Going down south

I’ve just now finished unavoidable university work prior to flying out to Sydney on the “red eye” flight just after midnight tonight. In my case it really will be red eyes, because I’ve had about an hour’s sleep in the last 2 days while completing urgent tasks.

We had the official launch of the CDU external law degree this morning, organising of which single-handed has been fairly central to my stress levels. Fortunately it went off almost perfectly and attracted quite a bit of media coverage. The only disappointment (from my narrow viewpoint) was that TV news crews went to a presentation of awards to staff at Darwin Hospital involved in treating Bali bombing survivors. Selfish bastards! One of our marketing people suggested that we should have stocked the CDU Chinese Garden pond with crocodiles and pushed the Education Minister in as his speech was reaching a climax. We’d have been sure to get the TV mob then, not to mention the NT News. I thought it was a seriously good idea, which probably means I really DO need a holiday.

Anyway, posting from this armadillo will probably be very intermittent for the next fortnight, because I won’t have convenient web access for much of the time. Hopefully someone will get around to telling me about the venue and time of the mooted blogbash on 8 November. I’ve also mused about organising a separate dinner for Sydney-based TA bloggers specifically, but haven’t had time to do anything. Maybe it can be organised once I get to Sydney.

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Jason Soon
2024 years ago

happy to join in anything you may have planned, Ken

wen
wen
2024 years ago

Have a great time, Ken. Wish I could be there – but if you happen to be travelling north….

wen
wen
2024 years ago

Have a great time, Ken. Wish I could be there – but if you happen to be travelling north….

wen
wen
2024 years ago

I mean it – honest. I’ll say it again if you don’t believe me.

Scott Wickstein
2024 years ago

No one seems to be making any decisions so if no one’s come up with anything by Monday I will make a decision for them.

jozef
2024 years ago

Scott

Sity based and sivilized Nippon club at poverty sticken end of Macquarie Street is rather reasonable for drinks and food too. The underground Bottle of red Hunter Tyrells is around $15. No bookings are required just squeeze in…
Bloggers who shy away from fights are safe as Graham Young and I have been barred from second coming …(smile)

James Russell
2024 years ago

Michael Jennings has emailed me to make a suggestion for the 8th, but I still can’t really think of anywhere. Wherever we go, though, I think we should find somewhere reasonably central in the city itself. Michael suggested somewhere in Camperdown or Balmain, but I don’t really like those as they both necessitate two buses for me to get there.

Don’t know anything about the Nippon Club, though I’m presuming the food is Japanese…

Tex
Tex
2024 years ago

Wickstein, Jennings, Castel and myself are staying at the central railway station hotel, so something central or close to any train station is a good idea

Ken Parish
2024 years ago

There must be a Sydneysider who can suggest (say) a reasonably salubrious pub with a beer garden (so we can talk without getting overwhelmed with noise and cigarette smoke), that’s both central and accessible. The beer garden idea probably leaves out most inner city venues, and the “convenient to train station” one probably eliminates Balmain (although you can get to Rozelle on that light rail thingie that starts near Central Station). Personally, I don’t mind Jozef’s suggestion of the Nippon Club, as long as (a) there’s an area where you can get away from smoke; and (b) it’s not members only.

James Russell
2024 years ago

Well, if a large part of the group are residing around Central, then we want somewhere reasonably close to that. Only problem is, I’m not terribly keen on the pubs around Central; Bar Broadway is probably the best option, though I think it has a tendency to get loud.

Failing that, we can try somewhere in Surry Hills like the Excelsior. I’ve not been there for a while, but it wasn’t too bad a place the last time I was there.

jozef
2024 years ago

Sadly, the Japanese work only from Monday to Friday otherwise it would have been a rather great place to chat:
International Nippon Australia and New Zealand Club
229 Macquarie Street
Sydney
9232-2688
=========

Last century I spent over a decade in Sydney, but this century I only visited briefly the city of sin.

Phillips Foot at the Rocks has a beer garden and great barbies, as in food.

