Number 2: Show at the Sydney Opera House; Number 88: Catch a Sydney Comedian

Visiting the Sydney Opera House is usually completed by newcomers within days (or more likely hours) of their arrival; however, it never ceases to amaze how many people I know who have never seen a performance there.  For those of you who've never been, the Sydney Opera House is not just an opera theatre but a combination of 5 venues: the Concert Hall, the Opera Theatre, the Drama Theatre, the Playhouse, and the Studio.  My first time was actually in 2005 when I saw a variety show by a man named Eddie Perfect.  Eddie has since gained a bit of notoriety for his cheeky performances on stage in shows like Shane Warne the Musical and one where he impersonated the late Steve Irwin not long after his tragic stingray encounter (too soon!).  He now has a supporting role in the Aussie TV show Offspring.  Speaking of which, if you haven't seen it, I recommend catching up online and getting on board, but I digress.

Over the years I have seen a handful of shows underneath the famous sails.  A personal favourite would be the 7.5 hour long performance of F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby read and acted out on stage from cover to cover in a show called Gatz.  The theatre company who put it on is called The Elevator Repair Service.  If you're in the NYC area, check them out.  So with my second tangent in this blog entry, it's obvious that I have had some memorable experiences at the SOH.  This little project of mine just gave me justification for another visit.

To perhaps kill two birds with one stone, I decided to check out a comedy act while I was at it.  Unlike visiting the Opera House, I recommend saving your first Australian comedy experience until you've been in the country for a while.  Not that it won't be funny, but to fully appreciate the timing, turns of phrase, and current references it helps to have been here a bit.  Kitty Flanagan's act is pretty accessible to anyone, but I know I laughed harder than I would have four years ago.  I have become a fan of her's over the last year with her regular appearances on the 7PM Project.  Again, add that one to your television viewing schedule if you're in Australia.

I may, MAY, revisit Number 2: Show at the Opera House before the end of the year as I have yet to actually see a show in one of the bigger two venues (The Concert Hall and Opera Theatre). But watch this space.

So Much Sydney, So Little Time

Three weeks and no word from this American Sydneysider?!  I know, and I am sorry.  If it's any consolation this is not an indication that I have been ignoring the list or this project.  In fact, quite the opposite.  Sydney had been on my mind more than ever.  I have a new group of Americans at my work, and I have been plenty busy trying to get them interested in this fair city of ours.  Plus, I have been undertaking two different short courses at the moment.  And on top of all that, the city has been really putting on some great stuff at the moment.  Fortunately I have managed to fit in a few Sydney-centric experiences in along the way.  Unfortunately, the full schedule has left me zapped for the necessary time and energy to write on the blog.  But forgive me and know that I have been thinking a lot about this little project of mine.

That being said, this weekend doesn't look like it's going to offer much spare time to write any lengthy entries so perhaps I will just try to catch up via short bursts over the next couple of days.  Life is busy, but I suppose I wouldn't have it any other way.

Number 87: Table for 20

Last week, my list of Sydney experiences to tackle, or in some cases relive, sat at about eighty-five.  While the ultimate goal is to have at least one hundred under my belt by next year, I figured that at least fifteen noteworthy opportunities would present themselves over time.  I didn’t have to wait long before Table for 20 made it’s way into my world and onto the list.

Now I had heard and read about this Surry Hills eatery ages ago.  At the beginning of the year my neighbour came home raving about the place.   She and a couple friends had made reservations 6 months in advance!  The idea of having that much dining foresight was beyond me; however, when I walked past the establishment’s front door on my way to work this past week, I grabbed one of their cards.  Their website, which is essentially just a blog, announces that reservations for 2011 will be made available at the start of November.  However, requests to put your name on the waiting list are always welcome.  I thought it couldn’t hurt to give them my name.  As luck would have it, I got a call the same day for an opening the following night.  So I got the details: three-course set menu, BYO w/ no corkage, $65 all up, and "legs under the table" by 8PM.  I figured fair enough.  So Friday night, armed with a bottle of Brown Brothers Graciano, I made my way to dinner.

Table for 20 is owned and operated by a lovely gentleman named Michael Fantuz.  Michael plays the host of the evening in every sense of the word.  At 8 o'clock he welcomes everyone, offers his brief mission statement, and recognizes any special occasions in the room.  For instance, one man was celebrating his birthday with a large group of friends while two other couples recently found out they were expecting.  And after a proper group toast, the guitarist in the corner starts playing and the night begins.

