my weekend: in words and pictures

So, this weekend was the This is Not Art festival {known as TiNA} in Newcastle. Oh boy. So much to see and do. It started off with the opening party on Thursday night at Terrace Bar and didn't stop until late Sunday night. My brain's still buzzing from all the amazingness.

 Where else do you get the chance to see physical theatre performed at iconic locations such as The Mariners Pool at Newcastle Ocean baths?

And then take photos at twilight of this pretty, pretty city. Isn't Newcastle Beach just glorious?

So many fabulous venues such as The Royal Exchange with pretty booths and cute vintage lamps.

And look at this fab chandelier with tea infusers hanging from it. It's in the basement of the Royal Exchange hanging over a retro bar. So cute.

Here's a place I never even knew existed until TiNA came along. It's the United Services Club, also known as the Gun Club. So retro-fabulous.

Lounging in gorgeous leather chesterfields, with glorious vintage prints of the Queen gazing down upon you? Well, why not? A quirky venue really adds something else to an event doesn't it?

Oh, we also went very upper-class and snuck in to the opening of Reserve Wine Bar on Saturday night. Oh my. It's very, very, very swish.

So much to offer in this city of mine.

Now I just need a nap.

and the winner is...

And the lucky winner of the Friday Fashion lunch at Rustica double pass is...


Lipstick and Licorice.

Hurrah!

Email me your name and contact details and I'll see you at lunch at Rustica in November.

Thank you to everyone who entered, and thank you Random Number Generator for helping me select the winner with ease.

sarah blasko - i heart her so

Last  night my friend C, my daughter and myself took our seats IN THE FRONT ROW for Sarah Blasko at Newcastle Town Hall. Now this was my sixth Sarah Blasko live experience, and I wondered if I might've been stretching the friendship.

Oh no.

She was magnificent. That voice in the town hall? Magnifique.

Sarah was at her theatrical and ethereal best - delighting everyone who was blessed to be in the audience. She played an amazing set with her fabulous four-piece band and ended with my favourite finale from her Opera House concert. Shivers.

Live music. Is there anything better?

French word of the day: Musique {mew - zeek} - music.

le passe temps - c'est parfait

There are a couple of things that I love. I love all things French. I love small bars where I can enjoy fine wine and food with my friends. I love sympathetic restoration of heritage buildings. 

So, naturellement I love Le Passe Temps as it combines all of the above.

The East End of Newcastle is undergoing a revitalisation as a food and wine destination - and I think that Le Passe Temps deserves the title of a jewel in that sparkling crown. This building is glorious, and the sympathetic restoration of Le Passe Temps deserves prolonged applause.

I love that the glorious wooden counters, rich with patina, are being used as the bar. Whereas once you'd exchange your dollars to a teller over this counter, now you're served by French-speaking staff who make you feel like you've been transported to France. Yes, everyone who works here speaks magifique French - I'm pretty sure they're all natives. 

Look!  Every single aspect of the old bank has been retained and reimagined. So clever. I have a feeling that man in the black shirt may be the owner, Serge. You sir, are a legend. Look at the ceilings, with all the details perfectly picked out. Those chandeliers. Oh my. And those windows, with the Post Office lit up in the frames. When {please, when?} that glorious building is restored this will be THE centre of our city. Particularly when Reserve Bar opens diagonally opposite.

One thing many small bars find difficult is getting the food right. Le Passe Temps get it VERY right. The menu is small, and very, very French. This assiette de charcuterie {roughly translated as selections of meat} was divine. Just what you need for a light supper with champagne - it perfectly satisfied S, A and me. My friend J had a saucisson and cornichon baguette, while my friend C had a delicate morsel of creme brulee. 

It's all table service too - or lounge service. Way to feel pampered. We may have *pretended* on more than one occasion to have not heard what our gorgeous waiter had said so he'd say it again with his divine accent.

C'est parfait!

