Quick on the trigger

Darren Criss

A small item in the newspaper on Tuesday alerted C and I that Darren Criss known for 'Glee' and other performances would be appearing in Sydney for one concert only next week and that tickets would go on sale at Noon today.

I arrived home from my weekly exercise session at 12.15pm and immediately went online to purchase tickets to find that the concert is sold out.

Sydney's Gays were certainly quick on the trigger today.

Back at the DOG

For a couple of years Cs and I spent many a Tuesday night having dinner at the DOG. Two meals for the price of one. Two main meals for the single price of just the dearer selection.

The menu didn't change and truthfully we were probably bored with the food but it was a cheap meal out and the clientele, heavily based on British and Irish Tradies on working holidays in Australia still wearing their construction work clothes provided irresistible eye candy.

Oh, this is the DOG;

The affectionate nickname for the Duke of Gloucester Hotel in the Sydney suburb of Randwick.

Then came disaster. The restaurant section changed hands. The menu changed and the two for one Tuesday became two burgers for the price of one. The real disaster, though, was that the Tradies stopped coming.

That was about six months ago.

I suspect that the hotel regretted that change. The management of the restaurant has changed again. So has the menu and two for the price of one has returned. Not so, it seems, have the Tradies returned. The menu is slightly pricier but at least a degree of choice has returned. We enjoyed out meal there this evening and whilst Tradies were not in evidence there enough eye candy to encourage us to return. For a while at least.

DIY

I'm always in admiration - but not envious - of Andrew and his Do It Yourself attitude and abilities. He solves many problems with his own hands and no doubt also saves himself considerable maintenance costs.

I've never had an aptitude for DIY. It has never interested me, although I have noticed that DIY types are often rather delicious looking.

This morning I was ready to depart for my volunteer work at the hospital. It was 6.20am and it was dark. The sun was still to rise. Sitting in my car I pressed the remote control for the garage door to open. It rose several centimetres and then froze. I pressed the remote again and the door closed. I pressed the remote once more and it opened only to again freeze several centimetres up.

In a scene fitting for a Marx Bothers movie I repeated this loop - open and close, open and close - another four or five times finally conceding that something was wrong and someone must fix it.

It took a while for me to find the documentation for the garage door. Actually, I didn't find it. I noted the name of the garage door device and looked the company up on the internet. There was a 1300 number to call. I called it and a recorded voice told me (in effect) to wait for their business hours which commence at 8am. Only on weekdays. Bad luck if your door jams on a weekend or worse still on a public holiday long weekend.

At 8am, I called the number back. I was offered the choice of two repairer/dealers. One located 49 kilometres away and the other 16 kilometres away. Guess which one I chose. I rang his number. He asked me numerous questions about my device including colours of buttons on the remote and the wall pad. I dislike these questions. I have colour defective vision (colourblind) and always have a sense of uselessness when a tradie or call centre asks me (for example) 'is the displayed light red or green'?

'I'll be there by 12 noon', the repairer assured me. Filling in time I noticed a rusted spring on the garage floor and nearby a small ring which seems to have snapped away from it. Looking further at the door itself and I noticed one newish looking spring at the eastern end of the door and no spring at all on the western end. Even my non-DIY mind registered that the problem may be a broken spring.

The repairer called from his car to announce his arrival around 11.15am. Good sign, he was on time, even a little earlier than promised.

A quick examination of the 'crime scene' and some chat about his latest golf holiday to Las Vegas and Palm Springs followed and within about 20 minutes my garage door had a new spring on its western side. My forensic assessment had been correct.

$231. Yep, a new spring and 15 minutes labour plus the holiday chat.

The door works better (smoother) than ever now.

I took the repairers business card. He was on time and he fixed the problem. That's all I need to become a loyal customer.

He wasn't as good looking as the DIY man in the photograph nor was he better looking than Andrew either.

Blue sneakers

Stalking the reef

An early start with a full cruise and visit to the Great Barrier Reef booked.

I got myself to the Marina with plenty of time and meandered around to Bob's Bakery for breakfast. I learnt quickly that Bob's establishment is very popular and it was no surprise to see a substantial queue even early on Easter Sunday (or should that be Easter Day?).

