Dear Pluto

I had come across Dear Pluto online at home via their blog and discovered they have a vintage clothes shop open over the weekend's in Surrey Hills, Sydney.

Last Saturday a small group of us went for a brief explore. 

Although none of us pur-chased, it was still a great place to have a nose in their racks. The stock is presented really clearly - a major plus point for me in a vintage shop - just cos it's treasure doesn't mean I always want to physically dig for it.

They also host cult movie nights on Mondays, the next one is The Big Lewbowski.

If you're in Sydney I definitely recommend having a peruse.

“In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage.”

- John Steinbeck

The Big Birthday

It was last Friday and it was a big success.

After tea, cards and presents The New 30 yr old and I went for brunch round the corner from his flat. Eggs Benedict with Salmon - oh yes!

Then we headed to Lisa's to help her source and prep for the big birthday dinner. She had broken her toe the previous day so much hobbling occurred. She styles it out pretty well it must be said.

Then after a lovely arvo of chatting, prepping and chilling the guests arrived. Rich had selected an intimate group and they were all so lovely! Much merriment later it was time for the birthday cake.

A 30th birthday to be proud of.

“And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

-Abraham Lincoln

Been So Long...

I have recently started dreaming again, makes me realise how long it's been.

It's kind of nice, carrying around a vague memory of a 

feeling all day.

"All that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream."
- Edgar Allen Poe

Sydney Sights

Words aren't needed....

...or there are no words.

c'est la...NO!

Pop comeback:

c/o Holy Moly

B*witched now relaunched as Barbarellas.

Please, NO! It's not ironic, it's not got a kitsch demand to meet, it's just - not necessary, in any way.

Bad use of punctuation + Hideously cheap wigs = Pop Shame

Grim-ace.

"Do I listen to pop music because I'm miserable or am I miserable because I listen to pop music?"

- John Cusack

Reading:

While in Sydney, to help make the most of my random jet lag (waking up v early and crashing for much needed naps at 4pm) I am reading - 

So far, it's a good read...

I just finished - 

which was heartbreakingly beautiful. 

"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."

~P.J. O'Rourke

Justice and Crime in Sydney

As part of my tourist day yesterday I went to The Justice and Crime museum after walking through the park, along the Opera House and past the posh looking quay bars.

I was really interesting, it documents syndicated crime right up to the 1990's. The crime bosses all had links with customs in the 60's so that when the US soldiers came through from Vietnam all their confiscated heroin was then passed to strip and liquor joints where they were directed to buy it back. A lot of the money obtained was then put into property development projects. Thugs were hired to evict residents so that their street could then be redeveloped into tower blocks (Victoria Street being the main target).

The police corruption was rife meaning that there was no effective legal system in place to protect the residents or anyone protesting. During the Victoria Street protests, several people were kidnapped, beaten and one person killed.

The rest of the museum is dedicated to reconstructing the cells, the court and exhibitions on the history of the Australian police force.

There was also an exhibition on crime scene photography which was pretty gruesome at times!

Next on my list is The NSW Art Gallery.

“Society prepares the crime, the criminal commits it”

- Henry Thomas Buckle

Two Parks: Same Time of Year

Yesterday I spent much of the day wandering in and out of The Botanical Gardens here in Sydney. Rich was at work so after a blogging/email session I headed off with my streetmap to be a tourist.

The Botanical Gardens are so beautiful, no matter where I am, I love the juxtaposition of lush green against a modern city backdrop. The skyscrapers peek out at you in gaps but turn a corner and you forget you're in a city at all. Particularly here, as ahead of you, as you leave the clearings you see: The Sea!

A-mazior!

It struck me yesterday that for the second time in a row I was wandering a large city park on my own in January. Last January I was doing a show in Belfast and so relocated there for 4 months. My digs were opposite the main park and so I took to wandering in and out when I wasn't in rehearsals. It's another beautiful space where you can get lost in the trees but January in Belfast is c-o-l-d.

This January I am in Sydney and c-o-o-k-i-n-g and am surrounded by bats screeching, tropical birds calling and the sea.

A public drinking fountain with Diana dancing on the top.

The sea!

I am mesmerised by these sleeping Bats or Flying Foxes as they're called.

P.S Just so you see what I mean about contrast, here's last year in Belfast's main park:

Walking the world's parks and loving it!

