Circus

The circus is in town. This is a "traditional circus", or as they bill themselves an "Animal Circus"... which is why I wouldn't be going. I love acrobats, and trapeze artists, and burlesque, and even clowns, but not animals other than humans performing tricks.

There's camels, performing monkeys, performing lions "and much more"

Would you go? Have you been to an "animal circus"? How was it? 

Pub

Television

iphone 4S 17 Dec 2012

Back in "the day" (well and truly before my day...) people used to gather in front of electrical shop windows to watch that marvellous new-fangled gadget, the (cathode ray) television.

TV came to Australia in 1956, in time for the Mebourne Olympics. Colour arrived on 1 March, 1975. In 2012 there's a whole new world of web-integrated TV, HD, LED, LCD, SmartTV, Blue-Ray, gaming, WIFI.....

And ion the 6th floor of the Myer department store in Sydney, you can settle back on a comfy leather sofa to contemplate the cricket, and your next purchase.

Beach Club, Circular Quay

photos taken on iPhone 4S

Stumbled across what looked like a "beach bar" at Circular Quay last night...but it was strangely empty.

Enter Google. And here's what I found:

"Bringing the beach to the city, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Intel will transform Customs House Square into your ultimate inner city work space. HP and Intel Beach Club will allow you to escape from the confines of your desk and enjoy the sunshine in the fully functional outdoor beach workspace.
From 27 November to 30 November, HP and Intel Beach Club will be set up as an outdoor productivity area with group zones for meetings. HP staff will also be on site to help with any technology needs.
During the week guests will also be able to simply sit back, relax and enjoy the sunshine. Comfy beach chairs, coconuts and sun umbrellas set the scene, transforming Customs House Square into the ultimate summer location."

It was empty because it's open 10:30 am to 6 pm, and we were there around 6.

I hope the sun DOES shine at some time between 27 and 30 November....it hasn't so far!

That's entertainment!

What's coming soon in Sydney? I only need to walk around the block from home to be informed.
We saw Avenue Q in London last year, and are looking forward to going again. And I would like to see Ry Cooder and Nick Lowe.

Pink

My colleague from work, Amanda (she's on the right), and her friend Anna-Louise went to Pink's recent concert in Sydney. Anna-Louise had scored backstage passes to meet Pink afterwards.

Have you ever been in the presence of the latest hot celebrity?

(Photo c/- Amanda)

Go-Karts Go

This Go-Kart must have been the subject of one attack too many.

Bread and Circuses

The circus has been in my suburb, at one of my local parks. It's been winter school holidays and families were flocking there on Sunday morning when I was out and about. Christians and Lions - that's what was keeping Sydney interested this week, and having both arrived together, it's time for both to depart as school goes back for third term.

I do like circuses - ones without animals, like Cirque du Soleil, or Circus Oz - and would never go to this one. My mother refused to take me to the Moscow Circus when it toured in the 1960s, because of the treatment of bears. I whinged to her for ages, but she patiently explained her position, and stayed resolute. I guess her values stuck with me. These lions in that small cage make me feel quite sad.

What do you think about the circus? Do you go?

Billy Elliott

Off to see this production tonight.
Do you like musical theatre? What is your favourite form of the performing arts?

Como

“Como”, said the station sign. And they ran on bridges over two arms of water from the sea, and they saw what looked like a long lake with wooded shores and bungalows: a bit like Lake Como, but oh, so unlike. That curious sombreness of Australia, the sense of oldness, with the forms all worn down low and blunt, squat. The squat–seeming earth. "

- DH Lawrence, Kangaroo, 1923.

Yesterday I saw a wonderful new play, called Toy Symphony, by Australian playwright, Michael Gow. Gow grew up in southern Sydney at Como, which was indeed named after Lake Como in northern Italy. As the play was based in parts on Gow's life, we travelled to Como in several scenes of the play.

