Are we human, or are we dancers?

Yesterday I attended the V festival on the Gold Coast where The Killers were the headlining act.  It was an awesome day.  Every performance we attended was excellent.  Even the festival organisation itself was much improved on last year.  This year I only had to queue for ten minutes for the bathroom.  Last year I queued for at least forty (the vast majority of the Air set).

Festival themes: Rain and skinny jeans (for guys – note this is especially the case if you are a lead singer in a band).  Rain is a strong theme for V.  Last year it rained so much in the leadup to the festival that we spent the whole festival day walking through a soupy mud puddle that was often mid calf deep and occasionally smelled like cow dung.  This year we weathered a brief shower during the Snow Patrol set and hoped that was the end of it.  Sadly no.  The skies opened up during the last 20 – 25 minutes of The Killers set.  I don’t think I’ve been that drenched while fully dressed since practicing survival swimming in High School.  Skinny jeans were a must, especially if fronting a band.  There was definitely a skinny jeans  and big hair policy in force (see Mighty Boosh series three).   I saw a few contenders in the crowd as well.  Those pants were so small and tight I’m surprised they could still walk in them.

I attended again this year with my flatmate.  We managed to get there in time to see most of Duffy (we caught public transport like good festival attendees so it was a much longer trip to Merrimac than it would normally be).  Duffy was excellent and she can belt out quite a tune despite being a tiny person. 

We also attended the Elbow performance.  I didn’t really know who they were (flame me if you must) but they were also excellent (and it turns out I did know one of the songs).  Their lead singer was great and it was an enjoyable set. 

After Elbow was Razorlight, which I had been really hanging out to see.  Razorlight were awesome and I am so glad they cam to V fest.  Last time they were in Australia they only did a Sydney show, which was of no use to me. 

I stayed for the whole Razorlight set which meant I missed some of the Madness one.  I did however catch the last 20-25 minutes which was excellent.  I knew all the songs they played (which meant they saved all the best stuff for the end).  Madness definitely wins they award for getting me to dance like a fool.  Because if you don’t dance like a fool to Madness, there’s something very wrong with you. 

Following Madness, we headed for the stage where Kaiser Chiefs were going to play.  I stayed for this whole set too, while the others made their way to Snow Patrol after about half an hour.  They missed out some of the good bits too.  I heard all the songs I wanted to hear and got to see their lead singer climb on the scaffolding, crowd surf and encourage the crowd to make enough noise so that the Snow Patrol attendees could hear us.

I saw the last little bit of Snow Patrol who were mostly only known to me as possessors of the video clip in which the lead singer lays down on a road and sings about laying down.  And I understand that this description may be an issue with some of the more rabid Snow Patrol fans I saw last night.  They were good though and contenders for nicest band of the day.

But we left Snow Patrol a few minutes early because The Killers were about to start and we wanted a good spot.  Lead singer Brandon Flowers did not disappoint.  He turned up in his best feathered epaulets (though sadly wore them only for two songs – there was no sign of the red lycra spacesuit alas).  I would have liked to see the red lycra but for this issue I blame David Bowie, which is another post entirely.  The Killers set was fantastic and we stayed to the end despite the rain (and there was a lot of rain).  The Killers also win for most attractive lead singer.

It was a great day and V has a much more relaxed feel to it than the Big Day Out.  Early in the day I was sorry I hadn’t taken my camera (that’s why no photos this post) because you could get close enough to see the bands onstage without being crushed, but after the downpour I was happy it wasn’t in my dripping wet bag.

Another thing, apart from general issues with tall people in crowds (me being somewhat short myself) I have one thing to add.  You! Dancing backpack in front of me (jiggling too close to me).  I understand that the reason you’re wearing a backpack is probably because your girlfriend made you carry everything.  But seriously dude.  It’s at most nine hours.  Learn to pack lighter.

Overall it was definitely a contender for best festival of recent attendance.  All the bands were fantastic and we had a great time, even with the rain.

