when the thai chefs have gone to sleep
more deserted places
Edited: May 31st, 2010
amazing new photographic proof of ghosts and phantoms
well not really, it’s just my hand, slow shutter speed and an nd filter.
another photo from the amazing series.
Edited: May 30th, 2010
international whores day
ummm… okay…. why not, i guess.
found on a surry hills bus shelter.
if you can’t read the copy, here is what it says:
‘rally to demand legislative anti-discrimination protection for sex workers – sat june 5 – opera house circular quay, sydney”
sounds like a pretty fair ask to me.
should be an interesting turn-out…
Edited: May 28th, 2010
pot of gold. in sydney?
after about a week of torrential downpours, i awoke this morning to a black sky.
over time, the morning darkness gave way to some light! sunlight!
yaaay!
on the drive to a job, i snapped this shot through the windscreeen (i was driving west along burton st, darlinghurst) – the first strong rainbow i’ve seen since shooting a rainbow in the inner-west.
was the pot of gold coming from the sydney cbd, or was it coming from the now hot property market in sydney’s inner west, or even from the hot property developers in strathfield? i don’t know.
nice to see some sunshine and a rainbow too after all this time. good feeling all around.
Edited: May 27th, 2010
up the back alley in darlinghurst
sorry to all you hard core porn searchers, “up the back alley” is just a simple shot of that – in darlinghurst.
Edited: May 26th, 2010
the orange order in australia
that’s the original shot of the orange order on parramatta road.
the orange institution, unionism, and northern ireland are all closely linked.
i’m not down on their politics, but it’s a shame they can’t gt with the programme and at least give their doss a lick of paint.
Here is that the same place, the way it would have looked like, 30 years ago – with a little help from photoshop - (moss, algae and all):
it’s a bit sad to let an institution/sect/brotherhood fade like that. looks like the orange institution is fading like the paint on their walls.
Edited: May 25th, 2010
bogan street
this is kind of an in-joke for aussies.
for those of you who don’t know the definition of bogan, here it is – “a term used for a lower class white Australian, similar in meaning to the US term trailer trash”.
i know of another bogan street in sydney, it’s in wahroonga, on the leafy, pretty, sensible and somewhat aloof north shore.
it seems that the sensitive and delicate petals that are the north shore set can’t seem to handle the name of the street that they bought into anymore. seems they also take themselves a little bit too seriously to be a part of the self-deprecating culture of humour that makes so many australians amiable and approachable. (“what will my friends and the ladies who lunch say! the ladies at bridge club don’t take me seriously anymore. we won’t even get a lowly eastern european au paire with an address like that. darling, let’s lobby council to change the name of our street”).
check out the fight to rename bogan street, wahroonga here.
though wahroonga doesn’t really float my boat, there is some architectural history that does set me a-sail. harry seidler built a house for his mum here which has become quite famous – Rose Seidler House. It’s part of the Historic Houses Trust and is a real asset to the neighnbourhood and architecture as a whole. worth a look.
i wonder what the options for renaming bogan street will be – vuitton close, dior crescent, nob drive? time will tell.
Edited: May 24th, 2010
hot water heater – free to good home
seriously, why did someone bother tagging this up?
it would be on the council truck at 6am the next morning.
well i suppose that i saw it, and now all you guys are seeing it, still.. it boggles the mind.
Edited: May 23rd, 2010
tranquil afternoon along the banks of the scenic cooks river
jakarta, cairo, shanghai? no, it’s sydney.
the cooks ‘river’ is a 23 km long waterway that once was a freshwater river with abundant life.it flows into botany bay.
since the 1930′s, most of the banks were re-enforced with concrete and it served as a channel for industrial waste. it is one of the most toxic waterways in australia.
today, it serves as an outlet for some 100 sq km of sydney stormwater within its watershed. some 400,000 people live in this area and i have to say that many of them appear to be pigs.
this is one photo of a 20m section on one bank. imagine what gets caught up up and down stream and what sinks to the bottom – the rest just washes out to sea. out of sight, out of mind, right?
many thanks to all the pigs who throw crap out the car window, to those who couldn’t be bothered to throw their rubbish in a bin, or take it with them, as well as those who are addicted to soft drinks, fast food and bottled water. thanks heaps. you know your children will only see plant and animal diversity in books and will die young from cancer because of you.
oh and btw, on the right of the image, no, it’s not mud that you can walk on. it’s a thick layer of oil and other crud floating on the surface of the water.
i actually saw people trying to fish here – man, how much do you hate your family to feed them your catch?
