Cupcakes

My housemate was baking cupcakes for a friend's 21st, so I decided to get in the way with my camera to play around with black and white. And then I helped iced some. And then I ate some. And they were good.

Thai photos

Here are a couple of photos I took while doing a food review for work a week or so ago. It got me thinking... being a food photographer would be a pretty awesome job. Food doesn't talk back... it doesn't blink when the flash goes off... and you would get to eat the yummy food after the shoot. Sounds like a pretty sweet gig really. Dealing with the chefs might not be so fun though.

Something to love....

With the cold (poms.... don't laugh.... cold for Australia) weather starting to begin, it makes one want to nest. It makes one want to settle down, potter around the kitchen and make comfort food, and look after something. With no child (a very very good thing), no pet (also a good thing.... especially for the pet), no man (not such a great thing)... what can I mother and fuss over while indulging in seasonally influenced nesting?

Mine is the one in the blue pot. Aren't they cute? It was hard to decide which colour pot to choose. My last fish broke my heart by suiciding when life in the tank became too much for it, so hopefully this plant will live for a while.

I bought it at the Norton Street Festa, which was a big Italian festival happening in Leichhardt this weekend. There was lots of yummy food, stalls selling cute things, cultural performances and even Bob the Builder! Yes!!!

In a grand stroke of luck, I managed to lose my wallet while taking photos... and have it returned to me by a valiant policewoman on horseback. I was very grateful indeed.

Oh it's raining outside. I wonder if my plant needs attention?

Happy birthday bridgey!

All the celebrations for a birthday for an inanimate object might seem a little crazy to most people, but Sydneysiders get it. They are happy to say happy 75th birthday to the harbour bridge, even if it can only give a frown in return.

The bridge means a lot to people. It is so distinctly Sydney, and many people cross it every day. It's also a symbol for struggle, progress and change... but over 75 years, it has stayed pretty much the same. And in a city where skyscrapers are constantly being built, torn down and rebuilt, and heritage suburbs are being tunnelled under to make room for new motorways, the fact that the bridge stays the same says a lot about it.

Inspired by the bridge's birthday, I headed down to Balmain East wharf last night to take a few photos. My lack of a tripod makes it difficult for night shots, so I ended up taking some rather "artistic" shots of the city at night. For me the bridge is significant because I used to work there for a while at Bridgeclimb, and because seeing the bridge reminds me of why I came to Sydney in the first place... which is sometimes easy to forget when you are stuck in traffic, choking on smog and stressed to your eyeballs. It's also pretty beautiful at day and night... for a big iron coathanger. I can't imagine Sydney without it.

Happy birthday Jimmy

Here are a few photos I took of well known indigenous Australian entertainer Jimmy Little for work the other day. Today is Jimmy's 70th birthday, so happy birthday! If you want to know more about Jimmy, or help support the work he is doing for kidney disease in remote Aboriginal communities, visit his website at www.jimmylittle.com.au.

Bugs

Today I had a day off work and ended up at one point in a cutesy little knick knack shop in Newtown where I invested in these two cute windup toys that charmed Meredith and I. Charmed me to the point where I spent a good half an hour playing with both the toys and my camera around the house and in the back courtyard. Here are a few of my favourite shots from playtime.

Cute, are they not? Don't try and tell me these toys were a waste of money. Everyone at work I'm sure will have fun racing them down desks tomorrow as well, so they were so worth the investment.

Hume Weir at Sunset

These are a few pictures I took out at the Hume Weir at sunset tonight. My favourite is the last one, the Weir wall provides a nice frame for the sky. The Weir is pretty empty because of the drought, it's really bad here.

Christmas in Sydney

Christmas decorations in a Darling Harbour Shopping Centre

I was walking around Sydney the other day with my camera and decided to take a few photos of Christmassy stuff around the place to give you all an insight in to how Sydney is decorated for a toasty and warm Christmas. No snow here!

A Christmas tree outside at Darling Harbour

Santa at Darling Harbour

Christmas flags along the Pyrmont Bridge

Santa reading stories to children in the Pitt Street Mall

The huge Christmas tree in the Queen Victoria Building which is covered with bows and crystal decorations.

Have a good Christmas everyone! I'm back home now in Albury for the festive season, and hopefully will take some cool photos and do some crazy things to tell stories about in the blog.