From the opulent original marble, to the superb mezzanine level, Le Passe Temps dazzles. It's my new favourite place in Newcastle - quelle surprise! It's open 7 days. To find out more, visit their website.

French word of the day: Le Passe Temps (le pass tomp) to pass time, or time goes by.

hop on your {vintage} bike

There are just too many good things happening in Newcastle - including this! The Newcastle Tweed Ride for lovers of vintage and vintage bikes. Tres fabulous! While my bike's not strictly vintage, it looks the part - and has a basket on the front for a thermos too!

What a sight this will be to see cyclists frocked up en-masse.

Me? I'll be wearing my vintage red cape! Why would I not?

you light up my life...

Well, you light up my city. I am super-excited about City Evolutions lighting up Watt Street. Newcastle's oldest street and surrounds will be lit up with a range of exciting light installations. Art! In lights! On the streets! Bring it on.

You coming?

To find out more, go here.

Friday night shall be fun, with market stalls, extended trading and just lots of good stuff. Can't wait!

vintage pretty

I went into a pretty new store in Newcastle's Hunter Street mall the other day. I had to share it with you.

It's filled with vintage prettiness.

Rows upon rows of the pretty! 

And some new treasures amidst the old. You foxy thing.

I love, love, love the decor created by that genius Tim Neve.

Everywhere you look is pretty, pretty and MORE pretty! 

I need some of this wallpaper in my lady's dressing room {ahem, yes, first I will need a lady's dressing room, but details people...}

The store's called Twice Upon A Time. Go check it out. And swoon.

the great gatsby review

Well, last night I frocked up, tucked my hair into a faux-bob and went with my friend C to check out The Great Gatsby. It was a fund-raising night for the Newcastle Museum and everyone went all out with the clothing - including the fabulous F who had the most divine dress I'd ever seen on {she'd had a Great Gatsby birthday party a few weeks ago and bought the most legs-a-liscious dress I've ever seen to wear. Swoon!}

After a glass of bubbles in the foyer we settled in to see the film. Well, most of us did, some women to our left just carried on their conversation. RUDE!

If you love Baz you'll love Gatsby. He's returned to form with this film. It's visually sumptuous and the soundtrack is superb. It's not a musical, just very well-punctuated with great tunes. Joel Edgerton nailed the living daylights out of Tom Buchanan. From his opening scene when he rode into shot on a horse he reeked masculinity, danger, arrogance and sex. Brilliant. Leonardo DiCaprio was the perfect choice to play Gatsby, but it took me a while to see him as Jay rather than Leo. Daisy was played delightfully by Carey Mulligan. She was sweet, gullible and made me so frustrated I could cry. Her frocks were also utterly divine - she was a visual feast in every shot. Also she sure knows how to use those eyes of hers to great effect in some very understated yet powerful acting.

The script adhered nicely to the plot of the novel and I was left with the same combination of aching sadness and lightness that I felt after reading the book. I was also left with an unquenchable thirst for Moet which featured strongly in every fabulous party scene.

I also feel the need to dance - can someone throw a Gatsby-style party with lots of dancing, champagne and fireworks for me?

Recommended? Yes. Perfect? No, but neither was anyone in this film or the book. I think the book's done justice with this film, and I find that the more time goes by, the more forgiving I am of its flaws and embracing I am of its strengths.

PS: frock up before seeing it - you'll feel much better.

feeding the soul

A few years ago I was in Newcastle and needed to buy a drink. The only thing opened was KFC, which was housed in the most glorious old building. I walked in, bought my drink and felt sad that such a beautiful building housed a brightly lit takeaway.

KFC shortly moved and built the largest store in the Southern Hemisphere {so not something to be proud of} and that fabulous building was dormant.

And sad.

But now it's happy.

Ever so happy.

You see, last week Soul Foods Café opened up and it is a delight!

It's filled with a gorgeously eclectic range of furniture - with an awesome range of seating options. From these fabulous princess chairs that my friend C and I sat in, to window seats with hessian coffee sack cushions, and bright red Tolix chairs. Fab.

