Marrickville Greek Style

Greeks have been a big part of Marrickville history. While Vietnamese noodle places now dominate Marrickville Road, some Greek remanets remain. As does Alexander the Great Macedonian Club.

I decided to visit the place with my buddies on Saturday.

Our Greek Goddess buddy Maria took control of the food order. We ordered dips, bread and a mixed seafood and meat platter. Red wine was also the order of the day.

Five minutes into the conversation, the musicians began. It wasn’t exactly background music. Rather it pierced into every word we said. We thought of finishing up our feed and buggerig off to the REM,

Then Leo Sayer came out and serenaded us. There was no escape. Instead we smiled duly and watched him duet with Dolly Parton. In order to sustain any conversation between us, we resorted to note writing. At that stage it was time for a jug of ale.


Leo serenades Maria


While Dolly Parton works the crowd


Note taking was the only way to converse

For Penny it was time for a smoke. We needed to get out.

“As a Greek chick I am really embarrassed about the place.” Maria said. Sam reassured her by saying that Aussies have their RSL clubs.

We waved goodbye to Leo and that was that. Outside Penny and I had a conversation with one of the security guards.

“It used to be happening, this place. Now everyone goes to places like the Ivy.”

I asked him if he was Greek.

“I am part Macedonian and part Jewish. I am thinking of becoming fully Jewish. That way I can start making some money”.

Night of the dirty dirty martini

Time: Friday night
Venue: Hemisphere Bar
Snogging: Nil


It was one of those night’s – I’ll just stay for one and then one ends up lasting till 11:30pm.
The bar staff got a bit excited with my dirty martini, allowing the olive to flow a little too freely and so ended up with a dirty dirty martini. My mate darin called it the Filthy Martini. Enjoy the pics.


Pip bites into Renovation Pete


DTC and Jeff


Vish hangs back with a beer


Satisfied staffers

Camera by Juli

On the house

The morning after. Julia and THAT Kevin Rudd wish

Last night Julia Newbould met Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. She asked him to sign a birthday card for her mum. He did.

Last night I met the Mayor of Marrickville Dimitrios Thanos. I asked him if I could take a pic of him with my friend Peter. He did.

“Please just call me Dimitri” he said to me after I addressed him as Mayor Thanos.

After some light conversation, he gave me his business card and said “call me anytime”.

I was at Petersham Town Hall to honour my mate Peter’s entry in the Marrickville Medal awards ceremony.

“The prestigious Marrickville Medal for Conservation has been awarded annually since 1995. It awards and celebrates conservation and restoration works that contribute to the understanding and preservation of Marrickville’s rich cultural and architectural heritage,” according to the council website.

Peter’s beautiful home was one of the finalists. On the back of the award presentations, the night included speeches from heritage experts – clearly they don’t get to speak much.

One chap spoke for 40 minutes, a presentation that included PowerPoint slides of heritage sites around Australia and pictures of his daughter, her pet dog and a hen with five chickens.

The other chap who won a special heritage promotions award spent a bit of time thanking his sub-editor. God Bless.

Finally it was time for the presentations. The homes were fabulous; clearly Marrickville is home to some fine architecture and residents with taste. Even the Maronite Sisters were up for a nomination. Their Novena must not have worked as they didn’t take home a medal, but at least they had their pic taken with the Mayor.

The winner was a home in Newtown, which is in fact leased out as holiday accommodation. “It was the worst house on the street” we were told.

The sandstone cottage was built in 1858 by a family of funeral directors. The architects (also the homeowners) subsequently renovated it into a modern gem, no doubt with a 4-star wells cistern label dunny.

Check it out!

http://www.australiastreetcottage.com/


The audience views Peter's home as part of a PowerPoint presentation


Peter, his certificate and Mayor just call me Dimitrios Thanos


Peter and his home


The Martonite Sisters with their certificate


The booze was free and it flowed all night

Night out at Maccas

We all know the feeling – after a few beers the hunger creeps in. That’s when my craving for a cheeseburger begins. After Stev(o)’s farewell drinks at Customs House, Sam, Sallyanne and myself headed to the conveniently located McDonalds. We met a trans-gender bus driver and as they say, the rest is history!