Top of town images

A few weekends ago I visited my family in the town I grew up in.  I decided that I wanted to go take some pictures of the business area known as “The Top of Town”.  Back in the day this area was the place to have your shopfront. But the years have not always been kind to the commercial centre of Ipswich and it’s had its ups and downs financially and popularly.  There have been makeovers and redevelopments but in my memory, there has also been a palpable sense of decline.  Some towns have been lucky (or canny) enough to keep their original commercial centres alive, but despite many efforts Ipswich struggles with this.

Voglers - home to every hobby and model kit known to man - still going after all these years

There does seem to be an upswing going on at the moment.  Buildings have been renovated and painted, new businesses have moved in and a couple of old stalwarts are still going (the open air mall just down the road is another matter entirely).  Cafes are opening and staying open longer than 12 months.  I liked wandering through the Top of Town as a teenager because it held all the interesting shops.  There was Lifeline and Vinnies (home to a few choice bargains I still possess including my treasured vintage fake fur coat – it’s like a teddy bear, but it’s a coat) and Beatbox music with its selection of secondhand vinyl records and CDs among others (alas Beatbox no longer calls its old shopfront home).

Lifeline on left, Artshop in Goleby's building on right

There are changes afoot still.  The oldest Baptist Church in Queensland is soon to be home to community centre of sorts and the proud possessor of McDonalds drive through – very handy for all the lappers in town.  I took a few photos of this building because even though it’s heritage listed, its environs are going to change substantially.

Can you picture this with the Golden Arches in the background?

Blueberry and lemon cupcakes

I finally got back to baking items that were decent enough to be photographed by my little point and shoot.  This week’s outing was blueberry cupcakes with lemon icing.  I’ve made a similar recipe before and it is really easy.  The cupcakes are also delicious. 

To the recipe (which can found through the link) I added 125 g fresh blueberries.  I cooked them for twenty minutes. When they were completely cooled I iced them with a lemon icing made from 1 cup icing sugar and the juice of half a lemon – which was delicious.  This time my yield was sixteen reasonable sized cupcakes.  This cake recipe is definitely a keeper.

mmmmm delicious icing

Farmer’s market haul

I managed to visit the Bundall Farmer’s market on Sunday (I’d link to their site but it been under maintenance for at least a week).  Here’s a link to a list of a few markets on the Coast.  This market happens every Sunday morning at the Gold Coast Turf Club.  It isn’t huge but there is always a big selection of fruits, veges and a few other food type goodies.  I didn’t get any photos because it’s not a big site and still feel a little uncomfortable taking pictures of crowds in case someone notices and objects.  While food shopping at the markets I imbibed a double shot latte (just the thing on Sunday morning) and tried to decide what I wanted to eat.

Ferry Road market (in case you needed it spelled out in big red letters)

I also visited the Ferry Road markets, which are not so much markets as a conglomeration of posh shops and cafes that sell delicious food.  The good butcher there meant I could finally stock up on decent meat (I’ve been off buying supermarket stuff – when I see dried blood on the shelves it grosses me out). 

Here’s my haul: apples, lemons, spinach, quince, potatoes, yoghurt and home made pizza bases.

It looks healthy enough - until I turn the fruit into cakes

Here fishy fishy…

At one of the parks in these parts there are some excellent metal fish sculptures.  They swim eternally in a line, watching over the passing traffic.  There was one more of them but a few months back someone genius souvenired it.  And while I can’t understand the urge to destroy public art, I also don’t know how they managed to actually remove it.  These are not small fishies.

Swiming in the sky

Also swimming in the sky

Many fish swimming

I’m going to take photos of these fish again when the lighting is better.  They don’t show up in enough detail due to the shadows.

Pear and nectarine crumble

I decided the best way to use up my excess of fruit was to chop it all up and make a crumble.  This one contains pears and white nectarines.  I used just under a kilo of pears (I forget which kind, they had green skin) and about four nectarines.  The crumble topping was made up of about 125 grams of butter, some caster sugar, plain flour, a few hand fulls of rolled oats and some chopped walnuts.  I didn’t follow a recipe because I figured I could only get it so wrong. I mixed it all up till it looked about right, added it on top of the fruit and baked it in the oven for about an hour at 180 degrees Celsius.

