Showing posts with label outings/events. Show all posts

Day of Travel: Sunday, 3rd December, 2017

The Station

Museum is one of my favourite stations. I love that it's small, and old fashioned, and looks like it's come right out of an old English children's book. it's currently undergoing a refurbishment at the moment, and I hold out hope they don't eliminate all it's charm.

The Guide

No guiding words from the Guide this time. I flicked through the guide twice trying to locate it's entry... then felt foolish when I realised it was published before in 1886, pre-dating the station's opening in 1926. Instead, I leave you with this amazing photo of Museum station, courtesy of the Royal Australian Historical Society. It was undated as far as I could see - but all the same you can see how little has actually changed within the station itself.

The Excursion

Given the lovely historical shot above, I wish I could tell you that I went into the city to visit something equally impressive... but no. I went to eat food. I had a plan, then talked to Alex (who added to the plan) and, basically, made a pig of myself on a day of gluttony. It was rather enjoyable.

I started off the day by walking from Museum up to Starbucks, because it's December and December means Gingerbread lattes - my mass consumption of which I will not apologise for. I first discovered them when travelling in the UK a few years back - this also coincided with my first experience of Starbucks being on (nearly) every street corner, and as such I drank too many of them. Whenever I have one in hand, I remember standing in front of St. Paul's Cathedral, jet-lag-early, and loving the chill and the quiet and wanting to be nowhere else in the world.

Drinking them in Sydney's summer is quite different, but I'll suffer through it for the memory jolt.

It seemed like everyone else had the same idea, so I took my drink on the road and had a pleasant morning wander and read in Hyde Park. Quite lovely, and I think I'll have to spend a little more time here in future.

The main destination for Museum today was Cloud Thief, a bao restaurant recently (as in the day before) opened in World Square, Sydney. I first encountered the company at the Sydney Noodle Markets a year ago, and have been following them on Instagram and eagerly awaiting their new restaurant. I had to circle World Square a few times before I found them tucked away in the corner, but it was definitely worth the hunt.

I firmly believe that bao should replace bread. It's soft. Fluffy. Adorable. Cloud like. I was completely sold from the first time I tried it, so knowing that this restaurant was going to open quite close to places I frequent was both a blessing and a bad sign of things to come.

Crackling Roast Pork - Roast pork belly with crackling, Asian slaw, fresh coriander, hoisin sauce, and kewpie mayo.

Spicy Fried Chicken - Taiwanese spicy fried chicken; Asian slaw, spring onion, bullhorn chilli and a spicy siracha mayo.

Visiting this restaurant ticked off another box on the Global Gastronomy project - thank you Taiwanese food!

Now you may remember that I had signed up for a day of gluttony and so I had another lunch spot planned for the day. At this point I was starting to think twice - but I had already announced 'double lunch' and was in the area and so off I went down Oxford Street.

I checked out a few book and handicraft stores on the way, considered buying a semi-lewd cushion for Alex (I didn't, sorry!), and then hit up Mr. Crackles, a pork place Alex had recommended and visited just the night before. Truthfully, I think he just wanted me to order the other menu item he had considered.

Just look at all that crackle. All. The Crackle.

Truthfully, this was a waste for me. I'm not up to the marathon-level foodie-ing Alex is, and double lunch is just not in my skill set. It way way too much and, to be honest, I didn't like it anywhere near as much as I thought I would.

But as far as a gluttony day out goes, it wasn't too shabby.

Museum Excursion

by Rebecca Johnson on Monday, December 04, 2017

Day of Travel: Sunday, 3rd December, 2017 The Station Museum is one of my favourite stations. I love that it's small, and ol...

Day of Travel: Sunday, November 12, 2017

I'm rather fond of an outing, in no small part because I like the word 'outing', but I have decided that the Off the Rails project shall instead be 'excursions'. The preface of The Railway Guide of New South Wales states it's purpose as being "a convenient volume of reference for excursionists and others who travel by Railway in New South Wales" - and I so enjoyed the thought of being a habitual excursionist!

And so, while this is not my first Off the Rails excursion, it is the first on the blog (I'll catch up on the others when I get a chance). Let's start by taking a look at what the Guide has to say about Burwood.