Orient Hotel almost next door is also great provided you want to support Paul Whelan, Labor politician and publican. Paul might even spare a VIP room for bloggers…(smile)

Geoff Honnor
Geoff Honnor
2024 years ago

I agree with James. The pubs immediately around Central are pretty dire but a quick zap up Foveaux St gives heaps more Surry Hills options. The Excelsior is atmospheric – but it’s a live music venue 7 nights a week and can get be a bit of test for people who just want to yak. There’s the Forresters a bit further up Foveaux, at Riley, and Trinity on the corner of Crown and Devonshire. There’s also the legendary Hollywood Hotel in Foster St.

There’s a shortage of beer gardens in inner Sydney Ken and when they do present it’s more likely to be as restaurant/dining areas these days.

wen
wen
2024 years ago

everybody’s goin’ out and havin’ fun….

James Russell
2024 years ago

Wen: move to Sydney :)

Hollywood is good, though rather small and I’ve seen it getting pretty busy. At the moment, therefore, I’m thinking one of the Foveaux St pubs is the go…

jozef
2024 years ago

Attention Sydney Bloggers!

A hastily convened Blogger Booze Up has been called by Scott of Western Fame and Ken of Tropical Fame

When: Saturday at 6:30 pm (8/11/03)

Where: The Ring, ?, ? Foveaux St pub

Who: Wen & Whoever wants to show up…

Why: You have to ask?

(I can appear where you least expect it.)

Tex
Tex
2024 years ago

Scott and I have to visit the Three Monkeys pub just on principle at some point

Jozef
2024 years ago

You mean Three Wise Mon(k)eys Tex!?
(smile)

jozefimrich
2024 years ago

I have made ASIO (joking) and Antony Loewenstein of SMH (see article bellow) aware of the Antipodean blogger meeting.
I was pussyfooting around Fillips Foot
is Forresters the latest?
00000
The blogs of war
If everyone has 15 minutes of fame ahead of them, blogging is the newest way to take out advertisements for yourself!!!
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/20/1066631351276.html

Ken Parish
2024 years ago

Jozef,

I have no idea what’s happening (if anything) with the blogbash. James Russell supposedly volunteered to organise a venue and time, but doesn’t seem to to have done so. Scott then threatened to organise something if no-one else did. No-one else has, but nor has Scott. I don’t have Internet access nor any current knowledge of Sydney to be able to choose a venue, so I can’t organise anything either. So at this stage God knows whether there’s going to be a blogbash at all. I suspect that if someone doesn’t make a decision in the next 24 hours it will be a complete waste of time anyway, because people won’t get time to hear about it and make arrangements to attend.

In similar vein, I was hoping to organise a separate dinner for Troppo bloggers, and have been waiting for Geoff Honnor to suggest a suitable restaurant. Does anyone else have any suggestions in that regard? Again preferably inner city (Geoff suggested Stanley Street area). I was hoping to organise something this Tuesday evening, because I’m going away on Wednesday, back on Saturday and then away again on Sunday until shortly before I fly out.

wen
wen
2024 years ago

If only Armidale was the hub & centre of the blogosphere… There wouldn’t be too much discussion about venues, anyway. Shall I send down my Lear jet?

Ken Parish
2024 years ago

Wen,

It’d be better if you sent yourself down. I reckon it has something to do with those male/female Mars/Venus thingies. It seems like us blokes couldn’t organise a chook raffle in a pub.

Speaking of which, I forgot to record the URL of the ubersportingpundit MT post/edit etc facility before coming away (which means I can’t post anything, even when I get to an Internet cafe)). Can someonme remind me? Fortunately I remember my user name and password – just not the URL!!

Geoff Honnor
Geoff Honnor
2024 years ago

Ken – http://www.ubersportingpundit.com/mt.cgi

I’ll give you a call later on today.

wen
wen
2024 years ago

Ken (Geoff, Roop, Stephen, Woodsy),

Yes – would be lovely to see another bloggers blog. It’s starting to look las if there’s been some sad sort of Armadillo coup….

wen
wen
2024 years ago

Ken (Geoff, Roop, Stephen, Woodsy),

Yes – would be lovely to see another bloggers blog. It’s starting to look as if there’s been some sad sort of Armadillo coup….

jozef
2024 years ago

Ken

If nothing else is suggested then Three Wise Monkeys would be a good spot as Tex and Scott hoped to soak the atmosphere there anyway…

Attention Sydney Bloggers!

