Waterfalls, bridges and birds...

Before I went off on a small break last week I showed a few tempters from John Oldham Park named after WA landscape architect John Oldham.  Nestled close to the city in a busy spot between Mounts Bay Road and the Kwinana Freeway interchange it is a most unexpected green and lush haven with abundant bird life. You might think in this spot it would be hard to reach, but not so.. there are bike paths accessible from many areas including the city and a car park off Mounts Bay Rd.. tres clever planning oui! I hope that you're having a good week, take care and stay safe.. 

Red in the city III.. Heritage hat- trick!

Red geraniums, red fire hydrant, red rattan chairs.. howzat! A veritable 'hat-trick' of red :) Actually the lights were red and there was a red scooter parked up ahead but I can't think of an equivalent exuberant exclamation for the number five! Looking fabulously français The Heritage Brasserie, Bar & Boardroom on St. Georges Terrace awaiting it's lunchtime patrons. After an excellent meal what would you be tempted by on the dessert menu sweets or cheeses.. or both? I'm a lot partial to a luscious creme brulee! Happy Wednesday, take care...

Bridging the divide...

This collaboration between Sydney artist Beastman and Adelaide artist Vans the Omega on the Wellington St. side of One40William is so fresh they were still putting the finishing touches to it when I took these shots on Friday. It was a little hard to find a good spot to take in the whole mural but you can see much more detail on the FORM website here..

I thought you might like to see how the Perth City Link project is progressing. I took the shot below from the top of the Horseshoe Bridge..you can see the Perth Arena (my header shot) across on the right. This connection between Northbridge and the CBD is going to be spectacular.. there are heritage buildings on both sides of the divide that will now get the focus and attention that they deserve..

The shot below looking down Wellington St. towards the Perth Cultural Centre over the Horseshoe Bridge to the left in Northbridge. In my humble :) opinion this project is by far the best of all the building going on in Perth right now.. I'm looking forward to showing you the finished vista. Happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe...

Check out more Monday Murals here...

Nelson, Mandela & Shinyanga..

Whenever I visit the Perth Zoo as I did yesterday, first stop is always the African Savannah and the lions. The two male lions, eleven year old brothers are called Nelson and Mandela. I know some may lament the fact that they are in a zoo but it is a beautiful zoo and they are much loved by the zoo staff and Perthites as a whole, they may not be free but they are safe from human overpopulation and poachers.. they have a very lovely life...

Did you know 'that because male lions are so big and have a full mane, they are often too slow and conspicuous to hunt.. the male protects the pride while the lionesses hunt, male lions always eat first'.. there were signs that breakfast would be served at any moment I wondered if 184kg Nelson was giving female Shinyanga her 'gathering' instructions :) he does look a bit grumpy but take my word they had just been having a big slobbery kiss moments before. Hope you had or are having a good weekend, take care...p.s. bear with me, still catching up :)

More to Aboriginal art than connecting the dots...

Pink flamingo's.. nah! Six pink kangaroos.. absolutely :) I went into the city on Friday to find these flamboyant marsupials which were created by Melbourne Aboriginal artist Reko Rennie for the FORMPublic project earlier this year. The vibrant hot pink Andy Warhol inspired kangaroos are not just a great image said the artist, but 'one that everyone can relate to internationally as well as a powerful connection to our communities'. They weren't that easy to find tucked away on the windows of Westfarmers House below, but once found..wow!  

In the far background to the right below you can see the Bell Tower and in the foreground the Elizabeth Quay disaster development to which I noticed, the six huge bright pink kangaroos had their backs turned against.. that made me smile :) I'm looking forward to catching up and seeing what you guys have been up to while I've been away.. happy Sunday, take care...

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I have no title..

Not much to say today, I feel very sad! Don't you wonder if there is life on other planets that they are more than likely looking down on us thinking 'and they wonder if we're intelligent'! Waking up to the news this morning that once again so many innocent people had died in a senseless act of violence was horrendous.. you wonder when and if it'll ever stop.. my heart goes out to all those families who thought in all good faith that their loved ones would return home and I'm sure like me you must despair how many more will perish in the name of religious fanatics and greedy politicians. I don't feel very inspired right now so I'm thinking this may be a good time to have a break.. work in the garden, walk by the water, read some books. Catch you soon, take care and you keep safe...