Edited: May 22nd, 2010
king prawn, scallop, wonton egg noodle soup
love my king prawn, scallop, wonton egg noodle soup from the sussex centre, chinatown.
a dear and fond cousin of the good old legend, the malaysian curry laksa.
if you are in sydney and fancy an asian cheap eat that will cost you under 10 bucks, check this place out. i’d put it on the sydney tourist information site for sure. here’s the map:
View Larger Map
Edited: May 20th, 2010
airstrikes on camels and pm kevin rudd is….. fun with google
i’ve allowed myself to post two things today, because this isn’t technically a photo and i thought it was a bit funny.
while doing a search, i typed “kevin rudd is” into google and look what the suggested queries were… try it for yourself.
i wonder how does “kevin rudd is a fag” rate higher than “kevin rudd is a dud”?
“kevin rudd is a serial killer” can be explained by that link, what however can’t be explained is how people as dumb as the two presenters in the link are allowed to be on tv and be allowed to speak. (and this came off a finance channel – CNBC – with dickheads like these two giving financial advice on tv to the masses, it’s no surprise the usa is as financially and forever screwed as it is today). for some balance, you can read a little commentary about this episode in the punch.
does anyone know if google suggestions are made based on the popularity of those specific search terms?
if that is the case, kevin ’07 and his team better look into it, this being an election year and all.
i never personally made the connection that pm kevin rudd is gay, it seems a lot more people apart from myself have come that conclusion – there you go federal ALP – you either need to drop rudd as leader to win the election, or turn him into a gay icon. hey, it has worked for clover moore in the past…
assuming kev will get the boot this year, if you type “kevin rudd is” into google, i wonder if the suggested queries will be: “kevin rudd is” + “an employee of PBC“? let’s see.
Edited: May 19th, 2010
down with prams and designer babies
there are not many places in sydney that ever were about yuppie life. this bit of social commentary is a little bit late i think. the gentrification of newtown really started kicking off about 15 years ago!
though i too am not a fan of designer babies, i don’t really see the problem with prams. i’m sure whoever wrote this was pushed around in one at some stage.
as for respecting the locals, ‘yuppies’ make up quite a good proportion of locals.
do you not think that it is a bit disrespectful to be scrawling this rubbish on the walls of someones shop? the owner/tenant may well be a local too.
ah, the sweet irony.
Edited: May 17th, 2010
kennards self storage petersham
colossal eyesore in a colour that really does hurt the eyes.
here’s another example of crazy self-storage architecture.
Edited: May 16th, 2010
retro caravan pic
how cool is this thing !?!?
can’t say that i would personally want one myself, strike a match and the whole thing would go up in flames (unless it has good old asbestos walls).
ah, grey nomads and the caravan life.
it made me think of the famous case in usa of someone called grazinski. this person was allegedly driving their winnebago somewhere in the us, set it on cruise control (thinking it was an auto-pilot system), then went into the back to make a cup of coffee. the campervan crashed and they sued, winning a stupid amount of money.
here is the myth-buster version. it has also shed some light and background story on the woman who won crazy money from macca’s for spilling hot coffee on herself. well worth a little read.
why do people believe these internet myths? well i guess it reflects on the seemingly growing legal and social phenomenon of diminsihed personal responisbility.
