Reviews

A perfect life

by Cellobella on Thursday, July 23, 2009 · 4 comments

What would you do next if you were at the top of your game in a Melbourne restaurant?

Open another restaurant?

Get even more busy?

japaneserestaurant

Well the fellow who runs this place got it right I reckon.

He has a restaurant in Albany which he opens when he feels like it.

Maybe he’ll open the whole restaurant, maybe he’ll just take a table of six, maybe he’ll go fishing and not show up for a week.

When my colleague wanted to hold a Christmas lunch there, he said yes but they had to have their orders in two days before and they ended up being the only ones in the restaurant.

This is not a place you can just roll up to and hope to get a table and so I will never ever dine there. 

I like to think of my life as spontaneous but in reality I’m just disorganised.

But I kind of like his attitude.

He obviously cooks for the pleasure of it and you can imagine the food he prepares will be made with a light heart.

And isn’t that what we want?

Not just from a chef but from whatever job we are doing, from whatever service we require?

I’m going to work on that light heart stuff.

:)

Oh, and apparently the food this guy prepares is fantastic.

No surprises there.

Early starts and wicket takers

by Cellobella on Sunday, March 22, 2009

melville-markets2

I’m tired.

My eyes are barely open.  They feel sandy.  And I feel quite lethargic, reclining as I am my head at an odd angle to gain the cushion, my body twisted so I can keep the laptop plugged in and lie down at the same time.  This can’t be good for my spine.

I shuffle along the couch to try and find  a more comfortable space.  Luckily my fingers know the keys but still I have to stop and correct now and then.

Despite a rather stressed work environment at the moment I’ve had a surprisingly relaxed weekend.

Friday night I played bridge with Arty.  She’s a great player.  She knows the conventions backwards and understands cards.  Even so we only came fourth.  Club bridge is somewhat unpredictable.  Afterwards we discussed the hands – we’re playing in the Women’s Selection next week.  She told me to study hard!

The next morning I got up latish and went for a coffee which turned into lunch with Jif, another bridge pal who I used to work with.  He is a font of all bridge knowledge and gossip and we had a lovely lunch down at Barista which, although I thought over-priced did a very nice Greek pastry thing. (Don’t you love my technical terms)

In the afternoon I went to Knitwit to see if they hold stretch sewing classes.  I’m sure they do but they weren’t open.  Sigh.  Don’t they know that some sewing types work?!  Saturday morning is such a drag to have to spend shopping.

Hmm speaking of shopping I’ve checked out the new Claremont Shopping Centre and found it a bit boring.  I know all the shops aren’t in yet but there is not enough there for me to make the effort yet.  And anyway big shopping centres are overwhelming.

Last night we went to see Shane Warne the Musical at the Regal Theatre.  It was opening night and a carpet of fake grass and a white picket fence led the way in. 

All the regular freeloaders were there and it was a good fun night.

I loved the different musical styles – from rap to gospel.  In that way it was similar to Keating! which you know I loved.

The story of Shane Warne – the bad boy cricket genius – has a bit to work with.  I’m not sure the straight autobiographical chronology worked for me so much – the AIS stuff was a bit creepy – but overall it was a blast.

The classic moments for me include the cigarette scene – worth the price of admission just for that.  I also liked the Simone meeting section and the wedding dance, the sledging song (wouldn’t mind reading the lyrics of that one) and the last song by Simone is also poignant.

Eddie Perfect is indeed perfect as Warney – and as he also wrote all the lyrics, quite impressive.

I would like to see the libretto though as I fear I missed a lot of the humour because I missed some of the lyrics.

While you don’t need to know a lot about cricket to enjoy this musical I recommend familarising yourself with The Ball.  You can see a video here and the wiki explanation is very good too.

A second opinion?

This morning we got up early – 6.30 AM to trek out to Melville for the carpark markets.

