What a load of rubbish!

The Judith Wright Centre in Fortitude Valley is hosting an art exhibition with each piece made from second hand shop and reused everyday materials. There are 10 artworks on display.  Here's a taste.

Cate Collopy - Plastic Fantastic - Land, Sea, Airship

Created from a microphone stand, kitchen items, a foot pump, a beer keg, computer parts, toys and a wine glass holder.

Guiseppo Filardo - Trophy in Waiting

 Created from serving spoons, Christmas decorations, bar stools and a chair, wine rack, music book stand, jugs, trolleys and more.

Holly Pepper - Thorn in the Reef

 Created from woollen rugs, coffee bags, knitting needles, second-hand nails, a Webber BBQ, metal lights and more.

Robert Hains - Pegasus

Created from a bookcase, school desk, chair and lectern.

You are invited to vote for your favourite and the winning artist gets $4000. Which will support them handsomely while they are rummaging around in the tip looking for their next inspiration! So if you're in the area, pop in and check it out. It will make you see junk in a different light.

Paste up, The Valley

Traffic Stopping Art (Number 61)

Having taken a three year break from this lark, there are LOADS of new traffic signal boxes all over the place that I can show you. This one is by Dominique O'Leary in Fortitude Valley.

If you are curious about the traffic signal box project, check out the Urban Smart Projects website.

The More I Think About It....

Traffic Stopping Art (number 56)

This traffic signal box is by Brisbane-based artist Guido Van Helton and is called 'James Street Style'. It's on the corner of James Street and McLachlan Street in Fortitude Valley. 

Find a box or paint a box at Urban Smart Projects.

Going out for dessert with Oriana

Oriana had the "lavender creme brulee with frangelico grapes and marble tuille". I went for the "'Spanish-style doughnuts with espresso ice cream and spiced chocolate sauce" (pictured).  It's really hard to take a photo of your dessert when you are salivating as much as I was.

We decided that the creme brulee was a bit eggy. But the espresso ice-cream made my eyes cross with pleasure. And the French waiter was gorgeous.

 The restaurant was Luxe in fortitude Valley.

Brisbane's Walk Of Fame

Yes, that's right. Brisbane is claiming responsibility for the Bee Gees. This plaque forms part of the (mini) walk of fame along Brunswick Street Mall in The Valley.

Koalas on Brunswick Street Mall Yesterday...

Homemade Burgers in the Valley

Your Chariot Awaits...

There's a bit of a hoo-haa (that's the technical word) going on about our cycle-hire scheme. While I have seen more and more people riding on them, some politicians and sections of the media are suggesting they're a complete flop because they are still running at a loss. Well it's only been 8 months. Not nearly long enough to scrap a project that promotes less traffic congestion, a cleaner environment, a healthier, fitter and more gorgeous population.  AND with their banana daquiri trim, (yes it looks like iced tea but I'm sticking with the daquiri) the bikes themselves even have a sort of kitsch style about them.

D7EL?

Any ideas? This is what appears to be a piece of Lego art stuck on the remains of a building on Brunswick Street. Only the facia wall of the building remains - through those windows is open air. I've got no idea what D7EL might mean so if anyone has any clues, I'd like to know more.

Raining Again

Brunswick Street

If

Little Green Bag

Sometimes, the bag chooses me.

Smile!

When I got my head out of the clouds and realised someone was saying "Smile!" to me, I thought it was one of those comments that I would sometimes get back in London like "Cheer up, love - it might never happen" which always used to leave me scowling and muttering under my breath. I can't help it if my relaxed walking look is a bit down in the mouth. It takes a lot of energy to walk around with a big grin all the time. Anyway. The origin of the "Smile!" comment was this bloke here who was pointing to his face, frozen in a big beaming smile and then pointing to my camera..."take my picture?" he asked. What a gift. I wish more people would ask me. We had a good chat and he assured me that I had not lost my English accent which made me feel pretty good. I thought he hadn't lost his either but then he said he was from Adelaide. In the end, he tried to get me to sign up for regular direct-debit charity contributions and I suddenly had places to go.

That's how they get you. You say no the first time, then you think about it and feel really guilty. Then the next time you get approached a little voice inside your head says "don't be such a tight-arse...AGAIN" and before you know it your bank account details are on the clipboard.

But back to the smile - it's an absolute winner, isn't it?

If Joan Miro Was Into Graffiti...

Get Your Groove On

The Beat. Probably Brisbane's oldest and most famous night club, these days classified as a gay club but has a generous proportion of straight clientele too. And if you go on the right night you get a funky"cabaret" performance on the dance floor (think Priscilla, Queen of the Desert).
As with other clubs in the Valley, there is a 3am "lockdown" which means that after 3am there's no entry or re-entry. If you're already in, you can stay and party until 5am. It kind of reminds me of that mad panic you get in musical chairs when the music stops and you have to find a place to sit.... and then all is suddenly calm. Those few remaining wanderers on the street comprise the ones that peaked "early" and those whose need for a burger or a soirée on someone's balcony outstrips the need for another noisy drink among all those hot sweaty bodies. 

This post is dedicated to a young Parisian, Anne-Laure, who, when she was here, felt the heat of the Beat from her head to her feet! Bonjour Anne-Laure!

Traffic Stopping Art (number 54)

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This cheeky box is on the corner of Brunswick Street and Mclachlan Street. It's called "Monkey Business" and is by Guido Van Helton.

Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings

Note to self: must take real camera to gigs of monumental importance and not my cheap camera phone.

So today I am overlooking the awful quality of my picture to talk about the contents thereof. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings' stunning soul revue exploded onto the stage at the Tivoli on Sunday night. People of all ages and backgrounds made for an unforgettable atmosphere and the crowd members Ms Jones pulled up onto the stage strutted their funky stuff with varying degrees of hilarity.

The venue, in Fortitude Valley, is intimate and elegant with a curved wrought iron balcony and a capacity of 1500. Plush couches are dotted around the outside and upstairs at the back which leaves the front free for you to get down with your bad self and get up close to the music. Talking of the music, if you like your soul funky and your divas with attitude, then this is the band for you.
Here's a taste of what she's like live.

Cloudland

Here we are at Cloudland on Ann Street in Fortitude Valley.

I just can't do this place justice with my camera skills. It's a 24 hour venue that goes from being a cafe and bistro during the day to a full-on nightclub at night. It has grass on the stairs, a waterfall, plants growing everywhere, a retractable glass roof, seating pods suspended from chains 3 stories up, fancy themed booths individually decked out - including one with a double bed and a mountain of cushions and another with a peacock theme. Even the toilets are worth a visit - all space age and mirrored so much you bump into yourself. The designer is Nick Brunner from Melbourne who also designed the Press Club and Family - other venues in The Valley. You can visit the Cloudland Website for more.

Cloudland has a long and meaningful history with long-term Brisbane residents - everyone remembers it and you can read more about that in tff's excellent blog here.