Sydney sparks – Page 2 – everydaysparks

A day at the Fair

Posted on June 14, 2013June 13, 2013 by Cate

On Wednesday, I went to the opening day of the Craft & Quilt Fair here in Sydney. I met up with my sister-in-law and her super-talented friend (who, in between running a family with four kids and baking, quilting, photographing, cooking, sewing also writes a blog: Bea Spoke Quilts). For the record, my sister-in-law is also super-talented, but doesn’t have a blog. In fact, she doesn’t even read this blog on a regular basis, but let’s not get in to that now…

So, back to the Fair. A huge queue to get tickets, where the demographic meant that the ‘Seniors’ special was the best seller by about 50:1, I would estimate. It was very crowded and the Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour was packed with all kinds of crafty and quilty wares. There were the many different versions of the expected stalls: sewing, fabrics, quilting, cards, scrapbooking etc. And then there were the niche stalls: doll making, sock monkeys, teddy bear making and my favourite stall, selling kimono fabrics. Its name? KimoYES. Genius.

I stocked up on some cool card making things and was enjoying a tutorial on glitter butterflies (yes, really) when the stall holders uncovered a crime: the $77 hot glue gun had been stolen. Brazen as you like, some old biddy had walked in to the stall & swiped it – the boss man said he had seen her, but when his wife asked if he could identify her, he just shook his head and looked around helplessly at the scene: hundreds of almost identical white-haired ladies in grey cardis and sensible shoes. It was the perfect crime.

Other than that drama and the shock of incredible quilts made by 11 year olds, it’s well worth a visit if you’re looking for crafty inspiration this weekend. The website is here. Just hold on to your valuables (and your glue guns) – the world of craft & quilts is not for sissies.

Sydney sparks

A day at the Zoo

Posted on June 10, 2013June 9, 2013 by Cate

I love the zoo. I especially love our zoo, Taronga, here in Sydney. I know that zoos aren’t universally popular or politically correct, but I know enough about Taronga to know that they’re making a huge effort to make the animals’ zoo lives as interesting, healthy and fun as possible – and same goes for the visitors. And behind the scenes, they raise a lot of cash for important conservation work and run many important breeding programs.

(As an aside, they also run the incredible Roar & Snore program, with an overnight stay at the Zoo – glamping all the way – and several amazing behind-the-scenes tours with keepers. I’ve been twice and can’t recommend it highly enough if you’re looking for a unique gift or Sydney experience.) Here’s a pic of the set up from the Roar & Snore site, in case you don’t believe me!

Anyways, it was a lovely sunny day in Sydney yesterday, so I took myself off for a trip to the Zoo. Along with a lot of other people in Sydney, it seemed. It’s not an old-school zoo, so it doesn’t feel like you’re visiting the animals in jail – although judging by the many fools who climbed into the kangaroos’ area, some sort of electric shock system for idiot visitors might be in order. (I did wait around for a bit to see if the larger kangaroos might take matters into their own hands and kick the people out – literally – but they were very patient and polite hosts.)

Here are some pics from my day at the Zoo – if you haven’t been, or if you haven’t been for a while, then I reckon it’s definitely worth a visit on a sunny day!

Such a poser - this Rhinoceros Iguana was really working it for the camera. Or the sun. — Such a poser – this Rhinoceros Iguana was really working it for the camera. Or the sun.

It's a bit blurry, but I like to think this Lawson's Bearded Dragon was trying to lead his mates in a daring escape attempt. — It’s a bit blurry, but I like to think this Lawson’s Bearded Dragon was trying to lead his mates in a daring escape attempt.

And this is the brilliantly named FIERCE SNAKE. The most venemous land snake in the world, apparently, so he definitely lives up to his name. — And this is the brilliantly named FIERCE SNAKE. The most venomous land snake in the world, apparently, so he definitely lives up to his name. And the venom in one bite can kill 200,000 mice, so they say. Hope that’s toughened glass right there.

