24/365 Hot Air & Love

For a couple of weeks when the mornings were getting darker and daylight saving time hadn't yet kicked in, I could maintain my leisurely 7 a.m. rising hour and still see hot air balloons making tours of the city whilst I had breakfast on the couch. 

Taking a hot air balloon ride is an entry in my 'Tea Box of Fun', although, when I did pick it out, I decided that we didn't have $600 to spare at that time, and so it re-entered the fray. Grant isn't very keen on the idea but I think he's still scarred from when, just after we moved to Melbourne, a hot air balloon got wedged between two buildings outside work. It was a surprising time for all involved.

The last time we were at Sandy Point, a friend of Mr and Mrs Booker's came around to show us her photos from a recent hot air balloon jaunt over the Yarra Valley. It looked very exciting and beautiful. Hopefully, it's made Grant feel more relaxed and conducive to the idea.

General Sumo recommends:

Telling Grant how wonderful a hot air balloon ride would be

Wow, imagine what a great birthday present that would make! I only wish we could take The Who.

Making a Tea Box of Fun

Last year, when we felt like we were just doing the same thing over and over again on weekends, I created the Tea Box of Fun. It is an empty lemon tea box filled with scraps of paper upon which are written things that we'd like to do and that are possible to complete in a weekend. So far, we've only done about three things in there. Wedding planning and, more so, obsessive work tendencies can get in the way of Tea Box of Fun intentions. Now that we're back on more even ground though, the Tea Box is making a comeback, sending us to the movies to see Duplicity recently.

21/365 Happy Hippo Car Wash

A tip for fans of multitasking: whilst doing your grocery shopping in South Melbourne, you can have your car washed at The Happy Hippo Car Wash in the Spotlight Centre car park. 

Grant and I had our car washed there one day and, although I didn't stick around to watch, I'm pretty sure that this is what happens: in that cage, behind the sign, is a really big hippopotamus. Blue, by the look of things. The hippopotamus opens his mouth and the people that you leave you keys with, they drive the car in to the hippo's mouth. Then he closes his mouth and swishes your car around inside, much like you do when you use Listerine. After around fifteen minutes of swishing, the hippo opens his mouth and the peeps back the car out again and park in it specially marked parking bays, awaiting your return. 

I haven't quite worked out how they cleaned the inside of the car but maybe next time I'll stick around and see.

General Sumo recommends:

The Happy Hippo Car Wash

Level 1, car park of the Spotlight Centre

Corner of York and Cecil Streets, South Melbourne

I thought we were onto something new and exciting with the wash while you shop thing but it turns out that my mother-in-law has been doing it for ages back in Adelaide. Clearly, Melbourne has some ground to cover in car wash innovation. Although I'm not sure if Jan has her car cleaned by a hippo, so we may still be forward thinking in that respect.

20/365 Mr Feathers

Mr Feathers is the latest addition to The Who-Who's mouse army, joining such other popular mice as Diabeetus Mouse and Raffia Mouse. Mr Feathers came from a pet store and DIY dog wash in Abbotsford. After voyeuristically watching some dogs have baths, Grant and I checked out the kitten toy section and decided that two mice were clearly not enough for a capable hunter like The Who. So we purchased Mr Feathers, who at first was going to be called Many Cheezburgers Mouse. Above, we see Mr Feathers riding home in the Golf, about to meet his new family. The photo really captures his mixture of excitement and nervous apprehension. 

Mr Feathers has become a close second favourite to Diabeetus. To be fair to third favourite, Raffia Mouse, he is half the mouse he used to be, having lost a lot of his raffia, which can only be a sign of good play times that were had.

General Sumo recommends:

Those toy mice that feel like they're made with real fur

Maybe they are. Try not to think about it. It's not like mice in the wild have tails made of feathers. Not in Australia anyway.

18/365 Beer!

Because one beer event is never enough, on Thursday night, I attended the Australian International Beer Awards. My primary memory of the night is pain due to wearing my work heels out to lunch that day then walking from home to the Belgian Beer Cafe to the casino in even angrier heels. I now have a lot of deflated blisters on the balls of my feet.

