Hello, Hello Bic Runga

It’s an extremely chilly Sunday evening in May.  We’re on our way to the Street Theatre, whose home is the ever-changing streetscape of Childers Street, Civic.   Bic Runga is on her Hello, Hello tour and Canberra is her final stop. 

Looking in to the theatre’s foyer from the brisk evening outside, it looks lovely, welcoming and homely. With a glass of warming red wine in hand, we wait for the concert to start.  The foyer fills up with jacketed, gloved, mittened, scarved , beanie-d people, some are turned away from the ticket booth as the concert has sold out.

The new Scholar in town

To celebrate my first communion as a kid my parents took me to yum cha at the New Shanghai restaurant in Dickson.  I vividly remember the craziness, the hustle and bustle.  The restaurant was abuzz with conversation, clattering plates, the clink of porcelain against porcelain as another Chinese tea was poured, the swoosh of fabric as another table cloth was swept away making room for the next lot of customers.  I remember the white silk dress I wore, with the gauzy overlay with bright orange and brown flowers embroidered on the front.

It was overwhelming.  And ever since I have had a love affair with yum cha.  There's something special about the perfectly portioned mouthful sized delicacies, served in their bamboo steamers and rolled around the restaurant in those tinny little trollies.

Those of you who know me and my family well have most likely been dragged to a yum cha lunch or two...

If you've been to yum cha this will be a familiar sight!

Celebrating 100 songs and 100 stories

This week a very talented friend of mine (who lives over at the little yellow house in the U) opened an exhibition.   For her exhibition, 100 Songs and 100 stories, she’s taken songs that mean something to someone, and the stories associated with that song, and turned them into art.

They’re beautiful, meaningful moments, captured lovingly.  Some are sad, others funny, they’re about love, loss and sometimes tragedy – just like the very songs that are the background to these human stories.  Just like the songs and stories are varied, so is the art, tenderly created using mixed media.

I even am lucky enough to have a song represented (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps, by Doris Day) and so can now admit to being someone's muse!  Here's a sneaky shot taken on my iPhone (which does no justice to the picture of prettiness that it truly is):

For those of you in Canberra, I encourage you to visit the exhibition, which is being held at the M16 Artspace until 27 May 2012.  Others, who aren't lucky enough to be in Canberra to visit the exhibition, can listen to the songs, read the stories and admire the art on her blog here.

One of my favourite things: Autumn

Autumn in Canberra.  For me, there’s no better time of year.  Many of you will probably disagree, already mourning the departure of summer barbecues, the end of daylight savings and sad that the warm weather seems only a fading memory.  Not me.

The days are becoming cooler, the trees are changing colour (bold red, burnt orange, golden yellow – like a beautiful oil painting) and I know that the weeks and months that stretch ahead will be filled with fluffy blankets, woollen socks, movie nights, Sunday morning sleep-ins, hot chocolates, comfort food and rich red wine.  

Yes, it’s time for the annual hibernation to begin, you can feel the pace slowing down, you wake to crisp and frosty mornings, your breath visible from your lips.  It’s time for jackets and scarves, boots and gloves.  What is not to love?  In this spirit I share with you a few of my favourite things about autumn:

Bags of pears, apples and pomegranates...

 Endless hot cups of tea and movies...

Slippers and cuddles with Bailey...

A Second New Year

Imagine it: mid April in Thailand.  It's hot, humid with temperatures pushing an average of 31°C, the hottest month in Thailand.

But back to the picture I'm trying to draw you: the streets are teeming with people, water is being flung from buses by the bucket load, people are spraying each other with water guns, people are drenching passers by.  You wonder, what is going on? Well, it's Songkran or Thai New Year.

There is obvious symbolism associated with the use of so much water.  In particular, to cleanse the the bad away and start the year afresh (but it's probably also a reprieve from the heat!).

Being in Australia you don't have to miss the fun.  While we might not have the usual three day celebration (Songkran is celebrated from 13 to 15 April) we do get a one day special: Wat Dhammadaro the Thai Buddhist temple in Canberra holds celebrations each year.  It includes cultural shows and a food fair.  All are welcome and entry is free.

When:   Sunday 15 April 2012, 10:00am to 3:00pm

Where:  Wat Dhammadaro, 80 Archibald Street, Lyneham, ACT

Given the weather in Canberra, water fights are not guaranteed!