Tightass Tuesdays at Bondi

Everything old is new again

Milk Bar

The great Aussie Milk Bar! This one in Bexley used to provide lunches when I was a pupil at Bexley Public School in the 1960s. They are disappearing fast in favour of trendy cafes and fast food places. The milk bar was a staple of Australian life, selling some basic staple food items, snack foods, and the classic ice-cream based milkshake. They made cut sandwiches, sold pies and sausage rolls, and flipped the classic Australian burger. 

Read more: 

One photographer, Eamon Donnelly has been photographing milk bar iconography around Sydney. 

Merchant of Venice

Meet maria, who has a shop at Leichhardt called the Merchant of Venice.

She sells beautiful, authentic Venetian-made masks, and costume jewellery.

You can find Maria in the entrance t the Italian Forum, just off Norton St.

"Smile Please"

This lovely Japanese lady stands outside a vintage camera shop in Newtown called "Smile Please".
They have a Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/smilepleasesydneysuper8mm.

I took in my Pentax K1000 to get a new case, and walked away a very satisfied customer. Now I'm keen to use it again after many years. Have to think of a special project worthy of it.

Turkish (de)lights

Ferah Turkish Homewares is another of my favourite Newtown shops.

Knitting is the new yoga

Anyone a knitter? The Granny Square in Newtown will supply you with all you need, and even teach you how to get started. (There's a branch in Katoomba too)

My mum was a beautiful knitter - she used to knit for Paton's pattern books. She made some beautiful garments for Ben when he was a baby, all of which I've kept.

Mum taught my sister and me how to knit and I made quite a few jumpers when I was younger. Haven't knitted for years now.

The Social Outfit

Meet Jackie, CEO of an organisation called "The Social Outfit", in their shop and studio in Newtown.

The Social Outfit: "Good to Wear. Made for Good".

The organisation seeks to create opportunities for new migrants and refugees in employment and education in fashion, design and retail work.

You can see the creative studio space at the back of the retail area in the two smaller photos.

Jackie said that their presence has been warmly welcomed by everyone in the Newtown community.

Have a seat!

A Tale of Two Sydneys

Top left and right: At Guildford Foodworks, in Sydney's west, a rather limited milk cabinet, and bulk containers of haloumi and fetta cheeses and natural yoghurt. At the brand new Woolworths in Wolli Creek (bottom pics), a huge selection of milks, and equally startling array of youghurts, all labelled - full cream, light; no fat, reduced fat milks, and everyday, premium, low fat, natural and kids yoghurts, "adult" desserts, custards, custrad creams and creams....then there's cheeses....and separate fridges full of flavoured milks....

Nola and I really liked Foodworks, where there were also large bags of basmati rice, fresh almonds, Turkish semolina, Lebanese Black coffee and a large selection of foodstuffs catering to the diverse, multicultural population of the area.

Taken on iPhone 7pm approx 7pm and 11pm

The Illustrated Man

The tattoo parlour The Illustrated Man has been a feature of the corner of Elizabeth St and Foster St, Surry Hills for as long as I can remember. Recently they have moved a few metres to the other corner of Foster St. Nice, shiny new premises.

The tiger tattoo mural on the wall of the old shop will probably disappear under re-development int he not too distant future. So here it is, for the record, and reflected in the window of the new place.

SDP on tour...Just to prove

Just to prove that "even in Paris" there are boutiques catering to the equivalent of the Damart catalogue crowd....

SDP on tour....there's something about the French language...

That's underwear, nickers, grundies*, reg's*, undies, panties, smalls, bras, corsets,  or even lingerie to much of the world....
* Australian. From 1960s TV personality, and latterly gameshow tycoon, Reg Grundy: rhymes with undie, short for underpants....therefore Grundies, which moved on to Reg's.
Oh, who said that French was "strange" ?????

SDP on tour - Hmmmm? Where to next?

I know! That champagne break helped me to gain a new perspective on the world....

(actually I had a coffee and pain aux raisins, but why spoil a good story!)

The largest......

Touted as "the largest IKEA store in the southern hemisphere...", due to open later this year.

Now there's something to contemplate!

Especially considering according to this list, Australia is the only country in the southern hemisphere with an IKEA. (Plans for New Zealand)

Latest facade

The newest facade in Sydney is that of the redeveloped Westfield shopping centre (previously Centrepoint) in central Sydney.
Left: A worker puts the finishing touches on the weekend before the grand opening, which was last weekend.

Coffee time

Former Grace Brothers building

The copper dome and clock towers of the former department store, Grace Brothers, buildings at Broadway. Now one building houses student accommodation (Unilodge) and the other a shopping centre, the Broadway Centre.

Gum machines, Newtown

Anyone for tennis?