Red in the city II.. The man in the red chapeau!

I can't imagine anyone with a camera in their hands being able to resist taking this shot. I mean how often are you going to see an elegant gentleman in earnest conversation wearing a stylish vivid red fedora! I saw him again a little later, a very tall man. I thought to myself.. now if I was Jack (who would more than likely be wearing a fedora himself) or Stefan I would have just walked straight up to him and asked if I could take a portrait shot, but no.. I'm not there yet :) Would you have? Just around the corner I bumped into a child eating Triceratops, thankfully some managed to escape :) Have a good Friday, take care and stay safe...p.s. loved that the lady in the background above was wearing a red coat!

Aussie lifesavers watching over you!

As I turned to leave Scarborough Beach on Tuesday I spotted something new since I'd last been. A sculpture by father and son Tony & Ben Jones called Watch Over You.. 'two bronze surf lifesavers casting a watchful eye over the ocean' the sculpture also recognizes the 'continuing importance of surf lifesaving to the local culture and identity of Scarborough'. While Googling I found an article about what inspires Tony and the diverse materials he uses in his work.. if you enjoy trying to figure out how the artistic mind works as much as I do, you'll enjoy the read. Happy Thursday, take care..p.s. the lifesaver's swimming cossies sure have changed a lot since then :)

Red, white and blue!

It's complex.. work by The Yok & Sheryo usually is. The colours.. red, white and blue, tick.. a lighthouse, waves, the sea.. tick, tick.. that's good enough for me.. how plebeian is that :) If you look carefully to each side you'll see exactly which wall this is adorning at Scarborough Beach, creating a neat segue into what I really wanted to tell you about. Many of you will already enjoy reading the outback adventures of Red Nomad but did you know she's published a book.. Aussie Loos with Views, beyond amazing images of some of the most extraordinary places you're likely to find a loo, check it out, the perfect gift for the man/woman who has everything :) Happy middle of the week, take care and stay safe...

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Red in the city I ..

By the time we arrived in the city on Sunday we were too late to skate.. but sometimes, in the right company, it's just as much fun to watch don't you think! Oh.. did I mention there were dinosaurs roaming the Cultural Centre chomping on highrise buildings, I should have redirected them to my least favourite development on the foreshore :) Happy Tuesday, take care...p.s. even though it's Tuesday here in Perth it's Monday in France.. très heureux Bastille Day celebrations!

The 'Skwibby' cow!

There's a week left of school hols here in Australia and lots to do and see in the city. Yesterday we (my sister, Aimee and myself) caught the train and went with my nephew (6), niece (3) and their mum to have some fun.. show you more tomorrow. There was a particular mural I was after for today but I got a little side tracked by the 'Books Moove Me Cow' in the State Library.. does she qualify for Monday Murals?

The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI pronounced Skwibby) cow was designed and painted (details of artists on both sides here) for the Margaret River Cow Parade in 2010 but has since been put out to pasture :) in the State Library much to the joy of all who meet her, including moi. I see an illustration there (above bottom left) by one of my favourite artist/writers Wendy Binks.. 'Stripey & the Book Bridge'.. fabulous! It's hard to imagine a world without books and libraries, quelle horreur let's hope that never happens. Happy Monday, take care..

Monumental reflections..

Yesterday was the perfect winters day, chilly with crisp blue skies. On the way home from South Perth we stopped to take some photos in John Oldham Park. Named after landscape architect John Oldham it really is an oasis surrounded by traffic mayhem! The park sits between the Mounts Bay Road and Kwinana Freeway interchange but clever planting design by M. Oldham ensures a serene experience. I'll show you more! The reflections above of the State War Memorial up in Kings Park were taken looking over Mounts Bay Rd. Hope the sun shines down on whatever you get up to :) this weekend, take care...

