Poetry in Motion

The City of Sydney cleansing trucks are set to get a face lift with eleven trucks hitting the streets this month decorated with verses by famous poets, thanks to a project curated by the 2013 Sydney Writers’ Festival.


Each truck features two giant poems, measuring more than two metres wide and one metre high, with a total of 19 poems appearing in the series.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore says “From Shakespeare and Wordsworth to ancient Greek epics and celebrated Australian writers, poetry has delighted and inspired people for thousands of years.

The Lord Mayor wants to  encourage Sydneysiders to look out for the poems as they roam the city streets in May "they might even be inspired to find their own favourite sonnet.”

The poems featured on the trucks have been selected by Luke Davies, the 2012 Prime Minister’s Literary Award-winning poet and 2013 Sydney Writers’ Festival guest.

The poems include W. B. Yeats’ “Vacillation”, Judith Wright’s “Woman to Child”, Peter Porter’s “The Unicorn in Love” and Kay Ryan’s “Fool’s Errands”.

Mr Davies said he chose a series of poems “that stop one in one’s tracks, and are utterly unlike the advertising copy that litters the verbal landscape.

“If one single non-festival-going, non-poetry-reading citizen out there is led to look up one of these poems, I will feel wildly successful in my task as curator.”

The Sydney Writers’ Festival is one of the largest writers’ festivals in the world, attracting more than 80,000 attendances and featuring over 400 writers and authors each year.

The 2013 Sydney Writers’ Festival runs from 20-26 May. 
For more information, visit: swf.org.au

Poets and their selected works featured on the trucks are:

Rainer Maria Rilke (from “Archaic Torso of Apollo”) (tr: Stephen Mitchell)
Gig Ryan (from “When I Consider”)
Peter Porter (from “The Unicorn in Love”)
Jessy Randall (“Why I had Children”)
Martin Harrison (from “Walking Back from the Dam”)
David Campbell (“Mothers and Daughters”)
John Berryman (from “Eleven Addresses to the Lord”)
W. B. Yeats (from “Vacillation”)
Kevin Hart (from “Dark Bird”)
Judith Wright (from “Sonnet”)
Kay Ryan (“Fool’s Errands”)
John Berryman (from “Op. posth. no. 13”)
Laurie Duggan (from “Letter to John Forbes”)
joanne burns (“revisionism”)
John Berryman (from “Overseas Prayer”)
Marilyn Hacker (“Villanelle for D.G.B.”)
L. K. Holt (from “From Inside the MRI Scanner”)
Judith Wright (from “Woman to Child”)
S. K. Kelen (from “Reality Check”)

book sale at Potts Point Bookshop

Highly anticipated annual book sale at the Potts Point Bookshop on now till Sunday 5 May....

Prices start from $3, so get in soon and stock up for those rainy, winter afternoons. coming soon (maybe).

For book storage, inspiration, design check out bookshelfporn 

pic via pinterest

Foley Street Mural Launch & Street Party

A giant street party this Friday night, with food trucks, a DJ and pop-up bar, will launch a new 75-metre-long mural lining the walls of Foley Street, as part of Art Month Sydney.

WE ARE HERE, a 15-metre-high artwork presented by a collective of renowned Australian street artists, illustrators and photographers, depicts some of the city’s most significant people and events using a mixture of paint, collage, drawing, paste-ups, stencils and photography.

Each artist has completed a different section of the artwork, exploring a particular event or moment in time. The sections are woven together by a common colour palette, featuring bold reds, purples and blues, and the use of repeating motifs, including sign language.

In its early days Foley Street was part of the bush track linking Botany Bay and Sydney Harbour, then spent decades as one of Sydney’s busiest commercial centres, now its present-day life is as an emerging hub of arts, culture and creativity.

Foley Street will be closed to traffic for the launch. The event is part of Art Month’s annual East Sydney and Darlinghurst precinct night, with a host of galleries, artist studios and creative spaces in the neighbourhood staying open until late.

Mum's In

The first time I met Vashti Hughes was Saturday morning by El Alamein in Kings Cross and she was in character as the infamous Matilda 'Tilly' Devine. I was intrigued - like many of the other Organic Market shoppers - so I stopped to have a chat.

Vashti told me that she was inspired by Larry Writer’s seminal book “Razor” about inner city crime in the early 1900s that tells the stories of characters of the era like Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine.

Kate and Tilly were brothel owners, sly grog dealers and drug distributors who ruled the underbelly of Sydney from Surry Hills to Darlinghurst, Kings Cross and Woolloomooloo. By all accounts they were tough and they were mean. Plenty enough material there for some great yarns!

KATE & TILLY

So that's what Vashti has done - create a one-woman show called MUM'S IN: STORIES FROM RAZORHURST which is a warts and all cabaret romp through the age when cocaine, sly grog, prostitution and the keen edge of the razor ruled (oh how times have changed - no more razors!)

Vashti channels the molls and thugs who once ruled the streets and alleyways of the Cross in this dark comedy cabaret which continues to defy all current trends in Sydney theatre by extending its season time and again - yes its that good!

VASHTI AS TILLY

Check out Mum's In at the aptly named Bordello Theatre at the King Cross Hotel....

(go soon, as it won't last forever)

mumsin.com.au

Mum's In Promo......