A hastily convened Blogger Booze Up has been called by Scott of Western Fame and Ken of Tropical Fame

When: Saturday at 6:30 pm …(8/11/03)

Where: http://www.sydneypubguide.net/content/pubs/three_wise_monkeys.asp [3WM]
555 George Street, near Haymarket

Who: Wen & Whoever wants to show up…

Why: You have to ask?

James Russell
2024 years ago

James Russell supposedly volunteered to organise a venue and time

I did? That doesn’t sound like something I’d do at all…

Three Wise Monkeys is fine by me if everyone else is fine with it. Shall we lock that in so I can advise Michael J?

Scott Wickstein
2024 years ago

I read some worrying reports about the security guards there so I suggest we get in by 7pm. 6.30 start is great. Three Wise Monkeys it is. I have spoken.

My phone is now operative- bloggers who wish more details should email me and I can give you my phone number if you need it.

Ken Parish
Ken Parish
2024 years ago

James,

Actually I thought it was Scott who had suggested you were going to organise a venue, but I may have misunderstood him. In any event, I see that an executive decision has now been taken.

Scott,

“worrying reports about the security guards”

Care to expand on that? It’s especially worrying for those of us who know nothing about these reports. In Darwin, security guards at nightclubs tend to be a lower species of primate who frequently bash patrons just to keep in practice. Being an ageing coward and keen on not having the crap beaten out of me, I tend to keep away from such venues.

Scott Wickstein
2024 years ago

I fear courage is required in the big city nightlife Ken. Stick close to Tex- only a deranged bouncer with a death wish would try anything with him. However, an early start should ensure the civillities are maintained- in my experience, Bouncers only start going troppo after 11 pm.

BTW you gave me the wrong mobile number. I’m going to try the other numbers you gave me at some stage tomorrow-(if I can. Things are mad here right now)

Jozef
2024 years ago

Somehow my shout did not eventuate due to the huge football crowds sardined last night @ the popular bar.

So I failed to locate any of you guys.
After desperately asking around the tables around 6.30 for Scott and Ken, I settled down in the bar in lower basement dungeon of the 3WM where it was less noisy the beer was colder and food was hotter.

Maybe next time…So imagine a guy who is shrinking from his 6 ‘ 3 next to that huge barn of bucks with moustache and a few salty streaks in his straightish hair.
· Dragon: A Little Perspective on my royalty Czech from Cold River [Crunch Time]

James Russell
2024 years ago

Jozef, we were all huddling around the stairs on ground level. Did we not all look obviously like a gang of bloggers to you?

jozef
2024 years ago

James

I even managed to train my eyes to see you in the positive, as oposed to your negative image on the buttered website. Somehow, I was abled to imagined any of those dark knights standing by the stairs as belonging to the clean impression you give within the virtual world.

Could it be that you all are surveillance experts with ASIO?

Next time I will come along carrying a bunch of red roses (smile)

Tim Lambert
2024 years ago

Jozef, I too had trouble finding the group. I studied Ken’s photo carefully, but a) he has shaved off the beard and b) he was not there yet, being on Darwin time. I eventually approached the group with the most face hair, and bingo!

wen
wen
2024 years ago

I guess – hope? – that the excess of facial hair means that there weren’t too many gels in attendance:)

Tim Lambert
2024 years ago

There are pictures here.

Gianna
2024 years ago

Well, I’m sorry I couldn’t make it in the end(I’ve been sleeping my way through entire weekends lately..argh), as I’m sure I could’ve helped connect the dots between Jozef (whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting) and the rest of you. Never mind, another time.

wen
wen
2024 years ago

bet everyone’s saying it, Gianna – but I’ll join in the chorus anyway – sleep while you can!

James Russell
2024 years ago

Two beards and a moustache is an excess of facial hair? Just as well Ken shaved his, then…

Jozef
2024 years ago

@ Least Ken could have worn a tropical Hawaii shirt if the facial hair is no longer is trademark (smile)

Tim Lambert
2024 years ago

Anyone with two beards and a moustache definitely has an excess of facial hair.