A Touch of Turkey

I took this shot in June last year, in a fish market at Istanbul.

The dangling curly bits in the background are twists of dried orange peel. Nice counterpoint to the curly new globe on the left of the mermaid.

I'm not a fan of the new globes I'm afraid; I'm going to miss the old globes for their beautiful shape and also the concept of a "light bulb moment" isn't the same with the new globes.

They may save the planet though.

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Jack has taken to the pig's ear

For anyone wondering, Jack has started using his puppy teeth on the pig's ear. It just took him a little time, that's all.
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Jack the Pugalier

It's very hard to imagine anything quite as cute as Jack the Pugalier (that's a pug crossed with a Cavalier spaniel, for the uninitiated).
I went to visit him for the first time at the weekend and took him around a pig's ear. The truth is, he wasn't that sure about it. You can see what happened when he saw it for the first time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnDhp8n2nUM

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How much can a koala bear?

I love these pictures.

They were sent to me by a friend in London. Apparently in last week's heatwave in Victoria, this hot little fellow waddled onto someone's back porch and a bucket of water was put out for him. Happily, a camera was to hand to produce these sweet snaps.

I gather the whole world loves them as they may have been taken only a week ago, but so many people seem to have seen them.

They would melt the hardest heart.

It's forecast to be hot in Darlo this weekend, but you won't catch the King in the bath. Sprawled out on the floorboards, yes.

In the bath, no.

"Hugo, how's that martini coming along?"

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Life drawing

With a fanfare of drums, I got to life drawing tonight for the first time in ages. Went with my neighbour to a local gallery where they have a model every Monday; tonight we had two.

This is an old drawing of mine, but very much in my style. I'm too pooped to photograph something I did tonight, download the pix to my laptop and then upload them again to the web.

Lazy, or what? Everything I know I learned from the King, who didn't move a muscle between the hours of 2pm and 5pm today. I came home from work early (after an early start) and found him snoring on the bed.

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Curtains

Ah, with thanks to my pals bob'n'pats for this beautiful image.

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Arachnophobia

6.30pm Massage therapist arrives at home.
8pm Every muscle has been tweaked and has turned to jelly.
9pm Every muscle is switched on. World's biggest huntsman has its legs out and is ready to eat me.
9.30pm The Last Post is playing for the huntsman, carefully and artfully squished. I have produced a litre of sweat in the undertaking.

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Auslan Advance Australia Fair

Personally I find it a bit hard to get wound up about Australia Day, but this Auslan version of Advance Australia Fair could change everyone's tune.



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Random acts of electrical kindness

I popped into the hardware shop next door to work today to replace part of a 50s clip-on anodised lamp. The old plastic switch had snapped in half after five decades of use.
On buying the replacement part, I realised I'd need the aid of an electrician to connect it up for me.
Little did I know I was standing next to him.
Next thing. I'm out front of the hardware shop with another customer, using the boot of his black VW convertible as a makeshift work bench. I handed him the new parts while he wired up the lamp. During the procedure, another guy turned up with a tray of three coffees: his friend had gone off to shout a round of lattes.
So that's why I live in the inner city. For random acts of electrical kindness.
Now the King can read in bed again.

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Oh what long whiskers you have

The King of Darlinghurst does indeed have some of the finest whiskers around.
And check out those eyebrows!
He raised them yesterday when Everapominoz came over and used an electric drill to install Hang it All.
(With sincere and joyous thanks to Everapominoz for kind assistance; apologies to the King about the drill and the embarrassment of having to hide under the bed.)

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Crazy about the King (the King is Crazy)

The King does look a little crazy here; cross-eyed even.
He was reaching out with his mouth to catch a long piece of grass hanging down yesterday (placed there by my good self).
It helps explain why I love him so. (He makes me laugh.)

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The Big Ish

As the mercury soared to 40 degrees C and then some in western Sydney today, I beetled past my vendor of The Big Issue this morning. I had bought my copy earlier this week.
"I'm asking people today if they want to buy a manually operated fan," he declared. Some weeks back he told me his ability to talk was his greatest gift.
He was - deliciously - right. I love his way with words.
ps It's hard to be the King of Darlinghurst when it's 40C and you have to wear a black fur coat.
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Hang it all

In London in June, I spotted this divine answer to my storage prayers.

I didn't know it was a classic in retro design: The Hang It All (on the drawing board in 1953) by Charles and Ray Eames.