Let the night begin - Sallyanne claims a stake at the counter


People line-up


A long chip


Simon was not allowed into The Establishment because of his Birkenstocks....so he joined us at Macca's


Sallyanne takes the Mercedes Benz home with our bus driver buddy

Brisvegas - take two

Another year, another conference and I found myself back again in Brisvegas. Last year I spent a Brisvegas weekend in a windowless hotel room with my dear friend Maria. This year, I splurged and stayed at the new Emporium Hotel with my dear buddy Penny. This hotel had a room and a massive T.V. We shopped, saw a circus at the Judith Wright Centre and of course enjoyed a few glasses of wine. Enjoy the pics!


Barnsey sings out on the massive T.V


Penny enjoys a glass of bubbles in her bargain-priced Little Joe dress


Enjoying a ciggie


A slice of Paris in Brisvegas


An indigenous Australian celebrates the impending St Pat's day


Beer and chips and a sunday Brissie afternoon

OH MY God I am a SPUD

If I want kids maybe I should opt for a salary miner. What are you?

From the SMH and AAP today....

SPUDS and freemales on the rise
March 12, 2008 - 12:32PM

First there were DINKs (dual income, no kids) and SINKs (single income, no kids) - now Australia is experiencing the rise of the SPUD (single person urban dwelling), not to mention the "freemale".
In a wide-ranging new geo-demographic survey of the country, researchers have found that unmarried women now outnumber married women for the first time since World War I.
The Mosaic 2008 analysis reveals 51.4 per cent of women are opting for the singles lifestyle in a new phenomenon billed as "Bridget Jones meets Sex and the City".
The survey also estimates that up to a quarter of women will never have children, while SPUDs account for more than 25 per cent of all dwellings in Australia - a figure that's expected to soar over the next 30 years.
"Mosaic 2008 offers us new levels of insight into where Australians live and work, how much they earn and spend, what their family situation is and what they do with their spare time," Graham Plant, of research firm Pacific Micromarketing, said.
"It draws on richer data sources and drills down further to the household level than any other similar analysis.
"Many of the new trends identified, ask serious questions of businesses and government: for example, what does the rise of the SPUD mean for transport and utility service providers and grocery retailers, not to mention the energy-efficiency of our cities?"
Other findings in Mosaic 2008 include:
50 per cent of all Australians have one parent born overseas, of whom only 14 per cent were born in the UK;
Africa, India, Indonesia, Singapore and China are the fastest-growing sources of immigrants;
So-called salary miners - high-income earners in younger households in remote mining communities, with high disposable incomes and low housing costs - account for 0.6 per cent of the population;
The proportion of baby boomers aged 65+ is expected to double to 25 per cent of the total Australian population by 2038.
Mr Plant said the Mosaic findings provided governments, private and other sectors with invaluable data to better plan for the future.
"In a shifting and fragmenting consumer landscape, all enterprises need to work harder to understand their customers better," he said.
"Companies should be planning products and services that their customers will want over the next decade, not what they wanted five years ago."
Mosaic 2008 was compiled from data in the last Australian census and other sources, Pacific Micromarketing said.

The Dentist

“You are a lovely lady. Let’s fill you up” That’s what my dentist said to me as I had yet another filling.

A trip to the dentist has always been problematic for me. My last visit cost me more than $3,000. And when I had my wisdom teeth pulled out I had to re-finance my home loan. I was working at Chatswood at the time and my nearest dentist was a fancy bloke with fancy equipment.

Instead of being anaesthetised during the extraction of my wisdom teeth, he got in a bloke that practiced ‘sleep dentistry’ He placed a needle in my arm. In no time I was asleep. During the operation this sleep dentistry fella would just monitor my heartbeat on his own portable machine. When I awoke, I didn’t have that drugged out feel.

And while I had two wisdom teeth pulled out, the next day I was mighty fine. I even received a call from my fancy dentist. This fella was good.

Years later (I am pretty bad I don’t practice the six monthly visits) I thought I’d go back to the dentist of my youth – Dr Andrew Frame. Dr Frame has been in Burwood for years and he’s tops. We first met Dr Frame when my sister was in a car accident in Dee Why and had her front teeth smashed in. Dr Frame put them back together again. And we have never looked back. He’ll take ages to put a needle in your gums, which means you only feel a very dull pressure. He used to say to me, “If my prick hurts just kick me”.