Aside from the foot pain, the event was lots of fun. The previous night's record of the most men, aged 23-48 in one venue was quickly surpassed once I arrived and plunged in to the sea of suits. I bravely began the night with a wine but moved on to beer once seated for dinner. Once again, I had entered man heaven as a short-term guest. A large silver bowl at the centre of our table was constantly replenished with different bottles of beer.

As an item of interest, I point out that the evening was hosted by Paul Mercurio. Yes, that guy from Strictly Ballroom who then did the Chesty Bonds ads (I accidentally typed 'Chesty Bongs' then but that is quite a different product). Dinner involved duck, arranged in artfully different ways in the three shallow valleys of my entree plate; ocean trout with some other stuff that escapes me; and an apple tart with cinnamon ice-cream. Normally suspicious of fruit masquerading of dessert, I was pleased to find the apple amply surrounded by fattening pastry and resting lightly in a puddle of cream. Afterwards came coffee, tea and chocolates. I had worked out a plan to chat with people at a lot of different tables so that I could gorge on chocolates without anyone noticing but then I realized I was tired and just wanted to go home.

No awards for us during the night but a lot picked up by a small Western Australian brewery called the Feral Brewing Company. Quite a big achievement for a brewery with only one bottled beer (several more in draught form). The picture above comes from one of a few old beer ads that were screened during the night. I can only hope to be such a good wife as the lady above, bringing her husband a refreshing beer after a long day at work, leading the way with her disturbingly pointy bosom.

General Sumo recommends:

Not turning down an offer to attend the beer awards

Bryson!

Only making one outdoor trip in high heels per day

Stupidly, I then wore the same heels to work the next day. What was I thinking? Caroline was smart enough to wear flats.

Feral White by the Feral Brewing Company

I couldn't say I was big on the name, nor did I try the Feral White but with so many awards and a room full of brewers willing to clap them, I'm guessing they do something right.

13/365 Bill

This is Bill. Bill hangs at The Gertrude Hotel in Fitzroy, waiting for scratches and doggy admiration. Rumor has it that he occasionally lets fly with a particularly pungent fart, although I've fortunately yet to experience this.

Grant and I ate lunch at The Gertrude on Saturday during an interlude in property viewing. I had pumpkin and parmesan ravioli with a tomato and vegetable sauce whilst Grant indulged in the burger. Big marks to my pasta, in particular the sauce, which featured plentiful vegetable action. I find this is often hard to come by in pasta dishes so it was a pleasant surprise. 

At first shunning my advances and seriously endangering my Dr. Doolittle reputation, Bill eventually came around when he realized that his table of lady friends was leaving and he could no longer receive foot scratches. We spent some fun time together, me giving him some energetic rubs on the belly with my feet. It sure did make me miss having a dog. I'm not saying I don't love The Who-Who because who doesn't, right? But there's only so much vigor with which you can rub a kitten's soft white belly.

Sleep well Bill. Until the next time.

General Sumo recommends:

The Gertrude Hotel

148 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy

It smelt a little funky this Saturday but I'm prepared to put that down to the copious amounts of rain. Or maybe Bill. I've heard the chicken wings are superb but since I am one of those three Australians who doesn't like chicken, I haven't explored that terrain. Friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, amusing pet and a fireplace. What's not to love?

The CardioTwister presentation

This was on the TV at The Gertrude. Working out hasn't been this fun since.... well, ever! And I don't know, Cheryl, I reckon I do hate working out more than you do. Check out the padded handlebars at the 2:00 mark. I think you'll appreciate them as much as she does. Also, note that by buying the CardioTwister, you appear to automatically upgrade your digs to a mansion with swimming pool. And for only $14.95 for a 30 day trial (but if you don't like it, you have to pay return shipping)! What I want to know is, if it takes 4-6 weeks to ship, as detailed in tiny writing at the bottom of the last few frames, does your 30 days start from the despatch date or the receipt date? Oh to hell with it! 7/10/09 - Cardio Party at my house!!!!!!

11/365 arieanjlhj.,,,,,,,,,,.ewthlkadf

I'm pretty sure that's what The Who was typing. He has discovered an important piece of information that has changed his life: the laptops get hot! Especially when I'm playing Simmies. I'll be busy running the lives of Platypus Chan, Hobson's Bay Hobson's Bay and Thompsons Fitzgerald when all of a sudden the game wildly starts taking photos or recording a film or randomly quits. Oh, The Who-Who must be on the laptop again.