Then returning to the wharf I noticed the sullen youth from housekeeping yesterday studiously attending to his mobile phone in an adjacent park. Thirty minutes later I was even more surprised to find him sitting next to me at the wharf. I was just contemplating whether I was being followed by a stalker or even less likely a handsome youth who likes gay men 40 plus years his senior when he responded to an announcement to board a ferry. Not my ferry.

Thoughts of an Autumn/Spring relationship vanished like a soap bubble in a cyclone.

The day's cruise from which I have just returned was enjoyable and to be recommended for visitors to this part of the world. A two hour trip to the reef, followed by four hours at the reef, then two hours return trip. Whilst at the reef you can indulge in snorkelling and/or scuba diving; no experience necessary. You can view the reef from a submersible as well as from an underwater viewing chamber. You can take helicopter flights over the site as well. It is all very well organised and controlled including training and supervision.

Morning and afternoon tea and lunch are included although the best I can say about that is they provide food. Edible but not the lure of the tour.

Hooded concentration

Hoodie

This is Opera

I'm really enjoying 'This is Opera' screening in Australia on the Foxtel Arts channel. The host, Ramon Gener, is a real live wire full of energy and enthusiasm who has the most interesting ways of demonstrating the points he wants to make about the operas he highlights. In the latest episode, for example, he used the introduction of overhead serving in tennis by 1920s champion Bill Tilden to illustrate the dramatic impact on opera of the introduction of bel canto singing.

It doesn't hurt the series that Gener is a bit of looker.

Gener switches, with apparent ease, between his native Spanish to interviewing in Italian, French, German and (I think) Portuguese. He hosts the program in a rapid fire English but I have to admit I watch the series with closed captions switched on primarily because his pronunciation of my language is at times curious.

None the less, I look forward to viewing the show each week.

We're in the money

Periodic visit to the financial advisor today. His business has moved. Same building as before but on Level 28 now instead of the previous Level 22.

As you can imagine spectacular views from Botany Bay and Sydney Airport to the northern suburbs and out west to the Blue Mountains. And all that just from the western side of the office.

Viewed from the foyer and meeting room this office is larger than the previous one. Not as darkly tasteful as previously. Bright lights and minimalist decor.

The new advisor handling my account - very cute, by the way - was quick to mention the landlord paid for the fit-out in order to retain them as tenants. No doubt this was to allay any concern I might harbour that my mighty wealth was frittered on their accommodation.

The new name of the advisory business includes the words 'Wealth Partners'.

My wealth, they partner.

Panthers Pool Party

A quick overnight visit to Brisbane to catch up with friends. We saw the Broncos versus Panthers NRL match. The Panthers team stayed at my hotel and some of their players enjoyed a post match wind down in the hotel's spa.

With a song in my head

From time to time I have a song or tune stuck in my head. Infatuated with that song I hear it and/or silently sing it sometimes for weeks on end until I lose interest in it. These songs are not from singers like Taylor Swift or Kanye West whose work I wouldn't recognise if they were standing in front of me performing live. No, as a stereotype older gay man I often have a tune from a musical on perpetual repeat in my head.

The latest one is from Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Carousel' This is not one of R&H's more high profile works but it contains some glorious melodies. Based on a Hungarian play from 1909, 'Carousel' is unfortunate to contain a plot that comes across as somewhat ludicrous nowadays.

The musical is completely heterosexual in theme and one of its best tunes, 'If I Loved You', is a duet between the principal male and female characters but it could easily be a gay torch song without changing any of its lyrics. That is not the reason I like it. The song's soaring and romantic melody wins me every time especially when sung as beautifully as it is by the tenor in this version from a night at the BBC Promenade Concerts.



By the way the tenor is Julian Ovenden and, yes, he is the actor who plays one of Lady Mary's suitors in television's 'Downton Abbey'.

The tune has been stuck in my head for weeks now. I know it will fade away to later be replaced by another song.

I know that will happen.

Eventually.

Evacuate...evacuate......

Interlopers in Australia's best city.

There have been sightings of Highriser and his accomplice R in Sydney.

Worry not citizens, I am monitoring their movements. Yesterday they infiltrated Centennial Parklands  and even found their way onto an ivory tower in the Eastern Suburbs where they posed momentary threat to Her Majesties Mary and Victoria.

Once discovered they were quickly placed under guard in a safe house in a shady area of the city.

They should be eradicated by Tuesday at the latest.

Circles

At the mall

I'm in lust

How can someone be so beautiful?

