Fresh Prince

Saturday night is going to be a doosy. I'm going to be all glamorous and shit at Lifeline Canberra's annual ball, and there's going to be a dirty big party at Transit Bar where Purple Sneakers are launching their new night "Fresh Prince". Who was at Transit Bar last Saturday for the most epic Strangeways of all time? That shit was crazy. Transit went mental and now the standard has been set, I'm sure this Saturday will be no different.

Fresh Prince is a band night, therefore different from the DJ fueled indie dance party we've come to expect from the Sneakers crew. Bands will play and their set will be judged based on how cute the boys in the band are. Oh, that's only me? Awkward.

This edition of Fresh Prince features Deep Sea Arcade and Fun Machine. It's on Saturday night and it's $15 on the door, unless you mention our blog and then it's only $10! Bargain!

For more information check out the Fresh Prince Launch Facebook link:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=214054511973829


BANDS: Deep Sea Arcade, Fun Machine
DJs: M.I.T (SYD), Architect DJs, Princi, Celebrity Sex Tape.


SET TIMES:
8PM ........Celebrity Sex Tape
9.............Fun Machine LIVE
930.........Celebrity Sex Tape
10...........Deep Sea Arcade LIVE
1045.......M.I.T
12AM......Princi
1.............M.I.T
2.............Architect DJs
3.............Close


Deep Sea Arcade Songs
"Lonely In Your Arms"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpDma2d2FKY


"Don't Be Sorry"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urFiQ3m99N8


See you there hipsters.

Xx

Lord of the Rink: the Two Towers

Good golly! This is on tonight at the A.I.S!!!!! Come and support the awesomeness that is Roller Derby and cheer on our magnificent Canberra team the Vice City Rollers as we smash the Sydney Assassins. Tickets are available on the door. I'm really hung over so I'm going to leave this here.

See you tonight hipsters.

September

xx
Photograph from rummey bears

Not quite mad crush Monday I'm afraid. Perhaps mundane Thursday?

Things to eat, do, make in spring, glorious spring:

Go to Floriade and ride the ferris wheel.

Spend as much time as possible by the lake, picnicking, bike riding, eating Brodburger and generally frolicking.

Buy and dye silk for scarves.

Eat endless combination of pea, mint, parmesan, asparagus and leek dishes with smoked trout .

Climb mountains.

Eat at Podfood.

Be a committed, reliable, effective veggie gardener. Decimate the harlequin bugs. Produce 10 varieties of heirloom tomato.

Pin giant flowers in a high bun on my head.

Spend a weekend at Little Pig Creek in the Kangaroo Valley. Go horse riding through the lush green countryside.

Paint with watercolours.

Listen to the new Deerhunter album, 'Halycon Digest'

Make salads from Casa Moro.

Lie on grass, look at trees/sky.

Prepare the house for dreaded summer. Not as easy as preparing for winter, but may involve careful placement of fans, installation of flyscreens, purchase of a child's paddling pool.

Get your zine on

Hey you guys!
Feeling sad that the long weekend is almost over? I know I am. Don't have a long weekend? That's balls. Well now you have something to look forward to, something to write in your diary and circle. Something to put into your iPhone as a reminder (does that exist on an iPhone? I don't have one). Something to tell your friends about so you appear hip and happening and maybe a little bit dangerous (not really, the only thing dangerous about paper is a paper cut. IN THE EYE! It happens).

Zine Fair! In Canberra! At CCAS! Come!

To my knowledge most of the stalls have been taken by eager zinesters, including (but not limited to) Sticky Institute all the way from Melbourne and local zine distro Little Beats. Which is great as that means CCAS will be overflowing with ziney goodness, so you should pop on by and check it out. I definitely will be (because I'll be helping out...but I would be there anyway! Promise).

Massive ATTACK!

Heh, that title was fun to write.

On a much more serious note, has anyone listened to Heligoland yet? It's pretty tits. Like Jessica Alba tits, not weird alien Madonna tits. Eww.

Things I know about Massive Attack;

• I like to think that I grew up listening to Massive Attack
  
• As an angsty, angsty teen I was convinced that the song "Protection" was written about me (that would have been fucking cool)
• Massive Attack in 2003 was my second ever concert
• Inertia Creeps is one of my favourite songs of all time
• I would be a lesbian for Liz Fraser
• Band member 3D used to 'paint' with Banksy
• My housemate Nick thinks that '3D' is a pretty crap name
• Vanessa isn't really into 'trip hop'

Oh, did I mention that I'm going to see them again THIS FRIDAY (the 19th) AT THE ROYAL THEATER IN CANBERRA. Stoked! What I'm not so stoked about is that my friends are all too lame to come with me. So, I'm going alone. All independent woman like. Unless! Oh. my. god. I have an idea. Massive Attack are high lords of cool, I'm super flipping cool, you're reading this blog so you must be pretty cool, YOU SHOULD COME WITH ME!!!!!

