it's science bitches

I get to do the most fun things.

For example, over the past few months I've been working a group of young scientists on this! Bringing science to the pub in Newcastle. Well, The Edwards to be exact.

Pint of Science is an international event that came to Australia and now we've brought it to Newcastle. And, in very chuff-worthy-news - we were the first team to sell out (every single night!)

Yep, three nights of science with a sold out crowd.

Here is the very fabulous Chloe modelling the super-awesome shirt that we all received thanks to national sponsor Young Henrys (a damned fine beer).

photo: Chris Brown

Emma is one of my favourite scientists, and here's why - she made a roomful of 50 people stick a tasting stick on their tongue and poke it out. See, these sticks let you know if you're a 'taster' or a 'non-taster'. For some, the strips just tasted like paper - for others - they were a little tasty - for others, it was like they'd sucked on a whole bag of lemons.

Apparently I'm a non-taster. Non-tasters tend to eat more and be less fussy than tasters. That explains A LOT.

photo: David Beckett

Over three nights we gathered together the most incredible array of MCs, speakers and audience. Here's our night two: Down To Earth crowd. We learned about the ocean, clouds and coasts on this night - it was bloody brilliant!

There are so many things I'm proud of. 

One: we brought science to a whole new crowd and they loved it! We had people begging us to put on more events (and we will - next year!) and people turning up on the door hoping to be let in to a sold-out event.

Two: three nights went off without a hitch - diverse speakers, entertaining MCs and an enthralled audience in a very cool venue.

Three: gender equity baby. A team of five women brought together 3 women MCs (one man) and four women speakers (three men). This was coincidental - we just chose the best people for the job - and we happen to have awesome women in Newcastle. The only night we were conscious of balance was the final night when we had two male speakers so we had two women MCs balancing it out.

photo: Jazz and Jeyn

This is what a group of very happy women look like after pulling off something that we'd only dreamed of. The very fabulous Chloe had the idea to bring this to Newy, and thanks to her organisational skills (and the brilliant National Organiser Mayan) we did it.

Bring on next year.

And thanks Emma for the blog title inspiration.

sorry, i've been busy...

Oh, hello, it's been a while hasn't it? (let's totally ignore the fact that it's been since December shall we?) I've been up to a fair bit, so I thought I'd fill you in.

Firstly, this fathead has learned to climb the ladder to get to the top of the bookshelf. He's quite keen on their either pushing books off one-by-one, or climbing behind the books, getting squished. Not so keen, or effective, at getting back down again...

Creative events in Newcastle have continued to hold me in their thrall. It's not my fault I go out a lot, it's Newcastle's. There's so many fabulous things - like Propel at Catapult Dance in Newcastle West. Serious talent happening there. And I just love the atmosphere.

If I had to have a favourite indoor bar (my 'outdoor' one would be MoneyPenny at Honeysuckle) it'd be Coal & Cedar. Have a look at the dedication to the speakeasy theme!

Popping up around Newcastle are these delightful items. You know those weird electricity thingies? That are about thigh-high? Well, some glorious artist has been decorating them. This is my fave, it's a wee bride, perfect for the Bridal District!

I recently discovered that not only am I good at drinking cocktails, I can also mix a pretty mean one. My friend Athena and I went to a cocktail-making class at The Blind Monk at Hamilton and it was crazy fun. We didn't win the competition because I am pretty sure it was rigged ;)

I also went with my friend Cathy to learn how to crochet. AND I MADE THIS! I was so bloody delighted with myself. I've now bought some more wool and I'm just waiting for winter to sit in so I can crochet a pillow's worth of granny squares.

My cat remains ridiculously beautiful. He also coordinates nicely with just about every item of furniture in my house which is handy.

When my mum and step-dad were up from Melbourne we went to quite a few sessions of the ever-fabulous Newcastle Writers Festival. I fell in love with Tony Windsor while I was there. What a genuine man he is. I also saw a rainbow in the fountain. I love rainbows.

And fountains.

And public art, like this fountain.

We went to Bowral with my in-laws for a few days in the school holidays. We visited a very lovely nursery in Berrima and I fell in love with these stairs.

