back to Balmain

After the graf stop we headed through a few back streets of peninsula Balmain, stopped for a spot of lunch in a cafe I will remember the name of next time I go there and then headed back. Balmain is really very pretty in an old fashioned inner suburb way. That, I was assured by some residents of thirty years I stopped to chat with, was largely due to the painful planning process imposed by the local (Leichardt) council. Apparently it takes for ever to get planning permission for, well, anything, and that is why there is still a healthy stock of old places and not too many of the concrete and glass boxes that are appearing all over Sydney as people favour the pages of wanky design magazines over heritage. For what it is worth I sit right on the borderline. I like a lot of modern architecture and I also like a lot of heritage stuff. What I don't like is shitty new architecture. If you find yourself in Balmain you should check out the Colgate-Palmolive building. No longer a working building, but the conversion to apartments is really rather nice, in my humble. The ownership even has a website that has a bit of history included.


Those residents I mentioned attracted my attention as the woman (wife I assume) wandered out with a giant schnauzer in tow. I had to stop for a pat and a chat. I was introduced to their two other giant schnauzers and also to the eighties model Porsche 911 that was parked outside of their cute old terraced cottage (can a cottage be a terrace too? dunno.) So, cool dogs, cool car, lovely house, top location, nice folks. Makes you sick dunnit?

every ime I use the word "nice" I am reminded of m dislike for the word, so I must apologise for using it as I rush to write. With more time and taking more care I would choose far better words.

The ride back to the City was uneventful but for JCJ it must have been a little irritating as I stopped several times to click pics of street art titbits I'd missed on the trip to Balmain. But, with typical charm and grace he did not complain, leving me with little incentive to alter my behaviour.

Once in the City we headed for what I am told I will find to be Sydney's best bookstore, Kinokuniya. The power of signage became clear to me. There are no signs in the Galleria shopping area that prohibit taking bikes in, up two escalators and then, as long as you know a manager (as JCJ does) into the cafe inside the store. Cool. And no one had a go at us. Wonder what other cities you could get away with that behaviour at?

Right, that was yesterday, now I'm off to see the new John Cussack movie, 1408.