And look at the details! Pretty red and pink salt and pepper shakers, and old apothecary bottles filled with sugar. SWEET!

The food? Oh, I'm glad you asked.

Oh.

My.

Gawd.

This is a butter chicken pie topped with sweet potato mash. It was awesome, but you know what was even more awesome? That pickled red cabbage and nashi pear salad. See those walnuts? THEY WERE CANDIED! Yep, coated in toffee. My mouth died and went to heaven.

Sweet vintage plates for serving too.

I like me some cute detailing.

This is pomegranate sorbet. It would be a sin not to try it. It was velvety smooth and bloody delicious. I think I might marry it.

Soul Foods is located at 227 Hunter Street, *just* before the Mall.

I think you should go there.

missing in action

Hi, well, how was that long-long-weekend hey? I appear to have made it a super-long one by not blogging - how rude of me! But I'm back now, and I just thought I'd fill you in on what I've been up to. What I've been up to is being outraged about Newcastle Art Gallery.

Do you have a cuppa? Settle down, it's a bit of a story.

Now, you may have noticed that I'm *quite* the champion of my hometown. I've seen it grow from an industrial town, to a thriving exciting city full of promise. There are people here who make things happen. So many new cafés and restaurants opening that even I can't keep up (and I try, oh my, do I try).

So I've been excited to follow the progress of Newcastle Art Gallery. It was opened in 1977 and has had very little done to it over time. No major upgrades, no increase in storage space to keep up with our $80 million collection, just the bare essentials. Over the years the Foundation and staff have lobbied for an upgrade, for more space, so they can showcase more than 1 - 2% of the collection. So they can host major touring exhibitions and attract more people to the gallery and increase revenue.

Excitingly plans were approved. A DA was granted in March 2012 and things started to roll. The new plans are detailed, not only is there more storage space and exhibition space - but there is the opportunity to raise more revenue through a café and an Art Gallery Store (don't underestimate the money-spinning abilities of these. Think of how many times you've gone to an exhibitions and wanted to take home a little something to remember it by).

So work commenced, plans were drawn up, funding was allocated - Newcastle Council has had $7 million set aside for a number of years, complete with between $1 million to $2.2 million raised by the community (these figures vary, I'm unable to track down an exact figure - but it's at least $1 million raised by the community). The Federal Government committed $7 million to the project and the final piece of the puzzle was for the NSW state government to chip in with $7 million. It's not much, the Art Gallery of NSW has plans at the ready for expansion - at the cost of $400 million.

But now all that work seems to be naught. We have a new Lord Mayor, elected under the premise to "Get the job done". Right from the early days he appears to have had an issue with the Art Gallery redevelopment. At the start of the year he raised an alternative proposal. Rather than redevelop the existing gallery, we should move it to the heritage former Post Office. It's just lying neglected. Brilliant! But Newcastle Council doesn't own the Post Office - it's owned by NSW State Government. And the University of Newcastle have the first option on the Post Office, should they wish.

Oh well, another solution. Let's merge the Art Gallery with the adjoining Library building. That'll give it all the space it needs. Here, I've had an architect draw up some plans.

Um. Great. And the library?

We'll move the library to the Post Office.

Um, the one we don't own? The one that's been lying vacant for years and will require between $6m and $15m to restore and bring up to standard?

These options rightly didn't fly. So did our Mayor do his civic duty and stick with the current proposal? No, he resigned from the steering committee, before seeing that the project had detailed drawings and was costed to within the $21 million budget and now he's putting a rescission motion before council.

Basically the rescission motion calls for all work to be stopped on the Art Gallery until the council "is in surplus and in a position to proceed". No date. No idea of when, just some time in the future.