As each course starts rolling out of the kitchen, the family-style platters quickly help you break the ice with your neighbours at the table.  Plus, Michael came around and had a bit of a chat with our end of the table as he personally started serving up the entree.  It didn’t take long for the conversation with the people around us to escalate from learning how they make their living to who were the great loves of their life.  I’m not kidding. Table for 20 has figured out the formula for breaking down the barriers all-too-many city dwellers walk around with and having people open up to enjoy each other’s company.  I could go on for ages about why I think this place has got it all sorted.  Instead I will leave it at that and add it to the list.

City 2 Surf Slideshow

In the event you find the captions terribly distracting, you can toggle them off by clicking on the speech bubble in the lower left-hand corner.

A New Challenge

Wow, so it's officially been absurdly long since I last posted on here!  A good excuse?  I wish I had one.  I guess that's the real task when it comes to blogging, finding the time to keep up with it.  So as you may or may not remember, I previously had a blog called 7 Days to Change My Life.  On 7DtCML, I took on various projects or tasks for one week and blogged about the result.  This varied from 7 days of no texting from my mobile phone to 7 days to photograph images of the people in my day-to-day world.  What I liked about the concept was that is asked me to do more than just sit and write on the computer.  Plus, I often gained some little insight from reflecting on what I was getting up to that week.

With this in mind, I've decided that the best way to get some incentive to write on here is to perhaps take on a larger project/challenge.  This will also take the guesswork out of what to write about every week.  Which brings me to what I've been thinking about lately, this September will mark four years since I moved back to Sydney.  The majority of those years have been spent at a job where I am working with American students and often providing them with recommendations of what to do in Sydney.  While I wouldn't say I've done nothing with my time here, I must admit there is a lot around this town that I have simply not made the effort to do.  For instance, with the end of the recent Biennale, I waited until the last weekend possible before finally taking the free ferry over to Cockatoo Island.  It was a really great afternoon and the island is definitely worth the visit.  More on this visit later this week, but it was one of those days where I was on the ferry coming back to Circular Quay and wondering, "WHY HAS THIS TAKEN ME SO LONG TO DO?"

This morning, I felt like I was just letting a great opportunity race past me (quite literally) with the City 2 Surf.  Over the last couple months I have been seeing and hearing about the race more than previous years.  I was really interested in participating this year.  For those of you more American than Sydneysider, the City 2 Surf is a 14 km road race from Hyde Park in the Central Business District along the harbour to Bondi Beach.  It started in 1971 and has since become a massive race for anyone and everyone.  While a handful of friends were registering this year, I remained noncommittal until it was too late.  They capped the race at 80,000 participants!  That's right, 80,000 people had their act together whilst I sat there twiddling my thumbs. As someone who is always preaching to Americans about maximizing their experience here in Sydney, I sure do drop the ball sometimes when it comes to my personal experience here.

But no more!

The other night I started brainstorming with a close mate of mine while eating at Bodega, the perfect example of a great eatery I've been meaning to get to for ages but have put off visiting.  We started listing things we think fairly mandatory for any Sydneysider.  It didn't take long before I had a listing of over 75 things one should do, see, eat, or experience in the greater Sydney area.  Now many of these things I have done before, but a lot of them I have only heard or read about.  So instead of letting another year pass me by, I am going attack this list head on.  Over the next year I am going to attempt to do all of the things on my list bigger and better than ever before.  Granted some of these things may not be a possibility over the next year (ex. The Biennale of Sydney only happens every two years), but perhaps some of these I can simply revisit one way or another.  In fact, another Herculean task I have wanted to tackle for the last couple years has been going through the thousands of images I have shot while in Australia.  The large majority of these have never been edited, printed, or even viewed since they were originally taken.  This might be the perfect reason to start going through those.

So while I have that initial list of approximately 75 things to do, I would greatly appreciate suggestions from you.  I am not going to publish the list yet.  I am curious what you all think.  So feel free to comment on this post.  I will tell you what Number 1 will be though, next year I am running the City 2 Surf.

So while it's another year before I can tackle the first thing on my list, I did manage to get a great spot on the footbridge between Darlinghurst and Rushcutters Bay to see the front of the pack burst out of the Kings Cross tunnel.  I thought this snap was worth sharing...