I've tried putting random things on the keyboard to discourage kitten settlement but he tends to just sit on top of them. One time he actually reclined against the screen. He's so relaxed with modern technology.

And yes, Grant, after this photo I did push him off. He got on the Macbook instead.

General Sumo recommends:

Setting up a comfy blanket as an alternative to the warm laptop

It took a bit of prodding and the placement of a tea box on the laptop keyboard but he got the message in the end. He was little bit angry but he got over it.

Sims 2

Playing dollhouse was never this fun before. I like to use the phonebook and name my people after street names. Hence why I have someone called Platypus Chan, sister of Beaver Chan. I also had someone called The Ridge. She was awesome. Then I like to conduct mini-social experiments like, what happens if I make a freaky cult community full of blonde, blue eyed people who aren't allowed to have any technology and whose female members can't work and see how long they can survive and interbreed before they're all related and have to search for partners in the outside world. Next up: the singles neighbourhood.

9/365 Lemon Baxter - You Can't Stop It

On Tuesday during a trip to the South Melbourne Coles to get pasta, Grant and I spied this awesome old building set to be demolished and redeveloped as an office block, with sales courtesy of real estate firm Lemon Baxter. How criminal. The building is clearly begging for someone like us to have enough money to buy and live in it, although those windows might be a bit too revealing in the middle of South Melbourne.

As an aside, I've always thought that Lemon Baxter sounded like a cocktail made up by David Baxter at work, not a real estate company. "I'll have two martinis and a lemon baxter thanks."

General Sumo recommends:

Not getting rid of all the awesome old industrial buildings

Although, to be honest, I'd rather see them destroyed completely than a slow, painful death by executisation. This is when property developers take a great warehouse and strip it of any character on the inside to make it into an 'executive apartment', relying solely on the coolness of the brick exterior to sell the place as 'edgy and urban'.

Drinking a lemon baxter

Mojitos are so passe. I don't know how to do an e acute on the Macbook. Just imagine it.

8/365 Utah Trio Aids Host

Back from Sandy and still on our reduced television kick, Grant and I decided to do the puzzles in The Age. We started out with the quiz, moved on to the quick crossword, had a stab at Target and finished off with two other word puzzles. 

We were quite proud of ourselves managing to complete both of the latter puzzles. Then we noticed that they were titled 'Under Age'. There are two options when considering this title and both make me feel dumb. Option 1: This is a section for young people, calling into question our mental abilities. Option 2: The title, Under Age, is some sort of clever play on words using the name of the newspaper. But I can't work out what it is, once again calling into question my mental abilities.

Interesting to note that the solutions for the puzzle from the day before seemed to be on some sort of bushfire theme. Maybe I'm reading too much into that. Not sure what the theme of the puzzle we did was. Sounds political.

General Sumo recommends:

Doing puzzles in the paper together

This is our new after dinner activity and I'm loving it, even though The Age makes me feel stupid. We've been looking up new words on Dictionary.Com and researching crossword answers on Wiki, those infinite sources of infallible knowledge. I was a little mad that The Age didn't recognize 'fuck' as a legitimate answer for Target. It's a word! It was the first word I found.

Looking up the solution words from yesterday's Target. 

Who knew 'tufa' and 'kerf' were words?

6/365 Moomba

Another year, another Moomba.  This time I avoided getting sunburnt by employing the wily tactic of attending at night.

Grant and I went out for dinner at Pellegrini's, something I've been meaning to do for a long time. After an intense lasagne experience, complete with watermelon granita (served by Anita, clearly forced into the role because of her rhyming name), we wandered back through the city and stumbled upon this year's Moomba festival.

It was there that I realized two important things: 1) No matter how good a parent you normally are, you are always going to suck at events like this.  All of those unnaturally coloured foods, cheap shitty trinkets and mystifyingly oversized toys insulted my South-Melbourne-Market-going, Scandanavian-design-loving, two-bedroom-apartment-living senses. I was quietly horrified. But I'm pretty sure this is what kiddy heaven looks like. All the mini people were wandering around either super-hyped or in a blissful daze, otherwise known as a sugar coma, clutching Scooby Doos the size of an actual great dane. If that was my child, I couldn't wait until it went to sleep and I could sneak Scooby down the rubbish chute. "Velma came by in The Mystery Machine looking for him last night. It looks like Old Man Cattich is haunting the roller rink downtown again. You understand, don't you?"

