

Although when I think about my family, I really don’t think Thanksgiving would work. I mean, we like cooking and eating and laughing. But we’re not so great with the sentimentality. There’s no way that we could go around the table and say what we were thankful for while still keeping a straight face. My Mum would probably start out by saying that she was thankful for her wonderful children (word!), then the rest of us wouldn’t be able to take it seriously. We would go around the table saying things like ‘I am thankful for the day off work’, ‘I am thankful for beer’, and ‘I am thankful to be the brother without the receding hairline’.

A friend of mine suggested we have an Autumn Soiree, because autumn colours are pretty, dammit! And it’s only fair that we get to drink warm apple cider and eat pumpkin pie just like those northern hemisphere people. I think it’s a fantastic idea and I’ve already started planning for next year.

So as I sit here with the air conditioning blasting and being unable to have that much-needed cup of tea because it’s just too damn hot, I’ll be thinking of all of you who are sitting by the fire dunking your sweet potato marshmallows in hot chocolate.

My brother just walked in the door and handed me a beer. See? We’re that kind of family. For that I am thankful.

Beeeeeeeer! Thank you, dear brother.