A Yarn Round Up: Perth

I cannot let 2011 come to an end without finally blogging about the incredible Elena Costello Yarn & Fibre Studio in Perth Scotland. You may remember I was performing in Perth in September, well amongst my wanderings I found this beautiful treasure trove of yarn. I had meant to blog about it at the time but with the transfer to London, getting ill etc it got lower on the list...til now!

I met Elena herself in the shop and she kindly let me take pics of all the delicious delectables she had on offer,  she even showed me around personally and answered all my questions. She explained that the shop had been flooded and severely damaged only a few months after opening and that it had only  really just been restored to working order by the time of my visit. It looked pretty good to me!

Elena was lovely, really warm and welcoming and if it was closer to London then I'd be in there all the time! If you're in the area, (Perth is incredibly beautiful so well worth a visit) I highly recommend a 'pop-in', you won't regret it - your purse might, but you will skip away with a fabulous recycled paper bag of buzzing excitement just like I did!

See  - even the bags are cool!

Some DK for my afghan of travels and some yellow fun!

Thank you Elena for giving me so much of your time...and your great taste in yarn!

“...the number one reason knitters knit is because they are so smart that they need knitting to make boring things interesting. Knitters are so compellingly clever that they simply can't tolerate boredom. It takes more to engage and entertain this kind of human, and they need an outlet or they get into trouble..."

-Stephanie Pearl McPhee

Long Way from Home

The older I get the harder I find working away from home. I keep getting short pangs of homesickness despite everyone being lovely.

The more I am getting my bearings both in the city and in the play the better I feel though! I am totally aware I am very lucky to do a job where I get to set up camp somewhere for a couple of months, get to travel and see life in many different places.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”

- Mark Twain

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