So, today, we did something I've been meaning to do for a long time - we hopped on the train and travelled the 25 minutes from our place to Como and had breakfast at the Como Marina Cafe. Then we wandered around, and walked across the old railway bridge. It's now a footbridge and cycleway, joining Oatley and Como, across the Georges River.
The railway bridge was completed in 1885

Below: Photo of railway bridge taken by Robert Hunt, 1885. Macleay Museum, Sydney.

Above: Cafe, marina and pool, taken from the bridge

After all that strenuous exercise, I cooled off with a dip in the free pool.

More pool pics here.

Belly dancer

Yes, we all had to get up and dance!

The Wharf Theatre

We went to the Wharf Theatre at Walsh Bay to see Sydney Theatre Company's production of The Art of War, based on the 2500 year old "manual" on war by Sun Tzu. It was magnificent, and wove together themes around the invasion of Iraq, business practice and personal relationships.


To get to the theatre, which is in a renovated finger wharf, you walk down a long corridor lined with hundreds of posters from previous STC productions. The inky black waters of Walsh Bay, and the Harbour Bridge appear through the windows every few metres...

Here's an earlier post, taken in the daytime from ground level.

Sydney Film Festival

Fancy spending two weeks in the dark? Sydney Film Festival began on the weekend. Many of the screenings are at the beautiful, elaborate 78 year old State Theatre. This is a glimpse at the foyer and box office.

The cult of celebrity

The posters for this week's editions of the "big four" in Australian gossip mags, at the newstand at my railway station. I always travel with a book, and don't buy these, but sometimes they're fun to leaf through when at the doctor's waiting room! Especially if they are a year out of date, and all their fabrications are patently not true!

Do you have magazines like these?

A night at the drive-in

Last week I showed you the back of the screen at Bass Hill Drive-In . And as I promised our son we'd go to the drive-in, last night was the night. We saw the 3rd instalment of Pirates of the Caribbean. The first part was much too long, but the action got going in the second half. Intermission was a chance to stock up with more junk food at the snack bar....mmmmmm choc-top ice creams!
Some things don't change either...little kids still get taken to the drive-in dressed in their pyjamas, dressing gown and slippers. And some people park their station wagons backwards, open the back and lie down to watch the movie.

Bass Hill Drive-In

Have you ever been to a Drive-In theatre? Along with ten-pin bowling alleys and courtyard motels, they were an iconic part of 1950s and 60s culture, imported from the US.

I used to love going when I was a kid. Usually there would be a small playground under the screen where kids could play. Many would arrive dressed in their pyjamas, so if they went to sleep in the car they could get put straight into bed when the family got home.

The people who live here must feel like they are there every night! Bass hill is a twin screen theatre, so there is another screen, showing a different movie at the other end of the lot. You just park your car in the direction of the movie you want to see. It was closed when I went past, but here's some great pics.

You can check here to see what' s showing tonight.

To read all about Australian drive-ins, have a look at this website, starting with Bass Hill, one of only two left open in Sydney. And here's a doco, American Drive-In Movie Memories.

And here's one on the history of the drive-in theatre.

Central station busker

I sometimes see this fellow busking around Central station. He's a nice guy.

Belvoir Street Theatre, Surry Hills

The resident companies at the Belvoir, Company B and B Sharp, stage some of the most innovative, moving, and thought-provoking theatre in Sydney. Sydney is very well endowed with theatres - and there is always lots happening on the stage, but performances at the Belvoir are my favourite. Many of Australia's best known actors have appeared in Belvoir productions.

The Harp

Painting on the outside wall of The Harp Irish Pub at Tempe. It faces the very busy Princes Highway and is always a welcome sight after the light industry of the area.

Not one of those prettified brewery-fake Irish pubs, The Harp attracts some high quality musical acts.

Battery charged

A battery-charged busker at Circular Quay.

And for me, a last stop on my trip - to Los Angeles for two nights.