getting used to Brunswick

i have to say, it's quite an adventure moving across to the other side of the Merri Creek. Time seems to move more slowly now because there's so much newness to absorb.

• "Sparkly Square" is a much more fun than Northcote Plaza;
• Walking distance to miles and miles of parkland - but i'm walking, not jogging yet;
• Hundreds of new restaurants within minutes of home ..
• many more cheap variety stores, with all manner of precious junk (which i am not thinking about buying, at all! Too much junk in my life already, which i still haven't cleared out.)

Sydney road has a different character from Northcote High Street .. can't quite describe the difference just yet. Larger range of ethnic diversity? More established cafes and hotels?

But all these new cafes, i need a local tour guide ..
and where are all the musicians madly improvising?

Thank Evans i'm still cycling distance from the Northcote hill.



image thanks to deepwarren at flickr

music on the hill

Thank you Sasha and Paul for your great DJ story!! and Sam for sharing your funky videos.

the musical highlight for me would have to be the night of farewell for housemate Louise and gray. It was their party really, and they did some amazing setup, including candles down the alleyway, and a genuine earth-mapped pinyata, with roaming dinosaurs hanging off the hills hoist.

Lu made her room into a band room, with drum kit, amplifiers and all sorts of electronic connections to complement the Farfisa organ. She was so thrilled when people brought their instruments to play (but not so thrilled when Ben played so hard that he bled on her guitar).

Now there's blood on my guitar you @**&\ .. and it's all your fault ..

My favourite moment was in the back yard, under the summer tent, Renato on piano accordion, Kiri on the fiddle and Tarquin playing clarinet. Sublimey!

Rhiannon said at one point, "We were expecting the usual michael quiet evening, and we arrive to a Genuine Northcote Party." People kept played until five am; but by then i was asleep, having watched the very final episode of Buffy downstairs with Sam and Booshi.

(They watched the whole seven series in around ten weeks! Now that's an achievement.)

Now, post departure, the house on the hill at James street is still its usual mess of cables flying from room to room. Louise has moved out and headed over to San Francisco; she and gray started their adventure by seducing their way into the qantas lounge, ha ha ..

much love to youse all, michael