You say "Fa-jai-ta"... I say "get out of the queue and let me order properly"

Since moving to Sydney, I have had my fair share of foodie experiences.  In fact, I must admit that I get bit excited towards the end of September when the Sydney Morning Herald releases their program of culinary events that make up Good Food Month, or as they renamed it last year, Sydney International Food Festival.  Personally I prefer the old name, but I digress.  Anyhow, I know a lot of my friends consider my enthusiasm above average for fellas in my demographic.  So when the opportunity arises to go for dinner with someone I always like to consider trying a new option.  Sydney has so many eateries it'd be shame not to take advantage of them.  Last week I was faced with the same dilemma.  So I went through my usual motions of searching online for places.  Then I remember a Mexican restaurant on Crown Street in Surry Hills. I did a quick search and found the Sydney Morning Herald had recently reviewed the place.  Now I respect the opinion of SMH's food critics.  Especially considering I own a few copies of the annual Good Food Guide they release.  However, Terry Durack, you let me down starting with the lead of your article, "Some things I don't get.....Then there is Mexican food. There are only three or four meals in a day - why on earth waste one of them on Mexican?"


Mr. Durack's comments made me a bit unnerved.  Firstly, if he "doesn't get" Mexican, they why was he sent there to bloody review the place?!  Food critics' opinions are sought after because they are supposed to have an established knowledge of culinary stylings in order to proffer a reputable opinion.  Strike two came in the second paragraph, "We all speak the gringo lingo (burrito, taco, nachos..."  No, no you don't, nor does a majority of Sydney.  I recall being in line at a burrito joint, and the person in front of me ordered a "fa-j-eye-tah."  Besides sounding mildly vulgar, the person reminded me that Sydney is very new to the mexican cuisine.  (btw: it is pronounced "fa-he-tah")  When Doritos' only competition is with Old El Paso on most supermarket shelves, you can be sure you're nowhere near the Rio Grande.  When I first came to Sydney there were no burrito joints and mexican establishments were few and very far between.  However, in the past couple years Mexican has snuck over the border while Sydney wasn't looking and has made a new life for itself in Australia.  Being here to see this progression has been interesting; and as many new places have opened their doors, I have been there to walk in.  A handful of them have left me hankering for the summers I spent eating in Houston, but a few blips have popped up on my radar.  Here's my top five...


Guzman y Gomez - basically these guys paved the way for the small burrito joint here in Sydney.  With their first location being in Newtown, they were really onto something when they started.  After their first year they revamped their menu a bit (which I'm still not sure was for the better) and expanded to a few other locations.  They're not bad, but I find I need to add extra jalapenos, cilantro, and salsa to get their burritos to where I like them.  Good thing they offer all of these extras at the counter for free.


Flying Fajita Sisters - Glebe has almost developed it's own version of Little Mexico City on one block of Glebe Point Road with Baja Cantina, San Churro, and this place.  While I think Baja actually opened first, Flying Fajita Sisters made a smart move when they started $3 Taco nights.  They got people in the door including yours truly, and I left pleased.  A few of my colleagues and I agree that the ropa vieja option is the way to go.  Yes, I am aware what that means in Spanish, but I promise it's really good.  And the place inadvertently offers free entertainment in their "wall of pain."  It's comprised of various hot sauces that range from something that adds a pleasant zing to the stupidly hot.  I highly recommend keeping an eye on the overconfident guy who grabs the hottest option to show he's got cojones.  The change of face after he downs a mouthful will bring a smile to yours.  Browse the selection if even just to read the names.  "Slap My Ass and Call Me Sally" was a crowd favourite the last time I went. 


Cafe Pacifico - this restaurant has been hiding on Riley Street since before the big burrito boom in town.  I recommend this place for atmosphere as well as their over-indulgent portions.  They seem to really enjoy catering for large groups out to have a big night.  If you don't mind walking out with a "food baby", they have a combination platter that let's you see the difference between a few dishes.  


Mad Mex - as far as all the places for a quick burrito and a bottle, this is my pick.  You custom order your burrito.  For instance, I'm a no rice, black beans, half barbacoa, half carnitas, with jalapenos, picante salsa, and cheese.  I've gone through a few buy-ten-get-one-free punch cards on that order alone.  The only downside is that getting a place to sit can be a bit tricky.  I reckon this will be a reason a few people go around the corner to newly opened Zambrero. Don't get me wrong, Zambrero offers a very fresh tasting burrito for those wanting some a bit lighter, but the meat seasonings seemed a bit underwhelming.  However, they get my tick of approval for not charging me an arm and a leg to get guacamole.  I reckon if the Aussie dollar crashes we can start using avocados as currency.


