Notes on a few trips

Coming up to the tenth hour and flying somewhere over Eastern Europe I have given up on reading and watched an episode of Kath & Kim and saw the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" again. I actually slept through some of the final scenes which I thought improved the film as I just don't buy anyone walking away from the job just when they got the hang of it and just after they slept with that blonde Aussie actor... The best part of the flight is that there are only 80 people on board and everyone has plenty of space on the 747... Obviously a good time to fly... And I am making the most of the free internet service. It is going to be withdrawn at the end of the year as Boeing says there is no market for it at the high prices they were charging for the punters to use it. Now that isn't rocket science...

I should be trying to get some sleep. Instead I am using my PDA to update My blog while flying over the Indian Ocean with the plane bobbing up and down. I have also read the first few chapters of the Latham Diaries which I picked up in paperback before leaving Oz. Have made mental note to write more like Latham... He May have been a bad leader but he does have a way with words. Bit depressing that Beazley is still the Labor leader too but it probably doesn't matter since they have no chance getting elected next year... Oh the fun things to do on the flight to London... Only ten more hours to go...

Taking a break in between flights I have set up in a lounge and decided to post my thoughts following a few cups of coffee from a Nescafe machine... The machine makes interesting coffee. If you select the milk option it gives a frothy brew that tastes a bit like coffee and a bit like it has been infused with the goodness of monkey spunk. Nevertheless if it is the only thing on offer monkey spunk coffee is the way to go... The coffee combined with the compression stockings I just put on (I couldn't be bothered putting them on the first leg of the flight as it was only seven hours) gives one a sense of invincibility no matter how misplaced... The flight from Brisbane provided a few laughs including a fat Singapore man still in the loo as the plane was about to take off. The flight attendant was about to haul him out but he managed to waddle out and back to his seat just as the plane lifted off... I found it a hilarious sight and laughed out loud. So did the two very Australian ladies

Day 15: Scenes from Emporium Brisbane Tuesday 14:09 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . One last lunch before flying out tonight... Depot in the Emporium precinct in Brisbane is great for lunch... And the staff are friendly (although the one in the background seems to be giving a bit of 'tude... I could have done with more sleep having been up into the wee hours of the morning with a drip in my arm... Then again my friends were expecting me to make a call into accident and emergency this trip and it had become a running joke, so I couldn't let them down...

Day 14: Scenes from Sydney Opera House Monday 15:49 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Cocktails McDonalds style at the Sydney Opera House... There is a designated section where you have to pick them up... As for the cocktails... They were rubbish as they weren't made with crushed ice... The guy made a mojito as if he was serving a soft drink. The drinks got better later in the day at the top of Australia Square at Orbit bar with AP, D and C... Great views too...

Day 14: Scenes from Sydney Circular Quay Monday 14:41 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . A fine wine and a view of the harbour for lunch... Pity about the fish and chips at Doyles being a bit on the scarce side... Although what was provided was great, I wondered whether they had run out of chips and fish by 2pm and if Sydneysiders don't know the concept of a late lunch??

Day 13: Scenes from Brunswick St Sunday/Monday 00:47 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Monday morning and all is quiet... And a bit of a blur...

Day 12: Scenes from the kitchen Saturday 21:14 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Meat-o-rama

Day 12: Scenes from Wellington Point Saturday 12:11 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Boy on ladder with Calvins showing...

Day 10: Scenes from New Farm Thursday 17:57 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Crap design 101: Queenslander meets abattoir...

Day 10: Scenes from UQ Thursday 16:51 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . A boy in a candyman's store...

Day 9: Scenes from Ann Street Wednesday 22:05 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Not a lot happening out there tonight in the Valley...

Day 9: Scenes from a Pizzeria Nundah Wednesday 19:26 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Waiting to take away...

Day 8: Scenes from Noosa Tuesday 13:30 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . No trip to South East Queensland is complete without visiting Noosa (pronounced Nooo-sarh for those in the know), even if it is just for lunch. Lunch was fish and chips with a tomato and goats cheese side salad at Season restaurant . We were told that it was pronounced Seasaahn but that was just a wind up. The wait staff call it Saysun love...

Day 8: Scenes from Hastings Street Noosa 14:31 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Coffee on Hastings Street is always a sensible thing to do. You never know who you will run into... Ex-colleagues, men with their shirts off, the possibilities are endless. Oh and Crocs in all different colours were popular with the punters, but this guy was wearing thongs (flip flops as they are called everywhere else)...

Day 8: Scenes from Noosa Beach Tuesday 14:14 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . All that sun, surf and sand...

Day 7: Scenes from the street in New Farm Monday 21:47 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . One of the drawbacks of living on the corner of a busy street (this photo is from a Monday night so it is less busy) is that when eating on the verandah the passers by want to talk to you... Such as the chap in a beanie and the bottle of XXXX tonight who asked if we were having herbal cigarettes. I think he wanted to bum one. We actually were having rib eye fillet off the bone which is a little different, but maybe he couldn't see the steak knives from the road...