Here are two Red Bellied Black Snakes getting close. And they don't have a rainbow scale pattern, that's a reflection from the glass, sorry! — Here are two Red Bellied Black Snakes getting close. And they don’t have a rainbow scale pattern, that’s a reflection from the glass, sorry! As is the creepy giant hand in the top right corner.

I like this photo because the Short Necked Turtle was coming right at me. Also because he sort of looks to be wearing a little girl's shoe. — I like this photo because the Short Necked Turtle was coming right at me. Also because he looks to be wearing a little girl’s shoe.

Now that's a meal with a view, lucky giraffe. — Now that’s a meal with a bzillion dollar harbour view, lucky giraffe.

Some days, I feel the same, Chimps. — Some days, I feel just the same, Chimps.

Where the Chimpanzee enclosure meets the Human enclosure.

The old elephant enclosure - they've moved out, but it's still a beautiful building. — The old elephant enclosure – they’ve moved out, but it’s still a beautiful building.

If you’re interested, you can check out the Taronga Zoo website here and the Roar & Snore info is here.

Sydney sparks

Foggy Sydney

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Cate

Today is a super foggy day in Sydney. As in a crazy pea-soup, cancel-the-ferries, can’t-see-more-than-100m, where-has-the-city-gone kinda foggy day. Normally, the fog rolls away pretty early on (where to? I don’t know), but it’s only just starting to lighten up now and it’s after 10am as I write this. I went for a walk around to Mosman Bay this morning and it was actually a bit spooky, a little bit Jane Austen-ish with all the mist swirling around. Sharing photos of fog is kind of like talking about last night’s amazing dreams – it means a lot less to you if you weren’t actually there. So, I’ve limited my snaps from this morning…

Normally a great spot to sit and admire the city. Not today though.

Woooooooo (that's a scary ghost noise)... — Woooooooo (that’s a scary ghost noise)…

Ghostly boats in Mosman Bay... — Ghostly (and sometimes ghastly) boats in Mosman Bay…

Starting to clear as I walked home - can just see the Manly Ferry, back in action. — Starting to clear – can just see the Manly Ferry, back in action.

Sydney sparks

View from the Bridge

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Cate

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day in Sydney and I was meeting my great friend ELW and one of her (very lovely) sons in Darlinghurst, one of Sydney’s inner city suburbs where the cool crowd crosses paths with the homeless crowd & ladies-of-the-night crowd. We were having breakfast so, in true Camino training style, I thought I would walk from my home on the north side to make the most of the beautiful day. And get in an 8.5km walk before breakfast.

Here are some pics from my walk across the Harbour Bridge. The view is pretty spectacular and I committed to walking that way more often to check out our pretty city. If you’ve not done it before (or not for a while), I really recommend that you do.

Our House, as seen through the Harbour Bridge fencing

It looks like a cage, but I promise it doesn't really feel like it — It looks like a cage, but I promise it doesn’t really feel like it

And there's (part of) the city — And there’s (part of) the city

It reminds me of the Dr Seuss book…DID I EVER TELL YOU HOW LUCKY YOU ARE?

Sydney sparks

Thankful Thursday – love ya, Sydney

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Cate

Last night I went to the opera with my mum (Falstaff; very good) and we spent some of the twilight hours of a perfect Sydney evening sitting in front of the Opera House watching the world go by. If you’ve never done it, I highly recommend that you do. It made me think of that Dr Seuss book DID I EVER TELL YOU HOW LUCKY YOU ARE? Yesterday, we told ourselves again and again.

That sky isn't fake. Neither are those birds or the people. Or those giant shells. — That sky isn’t fake. Neither are those birds or the people. Or those giant shells. Sorry ’bout the glare.

The ship was getting ready to leave as it blocked the setting sun. What a way to start a cruising holiday! — The ship was getting ready to leave as it blocked the setting sun. What a start to a cruising holiday!

It's still a very weird looking building, but I love it. — It is a very weird looking building, but I love it.

Ahhh... — Functional (mostly) and pretty to look at…