From the Guide

Burwood Station, 7 miles; 68 feet above sea level. - After passing Croydon platform, the railway traveller will at first only see a continuation of such scenery as he has been observing between Ashfield and Croydon. Nevertheless (just before he arrives at the prosperous village of Burwood) he may catch a passing view of the Congregational Church to the right, near the Burwood station; and he may likewise - beyond that pretty little ecclesiastical edifice - observe the Anglican Church on the Parramatta Road, with a good view of Balmain and the North Shore hills in the distance. To the left he will doubtless notice another handsome Anglican Church (which an adjacent school-house) on Burwood heights; also more bush scener, presenting a series of gardens and woodland glades. Near Burwood, on the line, he may likewise get a hasty glimpse to the north-west of the hill country near Parramatta. The passenger traffic at Burwood is largely fed by the residents of Enfield and Bankstown on the one side, and of the district between Burwood and the south bank of the Parramatta River on the other. Appointed time from Sydney to Burwood usually about twenty-four minutes.

The Excursion

I didn't really have much of a plan for a Sunday excursion when I got up this morning, but on putting out the call to a few people, Jo came through with a suggestion for a breakfast venture (always a win in my book). "Head to Burwood!" she said. And so off I went.

Unfortunately, I did forget to look out for the 'ecclesiastical edifice' of the Congregational Church when I arrived, but I couldn't let that lovely turn of phrase go unexplored, so here's the church in all it's (old and new) glory.

Once off the train I headed off towards Burwood Park... but not before seeing one of my favourite road signs ever, the one pointing to the library. Naturally I took a little detour and headed in completely the wrong direction, all in the name of adding another library to my global library visit map. And you know, it was quite a nice library! I took a few sneaky photos to put in my ideas folder, and absolutely adored the children's reading nook (always the best part of the library, in my opinion).

After the little library putter, I redirected back to my original destination. Jo had suggested a visit to 'The Picnic', a cafe in the middle of Burwood Park. It was a lovely cafe! So bright and airy, and just the right level of busy. It was the kind of cafe where, upon entering, you immediately wished you had bought someone else along so you could point out some of the prettier details.

After a delicious breakfast (I channeled Katie's love of a breakfast burger for some reason) I went on a leisurely stroll through the park - which was everything I want a park to be. There were people playing musical instruments, people doing tai chi, some dancers performing on a bandstand, and these hypnotising ribbon gymnasts (artists? people just playing with ribbon?)

I sat in the park for a bit, watched the ribbons, found some ducks, got scared off by an overly confident wedge of ibises (did you know that the collective noun for ibises was a 'wedge'? I do love a good collective noun). I even helped a lady perpetuate her faux Instagram life by taking a photo of her 'exercising' - she literally stood in one pose long enough for me to take the photo and then she left the park - so basically, that was my dodgy good dead for the day.

Knowing that I had less fun teacherly plans for the afternoon, I started to head home... but not before accidentally walking past a Breadtop, which is my weakness. While there, picking out two or three hundred pieces of bready goodness, I discovered a ridiculously loud pounding coming from the other side of the wall. Eager to put off marking just a little longer, I went to investigate.

I followed the sound until it was so loud it was making my ears ring despite my over-the-ear headphones. Completely worth it though, because how impressive are these guys?

In a world where I find it completely possible (inevitable) to trip over my own shadow, their level of coordination seems completely unfair.

Sadly, all excursiony excitement was, at this point, over. Homeward bound I was, glad to have crossed another station off the list.

Disclaimer: All text and images in this post are either my own work or being mused under Creative Commons.

Burwood Excursion

by Rebecca Johnson on Sunday, November 12, 2017

Day of Travel: Sunday, November 12, 2017 I'm rather fond of an outing, in no small part because I like the word 'outing...

One of the things I've been meaning to do for the past few weeks is to go in and update my 101/1001 list as I knew there were a few things I had managed to complete. Which meant that, per my own mandate, I was to blog about.

The first of which was #64 See a drive-in movie. Slack person that I am that was, this night was over four months ago. The night was a surprise outing from Brett (we got all the way there before I realised where we were going) and we had a great time (we may be drive in converts). In any case, I thought I'd just share some of the photos of the night and then move on to the other posts I'm behind on *gulp*.

"WOW! I can hear things!"

I was rather enamoured with the lightning bolt speakers

Drive by posting

by Rebecca Johnson on Monday, April 30, 2012

One of the things I've been meaning to do for the past few weeks is to go in and update my 101/1001 list as I knew there were a few thi...

Once upon a time, about a gazillion years ago (or December last year), my friend Brett rang and give me a rather cryptic instruction: “Be out the front at 5 o’clock. I am kidnapping you...”

And that was all the information I got.

Little did I (or even he) know, but ‘kidnapping’ would soon become a recurring thing for the two of us over the coming months. And each time would be announced only by a time and the mention of kidnapping.

As part of my catch-up-a-thon, I thought I would share some of these kidnapping escapes with you.