This week's classic movie review on At The Movies was 'Plein Soleil' a French film from 1960 known here as 'Purple Noon' and which was an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel The Talented Mr Ripley.

The young Alain Delon played Tom Ripley in the film. He was about 25 at the time and boy was he gorgeous.

Again I ask how can someone be so beautiful?

The poster for 'Plein Soleil'.

Dreamboat chef

This year's version of that amateur cooking contest on television is reaching the pointy end with only a week or so to go before the winner is declared.

Each year there is at least one contestant who attracts my interest for his...ah...qualities as distinct from any perceived cooking skills.

This year my fancy is

Brent Owens

I like his smile, his physique, his seemingly even temperament. Apparently he is a reasonable cook too even though he constantly finds himself on the losing side in team events. Yet again this week he will have to compete in the elimination round.

Although there are two other male competitors still in the running who I know from social media comments are very attractive to viewers Brent remains my favourite. I hope he lasts until the final night because once he is gone the eye candy element of this year's series will disappear for me.

Cruise day 2

We are at sea.

It is just as windy here as it has been in Sydney and so too cold for sunning on the open decks although some hardy souls are rugged up and braving the conditions.

Following breakfast we had a go at Bingo, the first of two sessions with a guaranteed jackpot prize by day's end of at least $2,000. We also attended the second session when the jackpot was won.

Passengers assembling of bingo

The jackpot was won by a passenger celebrating her 50th birthday and was over $4,300. We didn't win a cent.

This afternoon we sat in on an art auction that was more entertainment than real auction. Only a few items seem to be seriously for sale; the rest were passed in at what appears to be a 'simulated' auction.

The auctioneer is cute although mostly incomprehensible with his fast talking American accented style of speaking.

Tonight we attended one of the shows, this one featuring Nathan Foley who used to be a member of he High 5 television show aimed at kiddies. Nathan sang a program of rock and roll numbers over the years and his energetic performance was well received.

Earlier in the evening we participated in a music trivia quiz which focussed on the 1980s. We performed miserably mostly guessing our 8 correct answers out of the 30 or so questions. It just wasn't our era.

We finished the night listening (or attempting to listen) to a band play Motown music. The songs were great but the band, who appeared to be Indonesian, played very loudly partly masking what seemed to be occasionally out of tune singing. My ears were ringing at the end and my balance seemed affected for a while afterwards. The excessive volume didn't faze a host of passengers (all but two of them women) who hopped onto the dance floor and who danced enthusiastically to the band's playing.

Fit

Walk this way

Anniversary in the park

Friends (loosely defined) gathered to mark the anniversary of an acquaintance's arrival in Australia. It was the golden anniversary of her arrival in the country. Ba, British born and still in possession of a noticeable accent, was probably an eager, energetic young woman back in 1964. Now aged well into her 70s she looks no older than myself - more than ten years her junior - and without blowing my trumpet most people who know me say I look younger than my age so she certainly is doing well.

The gathering was a picnic in McKell Park named after Sir William McKell a former Premier of New South Wales and later Governor General of Australia.

Gates to McKell Park

The park is small and located harbour side in the exclusive suburb of Darling Point itself named in honour of the wife of a New South Wales Governor, Ralph Darling. It is sufficiently out of the way not to attract huge crowds, which it could not accommodate anyway, but is popular enough to attract picnickers, outdoor wedding celebrations and the like.

We were lucky that the park was comparatively quiet despite a sunny and warmish day. Strong breezes may have kept some away yet did not stop topless sunbathing by some. See below.

The park provides many delightful harbour glimpses.

Picnickers and sailboat

Sail boats and motor boat

Ferry

There is a wharf at the foot of the park at which Ferries stop during peak hours on weekdays on the Watsons Bay to Circular Quay run. There are no weekend services to the park however so the wharf was being used for fishing and swimming on this Sunday.

Wharf fishing

Looking west from the wharf is a spectacular view. From left to right, harbour side apartments whose views guarantee a seven figures real estate value, the skyscrapers of Sydney's CBD, the crane towering over the Garden Island naval base, the Opera House and the 'coat hanger' (Sydney Harbour Bridge).

And there is other scenery by the harbour.

There are some valuable properties adjacent to the park. This one, a harbour side house with tennis court, I've always understood was a USA Consular residence but may be in other ownership now.

And then there is this more modern style residence which overlooks the park and I assume has a splendid outlook of both the park and the harbour.