It’s Sunday afternoon and I’ve just returned from the Strawberry Hills Hotel where I’ve eaten one of their $5 rump steaks. Yeh, so much for the vegetarian diet I’ve been on for about a year now. Occasionally, just occassionaly I get a craving for meat and that’s what’s happened today.
A highlight, I guess, in an otherwise fairly eventless week, aside from last Sunday night, when Graeme and I went out for a beer or two. Or was it twelve? Actually, I’ve always been partial to a beer or two on a Sunday night. I think it all started when I was going to university in Brisbane.
I remember vividly going to “The Terminus” (in the notorious Fortitude Valley) and (another bar I can’t recall) where beer and food was cheap. As I recall, $3 got you entry and a meal at “The Terminus” in those days. And then we’d go down the road to another club which officially closed at midnight, though the arrival of police officers shortly afterwards usually meant an unofficial extension of trading hours. This was Queensland in the 80’s don’t forget. I wish I could remember the name of that other pub we used to go to… it started with A… and it was in Spring Hill… and they had a drag queen who was 85 in the shade called Freda Mae West.
Brisbane in the 80s was such a contrast with Sydney in the 00s. Sydney never sleeps, except at about 4am Monday. Last Saturday night, for example, at about 12.15 I received a text message I assumed was from a friend who has a penchant for karaoke. It wasn’t her number, though, but I assumed she might have been using her sisters phone. The message was inviting me to take a five minute walk down the road to “Ding Dang Dong”, a legendary karaoke club in Surry Hills which she and I have been to several times before. As I was wide awake I thought, “why not” and got dressed. Imagine my surprise when the SMS turned out to be from fellow blogger, Glenn. Feeling a little self-conscious at not knowing everyone there, I resisted the desire to sing, but had a good time, nonetheless.
But aside from that, it’s been a quiet week, just work, reading and watching television. And I’ve also been following the visit by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth this week on television. The lime green dress worn by the Queen at the opening of the Opera House extensions reminded me a lime green shirt I used to own. I still have that shirt somewhere, as it has a strong memory attached to it, a memory of meeting and interviewing legendary Australian fashion icon, Maggie Tabberer. Of course I asked her about timeless fashion, clothing you can purchase that will always look good, and in her answer she said, “Most things can be pretty timeless, except for that horrid lurid green shirt you’re wearing”. So yes, I’ve received fashion advice from Maggie T.
…but back to QEII. I’m sure that both she and Phil nodded off during the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. And what was it with the flying trams? They’re not iconic, they’re just a mode of public transport! And, where else, but in Melbourne, could they think it was a good idea to incorporate “Plucka Duck” from Hey Hey It’s Saturday into an opening ceremony shown all over the world? The Aboriginal stuff, was good though.
Leave a Reply