The difference: in passing
January 5th 2009 04:04
Taking time off from Sydney and the busy schedule I have appointed myself this year, the split decision was made to go for a whirlwind trip to Melbourne for a few days to kick back and soak up the atmosphere. For the first time, I have decided to go by myself, hey maybe not even see anyone I know down there. For when it comes to writing, solitude can be aptitude.
Another search for inspiration? Awww yeah I guess you could say that, being that there were intentions to get the ball rolling on yet another full length screenplay - which is the way I think of writing a chapter or two for a novel these days considering nothing much is popping up in terms of film. And yes, there was success.
I checked out a few different places, and being that I arrived on New Years Day there wasn't much open so I ended up having dinner and a couple of quiet ones at a Swanston Street "Walk" cafe/bar. It was a kinda dingy place, at the same time in the centre of the action - passers-by ranging from bums to cokeheads (or is it Ice?) to trendies. Not to mention the cafe itself was buzzing with maximum patronage. I wondered if everyone already knew this would be the only place open for dinner and drinks on this night.
I was staying on a hotel on Little Bourke Street, which I had only recently found out is home to Melbourne's Chinatown. I checked out a bar there which had only been open a month, and was inspired by how the immaculate and classy interior overshadowed the simple outdoor smokers area. Regardless, I found a spot with a view of the sunset as I sipped my last drink for the evening.
The next night I found myself at Section 8, a bar/nightclub on Lonsdale Street not far from the greek precinct. The door chick was especially friendly and informative, as it is only natural for people to enquire about a packed-out bar on street level where even the DJ booth doesn't have walls or a roof. I nabbed myself a couple of beers and did a little jig to the 70's funk music they were playing, after which point I decided to spoil myself with some dessert from Hardware Lane.
Along with The Causeway, off Bourke Street Mall, and Centreplace, just a couple of blocks towards Flinders Street (the latter I couldn't help but come back to every day for my caffiene fix), Hardware Lane is an absolutely charming and enormously engaging use of city laneways which has the current Mayor of Sydney wondering why we can't do the same up here. With restaurants and cafes, all licensed to sell alcohol, lined along the pedestrians-only paved road, I had the choice to either have dessert and a glass of red while enjoying of a live flamenco guitarist, or do the same half a minute walk away with a live jazz band. I took the flamenco option.
The real difference between Sydney and Melbourne, of course, is in passing. In Melbourne, the people that pass you by won't make prejudgements to such extremes as Sydneysiders do. In Sydney, you are smiled upon by someone if you frown upon someone else. Complaining about a person because of their looks or the way they walk, in Melbourne, just makes you look like you're from Sydney.
Of course, in the end I had to part from Melbourne. And naturally, as attraction has it, I will be back.
Another search for inspiration? Awww yeah I guess you could say that, being that there were intentions to get the ball rolling on yet another full length screenplay - which is the way I think of writing a chapter or two for a novel these days considering nothing much is popping up in terms of film. And yes, there was success.
I checked out a few different places, and being that I arrived on New Years Day there wasn't much open so I ended up having dinner and a couple of quiet ones at a Swanston Street "Walk" cafe/bar. It was a kinda dingy place, at the same time in the centre of the action - passers-by ranging from bums to cokeheads (or is it Ice?) to trendies. Not to mention the cafe itself was buzzing with maximum patronage. I wondered if everyone already knew this would be the only place open for dinner and drinks on this night.
I was staying on a hotel on Little Bourke Street, which I had only recently found out is home to Melbourne's Chinatown. I checked out a bar there which had only been open a month, and was inspired by how the immaculate and classy interior overshadowed the simple outdoor smokers area. Regardless, I found a spot with a view of the sunset as I sipped my last drink for the evening.
The next night I found myself at Section 8, a bar/nightclub on Lonsdale Street not far from the greek precinct. The door chick was especially friendly and informative, as it is only natural for people to enquire about a packed-out bar on street level where even the DJ booth doesn't have walls or a roof. I nabbed myself a couple of beers and did a little jig to the 70's funk music they were playing, after which point I decided to spoil myself with some dessert from Hardware Lane.
Along with The Causeway, off Bourke Street Mall, and Centreplace, just a couple of blocks towards Flinders Street (the latter I couldn't help but come back to every day for my caffiene fix), Hardware Lane is an absolutely charming and enormously engaging use of city laneways which has the current Mayor of Sydney wondering why we can't do the same up here. With restaurants and cafes, all licensed to sell alcohol, lined along the pedestrians-only paved road, I had the choice to either have dessert and a glass of red while enjoying of a live flamenco guitarist, or do the same half a minute walk away with a live jazz band. I took the flamenco option.
The real difference between Sydney and Melbourne, of course, is in passing. In Melbourne, the people that pass you by won't make prejudgements to such extremes as Sydneysiders do. In Sydney, you are smiled upon by someone if you frown upon someone else. Complaining about a person because of their looks or the way they walk, in Melbourne, just makes you look like you're from Sydney.
Of course, in the end I had to part from Melbourne. And naturally, as attraction has it, I will be back.
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