It was dark when we arrived, just getting light and already the place was busy with people.  A great place to buy plants I think and there were a few other bits and pieces of interest – a nice sewing machine I was tempted by  – a few clothing items – but I managed not to buy anything – quite easy with Groover walking near me – he is quite the handbrake on spending that one!

I went back to bed when we got home – it is Sunday right?

Although I did manage to get out my convention book to read through some of the bits and pieces I’m playing with Arty on Thursday.

Big bridge week coming up… Monday night with Gij, then I fly to Kalgoorlie for three days, back for Thursday night with Arty, Friday night at home (I think we’re cleaning the house… sigh) and then ALL weekend playing with Arty, and then Monday night again with Gij.

Insane.  It’s feast or famine.  And online I’ve found some bridge tweeters.  Happy day.

Justine and the fairy of last minute ideas

by Cellobella on Thursday, March 5, 2009 · 7 comments

justine larbalestier

Last weekend I spent a quite a bit of time at the Perth Writers Festival.

I got to host a couple of children’s/young adult sessions which are my faves because a) the books are short and I can read them quickly – especially the picture books and b) I love teenage fiction.

This year I met Leigh Hobbs (Old Tom), Carole Wilkinson (Dragonkeeper trilogy), Barry Jonsberg (The Dog that Dumped on my Doona), Justine Larbalestier (How to Ditch Your Fairy) and Tristan Bancks (Coolhunter series).

All very different in their own ways. :)  

I liked how Leigh doesn’t draw what he says – and apparently there is a chicken in every book.  Carole began writing at the age of 40 which gives me hope.  Barry’s not afraid of a poo joke, Justine blogs (and you know how I like that) and Tristan seems genuinely interested in everyone he meets and I think that’s a rare thing.

They were fun sessions, and along with some of the other sessions I went to, opened my mind to new ideas and books – which is what you want right?

As always I hit the bookstore limiting myself to only three this year – hey there’s a global recession okay – not to mention a towering stack of unread and overdue library books by my bed: Justine’s “Magic or Madness”, James McBride‘s “The Color of Water”, and James Woodford’s “Real Dirt”.

In many ways an odd mix for me.

The Color of Water I picked out because I met a family friend who recommended it (interesting that family friend always refers to friends of one’s parents no?  I guess family friends of your own would just be… friends) . I also saw James speak at The Moth – the live version of my second favourite podcast (and be warned one day I’m going to make my own version for this little blog).  

I loved James Woodford’s book “The Secret Life of Wombats”.  Have you read that?  ”Real Dirt” is his memoir, and while I’m not a big fan of autobiographies or biographies or non-fiction for that matter, as I loved Wombats, I thought I’d give it a go.  Also I liked the first line.

So that’s two memoir/biography books!

And as I enjoyed the fairy book I thought I’d check out Justine’s Magic series… (and I read it in about two hours and will get the rest… I especially like the door that goes between Sydney and NY – I could use one).

Getting Teens to Read

I’ve been trying to expand my teens’ horizons when it comes to fiction.  Dippity reads A LOT of fan fiction and re-reads her faves, Hugamuga tends to stick to his few faves and whatever the school forces him to read (not much).

My strategies in the past have included:

  • Reading the beginning of the book aloud to them and then stopping at an exciting bit… FAIL
    When I read John Marsden’s Tomorrow series to my son, I didn’t even get to the exciting bit before he asked me to stop.  Years later when his mates said it was good he read it, and then ALL the series and the next. 
  • Getting the audio book versions out from the library and playing them in the car… FAIL
    They just get the audio books and listen to them – not reading the books – which is okay… but you need electricity. 
  • Renting the video/seeing the film… FAIL
    Once they know what has happened they don’t want to read the book, and I’m much the same, interesting it doesn’t happen the other way about.
  • Buying the books for myself and laughing at the good bits and then leaving them around the house… OCCASIONAL WIN
    This worked for Scott Westerfield’s Uglies series which I bought in the US and raved about the whole trip, and for Magic and Madness, Randa Abdel-Fattah’s “Does My Head Look Big in This?” and Cassandra Clare’s “Mortal Instruments” series, but not for others. 