Oh and 2) God, teenagers shit me! Generally. Like, I know that they're just being lion cubs and learning how to play in the big jungle and all of that but gosh, am I ever glad I'm over those days. One charming young suitor called to a prospective bunch of belles: "Hey, come and suck my dick!" Ah, modern courting. 

But on to the picture above. As always, I can't resist an example of astoundingly bad English. I feel like I should have some sort of funny comment to make about it but I really can't think of anything. I am open to suggestions.  Whilst I'm on that picture though, what is going on with all of the stuffed toys hanging upside down like they're in some sort of stuffed toy horror film? Quick, Care Bear power required!

General Sumo recommends:

Taking a walk through the city at night

One of our favourite activities as a couple that never fails to remind us just why we love living in the city so much. There's always something going on in Melbourne's CBD and the best way to see it all is on foot.

Checking out the Moomba fireworks

Even if you don't dig the sideshows and teenage mating rituals, the fireworks are always beautiful.

Dining at Pellegrini's

66 Bourke Street, Melbourne

I know I'm way behind on this one but the lasagne and watermelon granita was well worth the wait. I've never had lasagne like that. Ever. The staff are friendly and happy and clearly have a great camaraderie. I must go back for cake.

3/365 Stupid Scott

Apart from a jog this morning at 8:00, this was my only outing for the day. Stupid Scott has given me his stupid cold via stupid Grant! Well, at least it was a good day to be sick. Raining off and on all day and so windy. I think the hedge and the tree outside went horizontal at one point. Where's summer? And don't tell me it's March. I don't want to hear it.

I left the house for that important staple food - chocolate. I tried those new Cadbury Bites. Bought two packets with the intention of leaving one for Grant. But then I couldn't decide if I wanted Cherry Ripe or Picnic so I opened both and only meant to eat half. I even put them back on the shelf. I think we all know that Grant only got to see the empty packets in the bin. I also bought milk to make it look like a had a legitimate reason to be at the IGA. I doubt I was convincing. They were probably just wondering why I wasn't buying Diet Coke. Grant also bought milk and now we have one and a half litres and only one person who drinks milk.

General Sumo recommends: 

Cadbury Bites

Buy two packets and mix them together. It creates a sense of mystery and surprise when you reach into the packet. What will you draw out next?

Stealing warmth from the cat

When you wake up a little bit cold on a chilly day, pull the blanket so that your faithful kitten, who is naturally lying next to you, is forced to lie on your legs or feet. They'll feel angry at first but they'll get over it. Mainly because they're lazy.

2/365 Jumbo

It won't win any photography awards but could possibly have ended in a Darwin award - Grant getting the most out of our new Jumbo vacuum-seal storage bag.  

I was at Big W today to pick up some more wooden coat hangers and, upon turning around, was confronted by a half-aisle selection of vacuum-seal storage bags. After a few minutes of deliberation between Large and Jumbo, I went with Jumbo due to its promise to house two whole bed sets. In a two-bedroom apartment, I am always looking for great storage ideas. Having only seen this type of product in the dubious environment of late-night infomercials before, I hoped that it wouldn't disappoint.

Like the true storage nerd I am, I couldn't wait to get home to try it out. Then, when I did get home, I was tired so I had a nap on the couch whilst The Who-Who had a nap in the new armchair.

Refreshed from my nap and with Grant home from work to share the excitement, we set about putting all of our spare bed accoutrements in the bag. As you can see, we hit a snag trying to get the pillows in. The Jumbo bag really is Jumbo. In the end, it took a quilt, four pillows, two cushions, a knitted rug from Oma and the Aerobed mattress protector. The Jumbo bag was too Jumbo to fit back in the study wardrobe comfortably so it is now under the bed, waiting for The Who to go and lie on it, which he invariably will. This has now freed up space for those important essentials, Corona and Diet Coke, to go in the wardrobe.

General Sumo recommends:

Space Bag vacuum-seal storage bags

About $18 at Big W and probably other places. And yes, it really does work and it really is easy. I always thought infomercials were too good to be true. Maybe I should try the Ab King Pro.