Now, apparently the council is in a negative position financially and fiscal restraint must be applied. Fair enough, it's time to look at what can be done. But does it make sense to halt ONE project, one that has already commenced? One that's had money set aside for a number of years, including money from the community, and has raised $1m in interest on these funds? Are other projects, including McCloy's pet project of 'revitalising Hunter Street' also being halted? I can't find the answers to these questions.

This reeks of petty politics and I won't stand for it. Newcastle is sick to death of being treated as undeserving. We deserve this Art Gallery that the staff and supporters have fought so hard for. We deserve the tourism dollars it will bring in, and we deserve the cost savings that a new, energy-efficient building will create.

There is community support too. Have a look at this facebook page which has 293 likes in just over two days. This issue is not about fiscal restraint, this is about pitting us and them.

This is how the street outside the Art Gallery has looked for over a year.

Newcastle deserves so much better than this.

If you live in Newcastle, or you are a supporter of the Arts, please let our local councillors know. Here are their email addresses. The councillors behind the motion are Jeff McCloy, Lisa Tierney and Andrea Rufo.

C'mon Newcastle, let's get mad as hell, we're not going to take it anymore.

life can be sweet and sour

What are your thoughts on the combination of savoury and sweet. I'm just asking because see those three little cupcakes all in a row? They're bacon maple pancake cupcakes.

I know.

Bacon.

On a cupcake.

And it's a little mouthful of heaven.

Seriously.

They're only available at Cupcake Espresso on Mondays and Tuesdays and I think they're something that everyone has to try once.

If you don't live in Newcastle perhaps you should come here for a holiday.

And a cupcake.

ps: They're bringing out Golden Gaytime cupcakes next. I know. I squealed.

pps: the bacon is candied and if you close your eyes, those cupcakes totally taste like a pancake. A great, big, fat American hotcake. If you come to Newy I'll come with to have a cupcake. I'm unselfish like that.

ppps: the other cupcakes in the pic? Well, since you asked, Lemon Meringue, Apple Pie and Vanilla.

sweet sunday

On Friday I went out for my regular lunch with my friend A, with a Special Guest Appearance (yep, just like Heather Locklear in Melrose Place) by our friend C. We went to try out the ribs at Quint cafe (oh MY!) and as we walked through Essential Ingredient to the cafe at the back we saw these.

Wee fuzzy green bunnies!

We may have both squealed a little and said things like "ooooooh, lil green fuzzy bunnies" before pulling out our phones to Instagram them.

How cute are they?

How much do I need one?

Are they even for sale?

So many questions, and so much cute for a Sunday.

Enjoy.

And happy Saint Patrick's Day!

underground epicureans on high

I don't know if words are going to do justice to the magnificence of the Underground Epicurean experience last night. But I'll try. It was bucketing with rain, so, instead of dining on the rooftop of a city building - we had an apartment set up with long tables, glassware galore, and lovely tealights glowing in little jars. We had our first glass of champagne for the night and the waitresses brought around the most incredible oysters with an eschelot dressing.

Hello.

I read the menu. Died a bit. Went to heaven. Came back again.

Hello prettiness! The most perfectly plump figs drizzled with honey, delicious spears of asparagus dipped in truffle oil and a quail scotch egg. Topped with watercress and toasted almonds.

That scotch egg?

Divine.

A taste sensation.

See that dressing on the plate? Every morsel went from my fingertip to my mouth.

A table of very satisfied epicureans. Lots of wine (or champagne in our case) chatting and orgasmic Ooooohhhsss over the food.

I've only had venison once before. Raw, as carpaccio at Subo. I think it's now my fave. This rare cutlet, and the pile of shredded braise melted in my mouth. Those little balls of pumpkin were sublime, and all perfectly accessorised by a pile of spinach. There was a hint of chocolate there, but subtle, so subtle. It set off the dish. Everything hummed to a bring the meal to a delicious crescendo.

You need something to wash down the food. And it's true, champagne really does go with everything. In between courses the rain abated and we walked upstairs to the rooftop to take in the view.

What a view.