Fiji Market - while not a restaurant, for those of you who have tried all the Mexican offerings of the city and still think it comes up short, you may have to resort to DIY.  Since it is against several of my religions to rely on a sachet of taco seasoning to get you through, I go to this little market in Newtown.  They've got a small selection of staples that will take it to the next level.  I was visiting a friend in Erskineville on Sunday and walked 25 minutes out of the way to stop this place to stop up on tomatillos (which will make your homemade salsa amazing), achiote paste, chipotles, and adobo.


Now I realize some of you may not even know the difference between a mole and habanero.  I am quite certain our previously mentioned SMH food critic doesn't, but that's ok.  If Sydney keeps giving it a go, we might one morning wake up to a sunrise when the Mexican cuisine is of a higher regard.  Then again if I hear another "la" sound pronounced in the word quesadilla, you may have to make my mine a tequila sunrise. 


PS I tried the place in question (Agave) in Terry Durack's review.  It actually was not that good after all.  I would've just appreciated he spare us the diatribe about the cuisine as a whole.  I would recommend it for drinks and maybe a couple entrees though (especially the flauntas).  The mains left myself and my partner feeling a bit bland.

If time is money...

Background: Piano playing the instrumental introduction to "Mad World" by Gary Jules
Shot 1: (panning left) Sydney's Botanical Gardens 
VoiceOver: Two Tickets to cinema at Mrs Macquarie's Chair . . . $48.

Shot 2: (panning right) Sydney Opera House Forecourt

VO: Two tickets to Sydney Festival's Rogue's Gallery . . .  $170.

Shot 3: (panning down) the barren courtyard of my apartment building

VO: The American SydneySider halfway through every month . . . penniless.

It's no secret that living in Sydney has its price, and I know that many other major cities are no different.  Still, it's like a cruel joke in these busy months when there is heaps going on in Sydney, but a twenty-something like yours truly will be hard-pressed to get to more than a fraction of the things on his must-do list.  Over time I have found ways to stretch my budget, but it's been no easy feat.  

In recent months, I've been stockpiling a few free movie passes as well as keeping my ear to the ground for free screening opportunities.  This week I got to see the recent Aussie release Bran Nue Dae with a handful of Australian celebs (most notable probably being Geoffrey Rush and Missy Higgins).  I wouldn't recommend it for those individuals lacking the suspension of disbelief often necessary for musicals, but otherwise the film is good fun.  However, with more and more holiday releases making their way to Australian theatres, the list of films I'd like to see is growing.  Plus in summer, Sydney makes the most of the weather with a handful of attractive outdoor cinemas.  In fact, for the last three years I keep meaning to catch a film at the OpenAir Cinema at Mrs Macquarie's Chair.  You've got the sun setting behind the iconic Sydney Opera House & Harbour Bridge, and just as dusk settles over the skyline, the movie screen lights up over the water!  Unfortunately, with a seat in the general grandstand going for $29, it just hasn't found a place in my budget.  They do offer a concession price of $27, but that's still not exactly cheap.  Not to mention, I'd be hoping they accept my rather outdated university ID.

Don't get me wrong, I was most appreciative of the many discounts I got as a student, but in a lot of ways it would seem twenty-somethings have a greater need for a financial break.  Most of us have outgrown the period of being able to easily seek financial support from family.  Furthermore, for those of us that took on a tertiary education and/or simply have moved away from home, our current Herculean debt seems to dwarf our monthly salaries.  Fortunately, some Sydney establishments have caught on with "Under 30" discounts.  I'd specifically like to tip my cap to Sydney Theatre Company.  Their "Under 30" ticket rates have not only allowed me to see Cate Blanchett & Joel Edgerton in a stunning production of A Streetcar Named Desire, but earlier today I was able to get a hold of tickets in the center of the second row for Spring Awakening which I missed out on seeing while in New York.  Granted I had to buy said tickets on a nearly maxed-out credit card, but we will deal with that little detail come payday.