The Drive-In

Neither Brett nor I had ever been to the drive in before, and as such it made it to both of our 101/1001 lists. Brett, who is pretty good at surprises, thought it might be nice to ‘kidnap’ me and go to the drive in so we could both cross something off our list. We managed to get all the way there before I realised where we were going, so I think he was pretty pleased with himself.

“Wow! I can hear things!”

All in all, we had a lovely evening, and I’m thinking we shall be frequenting the drive in again in the future.

Shakespeare in the Park

Last year Brett, Bethany and I went to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of Sydney’s annual Shakespeare Festival. It was (and correct me if I’m wrong, Brett) Brett’s first live performance of any Shakespeare. We all really enjoyed it and Brett had been itching to go again ever since. Seeing my opportunity to do some kidnapping of my own, I booked us two tickets to go see The Taming of the Shrew and whisked him away…

Birthday Kidnapping

Since today was my birthday, Brett decided that another kidnapping was in order. Again I was given instructions to be ready at a certain time last night for kidnapping. Again I wasn’t given any clues but he did let it slip that the location could be reached for the starting time within half an hour, so naturally I spent quite some time trying to guess what it could have been. I didn’t guess it and was very glad that I didn’t. I always try to guess, but I prefer a good surprise.

When Studio Ghibli announced that it was producing it’s own adaption of Mary Norton’s The Borrowers, we were both very excited. Myself as a huge fan of the story and lover of children’s books, Brett as a massive Hayao Miyazaki fan. We both very much wanted to see Arrietty but were a little concerned about finding a cinema screening it.

Luckily for us, Brett had discovered that a small mountains cinema, which only airs select films on it’s own weird little schedule, was showing it and so - birthday kidnapping! It was such good choosing on his part, and I heartily recommend you go see it if you can, it was beautiful.

Kidnapped

by Rebecca Johnson on Monday, March 12, 2012

Once upon a time, about a gazillion years ago (or December last year), my friend Brett rang and give me a rather cryptic instruction: “Be o...

Okay I’ll confess, I know nothing about cars. At all. But I do like to look at them when they’re all pretty and shiny… please don’t tell any car aficionados I said that.

Hot Rod and Custom Car Show 2010

by Rebecca Johnson on Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Okay I’ll confess, I know nothing about cars. At all. But I do like to look at them when they’re all pretty and shiny… please don’t tell any...

Every once in a while I have a ‘Hannah Day’. There is no consistent reasoning behind a ‘Hannah Day’ – her mum needed a babysitter, she wanted to play, it was the school holidays, there was something fun on… the list goes on.

More often than not, though, it’s because she just wants to play. I very much enjoy my position as the ‘favourite’ – and I can say that quite freely, knowing that my brother and sister agree with me. I’m “Beeky” and “Beeky” is the only one willing to do crazy silly things, the one more like a seven year old than she is. All in all, I’m just living it up until the day she hits ten and realises that I’m a dork.

Anyways, last week the local club put on a holiday ‘Rainbow Disco’ for the kids and of course, this was something to which only Beeky could attend. I was surprised by just how many kids there were! Everywhere you looked, there were kids underfoot. We headed straight for a table to set up a base camp and before she could even take off her jacket she was gone, lost to the masses.

She had a great day running and playing and dancing, and I spent my time shifting from one chair to another (to whichever faced her general direction) and finishing up my book – all in all a pretty good outing!

She wasn’t all too impressed to be leaving early, but with her cast having only recently come off, I was worried she was over taxing her foot and she had already started to limp a little. All pouts were put aside, however, when we remembered the promised trip to Sparty’s for a balloon.

The balloons (yes, I had to have one too!) did not receive a kind reception when we returned home, but we sure had fun having our balloon fight.

A Hannah Day

by Rebecca Johnson on Friday, April 16, 2010

Every once in a while I have a ‘Hannah Day’. There is no consistent reasoning behind a ‘Hannah Day’ – her mum needed a babysitter, she wante...

We had ourselves an trip to the emergency room night before last – not entirely unheard of in our house, but this time it was my father in the role of the patient. Seems he was silly enough to get bitten right on the eyelid, and since he’s somewhat allergic to bees we thought it best to ship him off (despite his complaints).

I actually rather enjoy the ER, strange as that seems. I suppose it comes from growing up in and around hospitals, but there’s very little sense of urgency for me, which leaves me to sit and people watch.

I also snapped a few photos here and there – which my father was not too happy about, but then again he never really is when I do anyways, so not to worry.

We finally got in to see a doctor (about five hours later), he gave him a shot, some pills and a prescription and then sent us home. Took about fifteen minutes. We made him promise to leave the boys alone in future.