The Yellow House

Late last year the Yellow House Pop-Up "popped up" in Macleay St much to the delight of local foodies who were all at sea when Brass Bistro disappeared, seemingly overnight.  What was to be a trial period of a few months has turned into a longer more permanent stay for the pop-up and this is a good thing.

It's a great little place with a good vibe, super friendly service, tasty food and it's situated in an ideal locale for lingering and people watching.

Under the stewardship of proprietors Jamie Morgan (chef) and Ben Sutton, Yellow House serves  "honest food for breakfast and lunch and dinner, designed to be shared and discussed," says Ben. The expertly prepared seasonal dishes are combined with a wine list put together by Melbourne’s sommelier of the year Travis Howe (The Age 2012) and can be enjoyed inside, by the bar or al-fresco watching the world roll by on Macleay St.

steak = honest food

This week sees the introduction of LIVE JAZZ and patrons can sample some of Jamie's fare with a Grazing Plate [$15-$25 dependant on seating]. Alternatively,  tuck into a bowl of Ricotta Gnocci, Steak or Fish of the Day [$20-$28].

Wine by the glass starts at $7 and carafes are $19-23.
Young Henry's boutique beer is also available, by the glass or by the growler (thats 2 litres to you and me).

Some of Sydney's smoothest Jazz musicians will be appearing -  the music kicks off from 6.30pm till 9.30pm. Get in early as seating is limited. Call Ben on 9356 3070 for a booking.

nobody puts baby in the corner

The Yellow House is a fabulous part of the local artistic history of the 2011 postcode, being a creative hub in the 70's and founded by artist Martin Sharp who told the ABC that "it really came out of an idea of Van Gogh's, 'cause he called his studio the 'Yellow House' and he wanted to start a community of artists in the south, in the sunshine, you know, to get away from the madness of Paris. In a small way, he certainly did it. And I was inspired by that idea." 

Every wall, floor and ceiling became part of this living gallery. The Yellow House was a 'multimedia' space and could be considered the first permanent "happening" in Australia. The building, a Queen Anne Terrace, dates back to the 1890's and houses the Pop-Up restaurant, a gallery and recently renovated apartments upstairs.  Some of the original artwork hangs in the lobby.  Nice to see it lives on....Expect more good things from the boys at Yellow House....

All The Fun of the [Mardi Gras] Fair

Gone are the days when Sydney's Mardi Gras was just a Saturday night parade for a select group. The event has definitely penetrated mainstream and now, after 35 years, Mardi Gras is a whole month of festivities - with parties, parades and picnics. Officially, it all kicks off this Sunday at Fair Day.

At Fair Day in Victoria Park, expect performances, outrageous costumes, food tents, bars, live music, amusement rides and the hotly contested Doggywood pet pageant.

Says Lord Mayor, Clover Moore “Fair Day celebrates the start of one of our biggest parties – each year Sydney Mardi Gras attracts about 25,000 tourists who boost our local economy by more than $30 million.

“The event shows that we are an accepting and welcoming community and also helps to promote Sydney around the world as Australia’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) capital.

The City is promoting “riding a bike as the best way to get to Fair Day, and will provide free valet parking to keep bikes safe and secure while everyone enjoys the fun of the fair."

There is also a stall where new or out-of-action riders can Try2Wheels; preparing themselves for the wider world and Sydney roads and maybe joining the 30,000 people already riding in Sydney each week.

According to Sydney Spokes President Mauricio Herrera cycling is not only good exercise, but also “a fantastic way to meet other gays and lesbians.”

“I moved to Erskineville from Venezuela about four years ago and joined Sydney Spokes because I wanted the opportunity to ride with someone else and get to know Sydney – it’s helped me make a great new group of friends,” Mr Herrera said.

“Sydney Spokes has been around for 27 years and we have more than 60 gay and lesbian members who meet up almost every weekend for organised rides."

City of Sydney Fair Day bike details:

• Free valet bike parking from 10am-7.30pm, entry via City Road near Cleveland Street
• Visit the two bike mechanics next to the Bike Valet for free tune-ups
• Try2Wheels between 10am and 7.30pm and visit the information stand in Area G to try a bike, pick up a map, find information about free bike courses, check out the latest accessories, and go in the draw for great prizes, including a brand-new bike
• The Sydney Cycleways stand will sit alongside gay and lesbian cycling group Sydney Spokes in the Fair Day Sports Village organised by Team Sydney

For more information about the City’s bike network visit sydneycycleways.net

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Sydney Chinese New Year Festivities kick off TONIGHT with the official launch of the 2013 Year of the Snake in Belmore Park.  Dragons and lions will come to to life, as well as sparkling firecrackers designed to scare off the previous year’s misfortunes.

Exclusive performances by folk singers and magicians from the City’s 2013 Chinese New Year partner city Shenzhen will follow, along with a sneak peak of what audiences can expect to see at this year’s Twilight Parade on 17 February.

Before the celebration gets underway, crowds can enjoy the contemporary beats of DJs live on stage, and the SBS Pop Asia radio crew will keep the entertainment going till in the night with competitions, giveaways and non-stop Asian pop.


TONIGHT: 6PM
AT: Belmore Park – between Eddy Avenue and Hay Street, Haymarket
(near Central Station)