See more Weekend Reflections here..

145.. every cup an adventure!

Fremantle may have it's cappuccino strip but even more tantalizing to a browser, sometimes buyer, of all things old Guildford, one of Perth's oldest suburbs has it's 'antiques strip'! Luckily there are many cafes where you can celebrate your 'had to have' new/old junk treasure :) French inspired, shabby chic Maddison Cottage is a delight where every cup literally is an adventure.. such a fab collection of old English crockery.. drinking your tea/coffee out of an Albert or Doulton is très agréable! Have a fab weekend, take care and stay safe..

Top spot.. cramped accomodation!

I have to admit I was more than a little fascinated by the holiday accommodation of an Australasian Darter couple nesting in a plane tree at the marina. With a wing span of 85 - 90cm and weighing in at 2.6 kg each the nest although sturdy in design :) was hardly big enough for one never mind two! I myself watched and took photos of them at various times over a four week period, but they had been observed by others for much longer.. and not a chick in sight!

The female is a paler grey in colour the male much darker. While I admire their choice of vacation location, it did seem odd to see them there at this time and for such a long period, breeding is usually spring/summer.. les mystères of nature!

Although the skies were blue today there have been times during this period when like below, the nest way out on a limb over the waters of the marina would have been shaken a bit more than was comfortable! Yesterday when I zipped down for a peek they had moved on.. I'm going to miss them :) Happy Friday, take care and stay safe... 

Stimulating experience!

The sculpture hanging down through three levels of the Brookfield Place grand foyer is spectacular from whichever viewpoint you look at it. Commissioned for the opening of Brookfield Place in 2012 by BHP Billiton and created by Miik Green/Brad Ladyman, it comprises 2km tubular aluminum coated in red marine grade paint. I took the shot above from about half way down the escalators looking straight up.. looks a bit like a beautifully crafted space ship :) and the shot below from the first floor to show the many levels it encompasses..

Designed to 'have an impact on workers by continuously challenging and motivating them when they head to their offices through the foyer', the self-repeating patterns within the work create a series of lines, which provide a unique experience depending on the viewer’s perspective'. Personally I found it very stimulating :) Happy Thursday, take care.. p.s. catch up today!

Winterland!

Look what I found in the Perth Cultural Centre! In summer it was a beach in the city and now and until the 20th July it's an outdoor ice skating rink.. how cool is that, and while I was Googling ice skating I discovered that Perth actually has a permanent ice arena, still so much to discover :) I took these shots on Monday, the sky was ominous and yet the winter sun over the rink was bright.. not just fun for the kids, in the evening it becomes all grown up, you can watch the skaters from 'The Lodge', the bespoke café and bar while sipping the likes of mulled wine, cider and hot chocolate..the heritage buildings in and around the cultural centre make a wonderful backdrop don't you think!

On the way back to the car we stopped in Jean Pierre Sancho for café et une petite tarte au citron which although delectable :) can't beat the almond croissants from my favourite French patisserie Francoise in Leederville. Have a 'tasty little something' Wednesday, take care and stay safe..   

NAIDOC Week.. Yarrkalpa (Hunting Grounds)

I did brave the weather yesterday to go into the city keen to take photos of this brilliant piece of artwork by the women of the Martumili artists. The saying 'a picture is worth ten thousand words' is never more true than in Aboriginal art where a complex series of dots often using 'iconographic symbols' are used to tell their ancient stories.. some detailed shots below and if you pull in the third pic the 'map' and accompanying info describes how the cycle evolves through from the vegetation to the hunting!

The first week in July in Australia is NAIDOC week, celebrating the history, culture and achievements of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, celebrated not only in Indigenous communities but by Australians from all walks of life. This amazing work hangs in the fabulous foyer of Brookfield Place, caught in a rare moment of sunshine yesterday, home to the Perth offices of BHP Billiton, principal partners and support for Martumili since 2007. There's a lot going on this week to celebrate NAIDOC will try and make it to some of the events.. Happy Monday, take care and stay safe..