Day 7: Scenes from New Farm Park Monday 17:45 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Irony in the park...

Day 6: Scenes from the nursery Sunday 16:55 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . My contribution to baby blocks saying "Peace" and "Baby"... Rather appropriate for what Grayson was doing most of today...

Day 6: Scenes from New Farm Sunday 09:46 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Walking to the Continental Café for Sunday brunch you couldn't help but notice the odd sunburnt person in a bikini...

I made my debut on Ben and Melinda's blog yesterday . They are giving me shit about not wanting to be called uncle Paul and I mentioned I was happy to be referred to as just Paul, which has now been referred to as "Just Paul"... Hmmm... Of course, who wants to be just another gay uncle ? Grayson no doubt will eventually have a say in this. Incidentally I threw in conversation today that Grayson will no doubt find himself being called "Gray" for short... Or "Gracie" if he has a club act...

People have asked me if people in Brisbane have changed. I would have to say yes. But they still all wear Industrie ... Buying Crocs before arriving was a smart idea... They are in all the shops already and are about to be the shoe of the summer here (if there is such a thing as "shoe of the summer")...

Day 4: Scenes from Wellington Point Friday 18:13 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Moonlight over Moreton Bay...

Day 4: Scenes from Moreton St New Farm Friday 12:30 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Suburban bliss 3

Day 4: Scenes from New Farm Friday 12:17 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . More suburban bliss

Day 4: Scenes from a dress shop Friday 11:31 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Gowns and garbage trucks... The gowns are by the lovely Paul Hunt ... Garbage trucks by Sita environmental solutions...

Scenes from a Valley Bar Thursday 23:03 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . There were more poker (slot) machines than people out tonight. I asked around where the people were and the reply was that they only come out on Saturdays...

Day 3: Scenes from Post Office Square Brisbane 13:29 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Sartorial elegance in the square... Of sorts...

Scenes from a burger bar Brisbane Thursday 21:01 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . A gour-fucking-met burger from a local burger shop that seems to be more closed than it is ever open... After several attempts trying to go to the store when it was open I finally got a one... It wasn't bad but not as good as GBK ...

Scenes from Brisbane Thursday 18:36 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . What Brisbane is all about... Traffic jams...

Day 1: Scenes from Brisbane Tuesday 13:47 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . On the street where I live in New Farm (for the next two weeks)... Lots of punters walk by here on the way to work so it will be a very interesting place to be...

Day 0: Scenes from Brisbane Hospital Monday 21:09 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . After dropping my things off I went to hospital to visit my new nephew, Grayson Alexander. Ben and Mel didn't see that I arrived by white limo... It was a bit ostentatious though...

Day 0: Scenes from Brisbane Monday 20:13 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Arriving in Brisbane Australia 24 hours after leaving London, R arranged for me to be picked up in a white limousine... It's going to be a wild two weeks... The J who came along for the ride got to know the limo driver but apparently he was married...

One last view from New York: The view from the Wintergarden of the World Trade Centre site (WTC7 just opened on the far left)

There is one last story from New York I will mention. After catching The Drowsy Chaperone I decided to head down to Splash Bar . People rave about Splash Bar and if you live in New York it might be the best bar in town, but what gave the place a reputation was lost on me. The punters kept telling me the recent refurbishment of black tiles and chrome bath fittings was such an improvement I was perplexed to think how dire the place must have been before that. Wednesday night around 2am they use the bathroom fittings to shower a whole lot of gentlemen wearing white underwear. This seemed to be a popular event. But I think people up for this sort of thing should wear their best white underwear and not some tired old pants that look like they were thrown in with a dark wash. This was obviously not an important consideration for those boys up on this elevated shower-stage. Presentation aside, the art of tease was also something that these performers knew very little about. Anyway, a little w

My last full night in New York I caught the Drowsy Chaperone . It isn't so much as a musical but more a comedy monologue full of knowing jokes about the state of modern theatre, which just happens to have old-style musical numbers peppered throughout it. How it does this is by getting a single man in a cardigan who happens to like show tunes play an old record that he has from a long forgotten musical called "The Drowsy Chaperone". Then it comes to life and he gives a running commentary on the proceedings full of such knowing things as one actor "died after taking an overdose and was discovered half-eaten by his poodles"… Trust me it was hilarious… The show has become a hot ticket in New York. It is probably because if you weren't into vampire musicals or crap songs by Phil Collins (oops that's a tautology) there isn't much out there. It is also a comedy and that helps. Also the cast is terrific and inject life into a show which otherwise probably sh

Times Square and squad cars , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Every couple of weeks whole lot of squad cars converge on a point in New York as a test to see how quickly they can get to one point in the city. It also is a bit of a show of force for a city gripped in fear for the next calamity. On the Tuesday I was there this happened in Times Square, which tended to frighten many of the tourists who thought armageddon was just about to break out... And sure they may drive fast and carry a gun, but I couldn't imagine any NY cops running too far with all that extra weight they are carrying. They aren't thin and they sure don't look fit... It also probably means it isn't a good idea to run away from a NY cop as they will probably either run you down with their squad car or shoot you...

