The Happy Shopper

It's just great when someone actually smiles for the camera!

Here ends our brief people-watching trip to Inala Civic Centre. We'll come again, I think, and next time we'll go food shopping.

Boundary Street, Friday

Boundary Street in West End has a mix of restaurants, bars and independent traders. Friday evening sees it come alive with delicious food smells, a wide variety of music and general weekend excitement. You get an eclectic mix: office workers, people dressed up in all their going out finery, hippies, transients, young and old, black and white.  There's also a big mosaic lizard under some trees - a shady place to hang out. This was taken yesterday afternoon where, with lunch out of the way, the atmosphere was one of quiet anticipation. I stuck the camera on top of the big lizard's head.

Messing Around with Night Time Light

Rose Liqueur, Madam?

There's a shop in the Brisbane Arcade (which links Adelaide and Queen Streets) called Liqurious and it has all sorts of interesting liqueurs and vinegars that you can sample from big bulbous glass bottles. If you like them, they fill up a fancy smaller bottle for you. I must admit to being drawn to the liqueurs. There was this one which is rose-flavoured. Also chocolate turkish delight liqueur, macadamia nut liqueur and a cognac flavoured with vanilla and walnuts. I feel a cocktail party coming on.

At The Korean Hairdressers on Adelaide Street

Despite the look she was giving the mirror, she was very happy with the results.

You Already Have Everything You Need

as seen on TV... on the roof of Box Vintage on Vulture Street.

Oooh look! A pearly snapper and a curly flapper.

Box Vintage threads adorning Vulture street in the late afternoon sun.

Little Green Bag

Sometimes, the bag chooses me.

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.

L R Sushi

I've never really understood why people love Sushi Rolls... all that cold squidgy rice... but if ever there was going to be a place to change my mind, I think it would be here. The queues for this take-away in Adelaide Street are there all day and they are looong. They even have a member of staff to keep the doorway of the shop next door from being blocked by people waiting. 

Hurray!

Recent followers of this blog may be familiar with my local shop  a.k.a."The Billy Tea Shop" which has been through the wars recently suffering first a car crash which took out the awning and then a flood which went halfway up the walls. This place also went under all the way up to the roof in the '74 floods. I don't have any shots of that one unfortunately but here's what it looked like in October after the crash...

And then in January...

Well this weekend the little place re-opened. Not much fanfare... just a few balloons but was a small but significant step in the re-building of our little pocket of West End.

Now then: five bucks for 2 litres of milk? Daylight robbery! I'm off to Coles.

Morning on Boundary Street

A Kip On The Couch

I passed him at 5.50am yesterday morning outside Boxvintage on Vulture Street. An hour later he was gone.
This morning the couch is gone too.

There Was A Rainbow Early This Morning at Mick's Nuts

We Need A Montage!

A local bookshop in West End called Avid Reader has decided to raise money for the Premier's Flood Appeal by having an exhibition of photos next month surrounding the events of our flood.

I managed to tee up a printer immediately.

Ted's Camera's in Adelaide Street printed out these 8"x12" photos for me free of charge. I've also managed to find a generous framer so I"ll introduce him to you when I meet him myself.

Back at the ranch, things are moving slowly but at least they are moving. The place is dry and clean and we are in the process of finding a suitable floor. As life in Brisbane returns to some semblance of normality and all the kids return to school after their long summer break, here's a nice little piece put together by one of our neighbours Kevin - one of many I got to know better through these floods.  A few of my shots are in there amongst others. 

Billy Tea, anyone?

I'd like to tie up a loose end from last year, if that's ok.

Here's my local shop back in business after it's unfortunate smash a couple of months back. The old guy who owns the place got it back up and running in record time. See the re-build here.They managed to keep the Billy Tea sign which is definitely a local favourite.. unfortunately the phone box hasn't been replaced. Which isn't very surprising really. It hardly ever got used. And I haven't heard any more about the unfortuate thong-clad driver... except that he is looking down the barrel of a very hefty bill.

Hanging Out at Rocking Horse Records - Wide Shot

A bit of an expansion on Tuesday's shot. Yep, that's a rat.

Protest in the Myer Centre

 

So you're doing a bit of shopping and you see Santa with a big red sack and lots of people dressed in green and red and you automatically think it's going to be something to do with Christmas, don't you? The protesters were encouraging boycotting Israeli products as Christmas gifts. It's a bit complicated explaining the connection between Santa Claus and the Palestine-Israeli conflict to kids who think they're about to get a special preview visit from the big guy. 

I found out later that Prouds jewellers weren't a target. The protesters just happened to be going past there when they were turfed out by the shopping centre security staff.

Hanging Out at Rocking Horse Records

Rocking Horse Records on Albert Street is Queensland's largest independent record shop but is probably just as well known for the kids that hang out the front. "The Cool Kids" as my 8yr daughter calls them. They happily obliged when I asked them for a photo and they told me I was the second person that day that had asked.

Checking out the Myer Christmas Window Displays

Thanks to Julie from Sydney Eye, last year for the inspiration!