In case you needed any sort of motivation other than being my hot date for the night, check out this video....

See you Friday
xox

(Ticket info here....)

Roller skating is my life

I have no idea where this picture is from, but isn't it just THE most amazing thing you've ever seen?

Okay kids, listen closely. I have a secret to tell you. I have a dream and in this dream I am roller derby champion of the WORLD! Not sure if this title exists yet, but it will and I will own it.

Long story short is I'm starting a roller derby fresh meat course next Tuesday. I'm beyond excited, though also incredibly nervous. I'll keep y'all posted on how it goes. Hopefully by the end of the course I will look like this...

or maybe this...

Either way, yay roller derby! Now to think of a name... All suggestions are welcome. Maybe I'll run a poll.

Check out my local derby league site here.

xx

Joanna, harpist of my heart

v
Tomorrow evening, Jaimie, Vannessa and I will be seeing Joanna Newsom perform at our fair city's little playhouse. I am so excited I have fashioned a highly detailed miniature wire harp I intend to pin to my hair.

My gentleman friend and I were lucky enough to witness her performance with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera house a few years back, and it was one of the more glorious nights of my life. I remember spending a significant portion of it marveling at the choice of upholstery in the theatre (fluorescent pink!) and the rest of it feeling completely enchanted by Joanna and her whimsical tales and beautiful tones. She is divine.

If you don't believe me, listen to this. Its quirky story and hearty yelps were the highlight of the Opera House gig:

Joanna Newsom - Colleen

The Playhouse promises to provide a sumptuously intimate performance, and If I'm not mistaken there are still tickets available. I highly, highly recommend you get thee one immediately. You can do so here.

Zines! Zines! Zines!

Buckle up Canberra zine lovers, Little Beats Zine distro is launching! Tomorrow!
Little Beats is the brainchild of two delightful Canberra girls (Katy & Gemma) who love zines and want you to love them too.

At the launch there will be a bunch of zines (about 30!) from overseas and interstate, as well as works by talented local zinesters. Prices range from FREE (totally my favourite price) to approximately $35, but when you are purchasing a handmade masterpiece price hardly matters. There is a huge variety and I think everyone will find something to float their boat.

The very charming and helpful Katy has provided me with a bit of a run down of some of her favourites from the zines available. So now I plagiarise her writing to give you all a bit of a sneaky peek, so to speak. What lucky readers we have!

Wooooo Mag ~
From NY, printed and bound like a novel. Interviews with musicians, artists etc. Really crazy style of writing, incredibly funny.

Lines on Paper ~
Collected images from artists all over Australia and put together in a pretty little A6 bound book. It's the dream thing you could find in your pocket really.

Love is my Velocity Cookbook ~
From the Love is my Velocity collective in Perth, this is the second edition of their cook book. All recipes are from Perth bands and all accompanying artwork is from Perth artists. There's over 40 recipe cards in the book and it's amazing.

Mashanda zines ~
These are from San Francisco and are easily two of my favourites. You, Sir are a Hottie, is teeny tiny and looks at all the babes in an encylopaedia. Guys I would Totally Date is the other from her, and it's all sketched images of some of the funniest but commonly seen men on the streets.

Dilettantes and the Heartless Manipulator ~
Spurzine in Melbourne got a PO box and started getting strangers to send him mix tapes. He writes his "non-reviews" fortnightly and they'll be restocked regularly. He's pretty brilliant actually. TOTALLY FREE.

Elkedearest ~
There are three editions from Elke, Everything's okay I drew this for you, I'll hand it to you and Pictures of people we have not yet learned to look at. She's from Canberra, they're teeny tiny but hold some incredible artwork inside them and are only $1 each.

Little Beats launches tomorrow at Grass Stains 2, at itrip iskip. As well as zines there will be bands, art and fashion and hipster kids. Should be a lot of fun. It all starts at 6pm. Maybe I'll see you there?

Little Beats will also have a permanent selection from now on at itrip iskip and Smith's Alternative Bookstore. You can also find them here.

Poster designed by the very talented George.
All other images from Little Beats.