“i was smashed off my head and walked in the path of a fast-moving car. council hadn’t erected barriers, flashing lights, alarms and an armed guard. it’s their fault i got hit.”
no it isn’t, fool. it’s YOUR fault.
people also believe these myths because both people inside the usa and people outside the usa really believe that americans are dumb enough to do such things.
i really don’t want to be rude, but perhaps the usa should start thinking about fighting social injustice and inequality at home before they start taking the fight overseas. it would certainly help the image of the nation abroad. i’m sure it would prove a bit less expensive as well – thanks bush, rumsfeld, cheney and all your mates in the companies that you represent. thanks to for the corner-cutting that led to the bp oil spill in the gulf of mexico.
great work guys, you’ve done a fine job of representing the best interests of your nation – NOT!
Edited: May 15th, 2010
dead dog memorial wall
how sweet. not while quite a pet cemetery, this is a memorial wall for the dearly beloved dogs that once used to frolic about in bicentennial park, glebe.
there are little plaques erected, some with laminated photos.
it’s a great little dog community down there and one of the few places left in sydney where there is a dedicated dog beach. nice.
Edited: May 14th, 2010
awesome robot poker machine spray in paddo
what a great little spray this is.
it’s on the side-wall of the australian centre for photography (ACP) on oxford street, paddington.
Edited: May 13th, 2010
custom built garage for porsche 911
the grand paddington terrace is falling to bits, the rubbish bin was overflowing with crap, but here, was this classic 1980′s Porsche 911 sitting in the custom built garage, gathering dust. i wonder what’s the story here…
Edited: May 12th, 2010
why is there a birkenstock bolted into this powerpole?
here’s a creative variation on shoe-tossing/shoes on a powerline...
ok, i get the idea of jesus being nailed to a tree, maybe there is something in that, but this took a lot more effort than nails did…
someone screwed these little mothers in. the other jesus sandal is screwed into the other side of the pole, out of shot.
why bother doing this? in the area this photo was take, i am sure it was not supposed to be art. then what, boredom? unemployment can do some pretty fruity things to people sometimes…
….as in the comments below, could it be revisiting shoes on a powerline?
Edited: May 11th, 2010
how to cook a tasty chicken soup/stock. it’s hearty, filling and cheap. EAT WELL! it’s not as hard as you may think…
there are so many ways to make a chicken stock or soup, some methods require you to roast the bones or carcass before making stock (my preferred method).
but let’s get started with the basics….
anyway, i’m a bit sick at the moment and want a good chicken stock to make me feel better and to whack some leftovers in the freezer for later, but i want the meat to make chicken and mushroom pies, so here’s an easy method.
get a whole chook and remove the fat by hand.
i opt for free range chickens for ethical reasons and also because free range chooks tend to have a lot less fat on them and a lot more muscle, because they actually get to move around. it helps even out the extra costs, as when you pay for the animal by weight, you are also paying for the fat that a cage bird carries – work it out…
put de-fatted bird in a good sized stock pot, fill with water to cover chook with 1 to 2 inches of water (see the ring in the pot in py photo? that was my original water level before i put pot on the stove).
lob in some whole peppercorns, carrots, leeks or onions (don’t bother peeling them) and a few sticks of celery.
cover pot, bring to the boil, remove lid, bring heat down to a minimum.
let it do its thing for a few hours, remove chook and let it cool.
if you want a more intense stock flavour, reduce your stock for a bit longer.
when the chook cools, you can pick the flesh off the bones and keep aside for soup, pies, lunch sandwiches or whatever. try not to overcook the chook – especially if you want to re-cook it later.
take your stock off heat, while still hot, strain it (you get lots of veg leftovers, peppercorns and whatever else you threw in out of the way).
allow clear stock to cool to room temperature, transfer into smaller containers and refrigerate.
once cold, all the fat should rise to the top and solidify (if it’s free range/and or you have removed fat from bird before boiling, there won’t be much).
use a spoon to scoop this fat up and throw it out.
presto!
you have a fuck-off chicken stock to use for whatever. you can throw in the veg, meat and stock that got you to this step, along with some pasta for carbs to make an awesome meal.
if you’ve never done it before, it might sound hard, but really, it’s so easy, most of the cooking can be done while you are at your job or asleep.
ps: it also warms your house and is very healthy food – even if you have a tight budget. glogab financial crisis food! get back to basics.
