I'LL TUMBLR 4 YA : GRAFITTI / MURALS NEARBY

Because stepping out to get lunch by exploring the 'hood's backstreets and alleyways makes me feel hip/edgy

and counts as exercise!

YEAR IN ADVANCE: I'LL TUMBLR 4 YA

Forgive this old fogie rambling, but what is tumblr? Is tumblr like a site for random, weird, esoteric themed albums? I think that's what tumblr is. If so, I want in! At least the collecting photos of stuff that might only interest me part. How is that any different from all the other posts on this blog? Not sure! I'm not even going to open an actual tumblr account, just post links or pictures back here maybe, and I still don't know how best to push updates of anything. Why'd I even bring up tumblr then? Don't really know! I'm old! Whatevs! Here are links to some collections of things (starting with from in and around Sydney). They make me happy.

Graffiti / Murals Nearby

Because stepping out to get lunch by exploring the 'hood's backstreets and alleyways makes me feel hip/edgy

Bisikletart

Inspired by the Betoota Advocate's glorious review of Sydney's multiple attempts at bike sharing.

Quay to the Ship 

Circular Quay is the most beautiful commuter stop in the world, fight me. And there's a trainspotting thrill every time I find a new fancy named monster luxury ship parked in the dock.

Into the (backyard) Spider-verse

Not a day goes by when I don't walk through my doorway/gate/fence/path/staircase and get spider goo all over my face. Are any of them actually dangerous? Let's not find out! 

Pretty Atriums and Facades

Pretty self-explanatory

Grilled to Perfection

Why Sydney terrace houses > London terrace houses. So fun to walk through neighborhoods and gaze up at them all.

Fartbooks

so. many. kiddie. books. about. farts. they even come in sequels, sets and seasons!

Check out the latest additions to the collections on MySpace. Maybe!
     

BEACHWATCH: COOL-BURA

Cool cool cool. Our first ever out-of-Sydney Beachwatch is at beautiful Culburra, a vacation destination in the state's South Coast region popular with local Australians. It's a two-plus hour train/car ride from the city, and the land/seascape views along the way easily rival that of any other Highlands (Scottish or Tagaytayish). Though the place is far removed from the big city and there's really no commercial/restaurant row beachfront, it still exudes a rich cosmopolitan vibe, in part because of a lot of world-class surf breaks and dive spots and windsurfing and other stuff all the cool kids are into which I'm not good at     

         

i can only watch

Plus, if you hike to the north point of the beach, you can catch sight of some worldly dolphins

worldly dolphins be migrating, you see

And don't just take my word for it that Culburra has some world class food -- they'll let you know themselves that they have Best in State fish and chips... 

and Best in State fish and chips stealers

...and World Champion Oysters!

(*checks notes*)

excuse me, World Champion Oyster OPENER!

everyone's a winner here

SYDNEY BOOMERS BLOOPERS

I posted last year that "the flip side of Sydney's counter-intuitive Christmas-in-Summer season is the great outdoor weather and views during the New Year's Eve fireworks shows." That still held true this year...kinda. We didn't have to travel far from home this time to find a cozy neighborhood that afforded spectacular sightlines without the maddening crowds:

  

But you may have noticed some rain and brollies in view -- this was because there were thunderstorms throughout the evening, pretty strong ones at that. We had to check the news for updates whether the fireworks show would still push through, and officials all assured that it decidedly would. Sydney-siders are a hardy bunch, it seems, and it would take more than some heavy rain and thunder to prevent the city from pulling off a flawless welcome to the new year.

Well, generally flawless.

sooo last year