All I could think was

a/ how beautiful it was

b/how impractical it was to get home to Sydney

Then I spotted it in Surry Hills a couple of weeks ago. Pretty soon, voila, someone who can operate a masonry drill will mount it on my wall. At the moment I seem to be stuck with comics who say they don't even know the masonic handshake, let alone their drill.

The King had fun playing hide and seek in the box it came home in.

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And so it was...

...time to return to work.
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The last day of holidays

Went to koi in Darlinghurst the other night and engaged in some chalkboard toilet graffiti of the King (left).

And now, here I am on the last day of my summer holiday. The King is oblivious and sleeping on a freshly laundered bed.

The lemons are preserved, the fig salame for cheese is made and the spag bol is on the stove.

It must be time to return to work.

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Tomato chilli jam - refined

Unbelievably, I'm back making chilli jam.
I reckon the shot is to peel the baked half-tomatoes and then put those skins through the blender with some of the liquid and add it all into the aromatic brew.
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The King's big night on the tiles

A few years ago the King had a big New Year's Eve... he got out!
Last night he was in, but the way he's crashed out on the bed today, you'd think he'd been out all night on the rantan.
Happy New Year, full of brightness and good new things.
My resolution is to carry a notebook at all times.
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DinTai Fung and a happy new year

Din Tai Fung is fabulous - a Taiwanese dumpling restaurant of the finest order. Its Sydney operation has been open since about May and I made my first visit there today. Level 1, World Square.

They do those amazing dumplings filled with soup that Anthony Bourdain is always banging on about: Xiao Long Bao. I hadn't had them before. Fabulous. Get on board:
http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao

And a Happy New Year from the King and I.

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Tomato chilli jam - seriously addictive

I tried this tomato chilli jam at cousin Ashley's with pappadams - and was hooked. I got the recipe (Skye Gyngell's from Delicious magazine) and made it immediately.
The crowd has been braying for the recipe. And here it is.

Chilli jam (makes three cups - so you might want to double the recipe as there is time and fiddling involved). Great with everything from pappadams to cheese - or, as Skye G. says - lamb cutlets, grilled scallops or scrambled eggs.

1.5 kg roma tomatoes (see pic), halved lengthways
a half cup of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon yellow (I used brown because I had them) mustard seeds
8cm piece of ginger, finely chopped
7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 long red chillies
1 tablespoon of olive oil
140g caster sugar
a third of a cup of fish sauce

Preheat oven to 160degrees C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Place tomatoes on trays, cut-side up, then roast for 1 hour 20 minutes until softened.
(Kymoftheking's tip is to roughly peel the tomatoes at this stage and chop up the skins a bit, otherwise they don't break up at all as even when it's been cooked, tomato skin is so sturdy.)
Place vinegar, mustard seeds, ginger, garlic and chilli in a blender and puree until you have a rough paste. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add chilli mixture and cook, stirring, for two minutes or until fragrant. Add the sugar, fish sauce and tomato, reduce heat to low and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and squashing the tomatoes with the back of your spoon until reduced and thickened.
(You'll need to stir frequently towards the end to prevent catching.) Cool, then pour the chilli jam into the sterilised jars.
Store in the fridge for two to three weeks. Well, if you can. It seems to disappear fairly fast.

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And a happy Samoan Christmas to you too

A few years ago I visited Samoa with my travel buddy Louise.

We stayed everywhere from the classic Aggie Grey's Hotel to beachside fales without electricity.

Somewhere we must have stayed with a couple who are among the great Christmas card senders of the world. Every year I get two cards from them - one to "Otto, Rita and family" and the other to "Mark and Jeanette".

I do not know any of these people.

Perhaps they receive the cards intended for me.

The cards are quite wonderful 3D numbers (in the one above left, Santa's head and arm and also boots are raised on small blocks of styrofoam). I never quite have the heart to put them up as they are not for me and bolstering my card numbers seems tragic. Nor can I return them as the senders don't reveal their address.

It's gotta be hot for Santa in Samoa.

Meanwhile, on the King of Darlinghurst front, the King is back in his domain. He roamed the kingdom this morning and came home exhausted, sleeping on the bed with all four feet sticking straight up in the air.

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LOB

LOB? That's "Lack Of Blog". A technical term.

I've been printmaking, walking in the park, picnicking in the park, shaking a bug, down the south coast, back up again and now I'm here.

Picked up a corker of a Christmas gift for $1 and a Riedel wine glass for $2.50 at St Vinnie's in Oxford St this afternoon.

The King has been great company while I have been shaking the bug. And this afternoon in the park a lovely little boy gave me a dandelion flower. You couldn't make that kind of stuff up.

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