Oh look, another of my fave restaurants - "bonsoir le petit deux".

One of my fave things is watching chefs in action plating up. I actually got a non-blurry shot, but I love this one as it shows the speed and finesse used. Guys, you are AWESOME. Add Restaurant Mason and Chris Thornton to my list of Newcastle Chef Crushes.

Have you ever, in your life, seen anything more beautiful than this? No. You haven't. Macerated and compressed strawberries, vanilla, white chocolate honeycomb and candied violettes. My idea of heaven on a plate. And in my mouth? OH MY! The perfect combination of textures and flavours. I haven't tasted strawberries so delicious since France.

On the way home we discussed our favourite dish. T said his was the entree of figs, G loved the venison, my hubby adored the dessert. I agreed with each of them and said, yep, that was my favourite too. They pointed out that *every* course couldn't be my favourite. And I accused them of nitpicking.

White Rabbit, I love you for bringing this to Newcastle. Expect to see me at every single event in the future.

Oh, and a special shout-out to my lovely blog-readers who also attended last night. How FABULOUS was it?

French word of the day: magnifique - magnificent. 

Because, let's face it, last night was magnificence magnified.

newcastle renewed

When it comes to awesome in Newcastle nobody does it better than Renew Newcastle. This was a stroke of genius, followed up by a lot of hard work - and it's now a dazzling reality. It's hard to explain the sheer breadth of benefits of Renew Newcastle. Basically it takes otherwise empty buildings and finds people to move in, start a business and restore the shop-front - until a commercial tenant wishes to move in. To find out more, visit their website here.

Renew Newcastle is single-handedly responsible for the revitalisation of inner-city Newcastle. That's a broad statement, but it's true. With Renew they've brought life, optimism and people back to the city and away from the soulless malls. They've also brought people back to Newcastle from Sydney, Melbourne and other far-flung locales as a new culture of optimism has exploded. So many new businesses have opened around Renew Newcastle projects - there's barely an empty shopfront in the mall and surrounding areas.

They do awesome things.

Two years ago I was devastated at the news that David Jones city store was closing. I loved that place. It was a gorgeous building and everything was all in the one place. I did nearly all my shopping there, and so I actually cried when it closed. I cried different tears when I found out that Renew Newcastle were moving in over Christmas. I had a sneak peek last Thursday night - and it's just filled with typical Renew Newcastle fabulousness.

How cool is this? A blackboard wall asks "What superhero power would you most like to have?" and people have answered with the little box of chalk that's available. Love it.

I have two options: shrink my daughter so she can fit into these - or encourage a friend to have a baby girl so I can dress her up. How divine!

So much awesome on display. I had a smile on my face the whole time I walked though The Emporium. I'll be going back with a wallet full of cash soon.

I love this wall. Particularly the instruction "Don't give up". We need that now after yesterday's announcement that the NSW Government weren't giving Renew Newcastle the slight funding increase they'd asked for - but instead, were slashing funds. Sigh. Renew Newcastle does more than just fill empty shopfronts - it's rejuvenated this city - you can't put a price on that.

Luckily Marcus Westbury is behind this. Whereas many people would throw their hands in the air and say "Oh, I've had enough" Marcus will fight. I have no doubt that not only will he get the funds reinstated - he'll get more.*

Cripes - he set up Renew Newcastle using nothing but sheer determination and his own credit card and now it's a world-wide model being taken on across the world.

But, if you've got a minute - please go vote at the Newcastle Herald poll here. Initiatives like this deserve to be lauded for the world-class act they are.

Thanks Renew Newcastle for doing my city proud.

*And, as predicted, at lunchtime today it was announced that the decision was reviewed and Renew Newcastle's funding was reinstated at $50 000 pa. YAY! Congrats to everyone who got behind this on Twitter, Facebook and via their emails. I think it's also awesome the way that local media also championed the story. The Newcastle Herald, NBN television and ABC radio were fully behind the story which is just ace. Bravo everyone.