It didn’t turn out too badly, the top was nice and crunchy – the oats and walnuts were the best bit.  The pears cooked up lovely but the nectarines were a bit smushy and tasteless.  I’d definitely cook another crumble but I’d use firmer fruit like pears or apples and less butter in the topping.

Houseboats on the Broadwater

While wandering along the Broadwater I like to have a good look at all the houseboats floating nearby.  Some are, sadly, parked too far out to have a good nosy, but others permanently take up residence where the deep water is close to the coastline. 

assorted boats/houses

There are some houseboats and boats that I have a particular fondness for.  They aren’t the shiniest or newest ones and the one below intrigues me because it looks very much like a room floating on the water – no fancy bits.  It does look like it’s had a paint job recently but the rust marks suggest I could be imagining things.

Room with a view

I’m still hoping to get a good pic of the pirate ship (boat with old fashioned sails and rigging – suggestive of harbouring Johnny Depp or other attractive piratey figures below deck).  It wasn’t parked in its usual spot the day I was taking these photos, so will have to try again another day.

We’re going on a bear hunt…

Roarrrrr! or is it Grrrrrr? I'm unfamiliar with real bears

Well maybe not so much.  In a previous post I lauded Bill Bryson’s take on Britain, Notes from a Small Island, for its exploration of that rainy Isle.  I’ve also dog eared a copy of his book A Walk in the Woods. 

Overcome by a desire to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, a longish hike taking in fourteen U.S states and approximately 3,500 kilometres, Bryson recruits an old school and travel mate Stephen Katz to accompany him.  Although there has been debate over whether he book is entirely accurate (and what travel memoir is?) It is, as always, amusing, witty and highlights the importance of small packaged cakes on hikes. 

Along with droll hiking anecdotes Bryson manages to convey a lot of information about the Appalachian Trail, it’s history, and it’s future.  Published in 1998 it is also a few years old now, but if you like travel anecdotes and hiking, it’s a must read.

Spicy pear cookies

Although my baking has slowed a bit recently, I had some pears that I needed to do something with.  I thought, maybe a cake, or a fruit crumble?  But then I found this recipe for spicy pear cookies on AllRecipes.  I haven’t used up all the excess fruit I currently have but it’s a good start (and it gave me something to do the walnuts I inexplicably bought not long ago).  I have omitted the raisins from the original recipe because I don’t like them and they are gross. I put it down to eating too many of those tiny packs of sultanas as a child, I just don’t like the taste now.  It could also be that I don’t like really sweet things unless they’re made almost entirely of refined sugar – who knows?

Here’s the recipe:

• 115 g softened butter
• 1 and half cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tspn vanilla essence
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 and half tspns baking powder
• 1 tspn ground cinnamon
• 1 tspn ground ginger
• 1 pear – peeled, cored and diced
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius.  In bowl cream butter and sugar, mix in egg and vanilla when well combined.  Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger to batter and mix well.  Stir in pears and walnuts.  On lined baking tray place tbspn sized rounded balls of dough.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  This mixture gave me just under 30 cookies of reasonable size.

Raw dough is kind of gross too (but it has potential - unlike sultanas)

Fifteen minutes will get you a soft chewy cookie, but they might not come off the baking paper in one piece.  I cooked mine for twenty and they were crunchy at the edges and chewy in the middle.  These cookies are very tasty but if I were to make them again (and I might considering the number of pears I have) I would leave out a half cup of sugar (it makes the cookies delicious but I’m concerned the lovely taste is mostly sugar and not the spices I added).  I would also put in maybe another half cup of walnuts because they taste good and pears have quite a mild flavour.

Potential achieved!

The cookies are good though – I’d eaten four before I got them into their airtight plastic container

It’s a jungle out there!

On my balcony.  Who knew that sweet potatoes grew these sort of vines (farmers maybe?)

Just don't ask why I have a potted sweet potato.