Do you have a strategy that has worked at your place?

As Sebastian Barry said during the Writer’s Festival – Young adults are like dogs – you’ve got to let them come to you (your writing), if you approach them… they may bite.  So true.

Back to the fairy thing

Anyway I was going to tell you about the fairy of last minute ideas.

Justine’s book  - How to Ditch Your Fairy – tells the tale of a teenage girl who has a really lame fairy.  In her world nearly everyone has a fairy, and the fairy gives you a usually fairly lame but very specific superpower.

For example her fairy is a parking fairy – wherever she goes, she finds the perfect park.  Useful perhaps if you drive.  She doesn’t.

Her friend has a much more useful Clothes fairy and always finds perfectly fitted clothes at huge discounts – how I wish I had THAT fairy.

So when Justine asked me what my fairy did I had to think.

In the end I think I’ve got the fairy of last minute ideas because I’m quite good at coming up with good ideas at the very last minute.

It would of course be MUCH more useful if the good ideas came at the start of a project so that I had time to really do some good with them but hey… I’ll take what I’ve got.

Justine didn’t disclose what her fairy might do, but given her bad luck run when it comes to sporting injuries, I’d say she definitely had a writing fairy – a jealous writing fairy that was determined she wasn’t going to be distracted.

I wonder what your fairy might be?

PS:  If you missed the festival, some of the sessions are podcast here:  http://www.abc.net.au/perth/features/writersfestival/

Nostalgic for manners

by Cellobella on Saturday, February 14, 2009 · 2 comments

nostalgiaI went to see Nostalgia. A Japanese production which opened last night along with the Perth International Arts Festival.

It was in a space created within the Perth Convention Centre and it is an excellent production.

It is not the easiest of theatre experiences.  It is all in Japanese – apart from the titles to the various sections which are in English.

And it is quite long.

Nostalgia tells the little-known story of the migration of thousands of Japanese workers to Brazil in the early 20th century. Follow the 40-year wanderings of a Japanese family as they search for a better future through the turmoil of revolution in South America.

The company, Inshinha, rarely performs outside of Japan.  More…

There’s a large cast of singers/dancers/actors and the music is beautiful especially supplemented as it is with the rythmic chanting of the cast and their sharp movements.

The sets are extraordinary, and the visual feast is enhanced with a large screen which adds yet another dimension.

Even though I knew only the bare bones of the storyline (tip:  read the program notes), I was drawn along with the story and intrigued to find out more.

Some of the sections could have been a shorter and still made sense – it was a lot of theatre without a break – nearly two and a half hours – but Feline and I loved it.

There was even a giant puppet, which we argued over as to it’s symbolism, so I’d be interested in what you think.

So why am I “nostalgic for manners”?

Well here’s the thing.  About an hour into the production the ushers were still letting people into their seats.

An hour!

I can understand being 5 minutes late, reprehensible though it is, I live in a glass house on this one, but an hour?!

And it wasn’t as if you could sneak in the back.  You had to clamber up a pitch black metal staircase from the front.

Stomp stomp stomp.

Perth Festival – you need to get tough.

And then there were the early leavers.

It was a long time to go without a pee and maybe they found it too hard, but I was disappointed to see people leaving part way through.

It was really distracting for the rest of us.

I think if you’re going to make a commitment to see a festival production you need to stick with it.  Reading the notes in the guide you would be able to tell it wasn’t going to be a Broadway musical.

So there’s my rant.

After the show we went to the Festival club at Becks Music Box which was lovely – such a great venue.

So far we’ve had three city Festival clubs after the Undercroft at UWA… there was the set up outside the Art Gallery, the Verandah at the Perth Concert Hall and now the Music Box in the front of the city.

Which do you prefer?  And where could it go next??