Edited: May 10th, 2010
freaky little monster sticky taped to a pole in paddington
just a twisted little hello kitty monster on a pole. all good.
Edited: May 9th, 2010
happy cuttlefish, just waiting to be bbq’d by a greek
though their country is in economic turmoil, and they really haven’t done much since inventing democracy, i’ve got to say that one thing that i know the Greeks can still do well, is cook exceptional seafood.
these little cuttlefish are just waiting for a good greek grill or bbq.
bring it on!
Edited: May 8th, 2010
the land downunder, sunny sydney, woolloomooloo and pies from harry’s cafe de wheels
another cloudless, crisp sydney autumn day. people enjoying lunchtime pies from harry’s cafe de wheels down at woolloomooloo.
though they do great pies, i’d have to say they’re not the best i’ve sampled. but they are an institution and should be supported.
it just makes me think of the easy ’80′s, when things were uncomplicated and we lived a simple yet full life. Here is a clip that takes that in, complete with kurnell sand dunes, wanda beach, the ‘blessed’ sutherland shire and men at work singing about coming from the land down under (before they got slammed with a ridiculous IP suit for ‘kookaburra sits in the old gum tree’.
enjoy the clip while i’m allowed to show it, think back to the early 80′s and, pie in hand, throw some cheap snags on the bbq to celebrate:
Edited: May 7th, 2010
is this art or vandalism?
if you have been following this blog for a little while, you will have noticed that i am quite liberal on most things – particularly on anything artsy fartsy.
it breaks my heart when i see a good piece or throw-up on the rail lines being covered over with the ubiquitous brown paint that RailCorp so loves to use. It also bothered me when philjames emailed me to tell me that some of the work that he did that i photographed, had been ripped off the walls, leaving behind nothing more than ugly scars.
i have to say though, what is in this photo of the day is completely crap. it’s most likely the work of some dipshit COFA student trying to be profound. i think that this is crap for the following reasons:
1)your ‘art’ is just complete crap – total smega garbage and it says NOTHING;
2) it can’t be painted over or removed without doing more damage to a tree that has been there for over 100 year than what you have already done. Keep in mind, this is in a densely populated area, where it’s unlikely mature trees will be replaced at all.;
3) total disrespect for nature and neighbourhood (in which he/she probably studies in and is desperate to be accepted into);
4) whoever did this, you are a total cock who needs a good slap – get the fuck out of my neighborhood!
Edited: May 6th, 2010
couldn’t pay the rent? did the runner?
make sure you pay the rent on your shop, or….
Edited: May 5th, 2010
dr catt, the cat doctor
dr melissa catt works in (and probably is a partner in) The Cat Vet in Paddington.
i’ve never met her and don’t actually have a cat myself, but i probably would pay her a visit if i did have cat.
what a great thing to have a name which reflects your vocation. go dr catt! hope you’re great at what you do.
Edited: May 3rd, 2010
BMW 1700 – cracker of a car
stumbled across this car today when going for a walk. it was beautiful and in immaculate condition.
i could be wrong, but i think it stopped production in 1975 and was re-badged. from what i’ve read, it seems to have been a bit of a lemon and got discontinued pretty quickly. i’m happy to be wrong, but if any classic bmw enthusiast can correct me, that would be great. anyways, this set of wheels was well looked after and loved – inside and out and am sure some collector would blow cream at having one.
Edited: May 2nd, 2010
butt ugly blokes building handsome furniture for beautiful people
this definitely caught my eye today.
nice way to advertise your business and yourself, wonder how that would go down on an internet dating site? rather well would be my guess!
i love a bit of self-depricating humour – very aussie.
i haven’t yet been to their showroom but it’s now on my to-do list because:
1) i want to see exactly how butt ugly these blokes are and;
2) i want to see what their ‘handsome’ furniture looks like.
i promise that when i finally get around to it, i will get a picture of these blokes to share with you lot. you can all judge how ugly they are. cool, we can run a poll – a 1st for photo a day!
Edited: May 1st, 2010