I mentioned Sydney Festival in my last post and they too deserve a bit of recognition for their many FREE events.  Nevertheless, there is heaps on that I'd love to see but not enough free time or monetary backing in my bank account to make it all happen.  So I have been toying with the idea of continuing my annual tradition of going down to Martin Place sometime before 5AM to get in the queue for Tix Next to Nix.  Whether you share my occasional disregard for sleep or simply hold a curiosity for all things anthropological, it can be a pretty intriguing experience.  The festival's discount ticket booth gets a motley mix of SydneySiders before it opens at 8AM.  There are always a few people in their late teens or early twenties who sleep there the night before for tickets to a sold-out musical act.  They know the artist's background, repetoire, and blood type better than you ever would.  Stroll a bit further a long and it’s likely you’ll find an older married couple who are after tickets for one of the more legendary acts on that day.  They find the whole affair of waiting in line for tickets in the wee hours of the morning reminiscent of their younger days when music festivals didn‘t sell out in a matter of seconds due to ticketek.com.au.  But probably the most entertaining persona in line is who I'd like to call "the crazy lady."

I am not being sexist, but I have yet to meet a representative from the Tix-for-Next-to-Nix Crazy Man Society.  In my experience there has always been some forty-something woman with glasses and an all-weather jacket who has the spot directly in front of me.  She knows every event on that day, and clearly doesn't hold a steady job as she informs you that she has been through this whole charade for several other festival events in the past week.  From first glance she sizes you up.  She uses non-verbal communication to let you know that she's a seasoned veteran as she confidently asks you what you are waiting in line for.   Within seconds of your reply, she will then spout off what everyone in front of you is waiting for as well as offer her unsolicited professional opinion about the likelihood of your success in getting said tickets.

Now at first you might just politely smile and try to get back to watching “Mad Men” on your ipod, but it’s already too late.  She has used her cat lady appearance like a magician uses slight-of-hand to sneak a small percentage of doubt into your subconscious.  After an hour (and trust me you will have to wait over an hour if you have any chance) the carefully deposited seedling of doubt will have crept into your mind.  You too might  memorize what everyone in front of you is waiting for.  Another symptom is discovering you’ve taken up the role of sentinel keeping a close eye on anyone who dares approach the ticket window.  Are they just reading information posted on the side of the booth?  Or are they threatening the order of this recently established Martin Place colony?  Perhaps you will share a glace with that slightly older married couple as if to say, “We can take this intruder if need be.”  But alas the person in question moves on.   A more curious passerby may even ask what everyone is waiting for.  At this stage, you might consider yourself a pro and answer the question like a jaded tour guide spouting a pre-rehearsed reply.  If this occurs, consider yourself one quilted-knee-length coat/uncombed-hair-combo away from becoming the next crazy lady.  Fortunately, once the booth opens, the line moves pretty quick and you often walk away with tickets for whatever you hoped for in the first place.  With your sanity only temporarily forfeited, you now have some heavily discounted tickets to what will mostly likely be an awesome performance.

With all this in mind, I'm not sure if I will continue my traditional peregrination to Martin Place this year.  Who knows though?  When it comes to saving a bit of money on quality tickets, I suppose I find myself going to pretty great lengths.

Swingin' into the New Year

The relatively relaxed start of a new decade quickly became busy for me when I arrived back in Sydney.  Whenever I've been away for a while I usually like to hit the ground running.  It's the fastest way to feel back in the swing of things and the best for combating post-holiday feelings of melancholy.  With plenty of work in front of me, that's just what I did.  Of course, I also managed to keep myself with busy when I was off the clock.  Back in Boston, this time of year presents a bit of challenge as the winter chill keeps people indoors and the limited sunlight makes things a bit sleepy in a post-holiday season.  In Sydney, just the opposite happens.  With the holidays behind us, the city shines bright while basking in the extra hours of daylight.  Everyone is keen to go out.  If there was any doubt of this, Sydney Festival First Night is sure to disabuse you of any misconception.

I've been to Festival First Night for the last few years.  It's a great chance to see hundreds of thousands come together in the city to just enjoy music an performances from around the world.  With various stages going off simultaneously throughout the CBD, it can be a bit daunting to figure out where to go, but I gave myself the manageable task of seeing only two performances: the Manganiyar Seduction and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.  Both of these I would have paid to see, but the opportunity to catch them live was a relief to my otherwise struggling wallet.

The difference in style between these two were so very different.  Still each carried a great energy in their own way.  The Manganiyar Seduction has this really interesting stage that looks like something from the TV gameshow Hollywood Squares.  While describing this concept to an Australian friend of mine, I loved that his impulse response to this description was "I'll take Whoopi for the block" but I digress.  The performance starts with lights around one square turning on and the red curtain parting to reveal a single man starting to play music.  Another curtain parts and the lights around this square light up as another man on another traditional Indian instrument joins in.  This goes on until there are over three dozen men on stage participating in this orchestration.  The exotic sound and innovative visual concept truly seduced my friends and me.