This American Life

by Cellobella on Friday, January 30, 2009 · 2 comments

I don’t think I’ve raved about a podcast on this blog before but seeing as I’ve bored all my immediate circle with tales from this podcast, it’s your turn.

This American Life is a Chicago Public Radio program that Ira Glass (pictured) created back in 1995.

It is brilliant.

I wait impatiently all week for the next episode and the stories it contains.

It is so good I’ve done something I’ve never done before for a podcast – I’ve donated money to Chicago Public Radio to help keep it on air.

Yes I live in Perth, Australia and no I’m not American, but I do appreciate good story-telling and great radio and this podcast is both.

Each week Ira chooses a theme and collects stories – both written and collected to explore that theme.

Themes include Big Breaks (this week), Switched at Birth, Heretics, Music Lessons, Break-up and Matchmakers.

The podcast is free for a week after broadcast and after that you can download it from iTunes for a small fee.

Subscribe.

If you’re not in radio you will LOVE the stories, if you’re in radio – you will question your work.  I know I have.

My favourite story so far, and the one that I have been telling to anyone who will listen concerns a doll called Nubbins.

It’s a story by Elna Baker called Babies Buying Babies, and it’s on the Matchmaker’s episode.  Definitely worth a listen.

And while you’re on Elna’s website – watch the fortune cookie story – very funny.

So that’s all.  Just wanted to share with you some brilliance.

Have a good day.  :)

Lunch at Cape Clairault

by Cellobella on Thursday, January 29, 2009 · 10 comments

For our anniversary lunch, Groover took me out to Cape Clairault, Yallingup.

OMG the food is to die for.  See menu.

This was Groover’s starter. The food is not cheap. The starters were about $20 each. They were perfect.

Tempura prawns with zuchini flowers and peach slices.

Oh and our starters weren’t on the menu as they were both specials.

I had ravioli (actually I think the pasta was that one that is shaped like a belly button) with Exmouth scallops. Every mouthful a winner here too.

We both had seafood curry for mains.

fresh fish, rich yellow curry, pumpkin, coconut sambal, fragrant salad, cucumber relish, aromatic rice – $38

I loved the way the barramundi and pumpkin was separate from the sauce. It meant that the delicate flavour of the fish wasn’t overpowered by the curry.

The salad was lovely too.

We followed with a shared dessert – a lovely light citrus thing with some kind of puff pastry and some kind of icecream that was fizzy.  It was almost like sherbert.  But not.

sticky cumquat tartlet, passionfruit curd, cointreau marshmallow, cardamom parfait – $14

And bleu de basque cheese.

As I said – not a cheap meal – but every mouthful was exquisite.

A special occasion for sure.

Careless in Red by Elizabeth George

by Cellobella on Sunday, January 4, 2009 · 2 comments

Here’s the massive coincidence.

The last two books I’ve read have been The Islands by Di Morrissey and Careless in Red by Elizabeth George.

(I know I’m supposed to have been reading The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga – the Booker Prize-winning novel – but I just can’t get into it)

Now on the face of it these two novels have nothing in common.  The Islands is soap opera in book form and Careless in Red is detective fiction.

I read The Islands first.  It was a review copy that came into the office and I was looking for some light reading for the holiday break. 

Anyway it was Christmas and I wanted to invite some good friends of ours – now divorced – to our Christmas dinner.  Which I did and it was all very nice.

The day after Boxing Day, the male half of this couple flew out to Hawaii to have a holiday with his girlfriend.   The Islands is about Hawaii.

Then I sat down and read Careless in Red. 

Now technically I shouldn’t have been able to take this book out of the library.  It had been reserved and mistakenly put back on the shelf. 

The librarian had been giving me a lesson in self check out when it came up flagged as reserved which she over-rode I guess because I was a good student… or something.

Anyway I got the book with a “Please read it first” from the librarian (first of the seven I had taken out) and so dutifully I did so.

Get this.

