Big family next door

We were taking a stroll, but left the neighbouring mob alone, as they seemed to be having a great time ~ young and old. How may can you see?

Kongwak Market

The market, held every Sunday, in Kongwak, Gippsland (it's not even really a village, since the dairy closed) and is we're told, very popular, and it was full of people - none of whom are in this post.  This is a shot of the shed's roof and wall.

Door.  The Newport's the UK one.

Sort of essential, now not.

The Comet racer, heading into shadow-cloud...

Assemblage 1.

I like the idea of a slow motion slide button... On an Elmo 8mm projector.

Assemblage 2.

Fonts and missing bits.

Not for dusting the dairy.

Colonised gutter.

Yet now the whole building is heading to waste.

Used to be a filling station outside the general store.

James

Space! The flight's delayed...

I really like the latest* cover of the New Yorker.

I like the slightly retro look and feel, but what makes it special is the juxtaposition of the spaceport outside (Kids!  It's the future!) and the all-too-familiar airport lounge (Kids!  Stop running around!**) the two separated by the humongous architect's windows.

They can make big windows in the airport, but the 'planes are still late.  What do you think space travel will become like?  Mundane, just like air travel did.

The facts are the image is Luke Pearson's 'Now Boarding', details and background on the New Yorker's website here.

James

*Latest here - that's two issues ago to New Yorkers.

**To be fair, while the kids are running in the pic, there's no conflict pictured in the lounge.  I just projected that.

Street food Tokyo

Street food was one of the delights of our short time in Tokyo over New Year.

I have to admit to having found the prospect pretty intimidating - with all of six words of Japanese and none that I can read (except exit - that's 'doublebarbequetongs and a box') -- I wasn't sure how on earth I was going to find anything I liked or know what it is?

Over the course of four days, we learned to follow our noses. There were all sorts of hings, from brightly-coloured sweets to fish-on-sticks. It's not hard to give things a try -- delicious!

I loved the colour, smells and sounds as well as the happy drifting crowds. I'd go back in a shot.

They start young.

Of course you know this is a seafood stall even if you don't speak the language...

This fascinated us the most. A pile of charcoal in the middle and these whole fish on sticks around, constantly being turned until beautifully crisp.

Hot plate happiness.

Measuring out the ingredients into piles, each one then turned and cooked together on the hot plate. A popular stall!

Pink things and green things, frozen things too.

There & Back Again

It's been quiet here.

But we're back.  I noticed on our return that the crisp all-too-bushfire ready grass made the same crunchy noise at +35 degrees as the snow in Canada did at -2 degrees*.

We'll get a few blog posts together of some of the many highlights and fun things we got to see and do on our Christmas and New Year extravaganza over the next few days and weeks, so check back and please let us know you're stopping by!

James

( * For those still stuck using Fahrenheit, that's 'really hot' and 'just below freezing' - or 308.15 and 271.15 Kelvin.)

Holiday Memories

It's always nice to get a CD of pics from a now-not-so-recent holiday.

This pic (by Pam) is of us enjoying the kayaks on Endeavour Inlet, New Zealand. Pretty topping.

James

More cars at the Rock

As I said this time last year, every year, on the Valentine's Day weekend, the Macedon Ranges & District Motor Club hosts the 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' car show. It's a great event with thousands of interesting cars in a unique venue and really is a giant picnic. Here's this year's selection, starting (above) with a Yank Tank in front of the Rock.

While there's a fair amount of repetition of popular classics, there's enough rare and odd stuff if you keep looking. There's a French bias in this list, just because the French built so much neat machinery. After all what car show would be complete without a DS Goddess?

The Nash above is the first of many contenders of why the American machines are bigger than the British; although a Mini on the wing's hardly fair!

Good to see an old friend from London.

That famous signature logo pops up all over.

Australian icon, the early Holden.

And of course a good representation from Germany. Beetles (or Bugs) are still popular worldwide, but Australia has a good representation of the other 60s types on the road as well.

However you don't see many of these here, however common they are in Europe. This one for Greg!

I'm not sure, but I think that may be Thunderbird 9. FAB!*

Neat logo, and an English reminder. Not so exotic in the local lingo, sadly.

Winner of Best Commercial and oldest driver (at 88, for the owner) this magnificent Thornycroft, with solid tyres.

And if your parents are dedicated, no need for the young ones to miss out. However the green machines 'off-driveway' capability seemed as limited as you'd expect. Think the motor got a bit grumpy.

Just in from the Sudan, or possibly a Victorian barn...

The locals were very patient with all the visitors. This guy seemed a lot more sensible than his many admirers (they are wild animals and they can kick hard, folks). The Moggies seemed almost as rare this year.

One of the overall views. It's a great venue.

And to finish, Austin corner. Didn't Noddy drive one of these?

More pictures, including the above, can be seen here in my photo account.

James

*Thanks to the various people who've kindly helped the idiot who tried to make a lame joke about how the car looks a bit like one of the Thunderbird Supermarionation machines, and was nothing to do with Ford Thunderbird cars, or the USAF Thunderbirds, or a drink or any stations west... It's actually a 1965 Buick Rivera. Please do not continue to write in.

Gated

Olli has an access problem at the White Horse, Uffington, 1st July 2008. Photo by Bev.

Streamline Moderne house in Bendigo

One of the great things about Australia is the range of Art Deco building that are still around, and more importantly used and preserved.

One of our favorites is just on the road out of Bendigo towards Melbourne - a remarkably cohesive house still reflecting the original architect's intention with the building. Strictly speaking it's 'Streamline Moderne' rather than Art Deco, but either way you expect someone in impeccable thirties suiting to drive up in an equally fast open-top tourer. It's one of the houses supported by the Art Deco & Modernism Society.

As the National Trust entry says:

Roseview was designed by Godfrey Eathorne and constructed in 1939. It is one of the few Streamline Moderne houses in the Central Goldfields region, and was one of the earliest constructed in the Bendigo region. It is an outstanding example of this style of housing. It resembles an ocean liner, and reflects the emphasis on the streamlining of methods of transportation. It utilizes both flat and curved surfaces and has little external ornamentation. The use of materials such as rounded glass windows and metal window and door frames reflects an innovative approach to construction consistent with the style.

"A1" as they said then.

PS - in the highly unlikely event of anyone using this blog as a reference, I understand the house is a private dwelling, and thus not open for public viewing.

6,000 Sticky notes

This Deadline film should make you smile.

One of those things that you'd think you could do yourself (if you'd have thought of it) but soon realise there's a lot more to it than the initial, simple impression. 6,000 sticky notes, 3 months planning, and a 4 day shoot.

The follow up of a sticky figure man traveling the world is even more fun, albeit an advert for a sticky note company. The making of Deadline and Deadline Two (Sticking Close To You) can be found here and here.

Just fun.

James

On Days Like These - Two

This BBC advertorial ~ with a few problems* ~ has a classic mix - Alfa Romeos and Tuscan roads. The programme here. You get the feeling you could do better, which is probably the point... Enjoy.

Days like these - One.

* A reporter on a vintage car segment who drives automatic only?

Danish Doors

Doors in the Danish Design Museum. It's the odd details at the sides that distinguish the rooms.

Pic by Bev.