Afterwards, our group parted ways as we each made our way to another stage for various performances. Having been a long-time lover of swing music, couldn't pass up the chance to see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.  Plus, on previous Sydney Festival First Nights, Martin Place was the area to go to for a bit of a dance.  This year was no exception and while most of the crowd was happy to stand and watch, there was a handful of people who were there to swing dance.  It was great to see so many people just having fun and letting loose.  My friend and I were on the beginner's end of the spectrum present, but that didn't stop us getting caught up in the moment. In fact, it wasn't until we stopped to breathe that I remembered I was attempting to do all this in flip-flops and consequently gave myself a massive blister.  Still, as I limped back to Paddington, I was glad to be back in Sydney in the summery season that suits it best.

What a Decade Brings

As I am typing this, the American east coast is less than an hour away from welcoming the start of a new decade.  Ten years ago I was in a very different place.  We were welcoming in a new millennium, and geographically speaking, I was about as far away from where I am now as I can be.  It was also about ten years ago when Sydney hosted the 2000 Olympic Games.  During the coverage of the Games, the idea of coming to Sydney first snuck into my consciousness.  I specifically recall watching footage of an NBC broadcaster doing the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.  In retrospect it seems a bit silly for the bridge climb to have been my initial inspiration, but that's what I remember.

Going into my final year of school, I started looking into spending a part of the year in Australia.  I had the application filled out and recommendations lined up from a couple teachers, but finances proved to be a bit tough to pull it off.  Furthermore, I had my college education to start thinking about.  My initial sites were set on going to university in New York City.  In fact, I was supposed to visit the city to have a look at NYU and Fordham the second week of September.  Fortunately, my plans were postponed and I spent September 11, 2001 writing a perspective piece for my local newspaper back home.

Still, Sydney stayed on my radar.  During orientation at my university, I heard several fairly unoriginal speeches that dropped "opportunity" and "possibility" into every second sentence.  Yet, my ears perked up at the "opportunity" to spend a semester overseas.  In August 2005, I landed in Australia to kick off the beginning of my last year at university.  Nine months later, I returned to Sydney with my degree under my belt and no real plan of how long I'd be here.  Since then I have traveled up and down a good portion of the Australian east coast.  I've photographed wild kangaroos on the beach, learned to surf, dove at the Great Barrier Reef, and of course climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge.  I've ticked a lot of the "touristy" boxes and I would encourage everyone to do the same.

That being said, I've also had an incredible amount of really unique experiences here.  I've met and developed great relationships with so many people.  I've also found that sometimes being an outsider is the perfect perspective for discovering or even really appreciating a city (or a country for that matter).  Over time I realized that my open mind led not only to the city becoming my home and adopting me, but myself adopting much of the city and embracing it.  Will I ever leave Sydney?  I'm sure someday I'll be keen, but for now I am happy being an American Sydneysider.  Of course, I'd be a bit happier if I could get into the habit of updating this blog more often.  Perhaps I've found myself a New Year's Resolution to take on.

Sculpture by the Sea...

So I started to mention Sculpture by the Sea in my last post, but I neglected to post the images I took.  In case you didn't make it this year...

This shot looks back at Bondi beach in the distance.  You'll notice people all along the cliff walk.  Local runners love to go jogging along this path, but I have yet to figure out why they put themselves through the headache during the two weeks of the event.

There are always a handful of sculptures standing at the top of the head overlooking Bondi.  This one just reminded me of the vintage images I've seen of people carrying longboards at the beach.

This sculpture actually moves in the wind so that the linked pieces of lime green move into different positions.  You'll notice the moon starting to rise in the background.

This life-size sculpture is by far my favourite this year.  The best way I can describe it is as a wicker shell.  The inside is hollow, but it's woven out of what looks like pieces of straw.  I loved looking at this in the late afternoon light.

This was another horse sculpture during the walk.  Made of various pieces of metal, this Trojan horse looks back at the wicker one on the opposite ridge (you can just make him out at the bottom right-hand corner).

This was probably my best shot that afternoon.  I thought it was a nice moment, and it doesn't hurt that it's off my favourite piece this year.