Part of the action takes place in a small Cornish town with the same surname as the female half of this couple’s boyfriend!  In fact he could even come from that village.

How spooky is that?!

I thought it was spooky.

And both the books had a surfing theme running through them.  What’s up with that?

So to the review of Careless in Red by Elizabeth George.  

This is another Inspector Lynley novel and I love this series.  He’s an upper class Earl who works for New Scotland Yard or did until his upper class pregnant wife was murdered randomly by a twelve year old boy.

To cope he takes himself off for a walk along the Cornish coast and finds the body of a young man at the foot of the cliff.

Of course he is dragged into the investigation along with the fabulous Barbara Havers, his former partner at the Met. (and by that of course I mean the Metropolitan Police not the Metropolitan Opera)

It’s full of intrigue and inuendo.  Red herrings and plot twists, all set on the wild Cornish coastline.

I imagined Echo Beach style surf shops, Irish cliffs (okay I know they are probably very different but they are the ones I imagined) and plump, tasty Cornish pasties.

I always enjoy Elizabeth George’s books and this one didn’t disappoint.  She’s like a modern day Agatha Christie but her novels are a good deal longer.

And I like a good doorstop of a mystery.

Slumdog Millionaire

by Cellobella on Saturday, January 3, 2009 · 5 comments

Go and see this movie.

You might think it is some worthy foreign flick but it is not.

It’s gritty, inspiring, pacey, uplifting and shocking all at the same time.

If a film could be a pageturner – this would be.

Compared to the last Hollywood flick I’ve seen – The Dark Knight – well, lets say I got bored half way through this supposed action movie whereas with Slumdog Millionaire I was on the edge of my seat.

It’s the story of a kid from the slums who wins Who Wants to be a Millionaire, but it so much more.  A story of the slums, a love story, a gangster film, a story of police violence, a story of corruption and a story of hope.

Most reviews have been kind to this movie with good reason – it is brilliant.

The Islands by Di Morrissey

by Cellobella on Saturday, January 3, 2009 · 2 comments

When you pick up a Di Morrissey book you are not expecting high literature, or even medium-high.

You are expecting a rollocking saga with beautiful women and unreachable men set in an exotic location with a nod to the local culture.

In this novel that is exactly what you get.  Young Catherine, off on a gap year – or what passes for a gap year back in the 70s, meets and marries a dashing US naval officer and ends up in the married quarters in Hawaii.

Stifled by the other navy wives and their strict, conservative lives, Catherine seeks freedom by meeting the locals and learning a new skill – photography. 

It doesn’t take long before she finds herself tempted by an enigmatic surfer.

This is the type of book you take with you on holidays – preferably in Hawaii.  You sit with it at the pool and while away a couple of hours while sipping on your fruit cocktail and gazing over your spray tan to the other beautiful people lounging in the sun.

You are wearing big sunglasses and probably a floppy straw sunhat.

It’s not challenging but it is a pleasant enough way to spend some time.  

It’s a bit like watching the Bold and the Beautiful I imagine.

Not scary enough

by Cellobella on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 · 7 comments

You know I liked the Twilight series, so it should come as no surprise to learn I went to the movie.

In fact I went with three other mums in Dippity’s class – with the four girls who sat a few rows in front of us.  Sit with their mothers?  You’ve got to be joking.

The movie follows the plot of the first book pretty closely.  The scenery is breathtaking.  The character of Bella looked exactly like I imagined.

But as you’ll have guess from the title of this post, I felt it lacked a little in the scary department.

Edward goes on and on about being a monster and dangerous to know but he just looks like a cute teenager, and the bits in the book where you “see” the monster just look a bit silly in the movie.

I guess I was expecting it to be a bit more Van Helsing.  A bit more scary teeth and hissing.

Especially in the vampire v vampire scenes.

With the scary scenes looking a bit silly it lost a bit of gravatas for me.

Still that said – sans menace – I enjoyed the film and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do in book 2.

Maybe this time find some money for some CGI.  :)

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