It was lovely seeing him again. And the best thing is I only walked out with a $179 bill. Having said that I will have to go again to get more fillings and a plastic guard. Apparently I grind a lot in my sleep and so need them protected. That will cost me another $600 bucks. Looks like I may have to hold back on getting the Caroma Walvit Invisi toilet suite with the invisiable cistern.

Dr Andrew Frame: 02 9744 7201

Three cheers for the GPS

Has anyone been in a taxi lately? A taxi that uses that fancy Global Positioning System (GPS). I was on my way home from Melbourne last week. Normally when I catch a taxi from the airport I am met with a growl. A trip from the airport to Marrickville is only a $20 cab fare. Honestly why would I travel on train when it costs $12 and takes twice the time?

This time, I was not met with a growl but with confusion. The poor taxi driver did not know where Marrickville was.

“Don’t worry I will use the GPS,” he said to me with a smile.

After punching in some details on a hand held gizmo we were off.

A voice from the gizmo said:

“At two hundred metres prepare to turn left. At one hundred metres turn left”

“At two hundred metres turn right. At one hundred metres turn right”

And so it went on. In no time, I saw the familiar Sydenham station. And I knew we were home. Once the Taxi drove down Marrickville Rd, the voice became a bit crazy.

My instructions were contrary to what was dialled into the GPS handset and so for the last few minutes of the journey we received a barrage of instructions “prepare to turn back. In one hundred metres prepare to turn back” And so it went on.

Still I arrived safe and sound and this time didn’t have to suffer the cab pulling over, while looking at the map or the grumpy silence.

The last time a taxi driver couldn’t take me home, I just jumped out and ran. But you can read all about that in http://marrickvilleprincess.blogspot.com/2007/02/my-life-of-crime.html

Three cheers for the GPS.

A long time coming

The Prime Minister of Australia apologises to the Stolen Generation


Today I joined many Australians to hear Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologise to the stolen generations. With heavy rain above us and my brolly sheltering some of my fellow attendees we witnessed what was truly a historic occassion. It was brilliant. Truly magnificent.

Night of the old farts

Old people watch Died Pretty - Taras pumps the air

The last time I saw Ed Kuepper team up with Died Pretty was at The Metro. The sheer brilliance of their music had us on our feet all night. I was looking forward to revisiting my twenties as I booked the duo for a night out at The Enmore Theatre

As we held our cans of VB we didn’t have to wait long for Ed to come on stage. He was wearing spectacles. Nevertheless he still had the sexpot in him as he sang from his various masterpieces including Today Wonder and Honey Steel’s Gold.
Sam had never heard his music but by the end of his set, Ed had scored a new fan. I loved every minute of Ed on stage although I wished I could have stood and swayed to his music, instead of sitting down on the theatre chairs.


At least these Hunter Valley chaps were up and dancing

When Died Pretty came on, I immediately leapt from my chair. It was the right thing to do. Then a lady my age tapped on my shoulder. “Can you please dance in the aisle”?

As Ron Peno blasted Godbless, the vast majority of people remained in their seats. But I didn’t care; I was now in the aisle with Taras, Sam and two nice gentlemen from the Hunter Valley. I wonder if Peno and the boys felt my frustration.

Although most of my fellow punters seem to have had a sober experience, I had a fabulous night.

I may be heading into my forties but at least I don’t need a seat to go to a Died Pretty concert.


Post-conference Sam and I met this nice chap.

Taras took the Hunter Valley Boys to the Sly Fox. "We've never seen anything like this on the main street of Cessnock," they told him

When the cops come a calling...

Incident! Last night my friend Jade sat down to a cuppa and one hour’s viewing of the very good and tantalising three part series on the ABC, The Line of Beauty. Being a fan of the book, I enjoyed Alan Hollinghurst’s take on the life of English toffs during the time of Thatcher. The story also centres around a gay chap by the name of Nick Guest. The book was especially explicit in its gay sex scenes, The TV series no different.

Clad in her Peter Alexander pyjamas, Jade was enjoying the movie over a cuppa of chilli hot chocolate (from Byron Bay).

A knock on the door interrupted her telly viewing.

It was the Marrickville cops.

A woman had her handbag snatched outside her block of units and they wanted to know if she heard anything.