I also fell in love with these meringue mice at The Magpie Café at Berrima. They had plates piled with so many sweets that I couldn't help but swoon. But swoon was all I did as I had way too much of the beef and mulled wine pie to fit in another thing.

Even rhubarb crumble.

Who even am I?

 When you are learning to drive you have to fill in a log book with 120 hours of driving. When you live in the city, and five minutes from your daughter's school that is VERY difficult to achieve in a year. So we're now trying to notch up weekend country drives. The other weekend we drove out to Catherine Hill Bay. It was bloody beautiful.

Things I love: looking up at buildings at night. Here's our City Hall clock tower that's just been masterfully-restored. Next step, is restoring the building itself which is bringing me delight.

Speaking of things that are bringing me delight: this initiative. The café area downstairs below the Civic Theatre has never really been a success. I want something that's open for a coffee/wine/bit-to-eat before or after a show. But it needed that and more, I reckon this is it, Civic Digest is a digital library/wine bar and café.

The coffee was very good. I'll be back.

One benefit of unseasonably warm weather is that my roses are glorious!

I went to dinner the other night to celebrate that her PhD was accepted and she's officially a Dr! Obviously champagne was called for. So we went to Una Volta, a glorious little Italian place that has free BYO. The food was sublime, and look how cute my little red Fiat looks parked out the front!

Aside from that there's netball coaching again (love my new team!), coping with a child doing Year 11 (help me please!) and enjoying new challenges at work.

How about you?

time excels at flying

 Goodness gracious, where, on earth, has time gone?

Is it seriously nearing the end of October? Eek!

Luckily, despite my frantic life at the moment, I have still stopped and taken time to smell the roses as I've dashed in and out of the house. I've even managed to snap the odd shot. Aren't they just divine?

It hard to cram life in at the moment. For example, last week I went with my friends C and A to see Magda Szubanksi in conversation with Rosemarie Milsom. It was just utterly lovely. Magda had so many stories to tell that an hour barely did her justice - but Rosemarie's stellar interviewing skills certainly did.

We had to dash out before having books signed so we could make our way over to Carrington Bowlo to check out Barry Morgan and his World of Organs. It was just as 70sFabulous as you'd imagine.

Who'd've thought that a man with a bouffant of hair, a range of safari suits and a Hammond Organ could possibly be so hilarious.

He was.

This wednesday I attended a meeting with a fab young group of scientists - looking to bring something super to Newcastle. Stay tuned! But I had to dash from that meeting to Christ Church Cathedral to check out 50 years of Architecture. What a place to hold the exhibition. As you could see, it was pretty darned cool.

Coming to this weekend, my friend A and I attended another Catapult Dance production. It's hard to believe, but they keep getting better. This one utilised every space of the studio and grounds. Check out 'Tissue Girl's" fabulous outfit - created by the talented Novocastrian sisters from High Tea With Mrs Woo.

Magical.

 We followed the dancer through the space - and oh, what a space it was.

Shipping containers with 'rooftop' gardens, with Newcastle West's gritty urban twilight skyline is something you don't get to see every day,

Here's the remnants of the tissues in the studio space. It was rather indescribable, but extraordinary.

I've left out a week in Melbourne, the This Is Not Art festival, and fangirling over Peter Garrett this week. There's been so much to see I've barely had time to snap off shots.

As Ferris said: "life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around for a while you might miss it."

no one cares about your cat

You know I love nothing more than supporting local talent right? Well, I don't wish to play favourites - but I think Tantrum Theatre could be pretty much my favourite of the talents. I've seen a range of their performances and the thing that shines out is the utter joy that the artists experience during the productions.

That joy's contagious.

So tonight I went along with my friend J to see the opening night of No One Cares About Your Cat. I was very kindly gifted tix, which I feel ever-so-guilty about as I love supporting these acts by helping to swell their coffers, but I am very grateful.

 I knew the production would speak to me, someone who's pretty-much connected to social media 100% of the time. Hell, I met my bestest Newy friends A, C and J through twitter!