"All I need to make comedy is a park, a policeman and a pretty girl"

-Charlie Chaplin

So I saw this show at The Sydney Opera House....

Yes that's right I actually saw a show at the Sydney Opera House, none of this just posing tourist nonsense for me - I know people - who know people - who give tickets to actually see things there!

Rich had hooked us up with some tickets to see Soap at the Opera House, it's a cabaret style show that has been developed from an act in La Clique. The show itself was...meh. Some incredibly talented performers in it, no doubt about that, but as a show it just wasn't particularly well put together. The concept wasn't fully realised and it just didn't flow together.

Sydney Opera House - SOAP

We both left with much the same opinion and headed straight to see another show Rich had got us into, which happened to be the hottest show in town - 'Smoke and Mirrors' in the famous Speigeltent.

It was part of the Sydney Festival and had already played there, in Edinburgh and in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival to huge acclaim and apparantly the tickets to this current run sold out in under 2 hours so it's bloody lucky that Rich is someone with connections because otherwise I would have missed an enormous treat - he'd seen it 6 times previously and really wanted me to see it.

It was A-mazing!

Dark, disturbing, funny, gasp inducing. It was a must-see.

Should you EVER get a chance to see it, RUN, RUN ALL THE WAY THERE!

“Performance stands out like a ton of diamonds. Non performance can always be explained away.”
- Harold S. Geneen 

Australia Day!

Yesterday was Australia Day - a national holiday so Rich and Lisa were officially off work which meant Picnic Time in Beare Park! 

Once we were up and sorted Rich took me to his local deli to choose picnic fare.

in the main box are flat white peaches which were lush.

no pasta on this picnic but I thought it looked scrums

We met up with Lisa and Lil Leo at about 11am, gathered our munch together and headed down to meet Paul, a friend of theirs, at Beare Park in Elizabeth Bay. There were quite a few other picnic-ers and the weather was beautiful!

We laid out the rugs, admired Paul's wicker hamper and proceeded to chomp our way through a vast array of deliciousness. What a lovely way to spend the day.

Later we packed up, headed back for a much needed nap (that's when you know you're on holiday) before the evening's entertainment Rich had organised.

But that's another post....

'Death is the sound of distant thunder at a picnic'

-W H Auden

Bats, Prawns and Sydney Opera House Tiles!

So the other day when I wrote my first post from here my camera battery 'helpfully' decided to run down so I couldn't add my photos to my words.

So... battery charged:

A very surprised Rich

See the bats!

This is walking through the Botanic Gardens.

Do you see what I see?

That's me! Standing against The Sydney Opera House!

Which is made of these tiles! Purty...

So now for dinner, which we had with Lisa, Campbell and Leo at 'Oy A Sailor' and was DIVINE!

Oh yes - YUM - indeed!

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia."
- Charles M. Schulz

So You'll Never Guess Where I Am.....

One of my very best and oldest friends, Rich, moved to Sydney, Australia 2 years ago and being realistic I am not anticipating his long term return to London anytime soon.

Rich and I have known each other for about 16 years, he introduced me to Barbara Streisand, many Judy Garland movies and general fabulousness MGM stylee. We did shows at school together, partied and basically grew up together.  He eventually became my gay husband, my constant chum and then he left to go on an adventure and try out living somewhere new and he is loving it.

And today I got to see a glimpse of why.

Rich is celebrating his 30th birthday on Friday and so I flew out on Sunday as a total surprise to be here to celebrate every minute with him.

Needless to say he was a tad shocked and luckily, happy!

I landed here in Sydney at 7:30am, my other lovely friend Lisa picked me up from the airport (she has been my co-conspirator since the plan was hatched in March) took me to her g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s apartment to see her lully hubby Campbell and her simply delicious 7 month son Leo - who I had only met over Skype. I had a much needed shower, got changed then we drove to the cafe near their office. Lisa arranged it that I would bring out their order so I hid in the cafe, shaking with excitement and finally, emerged. I'm not sure who was more shocked to be honest!

I have kept this HUGE secret for so long and it is absolutely amazing to finally be here and see where Lisa and Rich have made their lives.

It is super hot but super gorgeous so far. After a bit of brunch, Rich took me to see the Opera House, we walked through the Botanical Gardens, under stacks of bats in the trees. It's all so much to take in!

