FUNKY FRIDAY

Whahoooo - Funky Friday

Readings books Port Melbourne

Yesterday I had an appointment with a cycle shop wanting embroidered caps as a promotional give away. That's what I do to fill in my working week. Its a job I enjoy because of the people I meet and the places I go. How good is that?

Well after this appointment, I was strolling back to my car, enjoying the sunshine and the views of Bay Street, Port Melbourne when I came across a branch of my favourite book shop, Readings. I remember buying books and records from them during the 70s.

In I went and before I had a chance to start wandering, I spied four books to do with Julia Childs. Now if you have seen the Meryl Streep movie, Julie and Julia, you'll know who Julia Childs is.
I'm not going to delve any further other than to say Sue & I loved the movie and also have enjoyed some of the utube segments of her. What a character she was.

After leaving Readings with these two books under my arm for Sue, I thought "nice area for a future blog". Port Melbourne has some wonderful early architecture combined with luxury apartments. It's become rather trendy these days where in the past it was very seedy with hotels almost on every corner. Maybe next weekend I'll take another stroll down Bay Street with Sue.

 www.readings.com.au

The Amy Gillett Foundation Ride

On Sunday I rode with friends in a charity event for the Amy Gillett Foundation. Amy was a member of the Australian Women's cycling squad and while they were training in Germany, a young lady who had not long had her licence, drove into the training group.

All sorts of riders participated from serious racing cyclists to five riders on this pink extended bike.

Most of the squad were hurt in some way. Amy was killed. This was the same year that our World Champion, Cadel Evans was prominant in the Tour deFrance a few years back. Since then, he has been a staunch advocate of the Foundation. He was on the ride Sunday in his World Championship Jersey.

Amy's husband, family and many friends organise this annual ride to promote road safety awareness to both cyclists and motorists.

It was a good day with over 3000 cyclists contributing more than $300,000 to the foundation. Some were lucky enough to ride the 120 km course with some of Australia's top cyclists including Cadel.

After the ride we enjoyed calamari and chips washed down with a cool beer, Peroni of course, and the view, well there it is below.

The ride starts and finishes at Geelongs Eastern Beach, a great spot with a great view across Corio bay within Port Phillip bay. The weather was sunny in the mid 20s. I must do a story on Geelong as it has a rich history with some interesting architecture.

 

After the ride we were entertained by "real" racing cyclists in the Bay Criterium Series. Several of them use this as an early training program for their European campaign for 2010. Two of today's riders, Robbie McEwan and Baden Cook are past Green Jersey winners in LeTour.

I'm back at work now so I'll revert back to my weekly installments unless I get inspired mid-week.

Art or Vandalism - You tell me!!!

Art or Vandalism, I'm not quite sure. 

In specific places I'm sure it adds to the color of the city. 

I've posted six photographs from my morning rides - the first three come from a recent ride in the Melbourne suburb of Balaclava. It's a predominent Jewish area with some wonderful pastry/bakery shops. I attend a weekly gym session here and enjoy a cup of the best coffee I've tasted anywhere before rushing off to work.

I'm not sure whether I should label these as graffiti or murals. 

The colors are intense and the graphics are very well executed. My initial thoughts are that these were probably comissioned.

What really gets up my nose though is the "tagging" on public property. I've seen tagging on someone's picket fence or brick wall. How does this property owner feel when they get up to go to work and there it is, some vandal's spray canned name across their private property.

Two years ago we were in Provence and there on the Pont de Gard was someone's name carved into the stone (from the 1700s).

Rome was worse!!!!!!!

I must say though, I love the intensity of color in these first three "murals".

The following three come from again my early morning rides, but this time, during 2007 in the streets of Paris. 
What is significant about these shots are that they contain my name. 

The tagging wasn't done by me (although Sue was suspicious, even after my denials) but I kept coming across "Leon" tagged in various steets on these rides.

I remember back in 1979 when I spent a summer in San Francisco, I noticed some grafitti that was AC/DC which I presumed was done by someone that admired our great Aussie band. Then again????

I'd be interested in the thoughts you might have on Graffiti.

Storms over Port Phillip Bay on New Year's Eve

The previous night we were sailing in calm conditions on Port Phillip Bay (see previous post) and last night being New Year's Eve we watched our own natural fireworks display as a storm rolled in from the west over the Bay. How different it was within 24 hours.

Our host's house was in an elevated position with an almost perfect view of the entire Bay. The sky became darker as the clouds, rain and the wind came our way.

One of the guests was able to monitor the progress of the storm via his iPhone and we all started guessing how long before it reached the house where a group of us were preparing to welcome in the New Year.

You can see the dark blue band on the iPhone coming in from the west and to give a better view of Port Phillip Bay I've added a map. The iPhone shows the storm coming in over Geelong and Port Arlington. It would have been no more than 10 minutes when the wind preceeded the rain and the temperture dropped from the mid-30s to mid-20s. It made for a more comfortable night.

A video of the storm as it approached us.

Regardless of the storm, we bid farewell to 2009 with good food, drink and company. Roll on 2010.



Melbourne's fireworks display wasn't televised however Sydney's was.