A Handmade Evening

..

Owlies by Fock Space Toys

Last night, I was incredibly lucky enough to represent this darling blog at the VIP viewing of the Handmade Market: In Bloom at the very rustic, very charming Yarralumla Woolshed.


My (two) dates and I were treated to delicious local wine (by Lakeview Estate) and beer (by Zierholz) and amazing canapes. The dates with goats cheese pesto in particular were divine. It all felt ultra spesh. I love being a VIP.


I even got a freebie or two, including this beautifully crafted brooch by Sinead Buckney. Did I mention that I love being a VIP?


All this decadent pampering led me to make many an extravagant purchuse, including this gorgeous ring by Klei.

Who also makes numerous other beautiful things including these dear little animal pendants.


This crocheted table runner (which is actually a scarf) by a lovely lady whose name I can't remember (sorry!).


And some fab fabrics from Posie Patchwork which will be made into cushions for the couch real soon.



It truly was an amazing night and showcased just how many wonderful, creative, handmakin' peeps there are in our fine citytown. The huge line of cars trying get in when we left indicates just how much Canberra is embracing the handmade.

A big huge thank you to the market's creative director, Julie for inviting us along and spoiling us rotten! The Market is open till 4pm today, and will be back again in three months.

The Spoils of Underemployment

..

For the past few weeks I've been a touch underemployed.

But it hasn't been so bad. It's left me with plenty of time to:

Go on spontaneous holidays to the beautiful Blue Mountains with a rather charming man.



Cook delicious meals {sweet potato chips with basil aoili and sauteed silver beet with marjoram and Bulgarian feta).




Craft lampshades



Paint



And appreciate the first peaks of Spring.

Yes. In fact I'd say it's been quite grand.

{stay tuned for recipes and DIY lamp instructions in the coming days}

Fresh is most certainly the best

Hello chickens! Sorry I have been so neglectful recently, not that I am not always neglectful, but sometimes I like to apologise for it.

Just wanted to share with you a delightful trip I made to the Canberra Farmers Market this morning. It was quite an adventure, somehow I managed to get up before 9.00am on a Saturday morning! Now most of you probably already know about the Farmers Market and go every week so this won't be news to you. But, if you're anything like me you have probably meant to go every week, then slept in. The markets are only open until 11am and it is Saturday morning after all! For many, many weeks (months actually...) I have had the intention of going and it is only today that I have finally made it. The secret to getting up early, I have discovered, is to organise a friend to go with you (thank you George!). Then you'll feel guilty if you stand them up by sleeping in like the lazy soul you are (or I am, I didn't mean to imply that you guys were lazy).


Anyway, it was totally worth getting up. The markets were bustling with people eager to get a bargain on their fresh produce and sometimes it was a bit of a tussle to the tomatoes and a push and a shove to the potatoes. All part of the fun I thought and completely worth it when everything is so cheap and so fresh. I got home and all I wanted to do was cook! Needless to say I didn't.

I've included some pictures of the goodies I bought as well. Partly so there was something to look at and partly so I could play with Poladroid. I thought it pointless at first, but now I kind of dig it.


The Capital Region Farmers Markets are held every Saturday morning at Exhibition Park from 8 am to 11 am. Find out more here.

A Humble Suggestion

As a Canberra blogger I feel it is my civic duty to notify you, or at least those of you who reside in Canberra, about two very exciting gigs coming up in our own little city. Two gigs featuring two of my favourite bands; bands I've posted and gushed over, possibly to the point of hyperbole, on this here blog.

The Drones, my favourite Australian band in recent memory (or at least since Augie March fell rather spectacularly from grace with their last two releases) are playing at the ANU Bar this Thursday the 30th of April. I posted about their show at Melbourne Laneway a few months back, and can't wait to see them again. Their live show, like their amazing latest album Havilah, is a truly mesmerising, devastating, primal and at times darkly humorous experience, and I thoroughly, thoroughly recommend you attend. Tickets through Ticketek.

The Drones - The Drifting Housewife



I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Ratatat are really very fuckin' cool. I wrote this thing in my uni magazine about how they combine the best of hip hop, electronica and rock into a totally new and very sexy beast, and my co-editor added a simile involving a hairy Biggie Smalls. True or not, this gig promises to be a really fun time, and great for your street cred. If you don't believe me, just listen to Seventeen Years. Yeah. I know. I'm right, right? They play the ANU Bar on Sunday the 10th of May. Tickets also through Ticketek.

Ratatat - Seventeen Years