Just as Jade was about to answer, the grunts of men could be heard from her telly. As she fumbled for words the grunts continued. The cops remained poker faced as she told them she had not heard anything. Finally the sounds of deep male sigh silenced the grunts.

There is a saying that a girl should always wear nice undies in case she is ever run over by a bus.

Well in our crime ridden suburb, there is always the opportunity for the cops to come a calling. Just make sure you have your Peter Alexanders (I actually have a nice pair of Leona Edmiston) on and the TV sound hushed.

Living with Panache

“Oh so you bought some wallpaper to frame,” mybrother-in-law said to me as I told him about my fabulous new ‘wall art’.

This printed fabric wallpaper art was designed by thelegendary (and some say notorious) wallpaper designer Florence Broadhurst.

The poor woman was found murdered, with her head stuffeddown a toilet. But her extraordinary prints live on.

The Lotus restaurant in Potts Point has this very design wallpapered in its swish bar. Even Australian frock designer Leona Edmiston has Broadurst wallpaper featured in some of her boutiques. Next stop Marrickville.

I picked up my little gem through an online store on ebay– Living with Panache

I may not have my walls covered in her magnificent designsbut my little piece of Florence sits well with my Danish and Murano glass– indeed it’s living with panache!

www.livingwithpanache.com.au

Beauty on Wardell

Forgive me, but I have been admiring my new pedicure for aweek. I have never had one and now that I have, I doubt I can ever paint thetips of my toes again. They look fabulous in my Gisele Bundchen flip flops.

I had them done on Saturday at the newly established Unisex hair studio salon that has opened up just near Dulwich Hill station. While it wasthe first time I had my pedicure done, I have visited the salon on numerousoccasions.

The thing about Asian beauticians is that they understandthat brown people like myself want to look like Jessica Simpson. So instead ofadvising me to remain with my “nice thick straight black hair” they immediatelyget to work with hot tongs and a blow dryer as I show them a picture ofSimpson’s tumbling, curly mane.

And when I need by eyebrows shaped they never blink when Ishow them a picture of Kylie Minogue’s amazingly fine arched brow.

The pedicure cost me $28 so next time I will go for the maxi– deal, manicure and pedicure for $40.

The last time I had a manicure was with nail artist supremo Christina Fitzgerald at a Myer store promotion. Fitzgerald was manicurist tothe stars including Kylie Minogue. She became so famous that she now has herown nail polish range.

It was an honour to have my nails done by Christina. But her salon is in Paddington and Unisex is in Dulwich Hill. Her manicures alone cost$50 and a pedicure sets you back $80.

I’ll stick with the hair studio at least I can imagine I’m Kylie andJessica rolled into one.

Unisex Hair Studio - 4 Dudley St, West Marrickville, 9558 3569

Indian cricket players

"The Indian players had earlier pushed their way through a scrum of reporters and autograph hunters onto the bus following the fall-out from yesterday's SCG Test,"

That was the report from the Sydney Morning Herald. I still managed to have a peek as my managind editor, Julia Newbould snapped happily away.


Photographers stake their positions


Tendulkar meanders through the groupies


My favourite - The Turbinator


Ganguly graps a coffee


Hot shot Investorinfo publisher couldn't care less

Cats of Marrickville

This is Sid. He likes to beat up on the other felines


While this sweetie is looked after by the copper dogs


This is my girl Majella


Majella's next door neighbour


This is Mila, ok she's from Camperdown but that's close enough


This is Milsha. She leads a somewhat charmed life


This chap likes to crap in front of my neighbour's door

Typical Day at the Cricket

From a feeling of jubilance


To...disappointment....


Ok. I love my country but how I wish there was some competition in cricket. Yesterday, at the first day of the second test, I thought,there just might be a bit of competition. As Australia's top nob batsmen all fell after only 134 runs, Symonds and Hogg went on to more than double the the score, with the partnership achiveing 174 runs. Oh well, at least they are both nice people cricketers. Nob face Clarke managed to score only one misely run. That in itself made it a good day at the cricket. Oh and the fact that Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh was giving me the eye when he was fielding. But Stev(o) reckons he just wanted a passport.


Victory short lived - Indians celebrate after the first wicket falls


At least I could enjoy beer with my mates


And Charlie's knees turned red