Tonight we're having dinner with Lisa and Campbell (who's jetting off to NYC for the next few days so will miss all the birthday fun) then there's already been a million and one things planned - shows, gigs, parties - thank god I packed almost my entire shoe collection!

So for the next 2 weeks I shall be blogging all my adventures here.

Paper-Rock-Scissors is offically 'down under' but on top of the world!

“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.”

- Tennesse Williams

Did you know....

I popped into Mac yesterday with 6 empty items - 4 Mac lipsticks, one bottle of Face and Body and one pot of concealer.

Do you know what they gave me in return for these empties?

A free lipstick!

 

Blankety - my daily companion

 

Bonus!

Have you 6 empties? If so take them round to a Mac counter or send them in the post to the address on their website and get your smackers a new outfit!

“Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.”

-Jerry Seinfield

Iconic Women: Part 2

You may have seen an earlier post I wrote about women who inspire me in whatever way, if you missed it, you can catch up here - it's a corker!

So on with Part 2 and after muchos musing I decided it has to be Vivien Leigh. Not only was she incredibly beautiful but she was an amazing actress. Married to Laurence Olivier and winner of TWO Academy Awards, she led a complicated life battling bipolar and tuberculosis.

You probably know her primarily for Gone with The Wind but for me her performance as Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire opposite Marlon Brando is one of the most consistently electrifying things I have ever seen.

Technically their individual approaches and varying methods could not have been more different but together Brando and Leigh combined to make something incredible.

Her beauty and style obviously hugely contribute to her iconic status however she felt her beauty hindered her as an actress, she felt the parts she was offered were often less challenging then if she looked more like...a character actress. This is one of the main reasons I really admire her, a great credible talent. Someone you can still look up to in today's often aesthetically obsessed arts industry.

I am hoping to learn more about her by reading this.

"I'm not a film star, I am an actress. Being a film star is such a false life, lived for fake values and for publicity."
- Vivien Leigh 

Congratulations!!

The Irish Times Theatre Awards 2011

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Laurence Kinlan – Mossy Lannigan in Christ Deliver Us!, written by Thomas Kilroy and directed by Wayne Jordan for the Abbey Theatre
Joe Hanley – as Fluther Good in The Plough and the Stars, written by Sean O’Casey and directed by Wayne Jordan for the Abbey Theatre
Ronan Leahy – as Tutor/Messenger in Medea, written by Euripedes in a new version by Robin Robertson and directed by Selina Cartmel for Siren Productions
Conor MacNeill – as Lyokha in Plasticine, written by Vassily Sigarev and directed by Pat Kiernan for Corcadorca Theatre Company

BEST DIRECTOR

Selina Cartmell – Medea, written by Euripedes in a new version by Robin Robertson, produced by Siren Productions
Jo Mangan – Slattery’s Sago Saga, written by Arthur Riordan, produced by Performance Corporation
Wayne Jordan – Christ Deliver Us!, written by Thomas Kilroy, produced by the Abbey Theatre
Rachel O’Riordan – Over the Bridge, written by Sam Thompson and adapted by Martin Lynch, produced by Green Shoot Productions

I was lucky enough to work with these two last year and we've stayed mates so had to do a lickle blog shout out for them.

Well done chaps! - Amazing stuff!!

 

Paper-Rock-Scissors: The Homeware Range

It's taken me ages but I have finally got it together to share with you one of the most beautiful Christmas presents I received.

They were made specially for me by The Big One's very talented mum (Blogname: Patch) who is a regular reader of this 'ere blog. She is a quilter and hand-dyed all the material and machined the paper (top right corner), scissors, rocks and letters and then did it all over again so I have a matching pair! 

Aren't they stunning!

They are proudly positioned in my living room for all to gasp at and admire.

Thank you Patch - I ruddy love them!!!

“Cherish all your happy moments: they make a fine cushion for old age”

-Booth Tarkington

A B C

Having a lickle peek at the Pre Fall 2011 collections on Style.com I thought I'd share some of the delights.

A is for Alexander Wang

c/o Style.com

 Totally adore the trousers!

B is for BCBG Max Azaria

c/o Style.com

Loving the chic colour blocking elements.

C is for Costume National

c/o Style.com

So chic!

"A respectable appearance is sufficient to make people more interested in your soul" 

-Karl Lagerfield