I am also fond of a cute cat pic or vid, so this opening montage delighted me no end.

The play was cleverly lit, often by the light of the mobile phones - smart stuff. I adored the interactive stuff - like the vlogger whose work was skilfully incorporated into the play with interaction between the audience before and during the play.

Here he is!

The play was an insightful commentary on the ways in which social media helps us direct our lives. Good? Bad? Well, it's never indifferent.

Also, as I said to my friend J, we must have a new generation who'll never take a bad photo as the selfie-gen are always clued up to their best angles and expressions.

The themes of cats were woven throughout, including with this rather glorious 'cats cradle' scene with glow-in-the-dark-yarn. I couldn't help smiling in delight throughout.

Not only did this make me smile, it made me think - a lot. I thought about loneliness, connectedness and friendship. I thought about how social media helps me share so much - including reviews of plays such as this!

I love seeing something that brings a smile to my face. This brought more - this brought me real joy. This collaborative piece was the work of so many talented artists, and it flew by ever-so-quickly. As we left the theatre I bumped into my friend Barney, who is Tantrum's founding father "I didn't want it to end!" he said. And I just had to agree. 

 I adore living in a city where talent and creativity is nurtured. Where talented youth get to work alongside more experienced performers. I love that Tantrum is so well-respected that they raised $10,000 through a Pozible campaign to get the show up and running. ONYA arts community!

Now get along quick and see this. It's on at the Civic Playhouse until Saturday 19th September. Find out more, and get tix here.

Thank you everyone involved in this - love your work. I really, really do.

propel: newcastle

image: catapult dance

I think I've found a new favourite thing. One thing Newcastle does very well is artistic innovation. This Is Not Art festival started here in 1998 and is a showcase for alternative festivals around the country, if not the world. I always block out the October long weekend and knock myself out seeing the fabulousness that's on display. 

And now we have the Newcastle Writer's Festival, bam, another weekend of awesome to immerse myself in. We do art, drama, music and culture beautifully, but, in my opinion, there's been an area where we've been a little understated.

Dance.

So THANK YOU Cadi McCarthy for moving to Newcastle and bringing innovation and inspiration with you. I was first introduced to Cadi's work when my heart took up residence in my mouth at the extraordinary choreography she created with local dancers during Stories In My Steps. I'd never experienced much modern dance before, and the intimate setting in 48 Watt made it even more stunning. Now Cadi's brought something special to Newcastle West with Catapult Dance.

Oh my.

Last night's Propel performance was a confronting piece of avant garde collaboration unlike anything I'd ever seen. Award-winning dancer Kristina Chan worked with filmmaker Neil Mansfield to craft a senses-shattering piece about Newcastle's uneasy relationship with coal - extra timely with the divestment issue focussed on us thanks to Newcastle Council's progressive stance on ethical investment. It was loud, it was weird, it was breathtaking.

I've never seen such a fluid body as Kristina's, this was dance as I've never seen it before - and it's bound to stay with me for a very long time.  It was extraordinary.

The question and answer session was generous, and revealed much about the artists, and the diverse audience they'd attracted.

We then went out the back for a performance by University of Newcastle Fine Art students. I was already excited as I'd spotted Alex, the vocalist who entranced me a few weeks ago at Visual Music at Newcastle Conservatorium. Accompanied only by a talented lad on an acoustic guitar she delighted the crowd with glorious vocals and a range that must be almost illegal.

Unbelievably, we were then treated to another dance. Inspired by Edie Segwick. This was incredible. It's a collaboration between Cadi, dancer Reagan Ashley Williams, Jessica Coughlin and Zackari Watt. It's a repeat outing, and deserved a replay.

Oh it was wonderful. From glorious projections, to the way Reagan Ashely uses her body, to the music, to the choreography. Sublime.

All this for only $10 - then we had a drink and the chance to chat with others in the audience, and the artists. I feel embarrassed that I paid so little and received so much.

Bring on the next collaboration.

People of Newcastle, we need to support these artists. If you love seeing this city come alive, follow them on social media, attend their performances and spread the word.

newcastle by night

The only thing I love more than looking up in my city, is looking up in my city at night. The hues are always more intense, the details on the historic buildings more sharply etched and highlighted.