East of India

7 Degraves Street, Melbourne

Locally designed pieces made with beautiful fabrics imported from India. The fabrics are absolutely what makes these clothes, especially for someone like me who shudders at the touch of synthetics. The quality of production absolutely deserves a mention too. Not too sure about the limited opening hours and slightly uncomfortable buying experience though. On the upside, look out for the cute brown puppy dog under the counter!

Not working

Finally, time to do all those things that make home life run smoothly - make the bed, do the dishes, do the washing, get watch batteries replaced. I feel like I actually have a life again as opposed to just a job and for the first time in about nine months, I don't feel stressed. Turns out I'm actually a nice person without work stress. Who would have guessed?

1/365 Life After Television

With Grant out listening to what I'm sure is a titillating Accounting 1 lecture (for him, it probably is), Dr Who-bama and I thought it was a good time to capture a shot of  The Who molting all over our new chair. Yes, after three years of Grant lying in bed looking at Scandinavian furniture centrefolds, we finally lashed out and bought our very own piece of Scando furniture that did not come from Ikea. 

Pictured above is Grant's new baby - a 1960s Danish armchair with mismatching foot stool in brick leather and whatever kind of timber that is.  Teak? I forgot to ask. Shame on me.  I am clearly not enough of a design junkie. Said chair was purchased from the Three Quarters gallery on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, where we received fantastic service on both days that we visited this last week. We also checked out their warehouse in Kerr Street, behind the Evelyn Hotel, where we again received outstanding service from the very lovely Len. It's so nice to shop somewhere that is run by knowledgeable people with a true passion for what they are selling. 

It was a hard decision in the end as the warehouse and gallery were filled with a plethora of awesome furniture and reminded me (as if I needed it) why I love Scando design so much. Everything is beautiful and functional. I could have bought about 15 new pieces in the one sitting - telephone tables and tiny bedsides with treasure troves of ingenious compartments, high-backed fabric armchairs, big comfy sofas and illuminated beer signs. And then I remembered that we live in a two bedroom apartment and that I'm afraid of bigger dwellings anyway.

The chair purchase was part of an overall nesting change that we are making at the moment. We have decided to have a living area that does not revolve around the television. Our 32" weirdly-cheap-imported-from-China TV has been relegated to the study and we have set the armchair up along the former 'television wall', with a bookcase in the middle. The intention is to buy a new chair to go on the other side of the bookcase, a space currently inhabited by the CD storage. We're thinking the PearsonLloyd Flow chair and foot stool but that's still a few months off so it could change. 

I've just been thinking how odd it is that in the bulk of Australian homes (and I suspect, in a lot of other countries), the living area is entirely based around the television. For the first few months in our apartment, we lived without a television. And you know, I really didn't miss it.  We had the weirdo China TV on order and didn't see the point of buying another TV to fill in the gap. That was until I bought Grant an X-Box 360 for his birthday and the China shipment was delayed. Then it just seemed cruel so we went out and bought a little 19" set.  This is now on top of the bookshelf as we apparently aren't ready to go cold turkey.  I think things will be easier once we have a stereo system set up and can listen to the radio with good quality speakers. I like having the TV on sometimes just for the noise if I'm home alone.

With the television as a focal point, it is so easy just to come home and veg out without thinking about what you are doing. Especially when your brain is dead from a hectic day at work. I'm hoping to build up our stock of games and maybe get a coffee table and put out some drawing or colouring-in supplies to fill the gap. And then there's always reading and talking.

So stay tuned to find out how this little experiment goes and whether Grant flips out when he gets home and finds The Who hanging out in his new chair.

General Sumo recommends:

Three Quarters, 20th Century Furnishings

Gallery - 128 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, Victoria

Warehouse - Rear 28 Kerr Street, Fitzroy, Victoria (behind the Evelyn Hotel)

Beautiful imported, vintage Scandinavian furniture. Len at the warehouse was only too happy to oblige our annoying requests to take several chairs off of the shelves to try out. Just quietly, I'd also like to live in the gallery.

South gin and tonic with cucumber

Free pour the gin. Not because you're that cool, just because you can't be bothered getting those nails out of the shot measure and washing it.

Kitten champagne

Because the kitten in your life also deserves something special (sparkling mineral water). Sure, he might pretend he's not interested but he is. Oh he is.