Monday nights in New York is a great chance to catch Jim Caruso's Cast Party at jazz club Birdland. It can be quite a happening place where aspiring singers, Broadway stars on their night off, and other "talent" get up and have a sing. And since Patti LuPone's solo gig at the Lincoln Centre had sold out I figured it was a worthy second thing to do… The audience consisted of the standard issue of musical theatre afficianados, aspiring singers and the odd startled tourist who was expecting jazz on a Monday night at the club. Shortly after arriving at the bar I felt a tap-tap-tap on my shoulder. It was a woman next to me. "Excuse me," she began. "Do you mind if you pretend you know me in a minute as there is a guy about to come over and talk to me who I would really like to avoid?" Well that's something you don't get asked everyday. Naturally I said yes to the woman, thinking it was pretty funny; just like when Terri Hatcher asked Kyle MacLa

Theatre in New York was a lot of fun. Day one in New York was the chance to see The Light in the Piazza at the Lincoln Centre. It was a big winner at last year's Tony awards . It didn't win best new musical (that went to the Monty Python show Spamalot) but the production, music is so good that the punters have still been coming to it one year on. Actually last year was a good year for musical theatre on Broadway as all four new musicals that were nominated for best musical are still playing. This contrasts starkly with the mostly crap they served up this year. I was only in New York for a few days and several plays and musicals closed while I was there (including West End transfer Festen and another vampire musical bomb, Lestat ). Piazza was still playing with Victoria Clark in the lead. Clark won the best actress Tony for her role in this. The show takes place in Italy in the summer of 1953. Margaret Johnson (Clark), the wife of an American businessman, is touring Italy with

Scenes from Central Park Thursday 15:08 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Jogging along the reservoir, east side...

Black Man: Man youwere a good cook. You cooked me up somethin' once... Ahhh I don't know what it was, but it sure was good... Black woman: Uh huh... Black Man: So what you doin' eatin' here?

Scenes from Times Square Wednesday 23:04 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Fleet Week starts today so the place is crawling with men (and women) in uniform... Some even save in the armed forces...

Scenes from (after) the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Musical , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . I didn't go to see the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Musical to be one of the four members invited on stage to be part of the show. I was approached after entering the theatre to consider putting my name forward. It was then I remembered reading about the audience participation in this show where audience members are invited to be "spellers" too. I was going to this show to appreciate the music as I am a fan of (composer) William Finn's music. I told the woman interviewing potential audience involvement members this and she asked "Oh so you're a fan of musical theatre?" "No!" I lied. Just like I did the previous night at the jazz club. Either that or I was still thinking about that Tarzan show. The conversation then continued somewhat along the following lines: "Are you a good speller?" &qu

Scenes from Central Park Tuesday 18:05 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Rollerblading is popular here if you are fit, young and know how to work those inner thigh muscles...

Scenes from the Meatpacking District Monday 19:12 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Some of the area is a gentrification work in progress... Most of the area is just so... Who would have thought meat houses could be so chic?

Scenes from the Empire State 102nd floor , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Well, this is a nation of barge-arses... Not since that trip to Southend-by-Sea have I seen so many fat people...

Scenes from Danny's Sunday 20.14 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Blossom Dearie and Paul... Blossom Dearie (just turned 80) is one of the great jazz vocalists of the last five decades and has recorded for Verve and her own label. She sounds just as great as any of her recordings (her own label is finally re-releasing some classic recordings) and is a master of the hip and understated comical lyric. Cool and clever and she is a master of the witty song and her numbers included "I'm Hip", "I'm Shadowing You" and my favourite "Bruce". Being such a fan of her style of music I couldn't help but get a gratuitous photo and autograph on some of her CDs. She is a regular at Danny's Skylight room and insisted to everyone that they come again. It's a great venue for jazz and cabaret, even if this sort of music no longer gets the punters in like it used to... Afterall how can you not like songs with lyrics like: "Happy as can b

Assistant: Did you see who that was buying cough syrup? Chemist: No.. . Assistant: That was Darryl Hannah! Chemist: What? And you didn't tell me? Assisstant: What was I going to say to her? Excuse me but the pharmacist wants to take a look at you?

Scenes from a Chelsea cafe restroom , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Well that's nice to know...

Scenes from Times Square around 3pm , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Things are pretty big around here...