After dinner at Napoli Centrale the other night (best pizza outside of Italy - I swear) we had some time to kill before the moving screening. So we took a meander through Newcastle Mall.

This is a place I need to get to now that Sprout look after the food. I hear Taco Tuesdays are a BARGAIN.

Newcastle's historic East End is so richly historic. I wish we appreciated it as much as similar cities in Paris, London, Italy, Spain and all of Europe.

There's a new vibe busting out. A more creative one, as I discovered the following night at Catapult Dance down in Newcastle's West End. A stunning choreographed dance with a film projected on the wall was followed by a breathtaking performance by University of Newcastle Fine Arts students who treated us to modern pop with some unusual instruments (hello harp and flute).

Afterwards we stepped into the alleywall for drinks and chatting. I do love a string of fairylights highlighted with garlands. I need some of this in my yard.

If you're a Newy local check out Catapult. Every couple of weeks local dancers will work with a filmmaker or other creatives to come up with something unique.

I love this city.

stories in our steps

So, this popped into my facebook feed last week: Stories In Our Steps by Tantrum Theatre company. I enjoyed last year's Diving Off The Edge Of The World so thought I'd book tix to see it with my parents. I expected to enjoy it, I didn't expect to be utterly blown away by it.

We started up on the hill overlooking Newcastle Beach where we were welcomed by our Time Travelling Guide. The show opened with the beautiful Awabakal dance and story welcoming us to their country and the night.

Simply stunning.

Then we walked inside James Fletcher Hospital Barracks, an historic site that I'm embarrassed to say I've never visited. It was the home of the Newcastle Industrial School for Girls (wayward girls!) way back when, and we saw their story told powerfully by brilliant young performers.

These performers kept in character magnificently, telling the story of young girls without a chance, without hope and without love.

Then we meandered down to St Phillip's Church, home of Tantrum Theatre, for Warriors Rest. I knew that this performance was choreographed by renowned choreographer Cadi McCarthy so I expected something special - but I didn't expect to see the best dance performance of my life.

The heartbreaking story of five brothers from Newcastle who enlisted in the war is told through words and dance. Oh, is it told through dance.

The choreography for this was brilliantly devised, and magnificently executed by every performer. Not only did they dance beautifully, they all held their character every single second of that performance. This historic church was lined with church pews, and we were mere centimetres from the dance action at times. 

It was stunning, it was powerful, it was utterly beautiful.

This performance deserved a standing ovation, but the performers left the room never to return. Consider this my standing ovation - with additional 'Bravo!'

Interval time saw tables set up for tea at the United Services Club. Mismatched crockery, tiny jam sandwiches, lamingtons and Anzac biscuits were on offer.

I needed that moment to recover from the intensity that was the act before.

We then went next door to The Beach Hotel, which was cute as a box of buttons, with the youngest performers performing their hearts out, on the site of the former hotel run by a circus owner and staffed by his performers. What I wouldn't give to travel back in time for a bevvy there...

Then we wandered down to The Lock Up for The Star and the Slaughter where we relived the night of the infamous Star Hotel riot.

Now, my respect for these young performers was already pretty huge, but imagine walking in to the old cells to see 'drunken' youths slouched insolently against walls, or sprawled over tables. Amazing performance art.

Then the band played, and the dancing began, before the police came to call 'lights out' and the riot began. I've always thought that the Star Hotel riot was just a bunch of drunks going out of control, but this performance really gave historical context - in a spectacular fashion.

Then the band played a final encore of Star and the Slaughter by Heroes which needs an entirely new book of superlatives for me to do it justice.

The tour ended in Pacific Park with wee time travellers interviewing each other about the future. It was uplifting and a sweet way to end the show.

Our fabulous guide bid us goodnight, and we walked our way up the hill home.

If you're in Newcastle you must see this. Here's a link to the show. Tickets are insanely cheap and the performances are world-class. Seriously, I'd go again just for the dance alone.

Bravo Tantrum Theatre company - you do Newcastle proud.